By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Three hosting teams, and one guest, won the day and the qualification to the Eurocup quarterfinals. In its first season in international European competitions, Trento managed to get among the best eight Eurocup teams, while Strasbourg was huge on the road to advance in the quarterfinals for the first time in the club’s history. Galatasaray used its effective offense to easily win Pinar Karsiyaka, while Bayern Munich won Alba Berlin for a second time in a row.
We also have the first pair of the next stage since Galatasaray will compete against Bayern Munich for a ticket to the semifinals.
Galatasaray – Pinar Karsiyaka: 93 – 65
The “CimBom” turned the re-match against their opponents into… a blowout. Pinar Karsiyaka was truly competitive only for the first quarter which ended in a tie, 20 – 20. With Errick McCollum scoring, creating, rebounding or even… blocking the ball, Galatasaray took a double digit at halftime. After the return from the locker rooms, more and more players of the hosts started entering the offensive equation, and their lead kept being expanded. Galatasaray was simply too much for Karsiyaka that lacked helps from the bench and could not defend appropriately for such a crucial game.
Apart from McCollum who finished the game with 21 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks Blake Schilb had 17 points and 5 assists. For Pinar Karsiyaka, Kenny Gabriel scored 18 points.
Bayern Munich – Alba Berlin: 84 – 75
The circle of revenge for the lost Cup final, doesn’t seem to end for the Bavarian team. After almost destroying Alba Berlin for the Bundesliga, now Bayern Munich took the win and the qualification to the quarterfinals in Eurocup.
Alex Renfroe (17 points, 5 rebounds) and Anton Gavel (15 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists) also played for absent Nihad Dedovic, while Dusko Savanovic added 17 points. Will Cherry was the best Alba Berlin had to offer with 18 points.
Trento – Zaragoza: 79 – 65
Well what do you know. The “Cinderella” from Italy did it again. Trento continues amazing us, since they now advanced to the quarterfinals during their first participation in Eurocup, ever in the club’s history. There was an obvious difference between the two teams’ offensive efficiency, especially inside the paint, where Trento scored 25 baskets. Exactly the total number of field goals that Zaragoza had at the end of the game. The hosts were really strong in the second half achieving a historic qualification.
The frontline duo of Julian Wright (21 points, 8 rebounds) and Davide Pascolo (16 points, 6 rebounds) was once again too powerful to be stopped. Zaragoza had Joan Sastre as first scorer, with 16 points.
EWE Oldenburg – Strasbourg: 64 – 93
An outstanding performance by the French team on the road, gave them the quarterfinals tickets in quite the stylish manner. Both teams were newcomers to this Eurocup stage, but Strasbourg players possessed more experienced and an advanced degree of “know- how” that made a difference right from the start.
No less than five (Mardy Collins, Rodrigue Beaubois, Louis Campbell, Kyle Weems and Matt Howard) of Vincent Collet’s guys, finished the game with double-digit scoring numbers. Although the Germans did not perform well at all, apart from Klemen Prepelic (13 points), their fans never stopped cheering for them. Next time Oldenburg!