There are a pair of games between undefeated teams, and one between two winless sides.
At a glance: Things starting to heat up in Round 3
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Seven unbeaten teams will put their perfect starts on the line in Round 3 of the BKT EuroCup, and here you can find out everything you need to know about Tuesday and Wednesday’s action.
Tuesday, October 8
7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys vs Aris Midea Thessaloniki (18:00 CEST)
A first victory is up for grabs as two winless teams meet when Lietkabelis (0-2) hosts Aris (0-2). Both teams have struggled for offensive production so far, respectively ranking 18th and 20th in the competition in scoring (70.0 vs 69.0 points per game). Lietkabelis has the EuroCup’s worst three-point shooting record (24.1%), but there’s more to come from Georgios Kalaitzakis after he scored 12 points on 3-of-5 field goal shooting last week against Hapoel Jerusalem. Round 2 saw Aris edged out by Turk Telekom at home, but new signing Joshua Roberts gave a great performance with 14 points and 6 offensive rebounds and his efforts to gain extra possessions could be crucial.
Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius vs ratiopharm Ulm (18:00 CEST)
Wolves (0-2) will aim to kickstart its campaign against an Ulm team (2-0) looking to extend its perfect start. Ulm has been firing on all cylinders offensively, with five different players averaging double digits scoring. That includes Nelson Weidemann, whose 17 points helped gain a statement-making win over Joventut Badalona last week. Wolves should not be too disheartened after competing well in its two losses, and will look for Tre’Shawn Thurman to stay hot after blitzing 29 points on 8-of-10 field goal shooting in last week’s narrow defeat at Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv. But the Lithuanian team must improve its interior defense after allowing opponents to convert 67.6% of two-point shots – most in the competition.
Turk Telekom Ankara vs Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (18:30 CEST)
A pair of fast starters go head to head as Turk Telekom (2-0) and Cedevita (2-0) aim to make it three straight wins. Their successes have come in very different ways, with Turk Telekom boasting the EuroCup’s best defense (64.5 ppg. allowed), while Cedevita has averaged a fourth-best 90.0 ppg. Long-range accuracy has been key for the visiting team, with Brynton Lemar (13.5 ppg. on 60% three-point shooting) among those giving Cedevita the competition’s best conversion rate from beyond the arc (45.6%). The ability of Kyle Alexander (11 rpg.) to control the paint will be crucial for Turk Telekom.
Besiktas Fibabank Istanbul vs Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (20:00 CEST)
A close contest is expected as Besiktas (1-1) hosts Hapoel Tel Aviv (1-1) for a repeat of last season’s quarterfinal, won 89-94 by Besiktas. The Turkish team will be especially motivated after suffering a 21-point mauling in last week’s Istanbul derby against Bahcesehir, when 16 points from Conor Morgan was one of the only shining lights. Besitkas was heavily outrebounded in that contest, so will look to show more physicality against a Hapoel team led in the paint by Johnathan Motley (6.0 rpg.). Patrick Beverley led his team to last week’s opening win over Wolves by pairing 14 points with 6 assists, and his ability to control the tempo will be vital.
Umana Reyer Venice vs Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse (20:00 CEST)
High-flying Bourg (2-0) will look to stay perfect against a Reyer team (1-1) aiming for an immediate response to last week’s narrow loss at Cedevita. It should be a high-scoring game between the fifth (88.5 ppg.) and second (92 ppg.) most effective offenses in the competition. Bourg’s 100% start has been a collective effort, with seven different players averaging double digits PIR led by the versatile Adrian Nelson (14.5 ppg., 4.5 rpg., 19.5 average PIR). Reyer has been great from long-range, ranking second in the EuroCup for three-point shooting accuracy (43.5%) partly thanks to Kyle Wiltjer, who went 4-of-8 from deep in his first appearance of the season last week.
Wednesday, October 9
U-BT Cluj-Napoca vs Valencia Basket (18:00 CEST)
Wednesday’s opening tip-off will see winless Cluj (0-2) face the tough assignment of stopping the Valencia (2-0) juggernaut. The ambitious Spanish team flexed its offensive muscles by blasting 105 points past Veolia Towers Hamburg last week, and has new signing Matt Costello in great form with 19.5 points per game. Valencia leads the EuroCup in assists, with another fresh face, Jean Montero, averaging 9.0 helpers in his first two games. Cluj will need another big game from triple-double threat Zavier Simpson, who averages 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists, but must take more care of the ball after committing 16.5 turnovers per night so far – second-worst in the competition.
Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem vs Veolia Towers Hamburg (19:00 CEST)
Hapoel Jerusalem (1-1) will look to build on last week’s convincing win at Lietkabelis as it welcomes winless Hamburg (0-2). Jerusalem guard Jared Harper has averaged 25.0 points through the first two games and will be licking his lips at the prospect of facing a Hamburg defense which has allowed a competition-high 102.5 points per game. Hamburg competed well with Valencia for the first three quarters of last week’s loss before running out of steam, so coach Benka Barloschky will be looking for a full 40 minutes from his players – and another big performance from guard Billy Ivey, who scored 19 points in Round 2.
Trefl Sopot vs Joventut Badalona (19:00 CEST)
Two teams aiming to bounce back from defeat, go head to head as Trefl (0-2) welcomes Joventut (1-1). The Polish team will have to find a way of containing veteran big man Ante Tomic, who averages 17.5 points and 8.5 points per night. Trefl will rely on the leadership of guard Tarik Phillip, who has posted impressive numbers of 12.5 points, 8.5 boards and 6.0 assists in the opening two games. The host will also look to disrupt Joventut’s rhythm through the active defense of Robert McGowens, who averages 2.5 steals per night – the best effort in a team average of 10.5 per game, second-best in the EuroCup.
Dolomiti Energia Trento vs Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (20:00 CEST)
Trento (1-1) is seeking a second straight home win as it welcomes a Buducnost team (0-2) desperate to record its first victory of the season. The Italian team overcame Trefl last week in large part thanks to the scoring power of Jordan Ford, who netted 20 points on 7-of-12 field goal shooting. The distribution of Anthony Lamb (5.5 assists per game) will also be important against Buducnost which has so far been let down defensively by allowing 91.5 points per game, second-most in the competition. If that figure improves, the all-round skills of Rasheed Sulaimon (14.5 ppg., 6.5 rpg. and 5.0 apg.) could be enough to secure a much-needed road triumph.
Dreamland Gran Canaria vs Bahcesehir College Istanbul (21:00 CEST)
A big battle concludes the week’s action as either Gran Canaria (2-0) or Bahcesehir (2-0) will lose its perfect record. The Turkish team will look to control the game through its defense after allowing only 67.5 points in its first two games, second-best in the league. The physicality of center Tai Odiase (13.0 ppg., 6.0 rpg.) will also be needed to lock up Gran Canaria, a team with many options inside the paint including George Conditt IV, who had 8 points and 7 boards in last week’s win over Buducnost. Another duel to watch is the battle for backcourt control between Andrew Albicy (8.0 ppg., 4.0 apg.) and Jaleen Smith (9.5 ppg. and 6.0 apg.).