Meet the teams: The 2022-23 FIBA Europe Cup Regular Season preview

MUNICH (Germany) - The 2022-23 edition of the FIBA Europe Cup Regular Season as 32 teams embark on the goal of becoming the seventh different winners of the competition.

The participating teams have been split into eight groups of four with the top two sides in each group advancing to the Second Round of the competition.

We've taken a look through the groups and check out some of the newcomers to FIBA Europe Cup action alongside the familiar names back once again.

Group A

Brose Bamberg - Bamberg have a big history in German basketball; winning nine Championship titles including seven from 2009-17. They reached the Final Four stage of the Basketball Champions League in the 2018-19 season and now bid to become the second winners of this competition from Germany following Fraport Skyliners' inaugural success.

Golden Eagle Ylii - While Sigal Prishtina missed out on their sixth appearance in the Regular Season, Kosovo will still be represented this season as debutants Golden Eagle Ylii take up the mantle. They are back-to-back domestic Championship winners and will be out to make their mark in Europe for the first time.

Hapoel Galil Eilon - Hapoel Galil Eilon won the Balkan League title last season having only returned to the top-flight in Israel after gaining promotion in 2021. The club made it to the Semi-Finals of the defunct FIBA Saporta Cup in the 1990s and have a former FIBA Europe Cup winner in their ranks as Nimrod Levi lifted the title with Ironi Ness Ziona in the 2020-21 season.

Niners Chemnitz - Another newcomer from Germany, but with a very different history. Niners Chemnitz only reached the top-flight domestically for the first time in 2020 and are making their European debut after falling in the Basketball Champions League Qualifiers. They finished sixth in last season's BBL - two spots above Bamberg, who they will meet in Group A.

Group B

 

Telenet Giants Antwerp - The Belgian side made a return to the competition last season and will make their fifth appearance in the Regular Season for the upcoming campaign after surviving the Qualifiers as one of the lucky losers. Antwerp made it to the Quarter-Finals in the inaugural edition and are led by Belgian international Jean-Marc Mwema.

Hapoel Haifa - One year on from being one of the unlucky losers in the Qualifiers, they secured their place in the Regular Season as winners of the tournament in Samokov to avoid any repeat scenario. Anthony Hickey was one of the stars of the Qualifiers and could be key for the team's goal of making it out of the group.

Gaziantep - It's been a while but Gaziantep are back in FIBA Europe Cup action for the first time since the 2016-17 season when they made it to the Round of 16 stage for a second successive year. They are flying the Turkish flag solo this season as they look to keep the title in the country following the triumph of Bahcesehir College earlier this year.

OCS Swans Gmunden - Swans Gmunden make their long-awaited return to European competition with a FIBA Europe Cup debut after transferring from the Basketball Champions League Qualifiers. They were Play-Offs runners-up in Austria last season and become the country's fourth representative to participate in the competition.

Group C

Fribourg Olympic - The only side from Switzerland to take part in the competition, the 18-time domestic champions are back for a third appearance having made it to the Round of 16 stage in the 2020-21 season last time out. Fribourg recently celebrated winning the domestic SuperCup title with a dominant victory over Neuchatel.

BC Parnu Sadam - This marks just the second time that two teams from Estonia have made the Regular Season of FIBA Europe Cup as Parnu arrive as national champions for the first time. They have already picked up two league wins to start the season and join domestic rivals BC Kalev/Cramo in the Regular Season.

FC Porto - Porto are one of the most experienced sides in FIBA Europe Cup history as they get ready for their sixth appearance in the Regular Season. However, the Portuguese outfit are still yet to make it beyond that stage; missing out last season in a dramatic final day of the initial group phase. 

Heroes Den Bosch - Another FIBA Europe Cup regular from Netherlands, Heroes Den Bosch make it back for their fifth crack at the Regular Season. Thomas Van Der Mars impressed in the club's run to the Round of 16 two years ago and has been joined by compatriot Jito Kok in the frontcourt for the reigning Dutch champions.

Group D

Opava - Opava made their Regular Season debut last season but bowed out at the first hurdle with their only victory coming in an 88-72 success at home to Heroes Den Bosch. The Czech side will have the minimum goal of improving upon their previous fortunes and continue to build upon their form domestically having been runners-up in the last two years.

Patrioti Levice - The only debutant in Group D, Slovakia's Patrioti Levice secured the third league title in its history last season and now embark on the European scene. They missed out in the Final of the Basketball Champions League Qualifiers and have seen strong starts to the season from Miha Lapornik and DeShawn Freeman in particular.

BC Balkan - The reigning Bulgarian champions are back in the competition after their four previous appearances came between 2017-2021. Balkan reached the Quarter-Finals in the 2020-21 edition before falling to defeat against Parma. The squad has undergone several changes including the arrival of Pavlin Ivanov from rivals Rilski Sportist - fresh from FIBA EuroBasket 2022.

Keravnos BC - Keravnos made it to the Round of 16 in their debut season in the 2017-18 edition before failing to make it beyond the Regular Season in their next appearance two years later. Deondre Burns is one of the club's new signings after averaging 20+ points per game in Switzerland last season and helps bolster the offense.

Group E

Rilski Sportist - The other side from Bulgaria competing again this year with Rilski Sportist certainly far from strangers to FIBA Europe Cup. This season marks their sixth venture into the Regular Season having only once made it beyond that stage as they reached the Round of 16 in the 2020-21 edition. They qualified as one of the lucky losers from the Qualifiers.

Cholet Basket - Cholet were dominant on home soil in the Qualifiers as they swept aside Besiktas JK before knocking out last season's semi-finalists ZZ Leiden to win the tournament. The last French team to compete in FIBA Europe Cup were ESSM Le Portel back in the 2017-18 season, while Nanterre 92 were champions in the second edition in 2017.

CSM CSU Oradea - A fifth successive FIBA Europe Cup campaign for Oradea with a best finish of third place coming in the 2020-21 season after losing to Arged BMSLAM Stal in the Semi-Finals. The Romanian side has an experienced roster with a core that knows all about playing in the competition with the likes of Kris Richard and Stephen Holt.

Kangoeroes Mechelen - The club moved to the city of Mechelen in 2018 and were runners-up in the Belgian Championship last season with 39-year-old Wen Mukubu earning Player of the Year honors. Kangoeroes are ready for a European debut in the competition and will come up against strong opposition in Group E.

Group F

Happy Casa Brindisi - Italian sides have a rich history in FIBA Europe Cup. Umana Reyer Venezia were winners in 2018 with Sassari triumphant the following year, while Varese were runners-up in the inaugural edition and UNAHOTELS Reggio Emilia coming up short in last season's Final. Brindisi will look to continue that tradition with a strong looking roster.

BC Kalev/Cramo - Kalev/Cramo fans may just about have forgotten their previous attempt in FIBA Europe Cup competition as they went 0-6 in the Regular Season of the inaugural edition. The Estonian side are back seven years later and wins will not come easy one again as they are pitted in a tough Group F, though they did impress in the Qualifiers.

Donar Groningen - What is FIBA Europe Cup without Donar Groningen? We just don't know yet. The Dutch side are in the Regular Season for an eighth time in eight seasons with their best showing coming in the 2017-18 edition when they made it all the way to the Semi-Finals. Netherlands guard Leon Williams is back alongside a number of new recruits.

BC Budivelnyk Kyiv - BC Budivelnyk Kyiv returned to action in 2020 after a two-year absence and are now back competing in Europe after making the Regular Season of FIBA Europe Cup for the first time. They mean business with a strong looking roster on paper that includes former First Round NBA Draft pick Archie Goodwin and Anthony Barber, who signed a 10-day contract with Atlanta Hawks last season.

Group G

Karhu Basket - Finland's sole representatives this season, Karhu were beaten by Patrioti Levice in the Basketball Champions League Qualifiers and transfer to the FIBA Europe Cup for the first time. They are the only debutants in the group and will need to improve upon their early season form after starting out 1-2 in the domestic league.

Sporting CP - Sporting will compete in the Regular Season for the third year in a row after winning the Qualifiers tournament in Mitrovica having survived a scare against BG Gottingen in the Semi-Finals. They reached the FIBA Europe Cup Quarter-Finals last season before falling to eventual winners Bahcesehir College by 15 on aggregate.

Anwil Wloclawek - This is a second appearance in the FIBA Europe Cup Regular Season after they competed in the 2020-21 edition with a Round of 16 exit at the hands of Iraklis. They were the inaugural winners of the European North Basketball League and make a return to this competition as the only team competing from Poland.

Egis Kormend - Kormend are another side in this group with plenty of experience in the competition as they take part in the Regular Season for a sixth time. They made successive trips to the Round of 16 in 2017 and 2018 and rejoin the competition after a year's absence. Hungarian veteran Csaba Ferencz has been at the club across three decades.

Group H

 

SCMU Craiova - One of two sides from Romania in the group, Craiova advanced from the Qualifiers as one of the lucky losers after losing to BC Kalev/Cramo in the Final in Jonava. They had already picked up wins over the hosts CBet as well as competition regulars Kapfenberg Bulls and will now compete in the Regular Season for the first time.

Norrkoping Dolphins - The third different side to compete from Sweden, Norrkoping Dolphins are back-to-back domestic league champions and embark on their first European Regular Season since 2012-13. They will open up their debut campaign on home soil before consecutive trips to Romania.

HAKRO Merlins Crailsheim - Crailsheim advanced to the Quarter-Finals in their debut FIBA Europe Cup campaign last season as they came through two tough groups before losing out to ZZ Leiden in a close two-legged encounter. They return for another stint and now have Asbjorn Midtgaard on their side after a summer switch from the Netherlands.

CSO Voluntari - The Romanian side were beaten by Benfica in last season's Qualifiers and get their first taste of a European Regular Season after transferring from the Basketball Champions League Qualifiers. They finished as runners-up in the domestic league, whilst winning the Cup title for the second successive season.

The Regular Season gets underway on October 12 and is scheduled to conclude on November 30 when 16 teams will advance to the Second Round.

FIBA