Saben Lee has etched his name in the history of the Basketball Champions League in golden letters.
In his most recent game for Manisa Basket in the Basketball Champions League, Lee cemented his place in the record books. After scoring 36 points against UCAM Murcia in the opening week of the tournament, Lee followed up with an outstanding 43-point performance against FMP, leading his team to their second consecutive win and equaling the Basketball Champions League scoring record.
Until last night’s game, the record was held solely by Keifer Sykes, who made history with his performance in January 2019.
Besides these two players, only five others have managed to break the 40-point barrier in the Basketball Champions League: Martin Zeno, Jimmy Baron, Braian Angola, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, and Rion Brown. Let’s take a closer look at their performances:
Saben Lee (Manisa Basket) – 43 points vs FMP SoccerBet
Few players have made such a massive impact in European basketball in such a short time as Saben Lee.
With an unlimited offensive arsenal and an extraordinary scoring ability, Lee consistently drew fouls and went to the line. He converted 14 out of 18 free throws against FMP, while shooting efficiently from both inside the paint and beyond the arc. He hit 10 of 17 two-point attempts and 3 of 4 from three-point range in this historic performance.
Unfortunately for Manisa Basket, it looks like this might be Lee’s farewell to the Basketball Champions League. He’s set to continue his career with Maccabi Tel Aviv after the departure of Jordan Loyd.
Keifer Sykes (Avellino) – 43 points vs Bandırma Banvit
If Keifer Sykes watched Saben Lee’s performance last night, he would have realized that his record would no longer stand alone.
Lee’s brilliant game doesn’t diminish Sykes’ achievement back in January 2019, when he scored 43 points for Avellino against Bandırma Banvit. Despite his team’s loss, Sykes made 10 of 14 two-point shots, 6 of 10 from beyond the arc, and 5 of 8 free throws.
Sykes averaged 14.1 points per game during his time in the Basketball Champions League. He later made another appearance in the league, this time in a Turkish Telekom jersey.
Martin Zeno (Oradea) – 42 points vs Kataja
Exactly two years and four days before Keifer Sykes first made his mark in the Basketball Champions League, Martin Zeno tied the scoring record with a 42-point performance.
Zeno shot 11 of 17 from two-point range, 6 of 9 from three, and made 2 of 3 free throws. Despite his outstanding effort, his team couldn’t secure the win against Kataja. Zeno remains in the record books nonetheless.
Zeno had a notable international career, also featuring in the FIBA Europe Cup in 2017 and 2019, where he averaged 14.1 points per game.
Jimmy Baron (Neptunas) – 42 points vs Usak Sportif
December 6, 2016, is a date that Basketball Champions League fans will always remember. On that night, two players broke the 40-point barrier. The first is Jimmy Baron.
Baron scored 42 points against Uşak Sportif, hitting 10 of 15 from three-point range. We all know about Billy Baron’s shooting prowess, but his brother, Jimmy, who is currently a shooting coach with the San Antonio Spurs, was just as deadly from beyond the arc.
Braian Angola (Karsiyaka) – 41 points vs UCAM Murcia
This next performance is still fresh in the minds of basketball fans. Braian Angola delivered an unforgettable night against UCAM Murcia in early 2023.
In the play-in round, Angola scored 41 points, shooting 6 of 9 from three, 7 of 9 from two, and converting 9 of 10 free throws. Despite his heroic efforts, Angola couldn’t prevent Karşıyaka’s elimination from the 2022/23 season of the tournament.
Mindaugas Kuzminskas (AEK) – 40 points vs Hapoel Holon
Mindaugas Kuzminskas is the only non-American player on this list. His 40-point performance against Hapoel Holon during the 2023/24 season earned him a spot in the exclusive 40+ points club.
In a double-overtime thriller, Kuzminskas shot 50% from the field (14 of 28), helping AEK secure a 112-108 victory, despite their slim chances of advancing in the last 16 round.
Rion Brown (Kataja) – 40 points vs Maccabi Rishon LeZion
As previously mentioned, December 6, 2016, was a special night in Basketball Champions League history. Alongside Jimmy Baron, Rion Brown also put on a scoring clinic that day.
Brown lit up the scoreboard with 9 of 12 three-point shooting, finishing the game with 40 points. He closed the 2016/17 season averaging 17.9 points per game. Brown later appeared in eight EuroLeague games for Panathinaikos in the 2019/20 season.
