By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Basketball Champions League Round of 16 continues this week with 11 games stretched between Tuesday and Thursday. The eight Gameday 5 meetings plus three additional contests originally part of Gameday 3 make out the fifth week of the playoffs. Seven more Final 8 spots hang in the balance, at least a few of them are likely to find their holders in the next days.
A couple of home fixtures for Casademont Zaragoza and Brose Bamberg, and two away challenges for Dinamo Sassari and ERA Nymburk in Group L against the mentioned hosts. A packed week with Nymburk and Zaragoza able to clinch if they manage to win twice. The German outlet on a seven-game winning streak at home in the BCL will look to remain in the hunt.
Nizhny Novgorod after becoming the first team to seal its Final 8 ticket last week will welcome SIG Strasbourg on Wednesday. The French outlet eager to jump to 2-3 during its visit to Russia will be also monitoring developments in Turkey as Turk Telekom (1-3) hosts AEK (2-2) in the other Group K affair.
Pinar Karsiyaka and its effective defense will be on the road versus fellow Turkish team Tofas Bursa aiming to improve to 3-2 and match the loser of the other Group I match between Hapoel Unet-Credit Holon and Happy Casa Brindisi. The prevailing side of the latter tilt can advance.
Hereda San Pablo Burgos carrying an eight-game winning streak in the Champions League will face Igokea twice this week, Tuesday and Thursday. Group J will be featured in Wednesday’s schedule as well with Lenovo Tenerife facing out-of-contention VEF Riga in Latvia. Clinching opportunity for both Spanish clubs.
Group I
Tuesday
Tofas Bursa – Pinar Karsiyaka
Wednesday
Hapoel Unet-Credit Holon – Happy Casa Brindisi
1. Hapoel Unet-Credit Holon 7 (3-1)
2. Happy Casa Brindisi 7 (3-1)
3. Pinar Karsiyaka 6 (2-2)
4. x-Tofas Bursa 4 (0-4)
Group J
Tuesday
Igokea – Hereda San Pablo Burgos
Wednesday
VEF Riga – Lenovo Tenerife
Thursday
Hereda San Pablo Burgos – Igokea
1. Lenovo Tenerife 7 (3-1)
2. Hereda San Pablo Burgos 6 (3-0)
3. Igokea 4 (1-2)
4. x-VEF Riga 4 (0-4)
Group K
Wednesday
Turk Telekom – AEK
Nizhny Novgorod – SIG Strasbourg
1. y-Nizhny Novgorod 8 (4-0)
2. AEK 6 (2-2)
3. SIG Strasbourg 5 (1-3)
4. Turk Telekom 5 (1-3)
Group L
Tuesday
Casademont Zaragoza – Dinamo Sassari
Brose Bamberg – ERA Nymburk
Thursday
Casademont Zaragoza – ERA Nymburk
Brose Bamberg – Dinamo Sassari
1. Casademont Zaragoza 5 (2-1)
2. ERA Nymburk 4 (2-0)
3. Brose Bamberg 4 (1-2)
4. Dinamo Sassari 2 (0-2)
y-clinched Final 8 spot
x-eliminated
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League