By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After six appearances in Basketball Champions League Season X, powered by Ameresco SUNEL, with Unicaja, Xavier Castaneda has been loaned to Hiopos Lleida for the remainder of the 2025-26 season, the team based in Malaga announced on Monday.
The 25-year-old combo forward played in all six games of the BCL Regular Season, helping his side in a perfect 6-0 run to top Group G and earn a direct ticket to the Round of 16, specifically in Group K alongside fellow Liga Endesa participant Joventut Badalona and two Play-In winners. He averaged 6.8 points, 2.8 assists, 0.7 rebounds, and 0.5 steals per contest.
In addition to introducing himself to the top-tier club competition of FIBA Europe, Castaneda went for 1.0 points, 1.4 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.4 rebounds per game over his first five appearances in the top-flight of Spain. His next assignment switches focus to Lleida’s 4-7 ACB tally.
Earlier in his professional career, the Chicago native played in France with JL Bourg and in Greece with Lavrio. Upon gaining citizenship, he expanded to the international level by representing Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Qualifiers of the EuroBasket 2025 and the FIBA World Cup 2027.
Elsewhere in the Champions League, Mersin Spor announced a separation with Ben Bentil on Saturday, after parting ways with head coach Can Sevim on Friday.
Debuting in the BCL, the 30-year-old forward/center featured in five games, averaging 6.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.2 blocks, and 0.2 steals per contest, before sitting out Gameday 6 opposite Filou Oostende in Servet Tazegul Arena last Wednesday. The Turkish side was already certain of the second seed of Group G before the regular-season finale.
Moving to a best-of-three Play-In series versus Le Mans, Mersin will resume the continental campaign with Game 1 at home on January 6.