BC Triumph will aim to punch its ticket for the Last 16 when it hosts Le Mans on Tuesday in the first Group B game of 2010. Triumph advances with a victory and a Hemofarm Stada loss at Valencia. However Le Mans will be no pushover, knowing it will be mathematically eliminated with a loss. Triumph enters the game with a 2-2 record, but lost its last two games before the winter break after starting the season 2-0. It’s ability to reach the Top 16 this week also depends upon another result. Triumph will advance only if it wins and undefeated group leader Power Electric Valencia beats Hemofarm Stada. Otherwise the second Last 16 berth from Group B will be decided next week. Despite the losses against Valencia, Triumph can take away that it outrebounded its opponent in both games led by Konstantin Nesterov’s double-double in Week 4. Le Mans meanwhile is winless on the road and enters the contest at 1-3. Dee Spencer, who enters the game second in the competition in scoring, and former Euroleague scoring king Marc Salyers lead an aggressive Le Mans attack. Spencer scored 27 and Salyers 19 in Week 4, but that was not enough to lift the team to victory. The key for the visitors will be getting more production from the other rotation players. Spencer teams with playmaker Zack Wright and promising combo-guard Antoine Diot in the backcourt, where they will challenge point guard Pavel Sergeev, scorer Brion Rush and key reserve Ego Vyaltsev. Triumph small forward Valery Likhodey poses and interesting matchup against the athletic Maleye Ndoye, while Nesterov and Salyers clash at power forward. The duel at center pits the home team’s Paul Miller against J.P. Batista of Le Mans. Triumph may try to slow the game pace down and try to power the ball inside, where it can best take advantage of its rebounding prowess. Le Mans should be expected to play fast and its chances could hinge on its outside shooting. Either way, expect an intense game with much riding on the outcome for both teams.
REFEREES: Leonidas Spyridonos, Petar Obradovic, Elias Koromilas