The FIBA Women’s EuroCup enters a pivotal stage as Galatasaray prepare to host France’s LDLC ASVEL in the first leg of the Round of 16 on Thursday.
The match at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall marks a key moment for the yellow-reds, who aim to build on their successful playoff campaign against Serbia’s Crvena Zvezda.
A win here would see them progress to the quarterfinals, with the return leg scheduled for Jan. 15 in Lyon.
Meanwhile, in the men’s competition, Fenerbahçe Beko seek to maintain momentum as they face ALBA Berlin in the 20th round of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
The game comes after Fenerbahçe snapped a three-game losing streak with a solid 84-76 win over Anadolu Efes.
This victory secured their 11th win of the season, keeping them firmly in the top six.
In contrast, ALBA Berlin have struggled, winning only three of their 19 matches and sitting at the bottom of the standings.
In their previous encounter in Germany, Fenerbahçe triumphed 78-71.
The two teams have met 13 times in EuroLeague history, with Fenerbahçe claiming nine victories.
The Turkish giants have also won the last five matchups, strengthening their dominant record.
Fenerbahçe’s EuroLeague performance has been bolstered by standout contributions from Nigel Hayes-Davis, who averages 17.2 points per game, while ALBA Berlin relies on Martin Hermannsson, who scores 11.5 points on average.
This season, Fenerbahçe has posted solid stats – 78.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 15.8 assists per game – while ALBA Berlin’s figures stand at 79.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 19.3 assists.
Elsewhere, in the FIBA Women’s EuroCup, Beşiktaş will take on France’s UFAB 49 in their Round of 16 opener on Thursday at the Jean Bouin Sports Hall in Angers, with tipoff scheduled for 10 p.m. (local time).
Beşiktaş, having defeated Poland’s Enea Gorzow in the playoffs, hopes to continue their quest for a quarterfinal berth, with the return leg set for Jan. 16 at the BJK Fibabanka Sports Complex.