The Italian and Turkish teams – Ridiculous in Eurocup
At the beginning of the Eurocup season, everybody would be laughing about the idea of no Italian or Turkish presence in the Top 16. Now is a cruel reality for these big countries and for the European basketball. We have 3 teams from Germany (surprisingly), France, Russia, Spain, ABA League and the Lithuanians from Lietuvos Rytas. No other country has qualified.
Of course, there were some circumstances, some injured players for teams like Trento or Torino, some excuses for other teams but, after all, it remains a huge unsatisfactory result for two important national federations, who are out of the European basketball map for the next months.
The victory was more than possible for the Italian or Turkish teams. It was in the hands of Tofas, who lost the qualification in the home game against Limoges and of Brescia, a team that collapsed in an embarrassing way against the visitors from Ulm.
Now, for almost a year, the basketball lovers from this two countries have to watch just their national championship, football, cricket and baseball hoping for the next autumn to see their team involved again in the European basketball. Because I don’t think many Italians or Turks will watch Andorra playing against Cedevita or Fraport Skyliners fighting against Ulm.
Ovidiu Farcas, info@brainbasketball.net
