Caledonia Gladiators to compete in BCL Qualifiers

Caledonia Gladiators are to become the fourth BBL team competing in Europe this coming season after being confirmed in the Basketball Champions League (BCL) qualification round.

The BCL announced the line up on Tuesday evening, with 24 teams in the qualification rounds, vying to be one of the 32 teams in the regular season.

Gladiators will join Bristol Flyers and Newcastle Eagles in Europe – who have both announced they will be playing in the European North Basketball League (ENBL), and the widely-expected London Lions, who played in the Eurocup last season.

A total of 28 countries will be represented in Season 8 of the BCL, with 14 national champions waiting for the draw. The Qualification Rounds tip off on September 25, ending on October 1, when the last clubs to qualify to the Regular Season will be known.

The Regular Season starts on October 17, with the same format as previous seasons: Eight groups of four teams, group-winners moving directly to the Round of 16, while second- and third-placed teams move to the Play-In Series in January.

Later in January, the Round of 16 group stage begins, with eight remaining teams for the Quarter-Finals in April, while the Final Four will take place in May.

Full list of teams in the qualification rounds that Caledonia could be drawn against:

Bakken Bears (DEN), BG Gottingen (GER), Caledonia Gladiators (GBR), Cholet Basket (FRA), CSM CSU Oradea (ROU), FMP Soccerbet (SRB), Happy Casa Brindisi (ITA), Heroes Den Bosch (NED), Ironi Hay Motors Ness Ziona (ISR), Jonava CBet (LTU), Kalev/Cramo (EST), Karhu Basket (FIN), Legia Warszawa (POL), Monbus Obradoiro (ESP), Mornar Barsko Zlato (MNE), Norrkoping Dolphins (SWE), Pallacanestro Varese (ITA), Patrioti Levice (SVK), Peja (KOS), Petrolina AEK LCA (CYP), Telenet Giants Antwerp (BEL), TSU Tbilisi (GEO), SIG Strasbourg (FRA), SL Benfica (POR).

An initial draw sorting the Qualification Rounds and the Regular Season phase will take place at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball on Wednesday, July 5.

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