### Gran Canaria head coach Jaka Lakovic:

"We are very happy we got his win, especially here in Podgorica because we know Buducnost is a very good team playing at home. We had a good day today, for 36 field goals we had 25 assists, that’s good ball movement, good team play and I think we also were pretty solid defensively. I’m very happy with my team today."

### Buducnost VOLI Podgorica head coach Vladimir Jovanovic: 

“What can I say, it was a bad game for 40 minutes. From the beginning we had a very bad defense, we allowed them easy shots, for two points and especially three-pointers, in the first half they had almost 60%, big numbers. They found not a good rhythm but an excellent rhythm in offense and they kept that until the end of the game."

### Gran Canaria forward John Shurna:

"It was a great win for our team. We got a win on Andrew’s \[Albicy\] birthday so it was nice. We played well as a team, we kept the ball moving and got contributions from everyone which is great."

Game News

Game Videos

John Shurna, Gran Canaria: 'We kept the ball moving'

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica v Gran Canaria (2023-03-21T18:00:00.000Z)

### Veolia Towers Hamburg head coach Benka Barloschky:

"Obviously rebounding was key. The goal we set for ourselves was to crash the offensive boards in a very aggressive way, as is what we were missing in the last game. I’m so proud of this team. I’m so proud of the guys. They fought. We got a lead and then Trento came back. And then we got a lead again and Trento came back again. They shot 50 percent from the three-point line against us and we were able to hang in and get the win at the end. That shows character, shows heart and it shows what an unbelievable team this is.

"I'm very proud of the team today, happy with the performance and this important win. Today it was about rewarding us for working hard every day and for always giving our best in the EuroCup. The fact that we secured the playoff ticket today is something very special. I've told the players not to take that for granted. This is something extraordinary and may not happen again any time soon. Today we took advantage of the moment and rewarded ourselves for it.”

### Dolomiti Energia Trento head coach Emanuele Molin:

"First of all, congratulations to Hamburg for the win and the qualification. I think that this was the very meaning of this game. Unfortunately, I’m talking here but I can’t tell anything to my team, because they performed and they competed until the end. The game was decided because Hamburg outrebounded us. They got 24 offensive rebounds; this is an unbelievable number. This is because of our defense and our decision-making in terms of what we want to do with the pick-and-roll situations. Especially when Seth Hinrichs and Lukas Meisner were coming from far, we missed the right timing to box out. This is why Hamburg had an unbelievable number of shots. I think we had a pretty good game, with discipline on offense, good shooting isolation and we were consistent in defense. We missed the rebounds; this was our biggest mistake."

### Veolia Towers Hamburg center Yoeli Childs:

"It was a team effort, you know. Trento came out to play. Going into the fourth quarter, they made a big run. They had their season on the line as well. Credit to them, but every single guy in our team stepped up, guys made big plays at the right time, they sacrificed their bodies to make winning plays and every single person contributed tonight."

### Veolia Towers Hamburg guard Anthony Polite:

"We secured rebounds extremely well today and stuck to our game plan by defending hard. Our communication on the field was good, we played together and found a solution when we had problems. We stayed positive at all times and acted as a team. That way we were able to respond when Trento started rolling and ultimately decided the game for us."

Coach Barloschky, Hamburg: 'I'm so proud of this team'

Veolia Towers Hamburg v Dolomiti Energia Trento (2023-03-21T17:45:00.000Z)

The year 2022 was an interesting one for Juan Nunez; he was in uniform for Real Madrid in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game and won the Spanish League with Los Blancos, was chosen as the youngest MVP ever at the U20 European Championship after leading Spain to a gold medal, and left the Spanish capital, his hometown, to join ratiopharm Ulm. It is 2023 and Nunez continues to create highlights with Ulm, one of the most exciting teams to watch in Europe. Nunez stuffed the stat sheet in Round 16 with 6 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists in Ulm's 97-85 home win over Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana. The 18-year-old has averaged 6.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists for a PIR of 8.9 this season and is one of the front runners to be chosen as the 2022-23 EuroCup Rising Star. Looking ahead, Nunez is excited about the EuroCup playoffs. "It is a format that I've never played and I think we are a very dangerous team in a one-and-done situation," Nunez told EuroCupBasketball.com. "We are really looking forward to it, to be honest. We've been practicing really well and are in very good form."

Juan Nunez, Ulm: 'We are a dangerous team'

The year 2022 was an interesting one for [Juan Nunez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/juan-nunez/010106/); he was in uniform for Real Madrid in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game and won the Spanish League with Los Blancos, was chosen as the youngest MVP ever at the U20 European Championship after leading Spain to a gold medal, and left the Spanish capital, his hometown, to join ratiopharm Ulm. It is 2023 and Nunez continues to create highlights with Ulm, one of the most exciting teams to watch in Europe. Nunez stuffed the stat sheet in Round 16 with 6 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists in Ulm's 97-85 home win over Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana. The 18-year-old has averaged 6.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists for a PIR of 8.9 this season and is one of the front runners to be chosen as the 2022-23 EuroCup Rising Star. Looking ahead, Nunez is excited about the EuroCup playoffs. "It is a format that I've never played and I think we are a very dangerous team in a one-and-done situation," Nunez told [EuroCupBasketball.com](http://EuroCupBasketball.com). "We are really looking forward to it, to be honest. We've been practicing really well and are in very good form."

**Hello, Juan. Congratulations on beating Cedevita. You still have a good chance to get the home-court advantage in the eighthfinals. Was that 30-point loss in Ljubljana in Round 7 in the back of your minds?** 

"Yes, of course. To tell you the truth, that was a hard loss for us, losing by 30. We knew that we needed to start the game in a very different way. I believe this is what we did and we were serious throughout the game." 

**This is your first EuroCup season. How has the experience been so far and what do you like most about the competition?** 

"It's really good and I am very happy. It is a very competitive league. There are some very good teams and I am very happy to be a part of it. Moreover, we are playing well and winning games. As you said, we hope we can get the home-court advantage \[in the eighthfinals\]. Prometey, the Ukrainian team, is a very physical team, and I know Joventut already, they really know how to play good basketball. In general, the teams' average level is quite high." 

"This is a life experience... I am in a different country with a different language and a different culture, living on my own. I've had to wise up!"

**You had a lot of offers in Europe and even from U.S. colleges. What led you to choose Ulm over other options?** 

"The project they offered me was really good and it is just as they told me. They offered me to play a lot of minutes at a high level, and I am very thankful to Thomas \[Stoll, owner and general manager\], Thorsten \[Leibenath, sports director\] and of course, Anton \[Gavel\], our head coach, who puts me on the court. This is why." 

**After a whole life living in Madrid, you left your comfort zone to go to Ulm as a professional basketball player. How do you think the experience will help you as a player and as a person?** 

"I've said it before: this is a basketball experience, but even more so, a life experience, because I have been living at home until now, with my family, and everything was easy. Now, I am in a different country with a different language and a different culture, living on my own. I've had to wise up! I am very happy. I've met a lot of people here and they have been great to me. It is all positive, to be honest." 

**How about everyday duties? Not being home, I guess you have more chores. For instance, are you learning to cook?** 

"About cooking, I am lucky that there is a restaurant in the club in which I have lunch and dinner. If not, I would have more problems, but I am doing alright, I get by. I am not great at cooking or the most organized person in the world, but I get by."  

**Bruno Caboclo has been unstoppable since he arrived. How important has he been to balance the team and what's the best about him as a player?** 

"We came off a situation in which our two centers were injured. We were playing with our second-team centers, who were doing well but we needed a reference at the '5' position, a big player like Bruno. He adjusted really quickly to the team and it looks like he has been with us for a long time. He is helping us a lot. He changes a lot of shots and has very long arms."

At age 18, Juan Nuñez of ratiopharm Ulm is averaging 6.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists and a PIR of 8.9 in his first 7DAYS EuroCup season. Here are some of his best assists until now.

Nunez showcases his creativity

**You have a young team with a young coach like Anton Gavel. How is your relationship with him? How important is the fact that he was a top-tier playmaker in the past who knows what might go through your mind?** 

"It is going really well, honestly. I talk to him every day, plus he speaks Spanish, so communicating with him is very easy. He gives me a lot of freedom and lets me play. Also, he is carrying us very well, and being such a young team, it is not an easy thing to do. He knows what all of us need in every moment. I only have good things to say about him." 

**Everyone highlights your passing skills and the remarkable assists that you conjure up. Is it a natural talent or something you work on every day?** 

"I don't know! It is my playing style. I believe it's something I've had since I was a little kid and played handball and basketball. I always had good court vision, so I don't know. You can work on it, that's for sure. When you reach this level, everything is more complicated but you spend many hours watching film and seeing where you can find advantages. It is something that you can polish a lot and I am improving my decision-making here, too." 

"The goal has to be to go as far as we can. We have seen that we can compete against anybody."

**The EuroCup playoffs start in two weeks. You know, it's win-or-go-home until one team is standing. How much are you looking forward to competing in the elimination rounds?** 

"I am really looking forward to it. It is a format that I've never played and I think we are a very dangerous team in a one-and-done situation. We are really looking forward to it, to be honest. We've been practicing really well and are in very good form. We had a slower start, but are doing quite well in the German League and the EuroCup. So it is going to arrive in a very good moment for us. As I said, if it comes down to one game, we are a dangerous team, so I am really looking forward to it." 

**Last season, you were close to winning the EuroLeague with Real Madrid. What would it mean for you to take ratiopharm Ulm deep in the EuroCup?** 

"That's the goal. I don't know how far we will go, but the goal has to be to go as far as we can. We have seen that we can compete against anybody, so we don't have to set any limits. There are indeed very tough teams in both groups and it is a matter of going game by game: play the eighthfinals game as if it were our last, try to win it and do the same in the next round. I believe this is the way, let's see what happens." 

Only die-hard French basketball fans know the name of Maxime Courby. The 32-year-old forward, who’s played for JL Bourg since 2015, had a promising start to his career as a member of the French U-18 and U-20 teams. He won the gold medal with the latter at the 2010 European Championship alongside Andrew Albicy.

[MORE...](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/eurocup/1478612/maxime-courby-the-unexpected-all-time-leading-three-point-shooter-in-the-eurocu/)

Maxime Courby: The unexpected all-time leading three-point shooter

With two games remaining in the 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup Regular Season, there are many teams fighting for different goals. Whether it be a spot in the knockout rounds or home-court advantage, there is much to play for and those high stakes raise in intensity for the EuroCup Fantasy Challenge powered by Ardu Prime. With that in mind, here are some players to consider for your teams this week. 

Fantasy tips, Round 17: Star and big bargains! 

With two games remaining in the 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup Regular Season, there are many teams fighting for different goals. Whether it be a spot in the knockout rounds or home-court advantage, there is much to play for and those high stakes raise in intensity for the [EuroCup Fantasy Challenge powered by Ardu Prime](https://eurocupfantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/es/home?_ga=2.142575026.1642942346.1679299913-884385655.1669721726). With that in mind, here are some players to consider for your teams this week. 

[Ante Tomic, Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/ante-tomic/002507/) (16.1 credits) – Tomic has been nearly unstoppable lately due to his combination of size, post and passing skills, and experience. In the last seven games, Tomic has averaged 17.1 points on 49-of-69 two-point shooting, 6.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists and a PIR of 23.9. Simply outstanding.  

[D. J. Stephens, Prometey Slobozhanske](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/dj-stephens/005982/) (13.5 credits) – Stephens buried 6 three-pointers and dunked 5 times in Round 16. Yes, you heard that right: 6 threes and 5 dunks in the same game. He is averaging 13.1 points on great shooting (71.7% 2FG, 40.9% 3FG), 5.8 rebounds and a PIR of 15.6. 

Ante Tomic, D. J. Stephens, Vasilije Pusica, Zach Auguste and Diego Flaccadori are featured in this week's article.

EuroCup Fantasy tips: Regular Season Round 15

[Vasilije Pusica, Slask Wroclaw](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/vasilije-pusica/004733/) (6.2 credits) – Pusica has surprised everyone with very good performances and is the biggest bargain in the game right now. In two games, Pusica has averaged 19.5 points on 41.7% three-pointers, 3.5 rebounds, 5.5 fouls drawn and a PIR of 21.0. A short-term fantasy wonder! 

[Zach Auguste, Frutti Extra Bursaspor](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/zach-auguste/007948/) (12.0 credits) – Auguste has stepped up since Ahmet Duverioglu left Bursaspor due to personal issues. Over the last three games, Auguste has made 17 of 25 his two-pointers while averaging 15.3 points and 8.3 rebounds for a PIR of 21.0. 

[Diego Flaccadori, Dolomiti Energia Trento](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/diego-flaccadori/005670/) (11.4 credits) – Trento needs to win in Hamburg to keep its playoff hopes alive and will rely on Flaccadori to make the difference. He's averaged 17.0 points and a PIR of 18.7 over the last three games, during which he's made 8 of 14 three-pointers. It's make-or-break time for Trento and Flaccadori.

Slask Wroclaw v Hapoel Vegan Friendly Tel Aviv (2023-03-22T19:00:00.000Z)

Promitheas Patras v Paris Basketball (2023-03-22T17:30:00.000Z)

London Lions v Turk Telekom Ankara (2023-03-22T19:30:00.000Z)

Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse v ratiopharm Ulm (2023-03-22T18:30:00.000Z)

U-BT Cluj-Napoca v Prometey Slobozhanske (2023-03-22T17:30:00.000Z)

Umana Reyer Venice v Joventut Badalona (2023-03-22T19:00:00.000Z)

7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys v Frutti Extra Bursaspor (2023-03-22T17:00:00.000Z)

Germani Brescia v Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (2023-03-21T19:30:00.000Z)

Hello again! We come off a big home victory against Buducnost which kept our playoffs chances alive. We played a very good first half. We were coming off a bad loss against Treviso in the Italian League and knew that we had to win the game if we wanted to have mathematical chances to advance. We once again showed that we are together as a team and that allowed us to play a near-perfect first half. The team showed that is willing to keep fighting and this is what we will do until we run out of chances. Buducnost rallied and took the lead in the second half: Trae Bell-Haynes hit almost every shot, but not the decisive one. We stuck together and Darion Atkins grabbed a rebound off a block and that was it. We were a bit lucky, I have to admit.

Trent Lockett played a strong all-around game and that is great for us, of course. He is a very experienced player. He showed what he can do, and I hope we can keep playing like that. One of our biggest problems as a team is the lack of continuity, for all of us. We will try to keep playing this way to win our next game, which of course, will be difficult. 

"There is extra motivation to go to the playoffs. This format opens things up a lot and I would like to try it."

We play against Hamburg, our direct opponent in the fight to finish eighth. If we win, we need to beat Slask in Round 16 and Hamburg must lose in Gran Canaria, and only then would we be in the next round. Our main issue is that we haven't won on the road in the EuroCup for a very long time. It's been a few years now, but this is a great opportunity to break that losing streak. I believe they will surely have more pressure than we do. We will have to play more freely, knowing that if we win, everything may very well be in our hands. We have no choice other than to win our last two games. 

I believe that controlling the game tempo will be the key to the game. Hamburg plays fast-paced basketball and we are more of a halfcourt kind of team. It is up to us, the point guards, to dictate the right game tempo. I hope we can slow them down because it will be one of the keys to the game, making them play with less rhythm and fewer possessions. We have to rebound well on defense and not run the game clock too much, as it may lead to bad shots, giving them the opportunity to run. If they rush things to try to get more possessions, they may make more mistakes. We have to limit turnovers, which is always hard for us. 

Dolomiti Energia Trento playmaker Toto Forray is still going strong!

2022-23 EuroCup highlights: Toto Forray, Trento

Of course, I was with the team when we made it to the EuroCup Semifinals. There is extra motivation to go to the playoffs. This format opens things up a lot and I would like to try it. It is one thing to know that the format exists and it is a very different thing to play it. I would love to play this format because the hungriest team will win. In a do-or-die game, standings and what you did before the game is not that important, it doesn't count. All that counts is playing well in that particular game. 

Looking around our group, Hapoel is a team I like a lot, I think they will be very dangerous in this format. They have a well-rounded team and their home court is one of the toughest in Europe. They have a lot of fans and that can be a factor. They play very physical and have fans everywhere. If they play on the road, there are 1,000 fans watching them. Hapoel fans are so good they could be Argentinean! :) 

"This is the moment every basketball player is waiting for: it is time to compete for our goals."

Speaking of Argentina, my last blog entry came when we won the FIFA World Cup. It has been some time and it is still hard to believe, it's crazy. When I open Facebook, sometimes I still see reminders about it, so that people don't forget we are champions. You see pictures and everything. We are all still emotional about it, even though it was three months ago. It really happened, and as an Argentinean, it is still exciting. 

We have worked hard for many months and this is the moment every basketball player is waiting for: it is time to compete for our goals. Everybody wants to play these games. We prepared all season to reach this moment in the best shape possible. The games really matter and everybody knows it, from fans to players to everyone else. It is the best moment of the season and it is always a pleasure to reach this moment.

Toto Forray, Trento: 'We have no choice but to win'

The penultimate round of the 18-game 7DAYS EuroCup Regular Season arrives on Tuesday and Wednesday with only a single playoff spot still to be filled – the last one in Group B – but a lot left to battle for among the teams that already punched their tickets to the elimination rounds.  Remember that the higher-placed team will host each single-elimination eighthfinals, quarterfinal, semifinal and final games going forward, so finishing with the best possible standing in the regular season is crucially important.

Here are the qualification and final group standing possibilities going into Round 17.

## Group A

[Prometey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/prometey-slobozhanske/roster/pmt/?season=2022-23) (12-4) will clinch first place in Group A with a road win against Cluj and a loss by Joventut.

[Joventut](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/joventut-badalona/roster/jov/?season=2022-23) (11-5) will secure a top-two finish with a win.

Joventut will finish second place with a loss by fewer than 3 points in regulation against Reyer (9-7) if Lietkabelis (9-7) loses and Prometey wins.

## Group B

[Gran Canaria](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/gran-canaria/roster/can/?season=2022-23) (13-3) will clinch first place in Group B with a victory at Buducnost or if Hapoel loses at Buducnost.

Gran Canaria will clinch the best record and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs if it wins and Prometey loses.

[Turk Telekom](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/turk-telekom-ankara/roster/ttk/?season=2022-23) (11-5) will secure eighthfinals home-court advantage with a road win over London.

Turk Telekom will secure eighthfinals home-court advantage if Promitheas and Buducnost both lose.

Turk Telekom will finish second with a win if Promitheas wins and Hapoel loses.

[Hapoel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/hapoel-tel-aviv/roster/hta/?season=2022-23) (11-5) will secure home-court advantage with a win at Slask (1-15).

Hapoel will secure eighthfinals home-court advantage if Paris (10-6) and Buducnost (9-7) both lose.

[Paris](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/paris-basketball/roster/prs/?season=2022-23) (10-6) will secure eighthfinals home-court advantage if it beats Promitheas by more than 3 points in regulation AND Hapoel wins.

Paris will be locked in fifth place if it loses by more than 3 points in regulation AND Turk Telekom wins.

Paris will be locked in fifth place if it loses by 14 points or more in regulation time.

[Promitheas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/promitheas-patras/roster/pat/?season=2022-23) (10-6) will secure eighthfinals home-court advantage if it beats Paris (10-6) AND Turk Telekom (11-5) wins.

Promitheas will secure eighthfinals home-court advantage with a victory over Paris of 14 points or more in regulation time.

Promitheas will finish fifth with a loss by more than 3 points in regulation if Hapoel and Buducnost both win.

[Buducnost](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/buducnost-voli-podgorica/roster/bud/?season=2022-23) (9-7) will finish in the sixth place with a loss at home to Gran Canaria.

[London Lions](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/london-lions/roster/lli/?season=2022-23) (7-9) are locked in the seventh place.

[Hamburg](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/veolia-hamburg-towers/roster/ham/?season=2022-23) (5-11) will qualify to the playoffs with a win over Trento.

[Trento](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/dolomiti-energia-trento/roster/trn/?season=2022-23) (3-13) will be eliminated if loses against Hamburg.

Round 17 playoff possibilities

The last of the 18 tickets to the eighthfinals could be snatched up this week in Round 17, which leaves the remaining qualified teams jockeying for better positioning and home-court advantage in the knockout stage. With two wins separating third place from eighth in Group A – and several head-to-head clashes among those teams to be played, many teams are in the mix for a top-four finish. In Group B, Wednesday’s clash between Promitheas Patras and Paris Basketball could prove decisive. 

Round 17: Eighthfinals on the mind

The last of the 18 tickets to the eighthfinals could be snatched up this week in Round 17, which leaves the remaining qualified teams jockeying for better positioning and home-court advantage in the knockout stage. With two wins separating third place from eighth in Group A – and several head-to-head clashes among those teams to be played, many teams are in the mix for a top-four finish. In Group B, Wednesday’s clash between Promitheas Patras and Paris Basketball could prove decisive. 

[Veolia Towers Hamburg vs. Dolomiti Energia Trento](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2022-23/veolia-towers-hamburg-dolomiti-energia-trento/U2022/169/)

Round 17 opens with the only game that matters in the race for the final remaining ticket to the knockout stages; only a Trento (3-13) victory keeps it in the race to overtake Hamburg (5-11) in Group B. If Hamburg wins, it will secure a berth in the next phase. In their previous meeting, Trento won 85-80 behind a career-high 18 points from Mattia Udom. 

Dolomiti Energia Trento - Veolia Hamburg Towers | Round 8 Highlights | 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup

[Buducnost VOLI Podgorica vs. Gran Canaria](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2022-23/buducnost-voli-podgorica-gran-canaria/U2022/170/)

Both teams have plenty to play for when Buducnost (9-7) faces Gran Canaria (13-3) on Tuesday; the hosts need to win to stay in the race for a top-four finish in Group B and a home game in the eighthfinals. Gran Canaria needs another to lock up the top spot in the group. Buducnost has won its last three home games, but Granca has won four of its last five on the road.

Gran Canaria - Buducnost VOLI Podgorica | Round 8 Highlights | 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup

[Germani Brescia vs. Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2022-23/germani-brescia-cedevita-olimpija-ljubljana/U2022/161/)

Brescia (7-9) will try to put an end to a two-game slide when it hosts Cedevita (3-13), which has already been eliminated from postseason contention. The hosts enter the week in seventh place, but only two wins behind the pack of teams tied for third and could conceivably still finish among the top four if it wins out. Amedeo Della Valle scored 19 to lead Brescia to an 80-83 victory in the Slovenian capital when they met in December.

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana - Germani Brescia | Round 8 Highlights | 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup

[7bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys vs. Frutti Extra Bursaspor](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2022-23/7bet-lietkabelis-panevezys-frutti-extra-bursaspor/U2022/162/)

Wednesday begins with a Group A showdown between playoff-bound teams in much different form. Red-hot Lietkabelis (9-7) has won five straight games while Bursaspor (7-9) has lost five of its last six. But it was Bursaspor that was victorious in their Round 8 meeting 75-69 thanks to 18 points from Onuralp Bitim and the result of this game will have major implications on the final group standings.  

Frutti Extra Bursaspor - 7-Bet Lietkabelis Panevezys | Round 8 Highlights | 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup

[Promitheas Patras vs. Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2022-23/promitheas-patras-paris-basketball/U2022/167/)

The showdown between Promitheas (10-6) and Paris (10-6) could decide a top-four spot in Group B. Paris clinches home-court for the eighthfinals if it wins by more than 3 points – Promitheas won their clash in the French capital 71-74 in Round 8 – and Hapoel wins later Wednesday. Promitheas will be in the top four if it wins and so does Turk Telekom. 

Paris Basketball - Promitheas Patras| Round 8 Highlights | 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup

[U-BT Cluj-Napoca vs. Prometey Slobozhanske](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2022-23/u-bt-cluj-napoca-prometey-slobozhanske/U2022/164/)

Prometey (12-4) will look to lock up the top spot in Group A when it hosts Cluj (5-11) in what promises to be a high-scoring showdown. A win combined with a Joventut loss clinches first place for Prometey, which is also the EuroCup's top-scoring team with 87.8 points per game. Cluj, which is sixth with 84.9 points, will look to play the role of spoiler as it has already been eliminated from post-season contention.

Prometey Slobozhanske - U-BT Cluj-Napoca | Round 8 Highlights | 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup

[Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse vs. ratiopharm Ulm](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2022-23/mincidelice-jl-bourg-en-bresse-ratiopharm-ulm/U2022/165/)

This is a must-win game for these two teams still dreaming of home-court advantage in the eighthfinals. Ulm (9-7) still controls its own destiny, while Bourg (8-8) can leapfrog in front of the German club with a big win. Yago Dos Santos partied with 18 points and 9 assists to lead Ulm to a 110-98 home win when they met in December.  

ratiopharm Ulm - Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse | Round 8 Highlights | 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup

[Slask Wroclaw vs. Hapoel Vegan Friendly Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2022-23/slask-wroclaw-hapoel-vegan-friendly-tel-aviv/U2022/168/)

Visiting Hapoel (11-5) can secure home-court advantage for the next stage with a road win at last-place Slask (1-15), which has lost seven in a row. Before losing at Buducnost earlier this month, Hapoel had won three straight on the road and it routed Slask earlier this season by 30 in Tel Aviv. This will be Slask’s final home game of the campaign. 

Hapoel Vegan Friendly Tel Aviv - Slask Wroclaw | Round 8 Highlights | 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup

[Umana Reyer Venice vs. Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2022-23/umana-reyer-venice-joventut-badalona/U2022/163/)

Both teams have plenty to play for when Reyer hosts Joventut. Reyer (9-7) needs to win to keep its chances of hosting an eighthfinals game strong, while Joventut (11-5) can secure a top-two finish in Group A with a victory. Joventut edged Reyer 90-87 behind a career-high 23 points from Joel Parra earlier this season. 

Joventut Badalona - Umana Reyer Venice | Round 8 Highlights | 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup

[London Lions vs. Turk Telekom Ankara](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2022-23/london-lions-turk-telekom-ankara/U2022/166/)

The final game of the round will see two of this season’s top scorers clash with London’s Sam Dekker (18.4 ppg.) and Turk Telekom’s Axel Bouteille (17.6 ppg.) going at it. The visitors will clinch home-court advantage in the eighthfinals with a win. London (7-9) will finish the regular season in seventh place regardless of the outcome. Jerian Grant starred with 18 points and 9 assists when Turk Telekom (11-5) blasted London 102-74 earlier this season. 

Turk Telekom Ankara - London Lions | Round 8 Highlights | 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup

Gran Canaria notched an important victory over second-place Turk Telekom Ankara in Round 16 to move two wins clear at the top of Group B and control its own destiny with just two games remaining in the 7DAYS EuroCup Regular Season. In a matchup between two of the season's top teams, Gran Canaria scored 15 points in transition. That may not seem like a lot, but in the EuroCup, easy baskets in the open floor are very hard to come by and, as a result, very valuable. 

The average EuroCup game only sees 24 points per game scored in transition between both teams. However, transition opportunities are converted for 1.13 points per possession – well ahead of the rate of 0.94 points per possession against set defenses. While most teams look to push the ball opportunistically and some will try to run somewhat aggressively at times, defenses at this level do a tremendous job eliminating those opportunities.

That's what makes little outbursts like the one Gran Canaria had against Turk Telekom notable. Due to their scarcity, a few good bounces can lead to a few extra points in transition and that can add up to a real advantage on the scoreboard. 

The table above displays this season's most prolific teams in transition. With each of the top three teams also sitting in the top three in their respective group standings, it's clear that some of this season's best teams have been the most productive in the open court.

How these teams push the ball and where their production comes from varies quite a bit. Turk Telekom and Gran Canaria, for example, attempt nearly half of their transition shots from beyond the arc as many of their players set up there in open-court situations. Hapoel, by contrast, attempts very few threes in the open court, with most of its fastbreak shooters going right to the rim with a staggering 77% success rate. Even when they do not find true fastbreak opportunities with a player breaking free behind the defense, some teams still find a way to put pressure on the paint in the open floor.

Even among the teams that look to get the ball to the rim when they push, there are some stylistic differences. Prometey Slobozhanske, for example, gets a large chunk of transition production from its ball-handlers, who will frequently grab outlet passes and push ahead looking for their own shots. The London Lions, by comparison, get a lot of shots around the rim in transition from guards running the wings.

Then there are teams like Promitheas Patras and Veolia Hamburg Towers, who frequently push and pitch the ball back to their big men trailing the play; or teams like U-BT Cluj-Napoca, whose players seek out contact aggressively when they run.

While the list of teams above have a degree of aggressiveness in common, how they approach scoring in transition varies quite a bit. Ultimately, regardless of how teams create opportunities, their production in transition can be the difference in wins and losses this time of the year.