By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Asisa Joventut faces a daunting ‘reinvention’ of their interior game ahead of their Basketball Champions League Season X, powered by Ameresco SUNEL, Quarterfinals series opposite AEK.
Veteran center Ante Tomic will not travel to Athens for Wednesday’s matchup following a hamstring injury in his right leg. The injury was re-aggravated during the victory over Dreamland Gran Canaria in Round 24 of the 2025-26 Liga Endesa Regular Season, where Tomic lasted only two minutes before being forced to the locker room. Despite entering the game as a doubt due to hamstring discomfort, the Croatian pivot lasted only two minutes on the court before the injury worsened, forcing him into an early retirement to the locker room.
Medical tests have confirmed he will be sidelined for a minimum of three weeks, meaning he will miss the entire playoff series against the Queen, the team announced on Monday.
🚑 Comunicat mèdic: Ante Tomic
Les proves mèdiques realitzades al pivot croat han determinat que pateix una lesió als isquiotibials de la cama dreta. Tomic estarà de baixa un mínim de tres setmanes i es perd l’eliminatòria completa contra l’AEK#ASISAJoventut #CityOfBadalona pic.twitter.com/HM83jjJwrR
— Club Joventut Badalona (@Penya1930) March 30, 2026
This setback is a significant blow for La Penya, as they are already grappling with the loss of fellow center Simon Birgander. The Swedish big man is out for a minimum of three weeks due to an injury to the plantar fascia of his right foot, the team announced on Monday. Additionally, guard Guillem Vives remains out with a sprained left ankle.
🚑 Comunicat mèdic: Simon Birgander
El pivot suec té una lesió a la fàscia plantar del peu dret i estarà fora de les pistes un mínim de tres setmanes#ASISAJoventut #CityOfBadalona pic.twitter.com/5eQu59ocim
— Club Joventut Badalona (@Penya1930) March 30, 2026
Head coach Dani Miret acknowledged the tactical vacuum in a press conference following Sunday’s ACB game, stating, “Facing Athens, we’ll have to reinvent ourselves in the inside game,” without his primary rim protectors. Despite the crisis, the squad remains defiant, entering the best-of-three series on a six-game winning streak in domestic play.
With the BCL Final Four set to be hosted on their home court in Badalona, the stakes for this quarterfinal series couldn’t be higher.