By Stefan Djordjevic/ info@eurohoops.net
With three Gamedays remaining in the Basketball Champions League regular season, the playoff picture is reaching its final shape. Ten tickets for the Round of 16 are left but a lot more teams than that are fighting for it.
The games have been equally divided this week with eight scheduled for Tuesday (22/1) and as much for Wednesday (23/1).
Day 12 Preview
Group A
| Position | Team | % Victory | GP | GW | GL | PTS + | PTS – | GA |
| 1 | UCAM Murcia* | 90.91 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 843 | 757 | 1.1136 |
| 2 | Banvit* | 63.64 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 887 | 815 | 1.0883 |
| 3 | Sidigas Avellino | 63.64 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 902 | 894 | 1.0089 |
| 4 | Nizhny Novgorod | 45.45 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 876 | 856 | 1.0233 |
| 5 | Anwil Wloclawek | 36.36 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 870 | 903 | 0.9634 |
| 6 | Ventspils | 36.36 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 864 | 913 | 0.9463 |
| 7 | Le Mans | 36.36 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 799 | 845 | 0.9455 |
| 8 | MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg | 27.27 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 848 | 906 | 0.9359 |
Banvit will host Avellino for this weeks kickoff. Both teams stand at a 7-4 record but Banvit has already secured a playoff spot while Avellino needs the win in order to do so. It will be hard to do it in Turkey as the home squad won last five games while the Italians arrive off two losses.
Next up, Ludwigsburg and Ventspils clash in Germany. Both squads are chasing the fourth-placed Nizhny and although Ventspils has one win more and is in a good form, the German team has shown they have what it takes to change their fate and qualify for the Round of 16.
Murcia and Anwil continue the program and although the Spaniards qualified for the Round of 16 two Gamedays ago, another win would secure them the first spot in group A. Anwil is chasing the playoffs being fifth-placed but the hosts are clear favorites in this match.
All of the games in this group will be played out on Tuesday and the last one is between Le Mans and Nizhny. Perhaps the most important and interesting game for the clubs chasing the fifth-place which now belongs to the Russian club. Without a doubt, many are rooting for the French squad and their win would ‘spice up’ the playoff race quite a bit.
Group B
| Position | Team | % Victory | GP | GW | GL | PTS + | PTS – | GA |
| 1 | Iberostar Tenerife* | 81.82 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 894 | 753 | 1.1872 |
| 2 | Umana Reyer Venezia | 72.73 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 940 | 881 | 1.0669 |
| 3 | Hapoel Holon | 63.64 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 923 | 864 | 1.0682 |
| 4 | Nanterre | 54.55 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 913 | 814 | 1.1216 |
| 5 | PAOK | 54.55 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 873 | 844 | 1.0343 |
| 6 | Telekom Baskets Bonn | 36.36 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 885 | 956 | 0.9257 |
| 7 | Fribourg Olympic | 27.27 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 850 | 936 | 0.9081 |
| 8 | Opava | 9.09 | 11 | 1 | 10 | 798 | 1028 | 0.7762 |
The only Tuesday game in Group B is Venezia clashing with Bonn. Venezia is in a good spot in the playoff race and in a good form awaiting their opponent who struggles with three straight losses but needs this win in order to stay alive.
On Wednesday, PAOK hosts Opava and anything but a convincing win of the Greek team would be a major surprise. The hosts have won four out of five last games and are chasing the playoff spot while Opava lost last five games in all competitions.
Next up are Fribourg and Nanterre as the Swiss team tries to stay alive in the playoff race. Nanterre is in a good form with four straight wins but Babacar Toure and Fribourg won’t go down that easily as they’ve got nothing to lose.
Holon and Tenerife will close the show for Group B and although Tenerife dominated in the first game (84-52), this one might be much harder. Holon is on quite a good run and will look to make an important step towards a playoff ticket in front of the home crowd.
Group C
| Position | Team | % Victory | GP | GW | GL | PTS + | PTS – | GA |
| 1 | Hapoel Jerusalem* | 81.82 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 966 | 841 | 1.1486 |
| 2 | AEK Athens* | 81.82 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 882 | 811 | 1.0875 |
| 3 | Brose Bamberg | 63.64 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 903 | 884 | 1.0214 |
| 4 | Antwerp Giants | 54.55 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 899 | 877 | 1.0250 |
| 5 | Lietkabelis | 36.36 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 832 | 846 | 0.9834 |
| 6 | Dijon | 27.27 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 813 | 875 | 0.9291 |
| 7 | CEZ Nymburk | 27.27 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 842 | 907 | 0.9283 |
| 8 | Fuenlabrada | 27.27 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 835 | 931 | 0.8968 |
Group C will kickoff with Nymburk hosting Hapoel on Tuesday and although both teams won four out of five last games in all competitions, Hapoel is the clear favorite and are expected to eliminate Nymburk from the playoff run and make one more step towards the first place in the group.
The remaining three matchups are left for Wednesday and the first one is between Bamberg and Antwerp. Both teams are in a solid form and whoever wins has a chance to secure a playoff ticket if Lietkabelis falls on the road against Dijon.
Speaking of the devil, Lietkabelis will travel to France after two wins while Dijon lost the last two games after showing some potential in two wins. Lietkabelis won the first clash easily, 78-62.
Lastly, Fuenlabrada and AEK play in Spain and the hosts, who’ve won just one out of last ten games in all competitions, will have a hard time warding off the reigning champions who fight for the first place in the group.
Group D
| Position | Team | % Victory | GP | GW | GL | PTS + | PTS – | GA |
| 1 | Virtus Segafredo Bologna* | 81.82 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 955 | 854 | 1.1182 |
| 2 | Promitheas | 63.64 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 906 | 906 | 1 |
| 3 | Strasbourg | 54.55 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 843 | 834 | 1.0107 |
| 4 | Besiktas S.J. | 54.55 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 857 | 848 | 1.0106 |
| 5 | BC Oostende | 54.55 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 824 | 877 | 0.9395 |
| 6 | Neptunas | 45.45 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 919 | 914 | 1.0054 |
| 7 | Medi Bayreuth | 36.36 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 867 | 856 | 1.0128 |
| 8 | Petrol Olimpjia | 9.09 | 11 | 1 | 10 | 829 | 911 | 0.9099 |
Group D starts with Promitheas and Strasbourg. The guests managed to stop their five-game losing streak with a win in the domestic league but they will have a harder time against Promitheas. However, if they pull it off, the playoff race will get a whole lot more interesting.
Oostende and Bayreuth also play on Tuesday. Both squads still have a chance at the playoffs but the Belgian team is in the midst of it and won four out of five last games while Bayreuth is behind two wins and has lost four straight in all competitions. However, Bayreuth won the first clash quite convincingly, 87-71. Can they repeat it?
Neptunas and Olimpija continue the show on Wednesday and with Olimpija having trouble sealing the victories, Neptunas is expected to bring this one home and join the interesting playoff race in the group.
Last but not least, Bologna hosts Besiktas as both teams feature a good form. The Italians have a chance to seal the first spot in group D but Besiktas needs the win here in order to keep a favorable position in the crowded playoff battle.
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League