MIES (Switzerland) - The first Group Phase of the Season X in the Basketball Champions League, powered by Ameresco SUNEL has concluded on Wednesday, with the Regular Season coming to a close after nine weeks of action.
Eight teams have directly qualified for the Round of 16 (starting January 20), in alphabetical order: AEK BC (GRE), ALBA BERLIN (GER), Dreamland Gran Canaria (ESP), Galatasaray MCT Technic (TUR), Joventut Badalona (ESP), La Laguna Tenerife (ESP), Rytas Vilnius (LTU) and Unicaja (ESP).
Sixteen teams will play best-of-three Play-Ins in order to join them (with the home advantage for the second-placed teams from the Group Phase). Games will tip off on January 6 and will end, in case of third games, on January 14. The final Play-Ins pairings are as follows:
MLP Academics Heidelberg (GER) vs. ERA Nymburk (CZE)
Elan Chalon (FRA) vs. Promitheas Patras BC Vikos Cola (GRE)
Hapoel Netanel Holon (ISR) vs. Trapani Shark (ITA)
Tofas Bursa (TUR) vs. Cholet Basket (FRA)
Fitness First Wurzburg Baskets (GER) vs. Patrioti Levice (SVK)
NHSZ-Szolnoki Olajbanyasz (HUN) vs. Pallacanestro Trieste (ITA)
Mersin Sports Club (TUR) vs. Le Mans Sarthe Basket (FRA)
Spartak Office Shoes (SRB) vs. Karditsa Iaponiki (GRE)
The Round of 16 phase will be composed by 16 clubs, the eight first-placed teams coming from the Regular Season, and the eight winners of the Play-Ins phase.
They will be split in four groups of four clubs each, and play in a round robin, home and away system, from January 20 to March 18. The first two teams in each group will qualify for the Quarter-Finals.
The Round of 16 groups are as follows:
Group I
Rytas Vilnius (LTU) Galatasaray MCT Technic (TUR) Hapoel Netanel Holon (ISR) or Trapani Shark (ITA) Mersin Sports Club (TUR) or Le Mans Sarthe Basket (FRA)
Group J
ALBA BERLIN (GER) AEK BC (GRE) Tofas Bursa (TUR) or Cholet Basket (FRA) Spartak Office Shoes (SRB) or Karditsa Iaponiki (GRE)
Group K
Joventut Badalona (ESP) Unicaja (ESP) Elan Chalon (FRA) or Promitheas Patras BC Vikos Cola (GRE) Fitness First Wurzburg Baskets (GER) or Patrioti Levice (SVK)
Group L
La Laguna Tenerife (ESP) Dreamland Gran Canaria (ESP) MLP Academics Heidelberg (GER) or ERA Nymburk (CZE) NHSZ-Szolnoki Olajbanyasz (HUN) or Pallacanestro Trieste (ITA)
The Quarter-Finals pairings will be determined by the draw after the Round of 16, and will tip off on March 31. The winners of the best-of-three matchups will reach the season ending Final Four tournament.
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About the Basketball Champions League The Basketball Champions League is an innovative joint partnership between FIBAClubCo and 11 top European leagues. It is a fair competition based on sporting principles, with teams qualifying through their national leagues.
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