By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Seven games down, seven to go in Basketball Champions League’s group stage. All 32 teams are set for the second half of their round-robin schedules and the opportunity to face their seven group opponents for the second time but in opposite venues. The conclusion will separate the playoffs field, teams with the postseason home-court advantage as well.
Round 7 featured a couple of double-overtime affairs. Also, Zoltan Perl became the first MVP from Hungary. Even more excitement is coming our way with Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s Round 8 collisions all around Europe.
Below Basketball Champions League Gameday 8 preview:
Group A
1. BAXI Manresa 12 (5-2)
2. Turk Telekom 12 (5-2)
3. Dinamo Sassari 12 (5-2)
4. Filou Oostende 10 (3-4)
5. Lietkabelis 10 (3-4)
6. SIG Strasbourg 10 (3-4)
7. UNET Holon 10 (3-4)
8. Polski Cukier Torun 8 (1-6)
Only one club can say it is shooting over 50% from the field, that is UNET Holon. Two straight losses dropped the Israeli club to 3-4 and led Sharon Drucker to the exit ahead of the road game versus Turk Telekom that sits at 5-2. Domestically, the Turkish team is 4-7 in Super Ligi while its upcoming opponent is 4-4 in Super League.
Polski Cukier Torun now leads BCL in points scored, but is only 1-6 in Group A. No room for error with BAXI Manresa coming to visit Arena Torun on a 5-2 W-L tally. PLK is much kinder to the hosts that are off to a 10-1 start, while Pedro Martinez’s side is underperforming in ACB with a 3-9 record to display.
The 173 fouls called on Filou Oostende in the first round of the group stage are an unwanted record held by the Belgian club. Up next is SIG Strasbourg at home with both teams carrying a 3-4 record. The hosts are also 7-2 in the EuroMillions Basketball League and the French club 7-6 in Jeep Elite Pro A.
Dinamo Sassari will visit Lietkabelis in the other match of the week. The Italian team finished the first round at 5-2, is 8-3 in LBA Serie A as well. Upcoming opposition features a 3-4 W-L tally in the group and a 7-5 record in LKL.
Gameday 8 schedule:
Tuesday
Lietkabelis – Dinamo Sassari
Wednesday
Polski Cukier Torun – BAXI Manresa
Turk Telekom – UNET Holon
Filou Oostende – SIG Strasbourg
Group B
1. Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem 12 (5-2)
2. AEK 12 (5-2)
3. San Pablo Burgos 11 (4-3)
4. RASTA Vechta 11 (4-3)
5. Anwil Wloclawek 10 (3-4)
6. Teksut Bandirma 10 (3-4)
7. Telenet Giants Antwerp 9 (2-5)
8. EB Pau-Lacq-Orthez 9 (2-5)
RASTA Vechta’s Trevis Simpson leads Basketball Champions League with 24 made threes prior to the German team’s away game opposite to Anwil Wloclawek. Up 4-3 in Group B and a first-round 13-point win in the luggage, Hala Mistrzow is the next challenge for the road-efficient team. Pedro Calles’ club is also 6-5 in easyCredit BBL. The hosts are 3-4 in BCL, 7-4 in PLK.
Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem at 5-2 in the group will tip off the second half of the regular season with Teksut Bandirma visiting the Pais Arena. The hosts are also 6-1 in Israel’s Super League. Coming in at 3-4, the Turkish team aims for a third straight road victory, is 8-3 in Super Ligi as well.
The other 5-2 side of the group, AEK will be on the road against EB Pau-Lacq-Orthez that has been held to a 2-5 record so far. The Queen also carries a 6-4 Basket League W-L tally, while the French club is 4-9 in Jeep Elite Pro A.
The other game features Telenet Giants Antwerp and San Pablo Burgos at the Lotto Arena. The hosts are 2-5 in the group and 6-2 in EuroMillions Basketball League. Their next rivals are 4-3 in the group and 7-5 in ACB.
Gameday 8 schedule:
Tuesday
Anwil Wloclawek – RASTA Vechta
Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem – Teksut Bandirma
Telenet Giants Antwerp – San Pablo Burgos
EB Pau-Lacq-Orthez – AEK
Group C
1. Iberostar Tenerife 14 (7-0)
2. ERA Nymburk 12 (5-2)
3. Nizhny Novgorod 11 (4-3)
4. Brose Bamberg 11 (4-3)
5. Peristeri winmasters 11 (4-3)
6. Gaziantep 9 (2-5)
7. VEF Riga 8 (1-6)
8. Mornar Bar 8 (1-6)
Leading BCL with 15 blocks to his name, Zach Hankins is proving a rough obstacle in the paint. His ERA Nymburk is hoping for a second “W” over Brose Bamberg, this time at the Brose Arena. At 5-2 in Group C currently holds a one-win advantage over its 4-3 opponent. Domestically improved to 15-0 in NBL over the weekend, while Roel Moors’ side fell to 7-4 in easyCredit BBL.
Another Champions League leader comes in the form of Marcelo Huertas and his 58 assists for Iberostar Tenerife. The only remaining undefeated team of the competition is set to visit Nizhny Novgorod this week aiming for an 8-0 record, is 7-5 in ACB as well. As for the Russian club, it sits at 4-3 in the group and 4-5 in VTB United League.
At 241 minutes on the court, Gaziantep’s Drew Crawford played more than any other BCL player in the first seven rounds. Down 2-5, his team really needs to break through in Greece against Peristeri winmasters that is 4-3. As for Super Ligi, the Turkish side is 5-6, its upcoming opponents are 7-3 in Basket League.
Coming off its first win in the group, Mornar Bar will host VEF Riga. Both teams are only 1-6. In the ABA League, the Montenegrin club is 5-5, while Janis Gailitis’s side remains undefeated in the Latvian-Estonian Basketball League after 12 matches.
Gameday 8 schedule:
Tuesday
Nizhny Novgorod – Iberostar Tenerife
Brose Bamberg – ERA Nymburk
Wednesday
Peristeri winmasters – Gaziantep
Mornar Bar – VEF Riga
Group D
1. JDA Dijon 12 (5-2)
2. Telekom Baskets Bonn 11 (4-3)
3. Neptunas Klaipeda 11 (4-3)
4. Casademont Zaragoza 11 (4-3)
5. Falco Szombathely 10 (3-4)
6. Happy Casa Brindisi 10 (3-4)
7. PAOK 10 (3-4)
8. Besiktas Sompo Sigorta 9 (2-5)
Casademont Zaragoza, the top rebounding Champions League team, will host Telekom Baskets Bonn in a meeting between a couple of Group D sides with a 4-3 W-L tally. The Spanish club is on a three-game winning streak in ACB that improved its record to 9-3, while the German club made the best of its weekend moving to 2-7 in easyCredit BBL.
Neptunas Klaipeda tops BCL with 131 made free throws and is set to collide with Happy Casa Brindisi at the PalaPentassuglia. The visitors are one win up their upcoming rivals, 4-3 to 3-4, and won the first round tilt by 10 points. As for LKL, they are 8-5. The Italian club is 7-4 in LBA Serie A.
First-placed JDA Dijon will take on Falco Szombathely that hopes to extend its undefeated run at the Savaria Arena. A 5-2 against a 3-4 W-L tally make out an interesting matchup. Domestically, the team coached by Laurent Legnam is 10-3 in Jeep Elite Pro A and Tomas Rinkevicius’ side is 10-0 in NB I/A.
Wrapping up Round 8 is Besiktas Sompo Sigorta versus PAOK at Turkey. Down 2-5, the hosts can’t afford another defeat. Not in a much better situation, the Greek club sits at 3-4. Dusko Ivanovic’s team also carries a 4-7 Super Ligi record, while its upcoming foes are 3-7 in Basket League.
Gameday 8 schedule:
Tuesday
Falco Szombathely – JDA Dijon
Besiktas Sompo Sigorta – PAOK
Wednesday
Happy Casa Brindisi – Neptunas Klaipeda
Casademont Zaragoza – Telekom Baskets Bonn
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League