D.J. Stephens played through pain barrier to lift Prometey past Hamburg
Prometey Slobozhanske entered the 2023 7DAYS EuroCup Playoffs with an injury crisis, as the No. 1 seed from Group A saw three of its main players – D.J. Kennedy, Caleb Agada and D.J. Stephens – all go down with injuries in the lead-up to Tuesday night's eighthfinals clash with Veolia Towers Hamburg. Kennedy is out for the season and therefore couldn’t suit up, but Agada was named on the bench and Stephens was in the starting lineup for Prometey's first-ever playoff fixture.
Although Agada never made it onto the floor, Stephens played the second-most minutes for Prometey on the night, having been on the court for 34:33. In that time, he scored 15 points, grabbed 9 rebounds and made 2 steals. There were moments when Stephens was clearly in some pain, particularly after his legs tangled with Len Schoormann early in the fourth quarter, but he found a way to step up time and time again.
It's worth bearing in mind that Stephens was unable to take part in the Estonia-Latvia League Final Four as Prometey became the champion over the weekend, so his presence on the floor in this EuroCup Eighthfinals matchup – let alone the fact he missed just 5:27 of Tuesday night's game at Riga Arena – came as some surprise. Yet, he was still able to wow the fans with a couple of high-flying dunks and highlight-reel plays, while he scored 5 crucial points in the final quarter of play to help keep Prometey on track.
Stephens's desire to put his body on the line for his team is part of what has made Prometey one of the strongest teams in the EuroCup, with the side currently on a 12-game winning streak in the competition. Plus, with head coach Ronen Ginzburg announcing in his post-game press conference that Agada could soon be back, potentially a nightmare first playoff experience could end up becoming a fairytale in the later rounds.
Prometey has one of the most exciting players in the EuroCup in Stephens, and even when he is not quite at 100%, he finds a way to catch the opposition's attention. Coach Ginzburg's players can now watch on over the next couple of days in the knowledge that they are already into the EuroCup Quarterfinals – and the likes of Stephens and Agada can have a few more days to rest and recuperate against of a last-eight meeting with Promitheas Patras or Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse.
Game Videos
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Veolia Towers Hamburg-Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem | Round 12 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:20
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Reece with the alley-oop slam! Magic Moment
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Veolia Towers Hamburg-Valencia Basket | Round 11 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:18
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/2838b1a8-7620-4acf-84e3-e1dbce6d071b.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A129%3A103]()
Kuath punishes the rim! Magic Moment
- 00:12
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Turudic hammers it home! Magic Moment
- 00:27
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/12/04/XLmbajKfwMjopXfbGwKJdCdHhgtAWOxW-1733350763340.jpg]()
Kuath with the massive block on Nelson! Magic Moment of the Night
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Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse-Veolia Towers Hamburg | Round 10 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:11
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Barnett takes off! Magic Moment
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Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana-Veolia Towers Hamburg | Round 9 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:28
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/11/12/wymmQVO6BiPHnb3Cak94vyf6aUCitcxg-1731449782449.jpg]()
Hamburg monster alley-oop! | Magic Moment of the Night
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Veolia Towers Hamburg-Aris Midea Thessaloniki | Round 8 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:09
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Kuath's big denial! Magic Moment
- 00:14
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Monster alley-oop from Hamburg! Magic Moment
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7-bet Lietkabelis Panevezys-Veolia Towers Hamburg | Round 7 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:12
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Kuath's unique alley-oop dunk! Magic Moment
- 00:32
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/10/29/QZcSHhyjqfd18Ru8saFrdgGqvXb8Z7ap-1730242540579.jpg]()
Kuath puts on a show! Magic Moment of the Night
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Veolia Hamburg Towers-Turk Telekom Ankara | Round 6 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:11
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Ogbe’s no-look dish to Kuath! Magic Moment
- 00:25
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Kuath puts on a show! Magic Moment
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Umana Reyer Venice-Veolia Towers Hamburg | Round 5 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:26
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/9081cc82-ad99-4289-8b3c-fb760a507d9d.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A30%3A68]()
Kuath throws down the alley-oop! Magic Moment
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Veolia Towers Hamburg-U-BT Cluj-Napoca | Round 4 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/2fb38609-bfb9-4bd4-a84b-12e90254d13e.jpg?crop=1220%3A686%3Anowe%3A74%3A65]()
Ivey to Barnett alley-oop! Magic Moment
- 03:41
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Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem-Veolia Towers Hamburg | Round 3 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 03:41
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/10/02/K57EpeZHI58SFCGEHVzbYZpH02EJQTXa-1727905651100.jpg]()
Valencia Basket-Veolia Towers Hamburg | Round 2 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:27
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/cf613784-87cc-4bf1-83e4-da8b30cb6238.png?crop=750%3A422%3Anowe%3A0%3A102]()
Magic Moment: Kuath flies high!
- 00:23
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/09/24/g8c0kLnw44AxJWOWKWP8IiZJgRVKoM8C-1727212594688.jpg]()
Magic Moment of the Night: Maronka posterizes Pansa!
- 03:49
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Veolia Towers Hamburg-Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse | Round 1 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:20
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/cd60eb65-2fb8-4bd9-b357-7f58d7c50a98.png?crop=745%3A419%3Anowe%3A5%3A102]()
Magic Moment: Cameron Reece swats Salash at the rim!
- 00:17
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/1ef24125-d5a1-4f5b-bc63-d53d8f34d340.jpg]()
Magic Moment: Zsombor Maronka with the massive dunk!
- 03:40
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/03/12/1zluy9C5J2TIBl1viNyjAogjbtWsDErR-1710277164366.jpg]()
Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse-Prometey Slobozhanske | Quarterfinals Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:27
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/03/12/8z9MwigZt9q257D1nAjKVrT0qa89tTRN-1710276651998.jpg]()
Magic Moment of the Night: Kennedy, March combine for the alley-oop!
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/e3d78443-65c0-40ba-ae4a-f2c8cea56e45.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A83%3A155]()
Magic Moment: Balvin puts Kokila on a poster!
- 00:16
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/c4bf8c52-12fd-4676-9f6f-b3329a4f2115.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A56%3A91]()
Magic Moment: Agada beats the first-half buzzer
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/7fd17cc9-f763-4e27-988d-15f0c83ee1a3.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A88%3A51]()
Magic Moment: Kennedy, March combine for the alley-oop!
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/b5ea39b3-37a1-4efe-8634-68b4353ad77f.jpg?crop=1325%3A745%3Anowe%3A3%3A48]()
Magic Moment: March with the rejection!
- 03:47
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/03/06/Rusv3DYVoxQgH6fM2PSi7M6dGohYMIFN-1709756021369.jpg]()
London Lions-Turk Telekom Ankara | Eighthfinals Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/51b6ef42-b572-4441-bd66-e2633ab8627a.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A193%3A123]()
Magic Moment: Grantham dunks!
- 03:51
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/03/06/EMvXmRAsDmWieM1MFALgi7NbPW6ps0oj-1709753176807.jpg]()
Prometey Slobozhanske-Aris Midea Thessaloniki | Eighthfinals Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:20
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/baa336e0-1d73-491b-b01a-e9cffa12f720.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A158%3A59]()
Magic Moment: Balvin like a ballerina!
- 00:15
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/5955be13-22c0-4029-9098-0b5bcae1c8b6.jpg?crop=739%3A416%3Anowe%3A51%3A286]()
Magic Moment: March’s magical block!
- 03:58
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/02/07/3fyWLDIWKjnwkmIi0McxqLLayLXc4n72-1707334174817.jpg]()
Prometey Slobozhanske-Joventut Badalona | Round 18 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/8cc4ba71-200e-400c-8282-1119b4d28310.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A135%3A146]()
Magic Moment: March denies Evans
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/3ecf130f-ac4f-4203-9557-64c1454cd0e9.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A97%3A141]()
Magic Moment: March throws it down on break!
- 03:42
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/02/06/HmnBlvkiSoCKaRXiLtYXq8ARY1eELBEv-1707252410955.jpg]()
Veolia Towers Hamburg-Umana Reyer Venice | Round 18 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 03:38
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/01/30/GoeUyBFL3rDVWTiIKWvyO9oPqEqoIM1R-1706649999038.jpg]()
Umana Reyer Venice-Prometey Slobozhanske | Round 17 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/c84fb665-0f74-4d63-a2bd-f831d1b806c1.jpg?crop=809%3A455%3Anowe%3A246%3A146]()
Magic Moment: March throws down alley-oop
- 03:43
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/01/30/c1pLv3gn45Dw8m0OLJjcOCZmz7ESUf9J-1706642747840.jpg]()
Wolves Vilnius-Hamburg Towers | Round 17 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d00a3e5f-1b52-4fb0-8e91-c8aa139960bb.jpg?crop=2400%3A1350%3Anowe%3A281%3A105]()
Magic Moment: Odiase hammers home the putback dunk
- 03:44
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/01/24/pASbqCq2k93IPrwwd0fLeoOhzXCipfS6-1706129355981.jpg]()
Veolia Towers Hamburg-Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana | Round 16 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
