By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The penultimate week of the Round of 16 in Basketball Champions League Season X, powered by Ameresco SUNEL, brings intense competition with eight pivotal matchups. Teams are fighting for quarterfinal berths and the chance to secure home-court advantage for the best-of-three series leading to the Final Four in Badalona.
A historic milestone awaits AEK as they become the second club to reach 150 BCL games, trailing only La Laguna Tenerife’s current total of 166. Facing Tofas at the SUNEL Arena, Dragan Sakota’s undefeated side aims to solidify their lead in Group J and maintain their momentum toward the next phase. Elsewhere in Greece later Wednesday, ALBA Berlin meets Karditsa Iaponiki, one week before a potentially key Gameday 6 clash with AEK in Berlin.
Group L features a continental edition of the Derbi Canario between Tenerife and Dreamland Gran Canaria, with the victor moving to a commanding 4-1 record. Meanwhile, ERA Nymburk and Trieste face a do-or-die situation to keep their slim qualification hopes alive. All eyes are on veteran forward Vojtech Hruban, who is chasing historic career milestones, aiming to become only the fifth player with 400 rebounds and the sixth to reach 100 steals.
Two Tuesday games in Group K, with Ricky Rubio entering home action with Asisa Joventut versus Fitness First Wurzburg, having scored double digits in eight consecutive continental appearances. On a four-game winning streak in Le Colisee, Elan Chalon takes on back-to-back champion Unicaja.
Galatasaray MCT Technic carries an impressive six-game streak in games outside of Turkiye into their meeting opposite Hapoel Netanel Holon in Samokov on Tuesday. Completing the Group I schedule on Wednesday, Le Mans travels to face Rytas.
Round of 16 Week 5
Group I
Hapoel Netanel Holon – Galatasaray MCT Technic (10/3, 17:30 CET)
Rytas – Le Mans (11/3, 18:30 CET)
Standings
1. Galatasaray MCT Technic 7 (3-1)
2. Le Mans 7 (3-1)
3. Rytas 6 (2-2)
4. o-Hapoel Netanel Holon 4 (0-4)
Group J
AEK – Tofas (11/3, 18:00 CET)
Karditsa Iaponiki – ALBA Berlin (11/3, 20:00 CET)
Standings
1. x-AEK 8 (4-0)
2. x-ALBA Berlin 7 (3-1)
3. o-Tofas 5 (1-3)
4. o-Karditsa Iaponiki 4 (0-4)
Group K
Asisa Joventut – Fitness First Wurzburg (10/3, 20:30 CET)
Elan Chalon – Unicaja (10/3, 20:30 CET)
Standings
1. Asisa Joventut 7 (3-1)
2. Unicaja 6 (2-2)
3. Elan Chalon 6 (2-2)
4. Fitness First Wurzburg 5 (1-3)
Group L
ERA Nymburk – Trieste (11/3, 18:30 CET)
La Laguna Tenerife – Dreamland Gran Canaria (11/3, 21:00 CET)
Standings
1. Dreamland Gran Canaria 7 (3-1)
2. La Laguna Tenerife 7 (3-1)
3. ERA Nymburk 5 (1-3)
4. Trieste 5 (1-3)
x-clinched quarterfinal berth
o-eliminated
-Top two seeds from each group clinch a berth in the Quarterfinals