By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The new season of the Basketball Champions League starts this week as 24 teams jump into the battle for the four remaining berths in the Regular Season.
Ten domestic champions and 22 countries are represented in the four Qualification Groups. The four hosts will welcome five more teams but only one side of each group will end up punching in the ticket to the Regular Season.
The single-elimination format directly connects to one of the main lessons taught in the knockout stage of EuroBasket with multiple leading stars on the receiving end of upsets, anything can happen in 40 minutes on the court. Especially at this extremely early stage of the season, picking out the frontrunners is complicated. However, some teams looking stronger on paper can be labeled as favorites, at least for the sake of discussion.
Undervaluing the teams ultimately claiming the last-minute pass to the Regular Season would be a mistake. Last season, Prometey and U-BT Cluj-Napoca turned heads coming out of the Qualifiers, while earlier successful examples include Hereda San Pablo Burgos going from the 2019 Qualifiers to back-to-back championships and MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg extending to the Final Four in 2018.
Group A
In theory, Tofas is the favorite here. Players the likes of Tyler Ennis or Rob Gray and Suleiman Braimoh are a rarity in the Qualifiers. The team based in Bursa also hired experienced tactician Dimitris Prifitis as the head coach.
CSO Voluntari and Niners Chemnitz emerge as other leading contenders in Skopje, North Macedonia. Host TFT, the Leicester Riders and Fribourg Olympic are coming in as well.
Schedule
Quarterfinals
Leicester Riders vs CSO Voluntari (21/9, 18:00 CET)
TFT Skopje vs NINERS Chemnitz (21/9, 21:00 CET)
Semifinals
Tofas Bursa vs Winner of Leicester Riders/CSO Voluntari (23/9, 18:00 CET)
Fribourg Olympic vs Winner of TFT Skopje/NINERS Chemnitz (23/9, 21:00 CET)
Final
Semifinals winners (25/9, 20:00 CET)
Group B
Apart from getting ready to play in the strongest domestic league in Europe and attached perks, Unicaja will also have home-court advantage in this qualification group. Proud for EuroBasket champions, Alberto Diaz and Dario Brizuela, additional firepower in Tyson Carter, Nihad Djedovic, Dylan Osetkowski, and Kendrick Perry.
It’s tough to place one of the five other sides playing spoiler in Malaga. But things can get tricky with Karhu Kauhajoki, Siauliai, Egis Kormend, Patrioti Levice, and Heroes Den Bosch in play.
Schedule
Quarterfinals
Patrioti Levice vs Egis Kormend (21/9, 17:30 CET)
Heroes Den Bosch vs Siauliai (21/9, 20:30 CET)
Semifinals
Karhu Kauhajoki vs Winner of Patrioti Levice/Egis Kormend (23/9, 17:30 CET)
Unicaja vs Winner of Heroes Den Bosch/Siauliai (23/9, 20:30 CET)
Final
Semifinals winners (25/9, 12:30 CET)
Group C
No clear favorites in Lisbon, Portugal. Perhaps host Benfica, strengthened by the arrivals of experienced Toney Douglas and Maik Zirbes, can enjoy success. Too close to call, compared to the above qualification groups.
Budivelnyk with Archie Goodwin and Jerai Grant will be looking to represent Ukraine in the Regular Season. Brose Bamberg and 2020 BCL Coach of the Year Oren Amiel alongside Golden Eagle Ylli, Keravnos, and Norrkoping Dolphins don’t carry rosters to overlook easily.
Schedule
Quarterfinals
Norrkoping Dolphins vs Budivelnyk (21/9, 19:00 CET)
Golden Eagle Ylli vs SL Benfica (21/9, 22:00 CET)
Semifinals
Brose Bamberg vs Winner of Norrköping Dolphins/Budivelnyk (23/9, 19:00 CET)
Keravnos vs Winner of Golden Eagle Ylli/SL Benfica (23/9, 22:00 CET)
Final
Semifinals winners (25/9, 18:00 CET)
Group D
Another relatively open qualification group but Rio Breogan and Bakken Bears seem to have a slight advantage. From Ethan Happ to Tony Carr and others, the squads look stronger.
Swans Gmunden and Parnu Sadam making out a Quarterfinals pair will determine the Semifinals opponent of the Denmark champions.
Rio Breogan’s quarterfinal opponent, FMP Meridian will feature Charles Jenkins, besides hosting the group in Belgrade, Serbia. Can’t rule out Opava either.
Schedule
Quarterfinals
Swans Gmunden vs Parnu Sadam (21/9, 17:00 CET)
FMP Meridian vs Rio Breogan (21/9, 20:00 CET
Semifinals
Bakken Bears vs Winner of Swans Gmunden/Parnu Sadam (23/9, 17:00 CET)
Opava vs Winner of FMP Meridian/Rio Breogan (23/9, 20:00 CET)
Final
Semifinal winners (25/9, 19:00 CET)
The four teams advancing will complete Group A, E, G, and H of the Regular Season. Regular season action follows in the first week of October.
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League