By John Rammas/ irammas@eurohoops.net
Status, dynamics, form and the significance of the results were the criteria for ranking the 16 teams.
#16 DARUSSAFAKA TEKFEN ISTANBUL
Previous ranking: 15 (-1)
Record: 1-9
At home: 1-4
Away: 0-5
Offense-Defense: 76.6 ppg.-89.4 ppg.
The win over Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (71-63) in the second round remains the only one for Darussafaka Tekfen Istanbul. With another six defeats in November, they reached eight in a row and nine in total, a record that has placed them alone at the bottom of the rankings. Their performance on offense (second worst and with the second-highest number of turnovers with 13.7) and defense (second worst) is similar and makes up the worst team point differential, 12.8 per game. Michael Eric (13 points, 6.3 rebounds) and Ray McCallum (10.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists) are fighting, but they have their fair share of turnovers too (2.2 and 3.0 respectively).
#15 BUDUCNOST VOLI PODGORICA
Previous ranking: 16 (+1)
Record: 2-8
At home: 2-4
Away: 0-5
Offense-Defense: 71.5 ppg.-81.7 ppg.
Buducnost have the worst offense, the seventh-worst defense and the second-worst point differential (10.2), but there are moments when they outdo themselves. They did it twice in November, once with their first win (99-84 over KIROLBET Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz) and once for the biggest upset in the competition so far (93-92 over CSKA Moscow). The three-point shot (third best percentage with 42.3%) was the key to their success in both instances, so much so that they registered an all-time EuroLeague record for three-pointers in a game while shooting 21-for-34 vs. Baskonia.