Stage
Eightfinals
Date
11 March 2026
Format
Single elimination
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.
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.
Semifinal picks and the numbers
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.
Bottom line
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.