By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
It’s been two months since the last edition of the 7DAYS EuroCup and the final stretch of the regular season proved to be more than unpredictable. Just before the start of the Top 16, the only thing that everyone agrees on is that Virtus Segafredo Bologna is the main title contender and everything else seems possible. That’s why this season, big jumps in the Power Rankings seem to be possible. And there’s a French revolution going on.
1. Virtus Segafredo Bologna (10-0) –
How do you improve an unbeaten EuroCup team? You sign Marco Belinelli. With a 10-0 record, a formidable roster, and high ambitions, Virtus is without a doubt the team to beat.
2. Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar (8-2) +1
Lokomotiv Kuban remains high in the Power Rankings. The team has lost only to Virtus – twice – but the real concern here is the injury to Alan Williams, who was having his best season ever. It remains to be seen how this affects them, but so far they are among the elite.
3. Herbalife Gran Canaria (8-2) +1
Granca managed to finish atop Group D and has emerged as the best Spanish team in the competition so far. The numbers are in its favor with a 5-1 record since the last version of the power rankings.
4. Joventut Badalona (8-2) +3
After a 5-0 start, Joventut finished with a 3-2 record to close the regular season. Still, you can’t deny that this team is still on the rise and it earned the top spot in Group A, keeping its distance from main rival UNICS Kazan.
5. Unicaja Malaga (7-3) -3
Injury woes remain a problem for Unicaja and its drop has to do more with other teams outperforming than with its abilities. Unicaja finished second in the tie with Boulogne Metropolitans 92 in Group B but remains one of the most experienced contenders in the competition.
6. AS Monaco (6-4) –
This is one of the few teams that didn’t change positions and for a good reason. You can’t get much stronger than Monaco. It was tested against Virtus and Lokomotiv in Group C, so don’t be surprised if it emerges as a top dog in the Top 16.
7. UNICS Kazan (6-4) +1
While the seventh position in the Power Rankings can be considered low for a team with UNICS’s roster, in fact, it’s an improvement by one position compared to the previous edition. Since then, UNICS has gone 4-2 and if it finds a way to be consistent, then watch out!
8. Dolomiti Energia Trento (6-4) +2
Trento is still on the rise, even if its record since the last edition of the Power Rankings is 2-4. However, it has to be noted that Trento dropped its last three games after it was already qualified with five wins in six games. So you can’t really underestimate this team.
9. Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (7-3) +6
One of the three clubs that made the biggest jump in the rankings, having played seven games in the last two months and winning six of them. Yes, Olimpija is that good and if you want to bet on a dark horse, they are one of the main candidates. Still, there’s one team that can be considered an even bigger surprise.
10. Boulogne Metropolitans 92 (7-3) +6
Metropolitans finished the regular season on a 4-1 run and ended up winning the top spot in Group B in the 7-3 tie with Unicaja Malaga. So far it has taken the whole competition by storm and that trend might not stop in the regular season.
11. JL Bourg en Bresse (6-4) +6
This is the second French team that made a six-position jump, following the steps of Metropolitans. Bourg had a 4-3 record since the previous power rankings and ended up being third in Group A in a three-way tie with UNICS Kazan and Partizan.
12. Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (5-5) -6
Buducnost dropped six positions – after a four-position jump forward in the previous edition – and that’s not entirely its fault. Still, it started the season with a 3-2 record and finished it with the exact opposite (2-3) which was good enough for the fourth position in Group B.
13. Partizan NIS Belgrade (6-4) –
Partizan remained 13th, which can’t be considered good or bad. Partizan still has room for improvement, despite a winning record and being part of a three-way tie in Group A. That said, it finished the regular season on a high note, getting a home win over UNICS, part of an admirable 4-1 record in the second half of the phase. On the other hand, it lost twice to Bourg.
14. Mornar Bar (5-5) -5
Mornar Bar – like Buducnost VOLI – lost five positions, after a six-position improvement in the second edition of the Power Rankings. It remains a mixed bag, despite having heavy hitters on the roster and that makes it dangerous in the Top16.
15. Nanterre 92 (4-6) +5
Despite a 1-3 start and a losing final record, Nanterre ended up being part of the rise of the French clubs. You can argue that it got lucky because of the injuries and COVID-19 issues of Promitheas Patras, but Nanterre got the job done.
16. Morabanc Andorra (3-7) -2
Everyone expected better for Andorra, however, COVID-19 issues were also a factor here and that means it can turn things around if it finally gets healthy. Still, Andorra finished the regular season with a 1-4 record, which was enough for fourth place in Group C.