April 9, 2015 - Semifinals, Game 2 co-MVPs: Tyrese Rice and James Augustine, Khimki
Khimki
Moscow Region benefited from a true team effort to defeat Banvit
Bandirma 93-89 on Wednesday to earn Eurocup Finals to the Eurocup
Finals. Two of the catalysts in that win, blue-collar defensive
standout James Augustine and offensive dynamo Tyrese Rice, share the
honors as Eurocup Semifinals Game 2 co-MVPs. They each posted
performance index ratings of 22, which were the highest in Game 2 of
the semifinals of any players on a winning team. Augustine played just
under 20 minutes and scored only 8 points, but still made a huge impact
with 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 3 blocked shots. Rice made 4 of
8 three-pointers and 4 of 4 free throws en route to a game-high 28
points. The week’s top overall index rating came from Banvit’s Sammy
Mejia, who posted a 29 in that same game. Mejia scored 25 points on
5-of-6 three-point shooting. Read more here.
April 8, 2015 - Semifinals, Game 2: Home teams look to make advantage count
Return legs of the Eurocup semifinals on Wednesday
will decide which two teams will square off for the 2014-15 Eurocup
title. The sides that score more points during the two-game semifinals
series will advance to the finals, and a pair of first-time
semifinalists Banvit Bandirma and Herbalife Gran Canaria Las Palmas
enter Semifinals Game 2 with advantages they earned in the series
openers last week. Read more here.
Here is the schedule for game 2:
Semifinal A
Herbalife Gran Canaria Las Palmas vs. Unics Kazan 78-76
Semifinal B
Khimki Moscow Region vs. Banvit Bandirma 93-89
April 1, 2015 - Semifinals, Game 1: Open fire!
The 2014-15 Eurocup season is down to four would-be
champions, all of whom are set and ready for Game 1 of the
home-and-away semifinals series this week. The teams that score more
points combined in each of the two-game series will advance to the
finals. Two of the four clubs are former Eurocup champions; each will
face a pair of first-time semifinalists. Adding to the excitement,
three coaches remain who have previously won five Eurocup titles
between them. Both series openers are scheduled for Wednesday, with
return legs being played seven days later.
Here is the schedule for game 1:
Semifinal A
Unics Kazan vs. Herbalife Gran Canaria Las Palmas 70-83
Semifinal B
Banvit Bandirma vs. Khimki Moscow Region 83-82
March 31, 2015 - Inside the semifinals
Unics Kazan vs Herbalife Gran Canaria Las Palmas
This semifinals series brings together two of the
Eurocups most impressive squads. Gran Canaria is in the semis for the
first time despite ranking fifth in all-time Eurocup wins; Unics dreams
of a second Eurocup crown after winning it all in 2011.
Winners at the top
When it comes to preparing their teams for big games, both Unics Kazan
and Herbalife Gran Canaria Las Palmas are set at the top. Unics coach
Evgeny Pashutin has won the Eurocup twice: once with his current team
in 2011, and once with his former team, Lokomotiv Kuban, in 2013. Gran
Canaria boss Aito Garcia Reneses won the 2008 ULEB Cup with Joventut
Badalona. But Eurocup success is just part of their impressive coaching
resumes, which are among the best in the game. Read more here.
Khimki Moscow Region vs. Banvit Bandirma
Former champion Khimki Moscow Region and first-time
Eurocup semifinalist Banvit Bandirma not only have different histories,
but have taken very different paths on the way to their Eurocup
Semifinals clash.
How they got here
Khimki enters semifinals on a nine-game winning streak after sweeping
both the eighthfinals, against Zenit St. Petersburg, and the
quarterfinals, against then-defending champion Valencia Basket. Khimki
has lost only three games during the Eurocup season. It is led by last
season's Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four MVP Tyrese Rice. Since
Round 5 of the regular season, Khimki has lost just once, winning 15 of
its last 16 games. Read more here.