By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
It’s not easy to make predictions on a competition of top quality, and that’s the case with this season’s 7DAYS EuroCup.
Most of the first ten teams of the initial EuroCup Power Ranking are performing as expected. Still, clubs like Promitheas Patras and Galatasaray Doga Sigorta are already exceeding expectations. The same can be said to a lesser extent for Germani Brescia Leonessa and, of course, Asseco Arka Gydnia.
Meanwhile Buducnost and Cedevita Olimpija, the only teams without a win yet, are gravely underperforming, to say the least, and the jury is still out on one of the main contenders, Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar.
1.Unicaja Malaga (+1) (4-1)
There’s no surprise here. Unicaja Malaga, last season’s runner-up, is performing as expected and lost only one game, by three points on the road in Oldenburg. Things are going as programmed for the club. So far, so good.
2.Partizan NIS Belgrade (+3) (5-0)
The improvement of Partizan continues as the Serbs are the only unbeaten team in the competition and have now added former EuroCup champion James Bell. Can they go all the way? That’s the question that should be following them for the rest of the season.
3. UNICS Kazan (+1) (4-1)
UNICS has a solid start in the EuroCup but also has to resolve its share of roster issues. And while Errick McCollum‘s big shot against Darussafaka kept their record at 4-1, it’s evident that the team needs improvement, and that’s why forward Jamil Wilson was added. Still, they remain in the EuroCup’s upper echelon.
4. Segafredo Virtus Bologna (+1) (4-1)
Teodosic’ big shot in the game against Monaco is more proof that this team is for real. They are improving day by day, and they have all the tools to create something special for the Italian “basket city”.