MIAMI (United States) – Group A of the Basketball Champions League Americas 2025-26 will start this January 27. The teams that make up it are Paisas Basketball Club (COL), which will be in the competition for the second consecutive season, and the debutants Caimanes del Llano (COL) and Astros de Jalisco (MEX). Paisas will be the host in these first games in the area, at the Iván de Bedout Coliseum in Medellín. Then it will be Caimanes’ turn at home, from February 1, in Villavicencio and Astros will close, in Guadalajara, from the 10th. The Mexican quintet, due to its greater depth, looks like the favorite, while Paisas, which already reached the Quarterfinals last year, can use that experience in its favor to advance again. This is how the three teams are for their premiere in Season 7 of the BCL Americas:
Jalisco Astros (MEX)
In its local league, the LNBP, the team reached the Semifinals in the most recent contest and was one win away from advancing to the Final. In the regular round they only lost three games out of 28, which demonstrates the very good level under the guidelines of Spanish coach Iván Deniz, who will also take the reins in this international event.
Key data
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Participations: Debutante
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Best figuration: –
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Overall record: –
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Against group rivals: –
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Of interest: It will become the fifth Mexican team to participate in the BCL Americas (Capitanes de Ciudad de México, Fuerza Regia de Monterrey, Libertadores de Querétaro and Halcones de Xalapa).
Players to watch
The Aztec quintet has at its disposal one of the most complete squads in the entire competition. They have up to six players who have had experience in the Mexican national team: veterans Karim Rodríguez, Paul Stoll and Israel Gutiérrez, as well as Moisés Andriassi, Diego Willis and Víctor Álvarez. The community reinforcements are also top-level with the Venezuelan Michael Carrera, the Dominican Adonys Henríquez and the Jamaican Tyran De Lattibeaudiere, while the point guard Trey Burke, who played eight seasons in the NBA, is called to be one of the leaders.
Projection
It has the pieces to dominate Group A but can also aspire to be a serious opponent in the Playoffs, if it delivers as expected. It is already established that the teams from this area will meet in the next instance with those from Group B. There, Nacional (URU) secured first place and Flamengo (BRA), the current champion, second.
Caimanes del Llano (COL)
They earned their spot in the BCL Americas after finishing runner-up in the Colombian professional league that took place in the first half of 2025. Later, in the same local tournament that was played in the second half of the year, the team was unable to complete its schedule due to a sanction. Colombian coach Jaime Ortíz will take the reins of the team, in this, his first experience at the highest level on the continent.
Key data
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Participations: Debutante
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Best figuration: –
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Overall record: –
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Against group rivals: –
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Of interest: It will be the fourth Colombian team to participate in the BCL Americas (Titanes de Barranquilla, Toros del Valle and Paisas Basketball Club).
Players to watch
The point guard Octavio Muñoz, the forward Yildon Mendoza and the intern Sebastián Valencia, all with internships in the Colombian national team, are the leaders of the team. They will be accompanied by the Americans Shawn Foxbrennen Jr. and Jamahl Smith, as well as the Argentine Alejo Britos.
Projection
At the first turn, taking into account the makeup of the roster and the lack of experience of its players, it starts as the least favored in the area. In addition, it must be taken into account that when his participation in the last edition of his local league was stopped, he lost the ability to create better team cohesion.
Paisas Basketball Club (COL)
He won the two 2025 Colombian league tournaments as champion, in the second he won with great authority by sweeping the Semifinals and the Final. The Venezuelan coach Daniel Seoane has been in charge of giving shape to the ambitious project that now seeks to transcend beyond its borders.
Key data
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Participations: 2 (2024-25, 2025-26)
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Best figuration: Quarterfinals (2024-25)
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Overall record: 3-5
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Against group rivals: –
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Of interest: They have only been able to win once as host in the BCL Americas.
Players to watch
The Creole base is commanded by Luis Almanza, MVP of the last Colombian Final and member of the national team. Next to him are the inmates Soren De Luque and Leyder Moreno and the experienced John Hernández and José Lozano. Outsiders include Eric Crawford, Brandon Weatherspoon, Michael Miles Jr., Jonathan Agustin Fairell, Luis Bethelmy and Jared Ruiz.
Projection
He will be tested by the Astros, but he looks like he has the tools to seriously compete for one of the first two places in the group and at least emulate the previous season when they advanced to the Quarterfinals.
FIBA
