By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The final slate of 2020 Basketball Champions League games includes 11 affairs extending the action in five out of the eight Regular Season groups. The first team or teams clinching a spot in the next group stage may surface during Gameday 8 enhanced with three postponed games, two from Gameday 5 and one from Gameday 6.
Casademont Zaragoza up 3-0 in Group D will be on the road against Falco Szombathely. A win at the Savaria Arena in a rescheduled Gameday 5 contest, the third BCL meeting between the two sides, would guarantee the Spanish club advancing to the next stage of the competition.
The Hungarian outlet sitting at 1-2 needs to prevent Zaragoza from furthering its league-leading run in points scored off turnovers to strengthen its own playoffs bid. Pszczołka Start Lublin getting off the mark and defeating Nizhny Novgorod on the road in yet another rescheduled Gameday 5 contest would likely be welcomed as well.
The second team with an opportunity to clinch, Brose Bamberg will need a victory over Pinar Karsiyaka in Turkey and RETAbet Bilbao taking down Fortitudo Bologna. Even a win paired with the Italian side jumping to 1-2 would almost progress Bamberg through Group F but not actually clinch.
In Group E, only one win separates the two leading teams from the remaining two. Peristeri looking to avoid its first-ever three-game losing streak in the Champions League will host SIG Strasbourg. Also, VEF Riga and Rytas Vilnius will face each other in their second Baltic meeting of the season.
Group G will see two matches between Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem and Igokea at Laktasi, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The rivals are set to play Tuesday and Thursday. Right in the middle, Wednesday, Limoges CSP and Turk Telekom will collide at the Palais des Sports de Beaublanc.
Two Tuesday games make out the Group H schedule with Darussafaka Tekfen taking on Hereda San Pablo Burgos and Happy Casa Brindisi hosting Filou Oostende. The defending champions and Brindisi currently enjoy a one-win edge over their upcoming opponents.
Group A
Standings
1. Dinamo Sassari 7 (3-1)
2. Iberostar Tenerife 7 (3-1)
3. Galatasaray 5 (1-3)
4. Bakken Bears 5 (1-3)
Group B
Standings
1. ERA Nymburk 7 (3-1)
2. JDA Dijon 6 (3-0)
3. Tofas Bursa 4 (1-2)
4. x-Keravnos 4 (0-4)
Group C
Standings
1. AEK 7 (3-1)
2. Tsmoki-Minsk 6 (2-2)
3. Hapoel Holon 6 (2-2)
4. Cholet 5 (1-3)
Group D
Tuesday
Falco Szombathely – Casademont Zaragoza (18:00 CET)
Wednesday
Nizhny Novgorod – Pszczołka Start Lublin (17:00 CET)
Standings
1. Casademont Zaragoza 6 (3-0)
2. Nizhny Novgorod 5 (2-1)
3. Falco Szombathely 4 (1-2)
4. Pszczołka Start Lublin 2 (0-3)
Group E
Tuesday
Peristeri – SIG Strasbourg (18:30 CET)
Wednesday
VEF Riga – Rytas Vilnius (18:00 CET)
Standings
1. SIG Strasbourg 5 (2-1)
2. VEF Riga 5 (2-1)
3. Peristeri 4 (1-2)
4. Rytas Vilnius 4 (1-2)
Group F
Wednesday
Pinar Karsiyaka – Brose Bamberg (18:00 CET)
RETAbet Bilbao – Fortitudo Bologna (20:00 CET)
Standings
1. Brose Bamberg 6 (3-0)
2. RETAbet Bilbao 4 (1-2)
3. Pinar Karsiyaka 3 (1-1)
4. Fortitudo Bologna 2 (0-2)
Group G
Tuesday
Igokea – Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem (18:00 CET)
Wednesday
Limoges CSP – Turk Telekom (18:00 CET)
Thursday
Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem – Igokea (20:00 CET)
Standings
1. Turk Telekom 5 (2-1)
2. Limoges CSP 4 (1-2)
3. Igokea 3 (1-1)
4. Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem 3 (1-1)
Group H
Tuesday
Darussafaka Tekfen – Hereda San Pablo Burgos (18:00 CET)
Happy Casa Brindisi – Filou Oostende (20:30 CET)
Standings
1. Hereda San Pablo Burgos 5 (2-1)
2. Happy Casa Brindisi 5 (2-1)
3. Darussafaka Tekfen 4 (1-2)
4. Filou Oostende 4 (1-2)
x-eliminated from playoff contention
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League