Domestic round-up: Elegar shines in VTB All-Star Day; U-BT Cluj-Napoca take care of Oradea

MUNICH (FIBA Europe Cup) – Teams are getting a breather in the FIBA Europe Cup this week between Round of 16 legs, but that hasn't translated into more rest time, with domestic action taking center stage.

While it was all fun and games in Russia, where Frank Elegar and Vladislav Trushkin took part in the VTB All-Star Day events, things were testier in Romania, where FIBA Europe Cup newcomers CSM Oradea were taught a lesson by U-BT Cluj-Napoca.

Plenty of domestic cup action will take place around Europe in the coming weekend, but France is slightly ahead of the curve and will start the bonanza midweek with French Cup Quarter-Finals before continuing into the LNB Leaders Cup.

Elegar, Trushkin take part in the VTB League All-Star Day

Two FIBA Europe Cup stand-outs Frank Elegar and Vladislav Trushkin had the honor of representing Enisey Krasnoyarsk in the inaugural edition of the VTB League All-Star Day held in Sochi last weekend.

In spite of a solid 14-point and 4-rebound performance by Frank Elegar, domestic players ended up swooping up a 131-121 victory in a typically high-scoring fashion for such events. Trushkin played just two minutes for the victors, but did open his scoring count from the free-throw stripe.

U-BT Cluj-Napoca get the better of Oradea in Romania

Having secured an important victory against Muratbey Usak Sportif in the first leg of the Round of 16, CSM CSU Oradea were taught not to let their guard down by Romanian Liga Nationala leaders U-BT Cluj-Napoca in the domestic championship.

The Cristian Achim-coached Oradea simply couldn't contain Vlad-Sorin Moldoveanu, who collected a game-high 21 points, and suffered a 55-75 defeat on their home floor after trailing for majority of the contest.

Having shot just 35% from the field, the hosts couldn't get anything going offensively and Andrei Mandache finished as the side's only double-digit scorer with 15 points and 5 boards.

Sean Denison scored 9 points for Oradea, Uros Lucic collected 7 points, while the team's hero from last week, Muhamed Pasalic, only showed glimpses of his FIBA Europe Cup form, scoring just 6 points on 2-of-7 shooting from the field.

Meanwhile, Aleksandar Rasic, Kyndall Dykes and Ousmane Barro all finished in double figures for the visitors, as the league's runaway leaders U-BT Cluj-Napoca improved to a stellar 17-2 record.

Although defending champions Oradea are only sixth in the standings with a 9-8 mark, they are the only Romanian team left in international competition this season after Cluj-Napoca's Second Round exit in the FIBA Europe Cup.

Nanterre and Elan Chalon involved in French Cup drama

There will not be much room for feelings for Elan Chalon and Nanterre 92 on Valentine's Day, as the last remaining FIBA Europe Cup sides in the French Cup will be hoping to move past the Quarter-Final stage.

Both sides have enjoyed strong play on the domestic front this season, but transferring the same form to one-off elimination can always be tricky. Among the eight Quarter-Final participants, five are ranked in the lower half of the French LNB Pro A table.

After their mid-week bouts in the domestic cup, both the Chalon-sur-Saone and Nanterre clubs will also take part in the LNB Leaders Cup 2017 in Paris, which will take place from Friday to Sunday.

Elan Bearnais will play against Paris Levallois, Elan Chalon have a date with ASVEL, Nanterre will hope to hold their ground against SIG Strasbourg, while Gravelines will take on the title holders and top seed Monaco.

FIBA