Basketball Season is Officially Back!
As the month of September transitions to October, you can feel an electrified energy in the air, knowing Basketball season has officially begun! Over the weekend several leagues from around the world saw first round (even second round for some) as they tipped off for the 2014-15 regular season. The hunt for those highly coveted league titles begin now.
Here is a quick recap of the games that took place over the weekend:
Friday, September 26
Austria
The Austrian A Bundesliga capped off their Round 1 action with four games. Kapfenberg, Oberwart, Vienna, and Gmunden all secured victories. Fans were already hungry for more basketball after being treated to an exciting double-overtime game between the defending champions Gussing Knights and WBC Raiffeisen Wels the night before. The Wels edged out the Knights 105-103 (2OT).
ECE Bulls Kapfenberg vs. Yourgoody Dukes Klosterneuberg, 78-62
Redwell Gunners Oberwart vs. UBSC Raiffeisen Graz, 84-73
Raiffeisen Furstenfeld Panthers vs. BC Zepter Vienna, 77-78
Arkadia Traiskirchen Lions vs. Allianz Swans Gmunden, 81-99
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic NBL opened their regular season way back in September 22 with CEZ Nymburk flexing their dominance over SLUNETA Usti nad Labem, 85-66. The second game of Round of the NBL’s regular season took place on Friday with BK Pardubice landing a convincing victory over BK Nova Hut Ostrava 84-71, to get their first notch on their win column.
France
The French Pro A tipped off with Pau-Lac-Orthez hosting Entente Orleans 45 and defending their homecourt, 72-60.
United Kingdom
The British BBL opened up their 2014-15 season with a three games much to the delight of the eager fans.
One Health Sharks Sheffield vs. Durham Wildcats, 83-70
Newcastle Eagles vs. Worcester Wolves, 81-86
Surrey United vs. London Lions, 73-89
Saturday, September 27
Czech Republic
The bulk of Round 1 of the NBL was played out with three games on tap.
BK Opava vs. Geosan Kolin, 85-68
BK Decin vs. Lions Jindrichuv Hradec, 97-81
Qanto Turi Svitavy vs. JBC MMCite Brno, 80-71
France
Majority of Round 1 of the French Pro A regular season took place on Saturday with five games scheduled. Nanterre, Le Havre, Paris-Levallois, Cholet, and Rouen all took care of business and brought home victories.
Bourg vs. Le Havre, 73-81
Chalons-Reims vs. Paris-Levallois, 84-85
Cholet vs. Dijon, 81-73
Le Mans vs. Rouen, 61-63
Nanterre vs. Chalon-sur-Saone, 89-66
Germany
The German Pro A began their 2014-15 season with a bang! Six games were scheduled to open the season. Which team will win this season’s title and get elevated to the premier German Bundesliga? The exciting race for the top spot tipped off with several convincing wins and a couple of tightly contested games as well.
Gotha vs. Finke Baskets, 70-72
s.Oliver Baskets vs. Cuxhaven, 114-63
ETB Wohnbau vs. Chemnitz, 96-82
Kirschheim vs. Nuernberg, 92-83
Vechta vs. Bayer Giants, 71-63
Giessen 46ers vs. Hamburg, 65-66
United Kingdom
Bristol AF and the Leicester Riders secured victories in their 2014-15 Round 1 debuts.
Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders vs. Manchester Giants, 104-82
Bristol Academy Flyers vs. Plymouth Raiders, 65-56
Lithuania
The Lithuanian LKL is already in Round 2 of their 2014-15 regular season. Three games were played out and already 2014 finalist Neptunas Klaipeda has gotten to a scorching 2-0 start this season, with back-to-back dominant victories. They are hungry for another shot at the Lithuanian league title and are already on pace for a strong season.
Tonybet Prienu vs. Lietkabelis Panevezys, 88-81
Neptunas vs. Mazeikiu, 110-64
Dzukija Alytus vs. Lietuvos Rytas, 86-73
Sunday, September 28
Austria
Three games were played out from Round 2 of the Austrian A Bundesliga. Both Gmunden and Kapfenberg secured for themselves the first official winning streaks of the season at 2-0.
Allianz Swans Gmunden vs. Redwell Gunner Oberwart, 79-61
WBC Kraftwerk Wels vs. ECE Bulls Kapfenberg, 81-89
UBSC Raiffeisen Graz vs. Magnofit Gussinger Knights, 46-124
Germany
The German Pro A completed their Round 1 action with a couple of games. Both Baunach and Heidelberg got their first notches on their win columns.
Science City Jena vs. Bike-Cafe Messingschlager Baunach, 53-79
Team Ehingen Urspring vs. MLP Academics Heidelberg, 63-75
Lithuania
Nevezis closed out Round 1 of the LKL regular season schedule with a 95-84 win over Pieno Zvaigzdes.