Strasbourg – Oostende

International - Champions League, Group E, Round 2

31/10/2023 - 20:00 CET

Strasbourg has played numerous games so far, primarily due to their participation in the FIBA Champions League qualifiers. They successfully navigated through the qualifiers, defeating Jonava, Ness Ziona and Obradoiro, securing a spot in the group stage. In the first round, they also managed to beat Oldenburg on the road (83:85). On paper, this Strasbourg team isn't particularly dominant. Their best player is Phil Booth, who had a terrible season with Buducnost last year. Their 3-5 record in the domestic league more realistically reflects their lack of quality. One of their key contributors is veteran Paul Lacombe, though his prime time is well behind him. When talking about Strasbourg, it's more about a team that will struggle to make the playoffs in their domestic league rather than one of the most powerful French clubs, as it was in the past. 

Oostende has dominated Belgian basketball for over a decade. They've won 12 consecutive titles, all under the guidance of Croatian head coach Dario Gjergja. He has established such dominance that he's highly regarded in the country and has been entrusted with leading the national team since 2018. This season, Oostende has assembled a very good team. They have longtime Valencia player Sam Van Rossom, perhaps the best Belgian basketball player of this century. Recently, they signed Ilmane Diop, a former Unicaja center, while RJ Nembhard and Damien Jefferson are expected to bring extra quality. In the first round of the FIBA Champions League, they suffered a convincing defeat to Pinar Karsiyaka (94:77), but many more prominent clubs have lost on that court this season, including Fenerbahce. 

Oostende has recorded impressive results in the FIBA Champions League in previous seasons. Last year, they managed to defeat teams like Galatasaray and Bahcesehir on the road. This team is always well-coached, and everyone understands their roles. You won't see many careless turnovers or hasty three-point attempts. The same cannot be said for Strasbourg. When comparing the individual talent of both teams, it doesn't appear that Strasbourg is excessively dominant. Hence, Oostende should be capable of staying close until the end and perhaps even causing an unexpected upset.