MIES (Switzerland) - The Ninth Symphony season has started in the Basketball Champions League, with 32 teams aiming at continental glory.
They are drawn in eight groups, but in our Power Rankings we mix them all together to figure out which teams are 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 2-0 in the BCL, but 0-3 in their national championship.
#32 Kolossos H Hotels (0)
BCL record: 0-2 Domestic league record: 1-2
Good news! They finally won their first game of the season, erasing what was a double-digit deficit away from home against Lavrio, a former BCL team. But they remain at the bottom of this pack, at least until they win their first BCL game.
#31 King Szczecin (0)
BCL record: 0-2 Domestic league record: 2-1
Compared to Kolossos, they are doing more than fine in their domestic league, but are only 2-6 in their last eight BCL games. Another worrying fact is that each of their last five games was decided by margins of 15 or more points, so that's why they are still in the 30s here.
#30 SL Benfica (0)
BCL record: 0-2 Domestic league record: 1-0
It's getting better - or not. But at least Tyler Stone gave their fans something to be happy about, pouring in 28 points in 28 minutes against Chemnitz, reminding us of his Happy Casa Brindisi days, when he averaged 17.2 points across 14 BCL appearances.
#29 Hapoel Netanel Holon (-6)
BCL record: 0-2 Domestic league record: 2-0
Troubled times in Holon. They lost their last four BCL Regular Season games, and are looking to avoid tying their longest ever losing streak in the BCL, when they dropped five in a row in 2019.
The good news is they are facing a well known rival, as they line up against Igokea this week, a team which they had defeated in both Play-In games back in 2023.
#28 WKS Slask Wroclaw (-2)
BCL record: 0-2 Domestic league record: 1-2
So... Why are they still ahead of their compatriots from Szczecin if they have a worse record in the Polish League? Because they also won the Polish Supercup, and that means something. But yeah, it's an uphill battle for both of these clubs, especially for Slask because they have to drag themselves out of a 0-2 hole with a pair of games against Pallacanestro Reggiana coming up.
#27 Peristeri Domino's (0)
BCL record: 0-2 Domestic league record: 2-1
Just here to tell you there are some signs of improvement at Peristeri, even if they are at 0-2 in the BCL. That's because Vangelis Zougris celebrated his 20th birthday with a monster game, getting 24 points on 10-of-11 shooting, with 4 blocks also to his name, in just 23 minutes of action to lead Peristeri to a win over Maroussi in the Greek League.
If he keeps it up all season long, he will turn into a legit Best Young Player award candidate.
#26 RASTA Vechta (-1)
BCL record: 0-2 Domestic league record: 1-3
There is one saying in sports which always explains a lot: The only thing more contagious than confidence inside the locker room is the lack of confidence. Vechta are just another prime example of that after losing five of their last six games, with the only bright moment in that stretch their 21-point Cup win over Braunschweig.
They need to snap out of this slump as soon as possible. While they have plenty of time to improve in the German League, another defeat in the BCL could be devastating for their European plans.
#25 Filou Oostende (-7)
BCL record: 0-2 BNXT league record: 5-2
The easiest possible explanation: They are the best 0-2 team in this competition right now.
#24 Maccabi Ramat-Gan (+4)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 1-0
So, being 1-1 isn't exactly scary, especially since they needed a +11 fourth quarter to get that first BCL win, but keep an eye on Maccabi because they could be a really dangerous team in their group. Sure, a 1-0 record in the Israeli League is not that big of a sample size, but they also went 2-1 in the Israeli Cup and 2-0 in the League Cup, meaning they are currently 6-2 for the season.
But until they are above .500 in the BCL, they will remain in the 20s here.
#23 Promitheas Patras BC Vikos Cola (+6)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 2-1
Winning on the road is always a plus, so Promitheas climb six places in the rankings thanks to their triumph on the road at Vechta. It could've even been a bigger leap, but they struggled in their road game at Aris over the weekend, falling behind 11-0 to start the game and never quite caught up again.
Consistency is key for teams like Promitheas Patras BC Vikos Cola - oh wait, that's new. Seems like they have a new sponsor, so please respect their full name when talking about them the rest of the season. PPBCVC.
#22 Nanterre 92 (+2)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 1-4
Injuries have slowed them down, but just two wins so far this season, that's not exactly called domination. However, if they manage to upset Wurzburg on Wednesday, we could be talking about a top-15 team next time around in the Power Rankings.
Perhaps even higher, but that's just daydreaming for now.
#21 BAXI Manresa (-15)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 2-2
Three defeats in the last four games, giving up 80+ points in all three, including 102 on the road at Derthona in the BCL. That's why they dropped a whole 15 spots from the last Power Rankings.
Sorry, it's not fair, we know. Manresa are a way better team than #21 here, but this is just how the dice rolled this week. Sorry. It's not fair. We know. They'll be back to Top 10 in no time once they fix the defensive issues.
Sorry.
#20 VEF Riga (-9)
BCL record: 1-1 Latvian-Estonian Basketball League record: 5-1
Yeah, you drop nine places just because of that horrid fourth quarter against Maccabi last week. It's a cruel world around here at the Power Rankings headquarters. We have high demands. Especially for teams like VEF Riga, because they could've easily been at 2-0 here and 6-0 in the LEBL, instead they picked up two defeats so far.
In reality, they played a total of two bad quarters this season, the fourth one against Maccabi (-11 points) and the third one against Rigas Zelli (-9). But those two quarters are the difference from a Top 5 spot to #20 here.
#19 FMP SoccerBet (-3)
BCL record: 1-1 Adriatic League record: 3-2
Remember Cibona? The two-time European champs in the 1980s, Croatian juggernauts? Yeah, they were up by 14 in the third quarter against FMP in the ABA League over the weekend, and it seemed that FMP could drop below .500 for the season.
However, Matic Rebec and Stefan Lazarevic went crazy to close out the game, combining for 44 points and pushing the team from Serbia to 3-2 in their regional competition.
Just another proof that FMP are tough, physical, and do their thing for 40 minutes regardless of what the opponents are trying. Just another stubborn team from the Balkans.
#18 Igokea m:tel (-4)
BCL record: 1-1 Adriatic League record: 3-2
Remember Cedevita Olimpija? The club with a total of 70 inherited trophies after the merger of Cedevita and Olimpija in Ljubljana? Yeah, they came to Bosnia and Herzegovina with a lot of confidence after a couple of clutch wins, and it seemed Igokea could drop below .500 for the season.
However, Borisa Simanic and Bryce Jones went crazy through the entire game, combining for 42 points and pushing Igokea to 3-2 in their regional competition.
Just another proof that Igokea are tough, physical, and do their thing for 40 minutes regardless of what the opponents are trying. Just another stubborn team from the Balkans.
#17 Pallacanestro Reggiana (-8)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 3-1
These guys could and should be higher, but that was a wasted chance of stealing one on the road against Szombathely last week. Lesson learned, Reggiana need their Italian League form in the BCL now to win back-to-back games against Slask and get back into the top 10 in the Power Rankings.
#16 Galatasaray (-13)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 1-2
Losing at home is a big no-no in this League, so Galatasaray dropped from #3 to #16 in the Power Rankings. They looked way better over the weekend in the Turkish League, winning a road game against Bahcesehir, and the best part was that they didn't need one guy to go for 30+ to win it.
Instead, they had six guys in double digits and won the game as a team. One important piece of intel as they travel to Patras this week - they won six of their last nine road games in the BCL.
#15 NINERS Chemnitz (+5)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 2-2
While defeating Benfica was kinda expected for their fans, they added a nice touch over the weekend, stunning ALBA on the road in Berlin in the Bundesliga. The upcoming doubleheader against BAXI Manresa will give us a clear picture on where they are headed - towards the fight for a direct flight to the Round of 16 as group winners, or getting into the mix for the Play-Ins.
Victor Bailey Jr has been solid for them recently, just in case you needed some BCL Fantasy tips.
#14 Saint-Quentin Basket-Ball (-9)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 4-1
You know you've got a special kind of talent on your team when you go 4-1, share the top of the French League, and still all the talk is about their 18-year-old wunderkind running the plays as the starting point guard.
#13 AEK Betsson BC (-9)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 2-0
No need to panic, AEK were just one Darius McGhee missed shot away from being 4-0 to start the season. But Bonn's point guard refused to miss and went crazy...
They've got a big game coming up against Panathinaikos in their domestic championship, if you're reading this after that game, let us know was it fair to put AEK at #13 here, thanks, bye.
#12 Karsiyaka (+9)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 2-1
There weren't a lot of good news coming out of Karsiyaka to start the season, especially after Sean McDermott went down with a serious injury. But, this is basketball and anything can happen, including Karsiyaka waking up, getting three straight wins, while scoring in triple-digits in two of those three games.
Kenan Sipahi nearly had a triple-double over the weekend, and Errick McCollum thinks Daron Fatts Russell could be the next undersized point guard to dominate European basketball, so that's some high praise by Karsiyaka's most experienced player.
#11 Manisa Basket (-1)
BCL record: 2-0 Domestic league record: 0-3
Told you you'll feel better about a team that's on a five-game winning run in all competitions, than about a team that's at 2-0 in the BCL, but 0-3 in their national championship.
#10 UCAM Murcia (+7)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 2-2
Murcia played their seventh game of the season over the weekend, defeating Zaragoza by 14 points, which means their run of heart-attack games stops at four. OT defeat to Manisa, OT win over Bilbao, five-point win over Peristeri, OT defeat to Baskonia.
When you look at it this way, they could've easily been at 3-1 in Liga Endesa and 2-0 in the BCL. Which is why they aren't a Top 5 team, and have to settle for 10th.
#9 Telekom Baskets Bonn (+13)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 3-1
Feels like 2023 again, huh? Telekom Baskets Bonn are off the mark in the BCL, while their 3-1 record puts them at the top of the German Bundesliga standings after four weeks of action.
Also, Darius McGhee is your new favorite player:
#8 Rytas Vilnius (+11)
BCL record: 1-1 Domestic league record: 4-1
That defeat to Reggiana to start the BCL season was the best thing that could've happened to them - okay, maybe not. But they responded perfectly to that setback by stringing together a four-game winning streak, scoring 91, 84, 98 and 93 points in the process.
Biggest winner in that stretch? Jayvon Graves, looking more and more comfortable at his new club.
#7 Falco-Vulcano Szombathely (+5)
BCL record: 2-0 Domestic league record: 5-0
Instead of wasting words, here - have a link for a deep dive into why the Hungarian champions are so tough this season:
#6 Aliaga Petkimspor (+9)
BCL record: 2-0 Domestic league record: 2-1
A promise is a promise. And we promised to push Petkimspor to single digits in the Power Rankings if they picked up a 2-0 start, which they did, so here, enjoy the sixth spot here.
With three BCL Qualifiers wins, plus two domestic league wins, they are now 7-1 in all competitions this season, and that's a fine start to say the least.
#5 ERA Nymburk (+8)
BCL record: 2-0 Domestic league record: 6-0
So what exactly are we supposed to say about Nymburk's start, if Petkimspor had a fine one?
Nymburk are doing the prime Nymburk thing and sweeping the season, starting off in the BCL Qualifiers with a 2-0 run, then doing the same to start the BCL Regular Season, and then going 6-0 in the Czech League.
When you put it all together it's 10-0!!! Ten straight wins for coach Francesco Tabellini and Czech champs.
#4 Bertram Derthona Basket (+4)
BCL record: 2-0 Domestic league record: 2-1
Love high scoring games? Congrats, you just found your new favorite team!
Derthona played a total of five games this season. Their first one, against Cremona was the only game with less than 165 points combined, every other had both teams in the 80s or higher in terms of scoring.
They will love their upcoming BCL schedule because they have back-to-back games against the 0-2 Benfica, meaning Derthona could be up to 4-0 this time next month. Then, they would be just two wins away from going 6-0, and that is probably the most cathartic experience after their 5-1 record was not enough to win the group last season.
It's all within reach now, even though we're just two games in.
#3 FIT/One Wurzburg Baskets (+4)
BCL record: 2-0 Domestic league record: 2-1
Hey there, look at who's the leader of the MVP Race right here:
It's a rock solid start to the BCL for Wurzburg, and they are currently speeding up to Tenerife's rear view mirrors on the Autobahn. That's right, the Autobahn. That's why there are comfortable and speeding.
But, we still have question mark as to what happens when they cross the German borders and have to adjust to different circumstances. That's our way of describing that while 2-0 is impressive, we're yet to see Wurzburg on the road in the BCL this season.
#2 La Laguna Tenerife (0)
BCL record: 2-0 Domestic league record: 2-1
These guys are just relentless, and their only defeat of the season was a four-point one against Barcelona in the Spanish League. While we're used to guys like Marcelinho Huertas or Giorgi Shermadini having incredible numbers, the start of the season belongs to Fran Guerra.
The Canary Islands native had his first 20+ point game in the BCL to start the season, and now he's up to domination in the Spanish League, too, collecting 24 points and 8 rebounds on the road at Granada over the weekend.
He's their warrior. And a much needed refresh button for Tenerife's well oiled offensive system.
#1 Unicaja (0)
BCL record: 2-0 Domestic league record: 4-0
Yeah, top of the BCL and top of the Spanish League isn't even close enough to describing the start of the season for Unicaja. That's because they are only 6-0 in those two competitions.
When you add in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup and the Spanish Supercup, all of a sudden you see how scary these guys are, because that makes them 11-0 to start this campaign in all competitions!
That's right. An 11-game winning streak, and we're only in October. Sure, they'll lose a game eventually, but this is arguably the hottest team in all of Europe right now. Perfect response to everybody who wondered what the reaction would be like to the fact that Unicaja have a target on their backs this season!
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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.
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.