EuroCup Fantasy tips for Game 3, semifinals: Four players to consider

Geoff Gillingham steps in for Fantasy Challenge guru Javier Gancedo to offer his recommendations

The two series in the BKT EuroCup Semifinals are tied at 1-1, so Wednesday night will determine which teams make it to the EuroCup Finals. As such, EuroCup Fantasy Challenge managers have to figure out which players they want to call upon in Game 3.

This week, I am covering for Fantasy Challenge guru Javier Gancedo, and my goal is to select four players – one from each team – but not including Javier’s five picks from before the semifinals got underway. The players Javier chose were: Jean Montero and Matt Costello of Valencia Basket, Marcus Foster of Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv, Axel Bouteille of Bahcesehir College Istanbul, and Mike Tobey of Dreamland Gran Canaria.

To make this more interesting, I am not going to pick the most picked players on any of the four semifinalist teams, too, so that rules out Johnathan Motley, Semi Ojeleye, Jaleen Smith and Nico Brussino. Without further ado, here are my four recommended picks for the two Game 3s on Wednesday night.

Marko Simonovic, Bahcesehir College Istanbul (10.0 points)

Back on Bahcesehir’s home floor in Istanbul, I’m expecting Marko Simonovic to have a performance like the one we saw in Game 1. That night, he posted 20 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals for a 29 PIR, but in Game 2 – on the road in Gran Canaria – he was held to 10 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist and a 9 PIR. Simonovic has what it takes to dominate against Gran Canaria’s bigs, and I think he’ll have a telling impact on what happens in Game 3.

Caleb Homesley, Dreamland Gran Canaria (9.9 points)

Call me crazy, but Caleb Homesley is ready for a breakout game. Gran Canaria’s leading scorer this season netted 9 and 6 points, respectively, in Games 1 and 2, and only finished with a PIR of 6 and 3 in those contests, yet he was the hero in Game 2 as his three-point play with 1.1 seconds to go levelled the series at 1-1. Now heading back to Istanbul, I think Homesley could be a good wildcard selection for any Fantasy Challenge managers worth taking the risk… it could pay off big time.

Chris Jones, Valencia Basket (13.6 points)

Experience is key in Game 3 situations, and Chris Jones is definitely ready for the moment. He had a good performance in Game 1, finishing with 13 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal and zero turnovers for a 19 PIR, but Hapoel did a good job of keeping him under wraps in Game 2, limiting him to 8 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and a 4 PIR. But this is Game 3 and Valencia is back at La Fonteta, so Jones is ready to lead his team to the EuroCup Finals.

Antonio Blakeney, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (11.4 points)

Shooters gotta shoot. For Antonio Blakeney, staying involved in the offense and going to the line were two main differences between his performance in Game 1, when he had 10 points, 1 rebound, 1 block and a 5 PIR, and Game 2, when he amassed 22 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and a 20 PIR. Blakeney didn’t shoot a free throw in Game 1 but went 9 for 10 in Game 2, and his ability to catch fire will be a huge weapon for Hapoel as it looks to reach the EuroCup Finals. If Hapoel is to succeed in Game 3, it’ll need Blakeney to step up again, making him a good option in the Fantasy Challenge.