Last Quarter-Final tickets taken: Galatasaray survive scare, Besiktas topple first seeds

MUNICH (Germany) - The Round of 16 concluded on Thursday night with five more clubs jumping to the Quarter-Finals and five more seeing their participation curtailed. 

Galatasaray Cagdas Factoring, TTT Riga, Melikgazi Kayseri, London Lions and Lattes-Montpellier are all safely moving into the last eight after navigating their second leg games - although Galatasaray and Kayseri suffered losses.

On Wednesday night, Umana Reyer Venice, Spar Girona and Besiktas all advanced to the next stage, the latter toppling number one seeds, Tango Bourges Basket.

Key Storylines

- Galatasaray and Kayseri lose but still push through to the last eight;

- Lattes-Montpellier overturn a 16-point deficit to qualify;

- Top seeded Bourges exit as Besiktas squeeze through;

- Girona derby double over Cadi La Seu; Reyer too hot to handle.

Thursday January 20

Galatasaray Cagdas Factoring had been expected to slide past InvestInTheWest Enea Gorzow but were instead left with a 91-85 home loss.

That gap on aggregate dropped to single digits and it could have been worse had Julie Vanloo not inked a brilliant 25 points and 12 assists. Weronika Telenga starred for Gorzow with 11 points and 22 boards.

The closest first leg games was Lattes-Montpellier and BDS Dinamo Sassari with the former taking a slender 3-point lead back from Italy. But they found themselves trailing by as many as 16 points on their own court before recovering in the second-half and digging out an exciting 79-69 success, helped by Alisia Jenkins providing a super 24 points and 11 boards.

London Lions have been labelled as potential winners and they showed their potential for silverware by beating Lointek Gernika Bizakai 87-59 in the British capital. A 28-14 opening quarter had them flying out of the blocks, with Temi Fagbenle most impressive after adding 16 points and 8 rebounds. 

Melikgazi Kayseri slipped to defeat as they went down 72-70 at NKA Universitas PEAC but proceeded by 9 on aggregate. That was thanks mainly to Gintare Petronyte composing a majestic display of 24 points, 20 rebounds and 6 assists. 

There was a win double for TTT Riga against Roche Vendee BC as they claimed a 69-61 success in the Latvian capital.  A 25-10 second quarter took away any nerves as they coasted through on aggregate. Kyra Lambert excelled again with 16 points and 8 assists. 

Wednesday January 19

The most exciting and intriguing tie on Wednesday night was in France where hosts Tango Bourges Basket were looking to overturn a 10-point deficit from last week's meeting against Besiktas. They did claim a 79-76 win on their own floor, but it was not enough and it means the number one seeds - and two-time winners - have been eliminated. 

Artemis Spanou did her best to inspire Bourges with an outstanding 22 points and 11 rebounds, but the visitors had their own stand out baller in Dana Evans. She got hot and claimed 31 points to send the Istanbul club into the Quarter-Finals. 

Meanwhile, already holding a healthy 16-point lead from the first leg, Spar Girona finished the job against Spanish rivals Cadi La Seu in style with a one-sided 68-39 victory. They shut down their local rivals with ease and benefited from a smart 13 points and 12 points respectively from Morgan Bertsch and Marianna Tolo.

It was a similar scenario for Umana Reyer Venice as they started off their second leg clash against VBW Arka Gdynia with a nine-point advantage and strolled to another success as they took down their opponents 80-59. As usual, Jessica Shepard was the main threat and the center racked up 18 points to lead her team.

Highs

Efficiency: 42  –  Gintare Petronyte (Melikgazi Kayseri)
Points: 31 – Dana Evans (Besiktas)
Rebounds: 22 – Weronika Telenga (InvestInTheWest Enea Gorzow)
Assists: 12 – Julie Vanloo (Galatasaray Cagdas Factoring)
Steals: 5 – Peyton Williams (NKA Universitas PEAC)
Blocks: 4 – Marieme Badiane (Latters-Montpellier)

Wednesday, January 17

Umana Reyer Venice 80-59 VBW Arka Gdynia (157-127 on aggregate)
Spar Girona 68-39 Cadi La Seu (136-91 on aggregate)
Tango Bourges Basket 79-76 Besiktas (153-159 on aggregate)

Thursday, January 18

Galatasaray Cagdas Factoring  85-91 InvestInTheWest Enea Gorzow (172-164 on aggregate)
TTT Riga 69-61 Roche Vendee Basket (156-131 on aggregate)
NKA Universitas Pecs 72-70 Melikgazi Kayseri (137-146 on aggregate)
London Lions 87-59 Lointek Gernika Bizkaia  (163-128 on aggregate)
Lattes-Montpellier 79-69 BDS Dinamo Sassari (148-135 on aggregate)

FIBA