Dreamland Gran Canaria opened the defense of its BKT EuroCup title with a 66-82 victory at Aris Midea Thessaloniki. 

Gran Canaria overcomes slow start, rolls past Aris 66-82

AJ Slaughter poured in 21 points, including 4 three-pointers, and Nicolas Brussino added 16 points in the Group B game. Aris, which has returned to the EuroCup for the first time after seven seasons away, was led by Roberto Galliant’s 22 points.

Game News

### Aris is brilliant early

Gallinat drained a three-pointer to start the game and for Aris’s first points in the competition since 2015-16. The guard moved to eight points as the Aris lead grew to 12-4. Gran Canaria knocked down 3 three-pointers but another triple from Gallinat had the hosts up 21-13. Miguel Salvo began to step up for the visitors with 7 points but could not cut into the lead as Aris remained hot. Ronnie Harrell’s three-pointer at the end of the first quarter made it 28-20 and had Aris shooting 73 percent from the field in the first 10 minutes.

Game Videos

### Gran Canaria recovers by halftime

As hot as Aris was in the first quarter, it cooled off in the second frame, with just 2 points in the first 5 minutes and watched Gran Canaria pull within 30-29. The Spanish side finally took its first lead 32-34 on a Jovan Kljajic three-pointer. Sylven Landsberg added a three-point play and Gran Canaria’s cushion grew to 32-38. The score was 35-38 at the break.

Aris needed nearly 3 minutes to score its first basket in the second half and Brussino buried 2 three-pointers to push the Gran Canaria advantage to 38-46. Aris stood strong defensively to keep Gran Canaria in check and knotted the game 52-52. Vassilis Toliopoulis put Aris back ahead 55-54 only to see Andrew Albicy beat the buzzer at the other end and Gran Canaria was up 55-57 after 30 minutes.

### The finish belongs to Slaughter

Gran Canaria again used its defense and held Aris scoreless for the first 5 minutes of the fourth quarter and Slaughter scored 9 points for a 55-71 margin. Aris could not get closer than 14 points the rest of the way.

Aris Midea Thessaloniki v Dreamland Gran Canaria (2023-10-04T17:00:00.000Z)

The Ukrainian club, which scored 35 first-quarter points, led from start to finish in season-opening win

Prometey starts strong to thump Hamburg 97-77

Prometey Slobozhanske never trailed in starting the season with an impressive 97-77 victory over Veolia Towers Hamburg at Arena Riga in the Latvian capital. Marcus Keene starred for the winners with 19 points and 6 assists, Davon Reed, Illia Sydorov and Vyacheslav Bobrov each scored 11, Ronald March had 10 and Ondrej Balvin tallied 8 points and 11 rebounds. Eleven different Prometey players scored.

Al Durham led the Hamburg attack with 15 points, Mark Hughes and VJ King both contributed 11 points and Terrell Gomez 10. All 11 Hamburg players scored.

### How Prometey took control

Prometey led 5-0 before Hamburg even took a shot and needed less than 5 minutes to take its first double-digit lead, 21-9, after Keene's second triple. Hamburg fought hard and made some noise with offensive rebounds, but struggled to find the bottom of the net. The Prometey run reached 14 unanswered points before Gomez stroked a triple for the visitors. Ivan Tkachenko's triple left Prometey comfortable in control, 35-15, after 10 minutes.

Issuf Sananon's three-pointer to open the second quarter made him the 10th Prometey player to score. Hughes heated up for Hamburg, though after a timeout, an assist and a layup from Keene kept Prometey cruising. Hamburg continued to play hard and, behind King, rallied to within 10 in the final minute of the half. Free throws by Sydorov left Prometey on top 54-42 at the break.

### Late Hamburg run falls short

Strong play by Balvin kept Prometey's comfortable lead intact despite the best efforts of Hughes and Durham. Sydorov fed March for an alley-oop and scored himself as the lead swelled to 73-52. William Christmas scored the next 7 points to give Hamburg hope and the sides parted ways after three quarters at 78-62.

Back-to-back threes early in the fourth by Keene and Reed restored a 20-point lead and prompted a Hamburg timeout. The closing minutes saw one final push from Hamburg, which using full-court pressure trimmed the gap to 90-75. Keene helped Prometey finish the game with a 20-point victory.  

Prometey Slobozhanske v Veolia Towers Hamburg (2023-10-04T16:00:00.000Z)

U-BT Cluj-Napoca opened the BJT EuroCup Regular Season in style by downing last season's finalists Turk Telekom Ankara 80-71 at home in Group B on Wednesday.


Jones, Guzman lead Cluj past Turk Telekom, 80-71!

After going 0-3 at the start of its EuroCup season debut a year ago, Cluj has opened the 2023-24 campaign with a resounding victory, topping Turk Telekom Ankara 80-71 at BT-Arena. Bryce Jones and Karel Guzman led the winners with 14 points apiece. D.J. Seeley had 12 and Andrija Stipanovic added 10 for Cluj. Tyrone Wallace paced Turk Telekom with 18 points, Okben Ulubay added 12, James Palmer 11 and Jalen Adams 10. 

Cluj opened the game on a 12-0 run, led 28-14 at the end of the first quarter and 50-26 at halftime. Wallace rescued Turk Telekom after halftime with 10 points in a 0-18 run that brought his team within 53-49. After the deficit was trimmed to 2, Jarell Eddie and Jones sank back-to-back triples, as Cluj regained a double-digit lead and held on the rest of the way.

Guzman needed just 2 seconds to get his team's first basket and he got help from Stipanovic and Seeley to boost Cluj's lead to 12-0. Wallace and Markis McDuffie stepped up for Turk Telekom but Seeley and Guzman each hit a triple to establish a 21-8 Cluj margin. The hosts found a new go-to guy in Jones and then Guzman followed a windmill dunk with a three-pointer to keep Cluj way ahead, 28-14, after 10 minutes. 

Steven Enoch tried to change things with an alley-oop slam early in the second quarter. Emanuel Cate and Adam Mokoka fueled a 12-0 run that Guzman capped with a triple to make it 40-17. Mokoka kept pushing Cluj and Eddie's three-pointer gave the hosts a 50-26 lead at halftime. 

Wallace scored 7 quick points after the break and Palmer's layup gave Turk Telekom hope at 53-39. Wallace remained unstoppable and Adams scored twice in the paint to get the guests as close as 53-49, after a 0-18 run. Patrick Richards and Seeley gave Cluj fresh air, 59-52, after 30 minutes. 

Troy Selim Sav brought Turk Telekom even closer, 61-59, with 8 minutes left. Jones rescued Cluj with 8 points in crunch time, as his team restored a 74-62 margin with 3 minutes left and never looked back.

Jones, Guzman lead Cluj past Turk Telekom, 80-71

U-BT Cluj-Napoca v Turk Telekom Ankara (2023-10-04T16:00:00.000Z)

The London Lions and Umana Reyer Venezia go head-to-head at Copper Box Arena in Round 1 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup season.

London Lions vs. Reyer Venezia preview: A battle awaits

Two of the most ambitious teams in the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup will come head-to-head at Copper Box Arena on Wednesday night, as the [London Lions](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/carousels/london-lions/?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%22lli%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%22%7D%7D&carouselTitle=London%20Lions) host [Umana Reyer Venice](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/carousels/umana-reyer-venice/?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%22vnc%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%22%7D%7D&carouselTitle=Umana%20Reyer%20Venice). Never before have London and Reyer faced off, which makes this Group A fixture hard to call.

While London is entering its second EuroCup campaign, Reyer can lean on six years of experience at this level. Due to the format changes in the EuroCup this year, with just six teams making it to the playoffs from each group, getting wins on the board early could prove crucial. Therefore, both London and Reyer will be eager to do whatever it takes to get the victory in this matchup.

### London: Stronger across the board

Last season saw London lean heavily on the play of star forward [Sam Dekker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/sam-dekker/009672/), who was the EuroCup's leading scorer in the regular season in 2022-23 at 18.9 points per night. Dekker was also in contention to secure the EuroCup MVP award after guiding London to the playoffs at the first time of asking, but he is set to miss Round 1 of the 2023-24 season due to an injury.

Aware that it needed to lighten the load on Dekker, London picked up an elite-level scorer this summer in [Matt Morgan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/london-lions-bring-in-scorer-matt-morgan/), who was the French League's third leading scorer with 20.7 points per game last season. Morgan now gets his first shot at the EuroCup and, following some impressive domestic displays for the Lions, will be determined to put on a show in Round 1 against Reyer. Also, look out for fellow new additions [Conor Morgan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/conor-morgan-signs-for-london-lions/), [Donte Grantham](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/london-inks-forward-donte-grantham/) and [Gabe Olaseni](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/lions-brings-london-native-gabe-olaseni-home/), all of whom should play big roles in this encounter.

<center>

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London, now guided by first-year head coach [Petar Bozic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/london-signs-head-coach-bozic/), finished 8-10 in last season's EuroCup, which was good enough for seventh spot in its group. Curiously, the team had a better record on its travels than at home, going 3-6 in London and 5-4 abroad, but two of those home defeats came at OVO Arena. If London is to reach the playoffs this season, turning Copper Box Arena into a fortress is a must, so that means getting off to a good start when Reyer comes to town.

### Reyer: Making a statement on the road

After entering last season with lots of expectations, Reyer's campaign ended up being rather underwhelming. So much so that Walter De Raffaele was replaced by 2010 EuroCup champion Neven Spahija, who came in for the last four games of the regular season and the eighthfinals matchup with Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv, which Reyer lost.

Now, Coach Spahija has had a full summer to work with his players, and hopes are high about what Reyer could achieve in the 2023-24 EuroCup season. Guard [Marco Spissu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/marco-spissu/004381/) is expected to run the team's offense, while new arrivals [Kyle Wiltjer](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/reyer-venezia-completes-signing-of-kyle-wiltjer/), [Aamir Simms](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/reyer-signs-forward-aamir-simms/) and [Rayjon Tucker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/reyer-adds-scoring-punch-with-rayjon-tucker/) should all have big roles to play on the road at London.

<center>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GameDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GameDay</a> @ Copper Box Arena <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/London?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#London</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToGreatness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToGreatness</a> <a href="https://t.co/2eMTXvHKNd">pic.twitter.com/2eMTXvHKNd</a></p>&mdash; Reyer Venezia (@REYER1872) <a href="https://twitter.com/REYER1872/status/1709493727750693240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Unlike London, Reyer's big problem last season was playing on the road, as it went 3-6 on its travels – 3-7 including the playoffs – and 6-3 in Venice. It is therefore crucial that Coach Spahija's men rise to the task in the English capital. Should Reyer record an impressive road win, it should send a message to the rest of the EuroCup.

Both sides have goals of reaching the BKT EuroCup Playoffs.

London vs. Reyer preview: A battle in the Lions' den

Euroleague Basketball have today confirmed that TNT Sports have acquired the rights in the UK and Ireland to broadcast all games played by the London Lions in the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup season.

London Lions’ EuroCup games to be broadcast on TNT Sports

Euroleague Basketball have today confirmed that TNT Sports have acquired the rights in the UK and Ireland to broadcast all games played by the London Lions in the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup season.

Fans in the UK and Ireland will be able to tune in and watch live last year’s British Basketball League champions embark on their second season in the BKT EuroCup.

The London Lions made their BKT EuroCup debut last season, reaching the eighth finals phase. This year, the London Lions have been placed in Group A ahead of the 18-game regular season, with the other teams in their group being: Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv, Joventut Badalona, Paris Basketball, Prometey Slobozhanske, Umana Reyer Venice, Veolia Towers Hamburg and Wolves Vilnius.

European basketball action tips-off on TNT Sports when London Lions take on Umana Reyer Venice, Wednesday 4th October at 19.15 on TNT Sports 9.

TNT Sports is available on discovery+, and all major TV platforms including BT, Sky and Virgin Media, offering a wide variety of options for all UK and Irish basketball fans to tune in and enjoy the London Lions in the BKT EuroCup.

Both TJ Shorts and Nadir Hifi impressed on their BKT EuroCup debuts, with the guards leading Paris Basketball to a 105-78 triumph against BC Wolves.

TJ Shorts, Nadir Hifi make Paris Basketball a major threat in the EuroCup

It is hard to make an immediate impact for a new team, but that's exactly what [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/tj-shorts/012608/) and [Nadir Hifi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/nadir-hifi/012640/) did during [Paris Basketball's 105-78 victory against Wolves Vilnius](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/paris-basketball-cruises-past-bc-wolves-eurocup/) in Round 1 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season. On a night when nine Paris players put points on the board, it was the two guards that shined brightest, with Wolves not having any answer for the duo on defense.

Shorts started strong and finished the first quarter with 6 points, 2 assists and a couple of fouls drawn. Yet, another issue for Wolves was that whenever he headed to the bench to get some rest, it was Hifi who would come on to maintain the team’s momentum.

### An impressive impact from Hifi

The French prodigy joined the club from fellow French club Le Portel in the summer, but he didn’t look nervous at any point during his EuroCup debut. Hifi ended the game with 11 points and 7 assists in 20 minutes on the floor, scoring all 5 of his free throws and going 3-for-8 (37.5%) on two-pointers.

There has been a lot of talk about the 21-year-old Hifi, but – judging by Tuesday night's performance against Wolves – he should handle the jump up to the EuroCup with aplomb.

The top plays of Paris Basketball duo TJ Shorts and Nadir Hifi during their team's 105-78 win against Wolves Vilnius in Round 1 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

TJ Shorts and Nadir Hifi's best plays vs. Wolves

### Shorts was in the zone

Meanwhile, Shorts – last season's Basketball Champions League MVP – caused mayhem whenever he stepped onto the court. In 22:44 minutes, he almost recorded a double-double, instead having to make do with 20 points and 9 assists, while he also had 3 steals.

The new Paris star went 8-for-11 (72.7%) on two-pointers, with Wolves struggling all game to defend his mid-range shots and layups. He drew 5 fouls and converted all 4 of his free throws to register a stunning PIR of 30 in his first-ever game in the competition.

“Everybody came up there, they stepped up and made big plays and we beat a good team,” Shorts said in his post-game interview. “We really wanted to control the game at our tempo and I really feel that we were able to do that for the majority of the game. Good thing for us to start with a win here and we’ll just try to keep this momentum rolling.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">« It’s a W » 🗣️ <a href="https://twitter.com/TjShorts5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TjShorts5</a> <br><br>WINNING FEELING 🖤❤️💙 <a href="https://t.co/SCOgz60AdC">pic.twitter.com/SCOgz60AdC</a></p>&mdash; Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball/status/1709304753908265285?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

It goes without saying that if Shorts and Hifi build on their performance against Wolves, Paris will boast one of the finest backcourts in EuroCup. The two newcomers demonstrated on Tuesday that they have what it takes to take the competition by storm. Now, it remains to be seen whether they will manage to consistently dismantle opposition defenses, like they did on Tuesday night in Paris.

More Paris Basketball News

TJ Shorts in action for Paris Basketball during the team's 105-78 win against Wolves Vilnius in Round 1 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

The two guards shined bright during Paris Basketball's opening-round win.

TJ Shorts, Nadir Hifi make Paris a major threat in the EuroCup

Paris Basketball v Wolves Vilnius (2023-10-03T18:30:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball set a new club record in the BKT EuroCup by scoring 105 points in its 105-78 victory against BC Wolves.

Paris Basketball's offense fired on all cylinders to dismantle Wolves

The opening stages of the BKT EuroCup Round 1 clash between Paris Basketball and Wolves Vilnius might have been a see-saw battle, but when the hosts geared up, their offense took the guests apart en route to a club record number of points.

TJ Shorts may have stolen the limelight at Halle Georges Carpentier, yet as many as six Paris players hit double digits for points in [its 105-78 win on Tuesday night](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/paris-basketball-cruises-past-bc-wolves-eurocup/). Collin Malcolm scored 16 points and Mikael Jantunen bagged 12, while Nadir Hifi and Gauthier Denis added 11 apiece, with Tyson Ward also recording 10.

### History was made for Paris

Nine players scored at least 7 points as Paris secured a record-breaking victory, with the hosts netting a total of 105 points – a new club record in the BKT EuroCup. The French side's previous record was set last season, in Round 14, when it beat Buducnost VOLI Podgorica 103-87 at home.

Head coach Tuomas Iisalo praised his players for their performance in their season opener and stressed that Paris managed to thrive on offense because they were solid on defense.

“Today we shot the ball really well, which gives some a bit of a margin of error, but our energy was really good, especially in the second half,” Iisalo began. “We had some defensive possessions where the rotations were amazing and you can just feel how much energy that gives to the whole team. Everything starts with solid defense. A lot of people talk about our offense, but defense is our calling card.”

The best offensive plays of Paris Basketball in its 105-78 win against Wolves Vilnius in Round 1 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

Paris's top plays on offense vs. Wolves

The impact of Paris's defensive effort can be mirrored by the bench’s contribution throughout the duel, as the players who came on managed to maintain the momentum thanks to the energy they infused into the team.

In fact, Paris’s bench outscored the starters 59-46 and they also registered more assists (13-11) than the starting five. Paris went 26-for-41 (63.4%) on two-pointers and 12-for-27 (44.4%) from behind the arc, scoring more than 24 points in each quarter and breaking the 100-point barrier with four minutes left on the clock.

On Tuesday night, Iisalo presented a well-oiled scoring machine which sent a clear message to the rest of the EuroCup contenders. Paris is here to cause damage.

Mikael Jantunen drives to the rim during Paris Basketball's 105-78 triumph against BC Wolves in Round 1 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

The French side set a club record in the BKT EuroCup for points scored in a game.

Paris's offense fired on all cylinders to dismantle Wolves

ratiopharm Ulm managed to defeat Aquila Basket Trento 80-70 at ratiopharm arena in Round 1 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup season, thanks in large part to winning the rebound and turnover battle.

ratiopharm Ulm thrived on offensive boards and Trento turnovers

It was hardly a vintage performance from ratiopharm Ulm in their BTK EuroCup Group B opener against underdog Dolomiti Energia Trento but the German champion, who won its first-ever German League title last season, did enough for [an 80-70 home win over its Italian opponent](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/ratiopharm-ulm-makes-winning-start-aquila-basket-trento/) on Tuesday.

The visitors were in the game and threatened to stage an upset until the last few minutes, when the home team pulled away into an 11-point lead, 77-66, and then ran the clock down to come out on top.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">ORANGE WINS! 🧡<br><br>Ein grandioser Start in die EuroCup-Saison - wir gewinnen mit 80:70 gegen <a href="https://twitter.com/AquilaBasketTN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AquilaBasketTN</a>. Damit holen wir uns den dritten Sieg in Folge 💪📣 <a href="https://t.co/BCCcqe3n3W">pic.twitter.com/BCCcqe3n3W</a></p>&mdash; ratiopharm ulm (@ratiopharmulm) <a href="https://twitter.com/ratiopharmulm/status/1709290536308215916?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Ulm, which reached the EuroCup Quarterfinals last term, looked rusty in the first half and shot a miserable 4-of-16 from three-point range. Nevertheless, it led 42-38 at the interval as Trento, which nailed 7-of-14 shots beyond the arc, committed 14 turnovers in the opening two quarters.

The hosts also benefited from rock-solid rebounding at both ends of the court, having racked up 9 offensive boards and 20 in total to underline their dominance in the paint. There was no change to the pattern in the third quarter as Trento kept giving the ball away and totaled 21 turnovers ahead of the final 10 minutes.

At the other end, the game’s top performer Trevion Williams continued to be a handful for Trento’s big men while Dakota Mathias showcased his shooting skills, as he came up big with a four-point play amid a flurry of three-pointers from both teams.

With the game delicately balanced midway through the fourth quarter, misfiring Ulm finally found its range from downtown as several players were able to make three-point shots and force the visitors into submission.

### The keys to the game

Ultimately, it was the 24 turnovers from Trento and 42 rebounds by Ulm, 18 of them offensive, that made the difference. Williams was a pillar with 13 points and 16 rebounds (7 offensive), while Mathias led all scorers with 18 points.

Trevion Williams scored 13 points as ratiopharm Ulm defeated Dolomiti Energia Trento 80-70 in Round 1 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

Trevion Williams's best plays vs. Trento

Ulm’s late surge from long range enabled the home team to finish on 11-of-36 from downtown after it slumped to a mere 2-of-10 early on. In contrast, Trento dropped to 11-of-32 after hitting 4 of its opening 7 shots from three-point range.

The visitors were much too reliant on Davide Alaviti, who sank 5-of-6 long-range efforts, while Kamar Baldwin made just 1-of-7 and it will be scant consolation for the forward that the one that went in was a spectacular shot off the dribble.

Trevion Williams shoots a jump shot during ratiopharm Ulm's 80-70 victory against Dolomiti Energia Trento in Round 1 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

Trevion Williams impressed with 16 rebounds, including 7 on the offensive end.

Ulm thrived on offensive boards and Trento turnovers

ratiopharm Ulm v Dolomiti Energia Trento (2023-10-03T17:30:00.000Z)

Jaylen Hoard, Xavier Munford, J'Covan Brown and Tomer Ginat led Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C. to a 100-73 win against KK Cedevita Olimpija.

Returning quartet led the way for Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C. against Cedevita

It might be the start of a new season, but it was four returning players that stepped up to guide [Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv to a 100-73 win against Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/hapoel-tel-aviv-records-statement-win-cedevita-olimpija/). The Israeli side wowed fans across the continent with its performances in last season's BKT EuroCup, and starting the 2023-24 campaign in this manner is likely to get pulses racing in Tel Aviv.

Of the 100 points that Hapoel put on the board, a combined 72 came from [Xavier Munford](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/xavier-munford/007759/) (21), [Jaylen Hoard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/jaylen-hoard/006835/) (18), [Tomer Ginat](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/tomer-ginat/010550/) (18) and [J'Covan Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/j-covan-brown/011991/) (15). What's more, between them they grabbed 22 rebounds and dished 18 assists. In short, it was quite the night for Hapoel's returning quartet.

"It was just the way we wanted to start," Munford said in his post-game interview. "We wanted to set the tone early. We've got a lot of weapons – Jaylen played well, Tomer played well, J.B. orchestrated the whole show, so we've got a lot of guys. Any given night, any guy can go off."

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="iw" dir="rtl"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D7%94%D7%AA%D7%97%D7%9C%D7%A0%D7%95?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#התחלנו</a><br><br>הפועל מנצחת את לובליאנה 73:100 במשחק הראשון בשלב הבתים ביורוקאפ.<br><br>ועכשיו? יום ראשון, 19:40, גליל עליון בית, מתחילים את הליגה.<br><br>יאללה הפועל! <a href="https://t.co/5munmFwe8u">pic.twitter.com/5munmFwe8u</a></p>&mdash; Hapoel Tel Aviv BC (@HapoelTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC/status/1709282607228182860?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Jaylen Hoard starred from the bench

Hoard particularly shined for Hapoel with some highlight-reel plays that almost took the roof off Shlomo Group Arena. The 24-year-old, who played in Europe professionally for the first time last season, looks set for a bigger role at Hapoel in his second year at the club. Once again coming off the bench, as he did in the 2022-23 campaign, Hoard provided a big spark for the hosts on both ends of the floor, which is something Munford touched on in the post-game press conference.

"Jaylen was excited coming into the game," he stated. "He's been working hard throughout the summer and you could see it – it shows. I think throughout the year he's going to be our X factor. I'm proud of Jaylen's performance tonight."

The best plays of Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv forward Jaylen Hoard during his team's 100-73 win against Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana.

Jaylen Hoard's highlights vs. Cedevita

After all, Hoard was able to add 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals and 2 blocks to his 18 points in what was an incredibly rounded performance. Last season saw Hoard record two MVP of the Round awards – in Rounds 4 and 18 – but his performance against Cedevita was that of a player who is ready to lead the way for his team, despite starting from the bench.

For new signing Braian Angola, who had an impressive EuroCup debut with 11 points, 3 assists and 4 steals, it is the work ethic of Hoard that impresses him so much: "Last year you guys saw it, now this year you are seeing what he's doing. He's probably the first one in the gym and the last one to leave. It's only his second year, so he doesn’t have a ceiling. I think he's going to have a great, great impact for us – offensively and defensively. He's a great defender. For us, having someone like that in blocking shots and helping us in that way is amazing for us."

### Munford, Brown continue to sparkle

Much of Hapoel's run to the EuroCup Quarterfinals in 2022-23 was down to the elite-level play of Munford and Brown. On Tuesday night, they picked up where they left off, with Munford pairing a game-high 21 points with 4 rebounds and 6 assists, while Brown had 15 points and 8 dimes.

Although speaking after a defeat, Cedevita head coach Simone Pianigiani admitted that having Brown running Hapoel's offense and Munford being even more comfortable in year two is good news for fellow coach Danny Franco: "J'Covan Brown, Bar Timor… this means the brain of the team is in good hands all the time," he noted. "Munford, also, it's his second season here, so he plays like he's at home."

The best plays of Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv duo Xavier Munford and J'Covan Brown during their team's 100-73 win against Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana.

Xavier Munford and J'Covan Brown's highlights vs. Cedevita

On a night-by-day basis, Brown will be entrusted with making sure that Hapoel's offense continues to tick, and Munford offers an all-round threat that means he will always be circled on the opposition's scouting report. Should the two continue to play as they did on Tuesday night, and how they did last season, Hapoel should be one of the favorites to win the EuroCup title.

### Tomer Ginat is the perfect glue guy

Finally, Ginat deserves some love. The 28-year-old Israeli had a solid campaign with Hapoel last season, and he seems primed to once again have an important role for Coach Franco's squad. Ginat is a player that does the little things that tend to go unnoticed, but which are crucial for a winning team.

Unlike the three players written above, Ginat was putting points on the board in a quieter manner, while he also grabbed 8 rebounds, dished 3 assists and had 1 steal. More displays like that should result in more victories for Hapoel, which should feel very confident about its chances in the EuroCup this season.

J'Covan Brown in possession of the ball during Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv's 100-73 win against Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana.

Jaylen Hoard, Xavier Munford, J'Covan Brown and Tomer Ginat were all key in the victory.

Returning quartet led the way for Hapoel against Cedevita

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv v Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (2023-10-03T17:00:00.000Z)