Euroleague 2014-15: Group C preview

14/Oct/14 11:08

The new season is about to start in Euroleague and this time group phase counts. Want to know why? Well you will be surprised with the names of the teams which may end up out of Top16, specially in the crowded Group C

By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net

Finally it’s time for basketball again. And while nobody denies the fact that under the new format for many people the “real start” of Euroleague is the Top16, this time around the group phase seems more interesting than ever.

It may be just a “warm up” stage for the bigs but is some cases it’s obvious that upsets are right around the corner and some very ambitious teams may have to settle really soon for Eurocup. Here’s Eurohoops preview of the group phase. We remind you that the four best teams of each groups will advance to Euroleague’s Top16, while the last two in each group’s final standings will continue their season in Eurocup.

Group C: One has to stay out

The first thing that comes to mind is poor Turow Zgorzelec. The Polish champs ended up in a group in which they are in danger of not registering not even a single win. There will be blood as one of Barcelona, Fenerbahce/ Ulker, Bayern Munich, EA7 Milano and Panathinaikos will stay out of Top16. Yes, you read it right, the Spanish, Turkish, German, Italian and Greek champions will have to fight for Euroleague survival.

It’s more than hard to predict which team will be the one missing Top16. Barcelona despite losing Dorsey and Papanikolaou has the tools to finish on top, Fenerbahce/ Ulker added Goudelock and Bogdan Bogdanovic, creating a Final Four worthy roster. Bayern Munich despite losing Delaney, added Micic and Savanovic in a really strong core.

EA7 Milano lost Langford, Jerrells and Lawal, but replaced them with Kleiza, Ragland and Brooks and only Panathinaikos on paper has a worst team compared with last season. However, the Greens under coach Ivanovic will be hard to beat, specially at home, they proved it already against Olympiacos.

FC BAYERN MUNICH

No.	Player	Country	Pos.	Height	Born
8	SCHAFFARTZIK, HEIKO	Germany	Guard	1.81	1984
9	MICIC, VASILIJE	Serbia	Guard	1.95	1994
10	STAIGER, LUCCA	Germany	Guard	1.95	1988
12	BENZING, ROBIN	Germany	Forward	2.08	1989
14	DJEDOVIC, NIHAD	Bosnia – Herzegovina	Guard	1.96	1990
15	STIMAC, VLADIMIR	Serbia	Center	2.10	1987
16	ZIPSER, PAUL	Germany	Forward	2.03	1994
17	MARIN, MAURICIO	Germany	Guard	1.93	1994
20	SAVANOVIC, DUSKO	Serbia	Forward	2.04	1983
25	GAVEL, ANTON	Slovakia	Guard	1.89	1984
32	IDBIHI, YASSIN	Germany	Center	2.08	1983
41	MAYR, DANIEL	Germany	Center	2.16	1995
44	TAYLOR, BRYCE	USA	Guard	1.93	1986
45	JAGLA, JAN-HENDRICK	Germany	Forward	2.13	1981
54	BRYANT, JOHN	USA	Center	2.08	1987

	Head Coach
	PESIC, SVETISLAV	Serbia

FENERBAHCE/ ULKER

No.	Player	Country	Pos.	Height	Born
5	HICKMAN, RICKY	USA	Guard	1.89	1985
8	BJELICA, NEMANJA	Serbia	Forward	2.09	1988
9	ERDEN, SEMIH	Turkey	Center	2.10	1986
10	MAHMUTOGLU, MELIH	Turkey	Guard	1.91	1990
12	TURKYILMAZ, IZZET	Turkey	Forward	2.10	1990
13	BOGDANOVIC, BOGDAN	Serbia	Guard	1.97	1992
15	CETIN, SERHAT	Turkey	Guard	1.97	1986
16	GOUDELOCK, ANDREW	USA	Guard	1.91	1988
20	ALTINTIG, CAN	Turkey	Guard	1.95	1987
21	SAVAS, OGUZ	Turkey	Center	2.13	1987
22	ZORIC, LUKA	Croatia	Center	2.11	1984
23	UGURLU, BERK	Turkey	Guard	1.92	1996
24	VESELY, JAN	Czech Rep.	Forward	2.10	1990
25	SIPAHI, KENAN	Turkey	Guard	1.97	1995
55	PRELDZIC, EMIR	Turkey	Forward	2.06	1987

	Head Coach
	OBRADOVIC, ZELJKO	Serbia

EA7 MILANO

No.	Player	Country	Pos.	Height	Born
1	RAGLAND, JOE	USA	Guard	1.82	1989
2	BROOKS, MARSHON	USA	Guard	1.96	1989
5	GENTILE, ALESSANDRO	Italy	Guard	1.96	1992
6	GIGLI, ANGELO	Italy	Forward	2.09	1983
7	CERELLA, BRUNO	Italy	Guard	1.94	1986
9	MELLI, NICOLO	Italy	Forward	2.05	1991
10	MEACHAM, TRENTON	USA	Guard	1.90	1985
11	KLEIZA, LINAS	Lithuania	Forward	2.03	1985
21	JAMES, SHAWN	USA	Center	2.08	1983
23	HACKETT, DANIEL	Italy	Forward	1.99	1987
24	SAMUELS, SAMARDO	Jamaica	Center	2.06	1989
34	MOSS, DAVID	USA	Forward	1.95	1983
	VILLA, FRANCESCO	Italy	Guard	1.82	1997
	FUMAGALLI, CARLO	Italy	Guard	1.86	1996

	Head Coach
	BANCHI, LUCA	Italy

PANATHINAIKOS

No.	Player	Country	Pos.	Height	Born
5	CHARALAMPOPOULOS, V.	Greece	Forward	2.02	1997
6	SLAUGHTER, A.J.	USA	Guard	1.91	1987
7	BOCHORIDIS, ELEFTHERIOS	Greece	Guard	1.94	1994
8	JANKOVIC, VLADIMIR	Greece	Forward	2.02	1990
9	FOTSIS, ANTONIS	Greece	Forward	2.09	1981
10	NELSON, DeMARCUS	USA	Guard	1.93	1985
11	PAPPAS, NIKOS	Greece	Guard	1.94	1990
12	MAVROKEFALIDIS, LOUKAS	Greece	Center	2.10	1984
13	DIAMANTIDIS, DIMITRIS	Greece	Guard	1.96	1980
14	GIST, JAMES	USA	Forward	2.06	1986
15	BATISTA, ESTEBAN	Uruguay	Center	2.08	1983
16	KONIARIS, ANTONIOS	Greece	Guard	1.96	1997
17	DIAMANTAKOS, GEORGIOS	Greece	Center	2.14	1995

	Head Coach
	IVANOVIC, DUSKO	Montenegro

FC BARCELONA

No.	Player	Country	Pos.	Height	Born
5	DOELLMAN, JUSTIN	USA	Forward	2.06	1985
6	HAKANSON, LUDDE	Sweden	Guard	1.93	1996
8	HEZONJA, MARIO	Croatia	Forward	1.98	1995
9	HUERTAS, MARCELINHO	Brazil	Guard	1.90	1983
10	ABRINES, ALEJANDRO	Spain	Forward	1.97	1993
11	NAVARRO, JUAN CARLOS	Spain	Guard	1.91	1980
13	SATORANSKY, TOMAS	Czech Rep.	Guard	2.01	1991
20	ERIKSSON, MARCUS	Sweden	Guard	1.96	1993
21	PLEISS, TIBOR	Germany	Center	2.18	1989
23	THOMAS, DESHAUN	USA	Forward	2.01	1991
24	OLESON, BRAD	USA	Guard	1.91	1983
30	LAMPE, MACIEJ	Poland	Center	2.10	1985
34	NACHBAR, BOSTJAN	Slovenia	Forward	2.06	1980
44	TOMIC, ANTE	Croatia	Center	2.17	1987

	Head Coach
	PASCUAL, XAVI	Spain

PGE TUROW ZGORZELEC

No.	Player	Country	Pos.	Height	Born
1	COLLINS, MARDY	USA	Forward	1.98	1984
7	KULIG, DAMIAN	Poland	Center	2.05	1994
8	CHYLINSKI, MICHAL	Poland	Guard	1.95	1986
9	KAROLAK, JAKUB	Poland	Forward	1.96	1993
10	JARAMAZ, NEMANJA	Serbia	Guard	2.00	1991
12	WISNIEWSKI, LUKASZ	Poland	Guard	1.89	1984
13	DYLEWICZ, FILIP	Poland	Forward	2.02	1980
14	MOLDOVEANU, VLAD	Romania	Forward	2.06	1988
19	NIKOLIC, UROS	Serbia	Center	2.06	1987
21	TAYLOR, TONY	USA	Guard	1.85	1990
31	KOSTRZEWSKI, MATEUSZ	Poland	Forward	1.97	1989
44	ZIGERANOVIC, IVAN	Serbia	Center	2.12	1984

	Head Coach
	RAJKOVIC, MIODRAG	Serbia