EuroCup Top 16: Zenit and UNICS progress
And that’s a wrap. The EuroCup Top 16 closed for business on Wednesday and we now look forward to the quarter-final and the first knockout hoops of the competition. There were six games on the evening to close the EuroCup Top 16, with all eyes on Group F and Group H, which still had qualification places up for grabs. There was also exciting action in the other groups, and here’s how it played out:
Group E
After a dead rubber win for ALBA Berlin over Galatasaray Istanbul on Tuesday, unbeaten Group E leaders Darussafaka Istanbul visited second placed Gran Canaria. While positions had already been locked, Gran Canaria managed a morale boosting 78-70 win that handed Darussafaka its first loss of the EuroCup Top 16. Both clubs will return for the next round.
Group F
Group leader Bayern Munich was guaranteed first place regardless of result against already eliminated Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius. As it was, the Germans collected a narrow 85-87 road win to round off its Top 16 campaign in style with a 5-1 record. As for Rytas, the club is out of European competition this season and ended with a 1-5 record.
FIAT Turin hosted Zenit St. Petersburg in a do or die game that would see the winners move to the next round and the loser eliminated. Traveling Zenit managed to carve a 73-87 victory to sweep into the last eight. While the final score looked comfortable, the Russian club was actually forced to come back from 14 points down, using a huge 9-29 third act to change the tide of the game.
Group G
Group G was settled last week when Buducnost VOLI Podgorica joined Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar in the next round. On Wednesday, both teams showed why they deserved their berth in the last eight. Buducnost delivered a cruising 84-52 demolition of Cedevita Zagreb. It felt the Croatian visitor was fulfilling a formality after being eliminated previously. The Podgorica outfit claimed the win to end the Top 16 with a 4-2 record.
But, nothing compares to Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar this season. The Russian club lost its first in 26 games on the weekend in the VTB League, but bounced back with a 71-74 win over Dolimiti Trento. The Russian club held its nerve to end the Top 16 phase with a 6-0 record, the only unbeaten club. Let’s not forget Lokomotiv also charged through the regular season with a 100% record, so remains the only EuroCup team this season with an unblemished record.
Group H
Still wide open this week, Group H was were all the excitement was. Reggio Emilia claimed one quarter-final spot with a win over ASVEL on Tuesday. However, one of ASVEL and UNICS Kazan could join the Italians depending on Kazan’s results on Wednesday. As it was, the Russian club took out Limoges 88-78 to claim the second qualification spot in Group H and to send ASVEL packing.