By Antigoni Zachari / info@eurohoops.net
Welcome to the third edition of the 7DAYS EuroCup Power Rankings! Last week marked the midpoint of the 2021-22 regular season and some of the favorites have already gotten ahead in the standings battle.
However, with COVID-19 resurfacing on many squads, several games of Round 9 had to be suspended and rescheduled for later in the season, creating opportunities for underdogs to have their fair share of the spotlight. For this edition of the power rankings, we’re keeping in mind each of team’s momentum, health status/absences, and how much they have improved (or not) along the season so far.
Eurohoops presents the 7DAYS EuroCup Power Rankings Vol. 3:
#20 Dolomiti Energia Trento
Previous ranking: 19
Overall record: 1-8
Last 4 games: L-L-L-L
Has Trento run out of fuel? They definitely are not in good form since the last time we checked up on them in the Power Rankings. COVID struggles and lack of depth have been concerning, hence a worrisome four-game losing streak at the midpoint of the season.
#19 Promitheas Patras
Previous ranking: 16
Overall record: 2-6
Last 4 games: L-L-L-X
*X marks postponed games
Promitheas has been through a rough patch in its last three games, with evident struggle on the defensive end. The Greek side suffered three consecutive defeats before their Round 9 contest against Cedevita was suspended and they are definitely far from their early-season ambitions.
#18 Slask Wroclaw
Previous ranking: 20
Overall record: 1-7
Last 4 games: W-L-L-X
Just when the Polish showed a vital sign in their home triumph against Hamburg Towers in Round 6, their first win of the season, it quickly vanished with two defeats at the end of 2021. To their credit, they challenged Partizan head-to-head in a game that went down to the wire and a two-point home win for the latter in Round 8. Despite their disheartening 1-7 record, it’s true that a team is the most dangerous when they have nothing to lose.
#17 JL Bourg en Bresse
Previous ranking: 18
Overall record: 2-7
Last 4 games: W-L-L-L
The case of Bourg is a peculiar one. Their three-game skid in the last rounds doesn’t do the French team justice, as they have been competitive in all three. The brightest example of their resilience was their Round 9 near-upset of Virtus Segafredo Bologna, after the latter blew off an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter, but Bourg fell short in the final seconds. Forward Jalen Jones’s arrival comes at a crucial point for the French team and could have a positive impact on the remainder of the regular season.
#16 Bursaspor
Previous ranking: 12
Overall record: 3-6
Last 4 games: L-L-W-L
Bursaspor is another team that has had a rocky course so far. From back-to-back wins to five defeats in their last six games, it looks like Dusan Alimpijevic needs to shuffle the pieces again and bring the team back to shape. The recent addition of forward Tolga Gecim, a 2021 EuroLeague champion with Efes, could perhaps revitalize the Bursa side.
#15 ratiopharm Ulm
Previous ranking: 15
Overall record: 4-5
Last 4 games: W-W-L-L
Ulm topped Gran Canaria with a statement 96-81 victory in Las Palmas in Round 6 to stir up the “kettle” of Group B and then held off Bourg in Round 7 to move upwards in the pack. However, the momentum didn’t hold up for long, as Bursaspor and Valencia managed to crack the German side in tough displays in Rounds 8 and 9, respectively.
#14 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana
Previous ranking: 14
Overall record: 3-5
Last 4 games: L-L-W-X
Cedevita finally put an end to its five-game skid with a convincing win over Valencia on the road before their Round 9 game against Promitheas was postponed. Just like Bourg’s case, Cedevita is also a team whose actual record doesn’t do justice to the quality and strength of the roster. There’s still plenty of time to make amends for their skid and the return of Zoran Dragic to the squad in 2022 could signal the beginning of a fresh start.
#13 Boulogne Metropolitans 92
Previous ranking: 8
Overall record: 4-5
Last 4 games: L-L-W-L
A team of reverse speeds, Boulogne Metropolitans is going through a drought in recent weeks. To some extent, this is justified, as they had to face Joventut Badalona and Partizan back-to-back in December, in two very challenging contests for Vincent Collet’s squad. Their Round 8 victory against Andorra showed that they are still in the fight, though their slump against Lietkabelis placed them in a tough place from which they will need to recover soon in order to remain in playoffs sight.
#12 Hamburg Towers
Previous ranking: 17
Overall record: 4-5
Last 4 games: L-W-W-W
Arguably the hottest team at this point of the season, the German EuroCup rookies chipped their way into the playoffs zone slowly but steadily. After a disheartening loss to Slask Wroclaw on the road in mid-December, they faced favorites Lokomotiv and became the first team to score in triple-digits against the Russians this season. They turned this victory into a streak with a comeback against Trento and edged Turk Telekom with a three-point feast in Round 9. Hamburg has the right momentum but also faces two favorites of Group A in the next two weeks: Partizan and Joventut, which will be big tests for Pedro Calles’s team.
#11 Lietkabelis Panevezys
Previous ranking: 13
Overall record: 4-5
Last 4 games: W-L-L-W
Posting 87 points against the competition’s best defensive team (Joventut) on its own is a big feat, and it becomes even more significant when it’s accompanied by a win. Unfortunately, Lietkabelis didn’t convert this advantage in their favor in their last two games of 2021, though they returned to action strong to knock off Boulogne. 2000-born Dovydas Giedraitis emerged as a new force for Nenad Canak’s squad with a career-best 25 points in that win and Lietkabelis keeps on delivering above expectations.
#10 Umana Reyer Venezia
Previous ranking: 11
Overall record: 4-4
Last 4 games: L-W-W-X
Among improved teams, there’s also Reyer Venezia. A wobbly start to the new season didn’t hold them down and they showed they should still be considered a strong contender for a playoffs spot in Group B. Big man Mitchell Watt took on a starring role to lead the Italians to back-to-back wins in late 2021 and it remains to be seen if he can hold up his form to push Reyer further as the season progresses.
#9 Turk Telekom
Previous ranking: 10
Overall record: 5-4
Last 4 games: L-W-W-L
Turk Telekom was the last victim of the Hamburg storm last week and that 20-point defeat was far from an ideal scenario. However, they still hold a 5-4 record in Group A and have been reinforced by scoring ace Jared Terrell, Henrik Rodl’s first selection after taking over the bench in December. Despite all these adjustments and the necessary trial-and-error, the Turkish side remains a strong suitor to finish among the giants of their group.
#8 MoraBanc Andorra
Previous ranking: 9
Overall record: 5-3
Last 4 games: W-W-L-X
Since the last edition of the power rankings, Andorra stopped both Turk Telekom and Lietkabelis to protect their homecourt. A bad second half cost them this two-game winning streak against Boulogne, while their game against Slask – which arguably could be a chance to restore their momentum – has been postponed to February. With captain David Jelinek sidelined for at least two more months, Andorra is called to manage the pressure of setting their own expectations high this season. So far so good.