Week 3 - Round of 16 Game of the Week: Can Tenerife stay unbeaten?
After last week's Israeli Derby, this week's Game of the Week in the Basketball Champions League will feature a Spanish head-to-head between Lenovo Tenerife (2-0) and Surne Bilbao (1-1).
SAN CRISTOBAL DE LA LAGUNA (Spain) - After last week's Israeli Derby, this week's Game of the Week in the Basketball Champions League will feature a Spanish head-to-head between Lenovo Tenerife (2-0) and Surne Bilbao (1-1) from Group L.
Where: San Cristobal de La Laguna, Spain (Santiago Martin Arena)
When: 20:30 CET
Tenerife have defeated UCAM Murcia and Darussafaka with a combined +41-point margin in their two wins, while Bilbao defeated Darussafaka Lassa and then lost to Murcia.
We don't talk enough about @CB1939Canaria's defense 🔒 The defensive champs held Dacka to 2/21 from 3PTS, picking up a 21-point win on the road! #BasketballCL
— Basketball Champions League (@BasketballCL) February 1, 2023
While this will be the first meeting between these two teams in the BCL, they have already met this season in their domestic league back in November with Tenerife coming out on top 73-57. In the Liga Endesa, Tenerife are in third place with a record of 14-4 and Bilbao are 8-11, but still in the race for the Play-Offs in Spain.
Tenerife have a lot going for them right now this season, as they remain undefeated in the Round of 16 in the BCL, are just one win behind Barcelona and Real Madrid in Spain and are also playing as hosts at the FIBA Intercontinental Cup later this week.
Tenerife have won their last 10 home games in the BCL and a win against Bilbao would see them equaling their longest winning streak at home (11 between January 2020-November 2021); each of their last three home games ended up with margins of 20+ points, their best such streak in the competition. Txus Vidorreta has won 74 games in the BCL, the most of any coach in the competition and a win here will make him the first coach to reach 75 victories in the competition; he is also the coach with the most games in league history, currently with 98. Tenerife's Marcelinho Huertas has 407 assists in the BCL, the most of any player in the competition; it's 37 more assists in the BCL than all the current players of Bilbao combined (370), with Adam Smith having the most on his team (107 assists in the BCL). Bilbao have won their last seven BCL games where they conceded 80 or fewer points but have lost their six games where they conceded more than 80 points; each of their last four games have been decided by margins of 10+ points. Michale Kyser is one of two players to have scored more than 10 field goals against Tenerife in a BCL game, making 11 shots in March 2021 with VEF Riga (also Levi Randolph with Avellino in November 2016); he also grabbed seven offensive rebounds in that same game, tied for the most by a player against Tenerife in the competition. [/unordered]Team comparison by the numbers:
|
Tenerife |
Stat Category |
Bilbao |
|
54.5 |
2-point FG % |
52.2 |
|
45.5 |
3-point FG % |
34.4 |
|
50.3 |
Overall FG % |
44.2 |
|
75.8 |
Free throw % |
75.6 |
|
24.4 |
Defensive rebounds |
26.3 |
|
8.9 |
Offensive rebounds |
10.9 |
|
33.3 |
Total rebounds |
37.1 |
|
6.9 |
Steals |
5.9 |
|
19.9 |
Assists |
18.5 |
|
12.8 |
Turnovers |
12.6 |
|
1.5 |
Blocks |
4.8 |
|
16.3 |
Points from Turnover |
13.4 |
|
28.5 |
Points in the Paint |
28.8 |
|
34.8 |
Points from the Bench |
37.6 |