By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
The 7DAYS EuroCup Regular Season ended with Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar turning out to be the biggest disappointment in recent competition history. That makes the race to the 7DAYS EuroCup Finals becomes even more open, however, with one big favorite out of it and more and more teams looking hungry to go all the way to the top.
With 16 clubs ready for the Top 16, here’s the newest edition of the EuroCup Power Rankings, which includes only the teams which are still part of the competition.
1. Segafredo Virtus Bologna 8-2 (+3)
They closed the regular season with two wins, they restored order in a very competitive group, and they are emerging as the biggest favorite to win the trophy. What else would you expect from the team of Sasha Djordjevic and Milos Teodosic?
2. Unicaja Malaga 7-3 (-1)
Unicaja is traditionally a European powerhouse, and that remains true for the Spanish club this season. They know the ins and outs of the tournament; they know when it’s important to be ready, and they won the trophy three years ago. They have all the tools they need in order to make a splash this year.
3. Umana Reyer Venice 8-2 (-)
Reyer has emerged as one of the better teams so far thanks to eight regular-season wins, good enough to tie Virtus Bologna for the best record until now. If they keep this momentum, the reigning Italian League champions can make plans for the playoffs. So far, they have proven to be more than solid.
4. Partizan NIS Belgrade 7-3 (+1)
The Serbian powerhouse lost three of the last five regular-season games but had already qualified for the Top 16. And while this remains a new team that is still rebuilding, Partizan’s sole aim is to make the playoffs. After all, they have one of the strongest home courts in the whole of Europe.
5. MoraBanc Andorra 7-3 (+5)
Despite injury woes, Andorra finished the regular season with two wins and qualified in style to the Top 16. The Andorrans’ 7-3 record has what pushed them into the top five of these Power Rankings. On paper, however, nothing is a given for them in a very strong Top 16 group that includes two more teams from the Spanish League, Unicaja and Joventut Badalona.
6. Promitheas Patras 6-4 (-4)
Promitheas not only turned heads during the regular season but despite losing three of its last four games, remains among the top teams in the Power Rankings due to the additions of savvy veterans Loukas Mavrokefalidis and Vangelis Mantzaris. This can turn out to be quite a special season for the Greek club.
7. UNICS Kazan 6-4 (-1)
UNICS finished the regular season fighting for a spot in the Top 16. The former EuroCup champs parted ways with Mantzaris, who never got into any kind of rhythm in Russia, and added Jordan Theodore to the roster. That can be more than an important addition is why they have good chances to make the playoffs.
8. AS Monaco 6-4 (+1)
This is a tricky situation because you can make an argument about Monaco not playing up to their full potential yet. However, there’s also another angle. Monaco can play better and get better results. That’s why they are still in the upper echelon of the Power Rankings: this team is clearly playoffs material.
9. Galatasaray Doga Sigorta Istanbul 6-4 (-1)
Galatasaray is stable and solid, but can this be enough against UNICS and Monaco in the Top 16? That’s not an easy question to answer and probably the odds are not in favor of the Turkish side. Of course, Galatasaray can defy the odds but currently has to occupy this ninth spot in the Power Rankings.
10. EWE Baskets Oldenburg 6-4 (+1)
This is the only German team still alive, and that’s no small feat by any measure. Oldenburg’s good regular-season run was worth a move up one spot compared to the previous rankings. The Germans have a chance to reach the playoffs from a group in which two teams above them now, Umana Reyer Venice and Promitheas Patras, don’t have vast EuroCup experience. Still, Oldenburg will need to really step up its game.
11. Germani Brescia Leonessa 6-4 (+4)
They finished the regular season with two big wins, on the road against Darussafaka and then at home against Nanterre 92. They are in the same group as Oldenburg, Promitheas and Venice, so nobody can underestimate them. On the other hand, and despite this admirable four-position jump in the Power Rankins, they seem to be one step behind their competition.