Vladov guides Bahçeşehir to perfect 2-0 EuroCup start after surviving Manresa thriller

Bahçeşehir has made an impressive start to its 2026/27 Cyber EuroCup campaign, with German-Bulgarian representative Viktor Vladov securing two victories in contrasting fashion to establish an early lead in Group D.

After dismantling Branimir Kostadinov's Bosna Sarajevo 75-49 in its opening encounter, the Turkish club faced a considerably tougher challenge against Ukrainian gamer, Kostiantyn Nepomyashchiy's Baxi Manresa, eventually emerging with a hard-fought 71-68 victory.

The two results leave Bahçeşehir unbeaten at 2-0 with a +29 point differential, demonstrating both its offensive potential and the tactical flexibility of its German-Bulgarian controller.

A commanding opening statement against Sarajevo

Bahçeşehir began its EuroCup journey in convincing fashion, taking control from the opening minutes against Bosna Sarajevo.

Vladov's side raced to a 21-7 advantage in the first quarter before extending its lead to 44-23 at halftime, effectively putting the contest beyond reach.

The Turkish outfit continued to manage proceedings after the break, eventually securing a comfortable 75-49 victory.

The shooting statistics illustrated the difference between the two teams. Bahçeşehir converted 48% of its field-goal attempts and connected on eight of 19 three-pointers, an impressive 42% success rate.

Sarajevo, meanwhile, endured a difficult evening from beyond the arc, converting just one of its 22 three-point attempts, equivalent to 5%.

Vladov highlighted his team's early control and the opportunity to experiment with different rotations.

"We controlled from early on. We had no doubt about the win; the game was decided at halftime. I tried things out and rotated a lot," Vladov explained.

The former real-life pro also acknowledged the difficult circumstances facing his opponent, with Kostadinov making his first appearance at this level of competition.

"Branimir will get better for sure. He needs time, and it's also his first match at that level."

Vladov reserved particular praise for Malachi Flynn, identifying him as an influential figure in Bahçeşehir's commanding performance.

"Malachi Flynn did a great job for us and was a pure leader, not only in scoring."

Manresa push Bahçeşehir to the limit

If the opening encounter was about dominance, Bahçeşehir's second appearance became a demanding examination of tactical awareness, defensive adjustments and composure.

Facing Kostiantyn Nepomyashchiy's Manresa, Vladov encountered an opponent whose perimeter-oriented offense proved considerably more dangerous than anticipated.

Bahçeşehir initially established a 20-15 advantage after the opening quarter, but Manresa responded by winning the second period 21-16, sending the teams into halftime level at 36-36.

The Spanish side consistently tested Bahçeşehir's defensive organization, utilizing high-volume three-point shooting and exploiting opportunities created by defensive breakdowns.

Manresa attempted 30 shots from beyond the arc, converting 10, while also presenting significant challenges with its defensive execution, particularly after halftime.

Vladov admitted that his initial approach required immediate adjustments.

"It was a roller coaster of results and emotions," the ESportsBattle County Operations Manager of Bulgaria, said.

"I wasn't expecting Manresa to hit much from the perimeter. However, I knew that my opponent's playstyle was to go for a massive number of three-point attempts."

"Our gameplay had to be changed pretty quickly at the start, as we left room for wide-open threes which Kostiantyn and his team started to hit very well."

Tactical adjustments prove decisive

With the game finely balanced, Vladov turned to constant defensive modifications and lineup changes in an effort to disrupt Manresa's offensive rhythm.

Bahçeşehir regained a narrow advantage in the third quarter, outscoring the Spanish side 19-15 to enter the final period ahead 55-51.

However, Nepomyashchiy's team refused to surrender, producing another competitive quarter and keeping the outcome uncertain until the closing stages.

Manresa took the final period 17-16, but Bahçeşehir did just enough to secure a 71-68 victory.

Despite shooting 45% from three-point range, Bahçeşehir struggled at the free-throw line, converting only eight of 16 attempts, an inefficiency that prevented the Turkish team from establishing a more comfortable margin.

Vladov emphasized that his team's defensive adaptability ultimately proved decisive.

"Our constant changes, even during possessions in defense, and constant lineup switches made the difference."

"We missed a lot on the free-throw line and could have decided the game a bit earlier."

The Group D leader also praised Nepomyashchiy's performance, acknowledging the quality of Manresa's preparation and execution.

"Huge respect to my opponent, who showed a very high level of execution, especially in offense, but had me also using mastermind tactics as Manresa's team defense was very much on point, especially in the second half."

Two victories, two very different challenges

Bahçeşehir's opening two encounters highlighted two important qualities of a potential EuroCup contender.

Against Sarajevo, Vladov demonstrated the ability to establish early control, manage rotations and exploit an opponent's offensive struggles.

Against Manresa, he was forced to adapt continuously, responding to an opponent who challenged his defensive schemes while remaining competitive throughout all four quarters.

The contrasting victories provide valuable early-season experience for the German-Bulgarian representative.

For Kostadinov, the opening defeat represents an opportunity to develop following a demanding introduction to Cyber EuroCup competition.

For Nepomyashchiy, the narrow three-point loss offers encouragement despite Manresa beginning its campaign at 0-1. His side demonstrated the offensive execution and defensive organization required to compete against one of Group D's early leaders.

Bahçeşehir set the pace in Group D

With two victories from its opening two games and a positive point differential of 29, Bahçeşehir currently leads Group D ahead of fellow unbeaten PAOK Thessaloniki.

The Turkish club's early momentum places Vladov in a promising position, although the intense battle against Manresa has already demonstrated that maintaining an unbeaten record will be far from straightforward.

Whether through commanding offensive performances or tactical adjustments under pressure, Vladov has shown that Bahçeşehir possesses multiple ways to win.

Two games. Two victories. One perfect start. Bahçeşehir has laid down an early marker in the Cyber EuroCup.

Final results:

Bahçeşehir 75-49 Bosna BH Telecom Sarajevo

Kids&Us Manresa 68-71 Bahçeşehir

Group D record: Bahçeşehir 2-0 (+29)