The BKT EuroCup Quarterfinals continue tonight with the showdown between U-BT Cluj Napoca and the London Lions. All four quarterfinal duels are one-game clashes, so the players will leave everything on the floor. Just like in the previous round, the EuroCupbasketball.com staff members who follow the competition as closely as anyone have made their predictions for each game.
Cluj's centers do the trick
by Javier Gancedo
I expect a very balanced game here. London is loaded with talent – particularly since David Nwaba joined and Sam Dekker re-joined the team – and has six double-digits scorers. Cluj has its own strengths, though. First, its home-court advantage will be legitimate, with 10,000 fans at BT-Arena. Second, Cluj has a core of long-tenured players who know how to play with each other. And third, I like Cluj's chances in the battle for the paint. Even when London features Gabe Olaseni, who ranks third in PIR (20.9), and Josh Sharma comes off a big eighthfinals performance against Turk Telekom Ankara (19 PIR), I believe Andrija Stipanovic and Emanuel Cate give Cluj the edge at center. Stipanovic and Cate combine for 20.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and a PIR of 25.5 in less than 40 minutes. One or both will be ready to dominate the paint and take Olaseni into foul trouble. I believe Cluj will make history and reach the semifinals. My pick: Cluj.