By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Nine games spread through the four Basketball Champions League Round of 16 groups made out the sixth and final week of the Playoffs. Eight teams, the top two of each group, survived entering the Final 8 in the process. The draw planned to be held next Tuesday will lay out the path to the trophy for the Final 8 participants.
The two Final 8 tickets still seeking holders through the last week of the Round of 16 were claimed by SIG Strasbourg and Pinar Karsiyaka. The French club outlasted Turk Telekom and the Turkish advancing side beat Happy Casa Brindisi in do-or-die Group K and I battles highlighting the schedule stretching from Tuesday to Thursday.
AEK knocked out during the fifth week, rallied past Nizhny Novgorod in a Group K match without Final 8 implications. Group I, besides Karsiyaka, saw Tofas Bursa head out with a win on the road versus Hapoel Unet-Credit Holon.
ERA Nymburk finished first in Group L after taking down both Dinamo Sassari and Casademont Zaragoza this week. The Italian club, on in its own double-game week, routed Brose Bamberg to avoid a winless run in the Playoffs.
Group J was also already decided but Lenovo Tenerife ranked first forcing Hereda San Pablo Burgos to second place with a convincing victory in the All-Spanish battle. Also, Igokea took down VEF Riga.
Group I
Hapoel Unet-Credit Holon – Tofas Bursa 71-90
Pinar Karsiyaka – Happy Casa Brindisi 107-88
1. y-Hapoel Unet-Credit Holon 10 (4-2)
2. y-Pinar Karsiyaka 9 (3-3)
3. x-Happy Casa Brindisi 9 (3-3)
4. x-Tofas Bursa 8 (2-4)
Group J
Lenovo Tenerife – Hereda San Pablo Burgos 89-60
Igokea – VEF Riga 64-58
1. y-Lenovo Tenerife 11 (5-1)
2. y-Hereda San Pablo Burgos 10 (4-2)
3. x-Igokea 9 (3-3)
4. x-VEF Riga 6 (0-6)
Group K
SIG Strasbourg – Turk Telekom 91-81
AEK – Nizhny Novgorod 79-78
1. y-Nizhny Novgorod 10 (4-2)
2. y-SIG Strasbourg 9 (3-3)
3. x-AEK 9 (3-3)
4. x-Turk Telekom 8 (2-4)
Group L
Dinamo Sassari – ERA Nymburk 73-91
ERA Nymburk – Casademont Zaragoza 98-78
Dinamo Sassari – Brose Bamberg 83-72
1. y-ERA Nymburk 11 (5-1)
2. y-Casademont Zaragoza 10 (4-2)
3. x-Brose Bamberg 8 (2-4)
4. x-Dinamo Sassari 7 (1-5)
y-clinched Final 8 berth
x-eliminated
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League