Basketball: EuroCup: Alba on the brink of progress after victory in Belgrade

The former German basketball series champion Alba Berlin is in the EuroCup with one leg in the round of the last 16th place. Alba defeated Partizan Belgrade 96:80 (54:40) in Group C and celebrated their fifth win in the sixth game.

In the first leg of the group stage opener, Berlin had won 111-85 against Belgrade. The top four teams in each of the four groups of six will move into the second group stage.

Without the German international Niels Giffey, who was injured by a thumb injury, coach Aito Garcia Reneses’ team laid the foundation for victory with a strong second quarter (33:21).

In the notorious Aleksandar Nikolic Hall in Belgrade, Berlin’s shooting guard Spencer Butterfield and the Lithuanian Marius Grigonis were the most successful throwers with 20 points each.

Bundesliga front runner Bayern Munich, in the EuroCup so far with a white vest, will receive the five-time Turkish champion Galatasaray Istanbul (20.30 o’ clock) in Group B on Wednesday. The third German team ratiopharm Ulm plays in Group D in Turkey with Tofas Bursa (18.00 hrs).