MUNICH (Germany) - The first leg games in the Round of 16 are in the books and it was a good week for Turkish teams, while every club stepping out on their travels on Wednesday collected vital road wins.

Galatasaray Cagdas Factoring, Besiktas and Melikgazi Kayseri all celebrated successes to fly the flag for Turkiye, while 24 hours earlier, Umana Reyer Venice, Spar Girona, London Lions and TTT Riga all harvested big leads to take back to their respective home floors.

Key Storylines

- Hines-Allen and Smith catch fire for Galatsaray Cagdas Factoring

- Besiktas stun Tango Bourges Basket as Nogic and Evans go to work

- Roberto Iniguez back in hot-seat at Girona win derby with Cadi La Seu

- Pan lights it up from long range as Venice sail past Arka Gdynia

- TTT Riga down Roche Vendee as Lambert erupts

Thursday, January 11

Star duo Myisha Hines-Allen and Nalyssa Smith showed out as usual for Galatasaray Cagdas Factoring as they claimed a classy 87-73 road triumph at InvestInTheWest Enea Gorzow. A 26-11 second quarter was important but not as much as Hines-Allen coming close to a triple-double with 19 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists. Meanwhile Smith recorded a colossal double-double of 18 points and 20 boards. 

Besiktas benefited from their excellent backcourt as Jovana Nogic and Dana Evans combined again effectively to take them to a massive 83-74 success against Tango Bourges Basket.

A stunning 26-11 last quarter may have turned the tie in their favor and it was the work of Nogic in particular that impressed as she finished with 25 points and 10 assists. Evans poured in 23 points, while Elif Bayram brought the noise under the hoop with 15 points and 10 boards.

Melikgazi Kayseri also made home advantage count as they rode past NKA Universitas PEAC 76-65 off the back of a one-sided 21-6 last quarter. They were also powered by Lithuanian center Gintare Petronyte who did her usual masterful job in the paint with 23 points and 10 rebounds.

Lattes-Montpellier will be confident of finishing the job with home floor advantage against BDS Dinamo Sassari after they claimed a hard-fought 69-66 win. Kyara Linskens garnered 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Marieme Badiane excelled with 20 points.

Wednesday, January 10

He started the season in EuroLeague Women with Cukurova Basketbol Mersin, but Roberto Iniguez is now with Spar Girona and plotting to deliver EuroCup Women silverware and the playcaller had an enjoyable start to his second stint at the club. His team collected a comfortable 68-52 success at Cadi La Seu that was founded on controlling the glass, a smart 10 points and 12 boards from Marianna Tolo and a team high 15 points from Magali Mendy. 

Umana Reyer Venice made it rain with nine triples in their first leg game at VBW Arka Gdynia and they came away with a 77-68 triumph. Francesca Pan erupted to hit 5 of 6 from long-range en her way to 17 points, with in-from center Jessica Shepard as influential as ever with 18 points.

London Lions have their eyes fixed on the prize and showed their teeth by winning 76-69 at Lointek Gernika Bizkaia as Temi Fagbenle showed her class with 18 points. There was also a nice cameo from playmaker Ivana Katanic as the Serbian weighed in with 14 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists. 

Finally, TTT Riga enjoyed a red-hot start on the road at Roche Vendee and combined with an exceptional display by Kyra Lambert, that paved the way for them to pick up an eye-catching 87-70 success. Lambert proved largely unstoppable and registered a wonderful 18 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds and 5 steals.

Highs

Efficiency: 33 – Kyra Lambert (TTT Riga)
Points: 25 – Jovana Nogic (Besiktas)
Rebounds: 20 – Nalyssa Smith (Galatsaray Cagdas Factoring)
Assists: 10 – Kyra Lambert (TTT Riga); Jovana Nogic (Besiktas)
Steals: 5 – Kyra Lambert (TTT Riga)
Blocks: 2 – Multiple Players

Wednesday, January 10

VBW Arka Gdynia 68-77 Umana Reyer Venice
Cadi La Seu 52-68 Spar Girona 
Lointek Gernika Bizkaia 69-76 London Lions
Roche Vendee Basket 70-87 TTT Riga

Thursday, January 11

Melikgazi Kayseri 76-65 NKA Universitas Pecs 
Besiktas 83-74 Tango Bourges Basket 
InvestInTheWest Enea Gorzow 73-87 Galatasaray Cagdas Factoring 
BDS Dinamo Sassari 69-66 Lattes-Montpellier 

FIBA