By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Completing Gameday 5 of the Basketball Champions League Regular Season spreads action across four groups on Tuesday and Wednesday. More teams can follow AEK Betsson and Unicaja in the Round of 16.
With a 12-game winning streak in regular-season contests in Palacio de Deportes, UCAM Murcia receives Bertram Derthona Tortona in the headliner of the ninth week on Wednesday. Winning by a margin larger than five points would put the Universitarios in control of Group H, but the visitors can clinch the top seed with a win. Tofas hopes to extend the losing streak of Igokea m:tel and seal a spot in the Play-In stage of the 2023-24 season on Tuesday.
Defeating Promitheas in Patras and a team-high fifth consecutive win in the Champions League would clinch a berth in the Round of 16 for JDA Dijon. Besides the team coached by Ilias Papatheodorou hoping to stay in the hunt for first place in Group B, similar aspirations stretch to Rytas en route to visiting Czechia champion Opava. Both games will be played on Tuesday.
Facing each other in Belgrade on Wednesday, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem with a win by a margin larger than three points, or PAOK mateco with a win by any margin, can secure the top seed in Group G. Battling for a place in the Play-Ins, Benfica and Galatasaray Ekmas meet in Lisbon later Wednesday.
The league-high tenth meeting between lasting originals Filou Oostende and SIG Strasbourg opens the schedule of Group E on Tuesday. On Wednesday, EWE Baskets Oldenburg hosts Pinar Karsiyaka in EWE Arena.
Week 9 Preview
Group A
1. y-Unicaja 9 (4-1)
2. x-Le Mans 8 (3-2)
3. x-Peristeri bwin 7 (2-3)
4. e-Falco Vulcano Szombathely 6 (1-4)
Group B
Promitheas – JDA Dijon (12/12, 18:30 CET)
Opava – Rytas (12/12, 18:30 CET)
1. JDA Dijon 8 (4-0)
2. Promitheas 6 (2-2)
3. Rytas 6 (2-2)
4. Opava 4 (0-4)
Group C
1. Lenovo Tenerife 8 (3-2)
2. Cholet 8 (3-2)
3. Darussafaka Lassa 7 (2-3)
4. VEF Riga 7 (2-3)
Group D
1. y-AEK Betsson 10 (5-0)
2. King Wilki Morskie Szczecin 7 (2-3)
3. MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg 7 (2-3)
4. Dinamo Banco di Sardegna Sassari 6 (1-4)
Group E
Filou Oostende – SIG Strasbourg (12/12, 20:30 CET)
EWE Baskets Oldenburg – Pinar Karsiyaka (13/12, 20:00 CET)
1. Pinar Karsiyaka 7 (3-1)
2. SIG Strasbourg 7 (3-1)
3. EWE Baskets Oldenburg 5 (1-3)
4. Filou Oostende 5 (1-3)
Group F
1. Telekom Baskets Bonn 8 (3-2)
2. Hapoel Holon 8 (3-2)
3. Rio Breogan 7 (2-3)
4. Bursaspor Info Yatirim 5 (2-3)
Group G
Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem – PAOK mateco (13/12, 18:30 CET)
Benfica – Galatasaray Ekmas (13/12, 20:30 CET)
1. PAOK mateco 7 (3-1)
2. Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem 7 (3-1)
3. Galatasaray Ekmas 5 (1-3)
4. Benfica 5 (1-3)
Group H
Tofas – Igokea m:tel (12/12, 18:00 CET)
UCAM Murcia – Bertram Derthona Tortona (13/12, 20:30 CET)
1. Bertram Derthona Tortona 8 (4-0)
2. UCAM Murcia 7 (3-1)
3. Tofas 5 (1-3)
4. Igokea m:tel 4 (0-4)
– Top team of each group advances directly to the Round of 16
– Teams ranking second and third in each group move to the Play-Ins
y-clinched berth in Round of 16
x-clinched berth in the Play-Ins
e-eliminated
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League