MIES (Switzerland) - Season 8 of the Basketball Champions League is nearing the end of the Round of 16, so we are headed towards the most crucial stage of the season. It's time for a Power Rankings update.

We are trying to rank all 16 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 the previous editions of the Power Rankings here: Volume 1 |  Volume 2 | Volume 3 | Volume 4 | Volume 5 | Volume 6 | Volume 7 | Volume 8.

#16 AEK BETSSON BC (=)

BCL record: 5-5
Domestic championship record: 8-12

At least Mindaugas Kuzminskas gave us something positive to talk about last week.

 

#15 SIG Strasbourg (=)

BCL record: 4-6
Domestic championship record: 12-13

They've had their slumps, they've had stretches of six straight defeats, which is quite normal for a team that's been with the BCL since day one. But then again, something is not normal. Strasbourg have established somewhat of an identity in their BCL years, that of a physical, not-too-tall team with hard working guys all over the floor. That's why it's unacceptable to see them allow 90+ points in three of their last four games. You wanna know how weird that number is? To find three 90-point games by their opponents before these last four bouts, you'd have to dig 47 games deep in the BCL archives. The defense is gone. So are my fingers after scrolling through that excel sheet of 47 Strasbourg games.

#14 JDA Bourgogne Dijon (-2)

BCL record: 6-4
Domestic championship record: 11-14

Should we be worried? JDA were LLL Dijon in their last three games, and they are only 3-7 across their last ten games in all competitions. Horrible timing for a losing streak, not just because they could be out of the hunt for the BCL Quarter-Finals, but also because they could miss out on the Play-Offs in France. Such a weird season for Dijon, they still own a winning record in the BCL, but could be out this week already.

#13 Galatasaray EKMAS (=)

BCL record: 6-6
Domestic championship record: 11-11

Three straight wins after five straight defeats in all competitions. Just like that, their season is in perfect balance at 17-17. Why do you feel like they should be a 24-10 team, at least? Because seven of those 17 defeats were by single possession margins. Think about it, seven made shots more for the season, and they could've have a Tenerife-like win-loss record. Their math is simple, they need to win both of their remaining BCL games or they are out.

#12 Pinar Karsiyaka (-3)

BCL record: 6-7
Domestic championship record: 15-7

Errick McCollum on Friday: "You know, now I'm kind of on that part of the rollercoaster where it's winding down. I'm 36. I'm just enjoying the last ride."
Errick McCollum on Sunday: 31 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, a win to send KSK to 15-7 in the BSL in Turkiye.

 

#11 Tofas Bursa (-3)

BCL record: 6-7
Domestic championship record: 9-13

Matchpoint wasted. Tofas could've been through to the Round of 16 already with a win over Cholet, but they failed to do so. The second match point is a bit tougher than the first one, since they have Unicaja in town this week, but even if they waste that one, they'll have another one next week, against SIG Strasbourg. And if they waste that one, too, well, that's on them then.

#10 Peristeri bwin (+4)

BCL record: 6-6
Domestic championship record: 13-7

Despite struggling in the BCL, Peristeri are still the best-ranked Greek BCL team in their domestic championship, and with Joe Ragland on hand, it's not that hard to imagine Peristeri could finish at 3-3 after that abysmal 0-3 start to the Round of 16. The problem with that math, though is that it would include wins against two of the top three teams on these power rankings...

#9 Hapoel Holon (+2)

BCL record: 7-6
Domestic championship record: 9-7

Simple math: Win or go home. Holon need to defeat Promitheas, and it would be thoughtful of them to do it within two hours and 44 minutes, so yeah, at least a minute faster compared to their triple-overtime drama against AEK BETSSON BC. It was only the third triple OT game in BCL history, Holon's fourth game with at least two overtimes, and their first win in such a matchup!

 

#8 Cholet Basket (+2)

BCL record: 7-6
Domestic championship record: 13-12

The good news? They are on a three-game winning streak, a welcome change to them losing five straight in January and February. The bad news? They did not win the tiebreaker over Tofas Bursa, meaning a Tofas win and a Cholet defeat eliminates the French guys. But come on now, they are so full of confidence now that they won three straight games by a total of (wait... counting...) 9 points. Yep, +4 against Limoges CSP, +3 against Tofas Bursa, +2 against JL Bourg. Wait, does that mean they'll beat SIG by 1 now?

#7 Promitheas Patras (=)

BCL record: 7-4
Domestic championship record: 12-8

Three straight wins, 6-1 in their last seven games across all competitions. Promitheas figured it out. Soooo... "Why didn't you put them higher then, brate," you're probably wondering. It's because they did not win by a 10-point margin in their matchup with UCAM Murcia, meaning they don't own that tiebreaker. And also, Hapoel Holon are right there in their rear view mirror, blinking with white LED headlights like an SUV speeding behind you in a highway. This is the week we learn if Promitheas will hit the gas pedal or move to the slower lane.

#6 MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg (=)

BCL record: 7-5
Domestic championship record: 14-9

Just click play.

 

#5 UCAM Murcia (-1)

BCL record: 8-2
Domestic championship record: 15-9

Don't worry about UCAM Murcia losing a spot. Their eight-game winning streak was snapped in the BCL, but they are back home this week, which means their 5-0 home record will be put to the test now. But it's a tough test, one of the toughest in this competition. Because Murcia are 21-1 over their last 22 BCL home games. That's why they won't settle just for a top two finish in Group L - they need that #1 spot to have the home court advantage in the Quarter-Finals, too.

#4 Telekom Baskets Bonn (-1)

BCL record: 6-4
Domestic championship record: 14-10

Yeah, three is a streak. Telekom Baskets Bonn lost three consecutive games in all competitions, but are still well in control of their own destiny. They suffered their first Round of 16 defeat since the pandemic times of 2020 last week, with Galatasaray ending their nine-game long run of wins in this phase of the competition. Keep an eye on Thomas Kennedy, another 20-10 game by the big guy in the Bundesliga over the weekend.

#3 Lenovo Tenerife (+2)

BCL record: 7-3
Domestic championship record: 14-10

They had a chance of upsetting Real Madrid on the road over the weekend, which fits in perfectly with the week they had, tying Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem in the battle for top spot in Group K. Jerusalem still own the tiebreaker, meaning Tenerife would finish behind them in case of a tie at the end of the Round of 16, and for Txus Vidorreta, that top spot is a dream. Because top spot means home court advantage in the Quarter-Finals. And Tenerife haven't lost a BCL game in San Cristobal de La Laguna in more than two years now, they have won 19 straight games there.

#2 Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem (-1)

BCL record: 8-2
Domestic championship record: 9-8

So, yeah, the Tenerife part explained why Hapoel Jerusalem are still ahead of the Spanish side even after losing to them last week. It was one of the best BCL games ever, and it had games within a game, as explained by our Xs and Os expert Diccon Lloyd-Smeath. Bonus part: Levi Randolph is now the third member of the 1,000-point club in the BCL.

*all-time scorers; last update: March 8, 2024

PLAYER	TOTAL POINTS	PPG
Vojtech Hruban	1092	12.1
Giorgi Shermadini	1047	14.5
Levi Randolph	1013	13.9
David Holston	910	12.6
Marcelinho Huertas	875	11.7

#1 Unicaja (+1)

BCL record: 8-2
Domestic championship record: 20-4

Unstoppable. They've started another winning streak, picking up three straight wins in all competitions, winning nine of their last ten games, and with a weekend triumph against Rio Breogan in the Liga Endesa, they already clinched a 20-win season in Spain! The last time they had back-to-back seasons with 20+ wins in Spain? In 2017, when they won the EuroCup.

But that's not all. With 28 wins already, they are on pace to get another +40-win season. The previous times this happened: 2023, when they won the Copa del Rey; 2006, when they won the Spanish Championship; 2002, when they played the Finals in Spain; 2001, when they won the Korac Cup.

Winning is a habit over there in Malaga.

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