MIES (Switzerland) - The Basketball Champions League Season 11, powered by Ameresco SUNEL has completed one third of the action in the Group Phase, with all clubs playing two games.
The 32 teams are spread through eight groups, but there is one place where they are all in it together.
The Ameresco Power Rankings mix them all together to figure out which teams are in the best form at the moment.
That is why the domestic results are also taken into account when ranking these 16 teams - you'll feel better about a team that's on a five-game winning run in all competitions, than about a team that's potentially at 6-1 in the BCL, but 6-11 in their national championship.
#32 Bnei Penlink Herzliya (-2)
BCL record: 0-2 Domestic league record: 1-1 Streak in all competitions: L1
It's not looking good, brev. If you know the reference, I appreciate your IG algorithm, if not - don't worry.
Good news? DJ Brewton is on a fine run, back-to-back games with 20+ points in both competitions, while shooting 20-of-39 from the field.
Bad news? They've only got one win so far this year, and need to win one (if not both) of their upcoming matchups with Telekom Baskets Bonn to stay in the hunt for the Play-Ins.
#31 Igokea m:tel (-4)
BCL record: 0-2 ABA league record: 1-3 Streak in all competitions: L1
Oh wow... I think this is the lowest we've ever had Igokea lined up in the Power Rankings. Sorry about that.
The worst part about Igokea's losing run (1-5) is that they actually played their best basketball this weekend, pushing Crvena Zvezda all the way to an 81-80 defeat in the ABA League.
So even when they play good, they aren't winning games. Which is also good, because they could starting winning in no time.
#30 Sabah BC (-5)
BCL record: 0-2 Domestic league record: 2-1 Streak in all competitions: L1
Question marks always appear when Sabah BC lose a game in Azerbaijan, and that happened four days ago, as Naxcivan snuck in for an 88-83 win out of nowhere.
Big, huge game coming up against Nanterre 92 this week, as this is their first game at home this season, but at the same time a sorta must-win situation, to prove that their "oohhh so close to a win" performances at Rytas Vilnius and Trabzonspor were no accidents.
Don't want to go 0-3 in this group. No way.
#29 RASTA Vechta (+3)
BCL record: 0-2 Domestic league record: 1-5 Streak in all competitions: L1
Wait, they are 1-7 in all competitions and they go up by three spots? How come?
Glad you asked - some things are just going in the right direction even in defeat. They managed to lose to Trier by single digits (go look it up, not a lot of teams are able to say the same), and they won a clutch game on the road in the German Cup, at Ludwigsburg.
Their man Armaan Franklin is in double digits regularly now, keep an eye on him because he could be the steal of your Fantasy league.
#28 SK Slavia Praha ERA NBK (-8)
BCL record: 0-2 Domestic league record: 7-1 Streak in all competitions: W1
Here's why the BCL is tricky. Slavia played a heck of a game on the road in Bilbao, but could not pull off a memorable road win in Spain.
Then they had to travel back to Czechia and had another road game with zero legs left, losing to Ostrava, their first domestic defeat of the season. Just imagine if they outlasted Bilbao, we could've been talking about a four-game winning streak and feeling good, instead we're talking about NBK not being the best ranked Czechia team in the Power Rankings WAIT WHAT!?
#27 BK KVIS Pardubice (-3)
BCL record: 0-2 Domestic league record: 7-2 Streak in all competitions: W1
THAT'S RIGHT! Pardubice get the Czech bragging rights for the next two weeks!
(We're just rewarding them for a beautifully played game on the road at Usti Nad Labem, then at 6-1, now at 6-2, because Pardubice bounced back after losing to Unicaja. Wonderful result, +19 on the road, only 63 points allowed, four guys in double digits, four others with 6+ points.)
(Also, not sure about the *bragging* part of the bragging rights when we're talking about #27 and #28.)
#26 BMA365 Bamberg Baskets (=)
BCL record: 0-2 Domestic league record: 3-3 Streak in all competitions: W1
Okay, the bleeding stopped. The losing streak is over, Bamberg defeated Oldenburg by 10 on the road, never an easy game, and seeing eight guys contributing with 7 points or better, that's gotta feel good for the Freak City.
They'll need their fans in numbers this week. Pallacanestro Varese is in town, huge chance to build something, also a huge chance to drop in a gigantic 0-3 hole, so be careful, please.
#25 Salon Vilpas (-3)
BCL record: 0-2 Domestic league record: 4-2 Streak in all competitions: W1
Yeah, yeah, everybody's talking about Leland Walker now. Who warned you first? That's right. We did. Anyway. Here you go:
#24 Itelyum Varese (-5)
BCL record: 0-2 Domestic league record: 3-2 Streak in all competitions: W1
Low-key the best block you'll ever see. How does one read the layup so well to turn this into help-side rotation, rim-protection and chase-down block all at once?
They are a better team than 0-2 suggests here, just go watch their LegaBasket highlights and you'll become a fan, instantly, for sure.
#23 Hapoel Maoz Daniel Holon (+8)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 1-2 Streak in all competitions: W1
Wow, +8, huh!?
That's what happens when you beat the Serbian champions on the road. And when you've got everybody's Fantasy triple captain Adama Sanogo averaging - wait, checking - yep, that's right - no, not a typo - 29.0 efficiency rating per game.
No wonder he's in the Top 10 of the MVP Race. If they climb above .500, he'll be the leader of the aforementioned race, make no mistake about it.
#22 Cibona (-13)
BCL record: 1-1 ABA league record: 1-3 Streak in all competitions: W2
Playing three competitions at the same time is exactly as difficult as it sounds, and it's already taken its toll on this roster, with coach Ivan Rudez leaving the team.
Yep, the coach that helped them win the Croatian championship last season. Honeymoon over just four months later, that's how things are in the business of basketball.
Big win over Krka in the ABA League to get them off the mark, even bigger when you consider Khalif Battle is still out.
#21 Legia Warszawa (+7)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 3-1 Streak in all competitions: W3
If Cibona were down at #22, it only meant Legia had to be up at #21 or better. We'll wait for the "better" part for another two weeks, let's see if they can finally put together a string of consecutive wins in the BCL.
They've got three in a row in all competitions right now, Gyorgy Goloman and Arguster Devon Daniels reaching double digits in all three of those, with Arguster being a demon in the last game.
Just look at this stat line: 13 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals (!), and shooting 50 percent from the field. Hol' up, need to do something for my Fantasy team...
#20 BC Juventus Utena (+9)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 3-4 Streak in all competitions: L1
I always thought two-step dances were more of a Texas, country songs kind of thing, but I guess I was wrong because the best quick-quick-slow-slow pattern of the two-step is actually found in Utena, Lithuania.
That's where a local basketball club decided to use L as the code for the quick steps, and W as the code for the slow steps, starting their season in a rhythm that should be taught in musical schools in the United States:
L-L-W-W-L-L-W-W-L-...
(Their last L was against Rytas Vilnius over the weekend, so people in Jonava are happy about it because the pattern means they'll lose to Jonava and bounce back to defeat BK KVIS Pardubice and then... Zalgiris. Okay. Trust the rhythm, people.)
#19 Spartak Office Shoes (-6)
BCL record: 1-1 ABA league record: 2-2 Streak in all competitions: L1
Losing at home is a big no-no in the BCL, and the Serbian champions know it. Also, they pulled an Igokea over the weekend, too, as they played a really good game against Partizan at home, only to fall 82-80 in the closing seconds.
Frustrating stuff. Especially because they almost got them with Dalibor Ilic and Jalon Pipkins nowhere near their best, combining for 16 points, which is something both of them reach regularly in other games.
Back-to-back games against Cholet Basket in the BCL coming up, they need to win that head-to-head battle to have a chance of winning the group. They can do it. Why not?
#18 Pallacanestro Reggiana (-2)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 2-3 Streak in all competitions: W1
We have - arguably - the best individual performance of the weekend here. Jaime Echenique had 17 points and 8 rebounds to help Reggiana get an 81-60 win over Cantu!
Doesn't sound impressive, huh? Okay, what if we told you Reggiana were a +33 team in his 21 minutes of work? Better? Yep, thanks.
Same as with Varese, this is a better team than their record suggests, and all BCL insiders always have a smile when they see a 0-0-6 stat line, because we all know it's Speedy Smith being the brain of the operation while only attempting one shot in the whole game.
Smith, Echenique, Jaylen Barford, Rob Edwards, JT Thor, Riccardo Visconti... This team is better than you think.
#17 SIG Strasbourg (-2)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 2-3 Streak in all competitions: L2
Blame this on the schedule. Because Strasbourg had to go to Galatasaray in the worst possible moment, with KJ Simpson and Manuchar Markoishvili joining the team and giving them fresh energy, and then they had to face Chalon on the road.
Everybody knows the two worst opponents for you are Galatasaray after a coaching change and Chalon any time before the Christmas break. It's like playing the 2014 San Antonio Spurs and then the 2026 San Antonio Spurs, basically.
(Okay, it's not. But if they had Galatasaray at home on Gameday 1, and Chalon at home in January, they would've probably gone 2-0 and climbed the ladder in the Power Rankings, instead they went 0-2 and fell down in the Power Rankings. Cruel world.)
#16 Falco-Vulcano Szombathely (+5)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 5-0 Streak in all competitions: W4
We FINALLY talked to Zoltan Perl. That's all.
#15 AEK BC (-5)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 2-2 Streak in all competitions: L2
Let's not talk this week, okay?
It hurts, okay?
I need time, okay?
It's not you, it's me, okay?
#14 Telekom Baskets Bonn (-8)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 3-3 Streak in all competitions: L2
Same as with Slavia a few scrolls up, you battle a Spanish team on the road for 40 minutes, lose out in dramatic fashion, and just like that, you've got no legs left for a road game in your league.
Bonn had a shot to hand Asisa Joventut their first ever BCL defeat at home. Missed it. Returned heartbroken to Germany. Lost to Ludwigsburg while scoring less than 70 points in a game for the first time since June.
Big three-game homestand coming up, vs. ALBA BERLIN, Bnei Penlink Herzliya and Braunschweig. Three wins = see you in the Top 10 next time around.
One or two wins = just like with kids, we'll talk about it, but it's a no.
Three defeats = let's not go there, please.
#13 FC Porto (+10)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 4-0 Streak in all competitions: W4
OKAY. NOW WE'RE TALKING.
Porto up by ten spots for making their first BCL win a part of a massive four-game winning streak. In fact, their four-point defeat on the road at Bonn was their only defeat in this campaign, so yes, Porto are for real.
The best part is that it feels like they've had 10 different players scoring in double figures during that run, it's not like they are riding the hot streak of just one guy.
If they were, that guy would be Childe Dundao, don't @ us.
#12 Galatasaray MCT Technic (+5)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 2-3 Streak in all competitions: W2
Sure, it's just two games in, but it seems like Galatasaray and Manuchar Markoishvili are just meant to be together.
He was there as a player in 2013-14, he knows what this is all about, and he wants to make it a long term stay in Istanbul after five years in Monaco. If there was a basketball reality TV show like Are You The One? then Manu and Gala would be a perfect match, for sure.
#11 Nanterre 92 (+7)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 3-2 Streak in all competitions: W1
They are 3-1 in their last four games, Xavier Castaneda is in double digits in every game this season, including putting up 25 in just 28 minutes against Cholet over the weekend.
End of October and all of November are mostly about collecting frequent flyer miles, because they've got road games at Sabah, Bourg, Rytas and Dijon coming up. That's why the one at Sabah is important, long trip, big chance to climb above .500 in the BCL and gain momentum for the road games in France, too.
#10 Rytas Vilnius (-7)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 4-1 Streak in all competitions: W3
It may be confusing that Rytas are down seven spots when they won three straight games, but that one defeat was at Nanterre, and it was an ugly one.
So why are they up then? Because the champs reacted like they were supposed to, bonding together in three straight road wins at Siauliai, Taurage and Juventus, scoring 95, 79 and 94, respectively, having five guys in double figures in two of those three games.
It just feels different, right? Right.
Trabzonspor are in Vilnius this week, that game will give us all the answers about Rytas, for sure.
(And all the answers about Trabzonspor, but that's not for this little box.)
#9 Peristeri Betsson (+5)
BCL record: 2-0 Domestic league record: 3-1 Streak in all competitions: W1
Go to the 5:45 mark of this video. I guarantee you haven't seen a game finish like this... ever? At least not in a long time. No, really, click play and move the slider to 5:45 of the video.
#8 Cholet Basket (-3)
BCL record: 2-0 Domestic league record: 2-3 Streak in all competitions: L2
Two straight defeats ruined the mood for Cholet, but if they have to focus on positives, then they need to look at their top scorer against Nanterre 92 over the weekend.
The wunderkind Aaron Towo-Nansi had 16 points and 6 assists, when you realize Cholet only scored 69 as a team, it means1 the 17-year-old Towo-Nansi scored or created nearly all of them.
Nightmare of a schedule coming up, with two BCL games against the Serbian champions, sandwiching three LNB games against SIG Strasbourg, a 5-0 Paris and a 5-0 JDA Dijon.
1It does not. But you get it, he created a lot of points in a low-scoring affair.
#7 UCAM Murcia (=)
BCL record: 2-0 Domestic league record: 2-3 Streak in all competitions: W1
The thing about UCAM Murcia, you never know who is their best player, because they have like seven different best players, depending on the time of the season you watch them.
Right now, that guy is Michael Forrest, catching fire from threes. Against Bamberg, Valencia and Coruna, Forrest played a total of 64 minutes, scored 65 points, while making 13-of-24 shots from beyond the arc.
Incredible run, hottest Forrest since Nottingham in 2024-25, can't wait to see what's he got in store for Peristeri this week in the battle of unbeaten teams!
#6 Asisa Joventut (+2)
BCL record: 2-0 Domestic league record: 2-3 Streak in all competitions: L1
A road defeat to Girona stopped a three-game winning streak in all competitions. It's okay, though, as they erased a slow start to the Liga Endesa, and avoided a last second defeat to Bonn in the BCL, so all is well, right.
They need to figure things out knowing Ludde Hakanson is injured now, and for the first time since the start of the season, they have a few days between games to work on alternative solutions.
Emir Sulejmanovic has been incredible in the BCL so far, leading the team in efficiency rating (21.0), points (18.5) and rebounds (6.5), but it's all about Ricky Rubio and Nicolas Laprovittola running the show and making life easy for the Sulejmonster and others.
Lapro is in MVP talks, btw.
#5 ALBA BERLIN (+7)
BCL record: 2-0 Domestic league record: 3-3 Streak in all competitions: W3
That's it, we've seen enough, book ALBA BERLIN for the Final Four, it's clear as day.
It's because they brought in Yankuba Sima, who has played a major Final Four in every single season since 2022, with Manresa, Unicaja and Valencia. One would think he'll need time to adjust to the new team.
One would be wrong. Sima had 18 points in 15 minutes as ALBA defeated Ulm by 16 on Sunday. Just like that, ALBA are on a three-game winning streak, exactly what they needed as Surne Bilbao are in Berlin this week.
(Sorry, in BERLIN. I'll get the caps lock thing locked down, sooner or later.)
#4 Trabzonspor (=)
BCL record: 2-0 Domestic league record: 3-2 Streak in all competitions: L1
Oh yes, a huge game coming up as Trabzonspor are visiting the reigning champions Rytas Vilnius!
They'll be disappointed not to go there on a five-game run, as a pair of late game three-pointers refused to go in against Esenler Erokspor in a 93-90 defeat. But Brady Manek (23pts) and Marcus Keene (20pts) are still hot, they shot a combined 10-of-18 on Saturday, you know they'll get special attention in Vilnius.
If they win there, let's have a discussion when a BCL newcomer was as strong as this, alright? Alright.
#3 Surne Bilbao (-1)
BCL record: 2-0 Domestic league record: 3-2 Streak in all competitions: W1
Here to warn you that the only two defeats of the season were to Real Madrid in Madrid, that's fine, and to Coruna in Coruna in a crazy overtime game, and that's fine, too.
Plenty of weapons on this team, just look at the boxscore of their 88-76 win over Andorra: Martin Krampelj (20pts) and Darrun Hilliard (11pts) were the only two guys in double digits, but you had Luke Petrasek, Harald Frey, Adam Somogyi, Margiris Normantas and Nate Darling all scoring 8 or 9 points.
Big game in Berlin this week. Winning it would already mean they are inches away from winning the group and moving straight to the Round of 16. Oh, and keep the points difference in mind, too.
#2 Windrose Giants Antwerp (+9)
BCL record: 2-0 BNXT league record: 4-0 Streak in all competitions: W7
Here's a cool list for you:
125 vs. Heroes Den Bosch
113 vs. Kortrijk Spurs
109 vs. Kangoeroes
103 vs. AEK BC
100 vs. Mons-Hainaut
99 vs. Falco-Vulcano Szombathely
83 vs. Landstede Hammers
Yes. It means the Giants scored 100+ in five games this season. Yes, they've played a total of seven games. Yes, they've scored 100+ in five, and 99 in another game.
Yes, Roel Moors is the coach. Yes, we're sensing strong 2019 vibes. Yes, they made the Final Four then. Yes, that's seven yes-sentences here, one for each of their wins.
(Other option was to have a "yes" for every point they scored.)
#1 Unicaja
BCL record: 2-0 Domestic league record: 3-2 Streak in all competitions: W5
Everybody expected this to happen. We all knew Txus Vidorreta will figure things out, and Unicaja would be good.
It's just that... Not a lot of people expected a five-game winning run within the first seven games of the season, that's all.
Good looking schedule for them, too, as the only trips they have to take before the national team break are to Zaragoza and Burgos, while another four games are happening in Malaga.
Yes, it means we could be talking about a double digit winning streak already in November! Scary good as Halloween approaches. Fitting.
The power rankings are entirely subjective and are in no way a true and accurate ranking system. All comments are purely those of the author.
The Basketball Champions League takes no responsibility and gives no guarantees, warranties or representations, implied or otherwise, for the content or accuracy of the content and opinion expressed in the above article.