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Round 11 at a glance: Prepare for key clashes between top teams

Round 11 at a glance: Prepare for key clashes between top teams

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16 January 20237 Mins read

Round 11 at a glance: Prepare for key clashes between top teams

Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse vs. Umana Reyer Venice

Group A leader Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse (7-3) hosts second-place Umana Reyer Venice (6-4) in a game with high stakes in the Round 11 opener on Tuesday. The two teams play each other for the third consecutive season and Bourg holds a 4-1 record in those games, including a 73-79 win in Round 2 behind 17 points plus 11 rebounds from Isiaha Mike. However, Reyer's lone win in this rivalry was the only game played on Bourg's home floor, in October of last season.

Joventut Badalona vs. Frutti Extra Bursaspor

Joventut Badalona (6-4) welcomes Frutti Extra Bursaspor (6-4) in a high-profile Group A contest. Bursaspor is coming off a record-breaking offensive performance in which it set or tied club records with 111 points, 18 three-pointers and 28 assists. But now it goes on the road against one of the best scoring defenses, which has held opponents to the third-fewest points, 78.4, at just 33.0% three-point shooting. Joventut will also have in mind that it needs to keep chasing the margin from Bursaspor's 81-72 win from Round 2.

Turk Telekom Ankara vs. Veolia Towers Hamburg

Turk Telekom Ankara (7-3) returns home after more than a month when it hosts Veolia Towers Hamburg (3-7) in the Turkish capital on Wednesday. When these Group B teams met earlier this season, Turk Telekom triumphed 83-88 behind 25 points from Tony Taylor. Hamburg has undergone a coaching change since then, as Benkoa Barloschky has taken over as the head of the bench. Hamburg enters this game on a three-game losing streak and has not won away from home since the season opener.

Prometey Slobozhanske vs. Germani Brescia

A pair of teams on a three-game winning streak square off on Wednesday when Prometey Slobozhanske (6-4) welcomes Germani Brescia (5-5) in a Group A clash. Prometey sports the second-best scoring offense in the EuroCup, averaging 86.3 points, while its defense forces the most turnovers (16.3 topg.) and leads the competition in steals (10.1 spg.). However, none of that mattered the first time they met in Round 2 when Brescia dominated in a 104-70 win.

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica vs. Slask Wroclaw

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (6-4) will try to build on last week's impressive road performance when it hosts last-place Slask Wroclaw (1-9) in Group B on Wednesday. Buducnost is coming off a 28-point road win in Hamburg, where veteran scoring guard Erick Green and former EuroCup champion J.J. O'Brian impressed in their respective team debuts. While Slask is winless on the road this season, Buducnost is only 2-3 at home. Nonetheless, it will try to use the home court to keep up in the race for home-court advantage and sweep Slask in the process; the Montenegrin club won their first game 58-98.

Hapoel Vegan Friendy Tel Aviv vs. Paris Basketball

Paris Basketball (7-3) will try to keep its perfect road record intact when it pays a visit to a fellow newcomer Hapoel Vegan Friendy Tel Aviv (6-4) in what promises to be a highly-entertaining Group B contest on Wednesday. While Paris is yet to lose away from home this season, Hapoel itself is aiming for its fourth straight win and has scored more than 90 points in each of the last four games. Hapoel and its top-scoring offense (88.2 ppg.) defeated Paris 86-100 in Round 2 with J'Covan Brown earning a share of the MVP of the Round and will be aiming for a season sweep with another win against the same opponent.

ratiopharm Ulm vs. 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys

In a matchup of two teams looking to bounce back from last week's underwhelming performances, ratiopharm Ulm (5-5) plays host to 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys (4-6) in Group A. Ulm is coming off a 20-point loss in Venice, while Lietkabelis was held to 72 points in a home loss against Prometey. Lietkabelis, which has scored more than 80 points just twice this season, is yet to win away from home, but it has lost its last two road games by a combined margin of 9 points. When the two sides met in Round 2, Lietkabelis held off Ulm 80-76 behind six scorers in double figures.

Dolomiti Energia Trento vs. London Lions

London Lions (4-6) will go for their first-ever EuroCup sweep when they visit Dolomiti Energia Trento (2-8) in a Group B clash on Wednesday. When the two sides first met in Round 2, Ovie Soko earned a share of the MVP of the Round honor after leading London to an 80-75 win. It was also London's first-ever victory in the competition. London enters this contest on a three-game losing streak and Trento has lost its last two games, but it did win the last two times on its home floor.

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana vs. U-BT Cluj-Napoca

Two clubs sitting outside the playoff zone in Group A will meet in the Slovenian capital with last place Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (2-8) hosting U-BT Cluj-Napoca (3-7). Both teams badly need to get back on the winning track. Cedevita and its defense, which allows a competition-worst 91.1 points per game, has won two of its last four games, while Cluj is on a three-game losing streak. Cluj beat Cedevita 94-76 in their Round 2 clash.

Gran Canaria vs. Promitheas Patras

Gran Canaria (8-2) will try to remain the team with the best record in the competition when it welcomes Promitheas Patras (6-4) on Wednesday. Gran Canaria is on a four-game winning streak and is a perfect 4-0 on its home floor, while Promitheas has lost just once in four road games this season. When they met earlier this season, Promitheas used a strong finish to pull out a 93-82 win behind Joe Young, who still figures as the EuroCup's top scorer, but is no longer with the team.