ULEB Cup draw profile: Turk Telekom
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The most interesting matchup in the Last 16 round of the ULEB Cup could be between Turk Telekom Ankara and the top-seeded team that it must face for a spot in the Final Eight. That’s because Telekom was one of only three teams to win at least 9 games in the competition this season, even though it lost a tiebreaker to DKV Joventut and finished only in second place in Group A. Boasting arguably the best one-two punch in the competition with stellar point guard Khalid El-Amin and big man Michael Wright, the team from the Turkish capital was the No. 1 offensive team in the ULEB Cup this season and will be targeting a trip deep into the elimination rounds. Telekom was not viewed as a serious contender until late in the season. A loss to Joventut in Week 3 knocked the club from the unbeaten ranks and won most of its games by a slim margin. But when it was all said and done, Telekom finished the regular season with a seven-game winning streak. The club started the season on a high note as Wright erupted for 37 points on 15-of-17 shooting and 10 rebounds in a 90-97 road win at Siauliai in Week 1. That performance established Wright as the go-to guy for the team and he did not disappoint, teaming with fellow big men Chris Williams and Erwin Dudley to create an extremely formidable frontcourt.  All three scored in double figures and grabbed at least 5 rebounds in a Week 2 win over KK Bosna, but then came a trip to Badalona and a 102-83 loss to Joventut in Week 3. However the trio continued to produce big numbers through that loss and in the coming wins over Alba Berlin and the Guildford Heat. After a Week 6 win over Siauliai in which Wright scored 30, he was firmly entrenched as the ULEB Cup’s top scorer. However a knee injury struck and he was to miss the final three games of the regular season. But with Williams and Dudley playing more minutes, El-Amin also stepped up with 33 points to best Joventut 96-94 in a Week 8 thriller. The team continued firing on all cylinders to finish the regular season as the top scoring team in the competition. And with Wright expected back in time for the Last 32, there is no doubt that Turk Telekom can challenge for a spot in the Final Eight and far beyond this season.
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Thursday, January 24, 2008
ULEBCup.com
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