Quarter-Final preview: Telekom Baskets v Ironi Nahariya

BONN (FIBA Europe Cup) – There might not be a tougher team to beat at home in the FIBA Europe Cup than Telekom Baskets, who have won all six of their games at the Telekom Dome in the competition en route to the Quarter-Finals.

Nevertheless, their upcoming Play-Off opponents Ironi Nahariya, who struggled mightily on the road against Gaziantep in the Round of 16, will be hoping to put on a better display away from home this time and maybe put Bonn's aura of invincibility to rest.

In the first elimination round, Telekom Baskets answered most of the questions against Kataja Basket already in the first leg, coming up with a 19-point victory that made the road trip to Joensuu quite a bit less stressful for coach Predrag Krunic.

Bonn also took care of the away fixture and celebrated a 179-156 victory on aggregate, with big man Julian Gamble posting two solid games for Telekom Baskets in the absence of Filip Barovic, who has missed the last month of action with a broken thumb.

Gamble was the key piece for the German side in the tie against Kataja, averaging 19 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. The backcourt pairing of Josh Mayo and Jamarr Sanders has also played well in spite of having little time to gel.

Ironi Nahariya started their Play-Off campaign on an equally high note, picking apart Gaziantep by 21 points in Israel, but had to cling to their first-leg advantage for dear life in the final quarter of the second game in Turkey after seeing their lead disappear.

In the end, they did get a favorable result, winning the tie 161-156, but an 80-65 loss away from home will not have added any extra confidence for upcoming away games.

Derwin Kitchen and Jonathan Skjoldebrand switched turns playing the first violin, with the former posting and all-around masterpiece of a game at home in Nahariya and the latter stepping up big-time on the road in Turkey.

A four-man with range, Skjoldebrand was the team's top scorer with averages of 18 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1 steal per game against Gaziantep. Meanwhile, Kitchen chipped in on average with 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game in the tie.

How are the teams doing on the domestic front?

For Ironi Nahariya, the Israeli Winner Basketball League campaign has been a disappointment so far. In spite of a 67-64 win against fellow FIBA Europe Cup side Bnei Herzliya last weekend, coach Eric Alfassi's side is only ninth in the standings with a 9-11 record.

In Germany, Telekom Baskets have fared better. Bonn have gone without defeat in the month of February and are currently sixth in the Basketball Bundesliga with a 12-8 mark after winning four on the trot.  

Ironi Nahariya's last remaining game before the FIBA Europe Cup Quarter-Final clash will be on the road against league outsiders Maccabi Kiryat Gat, while Bonn will face 14th-placed Tubingen, also away from home.

FIBA