Basketball Champions League group stage has taken its final form / News - Basketnews.com

Unicaja Malaga, Tofas Bursa, Benfica and Bakken Bears became the four teams that made the BCL regular season through the qualifiers.

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

The four teams that complete the Basketball Champions League regular season group stage have now been set.

As most would expect, Unicaja Malaga and Tofas Bursa were the ones to get past Patrioti Levice and Niners Chemnitz, respectively.

Unicaja were the first team to qualify for the group stage, after easily downing Patrioti Levice from Slovakia 91-73. Nihad Djedovic paced the team coached by Ibon Navarro with 15 points, while Dylan Osetkowski added 13. Malaga have joined Group G together with JDA Dijon, Dinamo Sassari and PAOK.

Tofas Bursa won the decisive game in Skopje against Germans side Niners Chemnitz, 82-78. Bouba Toure racked up a double-double of 17 points and 14 rebounds, while former EuroCup champion Rob Grey had a game-high 26 points. Matt Mooney dropped 21 for the losing side. Tofas will play in the Basketball Champions regular season Group A together with SIG Strasbourg, Falco Szombathely, and UCAM Murcia.

In Lisbon, Benfica made the best out of their home-court advantage to hold off former EuroLeague participants Brose Bamberg 87-73. Ivan Almeida was unstoppable for the Portuguese side with 39 points, canceling out big performances by Justin Wright-Foreman (25 points) and Jaromir Bohacik (21).

Benfica became the first team from Portugal to make the BCL regular season. They entered Group G with Baxi Manresa, VEF Rīga, and Limoges CSP.

In Belgrade, Danish champions Bakken Bears forced hosts FMP Meridian to a 82-88 loss. Tony Carr, a second-round NBA draft pick in 2018, produced 34 points, while Beau Beech scored 23 for the losing side.

Bakken Bears will compete in the Regular Basketball Champions League season in Group E, featuring Hapoel Jerusalem, MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg, and Darussafaka.

Credit FIBA

The Regular Season starts on October 4, and the format remains unchanged - 32 teams in eight groups of four, group winners moving straight to the Round of 16, while second- and third-placed teams face off in the Play-In Series in January 2023.

The 8 best teams from the Round of 16 will play the best-of-three Quarter-Finals series in April, with the season concluding in a Final Four tournament tipping off in May

The BCL Regular Season groups

Group A

SIG Strasbourg (FRA) Falco Szombathely (HUN) UCAM Murcia (ESP) Tofas Bursa;

Group B

AEK (GRE) Telekom Baskets Bonn (GER) Pinar Karsiyaka (TUR) Unahotels Reggio Emilia (ITA);

Group C

Hapoel Holon (ISR) Filou Oostende (BEL) Galatasaray Nef (TUR) Legia Warszawa (POL);

Group D

ERA Nymburk (CZE) Igokea m:tel (BIH) Surne Bilbao (ESP) Bahcesehir College (TUR);

Group E

Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem (ISR) MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg (GER) Darussafaka (TUR) Bakken Bears;

Group F

BAXI Manresa (ESP) Limoges CSP (FRA) VEF Riga (LAT) Benfica;

Group G

JDA Bourgogne (FRA) Dinamo Banco di Sardegna Sassari (ITA) PAOK mateco (GRE) Unicaja Malaga

Group H

Lenovo Tenerife (ESP) Rytas Vilnius (LTU) Peristeri (GRE) Bnei Herzliya (ISR). Thank you for being with us! Subscribe to BN+ and browse ad-free.