Group draw

[TalkBasket]

The draw for the 2007/08 season has been made today.

Group A

Alba Berlin (Germany)
KK Bosna (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Šiauliai (Lithuania)
DKV Joventut (Spain)
Turk Telekom (Turkey)
Guildford Heat (England)

Group B

Ovarense Aerosoles (Portugal)
BK Ventspils (Latvia)
Elan Chalon (France)
RheinEnergie Koln (Germany)
FMP (Serbia)
Besiktas ColaTurka (Turkey)

Group C

KK Hemofarm (Serbia)
Akasvayu Girona (Spain)
Spirou Charleroi (Belgium)
Galatasaray Cafe Crown (Turkey)
Hanzevast Capitals (Netherlands)
CSU Asesoft (Romania)

Group D

SLUC Nancy (France)
D. Bank Skyliners (Germany)
Anwil Wloclawek (Poland)
Pamesa Valencia (Spain)
Azovmash Mariupol (Ukraine)
Khimki Moscow Region (Russia)

Group E

KK Buducnost (Montenegro)
Lyubertsy M. Region (Russia)
Antwerp Giants (Belgium)
Hapoel Galil Elyon (Israel)
Swans Gmunden (Austria)
Benetton Fribourg (Switzerland)

Group F

Dynamo Moscow (Russia)
Red Star (Serbia)
CEZ Nymburk (Czech Republic)
Telindus BC Oostende (Belgium)
Panellinios GS (Greece)
Fortitudo Bologna (Italy)

Group G

Adecco Asvel (France)
Ludwigsburg (Germany)
Panionios Forthnet (Greece)
BC Kalev (Estonia)
G. Canaria Grupo Dunas (Spain)
Asco Slask Wroclaw (Poland)

Group H

ASK Riga (Latvia)
Lukoil Academic (Bulgaria)
EB Pau-Orthez (France)
Benetton (Italy)
BC Kyiv (Ukraine)
Artland Dragons (Germany)

Group I

Unics Kazan (Russia)
Turow Zgorzeleg (Poland)
Hapoel Jerusalem (Israel)
EiffelTowers (Netherlands)
Strasbourg (France)
Zadar (Croatia)

[Luke]

England's representative are in Group A, what are the other teams like in that group?

How many teams progress from each group is it?

Edit: Top 3 from each group plus the 5 best 4th placed teams!

[TalkBasket]

England's representative are in Group A, what are the other teams like in that group?

How many teams progress from each group is it?

Well Joventut are Euroleague level team and I think they will be clear group winners. They have a very strong squad. Turk Telekom is a rich club with high expectations and they are forming a strong team. Alba used to play in the EL too. I think they and Šiauliai should fight for the 3rd place. It is a debut for Šiauliai in the ULEB Cup (so it is for majority of the clubs this year). They still have signed only three players. The club should rebuild to meet ULEB Cup level. Then there's Bosna and Heat. Ex-Yugoslavian basketball is always tough. I don't know much about the club but I tink they won't be an easy team. Finally Heat. I know nothing about them. In my opinion they should finish 6th or 5th unless they manage to form a competitive team.

Top three teams from each group and five best 4th teams advance to the play-offs. It was planned that they will be joined by Euroleague 17th-20th teams but since the expansion was really massive it was decided not to include EL teams.

[Dave]

N00b question, but when does thes season start for this?

[TalkBasket]

N00b question, but when does thes season start for this?

When the national championships start. The official site is broken for some reason but the first games are scheduled for the 3rd of November if I am not mistaken. The group stage will be over in January.

[Andrius]

Wow!

I only noticed the new format for ULEB. Although I do remember hearing about it aaages ago.

Guildford Heat v. BC Šiauliai?

That one's going to be a good one. I can feel it! Haha.

Although I must say, it will be quite strange to watch a British club against a (relatively average) Lithuanian one. I mean, I would hope Šiauliai would prevail, but I have no idea of the quality of Guildford.

Definitely looking forward to that one match.

In fact, I may even go see it, now that I think about it. Depending on how much tickets would be. I have actually been to the Guildford Spectrum as I used to live not far from Guildford. In any case, interesting fixtures lie ahead.

[Luke]

Come on Guildford do us proud!