By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Regular Season of the Basketball Champions League Season X, powered by Ameresco SUNEL, is in crunch time, with one game left for all 32 participating teams next week.
The eight top seeds advance directly to the Round of 16, with the second and third-placed teams earning an additional opportunity in a best-of-three Play-In series.
In Gameday 6, the last available top seed will be decided between ALBA Berlin and Elan Chalon, while 16 more teams are involved in various battles for a ticket or homecourt advantage in the Play-Ins.
Eurohoops presents every remaining option for those looking to extend their respective continental bids into 2026. And from there to a closer look at the next stages.
Group A
Standings
1. Rytas 9 (4-1)
2. Promitheas Vikos Cola 7 (2-3)
3. Legia Warszawa 7 (2-3)
4. MLP Academics Heidelberg 7 (2-3)
Remaining games (17/12, 18:00 CET)
Promitheas Vikos Cola – Rytas
Legia Warszawa – MLP Academics Heidelberg
With the top seed secured, Rytas is simply traveling from Vilnius to Patras for the Gameday 6 affair.
On the opposite side, Promitheas needs a win to clinch the third seed. Otherwise, the Greek side will be eliminated.
Legia and Heidelberg will battle for the second seed, but will settle for the third even with a loss in Arena COS Torwar if Promitheas loses. If Promitheas wins, the losing side will be eliminated.
Group B
Standings
1. ALBA Berlin 9 (4-1)
2. Elan Chalon 9 (4-1)
3. ERA Nymburk 6 (1-4)
4. Sabah 6 (1-4)
Remaining games (16/12, 20:00 CET)
Elan Chalon – ERA Nymburk
ALBA Berlin – Sabah
A distance of three games between the top two and bottom seeds shapes clear implications in Gameday 6, especially considering respective potential tiebreakers decided in Gameday 5.
ALBA can clinch the top seed with a win over Sabah, and with a loss if Chalon drops its home game against Nymburk. Otherwise would finish second and enter the Play-Ins.
Chalon would rank first only with a win combined with an ALBA loss.
Nymburk can qualify for the Play-Ins as the third seed with a win, and with a loss if Sabah loses.
Sabah instead needs a win combined with a Nymburk loss to finish third.
Group C
Standings
1. Joventut Badalona 10 (5-0)
2. Cholet 8 (3-2)
3. Hapoel Netanel Holon 7 (2-3)
4. Bursaspor 5 (0-5)
Remaining games (17/12, 20:00 CET)
Cholet – Joventut Badalona
Bursaspor – Hapoel Netanel Holon
Badalona is guaranteed a direct ticket to the Round of 16, and Bursaspor is out. However, both are facing teams seeking second place in Gameday 6.
Cholet will earn the attached homecourt advantage with a win over Badalona or a Bursaspor win over Holon.
Holon instead needs to beat the Turkish side in Bulgaria and a Cholet loss to rank second.
Group D
Standings
1. La Laguna Tenerife 9 (4-1)
2. Trapani Shark 8 (3-2)
3. Tofas 7 (2-3)
4. Bnei PenLink Herzliya 6 (1-4)
Remaining games (16/12, 18:30 CET)
Tofas – Trapani Shark
Bnei PenLink Herzliya – La Laguna Tenerife
First place goes to Tenerife, and fourth to Herzliya, but the middle seeds are in play between Trapani and Tofas.
A direct meeting of the involved parties in Tofas Arena will decide which side will earn homecourt advantage in the Play-Ins. Specifically, the winner will finish second.
Group E
Standings
1. Galatasaray MCT Technic 9 (4-1)
2. Fitness First Wurzburg 8 (3-2)
3. Trieste 7 (2-3)
4. Igokea m:tel 6 (1-4)
Remaining games (17/12, 18:30 CET)
Igokea m:tel – Galatasaray MCT Technic
Trieste – Fitness First Wurzburg Baskets
Galatasaray MCT Technic and Igokea m:tel are first and fourth, which means advancing to the Round of 16 and elimination, respectively. Their Gameday 6 meeting does not change their situations.
In contrast, Trieste and Wurzburg will battle for the second seed, with the Italian side needing a win by 15 or more points to win the tiebreaker and clinch homecourt advantage in the following Play-Ins.
With a loss by 14 points or less, or a win in PalaTrieste, the German side will finish second.
Group F
Standings
1. AEK 10 (5-0)
2. NHSZ-Szolnoki Olajbanyasz 7 (2-3)
3. Patrioti Levice 7 (2-3)
4. VEF Riga 6 (1-4)
Remaining games (16/12, 18:00 CET)
NHSZ-Szolnoki Olajbanyasz – AEK
Patrioti Levice – VEF Riga
With AEK securing a Round of 16 ticket in Gameday 5, second through fourth will be decided in Gameday 6.
Olaj would clinch the second seed with a win over the Queen, or even with a loss if VEF Riga beats Patrioti by eight points or less, or the Slovakian champions win. Placing in the third seed is the case in any other scenario.
The Levice and Riga outfits can land anywhere between homecourt advantage in the Play-Ins and elimination. Patrioti ranks second with a win, combining with an AEK win, and third with a win or a loss by 18 points or less, combining with an Olaj win. Otherwise, it will be eliminated.
VEF finishes in second place with a win by a margin of nine points or more if AEK takes down Olaj, and third with a win by eight points or less if AEK wins or by 19 points or more if Olaj wins. In any other case, it will be knocked out.
Group G
Standings
1. Unicaja 10 (5-0)
2. Mersin Spor 8 (3-2)
3. Karditsa Iaponiki 7 (2-3)
4. Filou Oostende 5 (0-5)
Remaining games (17/12, 19:30 CET)
Mersin Spor – Filou Oostende
Unicaja – Karditsa Iaponiki
No possible changes here. The back-to-back champion, Unicaja, is heading directly to the Round of 16, Mersin and Karditsa will compete in the Play-Ins as second and third seeds, and Oostende will focus on other season challenges.
Group H
Standings
1. Dreamland Gran Canaria 10 (5-0)
2. Spartak Office Shoes 8 (3-2)
3. Le Mans 6 (1-4)
4. SL Benfica 6 (1-4)
Remaining games (16/12, 20:00 CET)
Dreamland Gran Canaria – SL Benfica
Le Mans – Spartak Office Shoes
Dreamland Gran Canaria has secured first place, and Spartak Office Shoes second, before Gameday 6 matchups opposite teams looking to avoid elimination.
Le Mans will clinch the third seed with a home win over the Subotica outfit or with Gran Canaria extending an undefeated streak at the expense of Benfica.
The Eagles will land the third seed if they get the win in Gran Canaria Arena and Spartak prevails in Antares.
Play-Ins
The next opportunities for a Round of 16 ticket concern 16 teams in respective best-of-three series between January 6 and 14.
1. Cholet OR Hapoel Netanel Holon – Trapani Shark OR Tofas
2. Mersin Spor – Le Mans OR Benfica
3. Trapani Shark OR Tofas – Cholet OR Hapoel Netanel Holon
4. Spartak Office Shoes – Karditsa Iaponiki
5. ALBA Berlin OR Elan Chalon – Promitheas Vikos Cola OR Legia Warszawa OR MLP Academics Heidelberg
6. Trieste OR Fitness First Wurzburg – NHSZ-Szolnoki Olajbanyasz OR Patrioti Levice OR VEF Riga
7. Legia Warszawa OR MLP Academics Heidelberg – ERA Nymburk OR Sabah
8. NHSZ-Szolnoki Olajbanyasz OR Patrioti Levice OR VEF Riga – Trieste OR Fitness First Wurzburg
Round of 16
Following the Play-Ins, the Round of 16 takes over, featuring a six-game double-legged round-robin schedule across four groups of four teams each until March 18.
Group I
Rytas
Galatasaray MCT Technic
Winner 1
Winner 2
Group J
ALBA Berlin OR Elan Chalon
AEK
Winner 3
Winner 4
Group K
Joventut Badalona
Unicaja
Winner 5
Winner 6
Group L
La Laguna Tenerife
Dreamland Gran Canaria
Winner 7
Winner 8
Quarterfinals
With the top two teams from each group advancing from the Round of 16 to the Quarterfinals, the four first seeds will have homecourt advantage in an ensuing best-of-three series starting on March 31, with April 15 the last possible date for a potential Game 3.
A draw on March 20 will decide the pairings. Teams from the same group not meeting each other in the Quarterfinals will be the only restriction.
Final Four
The advancing teams will compete for the championship in the Final Four with single-elimination games on May 8 and 10.
A draw will decide the pairings.