Qualifying Round A, Game 1 preview: Siauliai vs. Galatasaray Cafe Crown
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Galatasaray Cafe Crown begins the long road that it hopes will result in another trip to the Final Eight as it travels to Siauliai for the first leg of the first round of Eurocup qualifying. Head coach Murat Ozyer returns after leading the Turkish club to last season’s ULEB Cup semifinals, but has a new-look squad led by guards Marshall Strickland and Antonio Graves, while returnee playmaker Cuneyt Erden will help teach them the system. Big man Dejan Milojevic and the competition’s former MVP and scoring champ, Milan Gurovic, both provide some big game experience for Ozyer's team. Huseyin Besok is still a reliable center in the post with big man Andrija Zizic coming over from Panathinaikos. That group will likely have to log plenty of minutes unless the young Turkish players prove they are ready to accept more responsibility. Siauliai of Lithuania meanwhile has already played two games against Eurocup sides in the Baltic league, winning at home against Tartu Rock and losing at Barons. Point guard Gediminas Maceina returns as the man to run the show while center Saulius Kuzminskas is also back in the mix. Most of the rest of the team is new after it did not qualify for the Top 32 last season. Virginijus Praskevicius is a force at power forward with Vitalijus Stanevicius also available in the blocks. And Andrius Slezas and Gintaras Kadziulis both can heat up and provide a major spark from long range. In addition, veteran Gintautas Vileita can man both guard positions for Siauliai.
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Eurocupbasketball.com
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