Andy West previews Round 9 of the 2025-26 EuroCup campaign
At a glance: The EuroCup returns with a bang
Game Preview
7 Lesezeit
Following a short break, the midway point of the BKT EuroCup season arrives with 10 games on Thursday and Friday. Here’s your overview of all the action.
Thursday, December 4
Bahcesehir College Istanbul vs. Neptunas Kleipeda (17:00 CET)
The week begins in Istanbul as Bahcesehir (6-2) aims to protect first place in Group A with a visit from Neptunas (3-5). The Turkish team has lost two of its last three games and will look for improved defense after allowing 99 points to Slask last time out, but that won’t be easy against a Neptunas team which averages 90.9 points per night (fifth best in the competition). Two of the EuroCup’s best guards will go head to head for a key battle as Bahcesehir dynamo Malachi Flynn (17.9 points per night) attempts to overcome visiting Rihards Lomasz, who has scored at least 14 points in five games straight for a Neptunas team which lost its last two games.
Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana vs. Slask Wroclaw (18:30 CET)
Group A co-leader Cedevita (6-2) will attempt to maintain that status with a visit from playoff-chasing Slask (4-4). The Polish team is still looking for its first road win but has plenty of confidence after downing Bahcesehir in its last game, led by 20 points from big man Stefan Dordevic. Cedevita has rolled to three consecutive victories, helped by big man Thomas Kennedy delivering a series of strong performances in the paint, and takes better care of the basketball than any other team with just 10.6 turnovers per game. So Slask ball hawk Jakub Urbaniak – who has multiple steals in four games so far this season – will have to fight hard for extra possessions.
ratiopharm ulm vs. Dolomiti Energia Trento (19:00 CET)
Ulm (4-4) will attempt to maintain its position in Group B’s top six by overcoming one of the chasing pack, Trento (3-5). Both teams need to improve defensively after allowing more than 100 points in Round 8 defeats, and a key aspect will be three-point shooting: Ulm has the competition’s worst perimeter defense, allowing opponents to convert 40.5% of long-range strikes, but also boasts one of the most potent three-point offenses partly thanks to Tobias Jensen averaging 11.2 points on 47.2%. Trento, however, has the EuroCup’s worst three-point conversion rate (26.2%), so needs the otherwise excellent (17.7 points per game) to improve his shooting beyond the arc after going 3-of-15 in the last three games.
NINERS Chemnitz vs. Turk Telekom Ankara (19:00 CET)
Chemnitz (3-5) will try to win consecutive games for the first time against a Turk Telekom (5-3) team aiming to recover winning ways. Both teams excel inside the paint, with Chemnitz ranked third in the competition with 61.5% two-pointers, while Turk Telekom is even better (61.9%). Ty Brewer was keys to Chemnitz’s Round 8 victory over Trento with 16 points and 7 rebounds, and he faces a good battle with Jordan Usher, who has scored at least 13 points in four of the last five. Another key battle will take place in the backcourt as Corey Davis (16 points and 5.6 assists per game) confronts Dogus Ozdemiroglu (9.2 points and 5.2 assists per night).
Lietkabelis Panevezys vs. London Lions (19:00 CET)
Two teams on the fringes of Group B’s playoff race meet as Lietkabelis (2-6) welcomes London (3-5). The Lithuanian team ended a six-game winning run by overcoming Panionis with a strong defensive performance last time out, and the all-round strength of Augustine Rubit (15.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per night) will be an important building block for seeking another victory. He will be confronted by in-form Joel Scott, who has averaged 15.2 points in the last five games. But London has struggled for offensive consistency throughout the season, and taking better care of the basketball would help after committing more turnovers than any other team (16.4 per game).
Aris Thessaloniki Betsson vs. U-BT Cluj-Napoca (19:00 CET)
Two of the four teams tied for Group A’s fourth place go into battle as Aris (4-4) welcomes Cluj (4-4). Cluj is the competition’s highest-scoring team with 96.8 points per game, but has one of the worst defenses with an average of 94 points allowed. So Aris’s recent signing Amine Noua will hope to continue the form that saw him net 24 points to defeat Neptunas last time out. That victory also saw guard Bryce Jones approach a triple-double with 17 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists, and he faces a great matchup with Cluj playmaker Fatts Russell. The visiting team will also look for another strong performance from forward Mitch Creek, who averages 16.9 points per game on 72.4% inside shooting.
Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem vs. Umana Reyer Venice (20:00 CET)
Red-hot Group A co-leader Hapoel (6-2) will attempt to strengthen its position in the top four by overcoming dangerous Reyer (4-4). The Italian team has won three of the last four games, most recently overcoming Manresa thanks to the shooting skills of Kyle Wiltjer, who has made multiple three-pointers in five games already this season. Hapoel has won five straight and will look to maintain the explosive offense which has surpassed 100 points in three of the last four, with Cassius Winston (15.7 points and 4.7 assists per game) among those playing at a high level. Expect a big battle in the paint between the competition’s second and third-best rebounders, Austin Wiley (8.1 rebounds per night) and Chris Horton (7.9).
Friday, December 5
Besiktas GAIN Istanbul vs. Panionios Cosmorama Travel Athens (18:00 CET)
Besiktas (6-2) is aiming for a third straight victory as it welcomes a Panionios team (1-7) stuck in Group B’s last place. The home team’s outstanding offensive production (91.4 points per game) is based on the EuroCup’s second-most accurate three-point shooting (39.8%), with Brynton Lemar making 9 of his 13 attempts from deep in the last two games. In contrast, Panionios’s long losing run is the result of an offense which has only reached 80 points once in the last six games and ranks last in the competition with just 75.3 points per game, but an excellent start from newcomer Stedmon Lemon (20 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals against Lietkabelis last time out) provides some hope.
Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse vs. Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (19:30 CET)
It’s first against second in Group A as Bourg (7-1) receives a visit from Buducnost (6-2). The French team, which is 3-0 at home, has relied on outstanding defense recently, allowing just 64 and 68 points in the last two games. That will definitely be needed against a confident Buducnost team which has won five straight and poured in 101 points – led by Rasheed Sulaimon with 19 – to overpower Ulm last time out. For Bourg, the versatile skills of guard Adam Mokoka (12.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game) are a key driving force, and he faces a good backcourt battle against Yogi Ferrell, who has reached double digits in scoring in five of the last six.
BAXI Manresa vs. Veolia Towers Hamburg (20:45 CET)
The week’s action concludes with Manresa (3-5) seeking a return to winning ways while Hamburg (0-8) targets its first victory. Manresa has lost four straight and needs to recover the defensive stability that delivered early-season success, while hoping that Alfonso Plummer can continue the long-range accuracy which has seen him average 4.5 triples in his last three games. Hamburg’s hopes of breaking into the win column require all-round improved shooting accuracy: the German team has made just 50.2% of two-point attempts and 26.2% from long-range so far, respectively, ranking 18th and 19th in the competition. One cause for optimism is the addition of Devon Daniels, who scored 19 points on debut last time out.