Basketball Champions League Round of 16 Week 1 Preview
By Johnny Askounis/ [email protected]
Following the regular season and the Play-Ins, the Basketball Champions League field was reduced to 16 teams. The remaining contenders are divided into four groups with many national rivalries developing. Day one of the six-match doubles round-robin schedule takes place at venues across several European countries on Tuesday and Wednesday.
In Group I, SIG Strasbourg will become the third team to reach the milestone of 100 Champions League matches by hosting Hapoel Atsmon Holon. However, out of the 99 matches played, four were against the Israeli team and all ended in defeat for the SIGmen. In addition to France’s Betclic Elite LNB Pro A battles with Israel’s Winner League, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem vs. JDA Dijon at Pais Arena.
Group L includes Lenovo Tenerife and Marcelinho Huertas who need four assists to become the first player with 400 cents in FIBA’s continental club competition. The defending champions are set to face ACB rivals UCAM Murcia. Another team representing the Spanish Liga Endesa, Surne Bilbao will be dealing with Darussafaka.
With a five-game regular season winning streak in Group J, Telekom Baskets Bonn will look to stop the momentum of Play-In winner Bahcesehir Koleji on Wednesday. A day earlier, Baxi Manresa and Rytas opened the group at Pavello Nou Congost.
In the first round of Group K, Galatasaray La Nef and Limoges CSP shape Tuesday’s game. Unicaja and AEK will seek a 1-0 start on Wednesday.
Basketball Champions League Round of 16 Day 1
Group I
Tuesday
SIG Strasbourg – Hapoel Atsmon Holon (20:00 CET)
Wednesday
Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem – JDA Dijon (8:00 p.m. CET)
Group J
Tuesday
Baxi Manresa – Rytas (21:00 CET)
Wednesday
Telekom Baskets Bonn – Bahcesehir Koleji (20:00 CET)
K-group
Tuesday
Galatasaray Nave – Limoges CSP (6:00 p.m. CET)
Wednesday
Unicaja – AEK (8:30 p.m. CET)
Group L
Tuesday
Lenovo Tenerife – UCAM Murcia (20:30 CET)
Wednesday
Surne Bilbao – Darussafaka (20:00 CET)
Photo credit: Basketball Champions League