Published on March 8, 2026 at 06:30 AM by driblio.net
EuroCup eightfinals land on 11 March 2026: four single-elimination games, four spots in the semifinals. No second leg, no margin for error. Hapoel Jerusalem and Besiktas topped the regular season but sit in the opposite bracket; the eight survivors—Reyer Venice, Trento, Buducnost, Cluj-Napoca, Olimpija, NINERS Chemnitz, Turk Telekom, Manresa—fight for four. Here’s the breakdown and who advances.
| Time | Home | vs | Away | Prediction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17:00 | Turk Telekom Ankara (12–6, +210) | — | BAXI Manresa (11–7, +5) | Turk Telekom |
| 18:00 | Union Olimpija Ljubljana (12–6, +183) | — | NINERS Chemnitz (9–9, −12) | Olimpija |
| 18:00 | Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (12–6, +136) | — | U-BT Cluj-Napoca (9–9, +48) | Buducnost |
| 19:00 | Umana Reyer Venice (11–7, +54) | — | Dolomiti Energia Trento (11–7, −26) | Reyer Venice |
W–L = regular-season record. Pts diff = point differential. The eight eightfinalists finished 3th–6th overall; they advanced from different groups, so the table above shows each matchup with both teams’ records.
Turk Telekom (12–6, +210) host BAXI Manresa (11–7, +5) in Ankara. The hosts have the best point differential among eightfinalists and allow just 75.1 ppg; Kyle Alexander (16.2 PIR last five, 1.2 bpg) and Marko Simonovic anchor the paint. Manresa score 90.2 ppg and have Agustin Ubal (19.33 PIR last five), Retin Obasohan (18.25), and Louis Olinde (18.0) in form—but their defence (90.0 ppg allowed) is the leak. In a one-off, Turk Telekom’s structure and home court win out. Prediction: Turk Telekom advances.
Union Olimpija (12–6, +183) host NINERS Chemnitz (9–9, −12) in Ljubljana. Olimpija have DJ Stewart (18.4 PIR last five), Umoja Gibson (17.8), and Aleksej Nikolic; they score 88.7 ppg and defend well (78.5 allowed). NINERS rely on Amadou Sow (18.5 PIR last five) and Kevin Yebo (14.5) but average only 81.0 ppg and have the weakest margin of the eight. Home advantage and depth tilt this. Prediction: Olimpija advances.
Buducnost (12–6, +136) welcome U-BT Cluj-Napoca (9–9, +48) in Podgorica. Cluj lead the league in scoring (96.4 ppg) and have Dusan Miletic (21.6 PIR last five), Daron Russell (19.6), and Mitchell Creek (16.8)—but they bleed points (93.8 ppg allowed) and are 3–6 on the road. Buducnost’s Yogi Ferrell is the form guard of the eightfinals (24.2 PIR last five, 15.8 ppg, 6.0 apg); Nikola Tanaskovic and Axel Bouteille round out a balanced attack. At home, Buducnost’s defence and Ferrell’s control close the door. Prediction: Buducnost advances.
The nightcap: Umana Reyer Venice (11–7, +54) host Dolomiti Energia Trento (11–7, −26) at Taliercio. Trento have the hottest player in the eightfinals: Devante Jones—27.75 PIR over his last five, 17.5 ppg, 7.25 apg—and DJ Steward (18.0 PIR last five). But Trento score the fewest of the eight (83.2 ppg) and allow more than they score (−26 diff). Venice counter with Carl Wheatle (18.2 PIR last five), Kyle Wiltjer (15.6), and Chris Horton (14.0); they’re 8–3 at home and stingier (86.2 ppg allowed). Jones can swing it, but Venice’s balance and Taliercio’s pressure give the hosts the edge. Prediction: Reyer Venice advances.
Based on point differential and recent form: Turk Telekom, Olimpija, Buducnost, and Reyer Venice advance. Turk Telekom (+210) and Olimpija (+183) own the two best margins among the eight; Buducnost (+136) and Venice (+54) follow. Cluj (+48) and Manresa (+5) can score—Cluj lead the league at 96.4 ppg—but their defence is exploitable in one-off games. Trento (−26) and NINERS (−12) are underdogs for a reason. The X-factor: Devante Jones. If he goes off again, Trento can upset Venice. Otherwise, home sides hold serve.
Four eightfinals, four home teams favoured—Turk Telekom, Olimpija, Buducnost, Reyer Venice. Single elimination rewards the steadier side: defence, rim protection, and clutch guard play. Jones (Trento) and Ferrell (Buducnost) are the two guards most likely to steal a game; Miletic and Russell (Cluj) can keep it close in Podgorica. Manresa’s offence is dangerous but their defence makes them the likeliest upset victim in Ankara. The data says the top four seeds advance. In knockout basketball, one run can change everything—but the odds favour the hosts.
Umana Reyer Venice held off a furious fourth-quarter rally from Hapoel Jerusalem to win 83-80 in EuroCup Round 18 action. Kyle Wiltjer led Venice with 22 points as the hosts built a 13-point advantage entering the final period. Jared Harper's 24 points sparked Jerusalem's 31-point fourth quarter, but Venice survived the late surge.
Published on February 11, 2026 at 09:00 PM by driblio.net
BAXI Manresa overwhelmed Veolia Towers Hamburg 116-94 in a dominant road performance. Agustin Ubal led with 24 points off the bench, while Pierre Oriola added 14 points and 9 rebounds. Hamburg's Devon Daniels IV scored 22 points in defeat as the hosts suffered their fifth loss in seven games.
Published on February 11, 2026 at 08:30 PM by driblio.net
Buducnost VOLI Pogdorica dominated Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse 96-84 with a commanding 27-11 first quarter surge. Yogi Ferrell led with 19 points and six assists, while Axel Bouteille added 18 points efficiently. Despite Bourg's impressive 30-point third quarter, their early deficit proved insurmountable in this Round 18 EuroCup contest.
Published on February 11, 2026 at 08:00 PM by driblio.net
