Euroleague
Euroleague Qualification 1st Round Picks
The 2009-10 Euroleague begins on Tuesday, September 29, with new qualifying rounds that give eight teams from six countries the chance at reaching the regular season. Four survivors of the first qualifying round advance to the second, whose two winners will join the 2009-10 Euroleague. The six teams that fail to qualify will play in the 2009-10 Eurocup.
Aris BSA 2003 vs. Maroussi BC
Maroussi roster: Stephen Arigbabu, Marios Batis, Pat Calathes, Georgios Diamantopoulos, Jared Homan, Kostas Kaimakoglou, Levon Kendall, Billy Keys, Fanis Koumpuras, Jamon Lucas, Diitrios Mavroeidis, Epameinondas Papantoniou, Michalis Pelekanos.
Aris roster: Nikos Argyropoulos, Nikos Barlos, Corey Belser, Andy Betts, Keydren Clark, Linos Chrsysikopoulos, Quinton Day, Demos Dikoudis, Nikos Hatzivrettas, Michalis Kakiouzis, Spyros Mourtos, Jeremy Richardson, Gaios Skordilis.
Aris has home court, more experienced players and club experience in Euroleague. On paper they are just a better team which should go to next round from this pair but such type of clashes when teams from one country playing in eurocup playoff round and usually very tricky to bet on. As for me -9 handicap is too high to be backed because Maroussi is a historically very tough opponent for Aris and they have enough solid players to give a fight again. I think that Maroussi would be satisfied by losing less than 10 points today.
On other side Aris at home is a big power and they know that they need to build solid points difference to claim a ticket to next playoff round. Because if they win by 4-6 points it will be very hard game in Athens and no quarantees that they are going to win this game.
All in one, -8.5 handicap looks quite big for greek derby but I prefer to stay from this game.
BK Ventspils vs. Benetton Basket Treviso
BK Ventspils roster: Karlis Apsitis, Martins Berkis, Dairis Bertrans, Arturs Berzins, Lauris Blaus, Davis Coders, Mareks Jurevicus, Kristaps Kanbergs, Davis Lejasmeiers, Martins Meiers, Aaron Pettway, Mikus Sokolovs, Janis Strelnieks, Ronalds Zakis.
Benetton Basket Treviso roster: Andrea De Nicolao, Alessandro Gentile, Daniel Hackett, Jasmin Hukic, Davor Kus, Cartier Martin, Donatas Motiejunas, Gary Neal, Sandro Nicevic, Andrea Renzi, Andrea Saccaggi, Daniele Sandri, C.J. Wallace.
Both teams saved a core players from previous season but looking from quality view Benetton has much better and experienced players. Francesco Vitucci is a new Benetton coach but he worked as assistant coach since 2001 and I think club did a good choice by hiring him as a main coach. He knows players from last season, he has experience and players know him very well. It is very important right now to have a well working mechanism inside and that is why I hold Benetton as a clear favorite in this pair for promotion.
Right before the game latvian club signed american quard T.Lee from Poland and he is expected to play tonight. Generally speaking looking into Ventspils preparation for this season (just 4 friendlies played) I have to say that they are not interested in Euroleague. They don't have own arena for Euroleague, they don't have finances to build an Euroleague roster so their goal is to use Euroleague qualification games as a part of preparation for new season in EuroCup. But it does not mean thay they are going to lose home game to Benetton.
Yesterday we have seen Benetton odds dropping from 1.85 to 1.60 but that happened just because of too big value in Benetton at such pricing and not because of injuries. Fair line in my opinion is 2.60-1.42 so I don't see value in backing Benetton @ 1.55 or lower. After the game such odds could be like a dream because Benetton can kill Ventspils easily but you never know what kind of Benetton you will see away from home.
Le Mans - ALBA
Alba Berlin roster: Kenan Bajramovic, Adam Chubb, Oliver Clay, Dragan Dojcin, Oskar Fassler, Steffen Hamann, Julius Jenkins, Immanuel McElroy, Andreas Seiferth, Blagota Sekulic, Rashad Wright, Philip Zwiener.
Le Mans roster: Joao Paulo Batista, Antoine Diot, Pierre Etienne Drouault, Henri Kandolo, Charles Lombahe, Maleye N’Doye, Babacar Niang, Geoffrey Renon, Thierry Rupert, Marc Salyers, Negueba Samake, Dewarick Spencer, Zack Wright, Guillaume Yango.
Alba have good reputation and respected in the line due the previuos season effort in Euroleauge but during a summer they lost 4 important players (Sessay, Jacobsen, Femerling, Nadjfej) and the only important signing was Kejnan Bajramovic who is not a top-class player. I expect ALBA to have big troubles this season if they would not add new players to the roster. Le Mans on other side saved the core from last season but so far their game is far away from best conditions to trust them at such short odds. Le Mans is a right favorite in this game but I don't see value in these odds.
Spirou Basket vs. Entente Orleanaise
Spirou Basket roster: Dwayne Broyles, Beye Tabu Eboma, Justin Hamilton, Chris Hill, Nicholas Jacobson, Jerry Johnson, Jure Lalic, Gerrit Major, Sacha Massot, Leonard Matela, Andre Riddick, Wesley Wilkinson.
Entente Orleans roster: Cedrick Banks, Frenc Jowe Casseus, Ryvon Covile, Aldo Curti, Anthony Dobbins, Justin Doellman, William Herve, Mael LeBrun, Adrien Moerman, Austin Nichols, Elio Sadiku, Laurent Sciarra, Ludovic Vaty.
After successful domestic campaigns last season, both teams have opted to build upon the existing core of players. Accordingly, Spirou brings back nine players from last season, including guards Jerry Johnson and Dwayne Broyles, forward Wesley Wilkinson and big men Andre Riddick and Len Matela. Veteran head coach Giovanni Bozzi took the reins and will have a few newcomers to work in to the rotation, led by small forward Nick Jacobson. Meanwhile Philippe Herve returns as Orleans head coach along with eight players from last season, including playmaker Aldo Curti, top scorer Cedrick Banks, veteran swingman Laurent Sciarra and big man Ryvon Covile. Additionally, Orleans inked center Ludovic Vaty, power forward Justin Doellman and Austin Nichols, who led the French League in scoring last season. On paper these two teams match up very well together. But on the court I see Orleanaise as a favorite in this matchup.
Spirou lost the coach Drazen Anzulovic who made this team last year and who managed to find connection with players. Under new coach Spirous lost 4 of 6 friendlies and showed very pathetic game on offensive end with most games scoring under 72 points. Orleanaise has very good defense, balanced offense and deep bench full players who knows the system and this team showed solid results in preseason games.
French team should limit Spirou offense in 64-73 pts range and it should be enough to hold 5 points handicap because with such additions like Austin Nichols (top scorer of PRO A league last year) they usually always find a way to score 70+ points. I think that we can expect very tight game with French team leading all the time by few points. In the end home court might help Belgium to take a narrow win but it should not be more than 3-4 points. Also I would not be suprised with Orleanaise winning this one.
Maroussi roster: Stephen Arigbabu, Marios Batis, Pat Calathes, Georgios Diamantopoulos, Jared Homan, Kostas Kaimakoglou, Levon Kendall, Billy Keys, Fanis Koumpuras, Jamon Lucas, Diitrios Mavroeidis, Epameinondas Papantoniou, Michalis Pelekanos.
Aris roster: Nikos Argyropoulos, Nikos Barlos, Corey Belser, Andy Betts, Keydren Clark, Linos Chrsysikopoulos, Quinton Day, Demos Dikoudis, Nikos Hatzivrettas, Michalis Kakiouzis, Spyros Mourtos, Jeremy Richardson, Gaios Skordilis.
Aris has home court, more experienced players and club experience in Euroleague. On paper they are just a better team which should go to next round from this pair but such type of clashes when teams from one country playing in eurocup playoff round and usually very tricky to bet on. As for me -9 handicap is too high to be backed because Maroussi is a historically very tough opponent for Aris and they have enough solid players to give a fight again. I think that Maroussi would be satisfied by losing less than 10 points today.
On other side Aris at home is a big power and they know that they need to build solid points difference to claim a ticket to next playoff round. Because if they win by 4-6 points it will be very hard game in Athens and no quarantees that they are going to win this game.
All in one, -8.5 handicap looks quite big for greek derby but I prefer to stay from this game.
BK Ventspils vs. Benetton Basket Treviso
BK Ventspils roster: Karlis Apsitis, Martins Berkis, Dairis Bertrans, Arturs Berzins, Lauris Blaus, Davis Coders, Mareks Jurevicus, Kristaps Kanbergs, Davis Lejasmeiers, Martins Meiers, Aaron Pettway, Mikus Sokolovs, Janis Strelnieks, Ronalds Zakis.
Benetton Basket Treviso roster: Andrea De Nicolao, Alessandro Gentile, Daniel Hackett, Jasmin Hukic, Davor Kus, Cartier Martin, Donatas Motiejunas, Gary Neal, Sandro Nicevic, Andrea Renzi, Andrea Saccaggi, Daniele Sandri, C.J. Wallace.
Both teams saved a core players from previous season but looking from quality view Benetton has much better and experienced players. Francesco Vitucci is a new Benetton coach but he worked as assistant coach since 2001 and I think club did a good choice by hiring him as a main coach. He knows players from last season, he has experience and players know him very well. It is very important right now to have a well working mechanism inside and that is why I hold Benetton as a clear favorite in this pair for promotion.
Right before the game latvian club signed american quard T.Lee from Poland and he is expected to play tonight. Generally speaking looking into Ventspils preparation for this season (just 4 friendlies played) I have to say that they are not interested in Euroleague. They don't have own arena for Euroleague, they don't have finances to build an Euroleague roster so their goal is to use Euroleague qualification games as a part of preparation for new season in EuroCup. But it does not mean thay they are going to lose home game to Benetton.
Yesterday we have seen Benetton odds dropping from 1.85 to 1.60 but that happened just because of too big value in Benetton at such pricing and not because of injuries. Fair line in my opinion is 2.60-1.42 so I don't see value in backing Benetton @ 1.55 or lower. After the game such odds could be like a dream because Benetton can kill Ventspils easily but you never know what kind of Benetton you will see away from home.
Le Mans - ALBA
Alba Berlin roster: Kenan Bajramovic, Adam Chubb, Oliver Clay, Dragan Dojcin, Oskar Fassler, Steffen Hamann, Julius Jenkins, Immanuel McElroy, Andreas Seiferth, Blagota Sekulic, Rashad Wright, Philip Zwiener.
Le Mans roster: Joao Paulo Batista, Antoine Diot, Pierre Etienne Drouault, Henri Kandolo, Charles Lombahe, Maleye N’Doye, Babacar Niang, Geoffrey Renon, Thierry Rupert, Marc Salyers, Negueba Samake, Dewarick Spencer, Zack Wright, Guillaume Yango.
Alba have good reputation and respected in the line due the previuos season effort in Euroleauge but during a summer they lost 4 important players (Sessay, Jacobsen, Femerling, Nadjfej) and the only important signing was Kejnan Bajramovic who is not a top-class player. I expect ALBA to have big troubles this season if they would not add new players to the roster. Le Mans on other side saved the core from last season but so far their game is far away from best conditions to trust them at such short odds. Le Mans is a right favorite in this game but I don't see value in these odds.
Spirou Basket vs. Entente Orleanaise
Spirou Basket roster: Dwayne Broyles, Beye Tabu Eboma, Justin Hamilton, Chris Hill, Nicholas Jacobson, Jerry Johnson, Jure Lalic, Gerrit Major, Sacha Massot, Leonard Matela, Andre Riddick, Wesley Wilkinson.
Entente Orleans roster: Cedrick Banks, Frenc Jowe Casseus, Ryvon Covile, Aldo Curti, Anthony Dobbins, Justin Doellman, William Herve, Mael LeBrun, Adrien Moerman, Austin Nichols, Elio Sadiku, Laurent Sciarra, Ludovic Vaty.
After successful domestic campaigns last season, both teams have opted to build upon the existing core of players. Accordingly, Spirou brings back nine players from last season, including guards Jerry Johnson and Dwayne Broyles, forward Wesley Wilkinson and big men Andre Riddick and Len Matela. Veteran head coach Giovanni Bozzi took the reins and will have a few newcomers to work in to the rotation, led by small forward Nick Jacobson. Meanwhile Philippe Herve returns as Orleans head coach along with eight players from last season, including playmaker Aldo Curti, top scorer Cedrick Banks, veteran swingman Laurent Sciarra and big man Ryvon Covile. Additionally, Orleans inked center Ludovic Vaty, power forward Justin Doellman and Austin Nichols, who led the French League in scoring last season. On paper these two teams match up very well together. But on the court I see Orleanaise as a favorite in this matchup.
Spirou lost the coach Drazen Anzulovic who made this team last year and who managed to find connection with players. Under new coach Spirous lost 4 of 6 friendlies and showed very pathetic game on offensive end with most games scoring under 72 points. Orleanaise has very good defense, balanced offense and deep bench full players who knows the system and this team showed solid results in preseason games.
French team should limit Spirou offense in 64-73 pts range and it should be enough to hold 5 points handicap because with such additions like Austin Nichols (top scorer of PRO A league last year) they usually always find a way to score 70+ points. I think that we can expect very tight game with French team leading all the time by few points. In the end home court might help Belgium to take a narrow win but it should not be more than 3-4 points. Also I would not be suprised with Orleanaise winning this one.
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