By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
A total of 32 teams spread across Europe shaped the field of the 2022-23 Basketball Champions League Regular Season. Eight advanced to the Round of 16 with the remaining berths to be determined in the Play-Ins.
Persisting trademarks of FIBA’s club continental competition stretch from youngsters with the opportunity to shine in a competitive environment and the same for clubs coming out of minor domestic leagues. But that is not all in the BCL with tight affairs and exciting games keeping fans at the edge of their seats, packed venues, and stunning overachievers. All in a day’s work.
Eurohoops presents players and teams impressing the most as the cream of the crop. Among our picks are the First and Second Teams, the best coach, and the MVP of the Regular Season.
Best Young Player: Sadik Emir Kabaca
Stats: 11.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.5 spg
Plenty of promising upstarts to choose from, but Sadik Emir Kabaca delivering big stats and helping Galatasaray Nef top Group C edged out the remaining candidates.
Kabaca, 22, introduced himself to the Champions League playing for Teksut Bandirma back in the 2019-20 season. Following a FIBA Europe Cup spell with Besiktas Icrypex in 2020-21, he moved to the Lions and resurfaced in the BCL last season.
From three double-digit scoring showings in 2021-22 to four over six 2022-23 games, a huge improvement behind gradually expanding his shooting range. Besides building confidence in offensive duties, he has been brilliant in defense as well sharing a team-high of 1.5 steals per contest with Dee Bost.
The Istanbul outfit seeking an extended run will be back in late January competing in Group K alongside Unicaja and a couple of teams surviving the Play-Ins.
Most Improved Player: Akil Mitchell
2021-22 Stats: 9.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.3 bpg
2022-23 Stats: 16.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.3 spg, 0.8 bpg
Becoming the first player producing over 25 points, ten rebounds, and three steals in a single game of the 2022-23 season, Akil Mitchell reserved his best performance for AEK’s most crucial game. His effort on Gameday 6 pushed the Queen to the win against Pinar Karsiyaka and the second seed in Group B.
Fittingly, the team located in Izmir was his first BCL team last season, the sample to compare leading to our Most Improved Player award.
Before departing Karsiyaka in November, he averaged 9.0 points per contest over three appearances. Back in the Champions League, he nearly doubled up to 16.0 points per contest over six appearances with AEK. Surely, a different role in a different team but also a significant upgrade across the board for the American-Panamanian power forward.
Up next for Mitchell is the best-of-three Play-In series opposite another Turkish side, Tofas Bursa.
Best Defender: Michale Kyser
Stats: 9.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.3 bpg, 0.8 apg, 0.3 spg
From Aris, VEF Riga, and Hapoel U-NET Holon, Michale Kyser joined Surne Bilbao for yet another Champions League experience.
Very much expecting spectacular dunks and blocks, the Louisiana Tech has become a regular in highlight reels and a household name in the competition.
Defensive efforts translated into a league-high 14 blocks in the Regular Season. The only player producing five-block showings twice in the 32-team stage, against ERA Nymburk in the opener and deeper in the six-game schedule against Igokea m:tel.
Bilbao winning Group D was subsequently placed in Group L alongside ACB rival and reigning BCL champion Lenovo Tenerife.
Best Team: Lenovo Tenerife
Regular Season W-L: 4-2 in Group H
A lasting original of the competition that became the second two-time champion in Bilbao last May. This season, visiting the largest city of the Basque Country and birthplace of head coach Txus Vidorreta comes earlier, in the Round of 16.
Our Best Team of the Regular Season saw a massive winning streak stretching back to the 2021-22 consecutive triumphs snapped in Greece midway in October. Rallying after the loss to Peristeri bwin, Marcelo Huertas, Giorgi Shermadini and Sasu Salin, all among the numerous returning players, carried the load powering Tenerife to dominate Group H. The Gameday 6 loss to Rytas simply worsened the final tally as the top seed was previously secured.
Best Coach: Norberto Alves
Regular Season W-L: 4-2 in Group F
Picking Benfica to win four games in Group F would be a bold prediction at the start of the season. The Eagles soared winning all three games on the road. Dropping two games at home, mainly the Gameday 6 fixture to Limoges CSP cost the top spot in the standings. However, advancements are undeniable and much credit goes to Norberto Alves.
The head coach of the Portugal champions guided Benfica to three wins in the Qualification Group held in Lisbon to qualify for the Regular Season. The looks of an uphill battle against Limoges, VEF Riga, and Baxi Manresa was outmatched with a fast-paced offense and a league-leading team total of 10.5 steals per game.
Building a team exciting to watch, Alves also led his team to earn huge and mostly unexpected wins. Darussafaka presents the next demanding challenge in a best-of-three Play-In series.
MVP: T.J. Shorts II
Stats: 24.2 ppg, 6.7 apg, 4.2 rpb, 1.0 spg
Pouring 145 points, the most by any player in the Regular Season and among the nine players reaching the 40-assist mark. Beyond individual achievements, T.J. Shorts II was named among the five most impactful players of the week three times, yet another league-high. Also, he lifted Telekom Baskets Bonn directly to the Round of 16. Clearly, the MVP of the Regular Season.
Shorts, 25, debuting in the Champions League was in charge of the Bonn outfit from creating plays for his teammates to scoring himself. He became the first player to tally over 25 points in his first five appearances with the previous record standing at three.
Standing at 5 ft 9 in, he is the next big thing bursting out of the BCL. The point guard and leader of his team will be part of Group J of the Round of 16. Matching up with last season’s runner-up Manresa and two Play-In winners.
Another UC Davis product, Chima Moneke went from last season’s BCL MVP to the NBA. In 2021-22, his former Aggies teammate was the top scorer of 2021-22 easyCredit BBL and registered a second season in the FIBA Europe Cup, playing for Hakro Merlins Crailsheim. A solid campaign led to the successful transition to FIBA’s top-tier club continental competition.
First Team
T.J. Shorts II (Telekom Baskets Bonn)
Errick McCollum (Pinar Karsiyaka)
Tre’Shawn Thurman (Filou Oostende)
Maurice Kemp (Bnei Ofek Dist Herzeliya)
Jerry Boutsiele (Bahcesehir Koleji)
Second Team
Joe Ragland (Hapoel Atsmon Holon)
Marcus Foster (Rytas Vilnius)
Matt Mitchell (SIG Strasbourg)
Justin Johnson (MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg)
Zach Hankins (Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem)
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League