Spirou Basket Charleroi will try to end its Eurocup season on a winning note when its hosts Turk Telekom on Tuesday. Spirou has yet to win in the Eurocup this season, but may not be as desperate for its first win as Telekom is for its third. That’s because Telekom will advance to the Last 16 if it wins and Spartak St. Petersburg loses to undefeated Group E leader Bizkaia Bilbao Basket in Tuesday’s other group game. Spirou’s season started in a promising way when it edged Entente Orleanaise in the opening game of the Euroleague Qualifying Rounds, but after falling in the second leg at Orleans, it’s been all downhill. Telekom experienced some of that by whipping Charleroi 91-67 last month behind 25 points from Lamayne Wilson and 24 from Bekir Yarangume. Dwayne Broyles led Spirou with 19 that night. Broyles is one of the most important players for the hosts to have step up if they are to finally win in the Eurocup. The small forward teams with guard Jonathan Tabu and power forward Wes Wilkinson in a balanced lineup that is stronger now that Jerry Johnson and Chris Hill have returned from injuries. Head coach Giovanni Bozi was able to use 10 different players for at least 14 minutes last week and may do the same against Telekom. The visitors have more defined roles, with Wilson the scorer, Ersin Dudley the rebounder and inside presence and Tutku Acik the playmaker. Demond Mallet and Serkan Erdogan join Acik in the backcourt to challenge Johnson, Tabu and co., while Wilson matches up with Wilkinson in a crucial battle. At the pivot, Dudley and Huseyin Besok will take on defensive stalwart Andre Riddick. Telekom is the favorite this time because of what is riding on the game, however Spirou can be counted on to give 100%, especially now that it has a deeper rotation and can show what could have been.
REFEREES: Gianpaolo Cicoria, Nicola Maestre, Joseph Bissang