MIES (Switzerland) - The first month of Basketball Champions League Season 8 flew by, and five players stood out en route to their teams' 2-0 records, earning spots on the first Team of the Month.

The players who make up the first Team of the Month in the new season are Chris Dowe (Bertram Derthona Tortona), Gregor Hrovat (JDA Bourgogne Dijon), Justin Tillman (AEK BETSSON BC), David McCormack (Darussafaka Lassa) and Vernon Carey Jr (Pinar Karsiyaka). 

Newcomers Bertram Derthona Tortona are the feel-good story of the season, defeating UCAM Murcia and Tofas Bursa to make a perfect start to their BCL run.

Chris Dowe was the man running the offense, averaging 10.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists, a major improvement in passing considering he had dished only 3.3 assists per game through his first 30 BCL games.

Another player who does a bit of everything on the court is the Slovenian swingman Gregor Hrovat.

JDA Bourgogne Dijon are also off to a 2-0 start in their BCL adventure, and Hrovat provided a lot of scoring with 15.5 points in just 26.5 minutes per game, while also grabbing 4.5 rebounds, with 4.0 assists and a league-leading 3.5 steals per game.

Justin Tillman is another example of somebody who came back to the BCL, and as fate somehow always has it, he was up against his former team during the first two games back.

However, AEK BETSSON BC's big guy had no mercy for Banco di Sardegna Sassari, getting 20 points and 7 rebounds, nice continuation on his 14 points in 22 minutes against MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg. Tillman is shooting 17-of-22 from the field across two games.

A big surprise among the 2-0 teams is Darussafaka Lassa. The Turkish team defeated VEF Riga on the road, then backed it up with a rock solid performance against Lenovo Tenerife at home, powered by their 24-year-old anchor David McCormack.

The big man had 18.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, while knocking down 7-of-8 free throws and 15-of-22 shots from the field.

Finally, another big in the Team of the month for October comes from Pinar Karsiyaka. Vernon Carey Jr is just 22 years old, and in his first month as an international player, he came through for coach Ufuk Sarica, getting 16.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 blocks per game.

He's done all that while shooting 76.2 percent from the field and with just two turnovers in 56 minutes on the floor.

One of Chris Dowe, Gregor Hrovat, Justin Tillman, David McCormack or Vernon Carey Jr will be pronounced MVP of the month for October.

The MVP  will be announced on Friday.