By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Although there is still one more (postponed) game to be played in the Basketball Champions League regular season, the Play-In series will tip off regardless and with six games on the schedule for January 4th and 5th, three games on each day.
The first-ever Play-Ins in the BCL will be played in a best-of-three series. All the second and third-placed teams from the initial groups have qualified for the stage, a total of 16 names.
Igokea m:tel and Filou Oostende will play the opening game in Laktasi as the hosts try to follow up their underdog season with another appearance in the Round of 16 and prove that it wasn’t a fluke.
They are on a four-game winning streak across all competitions but Oostende also comes in a rising form also they’ve had some ups and downs this season.
JDA Dijon, one of the best BCL teams when it comes to the home court, will await VEF Riga, one of the worst teams when it comes to challenges on the road. The favorite is clear and if Riga wishes to deliver an upset, they will have to focus on controlling turnovers, something the French squad thrives on, scoring a lot of points off the opponents’ mistakes.
The day will be closed up by the back-to-back reigning champions Hereda San Pablo Burgos as they await Darussafaka in Spain. The reigning champs have had some trouble this season, perhaps showing the tiredness from chasing the impossible – winning the trophy three straight times. The Turks on the other hand got three straight wins on the domestic front and will look to ride the momentum.
January 5th will feature three games as well, with Hapoel U-NET Holon and Besiktas Icrypex starting the show. At the same time, SIG Strasbourg will host PAOK mateco.
Aside from the relatively well-known names to the competition’s fans, two new names will show up in the Play-Ins – Nutribullet Treviso and Lavrio Megabolt who are chasing their first playoffs in their first season in BCL and they will clash with each other for the honor.
Schedule
January 4 (CET)
Igokea m:tel – Filou Oostende (18:30)
Hereda San Pablo Burgos – Darussafaka (20:30)
JDA Dijon – VEF Riga (20:30)
January 5 (CET)
Hapoel U-NET Holon – Besiktas Icrypex (20:00)
SIG Strasbourg – PAOK mateco (20:00)
Nutribullet Treviso – Lavrio Megabolt (20:30)