By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
The second leg of FIBA Basketball Champions League starts this week as there are 16 games equally divided on Tuesday and Wednesday.
It is a new week ahead of us with a plenty interesting matchup, but it’s the same question: Will someone finally be able to take down still undefeated AS Monaco?
Group A
The first match in this group will be played between Pinar Karsiyaka and Dinamo Sassari in Turkey. The hosts will try to bounce back after a loss to Monaco last week. It won’t be easy for the Turks as Dinamo is on a two-game winning streak in the BCL and also they became the first team to beat Brescia in Legabasket this week.
The second game on Tuesday will be played in Israel as Hapoel Holon will meet UCAM Murcia. Both teams coming from victories and it will be an interesting matchup.
On Wednesday Juventus Utena will have the most difficult task as they are hosting Monaco. These two teams met on the Day 1 of the BCL when Monaco crushed Juventus 90-53 making an early statement.
Earlier on Wednesday Enisey Krasnoyarsk will try to prevail over EWE Baskets Oldenburg at home.
Group B
Neptunas Klaipeda had some outstanding games so far this season in BCL. This week they will travel to France to meet Elan Chalon on Tuesday. The Lithuanians suffered major changes in their roster as Arnas Butkevicius and Mindaugas Girdziunas left the club to join Lietuvos Rytas.
The second match on Tuesday will be held in Italy where Capo d’Orlando will host Gaziantep. The Turks have a five-game losing streak that they want to end. They will be stronger this week as the club announced the signing of high volume scorer Walter Hodge.
On Wednesday PAOK will face a difficult opponent at home as they are hosting MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg. The Germans are in a very good shape as they won their last five games in the BCL. In the first match between these two teams, Ludwigsburg had an easy job (103-70).
The game between Iberostar Tenerife and Ventspils in Spain will conclude Day 8 in Group B. The reigning champion Tenerife stands on a 6-1 record after losing – guess who – Ventspils, after a close game in Latvia (70-69). So things will be interesting in Spain.
Group C
Petrol Olimpija will try to make a winning run after beating Rosa Radom last week on the road. The Slovenian team will play at home this week as they are hosting SIG Strasbourg on Tuesday. The French side is very confident because they are on roll winning the last three games in the BCL.
AEK will visit Spain this week as they are meeting Movistar Estudiantes. In the first game played on Day 1, the Spaniards came out with a victory on the road 87-79.
On Wednesday medi Bayreuth will host Rosa Radom. The Polish team is currently on the bottom of their group standings as they have only one win in the BCL.
In Turkey, Banvit will play against Venezia in a rematch of the most interesting game so far this season, which needed three overtimes in order to be decided.
Group D
Zielona Gora will try their best to stop their three-game losing streak. The Polish side will try to use the homecourt advantage to prevail over Aris on Tuesday.
Later that night Oostende will host Telekom Baskets Bonn. The Germans will try to get revenge as they lost first game at home 74-64.
On Wednesday Nanterre 92 will meet CEZ Nymburk in France and Sigidas Avellino will host Besiktas.
The Turkish team is playing great as they made the six-game winning streak, but they are facing a team that beat them on Day 1.