By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The tenth week and specifically Gameday 6 of the Basketball Champions League Regular Season is set to complete all eight groups.
Plenty of huge games scattered all around Europe. Three teams will celebrate a last-minute direct entry to the Round of 16, eight teams will get in the Play-Ins, and three teams will be eliminated.
Eurohoops presents every possible outcome for each group and the headings for all progressing teams.
Group A
Falco Vulcano Szombathely – SIG Strasbourg (21/12, 18:00 CET)
Tofas Bursa – UCAM Murcia (21/12, 18:00 CET)
Standings
1. y-SIG Strasbourg 9 (4-1)
2. x-UCAM Murcia 8 (3-2)
3. x-Tofas Bursa 7 (2-3)
4. e-Falco Vulcano Szombathely 6 (1-4)
A direct battle between Tofas Bursa and UCAM Murcia to decide the second and third seeds. The Turkish club requires a win by a margin of at least three points for a better position. In any other case, Universitarios will clinch the second seed.
Eliminated Falco Vulcano Szombathely versus top-seeded SIG Strasbourg does not affect the standings.
Group B
AEK – Pinar Karsiyaka (21/12, 18:30 CET)
UnaHotels Reggio Emilia – Telekom Baskets Bonn (21/12, 18:30 CET)
Standings
1. y-Telekom Baskets Bonn 9 (4-1)
2. AEK 7 (2-3)
3. Pinar Karsiyaka 7 (2-3)
4. UNAHOTELS Reggio Emilia 7 (2-3)
Among the triple threats of Gameday 6, the pairing directly impacting each other is AEK playing host to Pinar Karsiyaka behind closed doors. At PalaBigi, UnaHotels Reggio Emilia will take on qualified Telekom Baskets Bonn.
Reggio Emilia held on the wrong end of both potential tiebreakers means it will finish third with a win and will be eliminated with a loss. Furthermore, the winner in Athens will get the second seed and the loser third if the Italian club loses. But if the Italian club wins it will be between second place and elimination.
Group C
Filou Oostende – Hapoel Atsmon Holon (20/12, 20:00 CET)
Legia Warszawa – Galatasaray Nef (20/12, 20:00 CET)
Standings
1. Hapoel Atsmon Holon 9 (4-1)
2. Galatasaray Nef 8 (3-2)
3. x-Filou Oostende 7 (2-3)
4. e-Legia Warszawa 6 (1-4)
Joe Ragland is a couple of assists shy of fifth place in the all-time BCL list and Hapoel Atsmon Holon is a win from punching in a direct ticket to the Round of 16. The challenge at hand is defeating Filou Oostende on the road.
Galatasaray Nef need a win over Legia Warszawa and a Holon loss for the ultimate prize. Beyond that scenario, it will be the second seed.
The Belgium champions are locked in the third seed and Legia is eliminated.
Group D
Surne Bilbao – ERA Nymburk (21/12, 20:00 CET)
Igokea m:tel – Bahcesehir Koleji (21/12, 20:00 CET)
Standings
1. y-Surne Bilbao 9 (4-1)
2. x-Igokea m:tel 8 (3-2)
3. x-Bahcesehir Koleji 7 (2-3)
4. e-ERA Nymburk 6 (1-4)
Similar to Group A, Igokea m:tel and Bahcesehir Koleji battle for the second seed. The winning side of the direct collision will earn the home-court advantage against Oostende in the Play-Ins, while the losing side will settle for third place.
Qualified Surne Bilbao and eliminated ERA Nymburk are already looking toward future challenges.
Group E
Darussafaka – Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem (20/12, 18:00 CET)
Bakken Bears – MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg (20/12, 18:00 CET)
Standings
1. Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem 9 (4-1)
2. MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg 8 (3-2)
3. x-Darussafaka 7 (2-3)
4. e-Bakken Bears 6 (1-4)
Gunning for the top seed, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem will end up first if it defeats Darussafaka on the road or if MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg loses to the Bakken Bears. The German club winning and the Israeli club losing would shape the opposite outcome.
The Istanbul outfit has locked up the third seed and the Denmark champions were knocked out of contention.
Group F
VEF Riga – Baxi Manresa (20/12, 18:30 CET)
Benfica – Limoges CSP (20/12, 18:30 CET)
Standings
1. Benfica 9 (4-1)
2. BAXI Manresa 8 (3-2)
3. x-Limoges CSP 7 (2-3)
4. e-VEF Riga 6 (1-4)
An improbable run of Benfica all the way to the top seed would be completed with a home win against Limoges CSP or if Baxi Manresa succumbs to eliminated VEF Riga.
The team coached by Pedro Martinez needs a win and a Benfica loss to finish in the first place. Otherwise, it will settle for second place or even third.
The French club will get the second seed and homecourt advantage in a best-of-three series versus Darussafaka with a win paired with last season’s runner-ups falling short in Latvia. It will finish third in any other case.
Group G
JDA Dijon – PAOK mateco (20/12, 20:30 CET)
Unicaja – Dinamo Banco di Sardegna Sassari (20/12, 20:30 CET)
Standings
1. y-Unicaja 10 (5-0)
2. x-JDA Dijon 8 (3-2)
3. PAOK mateco 6 (1-4)
4. Dinamo Banco di Sardegna Sassari 6 (1-4)
The third seed is the focus of his group. PAOK mateco can clinch a berth in the Play-Ins by defeating JDA Dijon or Unicaja downing Dinamo Banco di Sardegna Sassari. The Italian club requires a win and a PAOK loss to avoid elimination.
The first and second seeds belong to the teams based in Malaga and La Jeanne, respectively.
Group H
Bnei Ofek Dist Herzliya – Peristeri bwin (21/12, 20:00 CET)
Rytas Vilnius – Lenovo Tenerife (21/12, 20:00 CET)
Standings
1. y-Lenovo Tenerife 9 (4-1)
2. Rytas Vilnius 7 (2-3)
3. Bnei Ofek Dist Herzliya 7 (2-3)
4. Peristeri bwin 7 (2-3)
Here is the second triple-threat of the finale with Bnei Ofek Dist Herzliya and Peristeri bwin in a big-time matchup. Rytas Vilnius will play host to top-seeded and defending champion Lenovo Tenerife.
The Lithuania champions will end up with the second seed with a potential win combined with a Peristeri win. Their own game would not matter if Bnei Herzliya wins, since that would automatically secure the third seed. The elimination scenario is a loss against Tenerife and Peristeri surviving the battle in Israel.
The team coached by Vassilis Spanoulis will finish second with a win if Tenerife wins as well and third if a win gets paired with a Rytas win. Losing in Israel would immediately end the Champions League campaign.
The Israel club gets the second seed with a win. A potential loss coinciding with Rytas losing as well would land the third seed. A loss plus a Rytas win would lead to the exit.
y-clinched a berth in the Round of 16
x-clinched a berth in the Play-Ins
e-eliminated
*Top team of each group advances to the Round of 16
*Second- and third-placed teams of each group advance to Play-Ins
The next stages of the 2022-23 Champions League season will be completed according to the final standings of the Regular Season. Below are the next destinations for the teams advancing to the Play-Ins and the Round of 16.
Play-Ins
2nd in Group A – 3rd in Group B (1)
2nd in Group B – 3rd in Group A (2)
2nd in Group C – 3rd in Group D (3)
2nd in Group D – Filou Oostende (4)
2nd in Group E – 3rd in Group F (5)
2nd in Group F – Darussafaka (6)
JDA Dijon – 3rd in Group H (7)
2nd in Group H – 3rd in Group G (8)
Round of 16
Group I
SIG Strasbourg
Group E winner
Play-In 3 winner
Play-In 7 winner
Group J
Telekom Baskets Bonn
Group F winner
Play-In 4 winner
Play-In 8 winner
Group K
Unicaja
Group C winner
Play-In 2 winner
Play-In 5 winner
Group L
Surne Bilbao
Lenovo Tenerife
Play-In 1 winner
Play-In 6 winner
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League