Hear from Andrey Vatutuin, Dimitris Itoudis and Nando De Colo as they discuss CSKA Moscow's 2015 championship game victory in Berlin in the fourth episode of the EuroLeague 25 Moments series.

EuroLeague 25 Moments: CSKA breaks the curse

No team of its era went to more EuroLeague Final Fours than [CSKA Moscow](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/cska-moscow/csk/). And no team suffered more heartbreaking losses.

After winning the crown in 2008, CSKA continued knocking on the door for eight years, but was unable to capture another crown.

In 2014, CSKA management decided to go in a new direction in building the team under coach Dimitris Itoudis, who had yet to be a head of bench in the EuroLeague. In their second season together, CSKA seemed like a team on a mission as they won their regular season and Top 16 groups and swept Crvena Zvezda Belgrade in the playoffs.

By halftime of the championship game against Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, CSKA led 50-30 in what Andrey Vatutin, CSKA Moscow CEO, calls "one of the best 20-minute stretches of basketball of not just CSKA, but overall."

And then Fenerbahce rallied. Slowly the doubts were creeping into the minds of Vatutin and the club's fans. Fenerbahce tied it on a Bobby Dixon three-pointer and took the lead on Kostas Sloukas free throws.

CSKA had a final possession in which [Milos Teodosic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/milos-teodosic/jdr/) almost lost the ball and [Nando De Colo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nando-de-colo/002100/) badly misfired. It seemed that the curse was on… until [Victor Khryapa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/victor-khryapa/bcq/) soared to put De Colo's miss in and force overtime, where CSKA found its mojo, captured the title and made Vatutin proud.

"It looks like the story is about the successful Victor Khryapa putback. Obviously, it's a legendary moment that will be remembered after years and decades," Vatutin says. "But for me it’s about eight years of hard work, eight years of waiting, eight years of patience and belief that some time it's gonna happen. The title in Berlin is an award for the patience and self-belief."

Hear more from Vatutuin, Itoudis and De Colo about CSKA's ride and the victory in Berlin in the latest episode of the EuroLeague 25 Moments series.

You can also watch [episode one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTOQS-w-PNs&t=86s), [episode two](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHqpRVU6VVs&t=518s) and [episode three](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QutvKk9HswQ) now.

Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul v CSKA Moscow (2015-05-17T15:00:00.000Z)

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge co-host Frankie Sachs shares his tips for this week's games

EuroLeague Fantasy tips for Round 33: Jewels in the bargain basement

The penultimate week of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season is upon us and EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge managers everywhere are seeking ways to build the perfect roster. Superstars are always attractive, but when you load up, you are left needing to find inexpensive players to round out the roster. This week I have done some digging to find five players all priced at less than 5.5 credits who could make useful contributions this week – and in some cases beyond.

### Elias Harris, FC Bayern Munich (5.3 credits)

It's taken a minute for the center situation to shake out at Bayern following the injury to Devin Booker. The big beneficiary as of late has been [Elias Harris](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/elias-harris/005460/). Between Rounds 29 and 32, he has averaged 11.5 points on 73.9% two-point shooting and 3.0 rebounds for a PIR of 12.8 in 16:15 minutes per game. That’s outstanding production at his price point. The veteran big man could be due for another strong effort this week against Maccabi, which has had some troubles of its own with frontcourt injuries.

Elias Harris Top Plays from FC Bayern Munich vs. Anadolu Efes 03/14/2025, Bitci Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. FC Bayern Munich 03/20/2025 and 1 other

Elias Harris highlights: Rounds 29-32

### Joel Parra, FC Barcelona (5.3 credits)

Over the previous six rounds, [Joel Parra](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/joel-parra/007464/)'s role has grown for Barcelona – and that started before the injury to Chimazie Metu. The power forward has played at least 20 minutes in four of the last six games after not doing so at all in the first 26 rounds. He comes off a 9-point, 7-rebound showing against Milan in Round 32 for a PIR of 12 and then had 11 points and 5 boards for a PIR of 11 in the ACB. Parra may not post MVP-like numbers, but for solid production in a Wednesday game at this price, he is a shrewd investment.

### Stefano Tonut, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (4.8 credits)

Injuries have hit the Milan backcourt, which makes it even more likely that [Stefano Tonut](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/stefano-tonut/006509/) will continue to get opportunities that few players at his price will see. He played 25 minutes in Round 32 and notched a PIR of 11 for the second time in three games – after only cracking double figures once before that. The main drawback to Tonut is that Milan plays on Turn 3, so you may not want to gamble on him as a starter, but even having nice contributions on the bench can be very useful.

### Jake Cohen, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (4.7 credits)

Maccabi has been without Jaylen Hoard and Jasiel Rivero for weeks and Trevion Williams missed Friday's game. [Jake Cohen](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jake-cohen/005145/) stepped into the void last week with two of his best games all season. The 34-year-old posted 15 points and 6 boards for a PIR of 19 in Round 30 against the champs and followed that up with 10 points and a PIR of 7 against Efes. Check out how Maccabi lines up in the Israeli League on Monday night to see if Williams or Hoard return and then follow that up with the injury report on Wednesday. If it looks like Maccabi is shorthanded up front again, Cohen could – and should – be your man.

Dame Sarr highlights

### Dame Sarr, FC Barcelona (4.5 credits)

There is no better pickup in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge right now than [Dame Sarr](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dame-sarr/011666/). Coach Penarroya is giving the young man burn and he has produced in his limited games as a starter, while only costing 4.5 credits. Sarr posted 13 points, 3 assists and 2 steals for a PIR of 16 against Milan in Round 32 and had 7 points in 20 minutes over the weekend against Joventut Badalona. The value for the price – plus the upside of an 18-year-old – makes Sarr the man of the moment.

EuroLeague Fantasy tips, Round 33: Jewels in the bargain basement

Voting for the All-EuroLeague Team will be open from Monday, March 31 and will run through Monday, April 14, right after the Regular Season has concluded and before the Play-In Showdown starts. This season, the votes of head coaches and team captains will each account for 35% of the total, while media members will make up another 20% and the fan vote will be worth 10%.

Voting for the 2024-25 All-EuroLeague Team is open

As the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season reaches its thrilling final stretch, and in [accordance to the announced changes in the season awards structure](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/news/euroleague-basketball-adjusts-its-euroleague-awards-structure/), it is time to consider which stars are most deserving of season honors. And the fans will of course have their voices heard!

Voting for the All-EuroLeague Team will be open from Monday, March 31 and will run through Monday, April 14, right after the Regular Season has concluded and before the Play-In Showdown starts. This season, the votes of head coaches and team captains will each account for 35% of the total, while media members will make up another 20% and the fan vote will be worth 10%.

Upon completion of all voting, the player with the most votes will become this season's Turkish Airlines EuroLeague MVP. He and the next four top vote-getters will comprise the All-EuroLeague First Team and the next five will make up the All-EuroLeague Second Team.

To make sure your voice is heard, go to <https://alleuroleagueteam.euroleague.net> to register your vote for the most deserving players from the 2024-25 season! Remember to base your selections on each player's performances for the entirety of the Regular Season!

The penultimate round of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season could see several postseason scenarios confirmed as the last few playoff places are chased. Here’s your guide to Round 33!

At a glance: Three days of action-packed games

The penultimate round of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season could see several postseason scenarios confirmed as the last few playoff places are chased. Here’s your guide to Round 33!

## Wednesday, April 2

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. FC Barcelona (19:45 CET)

In a Wednesday tipoff, Fenerbahce (22-10) will try to maintain first place in the standings against a Barcelona (18-14) side with an even greater need of victory. The Turkish team has already secured a top-four finish, and coach Saras Jasikevicius along with his players [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/) and [Sertac Sanli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sertac-sanli/002968/) will now attempt to harm the playoff ambitions of their former team. Revenge is also in the air after Barca’s crushing 90-63 victory over Fener in December, led by 25 points from the always dangerous [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/). Jasikevicius’s men have a perfect 8-0 home record in 2025, helped by Hayes-Davis netting 19 and 17 points in last week's wins over Paris and Baskonia, and the hosts will look to take its current strong form into the playoffs against an injury-hit opponent which is currently locked in a five-way tie for sixth place.

Round 33 Head-to-Head: Guduric vs. Punter

## Thursday, April 3

### Zalgiris Kaunas vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (19:00 CET)

A week after seeing its own postseason hopes ended, Zalgiris (14-18) will attempt to derail Partizan’s (16-16) ambitions in Kaunas. The Serbian team knows that even winning both its last two games might not be enough to make the play-in, and needs to snap a three-game losing streak on the road. The most recent of those came at Bayern on Thursday despite [Carlik Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carlik-jones/013369/)’s third double-double of the season (19 points and 10 assists). His backcourt duel with the in-form [Sylvain Francisco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sylvain-francisco/007975/) (19 points and 8 assists at ASVEL last week) will be a highlight. Zalgiris’s season has run out of steam with four losses out of five, and Andrea Trinchieri will be eager to recover his team’s usual defensive meanness after allowing more than 80 points in each of the last four games.

### AS Monaco vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (19:00 CET)

A big battle between the two teams currently tied for third place will see Monaco (20-12) host Panathinaikos (20-12), with a top four finish guaranteed for the winner. Panathinaikos is looking to bounce back from last week’s home loss to Paris, and will focus on improved defense after allowing 101 points in that game. A great offensive showdown will take place between two of the competition’s biggest stars as [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) takes on [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/), while the frontcourt will see fit-again [Omer Yurtseven](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/omer-yurtseven/005353/) attempt to tame the threat of [Daniel Theis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/daniel-theis/004132/). Monaco has already beaten the reigning champ once this season, winning 88-91 on the road in November in Vassilis Spanoulis’s first game in charge, and opposing coach Ergin Ataman will know that stopping James’s distribution is vital after he dished 10 assists in that game.

Round 33 Head-to-Head: James vs. Grant

### Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv vs. FC Bayern Munich (20:30 CET)

Bayern (19-13) will attempt to keep its top four hopes on track – and stay in control of a direct route into the playoffs – as it visits Maccabi (10-22). With Monaco and Panathinaikos just one win above Bayern and playing each other on the same night, the German team knows that a victory will be enough to claim a share of fourth place heading into the final round. This should be a high-scoring shootout because both teams have been scoring for fun recently, with Maccabi scoring 88 and 92 but still losing against both Efes and Panathinaikos lost week. The Israeli team’s biggest threat is forward [Roman Sorkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/roman-sorkin/011219/), who has scored at least 10 points in 13 straight games, but Maccabi’s greater concern is slowing down a Bayern offense led by the tireless [Carsen Edwards](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carsen-edwards/011987/) (19.9 points per game).

### Real Madrid vs. Paris Basketball (21:00 CET)

A vital battle between two of the five teams tied for sixth place will see Real (18-14) and Paris (18-14) go head-to-head with everything at stake. Both teams were winners on Friday in very different styles, with Real edging a low-scoring slugfest at Zvezda while Paris delivered an offensive masterclass to net triple figures at Panathinaikos. A thrilling backcourt battle will see the under-sized but exciting guards go head to head, with [Facu Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) vying for supremacy with [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/). The teams endured contrasting fortunes from long-range last time out, with Real going 7-of-25 from deep (28%) at Zvezda, while Paris drained 17 triples on 30 attempts in Athens (56.7%), and the accuracy of home team shooters like [Dzanan Musa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dzanan-musa/006540/) and [Mario Hezonja](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mario-hezonja/003108/) against visiting duo [Tyson Ward](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tyson-ward/012610/) and [Nadir Hifi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nadir-hifi/012640/) could be decisive.

Round 33 Head-to-Head: Campazzo vs. Shorts

## Friday, April 4

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (20:00 CET)

Zvezda (18-14) hosts red-hot Efes (18-14) for another highly meaningful confrontation between direct rivals in the race for the playoffs. The Turkish team has roared up the standings and into a share of sixth place with a run of six straight wins, spearheaded by the all-round excellence of [Elijah Bryant](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elijah-bryant/009846/) (16.5 points per game during the winning run). Zvezda has stuttered in recent weeks, with Friday’s home setback against Real Madrid marking a fourth defeat in six games. Ioannis Sfairopoulos’s men suffered at both ends of the court when the teams met in Istanbul, as 17 points from big man [Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/) led Efes to a convincing 89-67 victory, and Zvezda will need the leadership of backcourt star [Codi Miller-McIntyre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/codi-miller-mcintyre/009048/) – who scored a season-high 24 points against Real – to put the brakes on Efes’s hot streak.

Round 33 Head-to-Head: Canaan vs. Beaubois

### ALBA Berlin vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (20:00 CET)

Suddenly struggling Olympiacos (22-10) will look to snap a three-game losing streak with a visit to last-placed ALBA. After missing 14 free throws and converting just 4 of its 20 three-point attempts in last week’s home loss to Monaco, when only [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) and fellow forward [Alec Peters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alec-peters/008829/) performed well, Reds coach Georgios Bartzokas will expect to see his players show more focus and accuracy. ALBA, though, needs to do absolutely everything much better after losing in humiliating fashion at home to Virtus in Round 32, suffering a club record 44-point defeat. Only [Matt Thomas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/matt-thomas/008967/) reached double figures with 11 points, stretching his double-digit scoring streak to 10 games, but a lot more will be needed against a visiting team desperate to rediscover its form ahead of the playoffs.

### Virtus Segafredo Bologna vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (20:30 CET)

An Italian derby will see Virtus attempt to snuff out the postseason ambitions of domestic rival Milan (16-16). Virtus is coming off a perplexing double-round week after jumping from a club record loss (-36) to a club record victory (+44) in the space of three days, with Friday’s triumph at ALBA coming courtesy of 35 assists including 8 from [Alessandro Pajola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alessandro-pajola/006739/). Milan’s hopes of reaching the play-in are now hanging by a thread following a three-game losing streak culminating in Thursday’s costly home defeat to Barcelona, and Ettore Messina’s men need to improve their defense after allowing at least 90 points in all three of those games. Offensively, [Shavon Shields](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shavon-shields/007831/) is in top form with double-digit scoring in nine games straight.

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (20:30 CET)

In the only game of the week not impacting the playoff race, Baskonia (13-19) and ASVEL (13-19) go head-to-head for a meeting which will probably decide which team finishes higher in the standings. ASVEL has the incentive of trying to set a new club record for victories in a season after equalling the previous best with Thursday’s win over Zalgiris, when [Theo Maledon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/theo-maledon/007027/) and [Nando De Colo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nando-de-colo/002100/) performed their usual scoring heroics with 19 and 16 points respectively. Baskonia is coming off a fruitless road week against Fenerbahce and Efes, and needs to improve offensively from the last meeting of the teams in Round 4, when 18 points and 8 boards from the explosive [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) wasn’t enough to stop ASVEL from taking a 76-69 home victory.

The penultimate round of the regular season is sure to bring plenty of drama

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2025-04-04T18:30:00.000Z)

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2025-04-04T18:30:00.000Z)

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-04-04T18:00:00.000Z)

ALBA Berlin v Olympiacos Piraeus (2025-04-04T18:00:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v Paris Basketball (2025-04-03T19:00:00.000Z)

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v FC Bayern Munich (2025-04-03T18:30:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2025-04-03T17:00:00.000Z)

AS Monaco v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2025-04-03T17:00:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v FC Barcelona (2025-04-02T17:45:00.000Z)

Let's look at the most efficient scorers in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season since January 1, 2025 among players using at least 9 possessions per game.

Stats review: Who have been 2025's most reliable scorers?

With two rounds remaining, the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague regular season is nearing its conclusion. Only two teams have locked up their playoff qualification and there are a dozen teams still vying for a chance to advance to the next phase... And every team currently in the postseason picture is still competing for important seeding, so momentum at this juncture of the season is incredibly valuable.

The contributions of the players above have been critical to their team’s performances down the stretch. The table lists the most efficient scorers since January 1st among players using at least 9 possessions per game.

The intrigue at the top here aligns with the ongoing battle at the top of the standings. Despite the efforts of [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/), who has held one of the top spots on every version of the list in all of his recent EuroLeague campaigns, [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) leapfrogged [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) in Round 32 to rise into first place with two games remaining. [Errick McCollum](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/errick-mccollum/005216/) has had a lot to do with that. The 37-year-old did not join Fenerbahce until January and, amid a few quiet nights, has shot the lights out off the bench on numerous occasions late in the year. Like [Marko Guduric](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/marko-guduric/004004/) further down this list, he gives that offense another X-factor who can run extremely hot offensively. With very little decided in the Play-In Showdown qualification spots, what the difference between the top two seeds means in the short term is difficult to say, but there’s pride and Final Four seeding on the line for the league’s current leaders.

After finishing 2024 at 9-9, [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/) has gone 9-5 in 2025 while gaining important ground on several teams around them in the standings for tie-breaker purposes. [Dario Brizuela](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dario-brizuela/009992/)’s sudden rise as a knockdown shooter has been an important factor in that turnaround.  After a mini-slump that saw him shoot only 15% from beyond the arc in November, Brizuela has shot 53% from three ever since - a big reason why Barcelona now leads the EuroLeague in bench scoring.

[Sterling Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sterling-brown/012720/)’s placement here is not especially surprising - he’s been one of this season’s most opportunistic three-point shooters while finishing at a 73% clip on the interior.  The same goes for [Nikos Rogkavopoulos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikolaos-rogkavopoulos/011085/) who has made more jump shots over closeouts than anyone on the year.

[Jordan Loyd](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jordan-loyd/009754/) and [Daniel Theis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/daniel-theis/004132/) were both in-season pickups for [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/) who have both filled significant roles in their late-season battle for home-court advantage in the playoffs. While Loyd’s scoring chops are well-established, Theis last played in the EuroLeague during the 2016-17 campaign. He’s quickly solidified himself as one of the league’s most effective roll men nonetheless.

[Cedi Osman](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/cedi-osman/004088/) is another player who has returned to the EuroLeague for the first time since the 2016-17 season and while he got off to a modest start, he has starred at times in 2025 for the defending champions.  While [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/) is in good shape to secure home-court advantage in the quarterfinals, currently sitting in third place, perhaps the wildest fact of the second half of the season is that they still are technically not assured a spot in the postseason with two games remaining.

[Shabazz Napier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shabazz-napier/011224/) started the season on fire, cooled off mid-year, and then picked his level of play back up in time to keep [FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/mun/) on the edge of the top four. Napier creates separation for his jumper at a high level and has been very tough to guard when his jumper is falling on top of that.

Whether this group keeps things going through the final two weeks is a point of interest as there’s still a staggering amount on the line with the season winding down.

The most-efficient players in the league have had big roles in their teams' success 

Stats review: Who have been 2025's most reliable scorers? 

Paris Basketball continues to surprise in this year's EuroLeague, with its season sweep of Panathinaikos BC keeping its playoff hopes well and truly alive.

Tiago Splitter happy to be making history with Paris

[Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/) needed something special to beat reigning champion [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/) on the road, and the French club certainly delivered that in a thrilling encounter on Friday night.

Inspired by backcourt leader [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/) flirting with a triple-double as he amassed an astonishing combination of 20 points, 14 assists and 9 rebounds, along with 2 steals and 9 fouls drawn, for a PIR of 36, Paris came flying out of the blocks to score 56 first-half points. It then held its nerve to survive a trademark Panathinaikos comeback attempt in the final period.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This match up was 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/rmc0L54zUr">pic.twitter.com/rmc0L54zUr</a></p>&mdash; Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball/status/1905918308840296516?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[The 98-101 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/paris-stuns-panathinaikos-in-thriller-98-101/) – secured when [Juancho Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/juancho-hernangomez/012712/) missed an improbable attempt to force overtime at the final buzzer – was even more impressive as it came on the back of demoralizing late collapses and narrow defeats against [Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/zalgiris-edges-paris-83-81-on-franciscos-jumper/) and [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nigel-hayes-davis-the-hero-as-fenerbahce-beats-paris-101-100-to-make-playoffs/) in its previous two road games.

Those heartbreaking losses gave Paris’s doubters plenty of opportunity to extend their argument that Tiago Splitter’s men lack the experience to grind out tough wins when it matters the most in the world’s most competitive league. After stepping up to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague by winning the BKT EuroCup last season, and with a roster largely containing players who had never previously played in this competition, it’s easy to understand those concerns over Paris’s ability to last the pace against most seasoned opposition.

And when the fourth quarter in Athens saw Splitter’s team’s advantage dwindle away from 17 points (69-86) to just 5 points (86-91), with more than half of the final period still remaining and 18,000 Panathinaikos fans creating an intense cauldron of noise with every possession, even the most optimistic Paris player must have struggled to prevent his head from swirling with doubts.

But the French side held its collective nerve, finding just enough at both ends of the court to hold on for a huge victory that could prove to make all the difference between a direct passage into the playoffs and not even making the play-in.

And the scale of his team’s achievement was not lost on Splitter, who was happy to laud his players after watching them beat Panathinaikos for the second time this season.

“It's huge,” admitted the Brazilian. “It’s a big accomplishment. This whole season has been amazing and today we played one more of those games. The guys played their hearts out, some guys with injuries they played through.

“This is the last sprint of the season. We’ve still got two tough games coming, but this one was huge for us. We have a small history in EuroLeague but it feels amazing to be part of this. The fourth quarter was a little tougher for us: they were switching everything, they put you in tough spots, playing with the crowd. It’s really hard to beat them here, but somehow we found a way to get the win.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">VIEW AFTER THE WIN AGAINST PANA 👓🤩 <a href="https://t.co/6VtYtquW1y">pic.twitter.com/6VtYtquW1y</a></p>&mdash; Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball/status/1905967419341881589?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Paris must now travel to face the mighty [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/) before finishing the season with a seemingly friendly home game against last-placed [ALBA Berlin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/alba-berlin/ber/), and it’s conceivable that Splitter’s team could finish anywhere between third and eleventh.

Whatever happens, Friday’s Greek drama suggests that Paris will not suffer for a lack of character.

Game News

The first-year head coach is making waves, as is his team

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Paris Basketball (2025-03-28T19:15:00.000Z)

EuroLeague top photos of the week

Look back at all the action from Round 31 and 32 of the regular season by checking out the best photos of the week! 

Top 10 photos of the week: Round 31 and 32

Round 32 MVP: TJ Shorts, Paris Basketball

A fantastic all-round performance in a key road game in the playoff race, against the defending champion no less, has earned [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/) of Paris Basketball another MVP of the Round honor.

In a [98-101 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-paris-basketball/E2024/288/) over Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, Shorts flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 20 points and personal bests of 14 assists and 9 rebounds. He made 6-of-12 two-point shots, 1-of-4 triples and 5-of-6 free throws, while also collecting 1 steal and drawing 9 fouls. This is the fourth MVP of the Round award – and second in a span of seven days – for the first-year guard.

The next-best PIR, 32, belonged to [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-mirotic/000796/) of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan. In an [88-98 loss](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/ea7-emporio-armani-milan-fc-barcelona/E2024/282/) against FC Barcelona, Mirotic scored 28 points and collected 9 rebounds. Panathinaikos guard [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) had a 31 PIR after collecting 22 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds in a loss against Paris. Rounding out the list of Round 32's best performers are [Tornike Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/) of Virtus Segafredo Bologna and [Elijah Bryant](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/elijah-bryant/009846/) of Anadolu Efes Istanbul, each with a PIR of 28. Shengelia had 15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 rebounds and a block in a [64-108](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/alba-berlin-virtus-segafredo-bologna/E2024/286/) win over ALBA Berlin, while Bryant had 25 points, 6 assists, 3 steals and 2 rebounds in a [90-88](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/anadolu-efes-istanbul-maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/E2024/284/) win over Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv.

### Individual highs: TJ Shorts, Paris, 14 assists

Mirotic led all scorers with 28 points in Round 32. Kendrick Nunn remains the league's scoring leader, improving his average to 20.3 points.

[Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) of Real Madrid had 10 rebounds, the most of any player in this round. [Joel Bolomboy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/joel-bolomboy/009035/) of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, who is currently out injured, is the rebounding leader with 8.3 boards per game.

Shorts had 14 assists, more than any player in Round 32. Shorts increased his overall lead in this category, averaging 7.4 assists per night.

[Andre Roberson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/andre-roberson/013405/) of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne registered 5 steals in this round. [Nick Weiler-Babb](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nick-weiler-babb/010391/) of FC Bayern Munich leads the EuroLeague with 1.6 steals per game.

[Alen Smailagic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alen-smailagic/011051/) of Zalgiris Kaunas had a round-high 4 blocks. Tavares is the league's top shot blocker with 1.4 per game.

There were five double-doubles in Round 32: [Carlik Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carlik-jones/013369/) of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (19 points, 10 assists), [Trent Forrest](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/trent-forrest/013367/) of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (12 points, 12 assists), Shorts (20 points, 14 assists), [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) of AS Monaco (11 points, 12 assists), and Tavares (14 points, 10 rebounds).

The EuroLeague rookie has secured his fourth MVP of the Round award of the season

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans, we have our 32md winner in this season's EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge! Stelios Zikopoulos beat everyone else in Round 32 with his team 'Z1ste', which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 229.90.

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Round 32 winner

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans, we have our 32md winner in this season's [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/)! Stelios Zikopoulos beat everyone else in Round 32 with his team 'Z1ste', which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 229.90.

Stelios had the following starting lineup: Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens's Kendrick Nunn as team captain, then Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul's Nigel Hayes Davies, TJ Shorts of Paris Basketball, Nikola Mirotic of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan and Walter Tavares of Real Madrid. His sixth man was Elijah Bryant of Anadolu Efes Istanbul. The rest of the bench consisted of Milan's Guglielmo Caruso, Mitar Bosnjakovic of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, Danko Brankovic of FC Bayern Munich and Malte Delow of ALBA Berlin. His team's head coach was Virtus Segafredo Bologna play-caller Dusko Ivanovic.

The prize for finishing first in Round 32 is a free VIP Euroleague TV subscription for the 2025-26 season, so congratulations, Stelios!

Marko Djukic and his team 'Kughat' remains the leader of the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/) overall standings with 5,468.44 points.

Trades are now open for Round 33. Remember, four trades are allowed before each round until the end of the regular season. You can either trade up to four players, or a head coach and three players.

The first game in Round 33 tips off on April 2, as Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul hosts FC Barcelona at 19:45 CET. That game marks the next round's deadline.

Make new teams now or improve your existing ones and try to become our next round winner!

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge offers weekly prizes to the top team manager. 

Real Madrid boosted its hopes of booking a spot in the EuroLeague postseason with a hard-fought 72-78 win at KK Crvena zvezda, after the home side’s valiant late fightback fell short in a dramatic finish.

Real Madrid held on for a valuable road win at Crvena Zvezda 

[Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/) boosted its hopes of booking a spot in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague postseason with [a hard-fought 72-78 win at Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/real-madrid-edges-closer-to-postseason-with-win-at-crvena-zvezda-72-78/), after the home side’s valiant late fightback fell short in a dramatic finish.

Having raced into an early 0-14 lead, Real stayed well ahead until the last few minutes, when Zvezda closed the gap to 72-74 with 46 seconds left on the clock and threw their raucous 20,000 home crowd into a complete frenzy.

The hosts were unable to turn the contest on its head, however, as Real kept its nerve from the foul line and ground out a much-needed win in the battle to stay in contention for a potential top-six finish.

The result left both teams at 18-14 among a pack of five outfits with an identical record in what is shaping up to be a most dramatic climax to the regular season. With 11th-placed Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in 12th lurking at 16-16, both sides need one win from the remaining two games to make sure of keeping their respective campaigns alive.

Big man [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) was named player of the game in a rugged and physical contest as he racked up 14 points and 10 boards, having taken full advantage of the injured [Joel Bolomboy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/joel-bolomboy/009035/)’s absence as Zvezda’s center is sidelined with a foot injury.

Tavares acknowledged that Real was ultimately given a stern test of its credentials in a fervent atmosphere, as Zvezda’s relentless fans helped the hosts launch the late onslaught. 

“They have great fans and it’s tough to play here but we did what we had to do to win the game,” Tavares said in his postgame comments. “We led by 15 or more but they came back, and it’s normal because they were at home.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🔝 <a href="https://twitter.com/waltertavares22?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@waltertavares22</a> <br>👏 ¡Nuestro MVP del partido vs <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kkcrvenazvezda</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/autoheroespana?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@autoheroespana</a> <a href="https://t.co/cZlxy22vle">pic.twitter.com/cZlxy22vle</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1905733833942806665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Head coach Chus Mateo added: “This is why basketball is so beautiful. We were in control throughout the game but it’s not easy to last the course in this kind of environment and hence it’s a very good win on a very tough court.”

Zvezda was undone by awful shooting from all over, hitting 17 of 36 from inside and 8 of 38 from downtown, nullifying a staggering 44 boards, including 20 on offense. However, coach Ioannis Sfairopoulos had nothing but praise for his players, who never gave up and nearly completed what would have been a stunning comeback.

“We fought really hard and I can only say good things about my players for their effort,” the Greek tactician said. “We missed so many open shots and layups but it was the burning desire to win the game that made us lose our focus. The fightback was exceptional though and I want to congratulate my team.”

In the final two rounds, Zvezda is at home to Anadolu EFes Istanbul before visiting defending champs Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, while Real entertains Paris Basketball and then closes out the regular season at Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade.

The visitors almost blew a big lead after being in control throughout a rugged contest 

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Real Madrid (2025-03-28T19:00:00.000Z)

In Riga, Anadolu Efes guard Elijah Bryant inspired his team to a victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv BC.

Elijah Bryant came to Efes's rescue against Maccabi

With three minutes left in the third quarter, things in Riga, Latvia, did not look good for [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/). Down 53-63 and having just allowed Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv to go on a 3-17 spurt in the opening seven minutes of the third quarter, Efes needed a major spark to get back in the game against an opponent that was clicking on all cylinders offensively.

Enter [Elijah Bryant](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/elijah-bryant/009846/).

Having scored 9 points up to that point, Bryant hit a step-back three-pointer over [Roman Sorkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/roman-sorkin/011219/), then 60 seconds later added a mid-range jumper with the shot-clock expiring to cut the deficit to 58-65. After a pair of dunks by [Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/), one assisted by Bryant, the third quarter finished with a last-second triple from Bryant to restore Efes’s lead, 66-65.

Elijah Bryant (25 points) vs. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

Elijah Bryant's highlights vs. Maccabi

Bryant continued his run in the fourth. After 55 seconds of play, he hit another three-point shot over Sorkin, then followed it up with a mid-range jumper before adding another triple to give Efes a 74-71 lead.

“I was just trying to stay in the next-play mentality, regardless of the score,” Bryant said in a [EuroLeagueTV](https://tv.euroleague.net/) interview after the game. “To take every possession seriously because this was a big game for us. To take one possession at the time, and we got the win.”

The game was far from over and it continued to be a back-and-forth battle until the final seconds, but Bryant single-handedly brought Efes back into the game. He scored 16 points in a 21-8 run for his team to restore control.

“Elijah did a great job to lift the teammates in such a specific moment, then [Shane \[Larkin\]](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/), and [Darius \[Thompson\]](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/darius-thompson/011078/) and D.O. \[[Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/)\] did excellent”, Efes head coach Luca Banchi said.

Bryant did not score another basket until the very end but he did come up with a clutch play, this time on the defensive end.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">🔥 MODE ON <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhereIStand?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhereIStand</a> <a href="https://t.co/K0boO6cKoE">pic.twitter.com/K0boO6cKoE</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1905708397863096803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

After [Rodrigue Beaubois](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/rodrigue-beaubois/006590/) split free throws with 10.7 seconds to go to make it 89-88, the ball went to inspired Maccabi guard [Rokas Jokubaitis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/rokas-jokubaitis/007519/), who had scored 19 points on the night. Jokubaitis started to penetrate to the rim, but Bryant was there to punch the ball out of Jokubaitis’s hands. Larkin grabbed the loose ball, securing Efes a sixth straight win and a place in the postseason.

In addition to scoring 25 points, Bryant also had team highs with 6 assists and 3 steals.

“Maccabi gave some choices to him and Shane, gave them possibility to distribute, not only to finish. And they were excellent,” Banchi said as he praised Bryant and Larkin, the latter of whom finished with 11 points and 4 steals.

“We know we have a great roster, that we have many resources in our arsenal. Even in the worst moment, we continue to play. The last 15 minutes are our reward for our sacrifice on the court."

Efes will, at the very least, participate in the EuroLeague Play-In Showdown, but its chances to finish the regular season as one of the top six teams are alive and kicking.

The veteran guard scored 16 points in a five-minute span to rally Efes

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2025-03-28T17:30:00.000Z)

After being chosen as the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague MVP for February, Kendrick Nunn of Panathinaikos BC sat down for an exclusive interview with Javier Gancedo of Euroleague.net to discuss a number of topics.

Kendrick Nunn, February MVP interview: 'It reminds me of Michael Jordan-type vibes'

After being chosen as the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague MVP for February, [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) of [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/) sat down for an exclusive interview with Javier Gancedo of Euroleague.net to discuss a number of topics.

Nunn talked about the tight MVP race this season, thoughts on fellow EuroLeague star [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/), the possibility of a one-on-one showdown against [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/), the unconditional love he gets from Panathinaikos fans, and much more.

Don't miss this exclusive interview with Nunn as the 2024-25 EuroLeague regular season gets closer and closer to a thrilling finish!

The Panathinaikos guard sat down with Euroleague.net’s Javier Gancedo for an exclusive interview

News

Kendrick Nunn, February MVP interview: 'It reminds me of Michael Jordan-type vibes'

Συνεντεύξεις

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EuroLeague Fantasy tips, Round 33: Jewels in the bargain basement

Voting for the 2024-25 All-EuroLeague Team is open

At a glance: Three days of action-packed games

Stats review: Who have been 2025's most reliable scorers?

Tiago Splitter happy to be making history with Paris

Άρθρο

Top 10 photos of the week: Round 31 and 32

Round 32 MVP: TJ Shorts, Paris Basketball

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Round 32 winner

Real Madrid held on for a valuable road win at Crvena Zvezda

Elijah Bryant came to Efes's rescue against Maccabi