Andy West looks ahead to Round 15 of the 2025-26 BKT EuroCup season
At a glance: The postseason race goes up a notch in Round 15
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7 Min lectura
We’re into the final straight of the BKT EuroCup Regular Season, with Round 15 giving several teams a chance to take a major step towards the playoffs. Here’s your overview of the upcoming action.
Tuesday, January 20
Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana vs. U-BT Cluj-Napoca (18:30 CET)
A crucial clash in Group A gives Cedevita Olimpija (9-5) the chance to move two games clear of visiting Cluj (8-6). With head-to-head advantage very much in play, Cedevita Olimpija knows a home win would deliver a potentially decisive margin thanks to November’s 87-93 victory in Romania, powered by 15 points and 7 assists from Umoja Gibson – who remains in red-hot form with 25 points in the last two games. But Cluj will be confident after winning three of its last four, putting triple digits on the scoreboard to overcome Hamburg last time out behind 23 points from the always-electric Fatts Russell. The backcourt battle between Gibson and Russell is a must-watch showdown, and could be decisive.
Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem vs. Bahcesehir College Istanbul (19:00 CET)
Hapoel (12-2) could seal first place in Group A, but it won’t be easy against a Bahcesehir team (9-5) still hoping to take that status. Hapoel – which will host this game in Sofia, Bulgaria – has often looked unstoppable during its 11-game winning streak and has already beaten Bahcesehir once this season, triumphing 82-90 on the road partly thanks to a double-double from Austin Wiley. Bahcesehir suffered a setback last week with a home loss to Manresa, and will be focusing on improving its defense while calling on Trevion Williams to get the better of his big battle in the paint with Wiley. The backcourt showdown between Jared Harper and Malachi Flynn is another highlight to savor.
NINERS Chemnitz vs. Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse (19:00 CET)
Chemnitz (7-7) is determined to protect its position in Group B’s top six by overcoming Bourg (11-3). Both teams are looking to bounce back from defeat, with Chemnitz suffering a bad shooting night in a German derby defeat to Ulm, while Bourg will target defensive improvement after allowing 103 points in a loss to Besiktas. The hosts will power its offense through perennial double-double threat Kevin Yebo, who will be getting ready for a big battle in the paint with Kevin Kokila. Bourg will hope for another big night from Darius McGhee, who bounced back to form last week with 25 points, and Chemnitz needs Corey Davis to slow him down.
Slask Wroclaw vs. Aris Thessaloniki Betsson (19:00 CET)
Two teams fighting to avoid elimination go head-to-head with struggling Slask (4-10) welcoming Aris (6-8). The Polish team has suffered six straight losses and is facing major defensive problems after allowing 103 and 115 points in the last two games. Aris hasn’t fared much better, losing its last three despite the ongoing excellent of Bryce Jones, who has recorded 10 straight double-digit scoring nights. Slask boasts one of the league’s best rebounders in Stefan Dordevic (7.0 boards per night), but needs better long-range shooting after only making 31.2% of its three-point attempts. Aris’s main threat in that department is Arnoldas Kulboka, but he is seeking a return to form after going 4-of-15 from deep in the last three games.
Wednesday, January 21
Lietkabelis Panevezys vs. Dolomiti Energia Trento (18:00 CET)
Trento (8-6) will attempt to maintain its challenge for a top-two finish by triumphing on the road at eliminated Lietkabelis (3-11). The Italian team has won five of its last six games thanks to Khalif Battle’s last-second game-winner against Panionios last time out, and will look to dominate by crashing the glass – Trento ranks third in the competition in offensive rebounding (12.6 per game), led by Andrej Jakimovski with 2.1 per night. To counter that, Lietkabelis can call upon one of the EuroCup’s best rebounders, Paulius Danusevicius (6.6 rebounds per game), but the Lithuanian team has not won at home since the opening round and needs to find an offensive spark after averaging just 78.4 points per game (third-worst in the competition).
Besiktas GAIN Istanbul vs. Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (18:00 CET)
A key showdown for Group B’s top two takes place between second-placed Besiktas (10-4) and third-placed Buducnost (9-5). Both teams are in good form, with Besiktas flying high after last week’s road win at group leader Bourg behind ever-dependable big man Ante Zizic. He will be challenged inside the paint by visiting center Nikola Tanaskovic, who continued his excellent season by draining 20 points against Lietkabelis in Round 14 – also showing his range by netting four three-pointers. Besiktas needs a win of four points or more to claim head-to-head advantage after Buducnost won the Round 6 matchup 82-79, when Rasheed Sulaimon proved decisive with 20 points including the game-winning basket.
Panionios Cosmorama Travel Athens vs. Turk Telekom Ankara (18:30 CET)
Eliminated Panionios (2-12) is hoping to restore some pride by damaging the playoff push of visiting Turk Telekom (9-5). The Greek team is playing better than its record suggests and came agonizingly close to a second straight win at Trento last week, with new signing Joe Thomasson showing great leadership with 17 points and 8 assists. The visitors have won two straight and have shooter Uros Trifunovic in his best form of the season, draining four triples in last week’s win over London. Turk Telekom won easily, 95-67, when the teams met earlier in the season behind 18 points and 7 assists from Michael Devoe, but Panionios has improved greatly since then and this should be a much closer affair.
Veolia Towers Hamburg vs. Umana Reyer Venice (19:30 CET)
Reyer (8-6), one of three teams currently tied for fourth place in Group A, is aiming to maintain that status by downing winless Hamburg (0-14). Red-hot Reyer has won four consecutive games thanks to an outstanding offense which has averaged 101.3 points during that winning run, and Hamburg’s struggling defense (96.7 points per game allowed, second-worst in the competition) will have to contain the three-point shooting of Denzel Valentine after he hit four triples against Slask last week. Hamburg will look to compete through the inside presence of Zacharie Perrin (12.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game), but he won’t have an easy night against consistent Reyer big man Chris Horton, who bagged a double-double of 15 points and 14 rebounds last week.
London Lions vs. ratiopharm ulm (20:30 CET)
Two teams fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive meet for a must-win matchup as London (5-9) welcomes Ulm (6-8). The German team needs to maintain the form that delivered a strong win over Chemnitz last week, and will rely on the leadership of young guard Tobias Jensen (12.2 points and 4.9 assists per night). The English team knows it must win every remaining game to have a realistic chance of making the playoffs, and must reignite an offense which has averaged only 68.7 points during its ongoing three-game losing run. An unexpected source of the needed improvement could be forward Ciaran Sandy, who hadn’t scored all season before netting 12 points in last week’s loss at Turk Telekom.
BAXI Manresa vs. Neptunas Kleipeda (20:45 CET)
Manresa (8-6) will attempt to continue pushing for Group A’s seeded spots by beating a Neptunas team (6-8) close to elimination. The hosts have evolved into one of the competition’s most dangerous offenses, winning five of their last six games and scoring at least 96 points in each of those victories. Last week’s impressive win at Bahcesehir was spearheaded by 14 points and 5 rebounds from in-form guard Agustin Ubal, who will attempt to overcome the threat of visiting playmaker Arnas Velicka, who leads the EuroCup with 7.1 assists per night. But the key to the outcome is whether Neptunas can improve a defense which has allowed more than 100 points in three of the last four games.