MIES (Switzerland) - The Basketball Champions League Season X, powered by Ameresco SUNEL continued last week. 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 32 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 3-0 in the BCL, but 1-5 in their national championship.
#32 Filou Oostende (-2)
BCL record: 0-4 Domestic league record: 7-1
It's crazy how long they've been in the league, and yet, this is the first time ever we have them down at #32.
But it's hard to push them to a higher spot when their chances to avoid elimination are so slim now, as they need to defeat Unicaja on Gameday 5, then follow it up with an at least 19-point win over Mersin, all while hoping Mersin also lose to Karditsa.
One word: Slim.
#31 BC Sabah (0)
BCL record: 0-4 Domestic league record: 7-0
Instead of writing about these guys, here's what Elan Chalon's head coach Elric Delord had to say:
"Congratulations to Sabah because they're getting better and better. We were in big trouble for a large part of the game, there's no doubt they'll win a game before the end of the group," he said.
This is how it goes. From blowouts through close ones to finally winning a game. They've got Nymburk coming to town after the national team break, any kind of win would keep them alive in the hunt for the Play-Ins, which sounded like a distant dream after their 28-point defeat to the Czech champs on Day 1 of Season X.
One word: Growth.
#30 VEF Riga (-1)
BCL record: 0-4 Domestic league record: 8-2
While the champions of Hungary and Slovakia are enjoying life in Group F, the Latvian perennial title holders are still winless. Well, there's one good thing about their 0-4 record, because they could still end up with two wins.
It could be enough to sneak through to the Play-Ins.
One word: Hope.
#29 Bursaspor Basketbol (-1)
BCL record: 0-4 Domestic league record: 3-5
That losing streak is finally over, stopped at five defeats in a row in all competitions.
In fact, things aren't that bad in the Turkish League, they are just one win behind crosstown rivals Tofas, but at 0-4 and running out of time, it's the BCL that's killing their vibe right now.
Unless they go 2-0 against Cholet and Holon, they are out.
One word: Prospect.
#28 Bnei Penlink Herzliya (+2)
BCL record: 0-4 Domestic league record: 2-3
How can an 0-4 team gain TWO spots in the Power Rankings!?
It's because they are 2-1 over their last three games in all competitions, which is like a whole different thing compared to 0-6 across the previous six matchups.
But they still have to defeat both Tofas and Tenerife to have a chance of advancing.
One word: Tentative.
#27 MLP Academics Heidelberg (-2)
BCL record: 1-3 Domestic league record: 1-6
Four straight defeats, five defeats in last six games in all competitions. Not much to say.
One word: Slipping.
#26 Le Mans Sarthe Basket (-9)
BCL record: 1-3 Domestic league record: 5-3
Yeah, remember how we praised them as the feel-good team, leaders of the French League and all that?
Well, they lost nine spots now because they lost three games in a row, including a dramatic defeat to Benfica which made their future in the BCL a bit more complicated.
Instead of solving all the problems then and there, they turned their potential Play-Ins qualification into a much longer race.
One word: Endurance.
#25 SL Benfica (+7)
BCL record: 1-3 Domestic league record: 6-0
FIVE wins in a row for the Portuguese champions!
Just imagine all the Group H permutations ahead of the last Gameday if Benfica go on to defeat Spartak on the road this week...
One word: Chaos.
#24 Igokea m:tel (-4)
BCL record: 1-3 Domestic league record: 4-1
Igokea decided playing just a couple of competitions is not enough, so they spent the last week exploring the Winline Basket Cup, losing to Uralmash in Group B.
Meanwhile, their game against Partizan in the Adriatic League was postponed, so they could have a full week to prepare for a big game against Wurzburg in the BCL.
It's impossible to guess which Igokea will show up then. The one that cleared Trieste by 15 at home? Or the one that lost to that same Trieste team by 25 on the road?
The one that's 1-3 in the BCL? Or the one that's 4-1 in the Adriatic League?
One word: Contrast.
#23 Pallacanestro Trieste (+3)
BCL record: 1-3 Domestic league record: 4-4
One team has scored at least 90 points in nine straight Trieste games in all competitions, and in four of those nine games, both teams went for 90+.
The first of the nine games in that run? Against Galatasaray, their opponents this week, too. And this should be a bit more relaxed Trieste team, too, since they not only got their first ever BCL win, but also claimed the tiebreaker over Igokea, too.
So, even more relaxed, when they were already the cool kids of the BCL? Nice.
One word: Vibes.
#22 ERA Nymburk (-4)
BCL record: 1-3 Domestic league record: 11-0
Three straight defeats in the BCL, and just like that, some alarms went off in Czechia.
Not exactly panic time yet, because they still own a 28-point advantage over Sabah in their head-to-head, but after losing three straight games, we're not talking about Nymburk winning the group or being in the run for home-court advantage in the Play-Ins.
That's a big deal. We're used to these guys dominating, it's weird seeing them in the 20s...
One word: Rebuilding.
#21 Karditsa Iaponiki (+3)
BCL record: 2-2 Domestic league record: 3-3
The biggest game of the BCL season for them was their home encounter with Oostende, and they've aced that test.
Then, they got back to winning ways in Greece, too, with six men in double figures and Nikos Diplaros handing out 9 assists to defeat Peristeri by 14.
It was kind of expected. Not because of Peristeri, and not because of Oostende, but because Karditsa are that team that's always gonna end up at .500 in all competitions. Somehow.
One word: Break-even.
#20 Mersin Sports Club (-4)
BCL record: 2-2 Domestic league record: 2-6
Four straight defeats, so four positions lost in the Power Rankings.
But really, down at 2-6 in the Turkish League, they've got more important things on their minds than being losing four spots over here, right? Right.
One word: Priorities.
#19 Fitness First Wurzburg Baskets (-6)
BCL record: 2-2 Domestic league record: 5-2
Last six games: 1-5. Ugh.
One word: Wecker.
#18 Cholet Basket (+3)
BCL record: 2-2 Domestic league record: 4-4
Here is where we tell you Cholet were inches away from being a Top 10 team. Because they could've easily been a 7-1 team in the French League.
Last three defeats were by a total of 10 points, final margins lined up in 4-4-2, so with a couple of bounces there, this would've been a whole different story.
But let's not go that way, because they also won a crazy close overtime game against Holon in the BCL, so they could've been 1-3 here, and automatically not a Top 10 story, not even close.
So, last five games: +6, -4, +2 (OT), -4, -2.
One word: Cardiac.
#17 Spartak Office Shoes (-7)
BCL record: 2-2 Domestic league record: 4-2
Jovan Mikic was one of Subotica's proudest sons, the best Yugoslav track and field athlete in the 1930s, one of the greatest athletes ever, really.
His biggest strength was probably his ability to compete in various competitions, as he held the national records in triple jump and decathlon.
You're probably thinking, "dude, what!?" Well, his nickname was Spartak, and the club is named after him. So Spartak could use a bit of Spartak-ness now, as they lost three straight road games in 10 days, spoiling what was a brilliant start to both the BCL and the Adriatic League.
Big game coming up against Benfica in Subotica this week.
One word: Homesick.
#16 Promitheas Patras BC Vikos Cola (-1)
BCL record: 2-2 Domestic league record: 3-4
Last five games in all competitions: L - W - L - W - L.
So yeah, W is clearly coming up next, on the road at Heidelberg this week. It's science, don't @ us.
One word: Consistency. Or inconsistency, really.
#15 Patrioti Levice (+8)
BCL record: 2-2 Domestic league record: 9-0
What did we tell you about these guys? WHAT DID WE TELL YOU!?
Their sole defeat over the last 10 games was a two-point game against AEK, they are 9-0 in the remaining games, plus three more wins in the BCL Qualifying Round Tournament, so yes, these guys just keep on winning and are about to sneak into the next phase of Season X.
One word: Cinderella!
#14 Tofas Bursa (-2)
BCL record: 2-2 Domestic league record: 4-4
Four defeats in last five games. Yeah, yeah, two were to Tenerife, but still. Can't remain a Top 10 team with such a slump.
At least some good news: Joe Thomasson is starting to heat up, season-high 16 points against Merkezefendi over the weekend. Much needed after going scoreless against Tenerife.
One word: Sliding.
#13 Legia Warszawa (+9)
BCL record: 2-2 Domestic league record: 6-1
The Voice of BCL, Mr Jeff Taylor himself, has his thoughts about these guys potentially upsetting Rytas Vilnius this week:
Back-to-back BCL wins, six wins in last seven games in all competitions.
One word: Cookin'.
#12 Hapoel Netanel Holon (-3)
BCL record: 2-2 Domestic league record: 4-1
In our MVP Race, we usually talk about the best players on hottest teams, so the ones that are 3-1 or 4-0.
But we focused on Jordan McRae, too, because this guy has been sublime all season long. A perfect fit for coach Danny Franco's offense, McRae is averaging 21.3 points on a 49-42-97 shooting split and has the BCL season-high with 37.
One word: Jordanesque.
#11 NHSZ-Szolnoki Olajbanyasz (+3)
BCL record: 2-2 Domestic league record: 9-0
Last 30 days: 7-1. Only defeat was by two points, to those guys, Patrioti Levice.
Adam Somogyi still leads the assists per game stats, handing out 9.0 across four games in the BCL, and just in case you think that's not impressive, he's also up to 9.8 assists per game in the Hungarian League.
Done in nine games. Including dishing out 16 against Kormend this past weekend. He is to Szolnoki what Zoltan Perl was to Falco Szombathely all those years.
One word: Homegrown.
#10 Trapani Shark (+9)
BCL record: 2-2 Domestic league record: 7-1
Six wins in a row, 101 points scored against Herzliya in the BCL, handed Brescia their only LegaBasket defeat, stunned Milano 86-80 on the road with JD Notae's 26 points in 25 minutes.
That domestic record is no accident, coach Jasmin Repesa and his men are probably expecting it to rise to 9-1 ahead of the huge matchup with Tenerife on December 10.
Maybe that game doesn't end up being crucial. But that game has plenty of significance in Trapani's European story.
One word: Statement.
#9 Rytas Vilnius (+2)
BCL record: 3-1 Domestic league record: 7-2
Listen, because we're not going to say this twice*: Jerrick Harding is the best thing that happened to Rytas Vilnius in a long time.
Don't be surprised if he ends up with the the biggest individual trophy of the season in his hands in May, especially if Rytas reach the Quarter-Finals or the Final Four.
They've got the tools to do so, man, they've got more than enough when this guy is capable of scoring 30 points in 21 minutes of work.
One word: MVP.
*Just kidding, we'll say it like a million times more.
#8 ALBA BERLIN (0)
BCL record: 3-1 Domestic league record: 4-2
#8 because they've got eight wins in a row in all competitions, huh...
Best non-4-0 team here, that speaks volumes about the way ALBA BERLIN bounced after losing Boogie Ellis so early in the season. Showed everybody the way how to do something when you lose a big piece of your puzzle.
One word: Trailblazing.
#7 Unicaja (-1)
BCL record: 4-0 Domestic league record: 4-3
Four wins in last five games in all competitions, but also a 24-point defeat to Andorra out of nowhere.
First time they lost by 20+ since November 2024 when a 40-point defeat to Manresa happened out of nowhere.
Don't be fooled by the seventh spot here, they are still the defending champions that everybody should respect, but it's just that they set the bar so high, we got question marks where there should be none, really.
One word: Demanding.
#6 Dreamland Gran Canaria (+1)
BCL record: 4-0 Domestic league record: 3-4
One of only two teams with secured Round of 16 tickets, the other one being Galatasaray.
And the reasoning for being only sixth here is the same as ever, a below .500 start to the Liga Endesa.
Could make some history this week, as only three teams had started 5-0 in the BCL in their first season, last one being Virtus Bologna in 2018-19. You know how that season finished, right? Right.
One word: Qualified.
#5 La Laguna Tenerife (-3)
BCL record: 4-0 Domestic league record: 5-2
Just read the part about Unicaja again, because it's a similar kind of story.
In theory, the double digit defeats to Baskonia and Valencia are a bit concerning, but in reality, nothing's wrong. They are still the team to beat in the BCL, it's just that there are some others that are a bit hotter than Tenerife in November.
The club. Not the island.
One word: Consistent.
#4 Joventut Badalona (0)
BCL record: 4-0 Domestic league record: 5-2
Three double digit wins in last four games, two of those happening on the road, with a close defeat to Real Madrid also in there.
Let's put it this way: Of all the Spanish teams in the BCL right now, they seem like they are in the best rhythm right now.
One word: Flagbearers.
#3 Elan Chalon (0)
BCL record: 4-0 Domestic league record: 5-3
Just here to tell you that the biggest comeback of the season happened thanks to these guys, erasing a 21-point deficit from the third quarter on the road in Azerbaijan last week.
Also here to tell you that Jeremiah Hill is the leader of the MVP Race.
Also here to tell you that Chalon won five games in a row in all competitions.
One word: Formidable.
#2 AEK BC (-1)
BCL record: 4-0 Domestic league record: 5-2
We were a bit worried with back-to-back defeats to Peristeri and PAOK, but AEK have bounced back perfectly.
They destroyed VEF Riga by 31 points in the second half alone, and then beat Maroussi by 21 over the weekend with their Big Three making it impossible to pick the MVP: Frank Bartley had 28 points, 7 assists and 6 boards, Chris Silva had 25 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and RaiQuan Gray had 25 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists.
AEK's logo features a double-headed eagle. Their game features a triple-headed monster.
One word: Scary.
#1 Galatasaray MCT Technic (+5)
BCL record: 4-0 Domestic league record: 5-3
Last six games: 5-1, only defeat that last second Turk Telekom game.
Last 11 games: 9-2, only defeats were to Turk Telekom and Fenerbahce.
When the groups were drawn in Switzerland in early July, Group E felt like a dangerous one, but coach Yakup Sekizkok saw his players execute everything to perfection, storming to a 4-0 record and the first ticket to the Round of 16.
These guys have all the answers. They can go big, small, 10-deep in scoring, or have one guy heat up so much he wins the game by himself.
They reached the Final last season. They look even better now.
One word: Hungry.
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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.
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