By Stefan Djordjevic/ info@eurohoops.net
After five Gamedays of action, the Basketball Champions League doesn’t stop to amaze. Only one week didn’t feature an exciting overtime thriller while new faces regularly rise up to the challenge and try to steal the spotlight from the well-known and experienced veterans.
It’s time for the BCL Gameday 6 and as usual, the games will be divided between Tuesday (12/11) and Wednesday (13/11).
Day 6 Preview
Group A
1. UCAM Murcia (5-0)
2. Sidigas Avellino (4-1)
3. Banvit (3-2)
4. Nizhny Novgorod (2-3)
5. Anwil (2-3)
6. Le Mans (2-3)
7. Ventspils (2-3)
8. Ludwigsburg (0-5)
The first game of Day 5 will feature Banvit and Anwil as the Turkish team tries to keep their home court unscathed. A highly effective game is expected as both team harbor a fast playstyle. Banvit has scored 22.2 points per game in fast break situations (more than any other team) while Anwil scored at least 93 points in all three of the away games.
Another game for Group A will be played on Tuesday as winless Ludwigsburg hosts undefeated Murcia. The German squad lost ten games in a row before beating Ulm in the domestic league. They might’ve gotten some confidence boost but will it be enough to beat the perfect Spaniards?
On Wednesday, Ventspils will clash against Nizhny Novgorod and both teams arrive in a good mood. They won both their last BCL and domestic league games.
Last game in the group will be Avellino squad traveling to France for the match against Le Mans. Just one of the last ten games the Italian team played saw a double-digit margin and two featured overtimes. Will they treat the crowd with another exciting finish?
Group B
1. Iberostar Tenerife (5-0)
2. Umana Reyer Venezia (4-1)
3. UNET Holon (3-2)
4. Nanterre 92 (2-3)
5. PAOK (2-3)
6. Telekom Baskets Bonn (2-3)
7. Fribourg Olympic (1-4)
8. Opava (1-4)
Holon will host Bonn for the first game of Group B as they look to stay perfect on the home court (3-0). They’ve won all home games with an average margin of 14.7 and Bonn will be just another victim unless they step up on the defensive end (they allow opponents to score 53% of their field goals).
Next up is the clash between Venezia and Nanterre. Both teams lost just one out of five games in all competitions and although the Italians are ranked better, Nanterre has improved their performance significantly. They posted 85 points on average in their last three games (in comparison to 62.5 before) and their x-factor might be Haukur Palsson who scored 68.2% of his three-point attempts so far (15/22), the best scoring ratio among all players.
Opava will try to make an upset as they host Tenerife on Wednesday but the Spaniards are undoubtedly the favorites. They won all five of their BCL games and have done so by a total margin of 98 points, the highest among all teams so far.
PAOK and Fribourg will play the last game for Group B this week in Greece. The Greek team is in a four-game winning streak in all competitions and have lost only one game this season on the home court. Fribourg, on the other hand, arrives off two straight losses.
Group C
1. Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem (4-1)
2. AEK (4-1)
3. Montakit Fuenlabrada (3-2)
4. Brose Bamberg (3-2)
5. Telenet Giants Antwerp (2-3)
6. Lietkabelis (2-3)
7. JDA Dijon (1-4)
8. CEZ Nymburk (1-4)
The reigning champion AEK will play the first game on Tuesday against Lietkabelis. The champs lost only one of their last ten BCL games and they’re in a four-game winning streak at the moment. Vince Hunter took over the leadership recently as he scored a total of 49 points in last two games and Lietkabelis will have to focus on stopping him.
Dijon and Antwerp are the next matchup and both sides need a win. Dijon lost last four while Antwerp lost last two games in BCL. What is interesting is that Antwerp’s games saw most three-pointers shot than any other (21.6 triples per game) and they have also scored tie-high of 57 triples but conceded at least 80 points in all of their games as well.
On Wednesday, Hapoel will travel to Germany for the clash against Brose Bamberg. Both teams are in a good shape but the resting factor might be crucial here. The Israeli team didn’t play a domestic league match having a free week while Bamberg played an overtime game against Giessen on Sunday (11/11).
Last but not least, Fuenlabrada will host Nymburk for the last game of Group C this week. The Spaniards won just one of their last five games in all competitions while Nymburk stepped up a bit and won four out of five. In Fuenlabrada’s ‘defense’, they played against two reigning champs – Real Madrid and AEK.
Group D
1. Segafredo Vitus Bologna (5-0)
2. SIG Strasbourg (4-1)
3. Promitheas Patras (4-1)
4. Neptunas Klaipeda (3-2)
5. medi Bayreuth (1-4)
6. Petrol Olimpija (1-4)
7. Besiktas Sompo Japan (1-4)
8. Filou Oostende (1-4)
Neptunas and Promitheas start the action for Group D. The Lithuanian hosts won last five games in all competitions while Promitheas suffered their first loss in BCL last week losing to Strasbourg. The Greeks recovered with a close 73-72 win in the domestic league but will have to pay attention to Neptunas’ Jerai Grant who averages the best efficiency rating so far (21.4).
Bayreuth’s Hassan Martin has made 65.9% of his FGs attempted this season (best in competition) helping his team win last two games and will be the key factor to beating Olimpia which is in a four-game losing streak in all competitions.
Strasbourg managed to hand Ptomitheas first BCL loss and now they look to do the same to Bologna in Italy. Both teams are in a winning form but who will come out on top?
For the last game this week, Oostende will host Besiktas. Both sides hold a 1-4 record and both have lost their last BCL games but won their domestic league ones. They clashed last season as well and Besiktas was convincing in both duels.
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League