The BKT EuroCup regular season is over and the eight teams vying for a spot in the quarterfinals are set. Here's how they did in one key statistical measurement until now.

 Stats review: EuroCup Eighthfinals primer 

The table below looks at how those teams fared during the regular season in terms of offensive and defensive efficiency. In recent seasons under the EuroCup's current regular season format, we learned that which group a team is in tends to play a role in their differentials, but this gives us a fairly accurate picture of how these teams have stacked up on both ends of the floor this season.

[ratiopharm Ulm vs. Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/ratiopharm-ulm-joventut-badalona/U2023/182/)

With an average effective age of 25.2 years, Ulm is the youngest team in the EuroCup by a considerable margin and their season has often reflected as much. Ulm beat everyone in Group B outside of U-BT Cluj-Napoca at least once and lost five of their last seven games despite going a staggering 4-0 in overtime games. Ulm's x-factor was often pick-and-roll defense. Now, the German champs will face a Joventut team that finished second in pick-and-roll efficiency behind only Paris Basketball. With both [Andres Feliz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/andres-feliz/011247/) and [Shannon Evans](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/shannon-evans/010677/) creating at a high level, Ulm's ball-screen defenders may face 40 minutes of pressure on Tuesday.

Ulm is the youngest team in the EuroCup

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

This matchup is fascinating on paper since the London Lions went 8-1 on the road but just 4-5 at home and are set to host a Turk Telekom Ankara team that surged late to claim the last playoff spot in Group B. The absence of [Sam Dekker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/sam-dekker/009672/) complicated things for London, but they nonetheless finished among the top five in both offensive and defensive efficiency. The question is how that holds up against an Ankara team that scored just 0.87 points per possession over the first half of the season, but 1.03 to close the year. That's roughly the difference between ranking as the worst offense in the league by far or third behind the two teams that eclipsed the EuroCup record for efficiency. Several injuries precipitated roster changes for last season's runners-up, and this group came out the other side playing like a contender. How London handles [Tyrone Wallace](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tyrone-wallace/011925/) and [James Palmer](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/james-palmer-jr-/011834/) on Wednesday will be a point of interest as that duo raised their level of play significantly in the second half of the regular season.

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

In what looks on paper to be the closest of these do-or-die matchups, Prometey will test their top 10-ranked offense against Aris's second-ranked defense on Wednesday. Leading the EuroCup in defensive turnover rate while defending the three-point line consistently, Aris has been able to lean on its ability to get stops all season. Prometey will test Aris's interior defense after finishing the regular season ranked first in total dunks and total points scored on put-backs.

Highlights of Aris's second-ranked defense

[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/)

Going undefeated over the first half of the season but losing six of their last eight games, Gran Canaria has had a lopsided year. Posting the best point differential in Group B but falling out of the top two, the reigning EuroCup champions' shot at redemption will start on the defensive end. After allowing just 0.89 points per possession over the first half of the season, Gran Canaria allowed 1.02 points per possession to close the year as the defense suddenly lacked answers guarding pick-and-rolls. Besiktas's campaign followed largely the same path and hinged on the same issues. Guard play figures to be key for both teams on Wednesday as each looks to leverage the scouting reports on the other since things shifted in December.  

The BKT EuroCup regular season is over and the eight teams vying for a spot in the quarterfinals are set. Here's how they did in one key statistical measurement until now.



Stats review: Eighthfinals primer

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)

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

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

The Lions' star center is enjoying playing in his hometown for the first time in his career.

London's Gabe Olaseni is loving finally playing in front of friends and family

Playing for London Lions and representing the English club in the BKT EuroCup means quite a lot to [Gabe Olaseni](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/gabe-olaseni/006600/). Not only did he grow up just a few minutes from the team’s home arena, but he also is lining up for an English club for the first time in his career - something he didn’t think would be a possibility.

Olaseni has thoroughly enjoyed competing in the EuroCup for the first time this season and it has been extra special to play in front of family and friends at the Copper Box arena.

“It’s been amazing so far,” said Olaseni, who has returned to his home nation for the first time to play as a pro.

“I’ve just missed friends and family. It’s still unreal that I can look into the stands and see the people I care about. I won’t take that for granted. Playing in front of them definitely gives me extra motivation when I step on the court.”

It had been a long time for Olaseni away from England. He attended high school and college for six years in the United States and then played professionally in Germany, Italy, France, Spain and the last four years in Turkey. 

Gabe Olaseni: 2023-24 EuroCup Regular Season highlights

Olaseni, who hails from Plaistow in East London, said the London Lions’ recent improvement was a major reason for him to finally come home. 

“I think the biggest factor was to be a part of growing something in my hometown. Playing back home was always a dream of mine and until recently I didn’t think it was going to be possible. Usually, I see my family for a few weeks a year but now I’m back and can see them much more so I’m enjoying that also,” said Olaseni, who did return to England often to play for the Great Britain national team. 

The London Lions have become a force domestically, winning the British League in 2018-19 and 2022-23 while taking second place in 2020-21 and third in 2021-22. London also debuted in the EuroCup last season and went 8-10 in the regular season before bowing out in the Round of 16 against Joventut. 

That made it more a possibility for Olaseni to play for London.

“Over the past few years I’ve seen the league grow so it’s exciting to be back when I think it’s better than ever,” he said. 

“I only started thinking about \[coming back\] this past summer. I spoke to some of the returning players over the course of last season and they had positive things to say. When the summer came there was interest on both sides and I’m happy things worked out.” 

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Congratulations to <a href="https://twitter.com/agolaseni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@agolaseni</a> for being recognised as @basketballengland National Player of the Year! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreLondon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreLondon</a> <a href="https://t.co/w9JoVwkisk">https://t.co/w9JoVwkisk</a></p>&mdash; London Lions (@LondonLions) <a href="https://twitter.com/LondonLions/status/1749502171127726188?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Another big factor was the chance to play with Great Britain national team teammates Luke Nelson, Tarik Phillip and Mo Soluade.

“Knowing those guys off the court and already having chemistry having played together for a few years was another factor that helped me make the decision. They made the transition here a whole lot easier,” Olaseni admitted.

And Olaseni being a Londoner himself just makes it that much more meaningful when the Lions go to great cities like Paris, Badalona, Vilnius, Istanbul and Ljubljana among others.

“Growing up a few minutes from our arena, I know what sort of opportunity that we have to create something that will last. Going on the road against organizations with rich history you see how the game of basketball is huge and we want the same thing in London,” Olaseni said.

And the goal for the club is simple: win the EuroCup.

"It would mean everything to us. It would show that we can compete against some of the best in Europe and also achieve this goal with several domestic players contributing to the overall success of the team. Not only would it be great in the moment but would create a lasting impact for basketball in the country.”

And Olaseni would do it all at home with his home city club.

Their next step in the chase for EuroCup glory will see London host Turk Telekom Ankara in the single-game EuroCup Eighthfinals on Wednesday, March 6. 

The promising guard will be out for 4 months with a broken foot.

Aris loses Georgios Fillios for season

Aris Midea Thessaloniki announced on Tuesday that promising guard [Georgios Fillios](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/georgios-fillios/012616/) will miss four months with a broken right foot. The 22-year-old has been diagnosed with a fractured fifth metatarsal, which will sideline him for four months. Aris will face Prometey Slobozhanske in the single-game EuroCup Eighthfinals on Wednesday, March 6.

A native of Thessaloniki, this is Fillios’s second season with Aris and his first in the EuroCup, He averaged 0.8 points, 1.1 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 0.7 steals in 8:39 minutes off the bench in nine games this season. His defense and hustle led to Fillios cracking the rotation and playing at least 11 minutes in five games between Rounds 6 and 11.

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After a long road to get there, big man Silvio De Sousa is leaving a mark with Aris. 

Aris's De Sousa is leaving his mark

Don’t be surprised if you see a smile on the face of [Silvio De Sousa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/silvio-de-sousa/012702/). The big man from Aris Midea Thessaloniki loves being able to play the game after a topsy-turvy college basketball career.

The 25-year-old De Sousa is a big reason the club reached the BKT EuroCup playoffs. He has averaged 7.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals in his first season in the competition. 

“The competition has been great, exactly what I expected: Competitive and a very high quality and level of basketball,” said de Sousa.

He is spending his second season in Europe after debuting with Chorale de Roanne Basket in France last year. 

“I think even though it has been tough adjusting to the Greek league, it’s basketball and I am doing the best I can for my team,” said De Sousa, who averaged 8.9 points and 4.9 rebounds for Roanne last season.

Silvio De Sousa's best plays, 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season

Silvio De Sousa's best plays 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season

The season before that the big man was playing for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He blossomed there, averaging 11.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in helping the college reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016. 

It was a fresh start after a turbulent time at the University of Kansas. A highly sought-after recruit out of high school, De Sousa's name was dragged into an NCAA corruption case that ultimately caused him to miss the entire 2018-19 season. After he returned, De Sousa was suspended for an on-court incident in January 2020 for the rest of the collegiate season.  He then elected to sit out the entire 2020-21 season. 

De Sousa came to Kansas in 2017 with high expectations after having already debuted the summer before with the Angola senior national team in Olympic qualifiers at just 17 years of age. He also helped Angola win the titles at the FIBA U16 African Championship 2013 and FIBA U18 African Championship 2016 in addition to playing at the U17 Basketball World Cup 2014 and Basketball World Cup 2017. 

“The biggest challenge would be having confidence in the work I put in during those two years that I missed the game. I think adjusting my mental aspect between basketball and life itself has been the hardest part of it all,” De Sousa said. 

After being found not guilty in August 2021 of the early 2020 case, De Sousa sought a fresh start by transferring to Chattanooga. 

“Chattanooga was a lovely place for me. Especially as a basketball player, when I think about a fresh start, Chattanooga was the best place to start from. The love, the support and the unforgettable experience and memories I have made there, no greater feeling. Loved it,” he recalled.

Last season, De Sousa went through a good learning experience as well with Roanne. With eight games left in the season, the team was in the playoff zone in eighth place but then grabbed just one win in the last eight games to finish two games behind the final playoff position.

“The biggest thing I learned from France was really just the maturity of the game, and take things more seriously when it comes to basketball and your team,” he said. 

In addition to his move from France to Greece, this summer had two major highlights. First, he got married to his long-time girlfriend Morgan in Kansas. 

“My wife has been my biggest supporter and inspiration for me on and off court. My maturity wouldn’t be at its peak without her,” he said.

Later in the summer, he played for Angola at the Basketball World Cup - returning to the national team for the first time since 2017.

<center>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Don Quixote would lose his battle against this windmill, no doubt 😤<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIBAWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIBAWC</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinForAngola?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WinForAngola</a> 🇦🇴 <a href="https://t.co/ksvPPFP5tX">pic.twitter.com/ksvPPFP5tX</a></p>&mdash; FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 🏆 (@FIBAWC) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIBAWC/status/1696480157828338078?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“It was a great feeling playing for my country, Angola, the most excited I have been to play the game since I started playing because my family, mom, wife and sisters got to finally watch me play in person for the first time in the biggest stage there is. A feeling I will never forget and which I will always be grateful for,” said De Sousa, who averaged 11.6 points and 6.8 rebounds at the World Cup. 

Despite being only 25 years old, De Sousa was one of the leaders of the young Angolan team. And he helped the country qualify for this summer’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament. 

“The biggest takeaway from that experience was the experience itself, and how important it is to have a great relationship with your team in order to achieve bigger things in this game,” he said.

The summer also saw De Sousa get back home to Angola for the first time since 2018 - when he was just 20. 

“It is always a great feeling and pleasure to go back home. I missed my family, I missed the food my mom makes and just the warm welcoming feeling from everything about my home country,” he recalled.

All in all, things are just going great for Silvio De Sousa.

There were several EuroLeague and EuroCup players who stepped up in the continental qualifiers in FIBA play.

Continental qualifiers roundup: EuroLeague, EuroCup players came to the fore

### EuroBasket Qualifiers

### Finland 89-85 Denmark

[Mikael Jantunen](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/mikael-jantunen/012613/) of Paris Basketball starred with a team-high 19 points in Finland’s triumph. Virtus Segafredo Bologna’s [Iffe Lundberg](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/iffe-lundberg/010781/) had a game-high 26 points for Denmark, while ratiopharm Ulm youngster [Tobias Jensen](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/tobias-jensen/010726/) had 5 points and 5 rebounds in the loss.

### Georgia 63-76 Serbia

Serbia had four Turkish Airlines EuroLeague players reach double figures in points in its win at Georgia: [Marko Guduric](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/marko-guduric/004004/) of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul with 16, [Vanja Marinkovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vanja-marinkovic/004761/) of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz with 15, [Aleksa Avramovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/aleksa-avramovic/003983/) of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade with 12 and [Filip Petrusev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/filip-petrusev/011194/) of Olympiacos Piraeus with 11. Virtus star [Toko Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/) netted 19 as Georgia lost, with Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv’s [Joe Thomasson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/joe-thomasson/012095/) adding 13.

### Poland 71-96 North Macedonia

Dreamland Gran Canaria’s [Ethan Happ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/ethan-happ/009864/) played an important role in North Macedonia’s win, scoring 19 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, dishing 5 assists and making 5 steals. [Aleksander Balcerowski](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/aleksander-balcerowski/007553/) of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens recorded 7 points and 3 rebounds in defeat for Poland.

### Estonia 65-59 Lithuania

[Maik Kotsar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/maik-kotsar/004603/) of Baskonia impressed with an 11-point, 13-rebound double-double as Estonia secured its first-ever win against Lithuania. Zalgiris Kaunas duo [Edgaras Ulanovas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/edgaras-ulanovas/002329/) and [Tomas Dimsa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tomas-dimsa/003211/) scored 16 and 14 points, respectively, for the visitors.

### Bosnia and Herzegovina 64-74 France

France had three EuroLeague players hit double figures in points in its win: Real Madrid duo [Guerschon Yabusele](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/guerschon-yabusele/010357/) and [Vincent Poirier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vincent-poirier/004887/) with 16 and 13 points, respectively, and AS Monaco’s [Matthew Strazel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/matthew-strazel/008099/) with 11. Yabusele had 9 rebounds and Poirier 8, too. Real’s [Dzanan Musa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dzanan-musa/006540/) netted 15 points and Buducnost VOLI Podgorica’s [Kenan Kamenjas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/kenan-kamenjas/008325/) had 14 for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

### Netherlands 72-74 Greece

[Vassilis Toliopoulos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/vassilis-toliopoulos/004292/) of Aris Midea Thessaloniki inspired Greece with game highs of 26 points and 8 assists. Panathinaikos’s [Dimitris Moraitis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dimitris-moraitis/006544/) contributed 14 points, too. [Yannick Kraag](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/yannick-kraag/010161/) of Joventut Badalona finished with 10 points in the loss for the Netherlands.

### Croatia 92-63 Cyprus

Gran Canaria’s [Roko Prkacin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/roko-prkacin/007644/) had a 24-point, 10-rebound double-double for Croatia, and Real Madrid’s [Mario Hezonja](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mario-hezonja/003108/) also recorded a double-double with 22 points and 10 boards.  

### Czech Republic 90-82 Great Britain

[Tomas Satoransky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tomas-satoransky/002939/) of FC Barcelona led the Czech Republic with a 21-point, 10-assist double-double.

### AmeriCup Qualifiers

### Cuba 81-67 USA

Maccabi’s [Jasiel Rivero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jasiel-rivero/011214/) had 11 points and 9 rebounds as Cuba beat the United States for the first-ever time in the AmeriCup.

### Chile 79-77 Argentina

[Sebastian Herrera](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/sebastian-herrera/012611/) of Paris finished with 8 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists for Chile in its triumph over Argentina. The Albiceleste had Real Madrid duo [Gabriel Deck](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/gabriel-deck/009005/) and [Facundo Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) score 20 and 16 points, respectively, while FC Bayern Munich’s [Leandro Bolmaro](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/leandro-bolmaro/008985/) netted 12 and Gran Canaria’s [Nicolas Brussino](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/nicolas-brussino/008121/) had 11.

There were several individuals who had key roles in victories

Sertac Sanli and Tarik Biberovic led Turkiye to a buzzer-beating win over Iceland. 

Continental qualifiers roundup: Fenerbahce players shine

Sunday’s FIBA EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers opened with a thriller in Istanbul, where a pair of Fenerbahce Beko players carried host Turkiye to a 76-75 victory over Iceland. Center Sertac Sanli did the heavy lifting with 10 fourth-quarter points, but that was not enough to get Turkiye over the finish line. With the game in the balance, Tarik Biberovic canned the game-winner.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="in" dir="ltr">TARIK BIBEROVIC WINS IT FOR TURKIYE 🇹🇷<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroBasket</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TissotBuzzerBeater?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TissotBuzzerBeater</a> <a href="https://t.co/EheQt12otR">pic.twitter.com/EheQt12otR</a></p>&mdash; FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket/status/1761767131585130503?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Sanli dominated in the paint to the tune of 20 points and 12 rebounds for Turkiye, while Biberovic finished with 11 points. Ercan Osmani of Anadolu Efes Istanbul contributed 14 points and 5 boards to the winning effort. ALBA Berlin guard Martin Hermannsson led Iceland with 15 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists before fouling out.

Andrejs Grazulis of Dolomiti Energia Trento was Latvia’s main man in its 64-52 victory over Slovakia. He finished with 18 points and 9 rebounds. Joventut Badalona big man Vladimir Brodziansky scored 9 for Slovakia in defeat.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Latvia goes 2-0 in this <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroBasket</a> Qualifiers Window with a home win against Slovakia! 📢 <a href="https://t.co/yaumFdVQSi">pic.twitter.com/yaumFdVQSi</a></p>&mdash; FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket/status/1761797822116958526?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Marko Simonovic of Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul starred for Montenegro in its 95-70 victory over Sweden with 16 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. He led all players with a PIR of 26 and a +/- of +22.  

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz playmaker Codi Miller-McIntyre led Bulgaria to an upset win over reigning FIBA Basketball World Cup winner Germany with 23 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. He scored 12 fourth-quarter points and assisted on 8 more as Bulgaria outscored the Germans 28-17 in the final stanza to win 67-62.

Barcelona big man Oscar da Silva led Germany with 15 points and 12 rebounds, Jonas Mattisseck added 11 points and his ALBA Berlin teammate Malte Delow scored 10.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">“Mr. Clutch” leads Bulgaria 🇧🇬 to a shocking win against the World Champs 🇩🇪 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroBasket</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MakeYourMark?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MakeYourMark</a> <a href="https://t.co/B3bqNT2lBG">pic.twitter.com/B3bqNT2lBG</a></p>&mdash; FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket/status/1761813291867750468?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Mike Tobey of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade went for 20 points and 12 rebounds to lift Slovenia to an 88-79 win over Israel. He led all players with a PIR of 27. Yam Madar of Fenerbahce led Israel with 19 points and 6 assists.

In AfroBasket 2025 qualifying action, Alex Poythress carried Cote D’Ivoire to a 79-76 victory over Egypt with 20 points and 9 rebounds. He scored 9 points in the fourth quarter alone to ensure his country won. And Shannon Evans of Joventut Badalona scored a game-high 29 points for Guinea, but that was not enough as they fell at home 74-80 to Kenya.

Marko Simonovic of Besiktas, Andrejs Grazulis of Trento and  Shannon Evans of Joventut were among the EuroCup players who shined on Sunday. (PHOTO: FIBA)

Continental qualifiers roundup: EuroCup stars rocked on Sunday

Dozens of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and BKT EuroCup players took the floor on four different continents on Friday, and were in main roles as they were trying to help their national teams get to a good start in the qualifiers, each with a goal of reaching final tournament.

Continental qualifiers roundup: Nelson's double-double led Great Britain

Dozens of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and BKT EuroCup players took the floor on four different continents on Friday, and were in main roles as they were trying to help their national teams get to a good start in the qualifiers, each with a goal of reaching final tournament.

### EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers

In Group E, France with eight players coming from EuroLeague clubs, downed Croatia that featured three EuroLeague players. France protected its home court in Brest, winning 73-61 as [Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/timothe-luwawu-cabarrot/012080/) of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne paced the winners with 15 points. [Matthew Strazel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/matthew-strazel/008099/) of AS Monaco scored 12, [Guerschon Yabusele](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/guerschon-yabusele/010357/) of Real Madrid had 11 points and 5 rebounds, while [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/) of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens had 10 points for France. One the other end, Real's [Mario Hezonja](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mario-hezonja/003108/) had 22 points leading Croatia, while [Jaleen Smith](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jaleen-smith/011192/) of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade added 13 in defeat.

In the other game of Group E, Bosnia and Herzegovina cruised to a 66-99 road win against Cyprus. Real's [Dzanan Musa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dzanan-musa/006540/) scored 16 of his 26 points in the first half, and also had 8 assists and 5 rebounds for the night. Buducnost VOLI Podgorica center [Kenan Kamenjas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/kenan-kamenjas/008325/) collected 13 points and 10 rebounds in a victory.

In Group F, Greece with its nine EuroLeague players downed Czech Republic 72-64 in Piraeus. [Konstantinos Mitoglou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/konstantinos-mitoglou/007866/) of Panathinaikos led Greece with 22 points and 7 rebounds, while Olympiacos Piraeus duo of [Kostas Papanikolaou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kostas-papanikolaou/001255/) and [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/) each scored 16. Walkup flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 8 assists and 8 rebounds, and Papanikolaou also grabbing 8 rebounds as EuroLeague Legend Vassilis Spanoulis made his debut in a role of Greece national team head coach. for the visitors, [Ondrej Balvin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/ondrej-balvin/002644/) of EuroCup side Prometey Slobozhanske had a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds, while FC Barcelona's [Tomas Satoransky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tomas-satoransky/002939/) collected 9 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in a loss.

In that same group, Great Britain held off the Netherlands 98-94 as London Lions point guard [Luke Nelson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/luke-nelson/004773/) orchestrated British offense with 12 assists, while also scoring 14 points. Joventut's [Yannick Kraag](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/yannick-kraag/010161/) had 11 points in defeat.

In Group G, Serbia rallied to beat Finland 77-61. [Luka Mitrovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/luka-mitrovic/002553/) of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade led the way with 19 points and 9 rebounds, while Partizan's [Aleksa Avramovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/aleksa-avramovic/003983/) had 18 points. Olympiacos center [Filip Petrusev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/filip-petrusev/011194/) collected 8 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists in a victory. [Mikael Jantunen](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/mikael-jantunen/012613/) of EuroCup Playoff top seed Paris Basketball led all Finland's scorers with 11 points. In the other game of this group, [Denmark beat Georgia 75-69](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/iffe-lundberg-set-denmark-on-path-to-history/).

In Friday's only Group H game, Estonia went on the road to beat North Macedonia 69-74. [Maik Kotsar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/maik-kotsar/004603/) of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz had 16 points in a victory. For the hosts, Dreaamland Gran Canaria big man [Ethan Happ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/ethan-happ/009864/) collected 18 points and 10 rebounds. In the first game of this group, [Lithuania beat Poland on Thursday](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/eurobasket-qualifiers-roundup-euroleague-players-star-in-big-wins/).

### AmeriCup 2025 qualifiers

Argentina held off Chile 90-78 to start off its Group A campaign. [Nicolas Brussino](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/nicolas-brussino/008121/), of last year's BKT EuroCup champion Dreamland Gran Canaria, led the way with 19 points. Real Madrid's [Gabriel Deck](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/gabriel-deck/009005/) and [Facundo Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) dominated, as Deck had a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds while Campazzo had 15 points and 8 assists. FC Bayern Munich guard [Leandro Bolmaro](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/leandro-bolmaro/008985/) had 7 points in a victory.

In Group D, United States beat Cuba 100-79, and the visitors had Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv center [Jasiel Rivero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jasiel-rivero/011214/) collect 16 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds in a loss.

### AfroBasket 2025 qualifiers

Friday marked the start of the AfroBasket qualifiers. Cote d'Ivore opened Group C action with a 77-69 win over Madagascar in which [Alex Poythress](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alex-poythress/009960/) of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan dominated with 26 points, making 10 of 12 two-point shots, with 7 rebounds and 4 assists.

Joventut Badalona's [Shannon Evans](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/shannon-evans/010677/) played all 40 minutes and had 26 points and 6 rebounds in Guinea's 76-70 road loss against Angola in Group E.

For the second night in a row, EuroLeague and EuroCup stars shined bright for their national teams. (PHOTO: Carol Moir/FIBA)

Predict how each stage of the postseason will go, with prizes up for grabs!

Take part in the EuroCup Bracket Challenge!

The BKT EuroCup Playoffs are set to get underway on March 5, so now is the perfect time for fans to fill out their postseason brackets. Not only can you challenge the community as you look to come out on top, but there are several prizes on offer, too.

And don’t worry, it’s very easy to play. The first thing you need to do is go to the [EuroCup Bracket Challenge](https://bracket.euroleague.net/en/v2/eurocup) and create a EuroLeague ID if you don't have one already.

From there, you will have to fill out your bracket by choosing which team will win each playoff series: eighthfinals, quarterfinals, semifinals and finals, all the way through to the crowning of a champion. The final score in the championship game – assuming you choose the right winner – will serve as a tiebreaker, as will the Finals MVP.

You will get 10 points for each eighthfinals winner, 15 in the quarterfinals, 20 in the semifinals and 50 if you guess the 2023-24 EuroCup champion! You'll get 25 extra points if you guess the exact point difference in the best-of-three finals, and 25 more for the Finals MVP.

Once the bracket is complete, click on the "Submit" button and you will be in the game!

The [EuroCup Bracket Challenge](https://bracket.euroleague.net/en/v2/eurocup) is now open! To be eligible for great prizes, make sure to submit your bracket before Tuesday, March 5 at 19:29 CET, just one minute before the playoffs officially get underway.

### The prizes

There are great prizes up for grabs! The grand prize winner will get four tickets for any BKT EuroCup game he/she/they chooses during the 2023-24 regular season! The owner of the second-best bracket will get a EuroLeague TV season pass for the 2024-25 season. And the owner of the third-best bracket will receive an official Spalding EuroCup basketball.

Simply register to play, fill out the bracket and compete for great prizes in the [EuroCup Bracket Challenge](https://bracket.euroleague.net/en/v2/eurocup)!

Besiktas's head coach and point guard are now enjoying their third season together. 

Gambling on each other has helped Needham, Alimpijevic succeed

Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul’s success this season has relied heavily on how the team responds to both head coach Dusan Alimpijevic and point guard [Derek Needham](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/derek-needham/008945/). The duo are working in unison to help the Turkish team get back on the European map. And it’s a coach-point guard relationship that goes back to a gamble both made three off-seasons ago.

In 2021, Needham had been coming off his second season with Montenegro club Mornar Bar, where he averaged 7.7 points and 5.1 assists in the EuroCup while also helping the club reach the second group stage. He also guided Mornar to the semifinals of the ABA Adriatic League before losing to domestic rivals Buducnost VOLI Podgorica. 

Alimpijevic, in 2021, was about his start his second season with Frutti Extra Bursaspor - the 2020-21 campaign being the club’s second in Turkiye’s first flight after earning promotion in 2019. 

Bursaspor had just missed the playoffs in the Turkish League, finishing ninth; and was just one victory from advancing to the Top 16 in its first appearance in the EuroCup.

When looking for a point guard for 2021-22, Alimpijevic remembered the 2017-18 season in which he was head coach at Crvena Zvezda Belgrade. He recalled the five games Zvezda played against Mornar Bar - and how Derek Needham gave him fits.

Derek Needham's best plays 2023-24 BKT EuroCup regular season

Derek Needham's best plays from the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup regular season

The then 27-year-old playmaker averaged 17.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 5.6 fouls drawn in those games. Two of them came in the Adriatic League regular season and the other three came in the semifinals, where Mornar Bar scored an 88-84 Game 2 victory behind 28 points and 5 assists from Needham, who also went for 15 points and 10 assists in their second regular-season meeting.

“Coach Alimpijevic and I knew each other from our time battling in the ABA league,” Needham said. “We talked before coming to Bursa how this move would be a big gamble for both of us but could potentially change both our careers if done right.”

And things certainly went right for Alimpijevic and Needham in 2021-22 with Bursaspor. The team snuck into the EuroCup playoffs as a 7 seed and then reeled off a trio of magical road victories: beating Partizan Belgrade, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana and MoraBanc Andorra to reach the EuroCup final, where they lost to Virtus Segafredo Bologna.

“My favorite memory with Frutti Extra has to be the finals run we went on. We had a great group of guys and won some really tough road games,” said Needham, who was named to the All-EuroCup First Team for the season while Alimpijevic was crowned as Coach of the Year.

Bursaspor also reached the Turkish League playoffs for the first time as the eighth seed and took one game from Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul before bowing out 2-1 in the first-round series.

Season two together in Bursaspor did not go quite as well - also because the club could not keep some of the key parts of the success from the previous year. 

Bursaspor finished the EuroCup regular season eighth in its group and then was bounced by eventual champion Gran Canaria in the eighthfinals. 

In the Turkish League, the club ranked fifth after the regular season but was then swept 2-0 in the quarterfinals by Pinar Karsiyaka. 

This off-season, the coach and point guard both decided to move from Bursaspor to Besiktas. 

“Reaching the EuroCup Playoffs was a big goal for us this season. We wanted to establish Besiktas back on the European market,” Needham said.

“We talked before coming to Bursa how this move would be a big gamble for both of us but could potentially change both our careers if done right.”

The 33-year-old Needham said he has a really good relationship with Alimpijevic.

“We both see the game in the same manner. It was exciting to see we can both start with a new club and keep some familiarity with each other. He is big on having a point guard that thinks like him,” Needham said.

The American veteran is impressed with his coach of the last two-plus seasons: “He is an amazing coach with a brilliant mind for the game. He really takes care of his craft along with the assistant coaches. His attention to detail in film and practice really sets him apart from the coaches of his age group. I believe he will be back in EuroLeague very soon,” Needham said.

Alimpijevic coached Zvezda to a 11-19 record in the EuroLeague in 2017-18 but he was fired after the season as the club lost in the Adriatic League finals to Buducnost to miss out on qualifying for the EuroLeague in 2018-19.

Needham said the fact that Alimpijevic is just 4 years older than him has no impact on their relationship.

“I understand we are close in age, but I respect his craft and ability to lead. We have a strong bond because of our talks and success we have shared together through the last two years and are continually having this season. There is so much respect there that our age closeness doesn't matter,” Needham said.

“It is rare to see a player stay with a coach for a long time. So I'm very appreciative of our relationship after all this time.”

And that relationship is a big reason Besiktas has reached the EuroCup Playoffs in its first season in the competition since 2015-16. After placing sixth in Group A with a 9-9 record, Besiktas will visit reigning champion Dreamland Gran Canaria in their single-game eighthfinal on Wednesday, March 6.