Euroleague: CSKA, Barca, and Olympiacos in Top 16
The busiest Thursday of the Euroleague season so far tipped off this evening with eight games getting Round 6 underway. We are past the halfway stage of the Regular Season now and are starting to see the teams that look most likely to progress to the last 16. However, there is all to play for and the Basketball reflects that as the action remains intense and of the highest quality. Without further ado, let’s see how the hoops played out on Thursday evening.
Group A
After the euphoria of beating Real Madrid in Turkey last week, Anadolu Efes visited Russia and Unics Kazan and slipped to a narrow 67-64 loss after a Unics comeback. The hosts snapped a two game losing streak but still have plenty to do from a 2-4 record, while Efes still occupies a good position at 4-2.
Efes still had the momentum from last week’s giant slaying in mind during the first quarter as the Turks opened the game with a 14-18 lead at the first interval. Unics struggled to break the Efes hold and only mustered 14 points again in the second quarter, while the visitors nailed 16 to extend to 28-34 through halftime. The sizeable deficit put Efes in control and the players capitalized on their dominance in the third stint with a 15-19 run to make it a double digit game at the 30 mark (43-53). The hosts had been struggling to find buckets all game, but suddenly went hot in the final act with a 24-11 burst, capping a big comeback to shock the away contingent.
Group B
CSKA Moscow stayed undefeated in this Euroleague season after another message sending victory in the Russian capital. The home team crushed ALBA Berlin 95-66 to breeze into the Top 16 with a 6-0 record, while ALBA remains in the chasing pack with a 2-4 record.
CSKA has looked the definition of solid this season, playing safe but effective ball to win games in an almost methodical fashion. It has been impressive, but in the first quarter here the Moscow giant blew out any last pre-season cobwebs and hit their offensive stride. A barnstorming 28-11 surge in the first frame put the hosts in early control and a 20-13 second quarter all but won the game, with the scoreboard reading 48-24 at the long break. ALBA’s own offense finally got cooking in the third quarter to pile in 22 points, but CSKA kept pace with 20 of their own to lead 68-46 through three quarters. The home team went big again in the fourth to stream in 27 points and win the game with an air of swagger.
–
Reigning Euroleague champions Maccabi Tel Aviv moved to a winning record (3-2) thanks of a hard fought 73-79 over French outfit Limoges. The ProA champions now have their work cut out to reach the next stage with a 1-4 record, while Maccabi Tel Aviv will now have one eye on progressing to the next round.
The teams fought out a close first quarter where the lead was traded, but eventually Limoges made home court advantage show with a 21-19 lead through Q1. In the second quarter Tel Aviv found a good balance at both the defensive and offensive perimeters to pour in 23 points and keep Limoges at 14, enough for a 35-42 halftime advantage. The Israeli powerhouse carried its momentum through the midway break in play and extended through the third period to lead 48-57 with 10 minutes to play. The hosts rallied briefly behind 25 fourth quarter points, but Maccabi Tel Aviv showed experience to shut down the game and claim the win.
Group C
Barcelona almost made it a century of points as the Spanish champs dominated Bayern Munich on the road to remain unblemished at 6-0 and claim a spot in the Top 16. As for Bayern, they are struggling for any kind of form in Europe’s elite competition and now hold possession of a poor 1-5 record.
Barca’s win was built on a massive first half in which the players broke a club record by streaming in 60 points before the midway buzzer. It was a record that had stood since 2003 when 58 first half points were attained. A 17-22 opening quarter gave the Spaniards an early advantage to build off, and they really did with a blistering 38 point haul in the second stanza. At half time the visitors led 39-60, but Bayern kept composed to tie the third frame 21 apiece. However, Barcelona simply had too much for the German team as the visitors edged the final act to record a comfortable win.
–
After six games of the Euroleague season Panathinaikos picked up its first road win by overcoming PGE Turow Zgorzelec in Poland. The Greek club now moves to a 4-2, while PGE Turow drops to 1-5.
The Greens started the game well and dictated the hardwood through the first quarter to pace to a 22-25 lead after 10 minutes. Panathinaikos built on its advantage in the second quarter and by halftime looked in control on top of a 33-44 lead at halftime. Panathinaikos kept its double digit advantage through the third quarter and after 30 minutes of play the scoreboard read 51-61. In the final frame of the game the Greek team used its experience to ease through the stanza and never look in doubt.
–
Fenerbahce took another step towards reaching the Top 16 by gunning down EA7 Armani Milan in Italy. The Turkish club used the 74-80 road win to move to 4-2 in Group D, while Milan has it all to do from 2-4, but the Italian club is still in prime position for a qualification berth.
An exciting opening to the game produced plenty of action in the key, and as the first break came Milan had carved a small 23-21 lead. Fenerbahce matched that 23 point haul in the second frame while holding the home team to 14, romping to a 37-44 lead heading to the locker room. Fener made its advantage show in the third stint with a 12-18 run as thirty minutes sounded the visitors were sitting pretty on a 49-62 lead. Milan tried to fight back into the game with a 25-18 run in the fourth, but the Turkish club had too many points in the bank.
Group D
Olympiacos stumbled into the Top 16 with a one point (77-76) home win over Spanish guest Valencia on Thursday. The Greek juggernaut holds sole possession of top spot in Group D with an untouched 6-0 record, while Valencia’s woes continue as they now sit last with a 1-5 record.
The first quarter tipped off into high octane action as both sets of players troubled the basket regularly. Olympiacos had the most of it though and at the first buzzer had opened a 26-21 lead, before maintaining the advantage as the teams locked 19-19 through the second act (45-40 at halftime). The Greek team emerged for the third quarter but left their attacking instinct in the locker room as they only offered 9 points through the period, allowing Valencia to capitalize with a 20 point haul. Through 30 minutes the Spanish club had turned it around to lead 54-60, but through a ferocious fourth quarter the hosts managed to fight back and earn a slender win.
–
Neptunas Klaipeda is the surprise package of this Euroleague season and the Lithuanians managed an 80-79 home win over Laboral Kutxa Vitoria in Round 6. The victory made Neptunas move to third with a 3-3 record, while Spanish club Laboral continues to struggle with a 2-4 showing.
The hosts laid an early marker with a solid first quarter that gave them a 20-15 lead and then Klaipeda extended their advantage through the second stanza to make it 41-33 at the long break. Laboral Kutxa won Q3 20-21 and then made the contest very interesting by dominating the fourth. The Spanish visitors led the way with just 16 seconds of the game left, but Neptunas found a vital bucket and saw Vitoria miss a buzzer beating attempt to win the game.