Prometey Slobozhanske turned in one of its finest defensive showings at the best possible time to beat Aris Midea Thessaloniki 95-67 in their BKT EuroCup Eighthfinals duel. It was Prometey’s second-best defensive effort of the season.

High-scoring Prometey served up defensive masterpiece 

Prometey Slobozhanske turned in one of its finest defensive showings at the best possible time to beat Aris Midea Thessaloniki 95-67 in their BKT EuroCup Eighthfinals duel. It was Prometey’s second-best defensive effort of the season, having held Wolves Vilnius to 64 points back in Round 15.

The hosts pulled away early to lead by 11 points after the first quarter and much of that difference came thanks to Prometey’s defense. It forced Aris into 6 first-quarter turnovers and capitalized on those to the tune of 14 points! Moreover, the pressure from the Prometey guards saw Aris shoot 1 for 8 from deep in the opening period.

“This is, for sure, with our defensive attitude one of the best \[games of the season\],” head coach Ronen Ginzburg said after the games and the numbers back him up.

Prometey forced 5 more turnovers in the second quarter and another 6 in the third before easing up in the final 10 minutes. Still Aris, committed 19 for the game, up from its 15.2 per game average from the regular season. The difference in points off turnovers was 25-10 for the game.

Game News

### Great backcourt play made the difference

The home team guards limited Aris to 5-for-25 three-point shooting for the game, which was below the club’s regular season average for both makes (8.7 per game) and percentage (33.0%).

Ginzburg singled out the play of Ivan Tkachenko, who shined with a season-high 16 points, but that was not what impressed Ginzburg most: “Ivan did a great job on defense. He managed to stop their stars, so all due respect.”

That message was echoed by Ronald March, who paired 15 points with a game-high 7 assists. 

"Ivan Tkachenko was, I think, the player of the game. He started off the game very physical with their best player and he set the tone for the rest of us," March said. "I feel like we just followed suit on defense. Everybody came with their hard hat today and just performed."

Ivan Tkachenko came up big for Prometey against Aris

On the other end, Prometey was hot from deep, making half of its 20 three-point tries. Tkachenko was 2 for 3 on triples, March shot 3 for 5 and Gian Clavell 3 for 6. Those three and Caleb Agada combined for 63 points, 14 assists, 5 steals and 8 turnovers. Agada scored 11 of his 16 points in the first quarter and Clavell had all of his 16 by halftime.

The four Aris guards who played the most – Vassilis Toliopoulos, Eleftherios Bochoridis, Jonathan Stark and Dimitris Katsivelis – combined for 25 points, 9 assists, 2 steals and 6 turnovers.

Game Videos

The Ukrainian powerhouse stifled Aris to advance to the quarterfinals. 

Prometey Slobozhanske v Aris Midea Thessaloniki (2024-03-06T17:00:00.000Z)

Prometey Slobozhanske marched into the BKT EuroCup Quarterfinals with a convincing 95-67 victory over Aris Midea Thessaloniki at Arena Riga in the Latvian capital on Wednesday. 

Prometey blasts Aris, 95-67, to advance

Prometey Slobozhanske marched into the BKT EuroCup Quarterfinals with a convincing 95-67 victory over Aris Midea Thessaloniki at Arena Riga in the Latvian capital on Wednesday. Caleb Agada scored 8 points in a 10-2 Prometey start to set the tone and the Ukrainian side remained in control the rest of the way.

Agada, Gian Clavell and Ivan Tkachenko scored 16 points apiece to pace the winners. Ronald March contributed 15 points and 7 assists and Ondrej Balvin balled out with 12 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks. Prometey will face Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse in the quarterfinals next week in France. Ronnie Harrell led the way with 20 points and 7 rebounds and Vassilis Toliopoulos scored 13 for Aris, which bows out for the competition after a strong return season to the competition.

After both teams come up empty on their first two possessions, Agada stole the ball from Toliopoulos, who was whistled for an unsportsmanlike foul. Agada then scored 6 straight points before Kris Bankston opened Aris’s account. Agada put Prometey up by as many as 8, but Harrell kept Aris in the picture. After Bankston’s dunk made it 12-10, Agada responded with a three-point play. Prometey made a series of substitutions that paid off quickly as March blocked a shot and Clavell netted a jumper to cap a 7-0 run. Despite a triple by Harrell, Clavell free throws stretched the margin to double figures and his three-pointer made it 28-17 after 10 minutes.

Threes by Issuf Sannon and March prompted an Aris timeout at 34-18. Baskets by Toliopoulos and Ismael Sanogo kept Aris in the fight, but March and Balvin kept the home side rolling. A three by Clavell from the corner extended the difference into the 20s with 2 minutes remaining in the second quarter. Harrell’s layup made it 51-32 at the break.

Prometey picked up where it left off, with Tkachenko upping the lead to 57-34. Aris hit back with a Sanogo slam and a dunk by Roberts Blumbergs. It was to no avail as Tkachenko responded from deep and it was 63-41 midway through the third quarter. The home side seemed to have an answer for every Aris move as Tai Odiase pushed the margin to 26 before Dimitris Katsivelis put 74-50 on the scoreboard at the end of the period.

March opened the fourth quarter with back-to-back three-pointers to make it a 30-point game. Aris called a timeout to regroup, but the outcome was all but certain by this point. Things got even worse for Aris as Sanogo and Eleftherios Bochoridis both fouled out. The lead peaked at 31 on multiple occasions before a late Aris flurry when the game was already decided. The game ended with some concern for Prometey as Sannon was helped off the floor and straight to the locker room with an apparent ankle injury.

The Ukrainian side will face JL Bourg in the quarterfinals next week. 

Prometey advances with 95-67 rout of Aris

### Wednesday, March 6

[**Prometey Slobozhanske 95-67 Aris Midea Thessaloniki**](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/prometey-slobozhanske-aris-midea-thessaloniki/U2023/184/)

Prometey marched into the quarterfinals with a convincing victory over Aris at Arena Riga in the Latvian capital. Caleb Agada scored 8 points in a 10-2 Prometey start to set the tone and the Ukrainian side remained in control the rest of the way. Agada, Gian Clavell and Ivan Tkachenko scored 16 points apiece to pace the winners. Prometey will face Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse in the quarterfinals next week in France. Ronnie Harrell led the way with 20 for Aris, which bows out for the competition after a strong return season.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Dominant performance by <a href="https://twitter.com/BcPrometey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BcPrometey</a> to reach the quarterfinals. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToGreatness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToGreatness</a> <a href="https://t.co/baNkysYDfK">pic.twitter.com/baNkysYDfK</a></p>&mdash; BKT EuroCup (@EuroCup) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup/status/1765453123630285144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[**London Lions 100-77 Turk Telekom Ankara**](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/london-lions-turk-telekom-ankara/U2023/181/)

London overwhelmed visiting Turk Telekom to march into the quarterfinals in front of a vociferous crowd at Copper Box arena. The Lions will face Romanian side U-BT Cluj-Napoca on the road for a berth in the semifinals. David Nwaba paced the Lions with 19 points and 4 rebounds while Gabe Olaseni chipped in with 18 points and 8 boards, as the duo underlined the home team’s superiority in the paint. At the other end, Tyrone Wallace led Turk Telekom with a game-high 25 points.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">ON TO THE <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a> QUARTERFINALS! 🦁🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreLondon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreLondon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToGreatness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToGreatness</a> <a href="https://t.co/EyThY3zHJK">pic.twitter.com/EyThY3zHJK</a></p>&mdash; London Lions (@LondonLions) <a href="https://twitter.com/LondonLions/status/1765474482263601525?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[**Dreamland Gran Canaria 78-80 Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul**](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/dreamland-gran-canaria-besiktas-emlakjet-istanbul/U2023/183/)

Besiktas shocked Gran Canaria by beating the hosts 78-80 on the road to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals. The Spanish side was superior in the first quarter, but Besiktas turned the game into a tight affair from that point on. The second half was an exchange of blows between the two sides, with Besiktas coming out victorious to knock out the defending champion. Jonah Mathews paced the winning side with 14 points and Angel Delgado registered 11. For Gran Canaria, Ben Lammers scored 14 points and Nicolas Brussino 11.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">⚫⚪ ÇEYREK FİNALDEYİZ! ⚫⚪<br><br>BKT EuroCup 8&#39;li Final&#39;de zafer bizim! 💪😎 <br><br>Gran Canaria 78-80 Beşiktaş Emlakjet | Maç Sonucu<br><br>🦅 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Be%C5%9Fikta%C5%9FEmlakjet?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BeşiktaşEmlakjet</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Potan%C4%B1nKartallar%C4%B1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PotanınKartalları</a> <a href="https://t.co/BGA3BjgQ1Y">pic.twitter.com/BGA3BjgQ1Y</a></p>&mdash; Beşiktaş Emlakjet (@BJK_Basketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/BJK_Basketbol/status/1765501356494692514?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Tuesday, March 5

[ratiopharm Ulm 79-88 Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/joventut-badalona-books-its-spot-in-the-quarterfinals-with-win-at-ratiopharm-ulm-79-88/)

Joventut will take on Paris Basketball in the 2023-24 EuroCup Quarterfinals after defeating ratiopharm Ulm 79-88 in the first game of the eighthfinals on Tuesday night. Two years on from losing to Ulm in the EuroCup Eighthfinals, Joventut exacted revenge by coming out on top at ratiopharm arena. Andres Feliz was Joventut’s star on the night, scoring a career-high 28 points. He also had 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal and just 1 turnover, good for a career-best PIR of 36. Vladimir Brodziansky was the only other Joventut player to reach double digits in points, netting 12. Ulm big man Trevion Williams finished with 20 points, 18 of which came in the second half, while Juan Nunez added 17 and Thomas Klepeisz 12 in the defeat.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">💚🖤 FINAAAAAL! 𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎̀𝐑𝐈𝐀 𝐈 𝐀 𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒!!!<a href="https://twitter.com/ratiopharmulm?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ratiopharmulm</a> 79-88 <a href="https://twitter.com/Penya1930?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Penya1930</a><br><br>🎯 Andrés Feliz: 28 punts, 6 assistències, 6 rebots i 36 de valoració<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Badalona%C3%89sFutur?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BadalonaÉsFutur</a> <a href="https://t.co/khTP3CbsDz">pic.twitter.com/khTP3CbsDz</a></p>&mdash; Club Joventut Badalona (@Penya1930) <a href="https://twitter.com/Penya1930/status/1765116199900266536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Follow all the action of the BKT EuroCup Eighthfinals

Game Center: Besiktas, Prometey, London join Joventut in quarters

Dreamland Gran Canaria v Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul (2024-03-06T20:00:00.000Z)

London Lions v Turk Telekom Ankara (2024-03-06T18:00:00.000Z)

ratiopharm Ulm v Joventut Badalona (2024-03-05T18:30:00.000Z)

The defending champs and their ambitious visitors have both been up-and-down, making this matchup harder to predict.

Eighthfinals predictions: Dreamland Gran Canaria vs. Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul

It's do-or-die time under the new format in the BKT EuroCup. The postseason's first round, the eighthfinals, is a win-or-go-home affair, carrying all the drama and pressure that suggests. With that in mind, the [EuroCupbasketball.com](http://EuroCupbasketball.com) editors who have been following the regular season round-by-round until now are ready to put their expertise on the line now by weighing in on which team they believe will win each elimination game. Check out their choices for [Wednesday's eighthfinal matchup, Dreamland Gran Canaria vs. Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/dreamland-gran-canaria-besiktas-emlakjet-istanbul/U2023/183/).

### Gran Canaria gets back on track

#### *by Geoff Gillingham*

This is a meeting of two teams who lost form at the worst possible time. Gran Canaria lost three of its last four EuroCup games to drop to third in Group B and missing out on a direct route to the quarterfinals, while Besiktas suffered three straight defeats to close the regular season sixth in Group A. That makes this game even more unpredictable, but I believe Gran Canaria simply has too much quality and know-how for Besiktas. The large majority of this Gran Canaria squad won the EuroCup last season, so I would be stunned if we saw anything other than a Gran Canaria win here. That's not to say it will be easy, though, as Besiktas can count on some really impressive players in [Jonah Mathews](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jonah-mathews/011936/), [Angel Delgado](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/angel-delgado/012647/) and [Derek Needham](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/derek-needham/008945/), as well as [Kyle Allman](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/kyle-allman/011924/) and [Matthew Mitchell](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/matthew-mitchell/012622/). But, Gran Canaria has a plethora of options who have been there and done it: [Andrew Albicy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/andrew-albicy/003425/), [A.J. Slaughter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/aj-slaughter/003637/), [Ferran Bassas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/ferran-bassas/001607/), [Nico Brussino](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/nicolas-brussino/008121/), [Miquel Salvo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/miquel-salvo/005005/), [John Shurna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/john-shurna/006588/)… As they say, never count out the champ – and I'm not about to start here. **My pick: Gran Canaria.**

Besiktas Istanbul, Herbalife Gran Canaria Top Plays from 09/30/2023 to 02/09/2024

Top plays in 2023-24 BKT Regular Season: Dreamland Gran Canaria and Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul

### Besiktas will stop a historic quest

#### *by Igor Petrinovic*

Reigning champion Gran Canaria, on a quest to become the first back-to-back EuroCup winner, had massive struggles in the second leg of the regular season. After starting 10-0, the islanders lost six of their last eight games, including the last three at home. No, Besiktas did not finish the regular season in style, either, losing its last three games by more than 20 points. But this Besiktas team has won four road games this season, including the season-opener in Badalona, and it is the only team to have beaten Paris Basketball, holding it to 63 points in the French capital. I think that head coach Dusan Alimpijevic and his team will put that disappointing end to the regular season behind them and be ready to go all-in in this one. They enjoy being discounted and underdogs. And whether it will be by stopping Gran Canaria's offense, or putting its own offense, which scored 88 or more points in three of the last four road games, on display, I believe Besiktas will find a way to pull out a big upset and end Gran Canaria's historic quest. **My pick: Besiktas.**

### The champs advance

#### *by Frankie Sachs*

Champs don't go down easily. And lest we forget, Gran Canaria is the defending champion. It's not so long ago that Granca was 10-0 and the clear favorite to win its group. There is no denying that since Round 11, things have not been the same. However, there is no denying the talent, depth and experience Gran Canaria has. Respect must be paid to 2021-22 EuroCup Coach of the Year Dusan Alimpijevic and to his Besiktas stars such as Derek Needham, Kyle Allman and Angel Delgado. Even so, Gran Canaria seems to be in better shape; it defeated Turkish Airlines EuroLeague side Baskonia Gran Canaria 98-80 at home on Sunday, while Besiktas lost in the Turkish League. Add in the home-court advantage and I can see only one outcome. **My pick: Gran Canaria.**

The best plays of Angel Delgado during his time with Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul in the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

Angel Delgado's top EuroCup plays

### Gran Canaria holds most of the cards

#### *by Frank Lawlor*

As stated, these two wildly up-and-down teams make for difficult prognosticating. Gran Canaria's swoon since midseason was unexpected, but  Besiktas's best wins came before the end of November, too. Besiktas fell hard of late, but against powerful opponents, much like Gran Canaria. Falling back to depth and experience, the hosts have edge in numbers, with no less than 12 players putting up 5.6 points per game or more. The visitors have a compact but powerful  group, with four double-digit scorers to Gran Canaria's one, led by power player Angel Delgado, who can often dominate inside, which would change this game. If he can't dominate, however, especially on the offensive glass, Gran Canaria's breadth of contributors and tested veterans like Andrew Albicy, AJ Slaughter, John Shurna and Miquel Salvo make predicting an upset here a bridge too far, at least for me. **My pick: Gran Canaria.**

A second-season survivor takes on a storied club making its EuroCup return this season in this eighthfinals matchup of opposites.

Eighthfinals predictions: London Lions vs. Turk Telekom

It's do-or-die time under the new format in the BKT EuroCup. The postseason's first round, the eighthfinals, is a win-or-go-home affair, carrying all the drama and pressure that suggests. With that in mind, the [EuroCupbasketball.com](http://EuroCupbasketball.com) editors who have been following the regular season round-by-round until now are ready to put their expertise on the line now by weighing in on which team they believe will win each elimination game. Check out their choices for [Wednesday's eighthfinal matchup, London Lions vs. Turk Telekom Ankara](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/london-lions-turk-telekom-ankara/U2023/181/).

### London leaps forward

#### *by Frankie Sachs*

After an impressive first season in the EuroCup last year, London's run came to an end in the eighthfinals at the hands of Joventut Badalona. This season London took a leap forward to finish third in its regular season group and earned home-court advantage for its tilt with Turk Telekom.  Anything short of a win and a ticket to the quarterfinals would be a disappointment. Turk Telekom is a savvy veteran squad with nothing to lose, which makes it dangerous. [Steven Enoch](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/steven-enoch/011239/) and [Tyrone Wallace](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tyrone-wallace/011925/) are very dangerous players. However, London has too many matchup advantages and with [Sam Dekke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/sam-dekker/009672/)r back appears to finally be fully healthy. Its talent and fast-pace should be a winning combination on Wednesday. **My pick: London.**

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">LIONS FANS… we need YOU! 🦁<br><br>It's do or die in <a href=https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>@eurocup</a> playoff round ️⃣! You don't want to miss this one 👀<br><br>🎟 Get your tickets now!<br>🆚 <a href=https://twitter.com/TT_Basketbol?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>@TT_basketbol</a> 🇹🇷<br>📆 Wednesday, 6th March<br>⏰ 6pm<br>📍 <a href=https://twitter.com/CopperBoxArena?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>@CopperBoxArena</a><a href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreLondon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>#WeAreLondon</a> <a href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToGreatness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>#RoadToGreatness</a></p>&mdash; London Lions (@LondonLions) <a href=https://twitter.com/LondonLions/status/1764742448725561419?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>March 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src=https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js charset="utf-8"></script> 

### London's depth come through

#### *by Igor Petrinovic*

Both the London Lions and Turk Telekom made a strong push to get the position they wanted in the late stages of the regular season, London a home-court advantage while Turk Telekom sneaking into the playoffs after a terrible start to the season. And there is so much to like about each team. You got star guards, London's [Matthew Morgan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/matthew-morgan/012585/) (17.3 ppg., 4.1 apg.) and Turk Telekom's Tyrone Wallace (17.5 ppg., 3.8 apg.). Each team has a super-dominant big man, [Gabe Olaseni](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/gabe-olaseni/006600/) (15.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg.) for the hosts and Steven Enoch (12.5 ppg., 8.1 rpg.), and also an impactful late-season addition, like London's [David Nwaba](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/david-nwaba/012797/) (13.6 ppg., 4.2 rpg.) and Turk Telekom's [Jarrod Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jarrod-jones/006883/) (9.8 ppg., 5.2 rpg.). Turk Telekom also has a late-season momentum, winning seven of the last nine games, but what I think London has is more help from other parties who can explode and deliver: [Donta Grantham](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/donte-grantham/012586/), [Conor Morgan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/conor-morgan/009680/), [Luke Nelson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/luke-nelson/004773/), [Tarik Phillip](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tarik-phillip/009649/), and of course, Sam Dekker. That, and the home-court advantage, is why I lean towards London getting through, winning its first EuroCup elimination game. **My pick: London.**

### Rolling the dice on Turk Telekom

#### *by Frank Lawlor*

Tough call. I've flipped this one on my bracket a couple of times. Turk Telekom surged late to reach the playoffs in a tie-breaker, albeit from, in my opinion, an easier regular season group. London is 4-4 since mid-December but still took third at 12-6 in the tougher group, albeit with a losing home record. London has more depth, for sure, but in a must-win game, a tight rotation like Turk Telekom's can work. London has the edge in star power, too, but Turk Telekom's aces are well balanced and its roles well defined. The numbers say London, but since December 5, Turk Telekom is 4-0 away from home while London is 2-3 at Copper Box Arena, with one of those victories needing late heroics. It's a toss-up, but I'll take the team with momentum coming in. **My pick: Turk Telekom.**

Turk Telekom London Lions top plays of the 2023-24 Regular Season

### London set to make a statement against Turk Telekom

#### *by Geoff Gillingham*

London Lions fans will get to see EuroCup playoff basketball at Copper Box Arena for the first-ever time when the team hosts Turk Telekom in the eighthfinals on Wednesday, and I think head coach Petar Bozic's men will put on a show for the expectant crowd. The British side got its first taste of the playoffs last year, but it had a first-round exit on the road at Joventut Badalona. This time around, London is a year wiser in the EuroCup and has a stronger roster, having added the likes of Matt Morgan, Gabe Olaseni and David Nwaba, all of whom have impressed during an injury-hit year for 2022-23 All-EuroCup Second Team selection Sam Dekker. However, Dekker returned in the British League at the weekend, scoring 17 points in 14 minutes, and I think that his presence – together with the play of Morgan, Olaseni and Nwaba – will make the difference in this game. Turk Telekom comes into this contest with Tyrone Wallace and James Palmer playing at an elite level, and Steven Enoch impressing at center as well, but I think an eighthfinals exit beckons for Selcuk Ernak's men. **My pick: London.** 

Quarterfinals match-up D between Hapoel and the winner of Gran Canarias - Besiktas relocated

The BKT EuroCup Quarterfinals matchup D between Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv and the winner of the Eighthfinals matchup between Gran Canaria and Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul, will be played at Avia Solutions Group Arena in Vilnius, Lithuania.

The Municipality of Vilnius has confirmed the possibility to host the game fulfilling all BKT EuroCup Regulations, including fans attendance.

Quarterfinals matchup D between Hapoel and winner of Gran Canaria - Besiktas relocated

Last year’s champion faces a team hoping to play the role of party pooper

Eighthfinals breakdown: Dreamland Gran Canaria vs. Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul

Even though both teams have played a combined 26 seasons in the BKT EuroCup, [Dreamland Gran Canaria](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dreamland-gran-canaria/roster/can/?season=2023-24) (12-6) and [Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/besiktas-istanbul/roster/bes/?season=2023-24) (9-9) will face off for the first-ever time next Wednesday, March 6. And what a stage for this first meeting between the two, as the winner of this eighthfinals tie will advance to the quarterfinals, where a test against Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (13-5) awaits.

### Gran Canaria: What to expect

Gran Canaria opened the 2023-24 season with 10 consecutive victories, as it picked up where it left off last season. After all, Gran Canaria finished its championship-winning campaign in 2022-23 with eight straight wins, so that meant Jaka Lakovic's team had won 18 in a row – the fourth-longest streak in competition history – following its victory in Round 10 of this current season. Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar (twice) and Virtus Segafredo Bologna hold the record with 20 consecutive victories. Gran Canaria improved to 10-0 with an average winning margin of 17.2 points, thus remaining the team to beat in the competition, no question.

Gran Canaria's Ferran Bassas top-scored with 21 points in the previous meeting between with Ulm– his only double-digits night of the season. The visitors strive for physical dominance via the EuroCup's top rebounder, Trevion Williams, who recorded his seventh double-double of the 23/24 versus Trento.

ratiopharm Ulm-Dreamland Gran Canaria| Round 11 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup

Gran Canaria went on to win just two of its next eight regular-season games, however, falling to third place and not getting a bye to the quarterfinals. Two of those six losses came in overtime – on the road against ratiopharm Ulm and Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse – and another came in double overtime at home against U-BT Cluj-Napoca. After recording 19 consecutive home wins, Gran Canaria enters the playoffs on a three-game losing streak at Gran Canaria Arena. In addition to that loss against Cluj, Gran Canaria lost by 22 against Dolomiti Energia Trento and by 10 against Turk Telekom Ankara in what was a rematch of last season's EuroCup Final. Which Gran Canaria version will we see in the eighthfinals: the dominant one from the beginning of the season, or the one that tailed off significantly in the latter part of the campaign?

### Besiktas making noise a decade later

Besiktas is in its first EuroCup season since 2016 and has got past the group stage for the first time since 2014, while it took Besiktas three appearances in the competition to reach the quarterfinals. Coached by Ergin Ataman and led by Preston Shumpert, Kaya Peker and Sandro Nicevic, Besiktas had one loss in 14 games to qualify to the 2008 Final Eight, but it came up short against archrival Galatasaray Istanbul on a last-second three-pointer by Cunyet Erden. In 2014, Besiktas took a 17-point lead in the first leg of its two-game eighthfinals series against Nizhny Novgorod, but a 24-point loss in Russia was the end of the road for coach Ahmet Kandemir and his team.

Prepare for a crunch-clash at the summit of Group A as unbeaten Paris are confronted by a Besiktas group situated just one spot behind. TJ Shorts and Nadir Hifi are the leaders for the French team, while the Turks are armed with the physicality of Angel Delgado.

Paris Basketball-Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul | Round 8 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup

Fast-forward to the 2023-24 season and Besiktas’s decision to bring in experienced EuroCup players and a head coach that knows the competition paid off right away, as Besiktas won its opening three games in Group A. The team kept winning at home and got great support on the road from Besiktas fans, who either travelled to see the team or were from the Turkish communities of Paris, London or Ljubljana. Besiktas is the only team to have beaten Paris Basketball this season, 63-68, and it was cheered on by a great road crowd in the French capital. That said, just like Gran Canaria, Besiktas has slowed down in recent weeks, finishing the regular season with a three-game losing streak and averaging just 72.7 points in those stretch.

### Back-to-back attempts: What happened?

Gran Canaria has a chance to win a second consecutive EuroCup title, which is unprecedented. Of course, there is a big reason why this has never happened before: the EuroCup champion earns the right to play in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague the following season. Gran Canaria opted to stay in the EuroCup for another season and therefore has a chance to win it again. It is not the first team to have this opportunity as a former champion opted to do the same, while another dropped from the EuroLeague to the EuroCup midway through the season. Let's take a look.

Hapoel Jerusalem won the 2003-04 EuroCup title, downing Real Madrid 73-82 in a memorable final in Charleroi, Belgium. Jerusalem opted out of the 2004-05 EuroLeague and had a good shot to win another EuroCup title but was narrowly eliminated in regular-season action. Despite being third in its group with a 6-4 record, it failed to be one of the two top-ranked third-placed teams by one point (Aris Thessaloniki 6-4, +42, Jerusalem 6-4, +41). Valencia Basket won the 2013-14 EuroCup and returned to the competition midway through the 2014-15 campaign. The Spanish side made it to the quarterfinals, losing against eventual champion Khimki Moscow Region.

### Coach Alimpijevic, Needham get another shot

Besiktas head coach Dusan Alimpijevic and playmaker [Derek Needham](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/derek-needham/008945/) have been working together for the last three seasons. Coach Alimpijevic brought Needham to Frutti Extra Bursaspor at the start of the 2021-22 season, a year in which Needham made it to the All-EuroCup First Team and Bursaspor went all the way to the EuroCup Final. The Turkish club had a fairy tale run to the EuroCup Final, too, winning three do-or-die road games against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana and MoraBanc Andorra to reach the championship game. Virtus Segafredo Bologna prevailed in the final, however, beating Bursaspor 80-67.

Gran Canaria - Frutti Extra Bursaspor | Eighthfinals Highlights | 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup

Coach Alimpijevic and Needham remained with Bursaspor last season and qualified for the EuroCup Playoffs, but Gran Canaria stood in its way, winning 72-66 behind 17 points from John Shurna. When Alimpijevic joined Besiktas, Needham was one of his team's first signings. He is averaging 11.6 points and 3.1 assists in 17 EuroCup games this season, although he doesn’t have the best of records against Gran Canaria, having gone 1-4 through his career. Needham's only victory over Gran Canaria came with Mornar Bar in the 2020-21 season, with the Montenegrin club winning 100-102. Alimpijevic, the 2021-22 EuroCup Coach of the Year, is 0-4 against Gran Canaria in the competition.

This eighthfinal showdown that sees Prometey Slobozhanske (10-8) host Aris Midea Thessaloniki (9-9) in Riga, Latvia, marks the first-ever meeting between these sides. The winner will advance to the quarterfinals to face Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse (14-4).

Eighthfinals breakdown: Prometey vs. Aris

This eighthfinal showdown that sees [Prometey Slobozhanske](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/prometey-slobozhanske/roster/pmt/?season=2023-24) (10-8) host [Aris Midea Thessaloniki](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/aris-thessaloniki/roster/ari/?season=2023-24) (9-9) in Riga, Latvia, marks the first-ever meeting between these sides. The winner will advance to the quarterfinals to face Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse (14-4).

### Prometey seeks another shot at the title

Prometey is in its second BKT EuroCup season and hopes to make as much noise as it did last year when it turned Arena Riga into a fortress, losing just two home games and making it all the way to the semifinals. Its season came to an end with a heartbreaking 74-76 loss against Turk Telekom Ankara. Eight of the 10 players who were in that semifinal game last season are still with the club, as well as [D.J. Kennedy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/dj-kennedy/005301/), who was injured at that time and is available for this year's playoffs. Center [Tai Odiase](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tai-odiase/011823/) also lost against Turk Telekom in last season's playoffs when he was with Germani Brescia.

Tai Odiase was the key figure with 19 points as Prometey won 98-89 when the teams met previously and he remains a key performer with double digits scoring in five of the last six. Hapoel pursue backcourt dominance from the talented Xavier Munford, who has multiple triples in four straight games.

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv-Prometey Slobozhanske | Round 16 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup

Prometey has been up and down all season. It had to bounce back from losing one its main signings to injury, forward [Arnoldas Kulboka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/arnoldas-kulboka/006180/), before the start of the EuroCup season. Once Prometey registered Kennedy and brought back sharpshooter [Gian Clavell](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/gian-clavell/011942/), things started to roll. Prometey won three of its last four regular season games, downing Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv 105-113 on the road and Joventut Badalona 94-80 at home. [Ondrej Balvin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/ondrej-balvin/002644/) (10.6 ppg., 9.1 rpg., 19.4 PIR) and Roland March (13.3 ppg., 3.3 rpg., 12.8 PIR) have been the team's main players until now.

### Aris's happy EuroCup return

By qualifying for the EuroCup Playoffs, Aris reached its initial goal in its first season in the competition since 2016. Of course, the ever-ambitious Aris wants more. The club has advanced past the group stages for the fourth time. In 2005, Aris reached the eighthfinals before losing a two-game total-points series against Rytas Vilnius 156-154. A year later, Aris reached the 2006 championship game in Charleroi, Belgium, but fell 60-73 to Dynamo Moscow. In 2010, Aris was swept by Valencia Basket in the two-game quarterfinals.

Yoan Moukoundou's 20 points for Buducnost weren't enough for victory in the previous showdown as Aris big man Kris Bankston scored 14 without a miss, and this battle for inside supremacy may again be crucial. This encounter could go a long way towards determining postseason qualification.

Aris Midea Thessaloniki-Buducnost VOLI Podgorica | Round 15 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup

It took Aris 14 years to get back to the EuroCup Playoffs and it did so in style, winning six of its last eight games to finish fifth in Group B. There were several highlights in Aris's final regular season push. [Roberto Gallinat](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/roberto-gallinat/012708/) had a game-winning put-back dunk to lift Aris to a 76-75 win against Buducnost VOLI Podgorica. [Vassilis Toliopoulos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/vassilis-toliopoulos/004292/) and [Jonathan Stark](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jonathan-stark/012792/) combined for 39 points and 11 assists to lead their team past Turk Telekom, 85-95. [Ronnie Harrell](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/ronnie-harrell/012716/) simply did everything right when Aris beat ratiopharm Ulm 66-86. Different go-to guys stepped up at the right time!

### Frontcourt battle will be critical

Prometey relies on its two centers to make things happen in the paint and balance the team's offense. Odiase and Balvin ensure that Coach Ronen Ginzburg always has a scoring threat in the paint. Balvin and Odiase have combined for 21.2 points, 12.4 rebounds and a PIR of 32.1 so far this season and have barely played together. Balvin is at the prime of his career and has posted four double-doubles this season, had a PIR of 23 or higher nine times already and is second in the EuroCup in PIR per 40 minutes (32.0). Odiase gives Prometey plenty of physicality and effectiveness, hitting 64.8% of his two-point shots, mostly on dunks and his trademark jump hooks.

Tai Odiase and Ondrej Balvin have been Prometey Slobozhanske's frontcourt pillars throughout the season.

Odiase, Balvin balance Prometey's frontcourt

Is Aris physical enough to challenge Balvin and Odiase? Definitely. [Silvio de Sousa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/silvio-de-sousa/012702/) has been strong all season, averaging 7.9 points on 65.3% two-pointers and 5.2 rebounds in less than 18 minutes per night. If Aris head coach Ioannis Kastritis wants even more athleticism, [Kris Bankston](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/kris-bankston/012760/) is always ready to deliver. A human highlight reel, Bankston has averaged 6.1 points on 70.9% two-point shooting for a PIR of 7.0 in less than 15 minutes on the floor. Prometey may have an edge, as Balvin is more experienced than any of his potential opponents, but Aris has its frontcourt weapons, based on power and intensity.

### Toliopoulos on the spotlight

A late bloomer, Toliopoulos grew up with Olympiacos Piraeus, where he learned a lot from Vassilis Spanoulis even though he only took part in 15 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games in three seasons. He found his way to grow and is now in his second stint and third season with Aris. This time, Toliopoulos is enjoying a career-best season, averaging 14.4 points on 91.9% free throw-shooting (seventh overall) and 3.5 assists for a PIR of 12.9. Some of his best skills are not seen in the stats, such as poise, determination, a high basketball IQ and above all, leadership.

Vassilis Toliopoulos of Aris Egalia Thessaloniki is averaging 14.4 points on 91.9% free throws (seventh overall), 3.5 assists and a PIR of 12.9.

Toliopoulos is Aris's leader

Stopping Toliopoulos should be a priority for Prometey, which can use several players against him. [Issuf Sanon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/issuf-sanon/011947/) is a lightning-quick guard who usually comes off the bench to give other playmakers trouble with his transition game. [Illia Sydorov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/illia-sydorov/011966/) is a great on-the-ball defender who can also change games with his three-point shots. [Caleb Agada](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/caleb-agada/011944/) may see the most playing time against Toliopoulos. Agada can use his size advantage and also be active on defense to give Toliopoulos trouble. Aris has other backcourt options, but if Toliopoulos can run its offense smoothly, it should give the visitors a better chance to win.

Eighthfinals breakdown: Prometey Slobozhanske vs. Aris Midea Thessaloniki

Here’s a question that would have surprised some BKT EuroCup fans a few years ago: Who’s ready for playoff basketball in London!? Well, that is set to become reality on March 6 when the London Lions host Turk Telekom Ankara at Copper Box Arena in an exciting eighthfinal showdown.

Eighthfinals breakdown: London Lions vs. Turk Telekom Ankara

Here’s a question that would have surprised some BKT EuroCup fans a few years ago: Who’s ready for playoff basketball in London!? Well, that is set to become reality on March 6 when the London Lions host Turk Telekom Ankara at Copper Box Arena in an exciting eighthfinal showdown.

London did get its first taste of the EuroCup Playoffs last year but it came on the road, as the English team – featuring a hobbling [Sam Dekker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/sam-dekker/009672/) – lost at Joventut Badalona, 89-78. During the 2022-23 regular season, London had an 8-10 record and entered the postseason as the seventh seed in Group B. This campaign is a different story, as the Lions posted a 12-6 mark and secured home-court advantage in this round with a third-placed finish in Group A.

Joventut Badalona - London Lions | Eighthfinals Highlights | 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup

Turk Telekom, meanwhile, showed everyone what it is capable of during last season’s EuroCup, making it all the way to the final before falling to Dreamland Gran Canaria. The majority of that team was broken up, including head coach Erdem Can moving on, and that led to an inconsistent start to the 2023-24 season. That said, since the midway point of the campaign, Turk Telekom has looked a team revitalized and managed to sneak into the postseason as the sixth seed in Group B with an 8-10 record.

Gran Canaria -Turk Telekom Ankara | Final Highlights | 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup

### London retooled and improved

Last season was London’s first-ever season in the EuroCup and the team, at that point led by Ryan Schmidt, showed that it was building the foundations for what was to come. In particular, Dekker stood out as the team’s outstanding player and earned All-EuroCup Second Team honors. Yet, injuries have blighted Dekker during this season, with the ex-Houston Rockets forward being limited to just seven appearances.

Part of London’s problem last year was leaning too much on Dekker to be the hero, but his absence – he missed the start of the season – meant that the new recruits had to figure it out by themselves. [Jordan Taylor](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/jordan-taylor/005247/) remains in place as the team’s lead playmaker, but [Matt Morgan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/matthew-morgan/012585/)’s offense has become a major weapon for the Lions, as has [Gabe Olaseni](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/gabe-olaseni/006600/)’s dominant play at the “five” position. Fellow new signings [Conor Morgan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/conor-morgan/009680/), [Donte Grantham](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/donte-grantham/012586/) and the even more recent addition of [David Nwaba](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/david-nwaba/012797/), who joined ahead of Round 14, have all had big moments this season, too.

Perhaps even more importantly, however, is the man London chose as Coach Schmidt’s successor: Petar Bozic. Ever since he came in to replace Schmidt, Bozic has impressed with his nous on the sidelines after spending the previous six years with the San Antonio Spurs organization. Bozic has also used his experience of European basketball – he was a legendary guard for Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade – to help mold London into a big threat in the EuroCup, even with Dekker unavailable for large parts of the campaign.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">THE STAGE IS SET! 🔥<br><br>🎟️ Tickets for our first round <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a> playoff matchup vs <a href="https://twitter.com/TT_Basketbol?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TT_Basketbol</a> go on sale this Wednesday, 14th February! <br><br>🆚 <a href="https://twitter.com/TT_Basketbol?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TT_Basketbol</a> 🇹🇷<br>📆 Wednesday, 6th March<br>⏰ 6pm<br>📍 <a href="https://twitter.com/CopperBoxArena?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CopperBoxArena</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreLondon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreLondon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToGreatness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToGreatness</a> <a href="https://t.co/JtGRLH5NEy">pic.twitter.com/JtGRLH5NEy</a></p>&mdash; London Lions (@LondonLions) <a href="https://twitter.com/LondonLions/status/1757125327124336791?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Something clicked for Turk Telekom

When Turk Telekom was staring at a 1-8 record after nine rounds, the Turkish team could not have looked further from last year’s side, which was 7-2 at that same point in the campaign. The club was already onto its second head coach of the season, too, with Selcuk Ernak replacing Nenad Canak after Round 3. The playoffs looked a long way off, particularly with the new format only seeing six teams from each 10-team group advance, but something began to click from Round 10 onwards.

December 5, 2023, saw Turk Telekom end its seven-game losing streak by defeating one of the surprise packages this season, U-BT Cluj-Napoca, and that victory kickstarted a memorable second half of the campaign as Coach Ernak’s side went 7-2 to steal the final playoff spot. Following a summer of upheaval with regard to the playing roster, the pieces started to fall into place and a hierarchy began to be established.

That hierarchy was led by [Tyrone Wallace](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/tyrone-wallace/011925/), who was torching teams on a night-by-night basis in the second half of the season, in addition to acting as the team’s primary playmaker. It wasn’t just Wallace, though. [Steven Enoch](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/steven-enoch/011239/) and [James Palmer](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/james-palmer-jr-/011834/), two players who – like Wallace – signed for Turk Telekom last summer, started to show more consistency in their play, making the Turkish side’s Big Three a huge threat. What’s more, despite not being one of the clear stars, the late-season pickup of [Jarrod Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/jarrod-jones/006883/) added veteran know-how and a player who could contribute right away, with Turk Telekom going 4-1 since his arrival.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Takımımız BKT EuroCup 8’li Final Play Off turunda! 🏀<br><br>Tek maç eleme usulü oynanacak karşılaşmalarda rakibimiz London Lions oldu! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AimToGlory?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AimToGlory</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AnkaraBasketbolu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AnkaraBasketbolu</a> <a href="https://t.co/EvcVRNpvbG">pic.twitter.com/EvcVRNpvbG</a></p>&mdash; Türk Telekom Basketbol (@TT_Basketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/TT_Basketbol/status/1755639030622867545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### The key matchup

There are fascinating matchups all over the court in this single-elimination playoff fixture, particularly if Dekker is able to return, but the battle between the point guards – London’s Matt Morgan and Turk Telekom’s Tyrone Wallace – should guarantee plenty of entertainment. This is Morgan’s first season in the EuroCup compared to Wallace’s second, but the two did come up against each other on one occasion in the French League last season. On that day, in Round 30, Morgan’s Le Mans beat Wallace’s Paris Basketball 97-90, with the former netting 35 points compared to the latter’s 24.

The London Lions' Matt Morgan and Turk Telekom Ankara's Tyrone Wallace will face off in the BKT EuroCup Eighthfinals.

Best plays of Morgan, Wallace this season

This season, the 26-year-old Morgan has averaged 17.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and an 18.7 PIR in the EuroCup as he’s established himself as one of Europe’s most prolific scorers. Wallace, however, has done just as well, posting 17.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.6 steals and a 16.9 PIR. Both London and Turk Telekom will be trying to slow down the other team’s point guard just enough to make things difficult; the side that manages to achieve this best will be in a good position to secure the win.