Both the Eurocup and EuroChallenge tipped off their 2012-13 campaigns on Tuesday with 32 teams from across Europe competing.
EuroChallenge 2012-13
The EuroChallenge got off to a shotgun start yesterday as 14 of 16 first week games were played at venues scattered around Europe with the last two to be contested today. Eight groups of four teams opened the EuroChallenge regular season with and will play home and away series with each of the squads in their group. The top two teams will advance to the ‘Last 16’ where they’ll repeat the home and away series with the new clubs joining them. Out of those groups the top two move to the quarter finals where they begin a single elimination competition to crown the EuroChallenge winner. The ultimate prize at stake is advancement to the Eurocup for next season.
EuroChallenge Groups
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GROUP A
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| ETHA (Nicosia, CYP) |
| KRKA (Novo Mesto, SLO) |
| Pinar Karsiyaka (Izmir, TUR) |
| Tofas SC (Bursa, TUR) |
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GROUP B
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| CSU Asesoft Ploiesti (Ploiesti, ROU) |
| Joensuun Kataja (Joensuu, FIN) |
| Keravnos (Nicosia, CYP) |
| Krasnye Krylia (Samara, RUS) |
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GROUP C
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| BK Ventspils (Ventspils, LAT) |
| Norrköping Dolphins (Norrköping, SWE) |
| Södertälje Kings (Södertälje, SWE) |
| Tampereen Pyrintö (Tampere, FIN) |
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GROUP D
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| Gaz Metan Medias (Medias, ROU) |
| JDA Dijon (Dijon, FRA) |
| Khimik (Yuzhny, UKR) |
| Tartu Rock (Tartu, EST) |
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GROUP E
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| BCMU Pitesti (Pitesti, ROU) |
| Mons-Hainaut (Quaregnon, BEL) |
| Okapi Aalstar (Aalst, BEL) |
| Paris Levallois (Levallois, FRA) |
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GROUP F
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| BC Timisoara (Timisoara, ROU) |
| EWE Baskets (Oldenburg, GER) |
| Körmend (Körmend, HUN) |
| Szolnoki Olaj (Szolnok, HUN) |
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GROUP G
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| Apollon (Limassol, CYP) |
| BCM Gravelines (Gravelines, FRA) |
| SLUC Nancy (Nancy, FRA) |
| Tsmoki-Minsk (Minsk, BLR) |
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GROUP H
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| Antwerp Giants (Antwerp, BEL) |
| Armia (Tbilisi, GEO) |
| Hapoel Holon (Holon, ISR) |
| Telekom Baskets (Bonn, GER) |
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The regular season will last until December 11, 2012. The clubs will take a couple of weeks off and the ‘Last 16’ will begin on January 15th, 2013.
The championship is slated for April 28th, 2013.
Eurocup 2012-13
With yesterday’s first two Eurocup contests and culminating in a one game, winner-take-all, final to be held on April 13, 2013, the Eurocup 2012-13 will feature 32 of the best teams in Europe. The teams are set in eight, four-team Groups that will play home and away series with the others in their group from November 7th through December 12, 2012. The top two teams from the initial groups will be put into four, four-team group sin the ‘Eurocup Last 16’ with home and away competition within the groups beginning on January 9th and running through February 20th, 2013. The top two in each of four new groups will move into the Eurocup Quarterfinals running from March 6th through March 13th, 2013. The quarterfinals will be a home and away series with the best cumulative score determining which squad will advance. The winners of the quarterfinals will move to the Eurocup semifinals to be played from March 20th through March 27th, 2013. Again, the teams with square up in a home and away format with the best two teams playing on April 13, 2013 for the Eurocup Final and the right to be promoted to the Euroleague.
Eurocup Groups
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GROUP A
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CEZ BASKETBALL NYMBURK
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HAPOEL MIGDAL JERUSALEM
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BC BUDIVELNIK KIEV
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BC PRIENAI
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GROUP B
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GESCRAP BILBAO BASKET
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KK BUDUCNOST VOLI
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BELGACOM SPIROU
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PBC LUKOIL ACADEMIC
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GROUP C
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LE MANS SARTHE BASKET
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BC TRIUMPH LYUBERTSY
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VEF RIGA
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ARTLAND DRAGONS
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GROUP D
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VALENCIA BASKET
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BANVIT BK BANDIRMA
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BC AZOVMASH MARIUPOL
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S.OLIVER BASKETS
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GROUP E
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GALATASARAY MEDICAL PARK
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PBC LOKOMOTIV KUBAN
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BC DONETSK
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TREFL SOPOT
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GROUP F
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UNICS KAZAN
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PANIONIOS BC ATHENS
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TELENET OOSTENDE
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STELMET ZIELONA GORA
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GROUP G
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BC SPARTAK SPB
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KK CIBONA ZAGREB
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CHOLET BASKET
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RATIOPHARM ULM
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GROUP H
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CAJASOL SEVILLE
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DINAMO SASSARI
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CRVENA ZVEZDA DIVA
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ORLEANS LOIRET BASKET
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Tip off!!!
Mysterious Eurochallenge with unknown favorite.
Eurocup final four or final 8 is more or less clear.