Fantasy Challenge guru Javier Gancedo shares some tips ahead of Round 16
EuroCup Fantasy tips, Round 16: It's make or break time
Fantasy Challenge
3 Mins read
There are only three games left in the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup Regular Season! Three teams have qualified for the next round and many others have chances to do so in Round 16. That means all teams will go all-in, which is good news for EuroCup Fantasy Challenge managers.
There are still many underpriced players who can take your teams to the next level. Here are some whom I personally recommend.
Jaleen Smith, Bahcesehir College Istanbul (14.4 credits)
Simply put, Jaleen Smith is the best player in the game right now. Over the last two games, Smith has been all over the place, averaging 22.0 points by making 16 of 17 free throws plus 6.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 3.0 steals and 9.0 fouls drawn for a PIR of 35.5. Bahcesehir is in the race to get the best record overall, so expect Smith to keep shining.
Yoan Makoundou, Turk Telekom Ankara (12.5 credits)
At 9-6, Turk Telekom is one of the teams that could reach the playoffs this week. Yoan Makoundou is one of its most versatile players and he happens to be in great shape, too. Over the last two games, Makoundou has averaged 16.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks for a PIR of 21.0. He's one of my go-to forwards in this game.
Xabi Lopez-Arostegui, Valencia Basket (11.1 credits)
Valencia punched its ticket to the quarterfinals and is now fighting for the best overall record to earn home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Xabi Lopez-Arostegui has been sensational lately, averaging 16.7 points by making 7 of 9 three-pointers plus 5.3 rebounds for a PIR of 20.3. Valencia is rolling and so is Lopez-Arostegui.
Khadeen Carrington, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem (9.0 credits)
Khadeen Carrington is living up to his reputation as a terrific scorer, reaching double digits in all games but one so far. He has been doing even better in the last three games, averaging 17.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 6.0 fouls drawn for a PIR of 18.7. Carrington has been doing a little bit of everything for Jerusalem.
Martynas Varnas, 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys (9.5 credits)
Lietkabelis is eliminated, but some of its players have been improving their performances as the season goes on. Martynas Varnas is a perfect example of that, averaging 14.7 points and 2.7 assists for a PIR of 13.3 in the last three games. In Round 15, he had a season-high PIR of 25 against Valencia: 19 points and 5 assists!