LISBON (Portugal) - The Basketball Champions League will get another passenger to the Regular Season from the group playing in Portugal. Benfica have the home court advantage, Brose Bamberg are the biggest name in the draw, while Keravnos also have Regular Season experience in the BCL.

Norrkoping Dolphins from Sweden, Budivelnyk from Ukraine, and Golden Eagle Ylli from Kosovo are on the other end of the scale, hoping for an upset or two.

Norrkoping Dolphins

Who are they?

The champions of Sweden, back-to-back champions in fact, and seven-time champions overall in the country, Norrkoping Dolphins are playing under that name since 1992. Previously, they had been Hageby BK, named after a district in Norrkoping. They already tried their luck in the BCL, but failed to advance from the Qualifying Rounds back in 2018.

 

Who to watch?

Nick Spires is a notable name for all of those who followed the Swedish national team for the past few years. The seven-footer is coming back home after five years abroad, and alongside Zach Thomas and Koby McEwen, he will be responsible for putting up points on the scoreboard.

What do they need to reach the Basketball Champions League Regular Season?

They have a mountain to climb, facing Budivelnyk in the Quarter-Finals while Brose Bamberg await in the Semi-Finals. If they survive both of those challenges, then Keravnos, SL Benfica or Golden Eagle Ylli would be the last hurdle in the Final.

Budivelnyk

Who are they?

The most successful Ukrainian club, Budivelnyk have won the national championship a record 10 times since 1992, three more than Azovmash. They went 23-8 last season, holding the second spot in the Ukrainian Superleague before the season was suspended.

 

Who to watch?

Archie Goodwin has 165 NBA games in his career, Anthony Barber made the Atlanta Hawks roster last season, Alec Brown is a big name for those who followed Estudiantes and Rio Breogan in the Spanish League, and Jerai Grant is back for another run in the BCL, after his time with Neptunas Klaipeda, SIG Strasbourg and AEK.

What do they need to reach the Basketball Champions League Regular Season?

Gel together as soon as possible to match the names on the roster with the games on the floor. They are up against the Dolphins in the Quarter-Finals, with Brose Bamberg waiting in the Semis.

Brose Bamberg

Who are they?

Nine-time German champions, also reached the Final of their domestic championship on three other occasions. Their best season in the BCL came back in 2018-19, when they reached the Final Four in Antwerp, Belgium, and Tyrese Rice was selected as the season MVP. They reached the Playoffs in Germany last season, but lost to Alba Berlin in the Quarter-Finals.

 

Who to watch?

Justin Wright-Foreman could be the man for coach Oren Amiel, and he will have Jaromir Bohacik and Christian Sengfelder straight back from the FIBA EuroBasket 2022, ready to go on the club level. But overall, this seems like a team that will be winning games with five men in double figures instead of one guy going for 30+.

What do they need to reach the Basketball Champions League Regular Season?

Live up to the hype. Freak City is still in their rebuilding phase, but missing out on the Regular Season last time around put a dent in their progress. They are the favorites to win this group, that seeded team status will have them rested for the Semi-Finals and ready to go to battle.

Golden Eagle Ylli

Who are they?

Back-to-back champions of Kosovo, they also won the inaugural season of the Liga Unike, the regional league in Albania and Kosovo. They are one of the oldest clubs in Kosovo, founded back in 1975, with a strong fan base at home, attempting their first shot of making it into the BCL.

 

Who to watch?

Malcolm Armstead loves playing in the area, he has played for Prishtina, Peja and Gostivar previously, and now arrives from Kavala in Greece, ready to run the offense for coach Adis Beciragic. Beciragic, who also goes by Aziz Bekir, just coached the BIH national team at the FIBA EuroBasket 2022, and he will rely on Ismet Sejfic's gigantic frame inside to do the damage.

What do they need to reach the Basketball Champions League Regular Season?

They need a miracle, because they've got the toughest possible draw, facing the hosts Benfica in the Quarter-Finals. But coach Beciragic knows how to stun the favorites, and a win over Benfica would put them in the Semi-Finals against Keravnost.

SL Benfica

Who are they?

The champions of Portugal, the hosts of the Qualification Rounds, the record holders in most categories of Portuguese basketball. Their title in 2022 was their 28th, they won the Cup 22 times, they also have 12 League Cup trophies and 14 Super Cups. They were a couple of inches away from reaching the BCL in 2016-17, when they lost to Varese on a last second shot. They were close a season later, too, when Lukoil Academic stopped them, and they lost to Mornar Bar in the Qualification Rounds in 2019-20.

 

Who to watch?

Pick your poison: Toney Douglas, NBA veteran with nearly 400 games in the League; Ivan Almeida, who introduced himself to BCL with ERA Nymburk; Tomas Barroso, the legend in his 12th season with Benfica; Aaron Broussard, who played for Anwil Wloclawek and Nizhny Novgorod among others; Makrem Ben Romdhane, the FIBA AfroBasket 2021 MVP; Maik Zirbes, the German center with numerous trophies in his career...

What do they need to reach the Basketball Champions League Regular Season?

Withstand the pressure of hosting an event like this. They will be strong favorites in the Quarter-Finals against Ylli, and if they advance they would take on the same role against Keravnos. If they reach the Final, it could get interesting with the crowd involved in Lisbon.

Keravnos

Who are they?

The reigning Cypriot champions, winning the title eight times and reaching the Finals in 11 other seasons. Keravnos still hold the best results by a club from Cyprus in European competitions, when they reached the Quarter-Finals in the FIBA Saporta Cup in 2001, and when they played the title game in the FIBA EuroCup Challenge in 2007. They played the BCL Regular Season back in 2020-21, upsetting Iraklis and Donar Groningen in the Qualification Rounds.

 

Who to watch?

Ousman Krubally has BCL experience from PAOK and Happy Casa Brindisi, and there are a number of Cyprus national team players, led by Simon Michail. But coach Michail Kakiouzis will expect a lot from Remy Abell, the 30-year-old point guard who had impressive numbers in Finland, Hungary and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

What do they need to reach the Basketball Champions League Regular Season?

That extra day of rest will come in handy for Keravnos, as they wait for the winner of the Golden Eagle Ylli v SL Benfica matchup. Two wins is all it takes, they already did that back in 2020.

The full schedule of the games in Lisbon is available here. The winner of this group will advance to the Regular Season Group F, alongside BAXI Manresa, VEF Riga and Limoges CSP.