BallinEurope Euroleague Live Blog : 31 Jan. 2008 - 8h30pm CET

[By Tobias Seitz & David Hein] - The BallinEurope crew and David Hein will cover the game live from Bamberg. 

This is what Euroleague has to say about this game:

Brose Baskets Bamberg will look to finish its Euroleague run when it hosts AXA FC Barcelona on Thursday at the Jako Arena in Bamberg, Germany. The game is essentially for protocol only, as the German champs will finish last in Group C, while Barcelona will be third. The only question remaining for Barca is whether it can finish as one of the top two third-place teams, which would send it into the Top 16 Draw as a second-seeded team. Barca is looking to snap a three-game losing streak, but will be optimistic heading into the game after blasting Bamberg 80-58 when they met earlier this season in Spain. Mario Kasun led five Barca scorers in double figures that night with 14, but is not currently available for head coach Dusko Ivanovic’s side after suffering heart irregularities. Bamberg will be eager to produce a good result after losing 85-37 at Partizan last week. With guard Demond Greene and center Chris Ensminger out, Bamberg will rely on Darren Fenn and Ademola Okulaja in the paint and Mithat Demirel and Steffen Hamann in the backcourt. Barcelona boasts a much deeper squad and will look to spread the minutes as much as possible. Guard Jaka Lakovic and forward Jordi Trias are Barca’s leading players, but the other members of its frontcourt, like Fran Vazquez and Denis Marconato could be more important this time against Bamberg’s short inside rotation. Barcelona is the clear favorite, but one cannot underestimate Bamberg’s desire to prove something with a win in its season finale.