FIBA Europe Cup - Tuesday Focus: Week 3

MUNICH (FIBA Europe Cup) - There are only four games on the docket for Tuesday in the FIBA Europe Cup this week, but there will be plenty of exciting storylines to follow to make the start of Week 3 worth your time.

Developments in Group D and Group E will be particularly interesting, as both groups stand out as the only ones in the competition still with multiple undefeated teams.

The schedule has finally pit Antwerp Giants against Nanterre 92 in Group D, while Group E will feature a bout between Redwell-Gunners Oberwart and Elan Bearnais.

Antwerp Giants v Nanterre 92 | 20:30 CET
Sharing the Group D crown so far with identical 2-0 marks, only one of the Antwerp Giants and Nanterre 92 will maintain their untarnished record in the group standings on Tuesday.

Despite sharing the same number of wins with their French opponents, the Giants have had the easier time in the first two weeks of the FIBA Europe Cup, winning the games against group rivals FC Porto and Sopron by a combined victory margin of 29 points.

Nanterre meanwhile, had to be content with single-digit wins in both of their contests, with the 79-77 season-opening victory in Sopron proving to be particularly challenging.

In the first couple of games, Antwerp scored almost half of its points from the painted area, with 49% of the team's points on average coming from close range. In comparison, Nanterre has scored only 31% of its points from the paint and has primarily relied on three-point shooting for offensive output.

Pascal Donnadieu's side has been a high-volume, high-efficiency team from three-point range, going 27-of-63 from beyond the arc in the first two games and ranks second in the league both in three-point attempts and shooting percentage.

German veteran Heiko Schaffartzik has been the key cog for Nanterre, averaging 15.5 points and 6 assists per game, with solid contributions also coming from Mathias Lessort and Spencer Butterfield.

Meanwhile, the American trio of Ryan Anderson (17 PPG), Demitrius Conger (17 PPG) and Mike Smith (16 PPG) run the show for the Roel Moors-coached Antwerp Giants.

Redwell Gunners Oberwart v Elan Bearnais | 20:20 CET
Unlike most FIBA Europe Cup teams, Redwell-Gunners and Elan Bearnais have only played one game each in their three-team Group E. Having defeated BC Tartu in the first and second weeks of the competition respectively, both sides stand at 1-0 in the group table.

The Austrian champions from Oberwart topped the Estonian club 78-77 on the road in Tartu after Derek Jackson’s late heroics, while the Pau-Lacq-Orthez club picked up a convincing 77-56 win at home in France.

However, defeating Tartu may be the only thing these teams have in common. Elan Bearnais are already a well-established brand in European basketball, while the Redwell-Gunners are out there to prove their worth.

"This is the youngest team playing on European level. For all of my boys, this was their first game in Europe, but what we lack in experience, we make up for in fight and passion and the knowledge of the game," said Redwell-Gunners coach Chris Cougaz after a dramatic victory in Estonia.

Elan Bearnais will definitely have the experience factor working in their favour when the sides meet, with the average age of Pau-Lacq-Orthez players 27, while the average age on the Oberwart squad is merely 21 years old.

In terms of players to watch on the Redwell-Gunners team, Cedric Kuakumensah finished the game against Tartu with 19 points and 7 rebounds, while Derek Jackson even appeared on the Top Performers of Week 1 after scoring 11 points, dishing out 11 assists and adding 6 steals.

For the French side, the big man duo of Antywane Robinson and Alain Koffi collected 18 points apiece in the opening game and Vitalis Chikoko chipped in with 12 points and 9 rebounds.

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