An exciting top-two clash highlights the action in Round 12 of the BKT EuroCup. Here’s your overview of this week’s games.
At a glance: Key games with playoff implications this week
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Tuesday, December 17
Bahcesehir College Istanbul vs. Dreamland Gran Canaria
The round starts in style with a big battle of Group A co-leaders as Bahcesehir (9-2) seeks a return to winning ways with a visit from red-hot Gran Canaria (9-2). The Spanish team has won four games in a row to take a share of first place and also triumphed 66-63 when the teams met in October. With the league’s best defense, Gran Canaria has not allowed any opponent to score 80 since Round 2, led by the competition’s top ball thief Andrew Albicy (2.1 steals per game). Bahcesehir has the second-best defense in the competition, allowing just 73.5 points per game, but needs to recover its usual toughness after losing 89-82 to Besiktas last week despite 20 points from Tai Odiase.
Aris Midea Thessaloniki vs. 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys
Boosted by a big win over Hapoel Jerusalem last week, Lietkabelis (3-7) will look to keep climbing with a trip to lowly Aris (2-9). The architect of the Lithuanian’s key victory in Round 11 was young guard Mantas Rubstavicius, who continued his strong season by netting 19 points on 3-of-6 shooting from long-range. Aris has lost five games straight with the least productive offense in the league averaging just 74.7 points and 12.7 assists per night, both EuroCup lows. However, the Greek team did find the right formula in Round 3 when it destroyed Lietkabelis 74-92 on the back of 26 points from Vassilis Toliopoulos, who has received help from Landers Nolley in recent weeks with five consecutive double-digit scoring nights.
Veolia Towers Hamburg vs. Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem
Group B’s second-placed Hapoel Jerusalem (7-4) will look to bounce back from a two-game losing slump by triumphing on the road at rock-bottom Hamburg (2-9). The host will look to repeat the dominance that led to an 89-74 victory when the teams met in October and can try to control the game off the glass after averaging 37.6 rebounds per night – second-best in the competition. That includes 6.4 boards from forward Chris Johnson, who has also found good scoring form with 15 and 13 points in the last two games. Hamburg will look for leadership from recent signing Johnathan Stove, who has averaged 17 points in his first three games for the team.
Wednesday, December 18
Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana vs. Turk Telekom Ankara
It’s joint-second against joint-third as Cedevita hosts Turk Telekom for a crucial contest in the Group B playoff race. Both teams are in good form, with Cedevita winning three in a row while Turk Telekom has taken two straight. Brynton Lemar has been the key offensive presence for the Slovenian team since returning from injury, netting 23 points in the last two games, and he could provide an X-factor after missing the Round 3 meeting between the teams which Turk Telekom took, 78-70. The visiting team will look for leading scorer Anthony Brown to stay hot from long-range, with the forward netting 8 triples in the last two games to maintain his streak of scoring in double-digits every game this season.
Buducnost VOLI Podgorica vs. Dolomiti Energia Trento
Wednesday’s opening tip-off will see either Buducnost (4-7) or Trento (4-7) boost their playoffs ambitions by breaking their current tie for seventh place in Group A. Trento has confidence renewed by last week’s vital victory over Trefl, powered by 19 points from backcourt star Jordan Ford. He was held to just 7 points when Buducnost claimed a resounding road win in Italy, 64-85, when the teams met in Round 3, so the hosts will look to repeat that defensive formula. At the other end of the court, Yogi Ferrell top-scored in October’s victory with a season-high 21 points, and he has confidence restored after returning to form with 16 points in last week’s narrow loss to Gran Canaria.
ratiopharm Ulm vs. Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius
Another key battle between direct rivals in Group A will see Ulm (7-4) attempt to establish a two-game margin over visiting Wolves (6-5). The German team is in flying form with three straight wins, last week producing its best offensive performance of the season to triumph 88-102 at Joventut. The three-point shooting of Justinian Jessup was again important with 16 points on 4-of-6 from deep and he ranks third in the league with 2.6 triples per game. Wolves, which lost by 18 at home when the teams met in October, returned to winning ways with a vital victory over Hapoel Tel Aviv, and will again rely on Anthony Cowan after he netted 28 points to become last week’s MVP.
Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv vs. Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul
In another highly significant game for the playoff picture, Hapoel (6-5) will look to get back to winning ways with a crunch clash against in-form Besiktas (7-4). The Turkish team has won three straight, most recently downing group leader Bahcesehir in last week’s Istanbul derby behind 17 points from big man Conor Morgan. This week he faces a big battle in the paint with Hapoel’s Johnathan Motley, who will aim to regain his best form after returning to action last week. Besiktas knows all about Motley’s potential: he was the key presence as Hapoel won easily, 87-101, when the teams met in Round 3, combining 24 points with 4 assists and 2 blocked shots.
Valencia Basket vs. U-BT Cluj-Napoca
Group B leader Valencia (10-0) will look to take another step towards securing homecourt advantage in the playoffs by downing dangerous Cluj (6-5). The Romanian team has won three of the last four behind a potent offense that averages 88.8 points per game – bettered only by Valencia’s 95.7, so we can hope for a high-scoring shootout. Cluj will test the host defense with the league’s most accurate two-point shooting game (62.5%), and big man De’Shawn Stephens will be confident after netting all 7 of his two-point attempts in last week’s win over Bourg. Valencia also has plenty of power in the paint, with Matt Costello (12.8 points per game) converting 65% of his attempts inside the arc this season.
Joventut Badalona vs. Trefl Sopot
Two teams with fast fading hopes of pushing for the playoffs will look for a boost as Joventut (3-8) hosts winless Trefl (0-11). The Spanish team has lost three games straight and Trefl will look to inflict further punishment on a leaky home defense that allowed 102 points against Ulm last week. A key for the Polish team will be forward Marcus Weathers, who has hit his best form of the season with 16 and 14 points in the last two games. Joventut can take confidence from the form of Kassius Robertson, who has scored 21 and 23 points over the last two games and has converted 41.5% of his attempts from long-range.
Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse vs. Umana Reyer Venice
Faltering Bourg (6-5) will look to recover from three losses in four games and protect its place in the playoff positions by downing Reyer (5-6), which needs a massive win of 23 points or more to overtake the French team. Bourg’s 66-88 Round 3 victory in Venice was powered by dominating the rebounding battle, grabbing a whopping 48 boards including 15 at the offensive end. Center Kevin Kokila (8.5 points and 4.6 rebounds) will be one of the main factors in the physical battle, while Reyer will again rely on the phenomenal Mfiondu Kabengele, who averages a double-double and ranks second in the league in PIR (22.1 per game). But Reyer must take better care of the ball after committing 21 turnovers in last week’s loss to Cedevita.