After the end of the Olympic Games, the interest of basketball fans is transferred to the European Championship, whose qualifiers started 2 the previous days with 1's racing phase. 6 groups are joined by 31 teams, including 16 (6 first, 6 second of each group plus 4 best thirds) will compete in Slovenia's finals where they automatically qualify the host country along with Spain, Russia, France, Lithuania, Greece, Great Britain and FYROM, the groups that participated in the pre-Olympic and Olympic tournaments.
But let's look at the groups, the races that took place in each of them and the next match, which will take place on Friday and Saturday.
Group A: Serbia, Montenegro, Israel, Estonia, Slovakia, Iceland
Iceland-Serbia 78-91
Easy victory for Ivkovic's team (who, leaving Olympiakos, stated that he wants to concentrate in the Serbian National Team) without putting too much pressure on the weak Icelanders, with Savanovic of Efes leading with 18 points, Luτσιiτσι of Partizan with 16 points, Teason 14 with 4/5 three points and Matsvan of Galata with 13 points and 9 rebounds (our acquaintances from their tenure at Olympiakos and Panathinaikos Kessel and Tepic achieved only 3 and 2 points respectively). Zaragoza's Stephanson stood out from the hosts with 21 points and 6 assists.
Montenegro-Israel 75-69
The hosts fought without the NBAers Pekovic and Vucevic and were back in the scoring for the longest period of the game and managed to defeat several shots of three points in the last 10 minute. Ukrainian Cheikh Szekovic was the best player of the winners with 12 points and 11 rebounds, 12 points and 7 rebounds had our old familiar Sekulic of Murcia, while others have scored also Rachel of Cea who is also the team's squad. For the Israelis, the best was MacLeague's Eligheu with 22 points with 10 / 14 shots, while the Cavaliers' Casino had 17 points and 8 rebounds. Halperin, who will compete for the new season with Bayern München, has stayed awake in 14 minutes.
Estonia-Slovakia 95-74
The Estonians show that they will fight the matches at their headquarters based on the long shot and manage to put a wedge in the first three. Against the Slovaks they came in a comfortable win with 10 / 20 three-pointers with Talec of Varese with 16 points and 11 rebounds and his teammate at Varese Kangour with 15 points. The Slovak top scorer was the Czech Leucik's Wojtek with 13 points, while the former Aris Gavel player (now playing for Bamberg) scored 9.
Next Rugby Slovakia-Iceland, Serbia-Montenegro, Israel-Estonia
Group B: Germany, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Sweden
Luxembourg-Azerbaijan 78-107
The hosts are probably the weakest of all the other teams in the qualifiers and show that they will be easy prey for all of its opponents in the group. In spite of 9, the three-pointers did not escape the scandal, as Azerbaijan was even more apt to score 13 shots out of the 6.25 line. For Luxembourg, only Picard scored with 28 points and 3 / 6 three-pointer and 6 rebounds. From the side of the first scorer, Pasayev was 21 and 5 / 8 three-time while 20 points were scored by Turkish Aljaqa Hatchieva with 4 / 4 three-pointers and the team player of American Davis of Bunbit. Finally under the two baskets dominated the presence of the 2.25 Rydine height of the Russian Surgut that did not have an opponent in his turn finished the match with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Bulgaria-Sweden 78-73
These two teams will fight together with Azerbaijan for who will win the second place of the group behind the theoretical favorite Germany. The game between them was considered in the details with Bulgaria winning the match due to its reign in the rebounds by collecting 45 (with 16 being aggressive) against Sweden's 31. For the hosts the American with a Bulgarian passport Simons of Estudiantes (former player of Kavala and Peristeri) with 12 points and 8 rebounds, Kostop of Lefki (also fought with the colors of Kavala and Hercules) with 13 points and 3 / 6 three-pointers and Nikolov of Hungarian Sielenock with 11 points and 10 rebounds. For the Swedes, Piston's Jonas Yerebko, who had 26 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists but also 7 mistakes, and Japanese Hickat's Macker with 15 points and 6 rebounds.
Next match Germany-Luxembourg, Azerbaijan-Bulgaria, holiday Sweden
Group C: Croatia, Ukraine, Hungary, Austria, Cyprus
Ukraine-Hungary 77-71
The hosts hope to be in the top 2 teams of the group to automatically qualify for the finals and for this reason they have assigned the reins of the team to Mike Fratelos, one of the most famous coaches in the NBA who in recent years has been content with the role of commentator . However, from the match against the Hungarians, they showed that their task will not be so easy and if it was not so misplaced, their opponent in the last period would have already been left behind (since Croatia is expected to win the first place). The home team is led by Gladier of Fuenlabrada with 19 points and 8 rebounds, while Kraftchov, who belongs to the Pistons, made a good appearance with 13 points and the naturalized American Steve Bart Jr. (son of Steve Bardas Patras) scored 12 points. From the opposite bank, Hanga of Manresa with 21 points and 3/7 three-pointers and Horvat of Sjornok with 10 points and 5 assists tried hard, all the others had a single-digit number of points.
Cyprus-Austria 86-89
The match was judged to be a prolongation with the Cypriot team managing to score at the end of one and losing the longest time of the match (which was considered as a favorite according to betting companies) but not succeeding to win by staying back very early in the claim one of 3 first places. The top scorer of the Cypriots is an American, who has passed through our parts with Martian shirt and is now playing in Arthur, Anthony King with 23 points and 9 rebounds, while 21 added Pilavas of Keravnos. For the Austrian winners, another American Dredik of Lady was a protagonist with 20 points and 8 rebounds, while he was a worthy supporter of Lamesic (with Bosnian origin fighting in Austrian Welsh) with 18 points and Mahalbasić (of Slovenian origin, also struggling in Slovenia with Zlatartog) with 17 points and 8 rebounds.
Next Race Austria-Ukraine, Croatia-Cyprus, Republic Day Hungary
Group D: Georgia, Bosnia, Latvia, Romania, Netherlands
Bosnia-Latvia 87-84
The home side defeated much harder than expected, since in fact 7 players were ready to fight and tried to guard against the foul, while showing signs of fatigue as they could not rest in a period that is still in the process of preparation and the legs they are "heavy". The winner of the winners was Jacques Wright (the American who started the season in Rethymnon, he impressed with his appearances to move later to Cibona and while he seemed to have signed a pre-agreement with Panionios, he left us in the cold of the bath signatures for those they do not know it is Panionios - alleged forgery, and where he appeared willing to stay in the Croatian champion eventually ended up in Spartak St. Petersburg) with 20 4 assists but also 11 rebounds (not bad for M Once 1.88m playmaker) and 1 scorer was the new player of the Brooklyn Nets Mirsa Teletovits with 24 points but with just 8 / 26 8 shots and rebounds. Significant assistance was provided for his team and the center of Kennovic of Eneiss with 18 points and 7 rebounds. The Latvians stood out for Streniek (who will be a teammate with Wright in Spartak St. Petersburg) with 18 points and 4 / 8 three-pointers and brothers Bertans, Darius of Riga with 17 points and 7 assists and Partisan's Davis with 13 points.
Romania-Netherlands 90-84
Another surprise, as the Dutch appeared to be the favorite on the cards, but it was found that they were the ones who chased the scoring from very early and eventually left as losers from the stadium. The hosts were happy to have 6 players with a two-digit number of points, and Mantace, who then returned to his home country and Gazzetta, with 19 points, Muddowan of Le Havre with 16 points and 9 assists (despite being 2.09m) and Dragusin of Craiova with 14 points and 7 rebounds. The Nelson, Zaragoza's center, with 36 points and 8 rebounds, and Jansen of Den Bosch who finished their 1 season with 6 points and 27 / 6 shots, noted 18.
Next Match Georgia-Romania, Netherlands-Bosnia, Republic Day Latvia
Group E: Poland, Finland, Belgium, Switzerland, Albania
Poland-Belgium 57-64
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the home team is to be trapped in Belgium's terrible defense (which missed several important players) with tragic rates in the 37.3% and even worse in the three-point shoot by serving only 1 from the 18s they attempted. The only one to float in the wreck of the team was the center of San Gordas with 23 points and 9 rebounds while the only other player with a two-digit number of points for the Poles was Kissarek Prokom with 12 points. On the side of Belgium that impressed and in the friendly dissolving Great Britain and defeating even the French top scorer with 13 points was Fan Rhosom of Zaragoza, while from 11 points and 7 rebounds were Congolese Moukambou of Liege and De Zee of Andover . Belgium, in fact, without having any known player, seems to have already had a lead in order to qualify specifically if his players are fighting as lions as their coach said after the match.
Albania-Switzerland 51-76
Comfortable victory for the guests against one of the weakest teams of the game with the main weapon the very good defense that kept Albania at 26% as a shot at the shot. Players who compete in either the local championship or the Kosovo Championship and without a narwhilez will be a success if Albania has managed to make even one victory in the event. The most points scored by Luke were 12 with 3 / 9 shooting and 7 rebounds. Switzerland, which cleared the win case early, also used the 12 players who were in the mood to try out various shapes in view of the next crucial games. The top scorer was Serb in substance Luganne's Lugano with 24 points, 4 / 10 three-pointers and 7 rebounds.
Next Team Finland-Albania (on Friday), Switzerland-Poland, Belgium
Group VI: Italy, Turkey, Belarus, Czech Republic, Portugal
Belarus-Czech Republic 65-73
This match confirmed the prognostics that wanted the guests to be the big favorite for the victory despite the 2 stars of Burton's team of Badalona and Velles of Charleroi limited to a total of 18 points. From the Belarusians 16 scored Kuntrashaos of Minsk and Xinx with Turkish Navy Parachuski. The top scorer of the Czechs who will try to get a wedge between Italy and Turkey was 14 Yelinek of Olin with 21 points while XANUMX's XANUMX teammate of the Sataranski team struggling with the University of Washington scored 16 but also distributed 20 assists.
Italy-Portugal 97-45
The score totally reflects the image of the match, which was in essence a show for a role with the hosts escaping from very early giving the opportunity to the coach of the Pianitani team to use all the players of his team facing the match as a coaching. The top of the Italians is Cantu's Arrador with 21 points with 9 / 10 shots, of which 3 / 3 triples in just 18 minutes of participation. The big star of the team, Nagel Galinari of Naghès, fought for just 15 minutes, but nevertheless put 10 points and gathered 9 rebounds. From the disappointing Portugal there was no player who scored a double-digit number with Benfica Gomez (no relation to Nuno as it comes from Cape Verde) having 9 points and 8 rebounds but with 3 / 12 and 6 errors.
Next Turkey-Belarus, Czech Republic-Italy, Portugal, Portugal
