7DAYS EuroCup returns after international break
The 7DAYS EuroCup has been away for two weeks to make way for FIBA’s international basketball World Cup qualification games in November. The competition now returns with Round 7 tipping off on Tuesday and concluding on a busy Wednesday. To open the round, there was a full schedule of games as we took a step closer to deciding which clubs will qualify.
Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius secured a big home win over Partizan Belgrade, while Limoges also won at home with a demolition of Bilbao Basket. The sole road win of the night happened in Berlin, where Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar took the spoils against ALBA Berlin.
Group C
Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius opened Round 7 of the 7DAYS EuroCup with a 93-75 home win over Partizan NIS Belgrade. The victory sends the Lithuanian club to 4-3, while Partizan slips to 1-6 and is out of the Top 16 running. A good first half for the hosts resulted in a 47-36 Lietuvos Rytas lead through the long break. The home team maintain the momentum in the second half, taking the third act 22-20 before seeing out the victory in the fourth.
Limoges kept its qualification hopes alive with an 86-74 win over Bilbao Basket. The victory moves the French champs to 3-4 in the Group C standings, while a loss for Bilbao confirms their elimination. The Spanish team has struggled in the 7DAYS EuroCup and now holds a 1-6 record. The hosts led by two points after 10 minutes and pulled away for good with a 24-10 run in the second frame. A 46-30 halftime lead was points enough in the bank for Limoges to control the game from there and ease to success.
Undefeated group leaders, Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar, traveled to the German capital to meet ALBA Berlin. It was business as usual on the road for Lokomotiv, as the team grabbed a win to move to 7-0 and guarantee a berth in the Top 16. Despite a loss here, ALBA Berlin is firmly in touch in second place and a 5-2 record. The German clubs has not quite qualified, but needs just a single victory to do so. Indeed, Group C could be wrapped up next week, despite there being two rounds coming after.