Last 16, Group Rundown - Latest - Welcome to Eurocup

May 22, 2012

Last 16, Group Rundown

BCM Gravelines France	CEZ Nymburk Czech Republic	VEF Riga Latvia	Valencia Basket Spain

GROUP I

Group I features two experienced Eurocup teams and as many Last 16 newcomers. Regular season Group A champion BCM Gravelines won its first four games by an average margin of 23.5 points. It is the top scoring team so far (86.2 ppg.) and also ranks first in index ranking (601 in six games) and three-pointers made (59). VEF Riga made it to the Last 16 for the first time over powerhouses like Cholet Basket and PAOK BC. With a good core of local players surrounded by foreign talent, VEF wants to be the first Latvian team to make it to the quarterfinals since Ventspils did so in 2004-05. Valencia Basket, a two-time Eurocup winner, used four consecutive wins to clinch a Last 16 in Group D. Valencia ranks third in scoring (81.2 ppg.), second in assists (17.5 apg.) and leads all Last 16 teams in steals (9.3 spg.) this season. CEZ Nymburk reached the quarterfinals in 2010 and wants to do even better this season. The perennial Czech champ is second in scoring (83 ppg.) and tied for the most total rebounds (242) thus far.

BC Khimki Russia	Asvel Basket France	BC Donetsk Ukraine	Aris BSA 2003 Greece

GROUP J

Eurocup classics and exciting newcomers meeting in competitive Group J. BC Khimki Moscow Region reached the title game in 2009 and no team will be more motivated to advance to the Finals this season, which will be played on Khimki’s home court. Khimki leads all surviving teams in free throw percentage (79.3%) and assists (20 apg.). Asvel Basket qualified as Group D champion on a last-second jumper by Kim Tillie that would have left the French powerhouse out of the competition if it didn't go in. Asvel is second in steals (55) among all Last 16 teams and is undefeated at home. BC Donetsk enters the Last 16 with a 5-1 record, which was best among all second-placed teams, and is on a four-game winning streak. Donetsk is tied for first place with CEZ Nymburk is total rebounds (242), but also leads all Last 16 teams in fouls committed (145). Aris BSA 2003 qualified with a Week 6 overtime home win over Rudupis. Aris leads the 2011-12 Eurocup in defensive rebounds (168).

Banvit BK Turkey	Spartak SPB Russia	KRKA Novo Mesto Slovenia	KK Buducnost VOLI Montenegro

GROUP K

A big battle in expected in Last 16 Group K, where anything can happen. Banvit BK won its last three regular season games to win Group E, including impressive home wins against Gran Canaria 2014 and Lokomotiv Kuban. Banvit leads all Eurocup teams in two-point shooting percentage (56.9%) and is last in fouls committed (98). Spartak St. Petersburg is one of the three undefeated teams left in the 2011-12 Eurocup and has won its three home games by an average margin of 16.7 points. It is also the only team to rank top 5 in two-point (second, 56.8%) and free throw (fourth, 78.6%) percentage in this Eurocup season. Krka Novo Mesto is back to the Eurocup for the first time since making it to the title series in 2003. Defense has been the biggest key to its success, as Krka has held its opponents to an average of 66.5 points in its four wins. Buducnost Voli survived Group H and will try to reach the Quarterfinals for the first time in its sixth Eurocup season. Krka and Buducnost lead all Last 16 teams in fouls drawn (23.2 per game).

Lietuvos Rytas Lithuania	Alba Berlin Germany	Lokomotiv-Kuban Russia	Benetton Basket Italy

GROUP L

In what promises to be an exciting battle to reach the quarterfinals, Group L sees three teams with a great, recent Eurocup past along with a newcomer ready to take up the challenge. Still-undefeated Lietuvos Rytas won Eurocup titles in 2005 and 2009 and won't settle for anything but lifting a third trophy. Rytas ranks second in three-point shooting percentage (41%), third in rebounding (235) and fifth in assists (96) this season. Alba Berlin made it to the Eurocup title game in 2010 and is working to go all the way this time. The Berliners won their three home games by an average margin of 16.3 points. Alba is third in two-pointers made (145) with very good percentages (56.6%) so far. Benetton Basket made it to the Eurocup Finals last season. It leads the Eurocup in three-point percentage (41.8%) and all Last 16 teams in free throws made (108). Lokomotiv Kuban wants to keep its momentum going in its first Eurocup season. It leads the Eurocup in offensive rebounds (89) and Jeremiah Massey leads all surviving Last 16 players in performance index rating (19.3 per game).

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Eurocupbasketball.com

Send

Facebook	Digg	Technorati	MyWebYahoo
MySpace	Delicious	Google	Spurl

Submenu