MIES (Switzerland) - There are tough draws, and then there's Peristeri's path in Group K. Lenovo Tenerife are the two-time BCL winners, while Pinar Karsiyaka and Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem reached the Final of this competition, in 2021 and 2023, respectively.

Basketball Champions League Season 8 wastes no time, and the Round of 16 starts already next week. That gives us just enough time to introduce the four groups, answering four crucial questions. Let's look at Group K.

		GAMES				GAME POINTS					POINTS
#	Team	P	W	L	%	For	Agt	+/-	FA	AA
1	Lenovo Tenerife	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Peristeri bwin	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Pinar Karsiyaka	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Lenovo Tenerife (Spain)

How did they get here?
Four wins, two defeats in Regular Season Group C, finishing just in front of Cholet Basket and Darussafaka Lassa, two wins clear of bottom-placed VEF Riga.
Have they been here before?
Tenerife won the first edition of the BCL in 2017, reached the Final in 2019, played two more Final 8s in 2020 and 2021, losing in the Quarter-Finals both times, before lifting the trophy for the second time in 2022, and finishing third in 2023.
What's their biggest strength?
The offense Txus Vidorreta has created is still flawless, and Tenerife own a BCL-leading 62.1 mark in true shooting percentage. They are third-best in offensive efficiency, and they also lead the League in made three-pointers, knocking down 12 per game. This is typical Tenerife DNA.
What's their biggest weakness?
The question is always, what happens in that one or two games when the shots aren't falling, and the answer is: they are in trouble. Because only Bursaspor Info Yatirim and Falco Vulcano Szombathely had a worse offensive rebounding ratio than Tenerife, as Vidorreta's men claim only 26 of 100 rebounds available under the opponents' rim.

Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem (Israel)

How did they get here?
Five wins, one defeat in Regular Season Group G. They finished two wins clear of PAOK mateco and Galatasaray EKMAS and cruised to the Round of 16.
Have they been here before?
They joined the BCL in 2018, made the Quarter-Finals in their first two seasons, and played the Final last season, losing out to Telekom Baskets Bonn in Malaga.
What's their biggest strength?
Everything! All the advanced stats are putting Jerusalem right on top of the relevant tables, with the Net Rating being the most impressive: It's an eye-turning t 20.8, comfortably the best in the league this season.
What's their biggest weakness?
They went through a coaching change during the break. Coach Aleksandar Dzikic left the team due to personal reasons, and they brought in Ilias Kantzouris. The Greek playcaller is one of the most respected names in the business, but it remains to be seen: Can he fill Dzikic's shoes?

Peristeri bwin (Greece)

How did they get here?
A 3-3 record in Regular Season Group A meant they finished third and didn't have homecourt advantage in the Play-Ins. It did not matter, as they swept Rytas Vilnius in two games and moved to the Round of 16 with ease.
Have they been here before?
They made the Round of 16 in 2020, back when the old format was still in place. It was one of their current group rivals who ended their run. Jerusalem swept Peristeri 2-0 to reach the Final 8 back then. This is the second time Peristeri get this far in the BCL.
What's their biggest strength?
They have a man called Joe Ragland on their roster. After a slow start to the season, the 34-year-old finally clicked with coach Vassilis Spanoulis, picking up three double-doubles in points and assists over the last four BCL games, including the first ever 25-point, 15-assist performance in BCL history. The fourth game in that streak? 10 points and 9 assists against Unicaja. He's unstoppable at the moment.
What's their biggest weakness?
Defense is an issue, and it has been all season long for Peristeri. They allow 116.2 points per 100 possessions, way too high of a mark to get anywhere in this competition.

Pinar Karsiyaka (Turkiye)

How did they get here?
Three home wins, three road defeats in Group E, finishing a spot below SIG Strasbourg and a spot above Filou Oostende thanks to their tiebreaker. They then moved to the Play-Ins, winning two games at home and losing one on the road against Rio Breogan. There is a pattern here, home and away.
Have they been here before?
In 2021, Karsiyaka played the Final, losing out to Hereda San Pablo Burgos in Nizhny Novgorod. They've been to the Quarter-Finals in 2017 and 2018, and this season marks the end of their Play-Ins curse against the Spaniards - they lost back-to-back Play-Ins matchups against Lenovo Tenerife and UCAM Murcia over the last two seasons.
What's their biggest strength?
Individual talent is off the charts in this lineup. Errick McCollum is the crafty veteran, the two Browns can win a game by themselves on their night, and coach Ufuk Sarica unleashed a beast inside the arc with Vernon Carey Jr. The scary lefty center is a double-double machine and an elite rim protector.
What's their biggest weakness?
Controlling the rebounds could be an issue. Karsiyaka love playing small ball - or at least 'smaller' ball - leading to them grabbing just 31.4 rebounds per game. This is the  fourth-lowest mark this season, and the lowest among all Round of 16 teams.