Higher level and less margin for error for Unicaja
Unicaja prepares to debut in R1/8 finals of the Basketball Champions League. This is a step higher in demand than the first stage. Half of the competition teams remain alive after the game ends. Both times the Malaga team reached the quarterfinals, which they played in on this occasion. The first time he came second and then fell to Baxi Manresa (0-2). Last year he did it first and made it to the Final Four, dominating the team with authority. UCAM Murcia (2-0).
The level of competition increases every season, but over the last year and a half, the level of the Malaga team has also increased exponentially, and is now firmly in second place in the Endesa League. Triple duel in duplicate with Tofas Bursa, Cholet and Strasbourg offers a variety of confrontations. Objectively, they will face eleventh places in the Turkish league (balance 7-10) and seventh (10-10) and eleventh (9-11) respectively in the French league. This can lead to error or trust. Two years ago, it was Unicaja that occupied these positions in the Endesa League. But these are teams with special characteristics, which is not unusual in BKL. The French fit that classic physical mold, and the Turks have a bunch of talented and scrappy Americans, but with inherent danger.
This is a 16-team stage that could see some early favorites on the sidelines. For example, in group K they coincide Lenovo Tenerife, Hapoel Jerusalem (two Final Four teams in Malaga last year), as well as Pinar Karsiyaka and Peristeri. Also in L are AEK Joan Plaza with UCAM Murcia and Japeol Holon, Final Four two seasons ago. Two Germans, including the defending champion, Bonnmore of it Ludwigsburg with him Galatasaray in J.
The first opponent, Tophas, was briefly analyzed Ibon, this Tuesday I’ll go deeper into last Friday. “Tofas is as talented as he is anarchic, and this is fraught with great danger. It’s not very predictable or predictable because they play with talent. If you have two or three players in a murderous mood,” the Basque coach warned. Austin Wileyinteresting interior (25 years old), who averages a double-double per tournament (13.4 points and 10.1 rebounds) and is the second most important player in the tournament (21.1). Cassius Winston He’s a point guard with a license to do it all, with 14.8 points and 5.1 assists. Denmon (17.3 points) played the last three games, improving the level. The foreign players’ weight is huge on a roster that averages 88.7 points per game, so we already know the type of play they offer. Their track is pretty hot.
Later there will be two trips to France, Cholet and Strasbourg. First. The first ones were strengthened Craig Randall, Yu.An underdog averaging 19.8 points after scoring 30 and 24 points against Sassari in the play-in match. Very interesting tall forward Saloon (11.3 points at just 18 years old) and shooting guard Ayai They are goalscorers, and the former Betis TJ Campbell Ltakes the reins into his own hands (8.3 points and 5.2 assists).
In that Strasbourg He exists, although he doesn’t play much, Illan Pietrus, son of Flowho lived the first two years of his life in Malaga. Phil Boothl that Unicaja was measured when it was in Ostend, is the leader with 17.5 points, 4.7 assists and 3.5 rebounds. French national team players Lacombe and Invernizzi They complement the usual physical characteristics of French teams. These are glimpses of what Unicaja will find in this stage of the BCL, which begins this Wednesday for the Malaga team with a visit Tofas. It will not be full, there are plenty of tickets left for what is usually the case, but the level of competition and difficulty, including due to the accumulation of matches, is increasing.