The Aragonese side, alongside Italy's Familia Schio, who host Galatasaray in the fourth round of European action this Thursday, are the only teams yet to taste defeat in this edition of the continent's premier competition. This achievement is not merely a matter of prestige, as the EuroLeague's revamped format places particular importance on the results from this first phase. All wins and losses are carried into the next round and could ultimately prove decisive in the battle to reach the final stage.
Once the first round concludes, the top three teams in each group will advance to the second round. There, Casademont, who have already secured their place, will face the teams that qualify from the group featuring Familia Schio, Crvena zvezda, Galatasaray and Basket Mechelen. For now, the Italian side leads the standings with a 3-0 record, followed by Crvena zvezda at 2-1. Galatasaray are third with one win and two losses, while the Belgian team have yet to open their account.
Casademont still have to visit Lithuania's Kibirkstis and host Greece's Athinaikos in the first round. Photo: FIBA
In that second phase, the Aragonese side will play six games, two against each of the three teams coming from the other group, with one game at home and one away. That will determine which teams claim the top two places in each new group and earn direct access to the Final Six. For that reason, the excellent record Casademont are building in these opening rounds could become a significant advantage heading into the decisive stage of the European competition.
THE WINS NEEDED TO REACH THE FINAL SIX
The precedents from the last two editions, since the introduction of the new format with the Final Six as the concluding stage, provide an idea of how demanding that battle will be. Two seasons ago, Valencia Basket reached the final stage with a 7-3 record, while Familia Schio needed nine wins (9-3). Last season, both Spar Girona and Basket Landes secured direct qualification with eight wins and four losses (8-4).
With those records as a benchmark, Casademont have already completed a significant part of the task. Two rounds remain to close the first phase, followed by six more games in the second, but the four wins already accumulated provide a valuable foundation for the road to the Final Six. Carlos Cantero's team have secured their continued presence in Europe and now want to turn their magnificent start into something even more ambitious: once again ranking among the continent's best teams and doing so, moreover, at home, in front of their supporters at Zaragoza's Príncipe Felipe.
