By Cesare Milanti / info@eurohoops.net
This year’s puzzle for the Basketball Champions League Round of 16 is yet to be completed, but we are getting there. After the first two weeks of action for 2024, in fact, the faith of only five clashes will be decided in Week 3 of the BCL Play-Ins, the following ones:
- Cholet Basket – Banco di Sardegna Dinamo Sassari
- MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg – Darussafaka Lassa
- Pinar Karsiyaka – Rio Breogan
- Hapoel Holon – Filou Oostende
- PAOK mateco – Tofas
Taking a look at the next phase, Unicaja Malaga and SIG Strasbourg will find the winners of the Cholet/Sassari and PAOK/Tofas matchups in Group I; JDA Bourgogne Dijon, Telekom Baskets Bonn, and Galatasaray will meet one between Ludwigsburg and Darussafaka in Group J.
In Group K, the winner of the Play-Ins best-of-three series between Pinar Karsiyaka and Rio Breogan will clash with Lenovo Tenerife, Hapoel Jerusalem, and Peristeri, while finally in Group L AEK, UCAM Murcia, and Promitheas still have to meet their next opponent: Hapoel Holon or Filou Oostende.
Three Play-Ins series didn’t need a third game, with Promitheas, Peristeri, and Galatasaray winning 2-0 away and at home respectively against Le Mans, Rytas Vilnius, and Derthona. Special efforts from Hunter Hale, Joe Ragland, and Klemen Prepelic were needed to come out with early victories.
Forcing Game 3, instead, five teams will come back home to try to finish the series on a positive note after starting it badly. One of them is Cholet Basket, who needed a 30-point game from Craig Randall II to tie the series in Sardinia. PAOK won it at the buzzer to survive over Tofas Bursa, Darussafaka proudly reacted with an 11-point margin, while both Rio Breogan and Filou Oostende didn’t have problems respectively thanks to Ben McLemore and Pierre-Antoine Gillet.
Basketball Champions League Play-Ins
| Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | |
| Le Mans – Promitheas | 68-78 | 78-91 | / |
| Rytas – Peristeri bwin | 92-110 | 80-83 | / |
| Cholet – Dinamo Banco di Sardegna Sassari | 72-93 | 95-91 | 17/1 |
| MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg – Darussafaka Lassa | 82-63 | 72-83 | 16/1 |
| Pinar Karsiyaka – Rio Breogan | 89-85 | 73-80 | 17/1 |
| Hapoel Holon – Filou Oostende | 80-70 | 61-71 | 16/1 |
| PAOK mateco – Tofas | 65-95 | 88-87 | 16/1 |
| Bertram Derthona Tortona – Galatasaray Ekmas | 70-71 | 89-95 | / |
Basketball Champions League Round of 16
Group I
Unicaja
SIG Strasbourg
Winner C2 vs D3
Winner G2 vs H3
Group J
JDA Dijon
Telekom Bonn
Winner D2 vs C3
Galatasaray Ekmas
Group K
Lenovo Tenerife
Hapoel Jerusalem
Peristeri
Winner E2 vs F3
Group L
AEK Athens
UCAM Murcia
Promitheas
Winner F2 vs E3
– The top two teams from each group will advance to the BCL Quarterfinals
PHOTO CREDIT: Basketball Champions League
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