By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
A Basketball Champions League week is ahead of us with eight games all around Europe, from Israel and Turkey to Greece, Italy and Spain. The sixteen clubs, others in a commanding position others not so much, know what they have to do in order to advance and take part in the quarterfinals, the final step before the 2019 Final Four. At the moment, they’re all one match away from becoming one of the eight best BCL teams this season.
The breakdown of the action to come:
Besiktas Sompo Japan – Nanterre 92
Nanterre 92 held its ground gaining a nine-point advantage in France. However, the rematch at the Besiktas Akatlar Arena provides a different challenge altogether. Despite chasing for almost forty minutes a week ago, Besiktas Sompo Japan is hoping to overcome the nine-point deficit and progress to the quarterfinals.
In the meantime, Pascal Donnadieu’s side defeated Levallois Metropolitans in Jeep Elite action. The Turkish club also went on a winning note beating Afyon Belediyespor on the road.
Segafredo Virtus Bologna or Le Mans awaits the winner of the two-game series between the Turkish and the French team. The former will settle their differences on Wednesday, a day after the match at Istanbul.
Umana Reyer Venezia – Nizhny Novgorod
The other Tuesday matchup features Umana Reyer Venezia and Nizhny Novgorod. Zoran Lukic’s side leaded by Kendrick Perry secured a 23-point advantage last week, which can go a long a way on terms of qualifying to the next stage.
The Russian club is coming off a home win versus Enisey Krasnoyarsk and will start the game at the Palasport Taliercio with a significant advantage, but can’t underestimate the host’s strength. Walter De Raffaele’s team also grabbed a weekend home victory beating Banco di Sardegna Sassari with Julyan Stone scoring 24 points.
Up next for the winner of the series will be UCAM Murcia or Telenet Giants Antwerp. The Palaciode los Deportes matchup will be played on Wednesday.
Banvit – Brose Bamberg
After an extremely tight first leg, which resulted in Brose Bamberg win by two points, Banvit will host the German club at the Kara Ali Acar Spor Salonu on Wednesday. The slim defeat in Germany can insert the favorite tab on the hosts of the rematch.
Upon its return to Turkey, Hakan Demir’s team beat Tofas Bursa in another tight match to snap a five-game losing streak in all competitions. Bamberg overpowered ratiopharm Ulm in easyCredit BBL weekend action.
The advancing team will go against the winner of the Greek matchup between AEK and PAOK in the quarterfinals. The Greek side will have the home advantage in the rematch of the next BCL stage.
AEK – PAOK
With a thought on what’s going down in Bandirma, AEK and PAOK will fight for a spot in the quarterfinals at Athens, at the OAKA Olympic Indoor Hall. The Champions League title holders gained a nine-point advantage on the road.
Both clubs added a road win in their Greek Basket League tally on Saturday. The Queen took down Holargos with a fourth-quarter spurt and PAOK easily defeated Kymi.
Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem – Neptunas Klaipeda
Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem will host Neptunas Klaipeda carrying its 12-point win in Lithuania. The home team’s advantage seems almost impossible to overcome, but the visitors will attempt to take the Pais Arena crowd out of the picture from the get-go to strengthen their upset bid.
Kazys Maksvytis’ side needed overtime to beat Alytaus Dzukija on Saturday and improve its LKL W-L record to 19-5. On the other hand, Hapoel Jerusalem suffered a home loss to Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv on Sunday.
The winner of this two-game series will try to advance to Final Four facing Iberostar Tenerife or Promitheas Patras in the quarterfinals. Oded Kattash’s side or Neptunas will start the next stage at home.
Iberostar Tenerife – Promitheas Patras
Iberostar Tenerife and Promitheas Patras will also face each other on Wednesday. Makis Giatras’ side secured a 12-point advantage at home, but missed its chance for an even bigger winning margin. The 2017 Basketball Champions League winners will look to overturn their deficit at the Santiago Martin Arena.
A home loss in the derby against Herbalife Gran Canaria added on the Spanish club’s struggles at late. Txus Vidorreta’s club has lost its last four matches, two of them within the ACB Regular Season, one in the Copa del Rey and the other one last week against Promitheas.
The Greeks needed to go five extra minutes, but eventually took down Rethymno Cretan Kings at home on Saturday. A question mark remains on Rion Brown’s and Langston Hall’s availability, but Oleksandr Lypovyy won’t travel to Spain.
Segafredo Virtus Bologna – Le Mans
A 74-74 tie was the result of the first game, but Segafredo Virtus Bologna and Le Mans will settle their differences on Wednesday at the PalaDozza. By then they will know their potential Basketball Champions League quarterfinal opponent because Besiktas Sompo Japan and Nanterre 92 will face each other on Tuesday.
Home advantage can prove pivotal for Stefano Sacripanti’s team after a series of four winless games in all competitions. The latest defeat came on Sunday against Acqua S.Bernardo Cantu.
Eric Bartecheky’s club is coming off a home win against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne. Le Mans is now 12-10 in the Jeep Elite LNB Pro A.
UCAM Murcia – Telenet Giants Antwerp
One week ago, Telenet Giants Antwerp dropped a 17-point lead, but finished the first leg versus UCAM Murcia with an 8-0 run to secure an eight-point advantage ahead of the rematch. Roel Moors’s team followed up winning the Belgian Cup with a victory against Filou Oostende on Sunday.
Murcia, however, is hoping for a different story this time around. An eight-point deficit doesn’t seem too hard to handle, especially at home court, but the 6-16 ACB W-L record won’t make the fans sure for the success of their favorite team. Sunday’s loss to Valencia added on the 2018-19 struggles for Sito Alonso’s side.
Nizhny Novgorod or Umana Reyer Venezia will follow this match closely. One of the two will secure a quarterfinals spot from Tuesday, but the advancing club will wait one day to learn its next foe, the team that will survive the clash in Spain.
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League