Both teams meet again in the EuroCup Quarterfinals eight years later
Jerusalem, Gran Canaria ready for major showdown
Game Preview
3 Mins read
A big make-or-break showdown is expected at Aleksandar Nikolic Hall in Belgrade, Serbia, as Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem takes on Dreamland Gran Canaria. Both teams know what it takes to win the competition, with Jerusalem lifting the trophy in 2004 before Gran Canaria went all the way in 2023.
This is a rematch of when both teams went to battle in the 2017 EuroCup Quarterfinals, back then played as a best-of-three playoff series. Jerusalem thrashed Gran Canaria 87-67 in Game 1 behind 20 points from Jerome Dyson and swept the series with a 79-85 victory at Gran Canaria Arena. Curtis Jerrells led Jerusalem with 23 points while Amar'e Stoudamire added 15. Their all-time record against one another in the competition is 2-2 as Gran Canaria beat Jerusalem twice in the 2016 Last 32 group stage.
Jerusalem won its last two regular-season games to seal a direct ticket to the quarterfinals. Since then, it lost center Gabi Chachashvili to a season-ending ACL injury. On the other hand, big man Austin Wiley returned to action after missing 12 regular-season games and is ready to help Derek Ogbeide under the boards. Gran Canaria beat Umana Reyer Venice 84-80 in the eighthfinals to get to this point.
Gran Canaria's main concern should be stopping Jared Harper, who is having a career-best season and threatening the competition's single-season scoring record. So far, Harper scored 386 points in 17 games (22.7 ppg.). Andrew Goudelock holds the record since the 2013-14 season, scoring 451 points while playing for UNICS Kazan. Added to his scoring abilities, Harper is averaging 5.7 assists and 7.7 fouls drawn. His 131 fouls drawn are already an all-time record in the competition.
Harper and Khadeen Carrington have been Jerusalem's go-to men in the backcourt all season long. Carrington averages 15.7 points this season but boosted his numbers to 18.2 points in his last five regular-season games. Harper will not have it easy against Andrew Albicy, one of the best defensive point guards in EuroCup history. In fact, Albicy needs just seven steals to rank first in the all-time standings.
Albicy is one of seven Gran Canaria players that have lifted the EuroCup title in the past. The Frenchman and four of his current teammates lifted the trophy with Gran Canaria in 2021; the others were John Shurna, Nico Brussino, Jovan Kljajic and Miquel Salvo. Mike Tobey became a EuroCup champion with Valencia Basket in 2019, and Mehdy Ngouama helped Paris Basketball win the EuroCup championship last season.
Gran Canaria has been extremely solid in road games this season, being 6-3 away. This is its first playoff road game since the 2021 semifinal, when it registered an 82-77 loss against AS Monaco. Since then, Gran Canaria has played eight playoff games, all of them at Gran Canaria Arena. It is the club's first single-game elimination showdown on the road in club history, which is remarkable given that Gran Canaria leads the competition in most games played (266).
Jerusalem should try to impose its aggressive playing style. It leads the EuroCup in most free throws attempted per game (28.9), with Gran Canaria ranking last at 16.6 attempts per night. Gran Canaria has been able to limit fouls committed to just 19.5 per contest, so if it is able to prevent Jerusalem from going to the foul line very often, it has much better percentages from almost all distances (Gran Canaria 56.0% 2FG, 33.7% 3FG, 79.4% FT; Jerusalem 50.9% 2FG, 33.4% 3FG, 72.9% FT).
As you see, both teams can impose their respective strengths to win the game and advance to the best-of-three semifinals. As often happens in this kind of games, it will go down to who wants it more, so every 50-50 ball, rebound and small decision should have an impact in its final outcome. Expect nothing but a top-class basketball game played point to point, possession by possession on one of the most iconic basketball courts in Europe!