Ulm, Würzburg & Hamburg: Basketball Champions League & BBL News

Author: Horst Schneider

On Wednesday, after the league victory in the duel between two German EuroCup representatives against Ulm, the Veolia Towers finally want to celebrate a victory in the EuroCup itself. The people of Ulm must quickly forget the defeat on the Elbe, because in London there is a good chance to jump on the playoff train that is already on the way. Meanwhile, Würzburg starts the Round of 16 in the Champions League against defending champions Malaga with the most difficult task imaginable.

This week in Europe

Tuesday, 6:00 p.m.: Tofas Bursa – Berlin (BCL)
Tuesday, 7:00 p.m.: Chemnitz – Bourg-en-Bresse (EC)
Tuesday, 7:00 p.m.: Alkar Sinj – Weißenfels (ENBL)
Dienstag, 19:15: Trefl Sopot – Rostock (FEC)
Tuesday, 8:30 p.m: München – Partizan Belgrade (EL, the Tuesday preliminary reports can be found here)

Wednesday, 7:30 p.m: Hamburg – Reyer Venice (EC)
Wednesday, 8:30 p.m: London Lions – Ulm (EC)
Wednesday, 8:30 p.m: Unicaja Malaga – Würzburg (BCL)

Thursday, 8:30 p.m.: München – Valencia Basket (EL)

In the Basketball Champions League, the wheat was separated from the chaff this season at the latest in the play-ins. From now on, the clubs from the top European leagues will dominate the action in this round of the best 16 teams. Of the eight national champions from smaller European leagues who started in the field of 32 at the start of the season, only the Czech series champion Nymburk remains.

The Spanish league has four clubs in the Round of 16 alone: Malaga, Badalona, Gran Canaria and Tenerife. Germany (Berlin and Würzburg), France (Chalon and Le Mans), Greece (AEK Athens and Karditsa) and Turkey (Tofas and Galatasaray) each still have two representatives in the competition. Trieste (Italy), Holon (Israel) and Rytas Vilnius (Lithuania) round out the field of participants alongside Nymburk.

EuroCup: Veolia Towers Hamburg – Umana Reyer Venice (Wed, 7:30 p.m.)

The status quo: While Hamburg (0-14 wins) is unlikely to get rid of the red lantern in Group A, Venice has climbed to fifth place with four wins in a row and in this form could become a “dark horse” in the playoffs.

First leg: The Towers came on the debut of Martin Breunig From the second quarter onwards in Venice they were badly hit and lost despite scoring 17 points Carlos Stewart 55:90. For those of Kyle Wiltjer and Stefan Nikolic It was the highest EuroCup victory in the club’s history, led by the Italians (12 points each).

Stars: Trainer Marigold Spahi Doesn’t come to Hamburg without worries because after US Guard Ky Bowman is now also the big man Stefan Nikolic injured. Reyer is led by the US Guards RJ Cole (12.3 PPG and 4.6 APG) and Denzel Valentine (4.4 APG). Change on the wing Jordan Parks and Carl Wheatle ab. Kyle Wiltjer (11.8 PPG) and Chris Horton (7.4 RPG) are the starters in the frontcourt.

Current Form: Reyer has recently been more inconsistent in the Italian league than in the EuroCup. Since December, victories and defeats have alternated with great regularity. Thanks to 8-1 wins at the start of the season, they are still in a good position in the table with 11-4 wins in fourth place. On Sunday he had 20 points and 13 rebounds Chris Horton Won 106:94 in Varese.

Old acquaintances: Jordan Parks started the easyCredit BBL with Bonn in 2017/18, but had to withdraw after just five games after a serious injury. RJ Cole Braunschweig strengthened in April 2023 for the rest of the season.

Livestream / TV: All BKT EuroCup and EuroLeague games will be broadcast live and on-demand on MAGENTA SPORT. Arne Malsch comments on the broadcast from Hamburg from 7:15 p.m.

EuroCup: : London Lions – ratiopharm ulm (Wed, 8:30 p.m.)

The status quo: The Ulm team have stalked sixth-placed Chemnitz (7-7) in Group B with 6-8 wins, within striking distance of the playoff places. London (5-9) would only have a slim chance of making the playoffs after a home defeat against Ulm.

First leg: Ulm held the guests to six Nelson Weideman (17) and Len Schoorman (14) led scorers were on their toes, but were never able to break away decisively until the end – also because Chris Ledlum had foul trouble early on. So the Lions crawled along Pull Phillip (23) and Kameron McGusty (18) kept getting close and even briefly took the lead a few times. McGusty’s last three-pointer at the buzzer was only enough to cut the score to 87:86.

Stars: Trainer Tautvydas Sabonis can’t complain about his ever-improving compatriot, the forward Karolis Lukosiunasare happy because the epidemic is forcing the Lithuanian coach to continue improvising. After the top scorer’s injuries Kameron McGusty and Joel Scott The big men have each other too Ethan Price and Johnathan Williams called in sick. Additional commitments can be made in the small positions Chaundee Brown and Nigel Hawkins the playmakers Shavar Reynolds (14.4 PPG) and Pull Phillip (11.1 PPG) to the side, but the Lions had to play in the frontcourt against Sheffield on Sunday Deane Williams on the five as well Aaron Rai and Ciaran Sandy Play small ball.

Current Form: In the British Super League, the Lions are already four wins ahead of second place Manchester with 13-2 wins. On Sunday it was 92:83 in Sheffield Deane Williams (19) there Top scorer

Old friends: Johnathan Williams strengthened Chemnitz in the frontcourt in February 2021 for the rest of the season. Deane Williams won the Champions League with Bonn in 2022/23. In 2023/24 he played in Oldenburg and last season until March for Ludwigsburg. The injured one Joel Scott played for Ludwigsburg last season. Chaundee Brown went basket hunting for EWE Baskets in 2023/24 as a follow-up.

Livestream / TV: All BKT EuroCup and EuroLeague games will be broadcast live and on-demand on MAGENTA SPORT. Martin Kern comments on the broadcast from London from 8:20 p.m.

Champions League: Unicaja Malaga – Fitness First Würzburg Baskets (Wednesday, 8:30 p.m.)

The status quo: Würzburg qualified for the Round of 16 in the play-in. The undefeated defending champion and top favorite is waiting there right at the start in Malaga. The other opponents in Group K, Badalona and Chalon, are also tough.

Opponent: Unicaja celebrated its first titles by winning the Korac Cup in 2001 and the Spanish championship in 2006, was one of the co-founders of the EuroLeague and reached the Final Four there in 2007. However, in 2016 Unicaja lost its permanent starting place and moved to the Champions League four years after winning the EuroCup in 2017, where the Andalusians won the title in 2024 and 2025. In Spain, Unicaja reached the semi-finals in the last three years and won the Spanish Cup in 2023 and 2025.

Stars: As usual in Spain has trainers Ibon Navarro At Unicaja, every position is filled at least twice. The playmakers Kendrick Perry (12.2 PPG and 4.4 APG) and Alberto Diaz (4.5 APG) have in the backcourt Tyler Kalinoski, Nihad Djedovic (9.6 PPG) and the one signed in December Chase Audige at her side. Change on the wing Jonathan Barreiro and Chris Duarte (10.2 PPG). In the frontcourt we have the long center Oleg Balcerowski (11.6 PPG) and power forward Tyson Perez (11.0 PPG and 7.0 RPG) in James Webb, Emir Sulejmanovic, Kim Tillie and Augustine Rubit four mobile big men next to him who can play both the four and the five.

Current Form: Malaga secured participation in the cup tournament (Copa del Rey) on Sunday with an 88:79 win over Granada. Kendrick Perry (18) was the top scorer. Malaga is sixth in the table with 10-6 wins.

Old friends: Nihad Djedovic played for Berlin in 2012/13 and then for FC Bayern for nine years. Augustine Rubit played for Tübingen, Ulm and Bamberg from 2014 to 2919 and in Munich from 2021 to 2023. James Webb played for Bonn in 2018/10.

Livestream / TV: Stefan Koch comments on the broadcast from Malaga live here on Dyn from 8:20 p.m. Dyn broadcasts all Basketball Champions League games live and on demand.