3 Romanian Cup Quarter Final Preview

On the 5th of January starts the 2015 basketball season in Romania. After only a short 12 day break, six of the 13 teams have to suit up for the Romanian Cup Quarter Finals. Only six because the double feature between CSU Ploiesti and BC Timisoara will only be played in March due to the Eurocup participation of the Romanian Champions.

All three of these encounters promise to be attractive ones, even if judging after the championship standings of the teams outline three clear favorites to qualify for the Final Four tournament.

In the first game, last year's cup winners Energia Tirgu Jiu will host CSU Atlassib Sibiu. After a tough half season, in which they also played in Eurochallenge, and qualified for the last 16, Energia finished only in 8th place in the championship. On the other part Sibiu had an up-and-down season, but they had finished strong and occupied 4th place after 12 games. At first glance Sibiu are favorites but Energia can always bring their game to an other level and surprise the visitors.

The second game  will square up Steaua CSM Eximbank Bucuresti and BC Mures Tirgu Mures. The two teams met in the first round, and Steaua came away with the overall win after two very tight games. BC Mures qualified as the best of the six first round losers. Steaua is the odds on favorite in this one, as they are in first place in the National League, with BC Mures standing in a lowly 9th. I wouldn't rule out the visitors though, as they signed Kyndall Dykes at the Christmas break. Dykes has already known success in Romania, winning a League Title with Cluj in 2012. New signing Goran Gajovic proved to be an important piece of the Sekulovic puzzle in the two games he played for BC Mures, the win against Tirgu Jiu and the narrow loss in Cluj in the last round of the championship. Niksa Bavcevic didn't have to make any roster changes at the break, his team being in first place with only one loss in twelve games.

The last game of the day opposes BC Timba Timisoara and BCM U Pitesti.  On paper Pitesti are the favorites, as they sit in 3rd place in the championship as opposed to Timba's 12th. But Timba proved to be a tough team to beat in the last games of the autumn season, and can be a dangerous opponent to anyone who disregards them before the  game.

Here is the full schedule of the Romanian Cup Quarter Finals first leg:

1. Energia Tirgu Jiu - CSU Atlassib Sibiu, Monday, 5th of January, 18:00, LIVE on Digisport 2

2. Steaua CSM Eximbank Bucuresti - BC Mures Tirgu Mures, 5th of January, 20:00, LIVE on Digisport 2

3. BC Timba Timisoara - BCM U Pitesti, 5th of January, 20:00

4. CSU Asesoft Ploiesti - BC Timisoara, 18th of March