Euroleague Darussafaka had better team in Eurocup
The Eurocup champions Darussafaka had earned their place in Euroleague this season, where they are by far the last team in the competition with only 3 victories and 19 losses. That’s no surprise after their acquisitions campaign from last summer when Dacka changed almost completely the roster. Instead of getting stronger, they lost many valuable players and they brought to the squad other ones that are mediocre not only for Euroleague but also for Eurocup and Turkish league.
I mean, with this Euroleague roster, Dacka would not be able to enter Eurocup finals, not even semifinals. Let’s take a look at the changes they have operated this summer. They let go Scottie Wilbekin, probably the most valuable second guard in Eurocup, JaJuan Johnson, Will Cummings, James Bell and Howard Sant-Roos. They’ve kept the Turkish core of the team and also Michael Eric and Kidd Stanton. And their “strengthen” their roster with Zanis Peiners, Oguz Savas, Jon Diebler, Jeremy Evans and the last addition Toney Douglas.
If you compare Darussafaka who competed in the Euroleague two years ago when they won a game in the playoff series against Real Madrid with “this” Darussafaka, you will see the huge gap between the rosters. That Darussafaka was closer to Euroleague Final4 than the actual team is to Turkish playoff.
It seems Dacka was resigned from the beginning of the Euroleague, knowing that they won’t do miracles in the strongest competition of Europe. So they had just to be there because Turkey had to be well represented in Euroleague, no matter the results of the games. Important is to participate, no to win (especially when you don’t have the roster at the competition’s level).
Gratian Cormos, info@brainbasketball.net
