U-BT Cluj-Napoca improved to 2-0 in the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season after defeating Slask Wroclaw 67-70 on the road.

U-BT Cluj-Napoca fights back to stun Slask Wroclaw, 67-70

U-BT Cluj-Napoca fought back from 15 points down to snatch a hard-fought 67-70 victory on the road at Slask Wroclaw on Wednesday night. The visitors bounced back in the last quarter to turn the game around, as they clinched their second victory of the season and improved to 2-0. Slask, meanwhile, dropped to 0-2.

D.J. Seeley recorded a game-high 24 points, as well as 5 rebounds, 5 steals and 2 assists for a 24 PIR. The experienced Andrija Stipanovic added 14 points and Bryce Jones had 10. Jakub Niziol led Slask with 18 points and Daniel Golebiowski had 10.

The two teams got off to a nervy start, scoring just a couple of points each in the first 3 minutes of the duel. Niziol sank a three-pointer and went 3-of-3 from the free-throw line for an 8-4 Slask lead. Jarrell Eddie responded from behind the arc, but Dusan Miletic scored his first points of the night to make it 10-7. Niziol threw down an impressive slam and converted from the line to take his scoring tally to 11 points in less than 7 minutes, as Slask headed into the second quarter ahead 21-15.

Artsiom Parakhouski dominated in the paint and netted 6 points off the bench to extend Slask’s lead to 29-22. Golebiowski responded to a Stipanovic basket with a layup to maintain a 7-point lead and force Cluj to call a timeout. The visitors bounced back, as Stipanovic scored 4 straight points before getting some rest and Seeley drilled a tough triple to get Cluj within 36-33 at halftime.

Game Videos

Seeley tied the game from behind the arc, but Miletic bagged 4 points and Hassani Gravett sank a three for a 43-36 Slask lead. The hosts upped their game and Saulius Kulvietis made two straight triples to stretch the difference to 56-41. Cluj managed to stay in the game, with Seeley scoring twice from downtown to cut the deficit to 56-48 heading into the last quarter.

Mateusz Zebski and Golebiowski scored a basket each for a 64-56 Slask lead, but Cluj paid for its poor shooting heading into crunch time, despite securing a series of second-chance opportunities through offensive rebounds. Slask didn’t put the game to bed and Seeley made two straight triples to get the guests within 67-66. Stipanovic drew an offensive foul at the other end and Jarrell Eddie made a huge fadeaway jump shot to put Cluj ahead 67-68 with 0:25 left on the clock. Then, Gravett made a turnover and Jones went 2-of-2 from the line to seal an enormous comeback victory for the visitors.

Game News

Bryce Jones of U-BT Cluj-Napoca looks to finish with a series of Slask Wroclaw players around him during the two teams' Round 2 matchup in the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

The hosts ended up losing the game in the final minutes of the contest.

Cluj fights back to stun Slask, 67-70

Slask Wroclaw v U-BT Cluj-Napoca (2023-10-11T18:00:00.000Z)

Andres Feliz sank a buzzer-beating baseline floater as Joventut Badalona defeated Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana 87-88 in overtime in Round 2 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

Joventut Badalona grinds out last-gasp overtime win at Cedevita Olimpija

Joventut Badalona celebrated a dramatic 87-88 overtime victory against Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana in an enthralling BKT EuroCup Group A clash at Arena Stozice. This triumph gets the Spanish side’s campaign on track and inflicts a third successive defeat on the Slovenian team in all competitions.

Deshaun Thomas paced Joventut with 23 points, Vladimir Brodziansky added 19 and 8 rebounds while Ante Tomic and Andres Feliz chipped in with 12 points each, the latter also sinking the winning shot at the death. Justin Cobb led the home side with a game-high 28 points, veteran guard Jaka Blazic added 24 and Karlo Matkovic racked up 11 to go with 9 rebounds.

Joventut got off to a flying start as it raced into an 0-7 lead but Cedevita, which was beaten by Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 51-94 in the regional ABA League after suffering a 73-100 drubbing by Hapoel Sholom Tel Aviv in the EuroCup’s opening round, quickly regained its composure.

A Luka Scuka three-pointer gave the hosts a 21-20 lead early in the second quarter and they opened up an 11-point gap at halftime, 43-32, with Cobbs and Blazic running the show. Cobbs, who hit his opening 10 shots from the floor and finished on 12-of-13 shooting, was unstoppable on offense, while 33-year-old Blazic rolled back the years as Cedevita fired on all cylinders in the second period.

However, Joventut closed the gap by the end of the third quarter, 53-51, and the visitors looked like cruising to a comfortable victory when they turned the tables in the fourth, having taken a 63-70 lead midway through. They were still in a commanding position to come out on top in regulation in the closing stages, but Blazic had other ideas, hitting a pair of clutch three-pointers to force overtime.

Joventut had the upper hand in the additional five minutes, but it looked like it had thrown the game away after the outstanding Cobbs nailed a mid-range jump shot with only 2 seconds left on the clock to give the home side an 87-86 lead. It seemed a fitting punishment for Feliz and Tomic missing 4 free throws between them in quick succession at the other end moments earlier.

Feliz then came up with the final twist when he sank a tough baseline floater after a side-out, throwing his teammates into raptures while Cedevita’s players and fans were left stunned at the end of a rip-roaring contest.

Pau Ribas of Joventut Badalona attempts to get away from Jaka Blazic of Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana during the two teams' Round 2 matchup in the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

Andres Feliz sank a buzzer-beating baseline floater to claw victory from the jaws of defeat for the visitors.

Joventut grinds out last-gasp 87-88 overtime win at Cedevita

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana v Joventut Badalona (2023-10-11T16:30:00.000Z)

Turk Telekom B.K. beat Buducnost VOLI Podgorica 79-77 at Ankara Spor Salonu on Wednesday night in Round 2 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

Turk Telekom holds on to beat Buducnost, 79-77

Turk Telekom Ankara has its first win of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season after defeating Buducnost VOLI Podgorica 79-77 at Ankara Spor Salonu on Wednesday night. The Turkish side led for the final three and a half quarters, but a McKinley Wright floater almost saw the visitors send the game to overtime.

Jalen Adams had a team-high 18 points for Turk Telekom, which also had James Palmer (16 points), Tyrone Wallace (14) and Steven Enoch (14) score in double figures. Enoch also grabbed 12 rebounds as he recorded his first double-double in the EuroCup. For Buducnost, Brandon Paul netted a game-high 19 points after hitting 5 three-pointers, while Wright was the only other player to score 10 or more, finishing with 14.

Buducnost took the first lead of the game, going 0-3 ahead after Vladimir Mihailovic converted a three-point play, but that proved to be the visitors’ only lead of the night. That is because Palmer ended up pacing Turk Telekom with 8 first-quarter points en route to a 25-20 advantage after 10 minutes.

An Aleksa Ilic dunk over Markis McDuffie cut the gap to 3 points, 25-22, at the start of the second period, but 10 straight points for Turk Telekom saw it pull away again, 35-22. Buducnost playmaker Wright scored his first points of the game with a triple not long after, 35-25, but another run by the hosts saw them head into the final seconds with a 50-35 margin. Yet, a buzzer-beating triple by Wright meant that it was a 12-point game, 50-38, at halftime.

Turk Telekom tried to keep its foot on the gas in the third quarter, but Buducnost refused to go away. In fact, the visitors managed to trim the deficit to single digits at various points, while Turk Telekom guard Wallace began to wobble at the line, ending a run of 19 straight made free throws four and a half minutes into the third. However, a mixture of Adams, Wallace and Enoch did enough to ensure that Turk Telekom finished the quarter ahead by 11 points, 69-58.

As the game began to draw to a close, Buducnost did enough to stay within reach. Despite going down by 14 points, 74-60, following an Adams three, Colbey Ross came up big with 5 points before Paul nailed his fourth and fifth three-pointers of the night, which made it a 79-77 ballgame entering the final 1:17. Then, Wright had the chance to send the game to overtime, but his floater came up short, meaning Turk Telekom’s players could celebrate the win.

Tyrone Wallace of Turk Telekom Ankara in possession of the ball during his team's game against Buducnost VOLI Podgorica in Round 2 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

The visitors almost flipped the script in the final minutes, but McKinley Wright’s potential game-winning floater fell just short.

Turk Telekom Ankara v Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (2023-10-11T17:00:00.000Z)

Round 2 action in the BKT Eurocup left three teams unbeaten in each group as road teams won the balance of the nine games split between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Quartet of Round 2 road winners share group leads

[See the standings after Round 2](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/standings/)

### WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11

[Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana 87-88 Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/joventut-badalona-grinds-out-last-gasp-87-88-overtime-win-at-cedevita-olimpija/)

Joventut Badalona celebrated a dramatic 87-88 overtime victory against Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana in an enthralling BKT EuroCup Group A clash at Arena Stozice. This triumph gets the Spanish side’s campaign on track and inflicts a third successive defeat on the Slovenian team in all competitions.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">💚🖤 FINAAAAAL! Feliz sobre la botzina i victòria!!<a href="https://twitter.com/KKCedOL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KKCedOL</a> 87-88 <a href="https://twitter.com/Penya1930?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Penya1930</a><br><br>🎯 Deshaun Thomas: 23 punts<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Badalona%C3%89sFutur?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BadalonaÉsFutur</a> <a href="https://t.co/G8SFrFtIPs">pic.twitter.com/G8SFrFtIPs</a></p>&mdash; Club Joventut Badalona (@Penya1930) <a href="https://twitter.com/Penya1930/status/1712180566412435701?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Turk Telekom Ankara 79-77 Buducnost VOLI Podgorica](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/turk-telekom-bk-holds-on-to-beat-buducnost-voli-79-77/)

Turk Telekom Ankara has its first win of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season after defeating Buducnost VOLI Podgorica 79-77 at Ankara Spor Salonu on Wednesday night. The Turkish side led for the final three and a half quarters, but a McKinley Wright floater almost saw the visitors send the game to overtime.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Evimizde galibiyetin sevincini yaşıyoruz! 🤍💙<br><br>Maç sonucu: Türk Telekom 79 - 77 Buducnost Voli <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AimToGlory?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AimToGlory</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AnkaraBasketbolu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AnkaraBasketbolu</a> <a href="https://t.co/2ELyFuhy2s">pic.twitter.com/2ELyFuhy2s</a></p>&mdash; Türk Telekom Basketbol (@TT_Basketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/TT_Basketbol/status/1712179444553523274?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Umana Reyer Venice 75-81 Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/paris-basketball-downs-reyer-venezia-75-81-in-back-and-forth-contest/)

Paris Basketball fought past Umana Reyer Venice to secure a 75-81 road victory and remain undefeated in this season’s BKT EuroCup. The French side is now 2-0, while Reyer is 0-2.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Venise Vidi Vici 🤌<br><br>On enchaine avec une deuxième win de suite et une deuxième win en <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a> face à une belle équipe de Venise 🤜🤛<br><br>RDV Samedi pour la réception du Portel à Carpentier 💨 <a href="https://t.co/KBiIv8GPpN">pic.twitter.com/KBiIv8GPpN</a></p>&mdash; Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball/status/1712203052134846492?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Slask Wroclaw 67-70 U-BT Cluj-Napoca](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/slask-wroclaw-u-bt-cluj-napoca/U2023/20/)

U-BT Cluj-Napoca fought back from 15 points down to snatch a hard-fought 67-70 victory on the road at Slask Wroclaw on Wednesday night. The visitors bounced back in the last quarter to turn the game around, as they clinched their second victory of the season and improved to 2-0. Slask, meanwhile, dropped to 0-2.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🤯🤯🤯What a game! What an ending! <br>Final score 🆚 <a href="https://twitter.com/WKS_SlaskBasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WKS_SlaskBasket</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToGreatness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToGreatness</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/eurocup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#eurocup</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cluj?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cluj</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/haideU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#haideU</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BKTEuroCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BKTEuroCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/MLOb3cDKND">pic.twitter.com/MLOb3cDKND</a></p>&mdash; U-BT Cluj-Napoca (@UBTCluj) <a href="https://twitter.com/UBTCluj/status/1712201182679044240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Dreamland Gran Canaria 111-82 ratiopharm Ulm](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/gran-canaria-blows-away-ratiopharm-ulm-111-82/)

Dreamland Gran Canaria made it two wins out from two in Group B of the BKT EuroCup after the holder brushed aside ratiopharm Ulm 111-82 in a lop-sided contest on Wednesday. During the convincing win, the Spanish side showed that it means business as it goes about winning back-to-back titles in the competition.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🏀 Final: <br><br>🐥 Dreamland Gran Canaria 111<br>⚫️ Ratiopharm Ulm 82<br><br>🔥 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VamosGranca?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VamosGranca</a> <a href="https://t.co/QFCLFWdkAo">pic.twitter.com/QFCLFWdkAo</a></p>&mdash; Dreamland Gran Canaria (@GranCanariaCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/GranCanariaCB/status/1712210350160966057?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10

[7bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys 84-74 Aris Midea Thessaloniki](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/7bet-lietkabelis-panevezys-aris-midea-thessaloniki/U2023/18/)

Lietkabelis pulled away in the final 10 minutes to defeat Aris 84-74 in its Group B home opener. Lietkabelis now has a 1-1 record in Group B and Aris dropped to 0-2. Deividas Sirvydis led the winners with 21 points. Gediminas Orelik added 19 and 8 rebounds while Nikola Popovic had 13 points for Lietkabelis. Vassilis Toliopoulos led Aris with 19 points. Silvio De Sousa added 16 and 11 rebounds while Roberto Gallinat had 15 points for the guests.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A dominant second-round performance from 7bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToGreatness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToGreatness</a> <a href="https://t.co/loXmAOMlom">pic.twitter.com/loXmAOMlom</a></p>&mdash; BKT EuroCup (@EuroCup) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup/status/1711804731285197112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

[Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul 92-70. Prometey Slobozhanske](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/besiktas-emlakjet-istanbul-prometey-slobozhanske/U2023/11/)

Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul took down a second big name in as many weeks as the Turkiye side beat Prometey Slobozhanske 92-70 at home in Group A of the BKT EuroCup on Tuesday. After defeating 2023 semifinalist Joventut Badalona 62-63 on the road in Round 1, Besiktas held down another semifinalist from last season to improve to 2-0 while Prometey dropped to 1-1. Yigit Arslan paced Besiktas with a career-high 24 points and Jonah Mathews added 22 points in the win. Tai Odiase poured in 16 points for Prometey.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Ooo 🙌 Shh 🤫 1... 2... 3... 🦅<br><br>𝟐/𝟐 𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐲𝐞𝐭 üçlüsü Yağız&#39;dan. 😎<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Potan%C4%B1nKartallar%C4%B1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PotanınKartalları</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Be%C5%9Fikta%C5%9FEmlakjet?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BeşiktaşEmlakjet</a> <a href="https://t.co/Xb9A8TEhnE">pic.twitter.com/Xb9A8TEhnE</a></p>&mdash; Beşiktaş Emlakjet (@BJK_Basketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/BJK_Basketbol/status/1711822560931832114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

[Veolia Hamburg Towers 94-100 London Lions](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/veolia-towers-hamburg-london-lions/U2023/15/)

London Lions emerged victorious from a closely contested affair, beating host Veolia Hamburg Towers 94-100 on Tuesday. A 35-point fourth quarter helped London improved to 2-0 in Group A while Hamburg dropped to 0-2. Matt Morgan paced London with 21 points and 6 assists for a 29 PIR. Tarik Phillip and Gabe Olaseni scored 18 apiece and Conor Morgan added 17. Hamburg center Aleksander Dziewa scored a game- and career-high 28 points and pulled 6 rebounds for a PIR of 30. Seth Hinrichs added 16 points and Aljami Durham paired his 13 points with 7 boards for Hamburg.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">HUGE ROAD WIN IN HAMBURG 😤<br><br>We remain unbeaten this season, both in <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/britishbasketm?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@britishbasketm</a> 🦁<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreLondon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreLondon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToGreatness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToGreatness</a> <a href="https://t.co/DJ1V1p6o24">pic.twitter.com/DJ1V1p6o24</a></p>&mdash; London Lions (@LondonLions) <a href="https://twitter.com/LondonLions/status/1711834165971173577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

[Dolomiti Energia Trento 72-79 Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/dolomiti-energia-trento-mincidelice-jl-bourg-en-bresse/U2023/16/)

JL Bourg en Bresse maintained its strong start to the season with a hard-fought 72-79 victory at winless Dolomiti Energia Trento Mincidelice. Bourg now occupies the top rung in Group B with a 2-0 record, while Trento goes back to the drawing board after dropping a pair to start the season. Bryce Brown paced Bourg with 17 points, while Hugo Benitez directed the offense with 10 points and 9 assists. Maksim Salash (13), Isiaha Mike (12) and Kevin Kokila (11) also scored in double digits for the winner. Trento's Paul Biligha came close to a double-double with 17 points and 9 rebounds, and Quinn Ellis added 14 points in defeat. 

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Victoire ✅<a href="https://twitter.com/AquilaBasketTN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AquilaBasketTN</a> - 72 🆚 79 - JL Bourg <br><br>Au terme d&#39;un match serré, la JL Bourg se défait de Trento et enchaîne une 2e victoire consécutive 💪<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToGreatness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToGreatness</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeRedy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeRedy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/1zEgqGeCAD">pic.twitter.com/1zEgqGeCAD</a></p>&mdash; JL Bourg Basket (@JLBourgBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/JLBourgBasket/status/1711833748944154768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

Veolia Towers Hamburg v London Lions (2023-10-10T17:30:00.000Z)

Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul v Prometey Slobozhanske (2023-10-10T17:00:00.000Z)

7bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys v Aris Midea Thessaloniki (2023-10-10T16:00:00.000Z)

Dolomiti Energia Trento v Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse (2023-10-10T18:00:00.000Z)

Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse soared to 2-0 in Group B as a pair of big men just getting to know each other, Kevin Kokila and Maksim Salash, were unstoppable in Trento.

Kokila, Salash tag-teamed Bourg's victory in Trento

It wasn't always pretty and it certainly wasn't easy, but Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse stayed perfect by grinding out [a gritty 72-79 victory at Dolomiti Energia Trento](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/dolomiti-energia-trento-mincidelice-jl-bourg-en-bresse/U2023/16/) on Tuesday night, and the frontcourt pairing of Kevin Kokila and Maksim Salash was one of the main reasons why. 

Kokila was named in the initial line-up by head coach Frederic Fauthoux and responded by making a very fast start: he scored the opening two baskets of the game, pulled down a rebound at both ends of the floor and drew a foul to make it clear that Trento would have a tough time matching up against him. 

Kokila was replaced by Salash towards the end of the first quarter, and the Belarussian also got going quickly, netting his first basket early in the second period to protect Bourg's slender lead.  

The same pattern continued all night, with either Kokila or Salash on the floor – they were on the court together for just 65 seconds – and both of them proving extremely effective in everything they did. 

Kokila ended with 11 points on 4 of 5 two-point shooting and 3 of 4 free throws. He also added 8 rebounds, an assist and 2 steals for a PIR of 22 during his 19 minutes in the game. Salash, who spent 21 minutes on the floor, had 13 points on 4 of 6 for two-pointers, 1 of 3 from deep and 2 of 2 from the foul line. He also grabbed 4 rebounds, snared 2 steals and blocked a shot for a PIR of 17. 

Kevin Kokila and Maksim Salash combined for 24 points and 12 rebounds to lead Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse to a road win against Dolomiti Energia Trento.

Kokila, Salash led Bourg to road victory

It's just as well that the big man pairing showed shooting accuracy from two-point range, because they were the only Bourg players who did: whereas Kokila and Salash combined for a very creditable 8 of 11 from inside the arc, the rest of the team was pretty awful in that respect with just 7 conversions on 27 attempts. 

That stat alone is enough to suggest that the outcome of a tight game might have been very different without the steady contributions of Kokila and Salash, and the Angolan international believes there is much more to come. 

"It's only the beginning," said Kokila, who has welcomed no less than seven new teammates – including Salash – on the Bourg roster this season. "Everybody doesn't know each other very well yet, and we lack some things on defense. That's the main point of improvement and when we get that, we will be very hard to stop."

That sounds like a dangerous warning for the rest of the BKT EuroCup, because Tuesday night's tag-team performance showed that Kokila and Salash are pretty hard to stop already. 

Bourg soared to 2-0 in Group B as a pair of big men just getting to know each other, Kevin Kokila and Maksim Salash, were unstoppable in Trento.

With a 2-0 mark to start its return BKT EuroCup season, Besiktas is showing that it’s a contender whether relying on defense or offense.

Besiktas believes on both ends of the court

Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul showed in Round 1 in its return to the BKT EuroCup that it can win big games with defense. In Round 2, it added offensive power to defensive dominance in dropping another big opponent. 

Besiktas had four players score in double figures in downing Prometey Slobozhanske at its own game [92-70](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/besiktas-emlakjet-istanbul-prometey-slobozhanske/U2023/11/) for a 2-0 mark in Group A. The Ukrainian opponent was one of the EuroCup's top-scoring teams last season, and opened this one by dropping 97 points on Veolia Towers Hamburg in Round 1.

But Besiktas's defense is at a different level than Hamburg's, the EuroCup returnees having held for a [62-63](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/joventut-badalona-besiktas-emlakjet-istanbul/U2023/5/) road win over perennial contender Joventut Badalona in the season's opening week. Now, it has two great defensive performances against semifinalists from last season.

"That was something really special for us," Besiktas head coach Dusan Alimpijevic said after beating Prometey. "After a long time, winning a EuroCup game in front of our fans, I am really proud of these guys. We played good basketball, good defense, and we stopped them doing the best thing they do, which is \[run in the\] open court."  

As against Joventut, Besiktas's perimeter defense excelled against Prometey, which made just 5 of 20 three-pointers, or 25.0%, after Joventut made just 2 of 16 for 12.5%. 

Jonah Mathews, Yigit Arslan (22 points) Highlights vs. Prometey Slobozhanske, 10/10/2023

Jonah Mathews, Yigit Arslan highlights vs Prometey Slobozhanske

The Besiktas defense was especially strong against the duo of Davon Reed and Marcus Keene. Both Americans hit 3 three-pointers and combined for 30 points and 9 assists against Hamburg. On the court of Besiktas, Reed left the game early in the third quarter with an injury but went scoreless while Keene made just 1 of 10 shots for 3 points. They combined for 4 assists.

Besiktas came up with just enough offense against Joventut, committing 16 turnovers and shooting just 39.5% on two pointers, 30.0% on threes. Yigit Arslan scored 13 points off the bench and Berkan Durmaz was the only starter in double figures with 10 points. 

Against Prometey, however, Alimpijevic saw his men make 10 of 21 three-pointers, a 47.6% rate, while shooting 57.9% inside the arc and committing just 9 turnovers.

Arslan posted a new career high with 24 points and Jonah Mathews added 22. Matthew Mitchell contributed 12 points and Angel Delgado chipped in 11 points and 11 rebounds. 

"I am happy we were able to pull it out and show what we are really able to do," said Mitchell, who did not play in Round 1 because of an injury. "We haven't been fully healthy for one game this year. So playing this way with nine guys, Coach has full belief in us. We have full belief in each other. And I think we showed that tonight."

Besiktas has shown against two great opponents that its defense is strong. If it can reproduce the Round 2 offensive performance on a regular basis, there might be another challenger in the EuroCup this season. 

It was his first game in European competitions in Lithuanian soil since 2020, and Deividas Sirvydis made sure he was ready to showcase what he can do on a basketball court.

Sirvydis is back home to lead Lietkabelis

Sirvydis led 7bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys to an 84-74 home win against Aris Midea Thessaloniki, finishing the game with 21 points in almost 34 minutes. At age 23, Sirvydis is a young veteran ready to make the most out of the extended playing time and the leading role that Lietkabelis head coach Roberts Stelmahers is giving him.

He is the son of Virginijus Sirvydis, who played professional basketball in Lithuania, Russia, Germany, Cyprus and the Czech Republic. [Deividas Sirvydis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/deividas-sirvydis/007029/) grew up in all of these countries and picked up basketball at age 7. He grew up with Rytas Vilnius and became a star in the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament (ANGT). In 2018, he led U18 Rytas to the ANGT title in Belgrade, Serbia. He had 16 points, 3 rebounds and a PIR of 15 in a 55-76 over U18 Stellazzurra Rome in the championship game. Sirvydis was chosen as the tournament's MVP.

Slowly but steadily, Sirvydis started to see playing time in Rytas's first team, taking part in three EuroCup seasons from 2017 to 2020. In the 2019-20 campaign, he averaged 6.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in 16 EuroCup games. After a brief stint with Hapoel Jerusalem, Sirvydis signed a deal with Detroit of the NBA, and went on to play halfway between the NBA and the G League until he signed a contract with Lietkabelis this summer.

Lietkabelis fixed its problems in the second half, cutting turnovers to just 6 after the break. The hosts rebounded even better at both ends, too. Lietkabelis pulled down 10 offensive rebounds after the break, getting almost as many defensive boards (14) as Aris. The guests were able to pull just 5 more offensive boards after halftime, 25% of all rebounds under Lietkabelis's basket. The hosts ended up burying 11 of 25 three-pointers (44.0% 3FG) on the night. Aris took more three-point shots, 28, but hit just 7 of them (25%).

Sirvydis led 7bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys to an 84-74 home win against Aris Midea Thessaloniki, finishing the game with 21 points in almost 34 minutes.

Sirvydis led Lietkabelis past Aris

Back in Europe after a three-year break, Sirvydis returned to European competitions last week but did not have his best performance. He made only 1 of 9 three-point attempts on his way to 8 points, adding 7 rebounds for a PIR of 3. Back in his home country on Tuesday, however, Sirvydis had a very different performance, full of confidence, asking for the ball to play one-on-one, going to foul line often and being very aggressive at both ends.

Lietkabelis opted to put together a team with deep roots in its basketball-crazy country, with only two foreigns: Nikola Popovic and Alen Hadzibegovic. Sirvydis is living up to the expectations as one of the team's leaders, along with Gediminas Orelik and Vytenis Lipkevicius, all of them Lithuanian. After playing basketball in different countries as a kid and a professional player, it is time for Sirvydis to take over in Lithuania.

Left unable to play in the BKT EuroCup last season due to injury, Tarik Phillip has come back in a big way already for London Lions.

Phillip bounced back from injury for clutch display in Hamburg

[Matt Morgan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/matthew-morgan/012585/) may have pulled off an MVP performance in Hamburg on Tuesday night. And [Conor Morgan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/conor-morgan/009680/) may have contributed 12 of his 17 points in the last quarter against Veolia Hamburg Towers. But [Tarik Phillip](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/tarik-phillip/009649/) was the man who sealed the victory for the London Lions in Germany.

Phillip scored 9 points in the first three quarters and another 9 in the last one. His second three-pointer of the game brought London within 73-72 a minute-and-a-half into the fourth quarter. Then, his third triple of the night put the guests ahead 75-78, before he connected with Conor Morgan, who also netted from behind the arc.

Hamburg bounced back and trimmed the deficit to 92-95 with less than 1 minute to go, but that's when Phillip stepped up again. He scored a buzzer-beating jump shot and forced a turnover from Aljami Durham on the next possession to practically put the game on ice for the visitors.

Straight after the final whistle, all of Phillip's teammates went to embrace him and congratulate him for his performance before heading to the locker rooms. Their support was crucial in his bid to get in shape again after facing a serious knee injury during preseason ahead of the 2022-23 campaign.

Tarik Phillip (18 points) Highlights vs. Hamburg Towers, 10/10/2023

Tarik Phillip's highlights vs. Hamburg Towers

"It was the first day of practice. It's crazy to explain, honestly. It was sort of a freak accident," Phillip said in a mini-documentary produced by London following his return to action.

"I jumped. I heard a pop. I landed on both feet. I thought it was normal. I tried to take a step, to bend my leg and I realized that I couldn't bend it. It's crazy. I was sometimes in the house and I was like, 'Am I gonna be able to play again?'"

Phillip didn't feature in any BKT EuroCup games last season but returned for the last seven games of the British League to help London go all the way to the trophy. Then, over the summer, the club decided to place its faith in Phillip by announcing his contract extension. The 29-year-old guard has managed to pay back that confidence on the court in his first two games of the 2023-24 EuroCup campaign.

After putting together a fine all-around performance by producing 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists in the season opener against Umana Reyer Venice, Phillip scored 18 against Hamburg to demonstrate that he will be an important tool in head coach Petar Bozic's hands this season. Having bounced back from a serious injury, Phillip has shown that he is ready to take the EuroCup by storm.

Left unable to play in the BKT EuroCup last season due to injury, Tarik Phillip has come back in a big way already for the London Lions.

London Lions emerged victorious from a closely contested affair, beating host Veolia Hamburg Towers to stay perfect after two games in BKT EuroCup's Group A.

London dominated fourth quarter to down host Hamburg

In a highly-entertaining showdown on Tuesday night, Veolia Hamburg Towers was ahead 70-65 against the London Lions heading into the fourth quarter. It was a see-saw affair in the first three quarters, with the two sides exchanging punches and leads. But London's players left their hearts and all their energy on the court in the last quarter, when they scored as many as 35 points to secure a hard-fought 94-100 victory.

"It was just a team effort. Our defense really fueled our offense," game MVP [Matt Morgan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/matthew-morgan/012585/) said after the game. "The culture we want to build as a team is 'next man up'. Everyone had energy, credit to our coach and staff for getting us right throughout the week. We just wanted to win and we all played for each other, so this is what got us through.”

Five London players registered double digits in scoring, as Matt Morgan scored a team-high 21 points, [Tarik Phillip](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/tarik-phillip/009649/) and [Gabe Olaseni](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/gabe-olaseni/006600/) added 18 each, [Conor Morgan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/conor-morgan/009680/) had 17 and [Donte Grantham](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/donte-grantham/012586/), who shined in London’s win in its BKT EuroCup season opener against Umana Reyer Venice, registered 10. 

Most importantly, the guests turned the game around without head coach Petar Bozic on the bench due to illness. His assistant, Robert Youngblood, who was in charge of the team, also focused on the mentality that the coaching staff is trying to instil into the team and sent Bozic a message after the Lions' second win this season.

"It was a big game for the team," Youngblood noted. "We are trying to build a culture here in London. We want everybody to play the right way. Coach \[Bozic\], we got you."

After celebrating a well-earned road win in Germany, London’s fourth quarter is definitely something that Bozic and his staff will look to build on in their bid to inspire the team into playoff qualification for the second campaign in a row.

London Lions used a club-record 35-point fourth quarter to reach 100 points and outgun host Hamburg.