By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The next-to-last Gameday of the first half of the 2019-20 Basketball Champions League Regular Season is set to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday. No exaggeration to note that the race for playoffs seeds is heating up with participating clubs hoping to above all make it the next round and at the same time look for a home-court advantage in spring as well.
Last week saw only one side retaining its unscratched W-L tally, 17 players keeping their average playing time over 30 minutes, Kyle Wiltjer landing MVP of the week honors while following in his father’s footsteps and Justin Dentmon making an impressive BCL debut for EB Pau-Lacq-Orthez.
Gameday 6 is up next to further reform the situation in all four groups. Below the preview of this week’s action.
Group A
Standings
1. Turk Telekom 9 (4-1)
2. Dinamo Sassari 9 (4-1)
3. UNET Holon 8 (3-2)
4. BAXI Manresa 8 (3-2)
5. SIG Strasbourg 7 (2-3)
6. Filou Oostende 7 (2-3)
7. Lietkabelis 6 (1-4)
8. Polski Cukier Torun 6 (1-4)
With Chris Wright averaging 21.6 points per game, Polski Cukier Torun aims to launch a comeback in Group A starting off at home versus Turk Telekom that is 4-1 so far. Its 7-1 Energa Basket Liga W-L tally can add confidence to the hosts with the Turkish side down 3-5 in much-stronger Super Ligi.
UNET Holon and Dinamo Sassari are going into their Gameday 6 collision carrying a three-game winning streak. A fourth straight victory for either side will go a long way into the playoffs conversation, especially for the visiting Italian side. Domestically, the Israeli club is 3-3 in Super League, while its upcoming rival is 6-2 in LBA Serie A.
Shevon Thompson leads Basketball Champions League with 72.9% from the field as Filou Oostende gears up for a tough road challenge against BAXI Manresa. The team from Belgium is 6-1 in EuroMillions Basketball League, while its next foe is at the bottom end of the ACB standings with a 2-7 record to display.
SIG Strasbourg hosting Lietkabelis rounds up this week’s schedule. Both teams really need the “W” here. The French side coming in with a three-game winning streak and a 4-5 W-L tally in Jeep Elite Pro A. The visitors are 5-3 in LKL.
Gameday 6 schedule:
Tuesday
UNET Holon – Dinamo Sassari
Polski Cukier Torun – Turk Telekom
BAXI Manresa – Filou Oostende
Wednesday
SIG Strasbourg – Lietkabelis
Group B
Standings
1. Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem 9 (4-1)
2. AEK 9 (4-1)
3. RASTA Vechta 8 (3-2)
4. San Pablo Burgos 7 (2-3)
5. EB Pau-Lacq-Orthez 7 (2-3)
6. Anwil Wloclawek 7 (2-3)
7. Teksut Bandirma 7 (2-3)
8. Telenet Giants Antwerp 6 (1-4)
AEK is on a hot streak and hopes to improve to 5-1 by defeating RASTA Vechta that sits at 3-2 in Group B. The Queen is 3-4 in Greece’s Basket League. On its part, the German team is up 5-3 in Germany’s easyCredit BBL following five consecutive wins.
Keep the ball away from Tony Wroten who has 12 steals to his name so far. His Anwil Wloclawek will face Teksut Bandirma at Turkey in a meeting between a couple of 2-3 BCL sides. The visitors are 5-3 in Energa Basket League as well, while the Turkish team is up 6-2 in Super Ligi.
Telenet Giants Antwerp down 1-4 is set to face EB Pau-Lacq-Orthez that carries a 2-3 Champions League record. The hosts are coming off their first EuroMillions Basketball League defeat that dropped them to 5-1, the French side is 2-7 in Jeep Elite Pro A.
Suleiman Braimoh has made 71.1% of his field goal attempts so far aiding Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem to a 4-1 start. Up next San Pablo Burgos that is 2-3 in the group and 5-4 in ACB. Oded Kattash’s squad is 4-1 in Israel’s Super League.
Gameday 6 schedule:
Tuesday
AEK – RASTA Vechta
Teksut Bandirma – Anwil Wloclawek
Telenet Giants Antwerp – EB Pau-Lacq-Orthez
Wednesday
San Pablo Burgos – Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem
Group C
Standings
1. Iberostar Tenerife 10 (5-0)
2. ERA Nymburk 9 (4-1)
3. Nizhny Novgorod 8 (3-2)
4. Peristeri winmasters 8 (3-2)
5. Brose Bamberg 8 (3-2)
6. Gaziantep 6 (1-4)
7. VEF Riga 6 (1-4)
8. Mornar Bar 5 (0-5)
Peristeri winmasters hopes to put Brose Bamberg’s three-game winning streak in Group C to the test. The Greek side travels to Germany with a 3-2 BCL record and a 6-1 start in Basket League. The hosts are 3-2 as well and 6-2 in easyCredit BBL.
The last remaining undefeated team Iberostar Tenerife will be in Latvia for a match opposite to VEF Riga. Apart the 5-0 Champions League tally, Txus Vidorreta’s squad is 5-4 in ACB. The LBL champions are 8-0 in the Latvia-Estonian League.
ERA Nymburk is 4-1 in the group and 10-0 in NBL. Only Tenerife has beat the Czech Republic team so far this season. Mornar Bar is coming to visit with an upset bid in hand despite still searching for its first BCL win. The Montenegrin club is also 4-3 in the ABA League.
The other match of the week features Gaziantep at home versus Nizhny Novgorod. The hosts are currently 1-4 in the group and 2-6 in Super Ligi. The Russian team sits on a 3-2 Champions League record and on a 3-3 VTB United League W-L Tally.
Gameday 6 schedule:
Tuesday
VEF Riga – Iberostar Tenerife
Wednesday
Gaziantep – Nizhny Novgorod
ERA Nymburk – Mornar Bar
Brose Bamberg – Peristeri winmasters
Group D
Standings
1. JDA Dijon 9 (4-1)
2. Telekom Baskets Bonn 8 (3-2)
3. Neptunas Klaipeda 8 (3-2)
4. Casademont Zaragoza 8 (3-2)
5. Besiktas Sompo Sigorta 7 (2-3)
6. Happy Casa Brindisi 7 (2-3)
7. Falco Szombathely 7 (2-3)
8. PAOK 6 (1-4)
Is another double-double in order for James Michael McAdoo? His Besiktas Sompo Sigorta is 2-3 in Group D and set for an away match versus Neptunas Klaipeda that sits at 3-2. In Super Ligi, the Turkish team improved to 3-5 on Sunday. A four-game winning streak has Neptunas at 6-4 in LKL.
JDA Dijon now 4-1 will face Telekom Baskets Bonn that will carry a 3-2 W-L tally into France. The top team of the group recently dropped to 7-2 in Jeep Elite Pro A, while its upcoming opponent is 1-5 in easyCredit BBL.
Casademont Zaragoza snapped Dijon’s undefeated BCL run, now hopes to couple its 6-3 ACB tally with a 4-2 BCL record. Standing in its way is PAOK that is 1-4 in the group, 2-5 in Basket League.
A couple of 2-3 teams, Happy Casa Brindisi and Falco Szombathely round up the Round 6 schedule. The Italian club is 6-2 in LBA Serie A. The Hungarian side is 6-0 in NB I/A.
Gameday 6 schedule:
Tuesday
JDA Dijon – Telekom Baskets Bonn
Wednesday
PAOK – Casademont Zaragoza
Neptunas Klaipeda – Besiktas Sompo Sigorta
Happy Casa Brindisi – Falco Szombathely
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League