Beşiktaş vs Dragons as Eurocup playoffs start

ISTANBUL- Hürriyet Daily News

Puerto Rican point guard Carlos Arroyo (R) successfully replaced Deron Williams at Beşiktaş Milangaz after the latter returned to the NBA after the lockout. DHA photo

Beşiktaş Milangaz, the only remaining Turkish team in European basketball competitions, starts its EuroChallenge playoffs at Artland Dragons tonight.

The Istanbul team will meet its German rival in the first match-up of the best-of-three series tonight. The second game will be played on March 15 in Istanbul and, if necessary, a deciding third game will be played March 20 in Germany.

The winner of the tie will go to the Final Four on April 27-29.

Beşiktaş Milangaz, hoping to go all the way in the third-tier competition in European basketball, is the only remaining Turkish team in continental cups. Galatasaray Medical Park, Fenerbahçe Ülker and Anadolu Efes were all knocked out of the Turkish Airlines Euroleague, while Banvit also bowed out of the second-tier Eurocup.

Beşiktaş Milangaz started the EuroChallenge competition, to which it was relegated after losing to Dexia Mons of Belgium in the Eurocup preliminaries, as one of the biggest favorites thanks to Deron Williams. The superstar point guard played for the Istanbul team before the NBA lockout ended, but Beşiktaş Milangaz made up for his departure with guard Carlos Arroyo and forward Adam Morrison.

Ventspils vs. Szolnok, Fuenlabrada vs. Triumph and Roanne vs. Chalon round out the rest of the quarterfinal ties.