MIES (Switzerland) - Season 8 of the Basketball Champions League has reached the end of the Regular Season, meaning this will be the last Power Rankings edition to include all 32 teams.

We are trying to sort these teams based on their overall performance, not just their BCL record. That means that their domestic league results are also taken into account, because you'll feel better about a team that won 10 straight games overall, than about a team that won two BCL games, but lost eight games in their domestic championship.

You can revisit Volume 1 by clicking this link. Then, you can find Volume 2 here. Or, if you don't like old news, just visit the latest edition, Volume 3 right here. The last checkup was in early December, Volume 4.

#32 BK Opava (=)

BCL record: 0-6
Domestic championship record: 14-3

 

#31 Igokea m:tel (=)

BCL record: 0-6
Adriatic League record: 9-3

 

#30 SL Benfica (-5)

BCL record: 1-5
Domestic championship record: 7-3

 

#29 VEF Riga (-2)

BCL record: 2-4
Latvian-Estonian Basketball League record: 11-4

 

#28 King Szczecin (+2)

BCL record: 2-4
Domestic championship record: 8-5

 

#27 EWE Baskets Oldenburg (-6)

BCL record: 2-4
Domestic championship record: 5-6

 

#26 Falco Vulcano Szombathely (+2)

BCL record: 2-4
Domestic championship record: 12-1

 

#25 Bursaspor Info Yatirim (-2)

BCL record: 3-3
Domestic championship record: 6-6

How is this even possible!? A 3-3 team has already been eliminated from the competition...

 

#24 Tofas Bursa (+2)

BCL record: 2-4
Domestic championship record: 6-6

Good news? They are through to the Play-Ins. Bad news? They have to win at least one road game in Thessaloniki against PAOK mateco if they want to win the best-of-three matchup. Doesn't sound all too promising for a club that went 0-4 against teams not named Igokea in their group.

#23 Darussafaka Lassa (-4)

BCL record: 3-3
Domestic championship record: 6-6

With so many guys parting ways with Dacka over the past two weeks, it seemed like they were an inch away from being eliminated, especially since VEF Riga were coming to town riding a winning streak. But out of nowhere, Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman decided to set a new all-BCL season-high with 33 points and also became the first player in the 40s in terms of efficiency this season, at 41.

 

#22 Banco di Sardegna Sassari (=)

BCL record: 2-4
Domestic championship record: 5-7

The only reason Sassari made it through instead of their Polish rivals is their overall BCL experience. Because back on Gameday 1, yes, the very first week of the new season, Sassari knew they were out of the game against King Szczecin, but they also knew it's not the same if they lose by 27 (the highest deficit in that game) or by 8 (the final point differential in that game). Sassari knew every single point counts. Thanks to that comeback, they won the tiebreaker over the Polish champions and moved to the Play-Ins.

#21 Galatasaray EKMAS (+4)

BCL record: 3-3
Domestic championship record: 4-8

This is a different team now that they've got Klemen Prepelic and David McCormack. But they still have a mountain to climb, facing Tortona in the Play-Ins and needing to win at least one game on the road in Italy. Baby steps for now, they ended a three-game losing streak in December and won two of their last three games, so yep, signs of improvement are there.

#20 Rio Breogan (+7)

BCL record: 3-3
Domestic championship record: 4-10

Three seconds. That's how far elimination was for Rio Breogan. They were losing to Telekom Baskets Bonn, and coach Veljko Mrsic decided to give the ball to Justin Anderson to make something happen on possibly their last possession of the season. Anderson went in for the two, forced overtime, saved the season and Breogan live to fight another day. The problem is, they need to win at least one game on the road, at Karsiyaka, to advance to the Round of 16.

 

#19 Peristeri bwin (-1)

BCL record: 3-3
Domestic championship record: 5-5

Hey, you may see it as "Unicaja already knew they won the group and they came in relaxed," but Peristeri fans see it as "we're one of only two teams to defeat Unicaja in all competitions over the last two months". It was the perfect way to warm up for what has become a BCL classic over the past few years - their matchup with Rytas Vilnius in the Play-Ins.

#18 Promitheas Patras (-1)

BCL record: 3-3
Domestic championship record: 7-3

Are you more of a glass half-full kind of a guy and think to yourself "oh sure, they were tested in Opava, but they came through with a win, showed character in a close game"? Or are you more of a glass half-empty kind of a guy and think to yourself "oh my lord, they struggled against Opava!?" Or are you just not the guy to think about random BCL rivalries in your life? Don't answer that. Promitheas are #18, scroll on, buddy.

#17 PAOK mateco (-9)

BCL record: 3-3
Domestic championship record: 5-5

Three straight defeats in all competitions, but one of them was actually a gigantic win, because they managed to keep the deficit under 11 points against Galatasaray to claim the head-to-head advantage and remain in the 2nd spot in the group. Homecourt advantage secured, and the matchup against Tofas Bursa could be feisty because those Greece v Turkiye duels always are.

#16 Filou Oostende (+13)

BCL record: 3-3
BNXT League record: 10-2

It's the most Croatian thing to do, to be swinging on the pendulum of elimination, to face your final possession of the season, and somehow come up with a miraculous shot to save the day. Veljko Mrsic did it with Breogan, Dario Gjergja put the ball into Pierre-Antoine Gillet's hands and the legend delivered the biggest shot of the season. If he had missed that one, their season would've been over and EWE Baskets Oldenburg would've been in the Play-Ins. But Gillet's not missing that shot. No way.

 

#15 Hapoel Holon (-6)

BCL record: 3-3
Domestic championship record: 2-0

Should we be concerned by Holon's back-to-back defeats in the BCL? Should we be concerned about them being on their way down, while their Play-In rivals Oostende are on their way up? Should we be concerned about Holon? Should we be concerned, generally? This team is impossible to read, is what we're saying. From Final Four contenders to no-way-they-are-reaching-sweet-16 crisis. Impossible.

#14 Le Mans Sarthe Basket (0)

BCL record: 3-3
Domestic championship record: 7-9

The good news for MSB? There are no more teams named Falco Vulcano Szombathely in the BCL this season! Hurray!!! Because Le Mans are actually 3-1 when you count their record against Unicaja and Peristeri, and they are actually the best team in the head-to-heads among the top three teams in Group A. More Greeks coming their way, Promitheas Patras are coming to town in Play-Ins.

#13 Pinar Karsiyaka (-8)

BCL record: 3-3
Domestic championship record: 9-3

To be fair, they are still in a very good position with the homecourt advantage in the Play-Ins, and an active eight-game winning streak in the Turkish League. But when you consider they lost three of their last four BCL games, they really wasted a match point to have most of January off and prepare for the Round of 16.

#12 Cholet Basket (+4)

BCL record: 3-3
Domestic championship record: 7-9

Let Kyle Kuzma talk:

 

#11 MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg (+2)

BCL record: 3-3
Domestic championship record: 7-4

Jayvon Graves is still hot. So hot, he led Ludwigsburg to a famous win over AEK BETSSON BC, handing them their first BCL defeat of the season and making sure no teams finish the Regular Season at 6-0. Graves reached double figures in each game this season, and yes, every single Power Rankings about MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg has been about their 24-year-old guard. Hey, happy birthday, man! Enjoy it, we won't talk until December 29 so this is the easiest way to wish you all the best.

#10 Telekom Baskets Bonn (+5)

BCL record: 3-3
Domestic championship record: 7-5

You're probably thinking "wow a 3-3 team in the Top 10 what the..." But you should be thinking "ah yes, the defending champs, of course". They proved that the 'every point matters' mantra is true, leading the four-way tie of teams at 3-3 in their group and booking a flight straight to the Round of 16, with a whole lot of contribution all over the floor. An all-new crew but the same old championship winning mentality over there in Bonn.

#9 Rytas Vilnius (+3)

BCL record: 4-2
Domestic championship record: 12-2

That homecourt advantage hits differently when Rytas Vilnius are in question. Because that arena witnessed some impressive movie-like slow motion game winners this season already, and you know the temperature in Vilnius will be even hotter when elimination games arrive. Four straight BCL wins, six straight wins in all competitions, 9-1 over their last ten games in all competitions, Rytas Vilnius are *probably* the best non-Round of 16 team right now.

 

#8 SIG Strasbourg (+3)

BCL record: 4-2
Domestic championship record: 8-8

Some wondered how Tyrus McGee would fit into this lineup, because he's not your typical SIG Strasbourg Ish Wainright/Bonzie Colson kind of recruit. Some were answered immediately, as McGee counted to 12 and 13 points in his first two games, providing a scoring option off the bench capable of hitting big clutch shots. A BCL veteran, McGee wants to do the same in Season 8 as he did in Season 1, when he helped Umana Reyer Venezia reach the Final Four. Good times. Then and now.

#7 Lenovo Tenerife (+3)

BCL record: 4-2
Domestic championship record: 7-7

If you were told Tenerife hit 17 three-pointers on the road, your first instinct would be to check how many Sasu Salin had, right? Wrong. Tenerife hit 17 threes with Sasu getting 0 of them, showing how deep of a shooting team they are, and how you can do nothing when they start making them. Seven of those came in the fourth quarter against Cholet Basket in their last game, with a scary sight of Marcelinho Huertas celebrating one of his like he just won the BCL again. He's 40, and still the passion is unmatched. Tenerife aren't done, not even close.

#6 JDA Bourgogne Dijon (-4)

BCL record: 5-1
Domestic championship record: 7-9

One defeat and you're down four places. That's how tough this season of the BCL is. Dijon went through a coaching change out of nowhere, after two and a half years the club parted ways with Nenad Markovic and brought back club legend Laurent Legname, the man who led them to Leaders Cup title, Semi-Finals appearance in the BCL and the Final in LNB Pro A, all in the same 2020-21 span. Risky move. Or is it? It shouldn't be, really. But it feels like it maybe is? Oh man this is complicated.

#5 Bertram Derthona Tortona (-2)

BCL record: 5-1
Domestic championship record: 5-7

Hard to remember when was the last time a 5-1 team had to go through Play-Ins, especially since we have a 3-3 team reaching the Round of 16 this season. Tortona are in for a potentially tough matchup with Galatasaray EKMAS, even with the homecourt advantage. But 5-1 and not winning the group is brutal. Just brutal. A slipup away from ending your European run in January...

#4 Unicaja (=)

BCL record: 4-2
Domestic championship record: 11-3

Unicaja's record over the last two months: 14-2. Oh, and those two defeats did not even matter since both of them were in the BCL, where they secured first spot in their group with ease. Still a monster of a team and still one of the biggest contenders to win it all, even with a slower finish to the Regular Season than we're used to from them.

#3 UCAM Murcia (+4)

BCL record: 5-1
Domestic championship record: 9-5

Wait a minute... A Spanish team other than Unicaja or Tenerife in the Top 3!? That's how good UCAM Murcia have been all season long, and consider this a reward for their five-game winning run in the Basketball Champions League, narrowly edging out Tortona in the battle for a direct ticket to the Round of 16. Talk to us, Dylan Ennis:

 

#2 AEK BETSSON BC (-1)

BCL record: 5-1
Domestic championship record: 5-5

So close! AEK lost a tight game in Germany, suffering their first defeat of the season, and missing out on the fact that they could've been the only 6-0 team of the Regular Season. But hey, 5-1 is still more than impressive. Those 2018 and 2020 comparisons are legit, the one with 2018 especially, because they get to face UCAM Murcia - their 2018 Semi-Finals rival - in the Round of 16 now. Oh, and they are finally at .500 in the Greek League, that horrible start to the season is erased completely now.

#1 Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem (+5)

BCL record: 5-1
Domestic championship record: 1-2

Instead of writing anything about Jerusalem playing full throttle even though they already secured a spot in the Round of 16, here you go, enjoy this quote by Levi Randolph: "I like to compete. I think we're very fortunate to play this game. I would never cheat the game, because if you cheat the game you won't get the results. I say we have the best job in the world, playing the game we love."

That's why they are number one. That's why.

 

*The power rankings are entirely subjective and is in no way a true, accurate ranking systems. All comments are purely those of the author.