Power Rankings: Who are the big movers and shakers as we head into Week 5?

MUNICH (EuroLeague Women) - With a quarter of the EuroLeague Women Regular Season now in the books, things are really beginning to take shape in the standings.

However, our Power Rankings are as fluid as ever and our roller-coaster ride continues heading into Week 5.

RANK	CLUB	MOVE
1			UMMC Ekaterinburg - Business as usual, as UMMC pulverized ZVVZ USK Prague last week. We said the visitors needed to compete on the boards. They didn't and UMMC were ruthless in making them pay. Maria Vadeeva played like a veteran and the floor shooting between her, Alba Torrens and Emma Meesseman was crazy good - a collective 21-of-26. Next up? A trip to a Bourges team who are playing nicely and so is this the biggest test for UMMC so far? On paper, it probably is.
2			Dynamo Kursk - It was far from straightforward and with a strange spread of minutes and rotations (presumably injuries or other issues involved), they only just squeezed past Fenerbahce. Not for the first time this season, they gave their opponents the last possession and dodged a bullet. Tina Charles played very nicely, but as Coach Mondelo said himself, they have a long way to go still. The mammoth drought of just one basket in the whole of the last quarter until the last minute when Breanna Stewart hit what proved to be the game-winner had us all scratching our heads. They did their best to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Kursk arguably have a point to prove this week at Sopron in what could be the Game of The Week!
3			Bourges Basket - Marine Johannes was sensational (standard of course) in the first half of that game on the road at Schio. She had us all drooling with her usual scorching highlights reel as she wasted little time in making an impact and putting Bourges on course for victory. They bounced back from their loss to Prague and it was a good time to have played Schio who were low on confidence. With things running smoothly domestically, next up for Coach Lafargue and his side is the daunting task of hosting UMMC. Can they be competitive? Can they still be in the game by Q4? Maybe they can if they use their defensive pressure to good effect.
4			Sopron Basket - What a win that was for Coach Iniguez as he went back to his homeland and masterminded a success at Avenida. It was intense, but Yvonne Turner showed out and proved to be the game-winner with the best performance of the entire round! They are shooting the ball well collectively and only UMMC have a better FG percentage. That means a tricky game for Dynamo Kursk when they visit the Novomatic Arena in the only game to be played on Thursday. Amanda Zahui against Tina Charles looks like it could be a pivotal matchup.
5			ZVVZ USK Prague - The most disappointing aspect of the loss to UMMC last week was the manner of the defeat. Prague were swept aside and having not lost a game previously, most of us expected a better fight. Still, they can put their rotten showing in Ekaterinburg behind them as they have the opportunity to go 4-1 as they entertain a Castors Braine side who will struggle to keep pace offensively. You can take nothing for granted, but on paper, this looks the biggest lock of the week!
6			Perfumerias Avenida - After that setback at home against Sopron, it's turning into a roller-coaster campaign for the Spanish champions. and they have an intriguing matchup at Carolo Basket this week. Their opponents have lost momentum and Avenida will want to capitalize. They have an advantage in terms of second chance points and rebounding, while much will hinge on the defense keeping Carolo at bay from the perimeter. The French side have shot decently at home, if not on their travels.
7			TTT Riga - You really never know which Riga side is going to turn up each week, but when it is like the one that destroyed Carolo Basket, even the neutrals stand back and admire. It was awesome and they got that previously elusive first home win in style. This week they go to Olympiacos with a great opportunity ahead of them - but also a major banana skin. What was most satisfying about their performances is that Shay Peddy might be grabbing the spotlight, but there have been some seriously nice cameos, such as Ieva Pulvere last week who had a party from the perimeter. TTT RIga are becoming our 'Power Rankings Pendulum Club!' From one extreme to another each week! Great fun to watch!
8			Fenerbahce - It was a loss at Dynamo Kursk, but they still move up a spot because we were impressed how they took their opponents to the last possession and could have won the game. Whether they deserved to or not is up for debate, but they showed good mental strength to come back from behind and almost pull it off. Having Bria Hartley and Kiah Stokes now with a game behind them in the competition, plus a super domestic win against Mersin means they will be looking to take down Hatay in EuroLeague Women this week. They will also want revenge for a recent league loss. The only major question seems to be how they can best get Cecilia Zandalsini showing her class in this competition.
9			Hatay - The win against Olympiacos got Hatay back on track and they were comfortable in the contest, thanks mainly to Hind Ben Abdelkader and her nice shooting effort. However, some of that confidence might have drained away over the weekend as they lost to Cukurova by double digits in the Turkish League. Fittingly it is another all-Turkish clash this week for them - and they at least have the knowledge they can take down this Fenerbahce team, even if they have less depth.
10			CCC Polkowice - To hold an opponent to 13 first-half points and yet then lose the lead after the interval and be left relieved to get the W, did make victory feel a little hollow. It was not impressive from CCC Polkowice and they dodged a bullet that should not have been able to have been fired. Another interesting matchup comes into focus as they face a Schio team who are winless, but have strengthened last week. Temi Fagbenle will have to play well to shut down Jantel Lavender and Sandrine Gruda, but maybe the Allie Quigley factor will be the key to the game. Who will guard her and can they make her put the ball on the floor?
11			Carolo Basket - It was a worrying capitulation for Carolo in Riga as they imploded in rather spectacular fashion. Perhaps of even more concern is that this disappointment was followed up by an 88-71 domestic humbling at the hands of Roche Vendee. The opportunity of home comfort is at least a big plus this week, although it won't be easy against an Avenida team coming off the back of a loss. Carolo Basket must stand up and be counted physically, rebound the ball and draw on the support of their own fans who have already enjoyed two home EuroLeague Women victories. All eyes on Zsofia Hruscakova and Kaleena Lewis who regardless of results, continue to play well.
12			ESBVA-LM - It was almost the ultimate rescue mission at home to CCC Polkowice last week after that jaw-dropping and eye-watering 13 points in the opening half. At least they finished on a high by coming back to almost win. Even if they did lose. you can throw into the mix a positive that they unexpectedly hammered BLMA in the French League. It was a big success and that will fuel them for this week's game at Nadezhda.
13			Nadezhda - Yes, Nadezhda entertain ESBVA-LM looking to make it successive wins, having gotten that first victory of the season last week at Castors Braine. The performance and production of Erica Wheeler was immense for playcaller Victor Lapena. She was the difference-maker and it was a big relief, since they almost blew it. They will perhaps look to dominate ESBVA-LM inside and will have to be wary of those dreaded turnovers as their opponents are effective in transition with 14 points per game from this source.
14			Castors Braine - So why have we not dropped down Castors Braine after a defeat? Well, they have only a handful of headline names and not a lot of depth. Taking into account Belgium national team winger Antonia Delaere was missing, they were even shorter than normal and yet almost squeezed out the Russians. This week is a daunting task in Prague since they are up against a high energy and offensive team. They will have to control the tempo and keep it ugly since they don't have the firepower to stand toe to toe and just run and gun. A clash of styles awaits.
15			Famila Schio - So how can you lose again, hold a 0-4 record and actually move up the Power Rankings we hear some people scream in frustration? Two words for you...Allie Quigley. Yes, what a signing this is for the struggling Italians, but the arrival of the WNBA shooting ace and reigning EuroCup Women champion offers sun rays poking through the black clouds. After a 27-point debut in the Italian League, she is likely to suit up this week against CCC Polkowice on the road and now Coach Pierre Vincent has a high class trio of players in Gruda, Lavender and Quigley. Surely they can put together some positive results, even if their new signing is not a silver bullet. It will need the supporting cast to step up too and they also need to pick themselves up from a loss in the Italian League against San Martino.
16			Olympiacos - We showed huge faith in bumping Olympiacos up the standings after all that promise they showed against Dynamo Kursk, but having been swept aside in Antakya against Hatay, it is back to the bottom of the standings. The winless newcomers are going to really have to make it fifth time lucky this week by hoping TTT Riga are blowing cold. And their Latvian opponents most certainly do blow hot and cold! Will they be able to throw a defensive blanket on Shay Peddy?