Tsmoki Minsk lose to Szolnoki Olaj KK, enter EuroChallenge last 16 round

The Belarusian basketball club Tsmoki Minsk lost to Hungary’s Szolnoki Olaj KK in the last group match of the EuroChallenge regular season.

However, both clubs progressed to the round of 16.

For Tsmoki Minsk the last match of the group stage was just a formality as they had already booked a place in the last 16 round after the 10 December encounter against Bulgaria’s Rilski Sportist Samokov which they won 94:75. Despite the lack of motivation the Belarusian club did well and finished the game only one point behind their opponents 68:69 (19:19, 16:12, 22:24, 11:14). Tsmoki Minsk’s Branko Mirkovic top-scored for his side with 16 points. In the other Group H game Romania’s BC Mures overpowered Rilski Sportist Samokov at home 92:85 (22:14, 24:22, 20:24, 26:25).

Group H standings are as follows: Tsmoki Minsk 10 points, Szolnoki Olaj KK 10 points, BC Mures 9 points, and Rilski Sportist Samokov 7 points.

In the second group stage 16 teams (two from eight qualification groups) have been divided into four groups of four teams.

Tsmoki Minsk were drawn in Group L together with Finland’s Team Teho Sport Kotka, Denmark’s Bakken Bears Aarhus and Russia’s Ural Ekaterinburg.

In the first tour the Minsk side will meet Teho Sport away on 14 January 2014 and then host Ural Ekaterinburg at Minsk Arena on 21 January.

Other Tsmoki Minsk’s Group L fixtures are as follows:

28 January: Bakken vs Tsmoki Minsk

11 February: Tsmoki Minsk vs Teho Sport

18 February: Ural Ekaterinburg vs Tsmoki Minsk

25 February: Tsmoki Minsk vs Bakken

Other groups of the last 16 round are as follows:

Group I: PO Antwerp Giants (Belgium), Krasnye Krylia Samara (Russia), Tartu University Rock (Estonia), Gaz Metan Medias (Romania);

Group J: Szolnoki Olaj KK (Hungary), Cholet Basket (France), Krka Novo Mesto (Slovenia), Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia (Italy);

Group K: SASP JDA Dijon Basket (France), Royal Hali Gaziantep (Turkey), BK Ventspils (Latvia), BC Triumph Lyubertsy Moscow Region (Russia).

Winners of the groups and runners-up will enter the quarterfinal. Four best teams from the quarterfinal will qualify for the EuroChallenge’s Final Four.