Two of the best Polish big men, Olek Balcerowski and Aleksander Dziewa, face each other when Gran Canaria hosts Slask Wroclaw in Round 1.
Marquee matchup: Gran Canaria's Balcerowski vs. Slask's Dziewa



Balcerowski and Dziewa have guarded each other all summer long as members of the Polish national team that finished fourth at EuroBasket 2022. Balcerowski is three years younger, taller and has more experience at this level. He is a modern center who can pull the trigger from beyond the arc, make mid-range shots and use his big body to score in the low post. Gran Canaria has a lot of frontcourt options, but Balcerowski is often used to open the floor on offense and make the most of his wingspan and timing on defense.
Dziewa is a little bit faster than Balcerowski and a much better rebounder, too, and that should be his main strength in this matchup. With the help of Art Parakhouski, Dziewa should be ready to power the offensive glass against Balcerowski, Khalifa Diop and Damien Inglis, looking for second-chance opportunities. Dziewa is also a very fast player in a one-on-one situation for a player his size and can use that against a player who knows him well.




























































































