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.

Game Videos

Game News

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)

A new-look Paris Basketball got off to a winning start in the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup season by downing BC Wolves 105-78 at Halle Georges Carpentier.

Paris Basketball cruises past BC Wolves in season opener

Paris Basketball hit the ground running in the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup season by grabbing a 105-78 victory over Wolves Vilnius at Halle Georges Carpentier on Tuesday night. The hosts recorded their first win of the season, while Wolves debuted in the competition with a loss on the road. Paris looked dominant throughout the duel, comfortably breaking the 100-point barrier in the fourth quarter.

TJ Shorts paired his 20 points with 9 assists for a PIR of 30. Collin Malcolm and Nadir Hifi scored 16 and 11 points off the bench, respectively, with the latter also dishing 7 assists. Mikael Jantunen scored 12 points and Gauthier Denis added 11 for the hosts. Rasheed Sulaimon led Wolves with 15 points, in addition to recording 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Eigirdas Zukauskas scored 14 points and Arturs Zagars added 10.

### How the game played out

Shorts and Sebastian Herrera scored Paris's first baskets to give the hosts a 5-2 lead. Wolves bounced back, with Sulaimon bagging five straight points to put the guests ahead, 5-7. Yet, Paris received a boost from the bench as Hifi and Michael Kessens scored a couple of points each to give Paris a 9-7 edge. Zagars stepped up, scoring two from the line and downing a triple for an 11-12 Wolves lead. Hifi took his tally to 4 points and Denis sank a three-pointer with his first touch with the basketball to make it 19-13. An explosive Shorts scored a layup and a jump shot to secure a 24-15 lead for the hosts heading into the second quarter.

Despite the game being basket-for-basket in the opening stages, Paris went on a 15-2 run to open a double-digit lead, 29-15, which forced Wolves to call a timeout. Sulaimon responded with a triple, but Malcolm had a basket-and-one to reach 8 points and help the hosts maintain a 41-25 advantage. Zagars scored five points in a hurry as he looked to lead the fightback. Zukauskas stole the ball and sank a layup before downing one from behind the arc to trim the deficit to 41-32. Herrera responded with a triple, but Wolves managed to maintain the margin to single digits before halftime.

The hosts entered the second half ahead, 48-40, and Shorts scored his team’s first six points of the third quarter before setting up Ward, who downed a triple for a 57-44 Paris lead. Malcolm knocked down his second triple of the game, but Tre'shawn Thurman responded with five points in just a few seconds, as he stole the ball after downing a triple and scored a layup to trim down Paris’s lead to 64-53. Wolves did try to hang in there, with Arnas Berucka sinking a three-pointer and Christian Mekowulu scoring a basket to make it 72-62.

Shorts netted Paris’s last basket of the third quarter, as well as its first two points in the fourth, to take his tally to 20 points. Then, he turned provider for Ward, who scored in transition to open his team’s biggest lead of the night, 81-62. Hifi, Kessens and Bandja Sy came off the bench to inspire the hosts to an 11-point run for a 95-68 lead and practically put the game to bed. It was just a matter of time for Paris to break the 100-point barrier, and Malcolm did so from the line with 04:07 remaining. The hosts then went on to break their scoring record in the EuroCup, sealing a 105-78 triumph in their season opener.

Tyson Ward of Paris Basketball is in possession of the ball during his team's BKT EuroCup season opener against Wolves Vilnius.

The French club showed its title credentials with a convincing win to start the BKT EuroCup season.

Paris cruises past Wolves in season opener, 105-78

ratiopharm Ulm, last year's German League champion, got its BKT EuroCup campaign off to a perfect start by defeating Aquila Basket Trento 80-70 at ratiopharm arena.

ratiopharm Ulm makes winning start after holding off Aquila Basket Trento

German League champion ratiopharm Ulm ground out an 80-70 home victory against Dolomiti Energia Trento to get its BKT EuroCup Group B campaign off to a winning start, thanks to superb offensive rebounding coupled with a flurry of turnovers from the visitors.

Dakota Mathias paced the home team with 18 points, towering center Trevion Williams racked up 13 points and 16 rebounds, while Georginho De Paula chipped in with 11 first-half points. At the other end, Davide Alviti netted all his 15 points for Trento beyond the three-point arc, having sank 5 of 6 attempts from downtown. Andrejs Grazulis added 14 points, Kamar Baldwin scored 11 and Prentiss Hub amassed 10.

### How the game played out

It looked like Ulm was in for plain sailing after racing into an 8-0 lead on the back of a couple of three-pointers from its 19-year-old Spanish guard Juan Nunez, but Trento hit back with a 13-2 run which put the visiting team in the driving seat for much of the first half.

Both teams played in fits and starts as Ulm missed its next 10 shots from three-point range while Trento kept turning the ball over. Still, the Italian side was able to carve out a 30-35 lead in the closing stages of the first half before De Paula turned the tables with some fine individual skill, enabling Ulm to lead 42-38 at halftime.

Trento had committed a staggering 14 turnovers in the opening half and the trend continued after the break, as the visitors had 21 by the end of the third quarter. Those struggles allowed Ulm to lead 60-54 ahead of the final 10 minutes, despite blowing hot and cold on offense itself.

The two teams traded a flurry of three-pointers early in the fourth quarter and after Mathias made a four-point play to keep Ulm ahead, the home side engineered a decisive 11-4 run to open up a 77-66 lead in the closing stages. Trento battled hard to stay in the game but there was no way back for the Italian team, who did not have enough left in the tank to force late drama.

ratiopharm Ulm guard Thomas Klepeisz shoots over Dolomiti Energia Trento's Toto Forray in the two teams' Round 1 matchup in the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

The German side protected its home court with a hard-fought triumph.

Ulm makes winning start after holding off plucky Trento, 80-70

Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C. sent a strong message to the rest of the BKT EuroCup with a dominant 100-73 win against KK Cedevita Olimpija at Shlomo Group Arena.

Hapoel Tel Aviv records statement win against Cedevita Olimpija

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv started its 2023-24 BKT EuroCup campaign on the right foot by dominating Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana 100-73 in front of a packed-out crowd at Shlomo Group Arena. After boasting the joint second-best home record in last year's regular season, Hapoel seems set to be a big threat on its home court once again.

Xavier Munford led the way in scoring for the hosts with 21 points, followed by Tomer Ginat and Jaylen Hoard with 18 points apiece, J'Covan Brown with 15 and Braian Angola with 11. Hapoel center Idan Zalmanson also grabbed 10 rebounds to go with 4 points. For Cedevita, Justin Cobbs scored a team-high 15 points, while Jaka Blazic recorded 13. DJ Stewart and Karlo Matkovic had 11 points each, too.

### How the game played out

One of the keys to the win was the fast start that Hapoel enjoyed, with the Israeli side making the most of Cedevita's turnovers. Head coach Danny Franco saw his team take an early 10-point lead, 21-11, with 3:53 minutes left in the first quarter, before closing the opening period 28-21 ahead.

It was more of the same in the second quarter, with Hapoel capitalizing on every turnover committed by Cedevita. The hosts were enjoying plenty of joy on the fastbreak, too, which allowed Hapoel to open a game-high 44-30 lead with 2:37 to go before halftime. Heading into the break, Hapoel led 48-36.

Cedevita came out with a lot more energy, but Hapoel was able to match the visitors every step of the way. In fact, with just under five minutes remaining in the third, Angola recorded his fourth steal of the game – and Hapoel's 11th at that point – before scoring an easy layup to make it a 60-45 ballgame. Soon after, a big alley-oop slam by Hoard from a Brown assist took the roof off Shlomo Group Arena. That advantage extended to 16 points, 71-55, after Hoard tipped the ball in with the last score of the quarter.

The final quarter proved to be a celebration of basketball for the Hapoel fans, who saw their team score the first seven points of the last period to make it 78-55. Munford scored back-to-back triples to further stress Hapoel's dominance, 84-60, before Hoard wowed the fans with a reverse slam to open a game-high 25-point difference, 90-65. In the end, a triple by Bar Timor ensured that Hapoel reached 100 points, with the Israeli side sending a strong message to the rest of the EuroCup. Cedevita, meanwhile, will hope to use this game as a tough learning experience.

New Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv signing Braian Angola drives to the rim on his BKT EuroCup debut against Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana.

The Israeli side thoroughly impressed in a dominant home victory.

Hapoel records statement win against Cedevita, 100-73

Joventut Badalona playmaker Andres Feliz route from  Guachupita, one of the most dangerous neighborhoods the Dominican Republic capital of Santo Domingo, was lined with obstacles, but his parents and basketball guided him to greatness as he seeks to become a BKT EuroCup champion.



Joventut's Andres Feliz: A grateful man

[Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/joventut-badalona/roster/jov/?season=2023-24) playmaker [Andres Feliz ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/andres-feliz/011247/)is one of the biggest names in the BKT EuroCup this season. 

Feliz grew up in Guachupita, one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic's capital. Basketball kept him away from crime and violence, as did his parents, who Feliz credits for raising him the right way. 

At age 16, given the chance to play high school basketball in the United States, he left without speaking a word of English. He ended up meeting his wife Lisa at college and getting his degree. 

A late bloomer in basketball, Feliz joined El Prat in the Spanish third division and soon moved to Joventut, where his role has increased each and every season. Over the summer, Feliz played a starring role with the Dominican Republic at the 2023 World Cup. 

Now, the sky seems to be the limit for the 26-year-old Feliz, who hopes to lead Joventut to its second EuroCup title, and first since 2008, at the end of the season that starts this week.

 Joventut Badalona playmaker Andres Feliz route from Guachupita, one of the most dangerous neighborhoods the Dominican Republic capital of Santo Domingo, was lined with obstacles, but his parents and basketball guided him to greatness as he seeks to become a BKT EuroCup champion.


BKT EuroCup Interview: Andres Feliz, Joventut Badalona

The 2023-24 season is here with a fresh format that lets just 12 teams out of 20 make it to the knockout stage, making the BKT EuroCup more competitive already by definition.

BKT EuroCup Power Rankings Vol. 1 – The champs are back

The 2023-24 season is here with a fresh format that lets just 12 teams out of 20 make it to the knockout stage, making the BKT EuroCup more competitive already by definition.

This time around, 40% of the teams will not make it past the group stage and that makes each game even more interesting.

[MORE...](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1560800/eurocup-power-rankings-volume-1/)

As the BKT EuroCup season starts, Eurohoops ranks the twenty contenders

