FIBA Basketball
FIBA Europe Cup Power Rankings: Volume 4
FIBA Europe Cup action is in full swing, which also means that our Power Rankings are here to stay, too. We will be checking up on our 16 teams every two weeks, continuing with our fourth edition.
MUNICH (Germany) - FIBA Europe Cup action is back in action this week with the start of the Second Round, which also means that our Power Rankings are back, too. We will be checking up on the remaining 16 teams every two weeks, continuing with our fourth edition.
16
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Here's the problem with CSM CSU Oradea. We are now in the part of the season when it's do-or-die. And of all the 16 teams that made it this far, Oradea have the worst efficiency differential, with their offensive rating at 106.1 and defensive at 105.0 after six games. That's a nerdy way to say that Oradea can't rely neither on their offense nor on their defense to bail them out - they need to be better on both ends if they want to take it to the next level here. |
15
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Speaking of advanced stats, Landstede Hammers Zwolle are the second best offensive team of the entire competition, putting up 120.7 points per 100 possessions, trailing only Ventspils in that department. But defense is a problem, that's why they are only 15th here. |
14
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Tsmoki-Minsk lost six straight games in all competitions, then finally won a game away at Kalev/Cramo in the VTB United League. However, that was their second longest losing streak this year, having previously lost eight straight in all competitions from January to March. They'll be happy to see 2019 go away once and for all. |
13
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Egis Kormend since November 20: W-L-W-L-W-L. Sorry Ventspils, W is next in line. |
12
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One reason to keep an eye on ZZ Leiden: Tayler Persons. He leads the league in points per game (22.4) and assists per game (8.1), while racking up four double-doubles along the way. Also, he was just two rebounds shy of a triple-double in his last game in this competition. Good luck, opponents. |
11
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So, over there in the Basketball Champions League, Telenet Giants Antwerp and Filou Oostende are the sweethearts of the competition. But, over there in Belgium, Spirou Basket defeated both of them over the course of last two weeks. Oh, both wins were away from home, too. Just take that kind of form from Belgium to FIBA Europe Cup, and you're going straight into the Top 10 and then into the Top 5 and then you win the whole thing. |
10
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Four wins in last five games, 7-3 over the last 10. Early season struggles are (finally) a distant memory when it comes to medi Bayreuth. Back to back games against Benfica and Bakken will be a good chance for us to see who wins the Best B-named Team of the FIBA Europe Cup trophy. It's a real thing. (No, it's not.) |
9
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All of the teams that are set to meet Bahcesehir College in the Second Round will have two ways of looking at the matchup. You are either facing a mighty 5-1 FIBA Europe Cup team. Or you are up against a lowly 2-9 Turkish League squad. A good showing in this competition could be the building block for Bahcesehir to improve their domestic record, too, so don't count them out just yet. |
8
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Just here to tell you that Kyiv Basket are 7-1 in their last eight games in all competitions. Their only defeat? Overtime drama against Odessa that finished 76-76 after four...and 114-111 at the end of the game! They were up 90-84 with 13 seconds to play in OT1, but let it go as Odessa forced another OT at 92-92. Then it was 100-100 after OT2, and at 114-111 Kasey Shepherd got a good luck at a three at the buzzer...but was short. Understandable, short shots are what usually happens after three OTs... |
7
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The best offense and the best defense of the competition! Ventspils put up a staggering 129.4 points per 100 possessions - Dallas Mavericks have 117.9 in the same column - while holding their opponents to 94.4 points over the same span - Milwaukee Bucks are at 101.6 in that area. So why are they only 7th here? Because a lot related to those record numbers has to do with their two blowout wins over previously eliminated APOEL Nicosia and Sigal Prishtina in the final two gamedays. |
6
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Seven wins in a row, 11-1 over the last 12 games in all competitions, all done while scoring the ball like it's throwing rocks into the sea from the dock of the bay. SL Benfica have made winning a habit, which is why it will be so much fun to see them take on tough opponents like Bakken, Bayreuth and Spirou now. |
5
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Bakken Bears are doing it again, people. They are on a run that saw them win 11 straight games in all competitions, they are undefeated since October 23, which was so long ago that the bears all over the continent weren't even thinking about hibernating. And Bakken Bears aren't thinking about it, either. |
4
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Jeff Withey for MVP? He's averaging 17.8 points, and leads the league with 11.3 rebounds per game, 2.8 blocks per game and average efficiency of 30.0 per game. Jeff Withey for MVP. But Ironi Ness Ziona aren't the top ranked Group J team here... |
3
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Not a bad sign when you are trailing only Khimki and CSKA in the VTB United League, right!? Enisey Krasnoyarsk aren't slowing down, just a week ago they handed Lokomotiv Kuban a 98-91 defeat, so expect them to take that kind of domestic magic and hit ctrl+v to this competition, too. |
2
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The only thing scarier than the fact that U-BT Cluj Napoca are on an eight-game winning run is the fact that it's already their second eight-game winning run of the season! Nobody shares the ball like they do. And don't just look at the 24.6 assists per game, pay attention to the incredible number which suggests that 71.7 of all Cluj field goals have been assisted on. Sharing is caring. |
1
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Nothing has changed. Pinar Karsiyaka are still winning games, and they only lost to Tofas, Bahcesehir College and Spirou Basket ALL SEASON LONG. They are 16-3 in all competitions, they never lost a game by more than 6 (yes, six) points, they are the team to beat in FIBA Europe Cup and it's going to take a lot to do so. Because, man, Pinar Karsiyaka are one of the most impressive teams in all European competitions since the season started. |
*The power rankings are entirely subjective and is in no way a true, accurate ranking systems. All comments are purely those of the author.
Igor Curkovic
Igor Curkovic is a Croatian freelance writer, Live Blog aficionado and meme expert who watches a lot of basketball and brings both the power and the rankings to the FIBA Europe Cup.