MUNICH (FIBA Europe Cup) - The stakes were raised higher than usual in the FIBA Europe Cup, as the last remaining teams in the competition began their Play-Off campaigns in the Round of 16. 

Teams that joined the competition from the Basketball Champions League provided strong opposition to the top sides who qualified through the Second Round, making the duels even more compelling. 

The added pressure of the knock-out stages was in no way an obstacle to exceptional individual performances, with the likes Yorman Bartolo, John Roberson and Derwin Kitchen coming up big in the first-leg games of the Round of 16.

Like at the end of every week of FIBA Europe Cup action, we look at what happened across European arenas through the lens of numbers.

1

Proximus Spirou registered the smallest possible victory against Nanterre 92 in the first leg of the tie in the Spiroudome in Charleroi, defeating the French visitors 85-84, but the Belgian side will likely be more pleased with the final result than many other clubs to have achieved larger winning margins.

Having trailed in the game for almost 35 minutes, Fulvio Bastianini's jumped out in front in the final stretch of the contest, but never led by more than a single point. While the one-point cushion will mean little when Proximus Spirou travel to Nanterre, coming out with a positive score result such circumstances is an obvious win.

2

In the home-and-away format of the Round of 16, players often forget to keep a cool head at the end of the first leg format, trying to either increase their advantage or trim the deficit by all means possible. It doesn't always work out well.

For example, Stelmet Zielona Gora's veteran guard Thomas Kelati tried to take on the entire Cibona squad on the last possession, mishandled the ball and earned the visitors from Zagreb two extra points on their side of the scales in an 81-69 road win.

The reverse happened in Belgium, where Telenet Oostende couldn't execute an inbound play and were punished by Pau-Lacq-Orthez's point guard D.J. Cooper, who sliced the home side's double-digit lead to 95-86 with a three-pointer before the clock ran out.

5

Teams that transferred to the FIBA Europe Cup Play-Offs from the Basketball Champions League enjoyed the better results in the first leg of the Round of 16, winning three of the four head-to-head match-ups against clubs who qualified via the Second Round.

Ironi Nahariya got a big 96-75 home win against Gaziantep, Oostende took care of business against Pau-Lacq-Orthez 95-86, while Proximus Spirou nipped Nanterre 92 by a single point – 85-84.

Last week's Power Ranking leaders Telekom Baskets did save some grace for FIBA Europe Cup, handily beating Kataja 91-72 at the Telekom Dome in Bonn.

6

The significance of playing at home, especially in a Play-Off setting, cannot be overstated and the first leg results in the Round of 16 exemplify just that, with home teams celebrating wins in six of the eight fixtures.

There were two outliers in Elan Chalon and Cibona Zagreb, though. The French side hammered in a 99-78 win against Kormend, who have typically been stellar at home this season, while the Croatian club secured an 81-69 win against Zielona Gora after pulling away in the second half.

6

Telekom Baskets guard Yorman Bartolo got it done on both ends of the floor against Kataja Basket, but his work on the defensive end really stood out, especially the FIBA Europe Cup season record in steals.

The 31-year-old veteran showcased his defensive awareness and quick hands with 6 takeaways, which matched the mark Lukoil Academic forward Hristo Zahariev set against Donar Groningen in the Second Round.

In addition to a faultless night on defense, Bartolo also scored 11 points, grabbed 6 rebounds and dished out three assists.

7

John Roberson came close to matching the FIBA Europe Cup all-time high in three-point field goals made in a single game, burying 7-of-11 from downtown against Kormend for a total of 26 points, 3 rebounds and 7 assists in a 99-78 win in Hungary.

The current record of eight three-pointers is co-owned by Andrew Barham of BC Mures and Toni Bizaca of Sodertalje Kings, both of whom reached the mark in the Regular Season.

Roberson's previous personal best came against Sodertalje in the Second Round, when he went a perfect 6-of-6 from beyond the arc, which might be an even more impressive feat.

36

While the all-around skills of Ironi Nahariya guard Derwin Kitchen were never in doubt, he arrived to the FIBA Europe Cup on an unimaginably severe cold-streak and in a dire need of a fresh start.

Having made just 3-of-29 shots from the field in the last five Basketball Champions League games, the 30-year-old guard turned a new page and collected a season-high 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field.

Kitchen, who finished with a ranking of 36, also filled the boxscore in other ways by grabbing 8 rebounds, handing out 8 assists and registering 3 steals, as the Israeli side defeated Gaziantep 96-75 and put themselves in a good position before the return leg in Turkey.

"I'm glad I had a good game. It's my first game since I arrived to Ironi Nahariya that I felt my real abilities were reflected. We can't underestimate them, especially as we have an advantage. We will have to be at the peak of our readiness for the second leg," the player said after the game.

FIBA