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2006-11-28 SEB BBL Team Ratings (IV)

<hr /> For those of you who marked their calendars, the Tuesday finally arrived. For those of you who accidentally joined our SlamSession, the SEB BBL fortnightly Team Ratings are here. Without further due let's get to the point: 8 teams stayed put, 3 climbed, and 3 fell. What is it? The lull before the storm? Could be. Even though the three best teams in each group are almost set, the remaining schedule of the first stage of the regular season includes a number of extra spicy matches. The two Latvian teams will play each other twice, Neptunas will meet Barons/LMT in what promises to be a true dog fight for the third place, and, of course, let us not forget the first meeting (be it in the <a href="http://www.lkl.lt/" target="_blank">Lithuanian Basketball League</a>) of two league leading teams: Lietuvos Rytas and Zalgiris. This one will take place already this weekend! These and other games will further dictate teams' power positions whereby our SEB BBL Team Ratings will be compiled. Do not forget to drop your opinions and see you all in two weeks! <table style="WIDTH: 100%; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1"><tbody><tr><td>Rating</td><td>Last Week</td><td>Change</td><td>Team</td><td>Record</td><td>Comment</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>1</td><td><img src="/images/gallery/small/lygu_2.jpg" /></td><td><a href="/index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NDY="><img hspace="0" src="/images/gallery/small/zalgiris_cdr.jpg" border="0" /></a></td><td>10-0</td><td>Do we have two different Zalgiris teams playing in two different tournaments: the SEB BBL and <a href="http://www.euroleague.net/" target="_blank">the Euroleague</a>? Well it is about time for those two to combine. The Euroleague losses are pilling up and the wins in the SEB BBL are also becoming very hard to achieve.</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>2</td><td><img src="/images/gallery/small/lygu_2.jpg" /></td><td><a href="/index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NDU="><img hspace="0" src="/images/gallery/small/lrytas_logo_1.jpg" border="0" /></a></td><td>8-1</td><td>We only saw positives when Lietuvos Rytas boss Jonas Vainauskas reshuffled his coaching staff. Going towards a more defensive play (style that Zmago Sagadin prefers) is good (1), giving a chance to play for your highest-paid player (Eurelijus Zukauskas) is good (2), and getting something extra out of your players (21 rebounds in one game from J.P.Batista) is good (3).</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>3</td><td><img src="/images/gallery/small/lygu_2.jpg" /></td><td><a href="/index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NTU="><img hspace="0" src="/images/gallery/small/riga.jpg" border="0" /></a></td><td>7-2</td><td>Unfortunately ASK Riga did not pass the Lietuvos Rytas test. They put up a great fight but fell short. ASK Riga ranks 12th in the league in 3-point field goal percentage; team???s latest acquisition Sandis Buskevics does not seem to be contributing much (0 points, 0/10 shooting over his last two games).</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>4</td><td><img src="/images/gallery/small/lygu_2.jpg" /></td><td><a href="/index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NTg="><img hspace="0" src="/images/gallery/small/bk_ventspils.jpg" border="0" /></a></td><td>6-3</td><td>Ventspils could not do anything against Rock Tartu two weeks ago and this sent us a signal that teams situated outside of the Top-3 can also hurt the Latvian champions. In the <a href="http://www.ulebcup.com/" target="_blank">ULEB Cup</a> Ventspils managed to beat Snaidero and also did not spare Nevezis on Saturday. But we will wait until their next game (against ASK Riga) to see if they are worth receiving higher than the fourth rating.</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>6</td><td><img src="/images/gallery/small/aukstyn_3.jpg" /></td><td><a href="/index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NTA="><img hspace="0" src="/images/gallery/small/neptunas.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NTY="></a><a href="/index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NDc="></a></td><td><a href="http://index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NTY="></a>5-5</td><td>As promised, the win against Siauliai got a mighty Neptunas climbing into the fifth position of our Team Ratings. A four-point loss to Zalgiris only solidified our opinion about Klaipeda???s strength. Let???s not forget that all weekend they played without Vitalijus Stanevicius who???s is out again with sinusitis problems.</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>5</td><td><img src="/images/gallery/small/zemyn_2.jpg" /></td><td><a href="/index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NDc="><img hspace="0" src="/images/gallery/small/logosiauliai.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NTY="></a></td><td>5-4</td><td>Siauliai folded in Klaipeda. It seems that this teams is struggling to find its leader. The head coach Aloyzas Rudys definitely has the talent to work with, however, something does not fall right. The leading scorer Mantas Ruikis did not start against Neptunas and only scored six points (half of his regular norm). At this point he could be too young for leader???s role and might be rushed in.The failures in the FIBA Cup tournament (Siauliai are still winless) might also be the cause of an overall flatness. However, the almost lost chances of making into the next round of the FIBA Cup should allow Siauliai to concentrate more on the SEB BBL.</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>7</td><td><img src="/images/gallery/small/lygu_2.jpg" /></td><td><a href="/index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NTQ="><img hspace="0" src="/images/gallery/small/rock_logo_04_05.jpg" border="0" /></a></td><td>5-5</td><td>Rock Tartu managed to beat Ventspils only to lose in Panevezys its next game. What could have been an intriguing 6-4 record is now only 5-5. The first stage of the regular season distinguished in wasted opportunities for Estonians. Another note, Rock is still winless in away games.</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>8</td><td><img src="/images/gallery/small/lygu_2.jpg" /></td><td><a href="/index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NTE="><img hspace="0" src="/images/gallery/small/sakalai_3.jpg" border="0" /></a></td><td>3-7</td><td>Game in Tallinn revealed Sakalai??? biggest weakness ??? the lack of low post players. Reed and Burlacu combined for 43 points, while Matulis only lasted 18 minutes. Physical play must drained Vilnius team as well, as it lost the second half 35:51.</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>9</td><td><img src="/images/gallery/small/lygu_2.jpg" /></td><td><a href="/index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NTc="><img hspace="0" src="/images/gallery/small/barons_4.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NTM="></a></td><td>4-5</td><td>One loss in one game does not say much. The loss suffered in Kaunas was against Zalgiris, the team that was embarrassed by the CSKA two days ago and, obviously, wanted to regain its self-confidence. And in that game nothing went the Barons/LMT way. Let???s wait another two weeks when Latvians play two games in two days against similar strength opponents. </td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>11</td><td><img src="/images/gallery/small/aukstyn_3.jpg" /></td><td><a href="/index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NTY="><img hspace="0" src="/images/gallery/small/valmiera_2.jpg" border="0" /></a></td><td>4-5</td><td>It is quite possible that Lacplesa Alus experienced its final success in the first stage of the SEB BBL regular season. Over the next three games Valmiera???s team will have to play Siauliai and Zalgiris twice. In the meantime, win against Kalev/Cramo lifts them one position up and brings back to the Top-10.</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>10</td><td><img src="/images/gallery/small/zemyn_2.jpg" /></td><td><a href="/index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NDg="><img hspace="0" src="/images/gallery/small/nevezis_new.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="/index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NTY="></a></td><td>3-7</td><td>I guess Nevezis really insulted Ventspils by beating them in last season???s SEB BBL Final 6 tournament. This year Ventspils took them more seriously and defeated in both games.</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>12</td><td><img src="/images/gallery/small/lygu_2.jpg" /></td><td><a href="http://index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NDg="></a><a href="/index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NTM="><img hspace="0" src="/images/gallery/small/kalev_1.jpg" border="0" /></a></td><td>3-8</td><td>The Estonian champions are the hardest team to prognosticate. So we simply quit doing that and only wait for the final buzzer to find out the score. Yet again, Kalev/Cramo lost a game everyone expected them to win, but later surprised with a hardly anticipated impressive win over Sakalai. Kalev/Cramo finished its first part of the regular season with 0 wins in away games. It is hard to be successful when you are not winning on road. </td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>14</td><td><img src="/images/gallery/small/aukstyn_3.jpg" /></td><td><a href="/index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NTI="><img hspace="0" src="/images/gallery/small/atletas_1.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="/index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NDk="></a></td><td>2-8</td><td>If anyone asked us two weeks ago about Atletas??? possibilities of getting up just one spot in our Team Ratings, we would had acted like we did not hear the question??? Seriously. It would had looked this impossible. Not anymore. After resting almost a month, Darius Lukminas delivered another spectacular performance that resulted the second win for his team.</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>13</td><td><img src="/images/gallery/small/zemyn_2.jpg" /></td><td><a href="/index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj10ZWFtcy5tYWluJnQ9NDk="><img hspace="0" src="/images/gallery/small/panevezys_logo.jpg" border="0" /></a></td><td>2-7</td><td>It is official, we think that Panevezys is grossly underachieving and, thus, the head coach Ramunas Cvirka should step down.The game against Rock Tartu showed what kind of talent this team has. Very much too late, though, as Panevezys will have to fight its way through the Division II battles.</td></tr></tbody></table>

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