By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The regular season of the Basketball Champions League ends this week and here’s are the playoffs possibilities in the five regular season groups.
It has to be noted that from the 24 teams that will advance to the playoffs (four best teams of each group and four best ranked fifth-placed teams), the five group winners and three best ranked second-placed teams will advance directly to the second playoffs round, while the remaining 16 teams will play each other in the first playoffs round.
Group A
With AS Monaco, Banvit, CEZ Nymburk and Aris already assured of spots in the Play-offs, the battle for fifth place is on between Fraport Skyliners (6-7) and Ironi Nahariya (5-8) facing each other this week. The winner of their game on Wednesday will finish fifth (Ironi Nahariya won the first game and would have the better head-to-head). Yancy Gates, Nahariya’s leading scorer, had 19 points in the first meeting – a 75-54 win for his team. Skyliners, are taking aim at a third straight win and coming off an impressive 64-58 triumph at Aris.
Group B
There is plenty of unfinished business. Le Mans Sarthe, Pinar Karsiyaka and Umana Reyer Venezia are in the Play-offs while Oradea, Avtodor Saratov, Kataja Basket and Maccabi Rand Media all have 6-7 records. None of the four sides face each other this week, which means that every game in Group B could be a determining factor in the race to the Play-offs. Le Mans will host Avtodor Saratov, Kataja Basket will be at home to Pinar Karsiyaka, Maccabi Rand Media visit Khimik and Oradea play at Umana Reyer Venezia. No matter how this pans out, it’s safe to assume that Avtodor Saratov are going to give the fans something to talk about because they have two of the biggest crowd-pleasers in the competition in Nick Minnerath and Vince Hunter. Both have been sensational this season.
Group C
With ASVEL, EWE Baskets and Neptunas Klaipeda having sealed their places in the Play-offs, Ventspils (7-6) and PAOK will square off on Tuesday in a crucial battle for fourth place. If PAOK prevail, both sides will be guaranteed spots in the Play-offs (Ventspils would be guaranteed a spot in the Play-off Qualifiers even with a loss 4+). If Ventspils triumph, PAOK will have to wait and see if they are among the four best fifth-place teams. Judging from the first game, which PAOK won 85-81 after overtime in Thessaloniki, this week’s showdown promises to be exciting.
Group D
Iberostar Tenerife, Sidigas Avellino, SIG Strasbourg and Juventus Utena are in the Play-offs but their final ranking and place in the draws remain open. Cibona host Telenet Oostende in a battle of 5-win, 8-loss sides with fifth-place at stake, and will need to see how they compare with the other 5th placed finishers. Telenet Oostende had just enough the first time the teams met, winning 82-70.
Group E
Besiktas, AEK, Partizan and MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg occupy the top four spots heading into the last Gameday. Dinamo Sassari (6-7) are fifth but not with a firm grip on the position, especially as they host Partizan (8-5) on Wednesday. The first game was an overtime thriller that Sassari won. Proximus Spirou (5-8) can still climb into fifth place if Sassari fall and the Charleroi outfit win at home over last-placed Szolniki Olaj (2-11).