At a glance: Round 12 opens with one game this week, then nine next week

Andy West looks ahead to this latest round of fixtures in the EuroCup

Round 12 of the BKT EuroCup is spread out over the course of three separate gamedays, and contains a bunch of key matchups in the race for the playoffs. Here’s your guide to all the action.

Tuesday, December 23

NINERS Chemnitz vs. Besiktas GAIN Istanbul (19:00 CET)

Chemnitz (5-6) will attempt to continue its push for the playoffs against a Besiktas team (8-3) eager to get its challenge for a top two finish back on track. The host has won two in a row, while Besiktas saw a four-game winning run ended with last week’s narrow loss at London. A key battle will take place in the paint between two of the competition’s best centers, as Kevin Yebo (19.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game) attempts to get the better of visiting Ante Zizic (12.6, 7.3 boards per night). Chemnitz also knows it has to handle the long-range shooting of Yigit Arslan, who drained five triples to lead Besiktas to victory when the teams met in Round 3.

Tuesday, December 30

Bahcesehir College Istanbul vs. Veolia Towers Hamburg (17:00 CET)

Anything other than a comfortable home victory would be a major surprise as top two chasing Bahcesehir (7-4) welcomes winless Hamburg (0-11). But the Turkish team has struggled in recent weeks, losing three of its last four games despite the ongoing excellence of Malachi Flynn, who netted 31 points in last week’s loss at Reyer. Bahcesehir committed 18 turnovers in that game so needs to take better care of the ball against a Hamburg team that has its own free-scoring guard in the form of Devon Daniels, who has averaged 16.8 points in his four games for the team. But Hamburg ranks last in the EuroCup in four different defensive categories, so needs to show stiffer resolve to grab an upset win.

U-BT Cluj-Napoca vs. Slask Wroclaw (18:00 CET)

Cluj (6-5) is looking to strengthen its push for the top to in Group A with a visit from a Slask team (4-7) in danger of getting cut adrift. The Polish team is still looking for its first road win of the season and also suffered a big setback with last week’s home loss to Manresa, despite big man Stefan Dordevic grabbing his second successive double-double. Cluj will look to neutralize him through the power of Dusan Miletic, who recorded 12 points and 8 boards to help his team overcome Neptunas last week. The Round 3 meeting between the teams was a thriller, taken 94-93 by Slask partly thanks to grabbing 15 offensive rebounds, so Cluj will be keen to better protect its backboard this time around.

Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse vs. Panionios Cosmorama Travel Athens (18:15 CET)

Group B leader Bourg (9-2) will attempt to strengthen its grip on first place by inflicting more pain on struggling Panionios (1-10). Bourg shrugged off a rare Round 10 loss by fighting back into winning ways last time out with a battling victory at Turk Telekom, when Will McDowell-White showed his ability to control the backcourt by combining 14 points and 7 assists, while the Greek team suffered a tenth consecutive loss with a crushing 25-point home loss to Ulm. This season’s first meeting between the teams was a low-scoring affair, taken 56-66 by Bourg, and forcing the French team into a similarly slow-paced encounter is probably Panionios’s best bet of ending its losing sequence.

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica vs. Turk Telekom Ankara (19:00 CET)

A key battle takes place in Group B between the teams currently tied for third place, Buducnost (7-4) and Turk Telekom (7-4). This game could be crucial in settling head-to-head advantage, so Buducnost will be aiming for a win of 8 points or more to counter Turk Telekom’s 79-72 victory in Ankara in October. That game featured a decisive contribution from the Turkish team’s backcourt leader Kyle Allman (16 points on 9-of-12 free throw shooting), so Buducnost will ask livewire Yogi Ferrell – who has multiple steals in three of the last six games – to minimize his influence. Buducnost ranks second in the competition in three-point accuracy (38.7%), so hopes the likes of Axel Bouteille (11.4 points per game on 48.1% for threes) can spark a key win.

Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem vs. BAXI Manresa (19:00 CET)

Group A leader Hapoel (9-2) will attempt to halt the march of fast-rising Manresa (6-5) in a key matchup. The Spanish team has won three games in a row thanks to excellent offensive production, netting 96, 99 and 99 points in those wins. New signing Eli Brooks played a major part in the most recent of those at Slask last week, pouring in 19 points on his debut, so Manresa will hope he can be the x-factor in ending Hapoel’s eight-game winning run. In addition to the seemingly unstoppable Jared Harper, Hapoel will hope to receive more inspiration from Austin Wiley, who has averaged 10 rebounds over the last five games. His battle with Manresa veteran Pierre Oriola could be crucial.

Aris Thessaloniki Betsson vs. Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (19:30 CET)

Another vital game in Group A’s playoffs race takes place between joint-fourth Aris (6-5) and joint-second Cedevita (7-4). Aris has won three out of the last four and is a much-improved unit from the team that suffered an 80-59 mauling at Cedevita earlier this season, when four triples from sharpshooting guard Joseph Girard helped set up an easy win. That was before Amine Noua had joined Aris, and his importance was again underlined last week with 14 points and 10 rebounds to help seal a hard-fought win at Hamburg. Cedevita has lost two in a row and will attempt to emerge from that slump through an intense defense which has forced more turnovers than any other team in the competition (15.6 per game).

Dolomiti Energia Trento vs. London Lions (20:00 CET)

Two teams who earned dramatic, narrow victories look to build more momentum as Trento (6-5) hosts London (5-6). It’s a key battle in the jostle for playoffs positions, and London is well-placed to take the head-to-head advantage after beating the Italian team 87-71 in October. A key architect of that triumph was playmaker Tarik Phillip with 15 points and 7 assists, so Trento will look to slow him down through its own backcourt dynamo Devante Jones, whose 19 points were instrumental in last week’s overtime thriller over Buducnost. London will also be confident after shocking Besiktas in Round 11 – also in overtime – thanks to last second free throws from fit-again Shavar Reynolds, and this game has all the ingredients to go down to the wire.

Friday, January 2

Neptunas Kleipeda vs. Umana Reyer Venice (17:00 CET)

Another key matchup between direct rivals will see Neptunas (5-6) and Reyer (5-6) break their current tie for seventh place. The Italian team is very much in control of head-to-head advantage after winning by 20 when the teams met in October, and boosted its confidence with an impressive victory last over Bahcesehir behind 30 points from all-action forward Jordan Parks. Neptunas needs to improve its defense after allowing 118 points at Cluj last week, but will hope for more offensive inspiration from Rihards Lomasz after he averaged 19.8 points in the last four games. Neptunas is the third-highest scoring team in the competition so is likely to score plenty, but clamping down on Reyer at the other end could be decisive.

ratiopharm ulm vs. Lietkabelis Panevezys (19:00 CET)

Ulm (5-6) will attempt to climb into the Group B playoffs places by overcoming a Lietkabelis team (2-9) which is falling fast out of contention. The German team was mightily relieved to end a four-game losing slump by thrashing Panionios last week, and will hope that backcourt star Mark Smith can stay hot after scoring 20, 17 and 21 points in the last three games. Lietkabelis has lost three in a row despite the consistency of Kristian Kullamae, who has drained seven triples in the last two games. Ulm has the added advantage of knowing that it has already beaten the visitor once this season, winning a 94-98 thriller in Round 3 behind 26 points from Christopher Ledlum, who is fit again after six weeks out.