Aris Thessaloniki Betsson has sacked head coach Bogdan Karaicic, the club confirmed in a statement on Wednesday.

Aris fires Bogdan Karaicic

[Aris Thessaloniki Betsson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/aris-thessaloniki-betsson/ari/) has sacked head coach Bogdan Karaicic, the club confirmed in a statement on Wednesday.

Karaicic guided Aris to a 2-0 start in the BKT EuroCup before back-to-back defeats [on the road at Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/cedevita-sends-defensive-statement-in-80-59-victory-over-aris/) and [at home to BAXI Manresa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/manresa-grinds-out-big-win-at-aris-to-push-up-the-ladder/) saw the team's record drop to 2-2.

In the Greek League, Aris is 0-3 after losses to AS Karditsas, Kolossos Rhodes, and Maroussi.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Η ΚΑΕ ΑΡΗΣ Betsson ανακοινώνει τη λύση της συνεργασίας της με τον Bogdan Karaicic.<br><br>Read More 👉 <a href="https://t.co/uzl7EKAnyN">https://t.co/uzl7EKAnyN</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ArisBetssonBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ArisBetssonBC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FuelTheFlame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FuelTheFlame</a> <a href="https://t.co/nK0A2ZXk3u">pic.twitter.com/nK0A2ZXk3u</a></p>&mdash; ARIS B.C. (@ARISBCgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/ARISBCgr/status/1980936585484128660?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"ARIS Betsson BC announces the termination of its collaboration with Bogdan Karaicic," read the club's statement.

"The BC management and the General Manager, Nikos Zisis, had a one-on-one meeting with the Serbian coach, during which they informed him of their decision to terminate their collaboration.

"We thank Bogdan Karaicic for his contribution to the team and wish him all the best in his future career." 

More Aris News

Following back-to-back losses in the EuroCup, and a 0-3 record in the Greek League, the club has parted ways with the Serbian play-caller

One of the driving forces behind Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana’s perfect start in Group A has been Aleksej Nikolic. In this interview, he discusses the team’s momentum, DJ Stewart’s impact, three generations of Daneus in the club, and a certain celebrity fan — Luka Doncic — who still keeps tabs on his former team.

Aleksej Nikolic, Cedevita Olimpija: 'Consistency is what brings results'

One of the driving forces behind Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana’s perfect start in Group A has been [Aleksej Nikolic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/aleksej-nikolic/003703/). 

His team has racked up three straight wins ahead of a Round 4 showdown with fellow unbeaten side Bahcesehir College Istanbul. The game also serves as a rematch of last season’s BKT EuroCup quarterfinals. In his second season with Cedevita, Nikolic is averaging 18.0 points, shooting 47.1% from deep and 94.7% from the line, with 3.7 assists per game for a PIR of 18.3. 

In this interview with Euroleague.net's Javier Gancedo, he discusses the team’s momentum, DJ Stewart’s impact, three generations of Daneus in the club, and a certain celebrity fan — Luka Doncic — who still keeps tabs on his former team.

**Hello again, Aleksej. First, congratulations on a great start to the season. Let's talk about the game against Aris. What allowed you to play so well right away?**

"Defense! We believe in our defense. Coach is emphasizing that defense as the base of our game plan. And from defense, offense kind of flows in or let's say opens up as a consequence of good defenses. And that's how we approach every game. That's our mentality. We finished the game against Aris with a 16-2 scoring run and that is the perfect example, the perfect picture of what we want to do. We always try to impose our energy on the court. We believe we have a young, energetic team. In a way, we are using our strengths and taking advantage of it."

**Cedevita Olimpija has bounced back in the last couple of years. As a player who has been around for a while, what has Cedevita Olimpija changed to become competitive again?**

 

"I believe consistency is what brings results. I think I was mentioning that even last year, and I really strongly believe in that. It helps that we kept the coach for sure. It helps that it's four of us, but at least four of us stayed and the rest of the team was changed. But let's say a good mix of newcomers, and having players that already have experience with the coach and his system is for sure helpful to keep working in the way the coach wants and keep growing one practice and one game at a time. Again, I am coming back to the word 'consistency'. And we have to keep doing that."

 

**The club kept a core of local talents and foreign players who come and go. DJ Stewart is now the exception in his third year with Cedevita Olimpija. He is also playing really well. How important is DJ to this team?**

 

"He is almost like a domestic player, like you said. But him as a foreigner, to stay at Olimpija for the third year now, is great because he can be that bridge between the newcomers, foreigners and the whole club. So he's showing how comfortable he is here, and leading by example. That helps the newcomers to feel more comfortable, too. You can tell that DJ is his third year and that he is also enjoying his time in Ljubljana, of course. If you stay three years, there must be something good going on, right? He is playing really well and I believe he still can show us even more."

"DJ is showing how comfortable he is here, and leading by example."

**How cool is it that you had three generations of Daneus in the club? Ivo Daneu was the first Slovenian basketball superstar, his son Jaka Daneu played a EuroLeague Final Four with Olimpija and Jaka's son Ziga Daneu is now one of your teammates.** 

 

"I don't want to say it is normal, but you know, we are a basketball nation. We love this sport and I think these kinds of things are beautiful to see them happening. You can also tell that basketball is a real passion in our country and then you can see that through generations of players. And the same goes for brothers. We have a lot of brothers that played in the national team and probably also in Olimpija. Like I said, it's pretty cool to see that basketball is kind of passed on in the family."

 

**Speaking of basketball families, yours is remarkable, too. Your Dad played basketball and your brother Mitja is still active after a long career. How competitive is everyone in your family?**

 

"We usually joke about it. It was kind of my destiny to play basketball. My father was a player, then became a coach, my brother also plays and has a big passion for basketball. And throughout all these years from the beginning of my career until now, I felt great support from all of them. I learned something from each of my family members and it is what keeps me going. Of course, we were always competitive when we would play games or something. Everybody tried to beat everyone, but I think even those moments made me and made us the family that we are today."

 

**Your brother is still playing and he is a bit older than you, too. Is it in the plans to play together at some point?**

 

"He is in a different, let's say, time zone of his career. I'm in a different one now but if it happens, we would be very happy, obviously. But we are not really too worried about it. Both of us are just trying to enjoy what we do, what we love the most, and that is just playing basketball."

"It was kind of my destiny to play basketball."

**I have to ask you about Luka Doncic. You have played with him on the Slovenian national team for many years and he started his career with Olimpija. Knowing that he is a basketball freak, do you think he pays attention to the EuroCup and what Cedevita Olimpija is doing?**

 

"For sure, he follows. I won't say he's totally engaged, which is normal. He has his own rhythm, and it is different time zone. The NBA calendar is so packed that I think it's very difficult for him to be so engaged, but I believe he follows some of the games. And like you said, being a kid that played in Olimpija, I'm sure he is happy to see our good results."

 

**Up next, it is a clash between undefeated teams, as Cedevita visits Bahcesehir. How much are you looking forward to this? This is arguably the best fame you can see in the EuroCup right now...**

 

"Both teams are undefeated and want to extend their winning streak. It is also a rematch of last year's quarterfinals. We play in Istanbul, so the environment will be the same. But it's a new season, new beginnings for both clubs, in a way. But for sure, we are all looking forward to each game and won't treat it any different than others. We will prepare in the same way and be ready to play."

Aleksej Nikolic is averaging 18.0 points on 47.1% three-pointers and 94.7% free throws, 3.7 assists and a PIR of 18.3, leading Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana to a 3-0 record in Group A. 

Rounds 1-3 highlights: Aleksej Nikolic, Cedevita 


**You are still young, but have a lot of experience in many different countries. How does all that translate on the court? Is this the best moment of your career?**

 

"A lot of people ask me this question and I say 'yes, this is how I feel physically'. But I feel like most importantly, it's how I feel mentally. I try to really prepare for each game, to be focused each day, to try to improve and then consequently do that to help the team in any way possible. Most of all, I want to be really simple-minded. I'm really trying to enjoy every moment on the court. I love playing basketball, and everything that comes with the practices and the games, I let it all in and really take the best out of every situation that happens.

 

**Ljubljana is a basketball city and fans are always there at Stozice Arena in big games. What will it take to have a great season and to go to the higher stages of the competition? What's going to be important from now on after starting so well?**

 

"Well, I keep coming back to that word, but it's really something I truly believe in. It's consistency, to treat every day as an opportunity to get better, individually and as a team. We have players that are really hungry, really motivated to prove themselves and improve. We all have the same goal: if we make each other make, we make the team better. That's what we believe can help us grow a lot, and really to come each day ready to practice and then ready to play. If we do that, we will look at everything else as a consequence of this work. As far as fans, when they recognize that we fight, that we enjoy playing together on the court, that's when they love the team the most, no matter what's going on the court. And for that, let's say there's a kind of trade: we have the right approach to every game and fight. And in exchange, we know we will get their support."

More Cedevita Olimpija news

Nikolic on his team's hot start, locker room chemistry and Luka Doncic’s support


When the final buzzer sounded at the Ranko Zeravica Sports Hall, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem secured an 86-69 victory over Slask Wroclaw.

Jerusalem overcomes demons, keeps composure to comfortably defeat Slask

“We’ve been in this position before, where we’ve had the lead and given up the lead, so we have to continue to do the things that got us the lead and finish this game,” reigning EuroCup MVP Jared Harper said as he headed to the locker room at halftime on Tuesday night. At the time, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem led by 21 and when the final buzzer sounded at the Ranko Zeravica Sports Hall, the Jerusalemites had held firm, eventually securing an 86-69 victory over Slask Wroclaw.

Having suffered two consecutive EuroCup losses, the hosts were mightily encouraged by the victory. In particular, the group was pleased by the character it showed to protect an early lead. Earlier this month, Jerusalem dropped an 11-point lead to fall to Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana, creating some mental obstacles to overcome. Head coach Yonatan Alon acknowledged his team’s relief.

“We only focus on ourselves,” Alon said. “It’s always great to win and my guys did a great job. It required a lot of mental strength, with what we’ve been through and I’m really proud of them. We are athletes and our job is to get better every day.”

Without a doubt, positive signs were there for his team. Jerusalem defended as a unit, stubbornly holding Slask to below 70 points, forcing 18 turnovers and commanding the glass. On offense, Harper led the way, recording 20 points and 4 assists, while shooting 8 of 8 from the free-throw line. He had plenty of help across the roster, with Khadeen Carrington, Anthony Lamb and Dmytro Skapintsev all reaching double figures in scoring.

The win was punctuated by some excellent team play; the Israeli team zipped the ball around with enthusiasm, breaking down the Slask defense and getting everybody involved.

Game News

Having previously stated his concerns about letting the lead dissolve, Harper spoke after the game about the way his team locked in for the duration of the game.

“Glad to be back in the win column. I think it was a good 40-minute effort tonight, but we can keep building from it, hopefully, it gives us some confidence going forward. Basketball is a game of runs. We knew they were going to go on a run at some point, so we had to control what we could on the defensive side of the floor, make sure we were taking good shots offensively. That’s what we were able to do tonight.”

The result moves both teams to 2-2 in their EuroCup campaigns. Hoping to capitalize on the win and build momentum, Jerusalem will face Aris Thessaloniki Betsson in a week’s time, while Slask will meet Umana Reyer Venice the following night.

Game Videos

After blowing late leads earlier this season, Jerusalem held firm this time

Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem v Slask Wroclaw (2025-10-21T18:00:00.000Z)

Besiktas GAIN Istanbul kept its momentum rolling in Germany by taking down previously unbeaten ratiopharm ulm 99-101 on the road. It was a statement win that moved the black-and-whites to 3-1 in the BKT EuroCup and underlined their growing momentum, sealed by Anthony Brown’s buzzer-beater.

Anthony Brown's buzzer-beater boosts Besiktas over Ulm 

Besiktas GAIN Istanbul kept its momentum rolling in Germany by taking down previously unbeaten ratiopharm ulm 99-101 on the road. It was a statement win that moved the black-and-whites to 3-1 in the BKT EuroCup and underlined their growing momentum, sealed by Anthony Brown’s buzzer-beater.

Head coach Dusan Alimpijevic was pleased with his team’s resilience, even though he admitted there’s still room for improvement on the defensive end: ‘‘The main thing today was character. We believe in ourselves, they believe in themselves, they believe in their shots. Obviously, defensively we didn’t play our game, there is a big room for improvement in that direction, but you know this is a great win, amazing win and I don’t wanna go into any other details.’’

In a first quarter with no threes falling, both teams preferred to attack the rim. ratiopharm ulm took advantage of Besiktas’s defensive lapses and scored easily, while also applying heavy pressure that disrupted Besiktas’s offense. 

In the second quarter, Besiktas’s attack started clicking. The first three-pointer came with 5 minutes left in the second quarter, courtesy of Jonah Matthews. Anthony Brown and Vitto Brown followed with more shots from deep, helping Besiktas get back into the game and take the halftime score to 54-54.

Besiktas got key contributions off the bench and from its deep rotation. Ismael Kamagate was effective on offense, bringing athleticism to the paint as he posted a PIR of 23 with 13 points and 8 rebounds. Another inside presence, Ante Zizic, added 11 points. While their defense had some lapses, Besiktas's bigs finished strong at the rim.

After trailing by as many as 14 points, the turning point for Besiktas came through Conor Morgan. Scoreless for most of the game, he took over in the final quarter, hitting 3 straight crucial threes and leaving his mark on the match. Morgan finished with 15 points on 4-of-5 shooting from deep.

The final moments of the game were full of action. With Besiktas leading 97-98, Christian Sengfelder missed 2 free throws with 18 seconds left. However, Tobias Jensen was there for Ulm, grabbing the rebound and scoring to take the lead. On the last possession, Anthony Brown came through in spectacular fashion, nailing a buzzer-beating three to snatch the win for the black-and-whites. The American forward finished the game with 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Ulm stayed in the game and held momentum until the final quarter, with Chris Ledlum leading the way for his team. He tallied 25 points with 7 rebounds, while Tobias Jensen added 14 points and 9 rebounds. Christian Sengfelder also contributed 14 points.

“Congratulations to Istanbul on this hard-fought victory," Coach Ty Harrelson said after the game. "For neutral basketball fans, it was a great game today. For us, only the result counts in the end, and that's not what we wanted.

"Even though we couldn't keep our nerves in check at the end, I'm sure we'll win many more games with this style of basketball. Tobias Jensen defended the last shot very well. But sometimes good defense is beaten by even better offense.”

After the game, Dusan Alimpijevic highlighted Ulm's place in European basketball as an important stepping stone for young players and praised the club’s role in developing talent: "The work that Ulm has done here over the last few years is breathtaking. Last year, I was already amazed by the outstanding organization of this basketball club. Year after year, they bring talented players to the highest level in the top leagues.”

Besiktas will look to carry its winning streak and momentum into Round 5, when it faces Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse in a Group B matchup at home. Ulm will try to bounce back from its first loss when it visits fellow German side NINERS Chemnitz.

The previously undefeated German side led by as many as 14 before Besiktas rallied

ratiopharm ulm v Besiktas GAIN Istanbul (2025-10-21T17:00:00.000Z)

BAXI Manresa came out on top 79-86 at Aris Thessaloniki Betsson in a rollercoaster decided early in the fourth quarter, when the Spanish side engineered a decisive 2-13 run to silence a raucous home crowd in one of the most iconic venues Greek basketball boasts of, the Palais de Sports 

Manresa grinds out big win at Aris to push up the ladder 

BAXI Manresa came out on top 79-86 at Aris Thessaloniki Betsson in a rollercoaster decided early in the fourth quarter, when the Spanish side engineered a decisive 2-13 run to silence a raucous home crowd in one of the most iconic venues Greek basketball boasts of.

The Palais de Sports has been the home of some legendary achievements forged by Aris, the winner of 10 Greek championships and eight Greek Cups, while also reaching three successive EuroLeague Final Four tournaments (1988, 1989, 1990).

Those glory days may be long gone, but the black-and-yellow clad home faithful turned up in droves to support Aris, with their fervent allegiance impressing Retin Obasohan who stood out for Manresa on a game-high 20 points. 

“This is a big one,” said the 32-year-old Belgian guard after the game. “Whenever you get an opportunity to play in a historic arena like this, you’ve got to give the fans credit for creating an incredible atmosphere. For us, it was important to represent Manresa the right way and we want to keep getting better no matter whether we win or lose.”

Manresa improved to 3-1 while Aris dropped to 2-2 in what is shaping up to be a fiercely competitive Group A of the BKT EuroCup, with the tussle for postseason spots likely to go down to the wire and the shark tank makes every road win priceless.  

Dazzling footwork propelled Obasohan to a flurry of layups as he pierced through the Aris defense almost at will and his scoring tally should have been higher, but for a barrage of missed free throws as he shot a mere 3 of 10 from the foul line.

Obasohan’s effort was complemented by Alfonso Plummer, who sank 18 points, including 9 in the first quarter when he shot 3 of 3 from downtown as Manresa carved out an 18-27 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Aris relied on the versatile Steve Enoch to catch up and the Greek outfit duly did, having led in the third quarter 51-48 as the big man flourished before Manresa turned the tide for good.

Enoch bagged 19 points for Aris and Ronnie Harrell chipped in with 15, but Manresa simply had more in the tank as Agustin Ubal netted 13 points for the visitors while Marcis Steinbergs amassed 10 to go with 9 rebounds.

Crucially, Manresa forced 18 turnovers from Aris and held the hosts to just 16 assists, while the Spanish side managed 21 assists against a mere 10 turnovers with both teams managing 10 steals each.

Manresa head coach Diego Ocampo praised his team for a consistent display against a talented home side, which was punished for sloppy ball handling and poor shooting early on.

Aris took over 5 minutes to hit its first goal, by which time Manresa had already forged a 3-12 lead and the hosts were always going to be forced to go the extra mile in order to haul themselves back into the contest. 

“We played a solid game throughout the 40 minutes and although Aris is a team of amazing three-point shooting and one-on-one ability, we were able to hold our nerves,” Ocampo said. “Now we have to stay humble and keep working.”

Up for Manresa is a mouth-watering home game against Bahcesehir College Istanbul in Round 5, while Aris face a challenging road game against Hapoel Yahav Bank Jerusalem.

The Spanish team boosted its early hopes of clinching a postseason spot 

Aris Thessaloniki Betsson v BAXI Manresa (2025-10-21T17:00:00.000Z)

Neptunas Klaipeda gave up a 14-point lead, but then performed well down the stretch for a 97-88 victory over Veolia Hamburg Towers to improve to 1-3 in Group A - winning a battle of the final two winless teams in the competition.

Arnas Velicka's defensive stand helped lift Neptunas over Hamburg

Neptunas Klaipeda found itself on the ropes trying to stave off a comeback from Veolia Towers Hamburg. And in the end, it was a tough defensive stand over 2 minutes in the fourth quarter that allowed Neptunas to finally grab its first win of the season - and get a monkey off its back.

The Lithuanian team gave up a 14-point lead, but then performed well down the stretch for a 97-88 victory to improve to 1-3 in Group A - winning a battle of the final two winless teams in the competition.

“It feels great that we managed to complete our goals today and grabbed the victory,” said Martynas Pacevicius, who collected 10 points and 11 rebounds for Neptunas.

Pacevicius was part of a balanced attack for the team with seven players scoring in double figures. Donatas Tarolis had 20 points, Rihards Lomazs scored 16 points and Arnas Velicka collected 12 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals for the winners.

Velicka was the hero in the big fourth quarter surge - thanks also to Hamburg’s playmaker LJ Thorpe having fouled out with just under 4 minutes to go.

The Lithuanian international Velicka drew the fifth foul on Thorpe and made a free throw. He then stole an in-bounds pass from Kenneth Ogbe and tossed it up for a Donatas Tarolis alley-oop for an 88-80 lead with 3 minutes left. Velicka continued to hound Ogbe and forced another turnover, diving on the ground for the steal and then, from his back, passing to Arnas Berucka for a layup. Velicka added 5 of 6 free throws in the final 38 seconds to seal the win.

“In offensive games like this, the team that finds the stretch of good defense for 2 minutes will win the game. And that was the 2 minutes in the fourth quarter when Arnas grabbed the 2 steals and everybody else stepped up,” Neptunas head coach Gediminas Petrauskas said.

“We are very glad to get the W in front of our fans. We have to learn how to control the game with a 10-12 point lead. Hamburg got back into the game and tied the game. So it was nerve-racking in the end. But finally, we got over the hump and we won the game.”

Neptunas fans had to be thinking not again while watching their heroes give up the lead to Hamburg. It was the same thing that happened in the team’s first home game against U-BT Cluj-Napoca in Round 1. Neptunas led by 16 points late in the first half but then gave up control and Cluj won the road game 102-107.

“The most important thing today was believing that we would not do the same as we did in the opening game in the EuroCup at home. Big, big congratulations for the guys. They really deserve this victory because it was a tough time. Not winning in EuroCup gets in your head and each game gets more tense. It was good to get this monkey off our back,” Petrauskas said.

“We were close in the Cluj game, we were close in the game in Poland (a 95-85 loss at Slask Wroclaw in Round 1). We had opportunities in those two games and it was painful to waste those opportunities. So we are really happy that we didn’t waste it today.”

Thanks in large part to that fourth quarter surge.

Neptunas picked up its first victory of the season despite giving up a big lead again

Neptunas Klaipeda v Veolia Towers Hamburg (2025-10-21T16:00:00.000Z)

In recent years, Ulm has emerged as the place to be in Europe for young talents aiming to make a name for themselves as NBA prospects. And this success is matched by good results on the court.

Ulm's power: The Orange Campus

In recent years, Ulm has emerged as the place to be in Europe for young talents aiming to make a name for themselves as NBA prospects. And this success is matched by good results on the court.

It's an ideal scenario for many clubs, yet very few have managed to achieve it. Ulm provides an ideal blueprint.

The average fan, of course, focuses on results and trophies – and that’s no small matter for any club.

Ulm, with a 3-0 start in the BKT EuroCup, delivers on that front, and it offers much more than that.

### More than just a basketball team

Considering that Ulm was founded in 2001 in a city of just 120,000 people, becoming one of Europe’s basketball hubs once seemed like a far-fetched dream.

But as the saying goes: if you build it, they will come. Ulm built the Orange Campus, and by the start of the 2020-21 season it had become the destination in Europe for young prospects looking to make it big.

Read more [HERE](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1883559/ulms-power-the-orange-campus/).

Unbeaten ratiopharm ulm hosts Besiktas GAIN Istanbul, already a winner off the court and setting the benchmark for the rest of the BKT EuroCup teams

It is time for Round 4 in the BKT EuroCup, which means plenty of new opportunities to excel in the EuroCup Fantasy Challenge. Here are Javier Gancedo's recommendations for Round 4 and why he picked those players.

Fantasy tips, Round 4: Can you beat Frankie Sachs?

 It is time for Round 4 in the BKT EuroCup, which means plenty of new opportunities to excel in the EuroCup Fantasy Challenge. We are glad to announce that our very own Frankie Sachs leads the overall standings after three rounds. He is not eligible to win prizes but at the same time, we want to protect his choices, so he is off the hook this week. Instead, you get tips from me, Javier Gancedo, and I rank 743rd overall, which is not bad either. Here are my recommendations for Round 4 and why I picked these players.

 

### Jakub Niziol, Slask Wroclaw (8.9 credits)

The EuroCup Fantasy Challenge market still offers a lot of opportunities and [Jakub Niziol](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jakub-niziol/005531/) is one of them. He has been just unstoppable so far with averages of 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists for a PIR of 17.7. There is no reason to think he will not keep his momentum going.

 

### Kevin Kokila, Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse (8.8 credits)

There is no better budget option at center. In his fourth consecutive EuroCup season, [Kevin Kokila](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/kevin-kokila/011837/) is playing his best basketball to date, averaging 9.3 points and 7.0 rebounds for a PIR of 18.7 while ranking second in fouls drawn (8.0). Bourg is undefeated and next faces Lietkabelis at home.

Jakub Niziol, Arnas Velicka, Yordan Minchev, Kevin Kokila and Kristjan Kullamae are featured in this week's article. 

EuroCup Fantasy tips, Round 4

### Arnas Velicka, Neptunas Klaipeda (11.8 credits)

[Arnas Velicka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/arnas-velicka/006326/) is the competition's assists leader (8.7 apg.) and Neptunas plays at home against Hamburg looking for its first victory. Last week, Velicka managed to get a PIR of 13 without scoring any baskets, which tells you how many good things he does on the court. Expect big things from him.

 

### Kristjan Kullamae, Lietkabelis Panevezys (9.5 credits)

Back to Lietkabelis after a couple of seasons away, [Kristjan Kullamae](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/kristian-kullamae/007729/) is playing a leading role for Coach Nenad Canak's team. He averages almost 32 minutes per game and has had a PIR of at least 15 in all three games until now, averaging 17.3 per night. He should only get better once his threes (28.6% 3FG) fall down.

 

### Yordan Minchev, NINERS Chemnitz (10.3 credits)

Another budget option getting rock-solid numbers, [Yordan Minchev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/yordan-minchev/007423/) is making the most out of his opportunity, averaging 10.3 points on 80.0% two-point shooting and 7.3 rebounds for a PIR of 18.9. He's committed  just 1 turnover in three games! Chemnitz plays at home against the fast-paced London Lions, which is a plus.

Javier Gancedo offers fantasy managers some recommendations for this week

Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse v Lietkabelis Panevezys (2025-10-22T17:30:00.000Z)

NINERS Chemnitz v London Lions (2025-10-22T17:00:00.000Z)

Round 4 of the BKT EuroCup is headlined by two of the competition’s four unbeaten teams going head-to-head in Istanbul. Here’s your guide to all the action coming up on Tuesday and Wednesday.

### Tuesday, October 21

#### Neptunas Klaipeda vs. Veolia Towers Hamburg

The competition’s only winless teams will battle for their first victory as Neptunas (0-3) welcomes Hamburg (0-3). The German side has particularly struggled to find shooting accuracy, ranking 17th out of 20 from both two (49.6%) and three-point (28.9%) range, while also giving up more points than any other team with 101.3 per game. Neptunas leads the EuroCup in offensive rebounding (16.3 per night), so will hope that big man James Carnik can continue to earn extra possessions for his team. To counter that threat, Hamburg will need another big performance from French center Zaccharie Perrin, who boasts impressive averages of 10.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game.

#### ratiopharm ulm vs. Besiktas Gain Istanbul

A big battle at the top of Group B will see Ulm (3-0) attempt to extend its perfect record with a visit from ambitious Besiktas (2-1). Ulm has the best offensive record in the competition with 99 points per game based on top-ranked three-point shooting accuracy (48.1%), and will also hope for another barrage of points in the paint from Christopher Ledlum after his 26 points helped overcome Lietkabelis last week. Besiktas also has a potent offense, winning its last two games by scoring 99 and 93 points, and guard Berk Ugurlu will again look to provide the orchestration after delivering 12 assists to help down Chemnitz last time out.

#### Aris Thessaloniki Betsson vs. BAXI Manresa

Two teams aiming to stay strong near the top of Group A go head-to-head as Aris (2-1) welcomes Manresa (2-1). It could be a low-scoring encounter between the competition’s fourth- and third-best defensive units, with Aris allowing just 79 points per game and Manresa 77.3 points. Offensively, Manresa’s fast-paced style generates plenty of scoring opportunities with an average of 21.3 assists per game (second best in the EuroCup) inspired by youngster Hugo Benitez averaging 6.7 helpers. Aris’s offense failed to function in last week’s loss at Cedevita, scoring just 59 points, and the Greek team needs big man Jakob Forester to regain his accuracy after going 1-of-6 from the field in that game.

<center><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DP5-XvXDEmS/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DP5-XvXDEmS/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; 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#### Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem vs. Slask Wroclaw

Struggling Hapoel (1-2) will attempt to spark its season with a visit from dangerous Slask (2-1). The Polish team boosted its morale and demonstrated its offensive potential with a thrilling win over Cluj last week, partly thanks to big man Stefan Dordevic finding his best form with 19 points and 8 rebounds. The presence of Noah Kirkwood will be another big factor as Slask attempts to again punish a Hapoel defense which allowed 99 and 101 points in its last two losses. Offensively, Justin Smith will be tasked with controlling the paint for Hapoel after going 11-of-16 from two-point range in last week’s loss at Manresa, which also saw backcourt star Khadeen Carrington excel with 21 points.

### Wednesday, October 22

#### U-BT Cluj-Napoca vs. Umana Reyer Venice

A second win of the season and a chance to climb the standings is up for grabs as Cluj (1-2) hosts Reyer (1-2). Cluj will lean on the EuroCup’s best performer so far, Fatts Russell, whose spectacular combination of 21 points, 15 assists and 8 rebounds wasn’t quite enough to overcome Slask last time out. Fellow guard Trey Woodbury will attempt to continue his return to form after netting 20 points in that game, so visiting backcourt leader RJ Cole will have to exert the same kind of influence that saw him combine 10 points and 7 assists to mastermind last week’s first win of the season over Neptunas.

#### Bahcesehir College Istanbul vs. Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana

One of the competition’s four unbeaten records will be broken as Bahcesehir (3-0) faces Cedevita (3-0) in an early showdown of title contenders. Cedevita’s latest victory came courtesy of outstanding defense, limiting Aris to just 59 points, while guard Umoja Gibson is red hot offensively with averages of 20 points and 5.5 assists in the last two games. Delivering another defensive clampdown will not be easy against an impressive Bahcesehir which leads the league in scoring (99 points per game), PIR (120.3), assists (23) and steals (13), while backcourt star Malachi Flynn is the EuroCup’s second-rated performer (25 PIR per game) after scoring at least 16 points in each of the first three games.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">👉 BKT EuroCup 4. Hafta mücadelesinde, evimizde 𝐂𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚 𝐎𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐣𝐚’yı konuk ediyoruz!<br><br>🗓️ 22 Ekim Çarşamba<br>⏰ 19.00<br>📍 Sinan Erdem Spor Salonu<br><br>❤️💙 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CatchYourDreams?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CatchYourDreams</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/PBD3WLRWKM">pic.twitter.com/PBD3WLRWKM</a></p>&mdash; Bahçeşehir Koleji Spor Kulübü (@BKBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/BKBasketbol/status/1980242651459833922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

#### Buducnost VOLI Podgorica vs. Panionis Athens

A second win of the season is the prize as Buducnost (1-2) faces Panionis (1-2) in the first ever meeting between the teams. Both have lost their last two games and now need offensive improvement after suffering low-scoring defeats last week, with Buducnost hoping that Skylar Mays can lead that process after netting 22 and 21 points in the last two games. A double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds from center Nate Watson was the sole bright spot for Panionis in last week’s home loss to Bourg, and the Greek team desperately needs to improve its three-point shooting after netting just 5 triples on 23 attempts in that loss.

#### NINERS Chemnitz vs. London Lions

Two of the seven teams tied with a 1-2 record in Group B will battle for a second victory as Chemnitz welcomes London. Chemnitz nearly grabbed a big road win at Besiktas last week thanks to a stunning display from center Kevin Yebo (32 points and 7 rebounds), so London will have to control his influence. The German team can also call upon the backcourt talents of Corey Davis Jr, who averages 18 points and 7.3 assists per game. London will look for more leadership from Tarik Phillip after his 15 points and 7 assists helped secure a first win of the season against Trento last week, while experienced new signing Chasson Randle could make his debut.

#### Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse vs. Lietkabelis Panevezys

Perfect Bourg (3-0) will attempt to make it four wins out of four with a visit from Lietkabelis (1-2). The French team has compiled by far the best defensive record in the EuroCup by allowing just 61.3 points per game, remarkably holding its opponents to just 18.5% shooting from three-point range, while guard Darius McGhee has been taking care of business at the other end of the court by netting 20 points per game. Against such a strong defense, Lietkabelis – which has lost two in a row – needs to take better care of the ball after committing 20 turnovers in last week’s narrow loss to Ulm, with playmaker Jamel Morris responsible for 8 of those.

#### Dolomiti Energia Trento vs. Turk Telekom Ankara

Turk Telekom (1-2) will attempt to gather more momentum by taking a road win from its trip to inconsistent Trento (1-2). The Turkish team grabbed its first victory by downing Buducnost last time out, and guard Kyle Allman will again look to lead the offense after netting 16 points in that triumph. Trento’s unpredictable start continued with a heavy loss at previously winless London, but Bulgarian forward Andrej Jakimovski will hope to continue his strong form after netting 15 points in each of the last two games. The Italian team needs to improve its long-range accuracy after making a competition-low 24.3% of three-point shots so far.

 

Wednesday's clash between Bahcesehir and Cedevita is sure to be a highlight

At a glance: Two unbeaten sides to face off in Round 4

Dolomiti Energia Trento v Turk Telekom Ankara (2025-10-22T18:00:00.000Z)

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica v Panionios Athens (2025-10-22T17:00:00.000Z)

U-BT Cluj-Napoca v Umana Reyer Venice (2025-10-22T16:00:00.000Z)

Bahcesehir College Istanbul v Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (2025-10-22T16:00:00.000Z)