NIKEiD Fantasy Challenge, Top 16 Week 5 update

Fantasy ChallengeWith just two dates left to play, a new leader atop the overall standings proves that anything can happen still in NIKEid Fantasy Challenge. There was a new prize winner in Last 16, Week 4, as David Ortiz Cuenca of Spain saw his team "cuckoo clocks of hell" register the highest score, 221.9 points, which was 9.4 points ahead everyone else. David wins an official Euroleague game ball and this season's official Media Guide on DVD. He'll also be entered in the end-of-season drawing for more prizes. The weekly prizes and end-of-season drawing mean that even if you don't have NIKEid Fantasy Challenge teams yet, or you want to start new ones, there are still chances to win. Meanwhile, the race for the grand prize had a huge turnaround that left a new leader atop the overall standings, none other than Xuban Epelde of Spain. Xuban scored 192.5 points with his team "xubanovic5" and now has a 14-week total of 2,369.7 points - 25 points better than anyone else! He must be careful, however, as three other players - including regular season winner Vidas Kaluzevicius of Lithuania - have more than 2,340 points and, with a performance like his own in Last 16 Week 4, could turn the tables just as suddenly . Of course, all are shooting for the grand prize, VIP status at the 2009 Final Four in Berlin as a guest of Euroleague Basketball. Meanwhile, in the Top 16 standings - whose winner gets a special prize, too - Daniel Boluda of Spain remains best after four weeks of the new phase with 790.2 points for his team "Pantomimotion", almost 30 points better than anyone else. The next NIKEid Fantasy Challenge deadline will be on Wednesday, March 4 at 17:15 CET, one hour before the first game of Top 16 Week 4, which is CSKA Moscow vs. Fenerbahce Ulker. Keep playing for your chance to win!


FANTASY CHALLENGE RUNDOWN
GROUP E

Tau Ceramica

Tau Ceramica:
- Head coach Dusko Ivanovic has a full squad available for Wednesday’s game at Asseco Prokom.

Olympiacos

Olympiacos:
- Forward Giorgos Printezis sat out the Greek League derby against Panathinaikos due to a kidney injury he suffered in practice. His participation Thursday against Armani Jeans is in doubt.
- Forward Josh Childress has returned to practice after undergoing a hernia operation and could play this week.

Armani Jeans Milano

AJ Milano:
- Head coach Piero Bucchi has a full squad available for its game at Olympiacos.

Asseco Prokom

Asseco Prokom:
- Head coach Tomas Pacesas has a full squad available for Wednesday’s game against Tau Ceramica.
GROUP F

Regal FC Barcelona

Regal FC Barcelona:
- Guard Jaka Lakovic could be able to re-appear against Real Madrid after undergoing nose surgery to remove a benign tumor.

Real Madrid

Real Madrid:
- Head coach Joan Plaza has a full squad available for the game at Barcelona.

Maccabi Electra

Maccabi Electra:
- D’Or Fischer is out for the remainder of the Top 16 after undergoing surgery for facial cuts.

Alba Berlin

Alba Berlin:
- Center Patrick Femerling remains sidelined after undergoing knee injury.
GROUP G

Unicaja

Unicaja:
- Center Robert Archibald missed practice time this week due to the flu, but is expected to be back in uniform for Wednesday’s game against Lottomatica.
- Swingman Jiri Welsch has been sidelined with a sprained ankle and big man Boni NDong has missed practice due to back pain. Both players will be game-day decisions for Wednesday's contest.
- Big man German Gabriel is sidelined with a microfacture in his right Achilles' heel.

Virtus Roma

Lottomatica Roma:
- Head coach Nando Gentile has full squad available for Wednesday’s game against Unicaja.

Panathinaikos

Panathinaikos:
- Head coach Zeljko Obradovic has a full squad available for Thursday’s game at Partizan.

Partizan

Partizan:
- Head coach Dusko Vujosevic has a full squad available for Thursday’s game against Panathinaikos.
GROUP H

CSKA Moscow

CSKA Moscow:
- Team captain Matjaz Smodis suffered from flu-like symptoms this week, which caused him to miss some training sessions. He is expected to play on Wednesday.

Montepaschi Siena

Montepaschi Siena:
- On the eve of its do-or-die game with Cibona, Siena lost all-Euroleague forward Ksistof Lavrinovic for at least 30 days with a broken hand.

Fenerbahce Ulker

Fenerbahce Ulker:
- Swingman Devin Smith has been bothered by a rib injury, but is expected to play against CSKA Moscow on Wednesday.
- Center Omer Asik has yet to play this season after undergoing surgery this summer to repair damaged ligaments in his knee.

Cibona

Cibona:
- Head coach Velimir Perasovic has a full squad available for Thursday’s game at Montepaschi.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Euroleague.net