Valencia Basket rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat U-BT Cluj-Napoca 96-105 in Round 3 of the 2024-25 EuroCup season on Wednesday.


Valencia stays perfect after storming comeback win at Cluj, 96-105

Valencia Basket rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat U-BT Cluj-Napoca 96-105 on the road in Round 3 of the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup season on Wednesday. Valencia improved to 3-0 and is one of three undefeated teams in Group B, along with Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse and Turk Telekom Ankara. Cluj dropped to 0-3.

Semi Ojeleye and Xabi Lopez-Arostegui paced the winners with 22 points apiece. Brancou Badio added 14, Jean Montero had 13 while Jaime Pradilla got 11 for Valencia, which tied an all-time BKT EuroCup record by hitting 20 three-pointers. De'Shawn Stephens led Cluj with 17 points. D.J. Seeley and Adam Mokoka each added 15, Zavier Simpson had 13 and Sasu Salin 12.

Mareks Mejeris got Cluj going with a layup and Seeley added a jumper for a 4-3 lead. Lopez-Arostegui and Badio each struck from downtown to give Valencia a 4-9 margin. After Salin buried back-to-back triples, Lopez-Arostegui insisted from beyond the arc. Simpson's stop-and-pop jumper tied it at 12-12. Badio sank his second three-pointer and Montero erased Zach Hankins's jump hook with a step-back jumper. Mokoka stepped up with consecutive baskets and then Karel Guzman's floater put Cluj back ahead, 20-19. Stevens followed an alley-oop layup with a jump hook for a 24-19 Cluj lead after 10 minutes.

Stephens capped a 13-0 run with a three-point play early in the second quarter. Pradilla stepped up with a layup-plus-foul, Stephens scored again and Guzman hit a three-pointer in transition that prompted Valencia to call timeout at 32-22. Badio banked in a three-pointer but Seeley, Simpson and Mejeris boosted Cluj's lead to 42-25. Ojeleye and Lopez-Arostegui each scored in penetration before Salin and Montero traded triples. Stephens's tip-in restored a 47-32 Cluj margin. Ojeleye struck from downtown, Ethan Happ scored down low and Lopez-Arostegui brought Valencia within 47-39. Ojeleye kept pacing Valencia but Mokoka kept Cluj in charge, 52-44, at halftime.

Game News

Seeley buried a floater shortly after the break, which Ojeleye erased with a power layup. Simpson took over with a wild driving layup and Stephens scored around the basket for a 58-48 Cluj cushion. After Stephens and Badio traded coast-to-coast layups, Patrick Richards finished a great Cluj offense with a corner triple. Ojeleye kept trying to change things for the visitors and Badio buried a triple to give his team hope at 63-58. Stefan Jovic scored off a steal to cap a 0-10 run. Kevin Hervey rescued Cluj with a three-pointer. Guzman stopped the show with a huge dunk and Richards added a three-point play, but Lopez-Arostegui and Montero drew Valencia within 75-70 after 30 minutes.

Costello struck from beyond the arc early in the fourth quarter and Pradilla's tip-in tied it at 75-75. Seeley hit a three-pointer but so did Montero and Lopez-Arostegui to complete Valencia's comeback, 78-84. Salin and Seeley each buried a three-pointer to tie it again, 84-84, with over 6 minutes left. Costello also downed a triple, then Ojeleye gave Valencia fresh air at 84-90. Mokoka and Guzman each scored in penetration, then Josep Puerto sank back-to-back three-pointers for a 90-96 score. Jovic found Pradilla for a Fastbreak layup and Ojeleye restored a 94-100 Valencia edge with 1:09 left. Montero sealed the outcome with a layup, as Cluj never recovered.

The visitors trailed after each of the first three quarters, but a strong fourth quarter saw Pedro Martinez's men grab the victory

U-BT Cluj-Napoca v Valencia Basket (2024-10-09T16:00:00.000Z)

The third round of the 2024-25 EuroCup season has arrived, with five games on Tuesday and five on Wednesday.

Game Center: Round 3 is here!

## Wednesday, October 9

### [U-BT Cluj-Napoca 96-105 Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/valencia-stays-perfect-after-storming-comeback-win-at-cluj-96-105/)

Valencia rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat Cluj 96-105 on the road in Round 3 of the 2024-25 EuroCup season on Wednesday. Valencia improved to 3-0 and is one of three undefeated teams in Group B, along with Bourg and Turk Telekom. Cluj dropped to 0-3.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">𝙑𝘼𝙈𝙊𝙎𝙎𝙎𝙎𝙎𝙎 🧡<br>¡Primera victoria del <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9Octubre?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9Octubre</a>!<br><br>Nos llevamos la victoria tras levantar 17 puntos en contra. ¡Tenemos la tercera en 3 partidos europeos! 🔥<br><br>⚪ U-BT Cluj-Napoca 96<br>🟠 <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@valenciabasket</a> 105<br><br>🏆 J3 <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a><br>🤝 <a href="https://twitter.com/Luanvi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Luanvi</a> <a href="https://t.co/gew6qcRRdV">pic.twitter.com/gew6qcRRdV</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1844077439481524693?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

### [Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem 89-74 Veolia Towers Hamburg](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/jerusalem-pulls-away-in-fourth-against-pesky-hamburg-89-74/)

Jerusalem picked up its second straight victory in Group B as it defeated Hamburg 89-74 in Samokov, Bulgaria, on Wednesday night. The game was closer than the final result indicated as Hamburg fought tough until the Israeli side put the game away with a 19-5 fourth quarter run for a 2-1 record. Hamburg, meanwhile, is still looking for its first win at 0-3.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="iw" dir="rtl">שימו לב: ההגנה הרמטית 🔒<br>הפועל מנצחת את המבורג! וביום ראשון: חוזרים הביתה!<br>20:40 טקס | 20:50 מפריקים<br><br>בואו &gt; <a href="https://t.co/t4owB659ik">https://t.co/t4owB659ik</a><br><br>🚩 המכירה לקהל הבית בלבד.<br>🚩 על מנת לרכוש כרטיסים יש להירשם למערכת הכרטיסים החדשה. <a href="https://t.co/DogbglXxAc">pic.twitter.com/DogbglXxAc</a></p>&mdash; Hapoel Jerusalem BC (@JerusalemBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerusalemBasket/status/1844092575353012582?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Trefl Sopot 73-78 Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/trefl-sopot-joventut-badalona/U2024/21/)

Joventut improved to 2-1 in Group A after a scrappy win at Sopot with Kassius Robertson leading the way with 20 points and 6 assists. Devon Dotson added 18 points and 6 boards and Kaiser Gates chipped in with 14 points to underline a fine team effort. At the other end, Tarik Phillip paced Trefl with a game-high 21 points and 12 rebounds.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">🔐Finaaaaaaaaaaal a l&#39;Ergo Arena, la primera VICTÒRIA fora de casa ⚫️🟢<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Badalona%C3%89sFutur?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BadalonaÉsFutur</a> <a href="https://t.co/NVoc5Njhme">pic.twitter.com/NVoc5Njhme</a></p>&mdash; Club Joventut Badalona (@Penya1930) <a href="https://twitter.com/Penya1930/status/1844093763972628560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Dolomiti Energia Trento 64-85 Buducnost VOLI Podgorica](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/dolomiti-energia-trento-buducnost-voli-podgorica/U2024/25/)

Buducnost celebrated its first victory of the EuroCup campaign by thrashing Trento at Il T Quotidiano Arena. The visitors dictated the tempo from the off and practically put the game to bed thanks to a 0-21 run spanning the last two quarters. The two teams currently boast the same record, as Buducnost improved to 1-2. Yogi Ferrell led all scorers with 21 points, with Nikola Tanaskovic and McKinley Wright adding 13 and 10, respectively. For the visitors, Myles Cale recorded a team-high 13 points.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">What a W in Trento 💪<br><br>1st win in <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a> this season! 🏀<br><br>Let&#39;s go! 🔵⚪️<br><br>Ferrell 21pts / Tanasković 13pts / Wright 10pts<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kkb?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kkb</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bkteurocup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#bkteurocup</a> <a href="https://t.co/4n8drdQaJx">pic.twitter.com/4n8drdQaJx</a></p>&mdash; KK Budućnost VOLI (@KKBuducnostVOLI) <a href="https://twitter.com/KKBuducnostVOLI/status/1844104382146806231?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Dreamland Gran Canaria 66-63 Bahcesehir College Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/dreamland-gran-canaria-bahcesehir-college-istanbul/U2024/24/)

In a defensive battle of two previously undefeated teams, Gran Canaria edged Bahcesehir. Gran Canaria improved to 3-0, while Bahcesehir dropped to 2-1 in Group A. The hosts trailed 54-61 in the fourth quarter, but finished the game on a 12-2 run to pull out a big win to remain perfect on the new EuroCup season. Nicolas Brussino netted 17 points for Gran Canaria and Caleb Homesley had 13. Marko Simonovic led Bahcesehir with 14 points.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">🏀 Final:<br><br>🐥 Dreamland Gran Canaria 66<br>🔴 Bahcesehir College Istanbul 63<br><br>🔥 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VamosGranca?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VamosGranca</a> <a href="https://t.co/iTd3EMuvgv">pic.twitter.com/iTd3EMuvgv</a></p>&mdash; Dreamland Gran Canaria (@GranCanariaCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/GranCanariaCB/status/1844121702634225853?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Tuesday, October 8

### [7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys 74-92 Aris Midea Thessaloniki](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/7bet-lietkabelis-panevezys-aris-midea-thessaloniki/U2024/30/)

Aris improved to 1-2 in the standings while Lietkabelis dropped to 0-3. Vassilis Toliopoulos paced the winners with 26 points on 6-of-8 three-point shooting. Lefteris Bochoridis added 13 for Aris. Mantas Rubstavicius led Lietkabelis with 15 points and Marko Pecarski scored 13.

### [Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius 76-94 ratiopharm Ulm](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/wolves-twinsbet-vilnius-ratiopharm-ulm/U2024/22/)

Ulm remained perfect with its second road victory as the German side defeated Wolves in Group A. The score was tight for most of the game until Ulm put together a 2-14 run in the fourth quarter to decide the game. Justinian Jessup hit 5 three-pointers in scoring 27 points, Alfonso Plummer scored 16 and Ben Saraf chipped in 10 points and 7 assists. Andrew Andrews tallied 19 points to pace Wolves, which fell to 0-3.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">𝗔𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗢𝗻𝗲 🔥😤<br>________<br>Duell in Orange - Das Ex-Team von Head Coach Ty Harrelson ist am Samstag, den 26.10. zu Gast in der ratiopharm arena. 🔥🏟️ Sei schnell und sichere dir jetzt HIER deine Tickets 👉 <a href="https://t.co/Uea0v044FG">https://t.co/Uea0v044FG</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/uuulmer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#uuulmer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/weareone?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#weareone</a> <a href="https://t.co/NKdiw3zC3F">pic.twitter.com/NKdiw3zC3F</a></p>&mdash; ratiopharm ulm (@ratiopharmulm) <a href="https://twitter.com/ratiopharmulm/status/1843715907061006788?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Turk Telekom Ankara 78-70 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/turk-telekom-ankara-cedevita-olimpija-ljubljana/U2024/29/)

A pair of fast starters go head to head as Turk Telekom (2-0) and Cedevita (2-0) aim to make it three straight wins. Their successes have come in very different ways, with Turk Telekom boasting the EuroCup’s best defense (64.5 ppg. allowed), while Cedevita has averaged a fourth-best 90.0 ppg. Long-range accuracy has been key for the visiting team, with Brynton Lemar (13.5 ppg. on 60% three-point shooting) among those, giving Cedevita the competition’s best conversion rate from beyond the arc (45.6%). The ability of Kyle Alexander (11 rpg.) to control the paint will be crucial for Turk Telekom.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">3&#39;te 3! 🏀💪<br><br>BKT EuroCup&#39;ta galibiyet serimiz devam ediyor!<br><br>Maç sonucu: Türk Telekom 78- 70 Cedevita Olimpija<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AnkaraBasketbolu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AnkaraBasketbolu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kaizen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kaizen</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreHereForAReason?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreHereForAReason</a> <a href="https://t.co/aMxhdtnje8">pic.twitter.com/aMxhdtnje8</a></p>&mdash; Türk Telekom Basketbol (@TT_Basketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/TT_Basketbol/status/1843723101571559484?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Besiktas Fibabank Istanbul 87-101 Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/besiktas-fibabanka-istanbul-hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/U2024/23/)

Hapoel improved its Group A record to 2-1 after romping away to a road win in Belgrade over Besiktas largely thanks to a superb display from its off-season acquisitions. Center Jonathan Motley racked up a game-high 24 points to go with 6 boards and 4 assists for Hapoel while guard Patrick Beverley chipped in with a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds. At the other end, Derek Needham paced Besiktas with 17 points as the Turkish side slipped to a second successive defeat after its opening win against Buducnost VOLI Podgorica. 

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Second W of the season for <a href="https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HapoelTLVBC</a>! ✅<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToGreatness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToGreatness</a> <a href="https://t.co/P4Fa6y2fW5">pic.twitter.com/P4Fa6y2fW5</a></p>&mdash; BKT EuroCup (@EuroCup) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup/status/1843750993638633741?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Umana Reyer Venice 66-88 Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/umana-reyer-venice-cosea-jl-bourg-en-bresse/U2024/28/)

Bourg had no mercy against Reyer in taking a convincing 66-88 win at the Palasport Taliercio on Tuesday night that gave the visitors a 3-0 record after 3 rounds. The hosts fell to 1-2. After a balanced first period, Bourg got going in the second quarter thanks to an incredible accuracy from behind the arc. Kevin Kokila paced the winners with 15 points - including 13 in the third quarter. Mfiondu Kabengele signed off a monster double-double of 19 points and 15 boards for Reyer.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">VICTOIRE ✅<a href="https://twitter.com/REYER1872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@REYER1872</a> - 66 🆚 88 - COSEA JL Bourg<br><br>3e succès de rang en EuroCup ! 💪<br><br>L&#39;équipe est invaincue au côté de <a href="https://twitter.com/TT_Basketbol?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TT_Basketbol</a> , contre qui elle jouera le mardi 15/10 à Ekinox !<br>🎟️ <a href="https://t.co/kAyeQNCpvO">https://t.co/kAyeQNCpvO</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeRedy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeRedy</a>｜<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToGreatness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToGreatness</a>｜<a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/IbdvfOpqv4">pic.twitter.com/IbdvfOpqv4</a></p>&mdash; JL Bourg Basket (@JLBourgBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/JLBourgBasket/status/1843740356980158599?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Five teams remain unbeaten after three rounds

Game Center: Road wins for Valencia, Joventut, Buducnost

Dreamland Gran Canaria v Bahcesehir College Istanbul (2024-10-09T19:00:00.000Z)

Dolomiti Energia Trento v Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (2024-10-09T18:00:00.000Z)

Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem v Veolia Towers Hamburg (2024-10-09T17:00:00.000Z)

Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul v Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (2024-10-08T18:00:00.000Z)

Trefl Sopot v Joventut Badalona (2024-10-09T17:00:00.000Z)

Umana Reyer Venice v Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse (2024-10-08T18:00:00.000Z)

Turk Telekom Ankara v Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (2024-10-08T16:30:00.000Z)

7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys v Aris Midea Thessaloniki (2024-10-08T16:00:00.000Z)

Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius v ratiopharm Ulm (2024-10-08T16:00:00.000Z)

CB Gran Canaria and Bahçeşehir Basketbol meet in Las Palmas on Wednesday night, with both teams boasting a 2-0 record after the first two games. Who will still be unbeaten after Round 3?

Impressive Gran Canaria, Bahcesehir ready for their big Wednesday clash

Group A will be down to just two teams with perfect records once all is said and done on Wednesday night as [Dreamland Gran Canaria](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/carousels/dreamland-gran-canaria/?q=%7B%22articleId%22%3A%22%22%2C%22categoryId%22%3A%22%22%2C%22linkedId%22%3A%7B%22sourceSystem%22%3A%22FS_BASKETBALL_TEAM%22%2C%22sourceSystemId%22%3A%22can%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%22%7D%7D&carouselTitle=Dreamland%20Gran%20Canaria) (2-0) and [Bahcesehir College Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/carousels/bahcesehir-college-istanbul/?q=%7B%22articleId%22%3A%22%22%2C%22categoryId%22%3A%22%22%2C%22linkedId%22%3A%7B%22sourceSystem%22%3A%22FS_BASKETBALL_TEAM%22%2C%22sourceSystemId%22%3A%22bah%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%22%7D%7D&carouselTitle=Bahcesehir%20College%20Istanbul) (2-0) – two of its undefeated teams – go head to head in Las Palmas in a mouth-watering Round 3 clash.

The two squads have emerged as title contenders through the first two weeks of the campaign. For Gran Canaria, the 2023 EuroCup champion which also started last season with a 10-0 record, that status is nothing new. Meanwhile, Bahcesehir has entered unchartered territory.

The club from Istanbul is only in its second EuroCup season, having made its competition debut in the 2020-21 campaign. In that post-COVID-19 season, playing games in front of empty crowds across the continent, Bahcesehir won just two of its 10 games.

But the club that seemed to be an also-run just four seasons ago returned to the competition this season with a brand-new image and big goals. Over this past summer, the ambitious organization put together a team that is capable of competing for the EuroCup trophy.

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Bahcesehir truly has it all. At the two guard spots, [CJ Massinburg](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/cj-massinburg/011821/) and [Jaleen Smith](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jaleen-smith/011192/) – the latter being a veteran of three Turkish Airlines EuroLeague seasons – run the offense and set the tone on defense. [Axel Bouteille](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/axel-bouteille/003840/), a 2022-23 All-EuroCup forward, is the team's first option on offense, while do-it-all veteran forward [Mateusz Ponitka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mateusz-ponitka/004172/) is the type of glue guy every coach would love to have.

Under the rims, Buducnost boasts a trio of big men who are capable of wreaking havoc in [Tyler Cavanaugh](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tyler-cavanaugh/009601/), [Marko Simonovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marko-simonovic/012711/) and [Tai Odiase](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tai-odiase/011823/), with each player averaging double digits in scoring so far and combining for 36.5 points and 14.5 rebounds per game heading into Round 3.

The man making things tick from the sidelines is head coach [Dejan Radonjic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/bahcesehir-college-istanbul/bah/radonjic-dejan/), who returned to the EuroCup after nine seasons and more than 200 games in the EuroLeague with Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, FC Bayern Munich and Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens.

Radonjic's fingerprints on this team are already visible, with Bahcesehir holding its opponents under 70 points in each of the first two games.

However, Gran Canaria – with its experience and winning mentality – is a different beast, especially on its home floor. The Spanish team is averaging 86.5 points (fifth best after two rounds) and shooting a competition-best 42.3% from downtown coming into this game. 

Gran Canaria re-invented its backcourt this summer with the additions of [Caleb Homesley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/caleb-homesley/011251/) (14.5 ppg.), [Joe Thomasson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/joe-thomasson/012095/) (7.0 ppg.) and [Carlos Alocen](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/carlos-alocen/010623/) (10.0 ppg.), while it also brought in key big bodies in [Mike Tobey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mike-tobey/008966/) (12.0 ppg. 4.5 rpg.) and [George Conditt](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/george-conditt-iv/012016/) (6.0 ppg., 5.5 rpg.).

However, it is still the likes of mainstays [Andrew Albicy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/andrew-albicy/003425/), [Nicolas Brussino](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/nicolas-brussino/008121/) and [John Shurna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/john-shurna/006588/) who carry key roles on this team, guided by head coach [Jaka Lakovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dreamland-gran-canaria/can/lakovic-jaka/?season=U2024), who has a 33-10 record on Gran Canaria's bench since taking over in the summer of 2022.

And for the third straight season, Gran Canaria is considered a contender in what looks to be one of the strongest and most competitive EuroCup fields ever. But Bahcesehir has also inserted itself in that conversation.

Both teams have impressed in the early going of this season, each in its own way, and now face each other in this big showdown. Which side will still be unbeaten after Round 3? Tune in to EuroLeague TV from 21:00 CEST to find out.

Round 3 will wrap up with a battle between a couple of red-hot teams

Hapoel Tel Aviv BC secured a statement victory at Besiktas Basketbol on Wednesday night, with star players Johnathan Motley and Patrick Beverley leading the way.

Johnathan Motley and Patrick Beverley give Hapoel a new dimension 

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv made an indifferent start to the BKT EuroCup season, but in Round 3 the club hit top gear with [an impressive 87-101 road win over Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/ec2425-rs3-report-bes-hta/) on the back of a stellar performance from big man [Johnathan Motley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/johnathan-motley/011157/).

The physical center scored 11 and 14 points respectively in the opening two games of the campaign, a 78-75 defeat at Joventut Badalona followed by a tough 89-84 home win over Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius. On Tuesday, he poured in 24 and toyed with his opponents as Hapoel subdued Besiktas all over. 

Hapoel got a measure of revenge for last season’s painful 94-89 quarterfinal defeat to Besiktas which came after a pair of regular season wins over the Turkish side, as Dusan Alimpijevic’s men overcame a 21-point deficit to reach the competition’s last four.

With former Fenerbahce center Motley and ex-NBA guard [Patrick Beverley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/patrick-beverley/001927/), Hapoel looked out of their opponent’s league for the bulk of a lop-sided contest this time around, in which there was no way back for Besiktas after the Turkish outfit again trailed by 21 points on several occasions.

Motley, who averaged 12.8 points and 4.8 rebounds across two seasons at Fenerbahce, traded the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague’s glitz and glamour for being a pillar of Hapoel’s ambitions to win the EuroCup, which would give the 29-year-old an opportunity to return to Europe’s premier club competition.

The 36-year-old Beverley brought a wealth of experience from a 12-year spell in the NBA, most notably with the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Clippers, as he reached the playoffs in eight straight years with the two franchises.

The versatile guard pulled the backcourt strings for Hapoel against Besiktas, scoring 16 points and collecting 10 boards in a cohesive team effort which saw the home team dismantled to pieces by the end of the third quarter.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="iw" dir="rtl">🎵היה פה בשבילנו🎵<br><br>24 נקודות (8/10 ל-2, 8/11 מהקו), 6 ריבאונדים ו-12 עבירות שסחט סידרו לג&#39;ונתן מוטלי את המקום על גלוית הניצחון על בשיקטאש.<br><br>יאללה ג&#39;ונתן, יאללה הפועל! <a href="https://t.co/jwp4vFOvac">pic.twitter.com/jwp4vFOvac</a></p>&mdash; Hapoel Tel Aviv BC (@HapoelTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC/status/1843918292647612687?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Head coach Stefanos Dedas was pleased with his team’s effort as Hapoel dominated despite poor shooting from deep, with the visiting team also committing 17 turnovers in a fast-paced contest against Besiktas.

“We dominated for 35 minutes, we know what our potential is and today was a good showcase what we can do,” Dedas said in his post-game comments.

“However, we mustn’t ignore the fact that Besiktas is the same team we played last year in the quarterfinals. Same players, same coach. We made it look easy, but it wasn’t.

“My assistants and I worked hard to prepare the team. We shot 1 of 17 on three-pointers and made 17 turnovers, but still we managed to win, which shows our potential.”

If the display against Besiktas is anything to go by, Hapoel has every chance of being a strong contender to challenge for the EuroCup title this season, with Motley and Beverley leading the way.

The two landmark signings make the Israeli outfit look a different team 

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv was ruthlessly efficient in the paint and solid from the foul line against Besiktas, despite misfiring from long-range 

Hapoel was ice cold from deep but overwhelmed Besiktas inside

One would hardly expect a team shooting 1 of 17 from downtown to come even close to winning a basketball game, but Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv did exactly that in a most emphatic manner.

The Israeli team brushed aside Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul on the road, 87-101, thanks to unchallenged domination in the paint, making 33 of 42 shots from inside while sinking 32 of 38 from the foul line.

In contrast, Besiktas hit a solid 9 of 24 from three-point range but was stifled out from close range, going 22 of 45 inside while making 16 of 18 free throws.

So, how did a team so inefficient from deep manage to keep such a stranglehold on the game?

Game Videos

Hapoel led pretty much throughout the lopsided contest, at several intervals by a margin of 21 points.

Quite simply, Besiktas could not stop Hapoel’s dynamic duo of Jonathan Motley and Patrick Beverley, whose off-season arrivals seem to have transformed the team. Motley, who joined from Turkish Airlines EuroLeague giant Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, tormented his markers all night and posted a game-high 24 points to go with 6 boards and 4 assists, while Beverley has made the most of a wealthy 11-year experience in the NBA.

The 36-year-old guard, who is in the lion-in-winter stage of his career, racked up 16 points and 10 boards, having buried all of his 10 free throws after drawing fouls from his opponents time and again. Motley made 8 of 10 from the floor and 8 of 11 from the foul line, while Marcus Foster shot 6 of 7 from two-point range and 4 of 4 free throws to amass 16 points.

Finally, Bar Timor made 5 of 5 from inside the arc to register 15 points and Tomer Ginat added 11, shooting 5 of 6 from two-point range as he also collected 6 boards.

Still, according to Motley, the performance left something to be desired after Besiktas had slashed its deficit to 11 points in the closing stages.     

“We played well offensively, whereas defensively we missed some things,” the towering center said in a post-game interview. “We’re happy we won but we are still going to go back to the drawing board and make sure we play a little bit better. We gave away 87 points as we didn’t do some things that coach told us to do on the defensive end.” 

The visiting team was ruthlessly efficient in the paint and solid from the foul line, despite misfiring from long-range 

Hapoel was ice cold from deep, but overwhelmed Besiktas inside

Kevin Kokila took over for Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse against Umana Reyer Venice and exploded with 13 points in less than 6 minutes.

Kevin Kokila’s career night boosted Bourg in Venice

“Everyone must understand that this is not our real face,” said Umana Reyer Venice head coach Neven Spahija at the post-game press conference after his team lost at home to Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse by 22 points, 66-88, on Tuesday night. That loud and clear statement came as a result of missing four players in the game, including his best scorers Tyler Ennis (17.5 ppg.), Jordan Parks (11.0) and Xavier Munford (10.0).

Despite those absences, Reyer played well in the first 10 minutes against Bourg, which arrived in Italy with a 2-0 record and a deep and balanced roster. At the end of the first period, the teams were all square, 17-17, and Reyer could have been ahead if some good looks on offense had fallen in. On the other side, Bourg had a very bad start from the perimeter, being held scoreless from behind the arc.

The turnaround moment came in the second quarter as Bourg finally opened the door when Brando Paul hit his first three with just 15 seconds played. Then Adrian Nelson, Maxime Courby, Jordan Usher and Xavier Castaneda joined to combine for 6 more, leading the team to 7-of-14 shooting from deep for the team by halftime. As such, the visitors led 36-44 at the break, a prelude of what was to come after the intermission.

Kevin Kokila's career night boosted Bourg in Venice

Kevin Kokila, who finished the first half with an index rating of -1 after going 1-of-3 from two, took over for Bourg and exploded with 13 points in less than 6 minutes. He was almost perfect from the field in that time, converting 4-of-5 two-pointers and hitting all 5 of his free-throw attempts in the third quarter. That awesome offensive run turned a 36-46 advantage right after the break into a 46-64 lead with 4 minutes left in the period. And when he finished producing, the game was already over.

Overall, Kokila finished with 15 points and 4 boards in 17:41, breaking his previous scoring record (11 points) that took place not this season, but in 2023, against another Italian team: Dolomiti Energia Trento.

“I feel great,” he recognized after the game. “We played a good game, collectively, especially in the third quarter. That's what gave us the win. It's real great to start three-zero in this competition.”

But Kokila didn’t look at the offense as an asset to keep and develop in the future. Among the things Bourg showed in this game Kokila considers important, one is required on the other side of the court: “The intensity in defense,” he stressed. “We cut the passes, we stole the ball out and that let us run on the full court and that’s why we won tonight.”

The 23-years-old center scored 13 of his team-high 15 points in the third quarter

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv improved its Group A record in the BKT EuroCup to 2-1 after romping away to an 87-101 road win over Besiktas Fidabanka Istanbul, largely thanks to a superb display from its off-season acquisitions Jonathan Motley and Patrick Beverley 

Hapoel blows by Besiktas, 87-101, as Jonathan Motley shines 

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv improved its Group A record in the BKT EuroCup to 2-1 after romping away to an 87-101 road win over Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul, largely thanks to a superb display from its off-season acquisitions.

Center Jonathan Motley racked up a game-high 24 points to go with 6 boards and 4 assists for Hapoel while guard Patrick Beverley chipped in with a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds. Marcus Foster also scored 16 points and Bar Timor added 15 for a well-oiled Hapoel outfit which fired on all cylinders throughout the contest.

At the other end, Derek Needham paced Besiktas with 17 points, Dustin Sleva amassed 14 and Emanuel Terry netted 12. Kyle Allman posted 11 points and Kelan Martin added 10 for the Turkish side, which slipped to a second successive defeat after its opening win against Buducnost VOLI Podgorica.

Following a balanced start to the game, Hapoel went on a 2-12 run midway through the first quarter to open up an 11-21 lead before Besiktas hit back to slash the deficit to 22-24 at the end of the opening period.

The home team then nosed ahead 29-28 but that turned out to be its only lead of the game, as Hapoel replied with a staggering 3-19 run moments later, which gave the visitors a whopping 34-51 advantage in the closing stages of the first half.

Having closed the gap to 41-54 at halftime, Besiktas was unable to keep up its comeback in the third quarter, with Motley running riot as he propelled Hapoel into a 60-81 lead ahead of the final 10 minutes.

Besiktas was able to take some comfort from occasional flashes of brilliance, namely spectacular alley-oops crafted out by Kyle Allman and Emanuel Terry, but Hapoel stood firm to maintain its insurmountable 21-point lead, 72-93, midway through the fourth.

Only then did Besiktas manage to put a few strings together on offense and go on an 11-1 run, but it was just too little too late as Hapoel closed the game out comfortably and celebrated an impressive win, which will surely boost the Israeli side’s confidence ahead of upcoming challenges.  

The Israeli side ran out a comfortable winner on the back of a huge performance from its big man 

Cosea JL Bourg-en-Breese showed no mercy against Umana Reyer Venice to record a convincing 66-88 win at Palasport Taliercio on Tuesday night that gave it a 3-0 record after 3 rounds. 

Bourg demolishes short-handed Reyer, 66-88, to remain unbeaten

Cosea JL Bourg-en-Breese showed no mercy against Umana Reyer Venice to record a convincing 66-88 win at Palasport Taliercio on Tuesday night that gave it a 3-0 record after 3 rounds. The hosts, who fell to 1-2, were without several important players as Xavier Munford, Tyler Ennis, Jordan Parks and Amadeo Tessitori couldn’t take the floor for Reyer. After a balanced first period, Bourg got going in the second quarter thanks to an incredible accuracy from behind the arc to build a 36-44 edge that grew to 20+ entering the last period.

Kevin Kokila paced the winners with 15 points - including 13 in the third quarter. Jean-Marc Pansa and Xavier Castanea followed with 10 apiece. Mfiondu Kabengele signed off a monster double-double of 19 points and 15 boards for Reyer, while Aamir Sims and Davide Moretti joined him on offense with 16 and 13 points, respectively, in the losing effort.

Both teams swapped baskets in the early going, but since the hosts pushed hard in the paint, the visitors had a better response from the perimeter to hold on, 6-6. That’s when Sims showed up to make the first three of the night, which helped Reyer construct an 11-6 edge midway through the first period. Another bomb by Moretti right after the TV timeout seemed to get the Italians going, 14-8, but consecutive missed offenses gave Bourg a chance to come back through Joel Ayayi and Pansa, who combined to make it 14-13 entering the last minute. The visitors kept collecting value from bench players, as Brandon Paul used an unsportsmanlike foul drawn on Kyle Wiltjer to tie it from the line, 17-17, to finish the first quarter.

Paul continued rocking after the break with a corner three - the first for his team, that put the visitors on the right track. On the opposite side, Wiltjer’s misses from the line were a prelude to what was coming next, as back-to-back triples by Adrian Nelson and Maxime Courby fueled Bourg to a 19-28 advantage after 13 minutes. Reyer tried, but no one except Kabengele and Moretti were able to produce. Meanwhile, Bourg continued punishing from outside, nailing more triples with Castaneda joining the party to make it 27-36. Castaneda kept pulling the strings on offense for Bourg, as even though he missed 3 free throws in a row, it didn’t stop him from scoring another deep three soon after and the last bucket of the half to hold the visitors comfortably ahead, 36-44 at the end of the second quarter.

Jordan Usher and Kokila made it a double-digit lead for the first time in the game with consecutive inside buckets, turning on Reyer’s alarms, 36-48. Kabengele tried to come to the rescue once again for the home team, but he crashed against Kokila’s hottest moments. Kokila provided 9 of Bourg’s next 11 points to boost Bourg to a 44-59 lead right after a TV timeout, and Hugo Benitez made it from deep - his first, to make it even worse, 44-62, for the home side. Reyer seemed to keep losing power as the game went on, with Bourg easily finding points from each and every player who took the court. Nelson dug it deeper with another corner three that made Bourg surpass the 20-point mark, 48-69. Free throws and a buzzer-beater bucket off-the steal by Nelson closed the third period with the visitors dominating 53-76.

With the outcome no longer in doubt, Bourg’s offense slowed down a little bit early in the last stanza. As such, Pansa was the only one able to score for the visitors in the first 4 minutes, but Reyer didn’t take advantage of that to reduce the gap. Courby ended Bourg’s offensive drought with a couple of free throws to make it 59-80 and Usher followed. Reyer’s head coach Neven Spahija called for his second timeout of the quarter to give his team a needed push to finish the game in the best mood possible, but even though Moretti took over with a triple right after, he found no help to prevent Bourg from finishing over the 20-point mark.

The visitors made 7 threes in the second quarter to set the foundations for the win

A dominant performance in the paint by Turk Telekom Ankara centers Kyle Alexander and Yoan Makoundou inspired the hosts to a 78-70 home victory over Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana on Tuesday. 

Turk Telekom’s bigs Alexander and Makoundou overpowered Cedevita

A dominant performance in the paint by Turk Telekom Ankara centers Kyle Alexander and Yoan Makoundou inspired the hosts to a 78-70 home victory over Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana on Tuesday. The Turkish side outrebounded the visitors 40-24 with Alexander recording his second double-double of the season by picking up 10 boards and netting a joint game-high 16 points. His fellow big, Makoundou, registered the same scoring tally and downed a season-high 8 rebounds. Between the two, they managed 8 offensive boards – 2 more than the whole Cedevita team.

Alexander went 5-for-7 (71.4%) on two-pointers and 6-for-9 (66.7%) from the free-throw line. He also recorded 3 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks, as well as 8 fouls drawn, for a game-high PIR of 30.

Turk Telekom's dunk show against Cedevita

“As a team, we are getting better,” Alexander said in a post-game interview with EuroLeague TV. “Every single game, every single practice, we made a big jump this week. I’m proud of us. We keep fighting away. It’s not perfect, but we keep grinding away.”

Makoundou also nailed 5 of his 7 attempts from inside the arc and drilled 2 three-pointers to finish the game with a PIR of 17. The two Turk Telekom bigs got fans off their seats with some powerful dunks on several occasions. Both posterized Cedevita’s 18-year-old center Joan Beringer in the first quarter, with Makoundou slamming home a two-handed put-back dunk, after a missed triple from Olivier Hanlan, to make it 59-56 with 7:44 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Turk Telekom came into its third game of the season ranking second-top on offensive, as well as top on defensive and total rebounds, with 16.5, 31.0 and 47.5 per game. On Tuesday evening, head coach Erdem Can’s side demonstrated once again that their dominance inside will be key in their bid to build momentum as they grow into the season.

Next week, Turk Telekom travels to France, where it’s scheduled to face Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse on Tuesday. Should they manage to control the boards again, the Turkish side will have laid the foundation for a fourth consecutive victory in what would be a sublime start to the campaign.

The two combined for 32 points and 18 rebounds