Group D Play-In spots settled: Bahcesehir edge past Igokea

MIES (Switzerland) - Bahcesehir College won the battle over Igokea m:tel for home court advantage in the Play-In, while ERA Nymburk closed their season out with an impressive road win over Group D winners Surne Bilbao.

Igokea came into this final day of the regular season one game ahead of Bahcesehir with the winner gaining the upper hand as second place in Group D. This game featured 16 lead changes and the final lead change came early in the fourth quarter once Bahcesehir took a lead for good, closing out a 77-72 win.

Bahcesehir's Jamar Smith (14 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists) and Jerry Boutsiele (14 points, 6 rebounds, 5 blocks) each scored 14 points, as Boutsiele became the first player to combine for 10+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ blocks in a BCL game since Pinar Karsiyaka's Raymar Morgan in May 2021.

Smith also came through in the clutch, sinking a three-pointer down the stretch to put the game out of reach.

 

 

With tonight's win, Bahcesehir have ended their two-game losing streak on the road in the BCL, as they also put an end to Igokea's two-game winning streak in the competition.

Bahcesehir outscored Igokea by 21 points in three-point shooting, as Smith (3-of-7 3P) and Muhammed Baygul (3-of-4 3P) combined to make more threes than Igokea did as a team.

Bahcesehir finished the regular season second in Group D at 3-3 and the Turkish club will take on Filou Oostende (who finished third in Group C with a record of 3-3) next in the Play-In. Igokea, meanwhile, also finished 3-3 but in third place in the group and will face Hapoel Atsmon Holon (second place in Group C at 4-2) in the Play-In.

 

Nymburk go out on a high note

The Czech Republic club came into this final regular season game already eliminated, but that didn't stop them from finishing with a win, as Nymburk got their second win of the 2022-23 BCL season after defeating Bilbao on the road, 81-71.

Gerel Simmons matched his season-high 27 points tonight on 10-of-16 shooting from the field and 7-of-9 from three-point. His seven made threes are tied for the most by a player in a BCL game this season. All but two players scored for Nymburk as well.

 

The final standings in Group D:

Group D

12/12 games played

		GAMES				GAME POINTS					POINTS
#	Team	P	W	L	%	For	Agt	+/-	FA	AA
1	Surne Bilbao *	6	4	2	66.7	477	425	52	79.5	70.8	10
2	Bahcesehir College **	6	3	3	50.0	437	470	-33	72.8	78.3	9
3	Igokea m:tel **	6	3	3	50.0	467	456	11	77.8	76	9
4	ERA Nymburk	6	2	4	33.3	437	467	-30	72.8	77.8	8