Never before in Basketball Champions League history have so many teams competed for a single spot, and never before has it taken four wins to secure it. That is the scenario facing Río Breogán in Samokov, where this afternoon at 18:00 they face the hosts, Rilski Sportist, in the first of a possible series of four matches in six days.
How the team arrives
With good feelings and with the roster still not fully in rhythm. The preseason record stands at five wins and one loss: victories over Sporting CP (110-76), Real Madrid in Pontevedra (110-102), KK Mega Basket at the Pazo (99-90), Obradoiro in the Galician Cup semifinals (81-84), and Boca Juniors in Lugo É Basket (116-82). The only defeat came in the regional final against Leyma Coruña.
Preparation was affected by FIBA windows, which kept Casimiro without Dominik Mavra, Jonathan Kasibabu, and Danko Brankovic for several games, and by physical setbacks for Aleksa Ilic. In the Galician Cup, Rasir Bolton's foot issues were added to the mix, though they haven't prevented him from traveling and he is expected to see significant playing time.
Andersson García is not present, as he has yet to be able to join due to pending bureaucratic procedures to settle in Lugo.
As for the style of play, preseason has made it clear where things are headed: high pace, aggressive pick-and-roll defense, and plenty of ball movement seeking open shots. It's the same approach that worked last season.
The first hurdle
Rilski Sportist is a regular in European basketball. They have played five FIBA Europe Cup group phases in the last six years, though they have never advanced past them. In the most recent one they faced UCAM Murcia and lost both games by more than ten points. In the Bulgarian league they finished third after losing the playoff semifinals to Lokomotiv Plovdiv.
They are coached by Lyubomir Kirov, a young coach who was a player for the club for much of his career, and they maintain a very recognizable core: eight players are returning. Notable renewals include that of Alan Arnett, American shooting guard who averaged 13 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3 assists in European competition, and Bulgarian power forward Hristo Bachkov (6.8 points and 5.7 rebounds). Also continuing are Aleksandar Georgiev, Deyan Hristov, Deyan Karamfilov, Chavdar Kostov, Krasmir Petrov, and Miroslav Vasov.
Of the five new signings, three are American: point guard Malik Johnson, who arrives after a disappointing season in Lithuania, and centers Isaiah Richards (Hapoel Beer Sheva) and Jackson Stormo (Ovarense). Completing the roster are Swiss player Killian Martin, coming from Donar Groningen, and Martin Yordanov.
The full path
If they get past the hosts, Breogán will play the quarterfinals on Thursday at 15:30 against either German side Würzburg Baskets or Manchester, who face each other today at 20:00.
Then comes the toughest part: semifinal on Saturday at 17:00 and final on Sunday at 19:30, two games in just over twenty-four hours. At the end of that entire journey awaits the group phase, where Hapoel Holon, Cholet Basket, and Spartak Office Shoes are already waiting.
Where to watch
TVG broadcasts the qualifying round. The first game can be followed on both their secondary channel and the AGalega platform. In Lugo, there are also initiatives to watch the matches as a group, such as at Sala Tebras, which will project all of the team's games.