The very end of Round 2 on Wednesday will bring a high-profile clash between two classic BKT EuroCup teams, Dreamland Gran Canaria and ratiopharm Ulm, each enjoying the most successful times in club history.
Gran Canaria, Ulm are both hungry for more success
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Defending a title is always both challenging and special, in any sport and any competition. For every such team, one of the joys on that journey is playing the first home game as a defending champion. For Dreamland Gran Canaria, that proud moment comes this week.
However, when the reigning BKT EuroCup titleholder welcomes ratiopharm Ulm to town on Wednesday night, it had better be ready for business.
On the surface, this matchup between Gran Canaria and Ulm is a game between a defending champion on a 13-game home-winning streak against a quarterfinalist from last season. However, it is a lot more than just that.
It will be a clash of two clubs enjoying the most successful periods in their respective histories, teams that want to build on last year's success, and both with fast-rising head coaches, point guards from their playing days, Gran Canaria's Jaka Lakovic and Ulm's Anton Gavel.
Lakovic, 45, started his head-coaching career with Ulm in the 2021-22 season and then guided Gran Canaria to last season's EuroCup title, the greatest success and the first major trophy in club history.
Gavel, five years younger than his Gran Canaria counterpart, had a memorable debut season, taking Ulm to its first-ever German League title, also club's first major trophy.
Another similarity between two clubs is how they went about their business during the summer. Both Gran Canaria and Ulm have seen some of their key pieces from last season leave, but each managed to keep several cornerstones from the trophy-winning squads.
Gran Canaria has done that with more success, keeping the likes of EuroCup Finals MVP John Shurna, A.J. Slaughter, Andrew Albicy, Nico Brussino and Ferran Bassas, but needing to revamp its frontcourt.
Last week, Slaughter netted 21 points and Brussino had 16 as Gran Canaria knocked down 14 three-pointers and used a 0-17 second-half run to down Aris Midea Thessaloniki 66-82. Newcomer Pierre Pelos scored 12, while another new face, big man Ben Lammers, also played a significant role, grabbing 9 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Ulm's returnees include playmakers Juan Nunez and Thomas Klepeisz, as well as forwards Karim Jallow and Robin Christen. But if Round 1 was any indication, Ulm hit it big on its newcomers, all EuroCup rookies.
Last week, Dakota Mathias scored 18 points, Trevion Williams amassed 13 points plus 16 rebounds, and point guard Georginho had 11 points plus 6 assists as Ulm protected its home court by beating Dolomiti Energia Trento 80-70.
Now, hungry for more success, Gran Canaria and Ulm are set to face one another. The hosts certainly have a more experience and veteran presence, as well as a winning culture on their home floor. Ulm, on the other hand, has established under Coach Gavel that it fears absolutely no one.
Basketball fans are set to be treated with an exciting show in Las Palmas.