BOTEVGRAD, Bulgaria (Interstat) — Manresa will visit Balkan on Tuesday in a matchup of teams looking to steady their seasons. Balkan is the home side at its Botevgrad arena, and the game will pit a Manresa squad that enters at 2-7 against a Balkan team that is 3-4. Manresa’s most recent outing ended in a 99-81 home loss to Miraflores, while Balkan comes in following an 84-73 road win over Tundja Yambol. The home side will try to build on that result as it returns to Botevgrad.

Manresa’s challenge will be to slow the game and get consistent production at both ends. Nick Ongenda is the player to watch for Manresa. In his most recent game, Ongenda finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks while playing 23 minutes. He also had 20 points and seven rebounds in an earlier win over BC Roma and 10 points, two rebounds, three assists and three blocks in a road game at Bahcesehir Kol. His recent stretch also includes seven points and seven rebounds against Unicaja and 10 points with one block at Real Madrid. Ongenda’s ability to protect the rim and finish around the basket will be important against a Balkan team that has shown it can score in bunches, including a 101-point effort against Levski Sofia. Pierre Oriola added 11 points and two rebounds in Manresa’s most recent game, and Jd Notae had 15 points, one rebound and four assists. Manresa will need that supporting production to complement Ongenda.

For Balkan, Pavlin Ivanov is the player to watch. Ivanov has been the team’s most productive perimeter option of late, including a 32-point, two-rebound performance in the win at Tundja Yambol. He also scored 10 points with two rebounds and four assists in a game at BC Roma and had eight points and one rebound against Lietkabelis. Aleksandar Stoimenov added 12 points and eight rebounds in the most recent win, while Gael Bonilla contributed six points, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Balkan’s home crowd and its ability to generate offense from multiple spots should make this a difficult test for Manresa.

Manresa’s next stretch includes games at Baskonia and Panevezys before home dates with Obradoiro and Bosna. Balkan will host CSKA Sofia before road games at Bosna and Spartak Pleven. Both teams will have little time to recover before their next scheduled games.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Balkan 96, Manresa 95. Manresa has been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -9.5. The over/under for the game is 169.5.