By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Groups A, B, C, and D of the Basketball Champions League Regular Season were completed this week with six teams entering the playoffs picture to feature four new groups of four teams each. The holders of the three remaining tickets will be determined next week through the conclusions of Groups E, F, G, and H.
All four Group C teams reached the final round remaining in the hunt but AEK and Hapoel Unet-Credit Holon got the job done on the road against Tsmoki-Minsk and Cholet, respectively. Keith Langford went off for 32 points at Minsk highlighting the action.
The clinching spots in Group B were secured by Tofas Bursa and ERA Nymburk after their high-scoring tilt at the Czech Republic. JDA Dijon defeated Keravnos on the road but was held on the wrong end of the three-team tie and was eliminated.
Group D produced its second advancing team in the form of Nizhny Novgorod. The Russian outlet made it through thanks to a win over Falco Szombathely in the deciding match. Casademont Zaragoza was already in prior to dropping Pszczolka Start Lublin to 0-6.
In Group A, the Bakken Bears signed off with a third straight win as taking down Iberostar Tenerife was not enough to advance. Dinamo Sassari secured the second spot overpowering Galatasaray in Turkey.
Group A
Bakken Bears – Iberostar Tenerife 96-78
Galatasaray – Dinamo Sassari 81-92
Standings
1. y-Iberostar Tenerife 10 (4-2)
2. y-Dinamo Sassari 10 (4-2)
3. x-Bakken Bears 9 (3-3)
4. x-Galatasaray 7 (1-5)
Group B
ERA Nymburk – Tofas Bursa 97-103
Keravnos – JDA Dijon 44-79
Standings
1. y-Tofas Bursa 10 (4-2)
2. y-ERA Nymburk 10 (4-2)
3. x-JDA Dijon 10 (4-2)
4. x-Keravnos 6 (0-6)
Group C
Tsmoki-Minsk – AEK 90-95
Cholet – Hapoel Unet-Credit Holon 71-89
Standings
1. y-Hapoel Unet-Credit Holon 10 (4-2)
2. y-AEK 10 (4-2)
3. x-Cholet 8 (2-4)
4. x-Tsmoki-Minsk 8 (2-4)
Group D
Nizhny Novgorod – Falco Szombathely 73-68
Casademont Zaragoza – Pszczolka Start Lublin 94-82
Standings
1. y-Casademont Zaragoza 11 (5-1)
2. y-Nizhny Novgorod 10 (4-2)
3. x-Falco Szombathely 9 (3-3)
4. x-Pszczolka Start Lublin 6 (0-6)
Group E
Standings
1. y-SIG Strasbourg 9 (4-1)
2. VEF Riga 8 (3-2)
3. Peristeri 7 (2-3)
4. x-Rytas Vilnius 6 (1-4)
Group F
Standings
1. y-Brose Bamberg 10 (5-0)
2. Pinar Karsiyaka 8 (3-2)
3. RETAbet Bilbao 7 (2-3)
4. x-Fortitudo Bologna 5 (0-5)
Group G
Standings
1. y-Turk Telekom 9 (4-1)
2. Igokea 8 (3-2)
3. Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem 7 (2-3)
4. x-Limoges CSP 6 (1-4)
Group H
Standings
1. y-Hereda San Pablo Burgos 9 (4-1)
2. y-Happy Casa Brindisi 9 (4-1)
3. x-Darussafaka Tekfen 6 (1-4)
4. x-Filou Oostende 6 (1-4)
y-clinched playoffs berth
x-eliminated
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League