What each team needs in order to qualify and blockbuster matchups at the end of the Group Stage

MIAMI (United States) – The third and last phase of the Basketball Champions League Americas Group Stage will take place between February 3-9 and determine who will join Real Estelí, Libertadores and Franca, who have already qualified to Quarterfinals.

In this occasion, the games will be played in Brampton, Canada (Group A), and the Argentinian cities of Santiago del Estero (Group B) and Cordoba (Group C). Group D will take place in Franca, Brazil.

Let's look at the situation in each group, as teams vie for the five remaining spots in the competition's Quarterfinals.

Group A

6/9 games played

		GAMES				STREAK	GAME POINTS					POINTS
#	Team	P	W	L	%	Last 5	For	Agt	+/-	FA	AA
1	Real Estelí	4	3	1	75.0		388	357	31	97	89.2	7
2	Libertadores	4	3	1	75.0		387	358	29	96.8	89.5	7
3	Honey Badgers	4	0	4	0		348	408	-60	87	102	4

Upcoming games:

February 7th
Honey Badgers vs. Real Estelí - 20:00 local time

February 8th
Real Estelí vs. Libertadores - 20:00 local time

February 9th
Honey Badgers vs. Libertadores - 20:00 local time

Real Estelí already qualified to Quarterfinals. Libertadores already qualified to Quarterfinals. Honey Badgers have been eliminated. [/unordered]

 

Group B

6/9 games played

		GAMES				STREAK	GAME POINTS					POINTS
#	Team	P	W	L	%	Last 5	For	Agt	+/-	FA	AA
1	Quimsa	4	3	1	75.0		352	342	10	88	85.5	7
2	Minas	4	2	2	50.0		350	317	33	87.5	79.2	6
3	Biguá	4	1	3	25.0		311	354	-43	77.8	88.5	5

Upcoming games:

February 3rd
Quimsa vs. Biguá - 21:00 local time

February 4th
Biguá vs. Minas - 21:00 local time

February 5th
Quimsa vs. Minas - 21:00 local time

Quimsa will qualify with one more win or if Minas defeats Biguá. Minas will qualify if Quimsa beats Biguá; otherwise, they need to beat Biguá. Biguá needs to win both games to have a shot at advancing, and then need Quimsa to defeat Minas. If Minas beats Quimsa, it will create a 3-way tie and the teams with the 2 best point differentials will advance. [/unordered]

 

Group C

6/9 games played

		GAMES				STREAK	GAME POINTS					POINTS
#	Team	P	W	L	%	Last 5	For	Agt	+/-	FA	AA
1	Flamengo	4	3	1	75.0		369	249	120	92.2	62.2	7
2	Penarol	4	2	2	50.0		267	333	-66	66.8	83.2	6
3	Instituto	4	1	3	25.0		271	325	-54	67.8	81.2	5

Upcoming games:

February 6th
Instituto vs. Flamengo - 20:00 local time

February 7th
Peñarol vs. Flamengo - 20:00 local time

February 8th
Instituto vs. Peñarol - 20:00 local time

Flamengo will qualify with one more win or if Peñarol defeats Instituto. Peñarol will qualify if Flamengo beats Instituto or with one more victory. Instituto must win both games and wait for Flamengo to beat Peñarol. If Peñarol defeats Flamengo, it will create a 3-way tie and the teams with the 2 best point differentials will advance. [/unordered]

 

Group D

6/9 games played

		GAMES				STREAK	GAME POINTS					POINTS
#	Team	P	W	L	%	Last 5	For	Agt	+/-	FA	AA
1	Franca	4	4	0	100		376	331	45	94	82.8	8
2	UdeC	4	1	3	25.0		350	355	-5	87.5	88.8	5
3	Obras	4	1	3	25.0		329	369	-40	82.2	92.2	5

Upcoming games:

February 3rd
Franca vs. Obras - 19:00 local time

February 4th
Obras vs. UdeC - 19:00 local time

February 5th
Franca vs. UdeC - 19:00 local time

Franca already qualified to Quarterfinals. UdeC will qualify if they beat Obras. Obras will qualify if they beat UdeC. [/unordered]

 

Key matchups

Obras vs. UdeC
The winner of this battle will join Franca in advancing out of Group D, no matter how either fares against the Brazilian champions. Curiously, both teams beat each other on the road. First, Obras won in Concepción (97-92) and then UdeC returned the favor in Buenos Aires (90-69). This game being played in neutral territory adds even more uncertainty to the outcome.

Quimsa vs. Biguá
This will open the action in Group B and could determine what happens the rest of the way. If Quimsa manages to win, all would be settled as the Argentines would join Minas in advancing. Otherwise, it could propel Biguá and lead to a nailbiter of a finish.

Instituto vs. Flamengo
The same situation from Quimsa and Minas will play out in this Group C matchup. A Flamengo victory on the first day would end the hopes of the home squad and qualify both Flamengo and Peñarol. However, the Argentinian champions will be playing at home and with their crowd behind them, so they're expected to deliver. Besides, ICC already beat Flamengo during the first stage in Montevideo, providing another source of optimism for the squad from Cordoba.

Estelí vs. Libertadores
With both teams having already qualified to Quarterfinals, the only thing left to determine is who will finish in first place in Group A. The winner will take the honors, which in theory could allow them to face an easier opponent in the playoffs. In the 2 previous matchups, each team defended their home court, so it'll be interesting to see who prevails in neutral territory.

 

DISCLAIMER: The above analysis has been prepared solely for the purpose of improving the fan experience. It should not be construed as advice or binding information about the Basketball Champions League Americas for competitive purposes.

FIBA