### Tuesday, November 21

[U-BT Cluj-Napoca vs. Dreamland Gran Canaria ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/u-bt-cluj-napoca-dreamland-gran-canaria/U2023/78/)

A heavyweight battle at the top of Group B will see second-placed Cluj (6-1) welcome undefeated reigning champ Gran Canaria (7-0). 

The Spanish team's smooth offense is based on sharing the ball, averaging 22.6 assists per night – second-best in the competition. Andrew Albicy is the chief orchestrator with an average of 4.6 assists, and he also leads the team's hustle on defense by grabbing 2.1 steals per game. Cluj's main strength is defense, allowing just 71.1 points per game (second in the league) with a physical approach which has yielded 39.1 rebounds per night. Karel Guzman averages 5.9 boards and is in great form after bagging a double-double of 14 points and 12 boards in last week's win against Trento, earning him the MVP honor for Round 7.

[Buducnost VOLI Podgorica vs. Dolomiti Energia Trento ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/buducnost-voli-podgorica-dolomiti-energia-trento/U2023/79/)

New Buducnost (2-5) coach Andrej Zakelj will attempt to start with a victory as his team hosts Trento (3-4). 

he home team is on a four-game losing streak, while Trento saw its renaissance crash to a halt with last week's thumping loss against Cluj. This isn't likely to be a high-scoring game, with Buducnost ranking next-to-last in scoring at just 76.1 points per game while Trento isn't much better at 79.0. Expect a fierce battle for inside dominance between Jacorey Williams (11.7 ppg., 6.7 rpg.) and Andrejs Grazulis (12.9 ppg., 5.9 rpg.). The Trento man, however, can try to stretch the floor with his 50.0% three-point shooting.

Dolomiti Energia Trento - Buducnost VOLI Podgorica | Round 16 Highlights | 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup

[Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse vs. Turk Telekom Ankara ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/mincidelice-jl-bourg-en-bresse-turk-telekom-ankara/U2023/76/)

Bourg (5-2) will try to strengthen its position in the playoffs places with a visit from struggling Turk Telekom (1-6), which desperately needs to revive its season after losing five games in a row. The visitors will need another strong performance from Tyrone Wallace, who has scored in double figures every game this season, including a high of 22 points in a Round 7 overtime loss against Lietkabelis. Bourg's balanced approach earned a narrow victory over Aris last week, led by 16 points from Zaccharie Risacher, but the French team will look to take more care with the basketball after committing 18 turnovers in that game. 

[Veolia Towers Hamburg vs. Wolves Vilnius](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/veolia-towers-hamburg-wolves-vilnius/U2023/72/) 

A week after finally gaining its first win of the season, Hamburg (1-6) will look to build more momentum by overcoming visiting playoffs-chasing Wolves (3-3). The German team's narrow win at Cedevita was led by 26 points from Aljami Durham, who has made 57.1% of his three-point attempts this season and reached double digits in scoring on four occasions. Wolves needs to bounce back from last week's surprise home loss against Reyer, and will look to crash the boards after averaging 12.2 offensive rebounds per game so far – second-most in the league. The consistent Tre'Shawn Thurman is the key man in that approach, averaging 2.7 offensive boards per game as well as 16.7 points. 

[Paris Basketball vs. Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/paris-basketball-besiktas-emlakjet-istanbul/U2023/74/)

Get ready for a big battle at the top of Group A, with unbeaten Paris (7-0) facing a challenge from second-placed Besiktas (5-2). 

The Turkish team, which wants a fast response to last week's home loss against London, will have to find a way of slowing down a Paris offense that leads the league in scoring (101.1 ppg.) and PIR (120.7). TJ Shorts (7.9 apg.) and Nadir Hifi (17.4 ppg.) are the leaders for the French team, but it won't be easy for them to excel against a Besiktas team with the third-best defense in the competition, 73.9 points per game allowed. The physicality of Angel Delgado, who has two double-doubles in a row, will be vital for Besiktas's chances of victory. 

### Wednesday, November 22

[Slask Wroclaw vs. 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/slask-wroclaw-7bet-lietkabelis-panevezys/U2023/77/) 

Rock-bottom Slask (0-7) is aiming for a first victory of the season with a visit from Lietkabelis (3-4), which has boosted its playoffs hopes by gaining two consecutive victories. Both of those back-to-back wins for Lietkabelis were high-scoring affairs, most recently downing Turk Telekom behind 31 points from the consistent Gediminas Orelik, who has reached double-digit scoring every game this season. Slask will count on equally dependable powerhouse big man Dusan Miletic, who averages 14.1 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. Taking care of the ball could be decisive: Slask ranks last in the league with 18.7 turnovers per game, with Lietkabelis next-worst with an average of 16.4. 

[Prometey Slobozhanske vs. Umana Reyer Venice ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/prometey-slobozhanske-umana-reyer-venice/U2023/71/)

After scoring 93 and 95 points to gain consecutive victories, Reyer (3-4) will look to make it three in a row with a trip to Prometey (3-4) for a game which will break the tie between the teams just outside the playoffs places. The home team, which could give a debut to exciting new signing Rob Gray, the 2021 EuroCup Finals MVP, also boosted its confidence last week, riding 19 points from Tai Odiase to grab an impressive victory over Hapoel. Reyer's on-form man is Barry Brown, who scored 21 and 24 points in his team's last two victories over Cedevita and Wolves, netting 3 triples on both occasions.  

[Aris Midea Thessaloniki vs. ratiopharm Ulm ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/aris-midea-thessaloniki-ratiopharm-ulm/U2023/80/)

German champ Ulm (5-2) will look to keep pushing towards the top of Group B with a trip to Aris (3-4), which is in danger of slipping out of the playoffs places after losing two of its last three games. The Greek team's problem has been offensive production, averaging just 63 points in the last three, and Aris will hope for a return to form from leading scorer Roberto Gallinat, who scored just 4 points in last week's loss against Bourg. Scoring is rarely a problem for Ulm, which averages 88.4 and 21.3 assists per game, fourth-best in the league in both categories, with Dakota Mathias reaching double digits in six of the seven games so far. 

Joventut Badalona - Hapoel Vegan Friendly Tel Aviv | Quarterfinals Highlights | 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup

[Hapoel Tel Aviv vs. Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv-joventut-badalona/U2023/75/) 

Injury-hit Badalona (3-4) will look to bounce back from consecutive home losses with a trip to face direct rival Hapoel (4-2) for a game that will be played at the Aleksandar Nikolic Hall in Belgrade. Hapoel's potent offense – 97.0 points per game, second-best in the league – was outgunned by Prometey and Paris to suffer consecutive losses, but Jaylen Hoard will aim to maintain his hot streak after scoring at least 15 points in every game so far this season. Joventut, which could give a debut to new signing Tyler Cook, needs to address its defensive deficiencies after allowing 87 and 101 points in its last two defeats against London and Paris. The visitors will hope that teenage big man Michael Ruzic can stay hot after scoring 17 points last week. 

[London Lions vs. Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/london-lions-cedevita-olimpija-ljubljana/U2023/73/)

Fast-rising London (5-2) will aim for a third straight victory as it hosts a forlorn Cedevita (0-7) team still waiting for its first win of the season. Containing the creativity of Cedevita guard and EuroCup assists leader Klemen Prepelic (9.5 apg.) will be the biggest challenge for the London defense in this first-ever meeting between the teams. The English team's third-ranked offense (91 ppg.) is powered by an outstanding inside game. Lions are converting two-point shots at a 59.8% rate, second-best in the competition. Matthew Morgan is a particular threat, averaging 18.7 points per game on 69.4% two-point shooting. 

Round 8 tips off with a challenge for the champs

Aris Midea Thessaloniki v ratiopharm Ulm (2023-11-22T18:00:00.000Z)

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica v Dolomiti Energia Trento (2023-11-21T18:00:00.000Z)

U-BT Cluj-Napoca v Dreamland Gran Canaria (2023-11-21T17:00:00.000Z)

Slask Wroclaw v 7bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys (2023-11-22T17:00:00.000Z)

Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse v Turk Telekom Ankara (2023-11-21T18:30:00.000Z)

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv v Joventut Badalona (2023-11-22T18:00:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul (2023-11-21T20:00:00.000Z)

London Lions v Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (2023-11-22T19:30:00.000Z)

Veolia Towers Hamburg v Wolves Vilnius (2023-11-21T18:30:00.000Z)

Prometey Slobozhanske v Umana Reyer Venice (2023-11-22T17:00:00.000Z)

Key clashes between the leaders in both groups could have impacts on the way the regular season plays out.

Stats review: Looking at Round 8's top-of-the-table duels

Round 7 of the BKT EuroCup featured several important matchups as the London Lions notched a hard-fought road victory over Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul in Group A, Paris Basketball and Dreamland Gran Canaria remained undefeated, and U-BT Cluj-Napoca rose into sole possession of second place in Group B with a 38-point road win. All that action has set the stage for the most intriguing round of the EuroCup season so far as the top two teams in both groups go head-to-head with Besiktas heading to Paris and Cluj hosting Gran Canaria.  

The latter matchup features two of this season’s top defensive units. As the table above suggests, Cluj has gotten defensive stops on a higher percentage of the possessions it has faced than any team in the EuroCup.  While the Romanian champs have done a good job forcing turnovers and avoiding fouls, their shot defense has been the factor that has differentiated them among this season’s other top units. Preventing runouts, employing full-court pressure effectively without conceding many quality looks because of it, and limiting shots around the rim, Cluj's success this season has been built on is ability to do the little things.

Shot defense tends to level out to a degree over the course of the season as it is difficult to contain the shot-making at this level over the long haul, which tends to magnify the little things teams do well defensively by the end of the year.  Cluj has certainly established the right habits early but that will be put to the test against the reigning champions and this season’s third-most efficient offense in Round 8. The outcome there could provide clarity on whether there’s going to be a challenger at the top of Group B during the regular season as Gran Canaria would move two games clear with a victory.

Paris has already achieved that in Group B but will have a chance to make its cushion even more comfortable if it can defeat a second-place Besiktas team that has been in lockstep with on the defensive end on paper. Even though the outcomes they have achieved defensively have lined up almost perfectly, Besiktas and Paris have very different approaches with Besiktas looking to force teams to beat them inside the arc and Paris pushing the action away from the rim. How those differences stack up in Round 8 will be a storyline to follow as Paris currently ranks second in offensive efficiency and would put itself in prime position to finish the first half of the season undefeated with a win.  

Even in mid-November, Round 8 will have a playoff feel as the EuroCup’s best look to make a statement.

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica announced on Saturday that it has hired Andrej Zakelj as the club's new head coach. Zakelj, 45, arrives from fellow Montenegrin side SC Derby, where he has spent the past two and a half seasons. He replaced Petar Mijovic, who resigned the post eight days earlier. 

Andrej Zakelj named head coach of Buducnost

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica announced on Saturday that it has hired Andrej Zakelj as the club's new head coach. Zakelj, 45, arrives from fellow Montenegrin side SC Derby, where he has spent the past two and a half seasons. He replaced Petar Mijovic, who resigned the post eight days earlier.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Andrej Žakelj novi šef stručnog štaba Budućnost Volija! 🔵⚪️<br><br>Na vanrednoj sjednici Upravnog odbora Budućnost Volija, donijeta je odluka da mjesto glavnog trenera plavo-bijelih preuzme Andrej Žakelj.<a href="https://t.co/hGWhhrz3Zy">https://t.co/hGWhhrz3Zy</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKB</a> <a href="https://t.co/axKpiJFCZf">pic.twitter.com/axKpiJFCZf</a></p>&mdash; KK Budućnost VOLI (@KKBuducnostVOLI) <a href="https://twitter.com/KKBuducnostVOLI/status/1725946333847048504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Zakelj spent more than a decade as an active player in his native Slovenia. Upon his retirement at age 28, he immeditley began coaching, first as an assistant at Geoplin Slovan Ljubljana and then Union Olimpia Ljubljana. Zakelj's firs yead coaching gig came with Lastovka Domzale and he would also serve as the head of bench for TBV Start Lublin in Poland and Terme Olimia Podcetrtek, Sentjur and Koper Primoska in Slovenia. He won the Slovenian Cup with Koper in 2020 and the ABA Supercup with Derby last year.

Buducnost has lost four straight games in the EuroCup and has a 2-5 record in Group B of the BKT EuroCup this season. It has reached the EuroCup elimination rounds in each of the last three seasons.

The Slovenian coach arrives from fellow Montenegrin side SC Derby.

Faced with tough times since he was a boy, Buducnost's point guard takes his first season in Europe as a challenge to be mastered.

Buducnost's Wright is conquering his latest challenge

The fact that [McKinley Wright IV](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/mckinley-wright-iv/012606/) has excelled in his European debut with Buducnost VOLI Podgorica shouldn't be a surprise. He reminds himself that he can conquer any challenge whenever he looks at his social media profile.

The banner photo atop Wright's Twitter/X page shows a sign with the phrase: "Ur gonna figure it out. Like u always have."

"There's been a lot of trials and tribulations in my life. I've been through more than the average kid, and I always managed to figure it out," Wright explained. "It's just a self-reminder that whenever I'm going through a hard time I will find a way to figure it out – like I have since a child."

The Buducnost guard is shining in his first season in Europe, averaging 11.9 points and 4.7 assists for the Montenegrin team in the EuroCup.

"It's been a great learning experience," Wright said. "I'm still adjusting but catching on to the playing style quickly. It's different from the NBA, but the experience has been good."

One of the biggest challenges Wright has faced was not having his father around as he was growing up. McKinley Wright III was sentenced to a lengthy prison term when Wright IV was just seven years old.

"He helped me a lot from prison, always stayed on me and made sure I was doing good in school, staying out of trouble, and in the gym working," Wright recalled. 

Despite his father's trials and tribulations, the Buducnost said he always proudly bore the IV with his last name.

McKinley Wright Season Highlights

"Yeah, my roman numeral means a lot to me. It's a generational name that I'm super proud to be apart of. I never got to meet the II or 

I, so I do everything I can to make them proud and listen to the stories that my dad has about them," Wright said.

Wright graduated from the University of Colorado in 2021 and split the last two seasons between the NBA and the G-League. Last season he was with the Texas Legends and also appeared in 25 games with the Dallas Mavericks. 

Wright really valued his time playing alongside and competing in practice against Dallas superstar Luka Doncic.

"Luka is a great teammate, a funny guy. Just watching him control the game with his pace and never being sped up is something anyone can learn," he said. "It was also great to be on the floor with him at times. He's really an encouraging teammate and wants to help all his teammates get better."

After playing a smaller role for the first few months, Wright got much more playing time at the end of last season with the Mavericks, playing at least 20 minutes in five of his seven games in March and April. Three times he scored in double figures and in those seven games he collected 21 assists with just 7 turnovers.

"That final stretch gave me a ton of confidence," he said. "In my mind I am an NBA player and I believe I belong there. Not that Europe isn't great for basketball, but my plan is to get back into the NBA." 

Wright's time here in Europe is just another challenge he plans on conquering – just like others in his past.

Look back at all the action in the Regular Season Round 7 by checking out the best photos of the week!

EuroCup, The Top 10 photos of the week, Round 7

Round 7 of the 2023-24 EuroCup Regular Season saw a number of players impress, with Michael Ruzic, Nikola Popovic, Ronald March, Roko Prkacin and Rayjon Tucker doing enough to earn roll call honors.

Roll call, Round 7: Youngsters, EuroCup rookies stepped up

### Ruzic showed his promise against Paris

Joventut Badalona may have lost 94-101 in overtime to Paris Basketball, which improved its record to 7-0, but youngster [Michael Ruzic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/michael-ruzic/012349/) certainly made a good impression for the depleted hosts. The Spanish side has been dealing with a number of injuries this season and has thus leaned on its ever-impressive youth academy, with the 17-year-old Ruzic having his best game to date in Round 7. The Croatian finished with a career-high 17 points on good shooting splits, having gone 5-of-7 on two-pointers, 2-of-2 from deep and 1-of-2 from the free-throw line. Ruzic also grabbed 5 rebounds, dished 2 assists and made 2 blocks, all of which are career-best marks in what was just his third game in the BKT EuroCup.

Michael Ruzic had 17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks, all of which are career highs, during Joventut Badalona's 94-101 overtime loss to Paris Basketball in Round 7 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

Michael Ruzic's highlights vs. Paris

### Popovic went to new heights for Lietkabelis

[Nikola Popovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/nikola-popovic/006230/) had his best EuroCup game to date in Round 7, as the 7bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys big man posted career highs in points (18) and PIR (23) as his team beat Turk Telekom Ankara 93-86 in overtime. Impressively, 8 of those points came in the final quarter of regulation, with the 26-year-old Popovic playing a key role in keeping Lietkabelis close before the hosts had a late surge to force the extra period. Having only joined the Lithuanian side midway through last season, with his EuroCup debut coming in Round 12 of the 2022-23 campaign, Popovic seems to have really found his feet at Lietkabelis, with the Serbian going from a career-high 15 points in Round 6 against Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse before then bettering that mark with the 18 he netted against Turk Telekom one week later.

7bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys big man Nikola Popovic had a career-high 18 points and a career-best 23 PIR as his team beat Turk Telekom Ankara 93-86 in overtime in Round 7 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

Nikola Popovic's highlights vs. Turk Telekom

### March helped Prometey bounce back

Prometey Slobozhanske returned to winning ways after a couple of losses by downing Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv 98-89 at home. [Ronald March](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/ronald-march/012600/) made sure his team was highly competitive until the end, helping Prometey in many different ways. He played more than 31 minutes and finished the game with 14 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, 5 fouls drawn and a PIR of 19. He had 4 points and 1 block in the final quarter, in which Prometey managed to keep a safe margin until the final buzzer. March is averaging 12.7 points on 59.5% two-pointers but is doing better at home, posting 14.8 points on average and hitting 16 of his 24 two-pointers (66.7%).

Ronald March had 14 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals as Prometey Slobozhanske beat Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv 98-89 in Round 7 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

Ronald March's highlights vs. Hapoel

### Prkacin had an all-around performance

Dreamland Gran Canaria remained undefeated in the 2023-24 EuroCup season after downing Slask Wroclaw 81-77 in Round 7. [Roko Prkacin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/roko-prkacin/007644/) had his best game of the season, coming off the bench to get 9 points on 4-of-4 two-pointers. He added 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals for a PIR of 17, a new career high. Prkacin, whose father Niksa played in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague for nine seasons, ranks fifth overall in two-point shooting, hitting 82.4% of his attempts inside the arc (14-of-17). Prkacin left the game when Gran Canaria led 77-60 and his team was +14 with him on the court, which is a good sign going forward.

Roko Prkacin had 9 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals as Dreamland Gran Canaria beat Slask Wroclaw 81-77 in Round 7 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

Roko Prkacin's highlights vs. Slask

### Tucker kept leading Reyer's comeback

Umana Reyer Venice started the season with a 1-4 record but has now won its last two games, with [Rayjon Tucker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/rayjon-tucker/012591/) having had a lot with it. Reyer downed Wolves Vilnius 77-93 in Round 7 and Tucker was everywhere, getting 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, zero turnovers and 5 fouls drawn for a PIR of 21. He helped Reyer have extremely good ball circulation: 18 assists and just 5 team turnovers. Tucker played really well against Cedveita Olimpija Ljubljana in Round 6, too: 19 points, 6 rebounds, 6 fouls drawn and a PIR of 21. Tucker was on the court for over 31 minutes in both games, showing he is one of Reyer's main pillars this season.

Michael Ruzic of Joventut Badalona dunks during his team's Round 7 game against Paris Basketball in the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

These five players impressed enough to earn a notable mention after another thrilling week of action in the BKT EuroCup.

SC Prometey has announced the signing of Rob Gray, the 2020-21 EuroCup Finals MVP.

SC Prometey seals move for 2020-21 EuroCup Finals MVP Rob Gray

Prometey Slobozhanske has announced the signing of [Rob Gray](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/rob-gray/010549/), the 2020-21 BKT EuroCup Finals MVP. Gray (1.85 meters, 29 years old) averaged 18.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and a 15.2 PIR in his last experience in the EuroCup, as he helped lead AS Monaco to the title in the 2020-21 season. He most recently played for Turkish side Tofas, posting 21.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.6 steals in 10 Basketball Champions League games in the 2022-23 campaign.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Rob Gray joins Prometey <a href="https://t.co/09IZ59JJp8">pic.twitter.com/09IZ59JJp8</a></p>&mdash; BC Prometey (@BcPrometey) <a href="https://twitter.com/BcPrometey/status/1725144546953121901?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Rob Gray’s incredible impact for Monaco

Gray made his EuroCup debut in the 2020-21 season, having played four games for Metropolitans 92 and averaged 14.5 points and 2.0 rebounds, but he made a mid-season moved to Monaco. In the principality, the guard – as noted above – ended up inspiring the team to the EuroCup title. His most impressive impact came in the 2020-21 EuroCup Finals, as he posted 23 points in Game 1 and 25 points in Game 2, with Monaco winning both games.

From there, Gray remained on Monaco’s roster as it made the jump to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague in the 2021-22 campaign, but he saw his role significantly reduced as he posted 3.8 points across eight games in an average of 10:19 on the court. Then, last season he joined Tofas and he now returns to the EuroCup with Prometey, which has turned to Gray after parting ways with Marcus Keene and Rashard Kelly.

More Prometey News

New Prometey Slobozhanske signing Rob Gray in action for AS Monaco in the 2020-21 BKT EuroCup season.

The Ukrainian team has shaken up its roster in recent weeks.

Prometey seals move for 2020-21 EuroCup Finals MVP Rob Gray

Karel Guzman was at the center of everything good for U-BT Cluj-Napoca in Round 7 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season, as he earned MVP of the Round honors for his part in his team’s 60-98 win at Dolomiti Energia Trento.

Round 7 MVP: Karel Guzman, U-BT Cluj-Napoca

[Karel Guzman](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/karel-guzman/011797/) was at the center of everything good for U-BT Cluj-Napoca in Round 7 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season, as he earned MVP of the Round honors for his part in [his team’s 60-98 win at Dolomiti Energia Trento](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/dolomiti-energia-trento-u-bt-cluj-napoca/U2023/68/).

The 28-year-old’s round-high PIR of 34 was a career-best mark, while he also set career highs in rebounds (12), assists (5) and blocks (2). His 14 points, of which 9 came after the halftime interval, were the joint second most by a Cluj player, while he also committed zero turnovers. Guzman is the first-ever Cluj player to become the MVP of the Round, and it came on a night that saw the Romanian side secure its biggest-ever road win in the EuroCup.

Karel Guzman | Round 7 MVP | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup

[Angel Delgado](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/angel-delgado/012647/) of Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul had the second-highest PIR in Round 7 with 30, although it came in an 80-83 loss to the London Lions. The Dominican Republic international had an 18-point, 14-rebound double-double, as well as 3 assists and, like Guzman, 0 turnovers. Two players had a 28 PIR, the third-best total in this round: [Matt Morgan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/matthew-morgan/012585/) of London and [Nadir Hifi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/nadir-hifi/012640/) of Paris Basketball. Morgan recorded 17 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 1 steal in London’s win at Besiktas, while Hifi amassed 27 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in Paris’s 94-101 overtime victory at Joventut Badalona. [Aljami Durham](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/aljami-durham/012582/) of Veolia Towers Hamburg rounds out the top performers in Round 7 with a 27 PIR, having had 21 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in his side’s 83-86 win at Cedevita Olimpia Ljubljana, the team’s first victory this season.

Dolomiti Energia Trento v U-BT Cluj-Napoca (2023-11-15T19:00:00.000Z)

Tyler Cook, a player with 65 games of experience in the NBA, has joined Joventut Badalona on a deal until the end of the 2023-24 season.

Tyler Cook joins Joventut Badalona until the end of the season

Joventut Badalona has confirmed the signing of Tyler Cook on a deal until the end of the 2023-24 season. Cook (2.03 meters, 26 years old) will get his first taste of European basketball with Joventut, having previously spent his career in his native United States and also in Australia. The power forward arrives with the aim of improving Joventut’s play in the BKT EuroCup, with the team having gone 3-4 through the first seven games.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">💥 Tyler Cook: potència física pel joc interior de la Penya<br><br>🤝 El pivot nord-americà signa fins al final de temporada<br><br>🔗 La notícia: <a href="https://t.co/cJGONrl9qt">https://t.co/cJGONrl9qt</a><br><br>😀 Welcome to Badalona, <a href="https://twitter.com/iamtc25?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@iamtc25</a>!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Badalona%C3%89sFutur?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BadalonaÉsFutur</a> <a href="https://t.co/p7AAmNg4Qo">pic.twitter.com/p7AAmNg4Qo</a></p>&mdash; Club Joventut Badalona (@Penya1930) <a href="https://twitter.com/Penya1930/status/1725121582480126108?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### High-level experience

Since leaving the University of Iowa in 2019, Cook played 13 games in the 2019-20 NBA season with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Denver Nuggets, 32 games with the Detroit Pistons and the Brooklyn Nets in the 2020-21 campaign, and 20 games with the Chicago Bulls in the 2021-22 season. As such, he played a total of 65 games in the NBA, averaging 3.8 points and 2.5 rebounds in 10.6 minutes on the floor. Cook scored a career-high 17 points against Denver while playing for Detroit on May 15, 2021.

He also spent time in the G League with the Canton Charge, the Oklahoma City Blue, the Iowa Wolves and the Windy City Bulls, before spending the 2022-23 campaign with the Salt Lake City Stars, the Utah Jazz’s G League affiliate. Cook also had a brief stint in Australia with the South East Melbourne Phoenix as an injury replacement.

More Joventut News

New Joventut Badalona signing Tyler Cook in action for the Chicago Bulls in the 2021-22 NBA season.

The 26-year-old big man arrives with 65 games of experience in the NBA.