Banvit blows qualification chances with defeat at Krka

ANTWERP, Belgium

Banvit and Beşiktaş Milangaz played at the Spor Toto Turkish Cup final match last weekend. Beşiktaş won the cup. AA photo

Turkey’s Banvit blew a big chance for advancing to the quarterfinals when it lost to Krka Novo Mesto 78-73 in a Eurocup game on Feb. 21.

Slovenia’s Krka won its first game in the Last 16 and kept its chances to reach the quarterfinals alive with a home win.

Krka improved to 1-4 and will have to win big next while hoping for Banvit to lose to Spartak to have a chance at advancing.

Banvit will try to oust unbeaten group leader Spartak in the last group game next week.
Coach Orhun Ene admitted his side underperformed against Krka.

“We didn’t play well,” Ene, who is also the coach of the Turkish national basketball team, was quoted on the competition’s website. “Although we had chances to win, Krka played smarter.

“It was an important game for us, because with the win we would still have chance to qualify to the quarterfinals, but we didn’t deserve to win. I congratulate Krka.”

Ene also added his team, who lost to Beşiktaş Milangaz in the Spor Toto Turkish Cup final last weekend could not get over the defeat.

“It was obvious that the loss in the Turkish Cup final had too big an impact on our play,” he said.
In the Eurochallenge Cup, third-tier European competition, Beşiktaş Milangaz enjoyed a narrow win while Pınar Karşıyaka suffered a heavy defeat also on Feb. 21.

Beşiktaş, which already qualified from its Last 16 group, beat Novgorod 82-80. The Black Eagles are on a 4-1 winning record and have sealed their place in the quarterfinals along with unbeaten group leader Fuenlabrada.

Karşıyaka, however, seriously hurt its chances of qualification with a bitter 89-67 defeat at the hands of Antwerp. Russia’s Triumph beat group leaders Dragons from Germany and advanced to the second spot at the expense of Karşıyaka.

The İzmir side is now third and Antwerp is fourth while all three teams behind Dragons are on a 2-3 winning record coming to the last match day of the group.