Greek basketball clubs learn European fate
Promitheas learned their opponents in the 2020/2021 EuroCup regular season, while AEK, Iraklis and Peristeri were all involved in the Basketball Champions League draw.
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The Greek Cup runners-up are preparing for their second year in the EuroCup. Last season, Promitheas caught the eye in the competition by reaching the quarter-finals, but their run was promptly ended by the unfortunate coronavirus pandemic which resulted in the campaign being cancelled. The EuroCup is a second-tier competition in European basketball under the EuroLeague.
On Friday, the draw for the 2020/2021 EuroCup regular season took place, with Promitheas placed in Group D alongside Herbalife Gran Canaria, Dolomiti Energia Trento, Olimpija Ljubljana, Bursaspor and Nanterre 92:
Promitheas are the sole Greek representatives in the EuroCup. Olympiacos and Panathinaikos will compete in the EuroLeague, while AEK, Iraklis and Peristeri will all be involved in the FIBA-run Basketball Champions League. The EuroLeague organisation owns and operates the EuroCup.
“Our primary goal for the next season is to be healthy and safe,” stated the vice-president of Promitheas, Anastasios Chrisanthopoulos, after the draw reached its completion. “Our secondary goal is to play again in an arena full of fans in front of our supporters. As for the tournament itself, we want to be competitive, taking it one game at a time and becoming a better team. We have a target of winning while also establishing our club as one of the best organisations at EuroLeague level.”
The leading four teams of each group will qualify for the Round of 16. It’s also worth noting that the winner of the 2020/2021 EuroCup will earn qualification for the 2021/2022 EuroLeague.
Here is Promitheas’ 2020/2021 EuroCup regular season schedule:
BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW
Over in the Basketball Champions League, AEK and Peristeri have been included in the list of regular season participants, while Iraklis will have to progress through qualifying rounds if they are to compete in the main phase of the tournament.
The Basketball Champions League conducted the draw process on Wednesday:
“Regular Season (alphabetically)
“Group A: Dinamo Banco di Sardegna Sassari (ITA), Galatasaray Doga Sigorta (TUR), Iberostar Tenerife (ESP), Peristeri (GRE), Rytas Vilnius (LTU), SIG Strasbourg (FRA), VEF Riga (LAT), Winner of Game 12 (Hapoel Tel Aviv/Bakken Bears/Belfius Mons-Hainaut/Anwil Wloclawek)
“Group B: Casademont Zaragoza (ESP), ERA Nymburk (CZE), Falco Vulcano Szombathely (HUN), JDA Dijon (FRA), Nizhny Novgorod (RUS), Start Lublin (POL), Tofas Bursa (TUR), Winner of Game 11 (Iraklis/Keravnos/Dnipro/Donar Groningen)
“Group C: Darussafaka Tekfen (TUR), Filou Oostende (BEL), Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem (ISR), Happy Casa Brindisi (ITA), Limoges CSP (FRA), San Pablo Burgos (ESP), Turk Telekom (TUR), Winner of Game 10 (Igokea/U-BT Cluj-Napoca/Sporting CP/Fribourg Olympic)
“Group D: AEK (GRE), Brose Bamberg (GER), Cholet (FRA), Fortitudo Bologna (ITA), Hapoel Holon (ISR), Pinar Karsiyaka (TUR), RETAbet Bilbao (ESP), Winner of Game 9 (Balkan Botevgrad/Tsmoki-Minsk/London Lions/Neptunas Klaipeda)
“The Regular Season consists of four (4) groups of eight (8) teams each, with games played on a home and away basis and in a round robin format. The four (4) best ranked teams from each group will advance to the Play-Offs. The action will tip off on 13 October.”
In the first qualifying round, Iraklis will face Cypriot side Keravnos in an intriguing Hellenic clash:
“Qualification Round 1
“Game 1: Igokea (BIH) v U-Banca Transilvania Cluj Napoca (ROU)
“Game 2: Balkan Botevgrad (BUL) v Tsmoki-Minsk (BLR)
“Game 3: Iraklis (GRE) v Keravnos (CYP)
“Game 4: Hapoel Tel Aviv (ISR) v Bakken Bears Aarhus (DEN)
“Game 5: London Lions (GBR) v Neptunas Klaipeda (LTU)
“Game 6: Belfius Mons-Hainaut (BEL) v Anwil Wloclawek (POL)
“Game 7: Dnipro (UKR) v Donar Groningen (NED)
“Game 8: Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR) v Fribourg Olympic (SUI)
Games will be played home and away on 15 and 18 September. The teams indicated in second position will play the second leg at home.
“Qualification Round 2
“Game 9: Winner of Game 2 (Balkan Botevgrad/Tsmoki-Minsk) v Winner of Game 5 (London Lions/Neptunas Klaipeda)
“Game 10: Winner of Game 1 (Igokea/U-BT Cluj-Napoca) v Winner of Game 8 (Sporting CP/Fribourg Olympic)
“Game 11: Winner of Game 3 (Iraklis/Keravnos) v Winner of Game 7 (Dnipro/Donar Groningen)
“Game 12: Winner of Game 4 (Hapoel Tel Aviv/Bakken Bears) v Winner of Game 6 (Belfius Mons-Hainaut/Anwil Wloclawek)
“Games will be played home and away on 22 and 25 September. The pairing indicated in second position will play the second leg at home.
“All Qualification Rounds games are played in a home and away format with the action getting underway on 15 September 2020. The four (4) winners of Qualification Round 2 qualify for the Regular Season, joining the 28 directly qualified teams in the main draw. The draw was carried out in such a way as to prevent teams from a same country facing each other in the Regular Season (with the exception of Turkey).
“Complete schedule and tip-off times will be determined at a later stage.”
