The 2008-09 NIKEiD Euroleague Basketball Fantasy Challenge enters its second week already in the thick of the battle, just like the competition it follows! Remember, the deadline is coming up, as the first, extended deadline is on October 29, 2008 at 17:45 CET, an hour before the first game of Week 2, Asseco Prokom vs. SLUC Nancy in Group B. Keep in mind that starting now, only three trades per team and week will be allowed until the end of the regular season. Miguel Quintairos of Spain swept to the Week 1 title with a modest point total of 209. That was almost 10 points lower than all but one of the 20 weekly winners during the entire 2007-08 season, but Miguel has nothing to be ashamed of. After all, his Week 1 total was 17 points better than any one else of the nearly 50,000 teams competing the first week. Miguel will win an official Nike game ball among several prizes awarded to each weekly winner. Remember that NIKEiD Euroleague Basketball Fantasy Challenge also features a grand prize that is impossible to match: the chance to be on court for the Euroleague title celebration. That's right, Euroleague fans, this season's NIKEiD Fantasy Challenge grand prize winner not only will enjoy the 2009 Final Four at the state-of-the-art O2 World in Berlin as a VIP guest of Euroleague Basketball. Now, he or she also will be allowed on court to celebrate with the new champions! Join in the fun with fans the world over by playing NikeID Euroleague Basketball Fantasy Challenge and try to become our next winner!
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FANTASY CHALLENGE RUNDOWN
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GROUP A
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Air Avellino:
- Head coach Zare Markovski has a full squad available for the team's trip to Tel Aviv.
- Pete Lisicky missed last week's opener but played a few minutes in a domestic game on Monday. |
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Cibona:
- Head coach Velamir Perasovic has a full squad available for his team's trip to Le Mans.
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Le Mans:
- Head coach J.D. Jackson will have a full squad available for his team’s home opener against Cibona.
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Maccabi Electra:
- Head coach Efy Birenboim has a full squad available for the team's home opener against Avellino.
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Olympiacos:
- Head coach Panagiotis Giannakis has a full squad available for his team's home opener against Unicaja.
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Unicaja:
- Center German Gabriel is out for several months after suffering torn ankle ligaments in a Spanish League game.
- Swingman Berni Rodriguez is also out for the rest of the calendar year with an ankle injury.
- Guard Alfonso Sanchez will likely miss the entire regular season with a hand injury that required surgery.
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GROUP B
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Asseco Prokom:
- Head coach Tomas Pacesas has a full squad available for his team's home opener against SLUC Nancy.
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Montepaschi Siena:
- Head coach Simone Pianigiani has a full squad available for his team's trip to Lithuania to face Zalgiris Kaunas.
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SLUC Nancy:
- Guard T.J. Parker is expected to miss the entire season with a knee injury.
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Panathinaikos:
- Guard Vassilis Spanoulis remains sidelined with a foot injury and did not travel to play Regal FC Barcelona.
- Forward Fragiskos Alvertis did not travel, either, due to an ongoing leg injury. |
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Regal FC Barcelona:
- Head coach Xavi Pascual has a full squad available for his team’s home opener against Panathinaikos.
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Zalgiris:
- Power forward Paulius Jankunas is expected to retutn to the lineup as Zalgiris hosts Montepaschi.
- Center Ratko Vardo will miss this week's game with a shoulder injury.
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GROUP C
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Alba Berlin:
- Team captain Patrick Femerling is sidelined indefinitely with knee trouble. The club signed forward Dragisa Drobnjak over the weekend to take his place.
- Guard Johannes Herber, who has sat out the last few German League games and Berlin's Euroleague opener with a torn muscle, is thought to be a week away from a return to action.
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DKV Joventut:
- Guard Ricky Rubio is out for another month after undergoing surgery on his right wrist.
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Fenerbahce Ulker:
- Shooting guard Gordan Giricek could make his season debut against Alba Berlin on Thursday.
- Guard Omar Onan will miss the first few games of the regular season while recovering from a knee injury.
- Center Semih Erden has also yet to play this season after suffering an injury over the summer.
- Center Omer Asik is sidelined long term after undergoing surgery to repair damaged ligaments in his knee.
- Rookie guard Serhat Cetin suffers from a knee injury and is doubtful against Berlin.
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Lottomatica Roma:
- Guard Jacopo Giachetti has yet to play this season following a difficult knee injury that ended his season prematurely and required surgery last season.
-Forward Roberto Gabini missed Roma’s Euroleague opener last week with a knee injury, but returned to play in the Italian League over the weekend and is espected to play this week against DKV Joventut at home.
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Tau Ceramica:
- After missing Tau’s Euroleague opener last week, center Tiago Splitter returned to action in the Spanish League over the weekend and should be available for head coach Dusko Ivanovic on Thursday's road game at Union Olimpija.
- Point guard Pablo Prigioni continues to suffer from a toe injury, which has caused him to miss practice time. His participation this week is in question and could be a game day decision.
- Team captain Sergi Vidal is still sidelined with a shoulder injury and did not travel to Slovenia for Thursday's game.
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Union Olimpija:
- Forward Jasmin Hukic has yet to play for head coach Aleksandar Dzikic's squad this season. He will not return against Tau Ceramica.
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GROUP D
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Armani Jeans Milano:
- Guard Massimo Bulleri is doubtful for the game against Efes Pilsen after undergoing surgery on a finger on his left hand. Bulleri will need several weeks before he is 100%, but could be available in the meantime in case of emergency.
- Pape Sow suffered a foot injury over the weekend in an Italian League game at Caserta. His status for Efes Pilsen is questionable.
-Small forward Luca Vitali is doubtful for Wednesday’s game. He missed Milano’s opener last week with a left knee sprain.
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CSKA Moscow:
- Team captain and star forward Matjaz Smodis did not make the trip to Athens to face Panionos On Telecoms. Smodis has yet to play since turning his ankle in the team's Euroleague Basketball American Tour game in Toronto two weeks ago.
- Young guard Alexey Shved was left off the roster for the trip to Athens, also.
- Power forward Andrey Vorontsevich, who missed CSKA’s opener last week with a nagging leg injury, played in the Russian League over the weekend and is available for Wednesday’s game at Panionios.
- Young center Artem Zabelin is out long-term with a knee injury. |
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Efes Pilsen:
- Center Mario Kasun will undergo wrist surgery on Wednesday instead of playing that night's road game at AJ Milano. He is expected to be out of action at least several weeks for recovery.
- Forward Baris Hersek is sidelined as he recovers from a broken finger on his right hand.
- Preston Shumpert, who twisted his ankle two weeks ago, did not travel with the team and will have to wait another week before making his Efes Pilsen debut.
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Panionios On Telecoms:
- Guard Ivan Zoroski remains sidelined with a right leg injury.
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Partizan Igokea:
- Head coach Dusko Vujosevic will have a full squad available for his team’s home opener against Real Madrid.
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Real Madrid:
- Forward Marko Tomas has not returned to action yet after suffering a shoulder injury two weeks ago.
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