EuroLeague Women Power Rankings, Volume 3

MUNICH (Germany) - With six games of the EuroLeague Women Regular Season in the books, it's time to push the refresh button on the Power Rankings and introduce Volume 3.

Taking into account the previous second volume of the rankings, plus subsequent results, performances, roster changes and of course the all-important competition system, this is how it is now looking.

Movement up and down the Power Rankings except for the top spot, as UMMC Ekaterinburg stay put

Heading to the Quarter-Finals?

1. UMMC Ekaterinburg  (-)

Current Record: 6-0
Cut, paste and repeat will probably be the message for each volume of the rankings. Too good, too deep and with Jonquel Jones now in full flow, they look unstoppable. Maria Vadeeva has really stepped up this season too and is playing as well as she ever has in a UMMC vest. Still the team to beat by far, still the favorites and on track for more silverware. Although what happened in that SuperCup Women Final in Valencia will give others hope that Ekat are not completely unbeatable.

2. Perfumerias Avenida  (+1)

Current Record: 5-1
Aside from one rather ugly blip when blown out by ZVVZ USK Praha a couple of weeks ago, it's been a very positive campaign for last season's finalists and you get the feeling there's more to come . More than any other team, it is the sum of the various parts that serve Roberto Iniguez and his side so well. With seven players averaging 20 minutes per game, it's tough to key-in defensively on anyone and they have not really had any standout performers. But with WNBA Finals MVP Kahleah Copper heating up nicely, that could be the cherry on the cake. 

3. ZVVZ USK Praha  (+1)

Current Record: 4-2
ZVVZ USK Praha are transforming back into the team that has done so well in recent seasons. That early season wobble seems like a long time ago. Maria Conde and Dragana Stankovic have continued playing at a high level and some of the best basketball of their respective careers. Alyssa Thomas is moving through the gears nicely and. of course, Brionna Jones is such a rock. The team seems to have a better edge defensively and are in the top three in the competition for both steals and blocks. They're also the competition's leading scorers by the way, which is no surprise.

Anete Steinberga is shining brightly for Galatasaray this season

4. Galatasaray (+6)

Current Record: 4-2
Shout it loud and proud Galatasaray fans - you are now eying up a fantastic five wins in a row! What a transformation it has been. Is there a better ftoncourt duo than Anete Steinberga and Tina Krajisnik right now? What a a one-two punch they deliver. The scalp of Sopron last week was certainly a big one. You also have to love that the club has signed Kaela Davis to provide even more firepower. Nothing like strengthening when you are already rising up. But before you get overly excited, these next two games? Wow. They could actually shape the entire season. Schio and Fenerbahce on the road. Will they roll to an amazing 6-2? A so-so 5-3 or back to square one at 4-4? 

5. Sopron Basket  (-3) 

Current Record: 4-2
A move downwards of three places is probably harsh, but it's now two losses in Istanbul. Other than that, it's been a familiar pattern of Bernadett Hatar doing Bernadett Hatar things - barely missing, grabbing boards and blocking shots, with some other decent contributions from the likes of Gabby Williams. Surely a climb back up the rankings for Volume 4 lies in waiting? They have got three home games in a row coming up and a really great chance of taking control of Group B again. 

6. Spar Girona  (+1)

Current Record: 3-3
Confession time. This is probably the most generous ranking by far, since they did lose to Kursk and Galatasaray in past weeks. However, the win at Basket Landes really did get things back on track and it's been so much fun watching Kennedy Burke go to work. Along with Rebekah Gardner, Girona has two red-hot players right now. Have they got the depth or quality in numbers to sustain this and push on? Home games against Gdynia and Schio in the next three look so important in answering that question.

7. Fenerbahce Safiport  (-1)

Current Record: 3-3
Fenerbahce Safiport's standing in 7th place in a crazy Group B perhaps makes sense of this power ranking or maybe even makes it look overly generous. The crushing win against Sopron was great, with last week's success at VBW Arka Gdynia a good job too. But sandwiched in between was that loss to Schio and 3-3 is just not what Fenerbahce expects - either internally, the fans or indeed followers of the women's game in general. But now Satou Sabally is back, they will be tougher to crack and surely an upward trajectory is about to come?

8. Famila Schio  (+5)

Current Record: 3-3
It's been a pivotal few weeks for the Italian side who deservedly rocket up the rankings after responding to that massive setback when they lost to VBW Arka Gdynia at the end of October. At the moment, they look like a team that is riding its way to the Quarter-Finals having beaten both Fenerbahce Safiport and Dynamo Kursk. Sandrine Gruda is putting on masterclass clinics most weeks, Jasmine Keys is growing in stature, the team are shooting the lights out from long-range and they are rebounding well. Looking good - can they keep this run going?

Heading to EuroCup Women?

Dynamo Kursk are currently the points per game leaders, but were beaten last time out at Basket Landes

9. Dynamo Kursk (-)

Current Record: 3-3
Sometimes they look capable of doing big things and sometimes they look so ordinary. It's tricky to assess Dynamo Kursk at the moment because it really does depend how much weighting and consideration you give to them missing October MVP Eva Lisec who has been ruled out in these past games with an injury. They are arguably not playing as much as a team as they might like, but when they get it right, they look so dangerous. It's just without Lisec, they look so soft and lightweight in that paint, because Natasha Howard can't do it all alone.

10. BLMA  (-2)

Current Record: 3-3
It's not been a great few weeks for BLMA because they suffered double-digit losses to both Avenida and Umana Reyer either side of a home victory against TTT. They are lacking that dominant 'big' which so many other teams have and it was not a surprise that they have turned to Canadian Katherine Plouffe to bolster a shallow frontline. Olivia Epoupa not having been available recently is big mitigation against the fall in rankings of course, but we need to see BLMA back with a full team on the floor to get an accurate handle on which way their season will go.

11. Umana Reyer  (-)

Current Record: 2-4
The change of head coach and a recent win against BLMA suggest the Italian champions have started over and will potentially embark on a good run. However, this positivity evaporates a little when the fixture chart shows two of the next three games are against ZVVZ USK Praha and UMMC Ekaterinburg. Not that they can't get wins, but they still have more improvements to make. Yvonne Anderson is still playing above everyone else and it feels like it's time for super marquee summer signing Astou Ndour, now with two games under her belt, to turn up the dial.

12. TTT Riga  (-)

Current Record: 2-4
It was always going to be a roller-coaster season and so it has proven after six games. Since the last volume of the power rankings, TTT have managed to complete a terrific win against Umana Reyer before losses to BLMA and ZVVZ USK Praha. Something which explains them just hanging on to 12th place. We must mention the experienced Ieva Pulvere who does not get the credit she probably deserves and has really clicked through the gears after a slow start. Oh and what a game they have to move to 3-4, with KSC Szekszard next in line! That will be vital.

A Regular Season ending?

The ranking is tough on Basket Landes, but will they move back upwards with Regan Magarity finding form?

13. Basket Landes  (-8)

Current Record: 3-3
Before the Power Rankings Complaints Department is flooded with a deluge of comments from fans of Basket Landes, remember that we did raise the French champions up 8 places from Volume 1 to Volume 2. So even if moving them down 8 places looks over the top and out of context, it's not as drastic as it seems. Have we convinced you? Probably not as we do concede that Landes are in 5th place in the strange and totally unpredictable Group B. Maybe we are guilty of looking too far ahead, because Julie Barennes and her team have Sopron, Schio and Fenerbahce up next. Has this tough run entered our thinking? One big positive though is the growing influence of Regan Magarity. 

14. MBA Moscow  (+2)

Current Record: 2-4
You really have to hand it to MBA Moscow. Since the second volume of the rankings they have won two games, making history when they firstly beat KSC Szekszard and then followed it up with a first ever road win in the competition when they beat Umana Reyer. To have won two games when you are turning the ball over an eye-watering almost 20 times per game is quite something. Zhosselina Maiga has been so important and good, but to push on and flirt with maybe a place in EuroCup Women during the final season shake-up, a few more players need to still raise their level.

15. VBW Arka Gdynia  (-1)

Current Record: 1-5
It feels like we've been here before a few times with Gdynia doesn't it? That sense of them being in a lot of games, but not having that ability to finish the job enough during crunch time. A solitary win in six games is disappointing - even if it was an impressive triumph against Schio. They have actually got two standout ballers in Alice Kunek and Megan Gustafson, but it just hasn't happened collectively on a consistent basis. It's tricky to pinpoint where they can improve specifically, but right now, they still look favorites to finish in last spot in Group A. Or, can they turn it around?

16. KSC Szekszard  (-1)

Current Record: 0-6
After pushing so hard to make history and realizing their dream of a Regular Season spot in the competition, it's continued to be a nightmare. The lack of quality, depth and experience has been brutally exposed. Now things have taken an even worse turn with an injury to top performer Nikolina Milic. Their three-point shooting also remains a big problem - along with a general lack of offensive options. With TTT Riga and Umana Reyer at home, then BLMA on the road, can they eye at the very least a historic first ever win - or will the likely absence of Milic make it too difficult?

Disclaimer: The power rankings are entirely subjective and is in no way a true, accurate ranking systems. All comments are purely those of the author.