MUNICH (Germany) The Second Round of the FIBA Europe Cup gets underway on Wednesday, with eight Quarter-Final spots up for grabs.
The 16 remaining teams have been separated into four groups, with the top two from each advancing as the competition heats up.
Group K
WHY WILL UCAM MURCIA ADVANCE?
UCAM Murcia were the first team from the Regular Season to qualify for the Second Round, and it’s easy to see why. The Spanish side shares the ball generously, with four players averaging 11 points or more, led by Michael Forrest’s 13.6 points per game. They shoot with confidence and play solid defence, as evidenced by their 5-1 Regular Season record.
Key player: Michael Forrest
WHY WILL ROSTOCK SEAWOLVES ADVANCE?
Just the one blip for the Rostock Seawolves so far at FC Porto, but otherwise an impressive start, with the German side winning their five games by an average of 16 points. Led by explosive guard TJ Crockett Jr., who leads the team with 17.3 points and big man Owen Klassen protecting the paint, pulling down 8.2 boards and 1.3 blocks per game, the Seawolves will be a tough team to stop.
Key player: TJ Crockett Jr.
WHY WILL ENERGA TREFL SOPOT ADVANCE?
If Trefl Sopot are to advance past the Second Round, they will need to run their opponents off the floor and push the pace in every game. Ranked third in the FIBA Europe Cup with 92 points per game, they finished the Regular Season with a 4-2 record. To qualify, they will need to post their points average on the board for all six games and protect their home court.
Key player: Kasper Suurorg.
WHY WILL FALCO VULCANO ENERGIA KC SZOMBATHELY ADVANCE?
KC Szombathely certainly hit their stride when they needed to, winning their final two games away from home, and averaging 52.3 percent from the field in those two games in order to punch their ticket to the Second Round. Zoltan Perl will be key to the Hungarian side’s offense, and if he’s on a heater, Szombathely could be a surprise package.
Key player: Zoltan Perl
Group L
WHY WILL CSM CSU RAIFFEISEN ORADEA ADVANCE?
A perfect 3-0 at home in the Regular Season, Oradea will have the chance to make it four in a row when they start their next phase against KK Bosna. The Romanian side has relied on its dynamic duo of Emmanuel Nzekwesi and the prolific Kris Richard, who have averaged 17.2 and 15.7 points per game, respectively. But now housed in a talented Group L, Oradea will need their role players, Kalif Young and Thomas Bropleh, also to produce.
Key player: Kris Richard
WHY WILL CEDEVITA JUNIOR ADVANCE?
Arguably the strongest team during the Regular Season, Cedevita Junior were the last team to lose their unbeaten start to the competition - settling for a 5-1 mark. However, the Second Round is a new chapter and teams that have even gone 6-0 going into this stage have been dumped out. Another side that has four players averaging in double digits in points and spreads the minutes fairly, Cedevita will use its depth to its advantage.
Key player: Jordan Gainey
WHY WILL PALLACANESTRO REGGIANA ADVANCE?
Pallacanestro Reggiana were certainly a team that kept everyone on the edge of their seats during the Regular Season, with three of its six games being decided by three points or less, and they just crept in to the Second Round with a 3-3 record. The Italian side has a heap of talent at its disposal, led by Jaylen Barford, who is posting 14.3 points on 45 percent shooting. They will need to step it up if they wish to go further.
Key player: Jaylen Barford
WHY WILL KK BOSNA BH TELECOM ADVANCE?
If you factor in their Qualifiers campaign, KK Bosna enters the Second Round as the team with the lowest points average among the remaining; averaging 78.6 points per game. They have also lost their leading scorer, Chase Audige, who has just signed for BCL champs Unicaja. A difficult task for the Bosnians, who will look to Edin Atic and veteran Miralem Halilovic in this phase.
Key player: Miralem Halilovic
Group M
WHY WILL SURNE BILBAO BASKET ADVANCE?
The reigning FIBA Europe Cup champions, Bilbao suffered a shock defeat on the opening night against Peristeri, but have bounced back in the most merciless of fashions. They have won their last five games and head to the Second Round as the competition’s best offensive team, averaging a whopping 102.8 points. The man at the heart of it is Justin Jaworski, who averages 20 points per game, alongside Melwin Pantzar, who has posted 7.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and is ranked second in assists with eight per contest. Bilbao is on a mission.
Key player: Melwin Pantzar
WHY WILL PAOK BC ADVANCE?
From the champions to last season’s runners-up, who will look for revenge in the Second Round. However, PAOK will be glad to turn the page and look forward to this phase. Having advanced at the expense of Braunschweig with 0.1 seconds left. Cleveland Melvin has been at the forefront of the offense, and Tomas Dimsa has shown what he can do on both sides of the floor. PAOK will always be a difficult side to break down.
Key player: Cleveland Melvin
WHY WILL BC PRIEVIDZA ADVANCE?
British coach Gareth Murray has got BC Prievidza playing together, and the Slovakian side enters the Second Round with one of the better field goal percentages across the 16 teams involved, averaging 48.8 percent. Noah Reynolds has been outstanding, averaging 19.9 points, while Naje Smith has been a fierce rim protector, swatting an average of 1.9 shots away. A team not to be underestimated.
Key player: Naje Smith
WHY WILL SPORTING CP ADVANCE?
Sporting CP quietly went about their business in the Regular Season, posting a 4-2 record and securing qualification with a resounding 121-67 win over CS Valcea. Brandon Johns is the team’s leader, and if he gets enough looks, Sporting can be a match for anyone. But he will need help; Malik Morgan and Francisco Amarante will look to provide their own spark to challenge their opponents.
Key player: Brandon Johns
Group N
WHY WILL DINAMO BDS SASSARI ADVANCE?
Last season, Dinamo Sassari came into the Second Round on the back of a perfect 6-0 record, but spectacularly flopped en route to elimination. Now they return with a respectable 4-2 mark, a solid core of players, and many weapons at their disposal. Desure Buie leads the team with 16.8 points and 5.8 assists per game, backed up by Carlos Marshall, who is averaging a shade under 15 points per contest. Nicholas McGlynn is a capable all-rounder who can score, pull down rebounds and be a defensive menace. Sassari have as good a chance as any to advance in this tough group.
Key player: Nicholas McGlynn
WHY WILL CASADEMONT ZARAGOZA ADVANCE?
Casademont Zaragoza comes into the Second Round as the second-highest scorer from the Regular Season at 95.2 points per game, and out of the remaining 16 teams, owns the highest free-throw percentage at 80.6 percent. Having come so close in previous editions, Zaragoza seems to play their best basketball at this stage, and coming off a 5-1 record in the Regular Season, and on the back of three straight wins, they are in good shape.
Key player: Santi Yusta
WHY WILL PERISTERI BETSSON ADVANCE?
Peristeri defeated the holders Bilbao in their opener, a result described as a shock at the time. However, while the Spanish side avenged its loss at home, the Greek side finished with a 5-1 record, led by the exciting Ty Nichols, who averages 16.8 points, 4.8 assists and 3.0 steals per game - all team highs. Peristeri are a match for anyone, and in a tightly contested group, the Second Round will prove if they are worthy contenders.
Key player: Ty Nichols
WHY WILL ALIAGA PETKIMSPOR ADVANCE?
Along with Murcia and Cedevita, Aliaga Petkimspor are one of the three FIBA Europe Cup debutants through to the Second Round, and they crept in thanks to a 4-2 record, clinching one of the best runners-up spots. Veteran Yannick Franke has been in blistering form for the Turkish side, averaging 19.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. His game will need to step up if Petkimspor are to have any chance of progressing.
Key player: Yannick Franke
FIBA