Promitheas Patras announced on Saturday that it signed guard Joe Thomasson for the remainder of the season. Thomasson (1.93 meters, 29 years old) steps into the role vacated by [Joe Young, who parted ways](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/promitheas-joe-young-part-ways/) with the club last week. Young was the EuroCup’s top scorer with 23.4 points per game.

Thomasson arrives from Zenit St. Petersburg, where he had averaged 5.5 points and 2.6 assists in 19 games in the VTB United League this season. The season before, Thomasson starred for BAXI Manresa; he averaged 13.2 points and 3.5 assists in the Spanish League and was named to the All-ACB Second Team.

He has also played for Dynamo Bucharest in Romania, Polpharma Starogard Gdansk, Start Lublin and Stelmet Zielona Gora in Poland, and Hapoel Galil Elyon in Israel. Thomasson will make his EuroCup debut with Promitheas.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Κάτοικος Πατρών ο Joe Thomasson.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/promitheaspatras?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#promitheaspatras</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/promitheasbc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#promitheasbc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/proudtobeorange?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#proudtobeorange</a><a href="https://t.co/GnMtILKI8K">https://t.co/GnMtILKI8K</a></p>&mdash; Promitheas Patras BC (@promitheasbc) <a href="https://twitter.com/promitheasbc/status/1611731930029883394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Promitheas acquires Thomasson

These promising EuroCup youngsters have already arrived!

In the first half of the 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup Regular Season, some young players established themselves as budding stars. It is hard to recall a EuroCup season in which so many young players did so well. Not all of them are eligible for the EuroCup Rising Star award, but here is a list of players aged 23 or younger who have stood out: some taking a step forwards, others making an impact in their EuroCup debuts.

### [Onuralp Bitim](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/onuralp-bitim/007929/), Frutti Extra Bursaspor

Bitim already proved his value last season, helping Bursaspor go all the way to the EuroCup Championship Game. Full of confidence and energy, Bitim is an all-around swingman able to read the passing lanes for steals, ignite the crowd with explosive dunks, or pull the trigger with unlimited range. At age 23, he is the competition's third-best scorer (18.4 ppg.) and leads the 2022-23 EuroCup in fouls drawn at 6.6 per night. Bitim also ranks fifth in PIR at 18.9 per game. The sky is the limit for him, as he is taking giant steps forward each season.

Onuralp Bitim Top Plays of the 2022-23 Regular Season

EuroCup top young players: Onuralp Bitim, Bursaspor

### [Khalifa Diop](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/khalifa-diop/008072/), Gran Canaria

Last season's EuroCup Rising Star Trophy winner has a chance to win the award again, an honor that only EuroCup legend Bojan Dubljevic has achieved in the past. Diop is seeing more playing time this season, 20 minutes per night, and is making the most out of it, averaging 10.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 0.8 blocks for a PIR average of 11.4. He ranks 12th in two-point shooting percentage (70.6%) and his free throw accuracy has gone from 53.7% last season to 70.4%. Diop loves playing above the rim, and his signature high-flying blocks and alley-oop dunks keep thrilling Gran Canaria fans.

Khalifa Diop Top Plays of the 2022-23 Regular Season

EuroCup top young players: Khalifa Diop, Gran Canaria

### [Yago Dos Santos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/yago-dos-santos/012044/), ratiopharm Ulm

At age 23, Dos Santos is having a big impact in the competition with several outstanding performances. He had 26 points, 10 assists, 8 fouls drawn and a PIR of 39 in a spectacular 105-106 road win against Prometey Slobozhanske in Round 6. He also got 18 points, 9 assists and a PIR of 20 in a 110-98 Round 8 victory against Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse. Dos Santos ranks 12th in assists (4.9) and averages 12.0 points on solid shooting (62.5% 2FG, 40.9% 3FG, 88.9% FT) for a PIR of 15.8. This is his first season in Europe, so there is plenty of room for improvement, too.

Yago Dos Santos Top Plays of the 2022-23 Regular Season

EuroCup top young players: Yago Dos Santos, Ulm

### [Jaylen Hoard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/jaylen-hoard/006835/), Hapoel Vegan Friendly Tel Aviv

Hoard is another EuroCup newcomer who has surprised fans and experts alike due to his effectiveness and energy. He has hit 31 of 39 two-point shots until now, ranking fifth overall (79.5%). He also ranks sixth in offensive rebounds (2.3) and eighth in PIR (18.3). After missing three games due to injury, Hoard returned against Gran Canaria in Round 9, getting 14 points on 7-for-7 shooting and a PIR of 20. He minimizes mistakes like few other players in competition history. Hoard has just turnovers this season after almost 110 minutes on court!

Jaylen Hoard Top Plays of the 2022-23 Regular Season

EuroCup top young players: Jaylen Hoard, Hapoel

### [Ismael Kamagate](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/ismael-kamagate/011926/), Paris Basketball

A center with long arms, a great willingness to play physically in the paint, and a good feel for the game, Kamagate has been all over the place so far this season. He is tied for first place in blocked shots (2.0 bpg.), ranks second in rebounds (9.3 rpg.) and is scoring with unprecedented efficiency. Simply put, no other player in competition history playing more than six games in any EuroCup season had as high a two-point rate (83.0%) while taking as many shot attempts (5.2 per game). Kamagate is trying to make history by leading Paris as deep as possible in the 2022-23 EuroCup.

Ismaël Kamagate Top Plays of the 2022-23 Regular Season

EuroCup top young players: Ismael Kamagate, Paris

### [Juan Nunez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/juan-nunez/010106/), ratiopharm Ulm

At age 20, Nunez is one of the most-watched guard prospects anywhere due to his clutch play and great ability to pass the ball. He has shown hints of the player can be become in the 2022-23 EuroCup, averaging 7.1 points, 4.6 assists, 1.1 steals and a PIR of 8.7 in less than 21 minutes per night. Ulm features three of the most exciting young guards in the competition: Nunez, Dos Santos and Fedor Zugic. Nunez has to improve his three-point shooting (23.5% 3FG) to become a bigger threat at all levels, but it should only be a matter of time before he becomes a top-class playmaker.

Juan Nunez Top Plays of the 2022-23 Regular Season

EuroCup top young players: Juan Nunez, Ulm

### [Joel Parra](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/joel-parra/007464/), Joventut Badalona

Parra is already one of the main pillars in Joventut's roster due to his combination of size, talent, energy and history with the club, which he joined at age 5. Parra is averaging 11.2 points while shooting 50.0% on three-pointers and 88% from the foul line. With his 4.6 rebounds per game, he has an average PIR of 14.0. In the last two games, Parra was just sensational, boosting his numbers up to 19.5 points scored on 70.0% three-pointers and 100% free throws, 4.5 rebounds and a PIR of 21.0. Parra is set to keep improving as the season goes on as Joventut looks for a better playoffs run this time around.

Joel Parra Top Plays of the 2022-23 Regular Season

EuroCup top young players: Joel Parra, Joventut

ratiopharm Ulm announced on Thursday that it has signed Brazilian forward Bruno Caboclo. The contract is through the end of the 2023-24 season. Caboclo (2.06 meters, 27 years) arrives from Mexican club Capitanes de Ciudad de Mexico, where he averaged 12.0 points and 5 rebounds in two G-League games this season. He has spent the majority of his career in the NBA with Toronto, Sacramento, Memphis and Houston and with those teams' G-League affiliates, Fort Wayne, Raptors 905, Reno and Rio Grande. 

Caboclo began his career with Pinheiros in Brazil. He has also played for Sao Paolo, which he led to the Basketball Champions League Americas title in 2022 and was the championship game MVP after posting 29 points and 7 rebounds in that effort. This will be Caboclo's second time playing in Europe after a stint with Limoges in France in 2021.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">Olá Bruno🧡🇧🇷<br><br>Der brasilianische Nationalspieler Bruno Caboclo wird ein Uuulmer. Der NBA-erfahrene Innenspieler hat bei uns einen Vertrag bis zum Ende der Spielzeit 23/24 unterschrieben.<br><br>Alle Infos findet ihr jetzt hier👉 <a href="https://t.co/C8BjIv7fVG">https://t.co/C8BjIv7fVG</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/uuulmer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#uuulmer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/weareone?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#weareone</a> <a href="https://t.co/sFrBzoWNdr">pic.twitter.com/sFrBzoWNdr</a></p>&mdash; ratiopharm ulm (@ratiopharmulm) <a href="https://twitter.com/ratiopharmulm/status/1610989879864836096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Ulm inks Caboclo to multi-year deal

### What’s made Group B special?

The midway point of the 7DAYS EuroCup Regular Season is time to step back and see what’s special in each of the groups. Group B features some of the top individual performers in the EuroCup this season, whether it be scorers, rebounders, playmakers or potential Rising Stars.

### Top scorers

The top two scorers in the EuroCup this season are both guards in Group B. Joe Young of Promitheas Patras leads all players with 23.4 points per game. He has scored at least 20 points in six of his seven appearances this season. Young’s total is the fifth-highest in EuroCup history for players with at least seven games played. Kyle Allman of Paris Basketball is second in scoring this season with 18.9 points per game. Young was injured when Paris hosted Promitheas in Round 8, but these two high scorers will get a second chance to square off in Round 17.

### Home of the big men…

By all measures, the top big men in the EuroCup this season are competing in Group B. The top four rebounders are there: Alpha Kaba of Buducnost VOLI Podgorica leads the way with 11.5 per game, Paris Basketball center Ismael Kamagate is second with 9.3 followed by Turk Telekom Ankara’s Tyrique Jones (8.4) and Veolia Towers Hamburg’s Yoeli Childs (8.1). Of the 10 players averaging at least 1 block per game, eight are in Group B. The top big men in terms of PIR are also in the group: Kaba (20.8) is second, Jones (18.5) is sixth, Kamagate (18.4) seventh and Hapoel Vegan Friendly Tel Aviv’s Jaylen Hoard is eighth (18.3).

### … And the top playmakers

Not only are the best bigs pushing their way around the paint in Group B, the top playmakers are there too! The top four assist men in the EuroCup this season are all in Group B: J’Covan Brown (7.3 apg.) is first followed by Jerian Grant (6.7 apg.) of Turk Telekom, Kendale McCullum (6.1 apg.) of Hamburg and Ferran Bassas (5.6 apg.) of Gran Canaria.

### Gran Canaria’s perfect home record

Only one team has a perfect home record so far in the EuroCup this season and it’s a team that always has a distinct home-court advantage: Gran Canaria. The trip to the Canary Islands can be the longest and toughest for many teams and Coach Jaka Lakovic has used that to their advantage. Over the past decade, Gran Canaria is 43-9 in group-stage (regular season, Last 32 or Top 16) games at home for an 82.7 winning percentage. If it maintains that mastery at home, it should remain in the thick of the fight for the top spots in Group A going forward.

### Group of the Rising Stars

The race for the 2022-23 EuroCup Rising Star Trophy will be, in all likelihood, decided in Group B. Through nine games, the top six Rising Star Award-eligible players in terms of performance index rating are all in this group. Paris’s Ismael Kamagate stands head and shoulders above the rest with an average PIR of 18.4. His teammate Juhann Begarin is fourth (9.3). Gran Canaria centers Khalifa Diop and Aleksander Balcerowski, are second and third, respectively. Diop (11.4) is the reigning EuroCup Rising Star and Balcerowski (10.8) won the award in 2021. Rounding out the list are Matteo Spagnolo (9.2) of Dolomiti Energia Trento and Ziga Samar (8.9) of Hamburg.

Slask Wroclaw, London Lions, Dolomiti Energia Trento, Hamburg Towers, Promitheas Patras Top Plays from 09/30/2022 to 01/04/2023

Half-season highlights of bottom 5 Group B teams

Group B midway through the regular season

Promitheas Patras has confirmed that [Joe Young](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/joe-young/012015/), the leading scorer in this season's 7DAYS EuroCup, has left the club by mutual agreement.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="el" dir="ltr">Ανακοίνωση ΚΑΕ Προμηθέας Πάτρας<a href="https://t.co/Py8gExwkW1">https://t.co/Py8gExwkW1</a></p>&mdash; Promitheas Patras BC (@promitheasbc) <a href="https://twitter.com/promitheasbc/status/1610587620131885056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Young averaged 23.4 points per game across his seven appearances with Promitheas this season, which is 4.5 points more than the competition's second-highest scorer, Kyle Allman of Paris Basketball. In addition to his scoring exploits, Young also had the EuroCup's third-highest PIR mark with 20.4 and shared MVP of the Round honors in Round 2.

Joe Young's best plays for Promitheas in the 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup Regular Season.

Joe Young's best plays for Promitheas

Promitheas, Joe Young part ways

### What’s made Group A special?

At the midway point of the 7DAYS EuroCup Regular Season, Group A is the tighter of the two groups. Only one win separates the top six teams in the standings and three wins separate first place from ninth. It has also seen more points scored and home-court advantage has mattered more. 

### Home court advantage 

The home teams have won 60 percent of the games played in Group A, which stands out, even more, considering that in the other regular season group, home teams actually have a losing record (22-23). Even though no Group A team has a perfect home record, it features four teams with only one loss and only one team with a losing record at home (Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana at 1-4). The winningest home team in the group thus far has been 7bet Lietkabelis Panevezys at 4-1. 

Joventut Badalona, JL Bourg en Bresse, Umana Reyer Venice, Prometey Slobozhanske, Frutti Extra Bursaspor Top Plays from 09/30/2022 to 01/03/2023

Half-season highlights of top 5 Group A teams

### Praise for the newcomers

The two EuroCup debutants in Group A have both acquitted themselves well to the competition. Prometey Slobozhanske (5-4) is a story unique to itself in that the Ukrainian club does not have a home this season due to the war in its country and thus has played its home games in Latvia and Lithuania. Nevertheless, it has won three of those and has excited fans with its high-scoring brand of basketball. The other newcomer, U-BT Cluj-Napoca (3-6) is second to Prometey for the most points of any team in Group A with 86.1 per game. What Cluj is lacking is a road win – it is winless in four appearances outside of Romania – and the ability to capture a victory away from home could be what it needs to reach the next phase. 

### Top offenses 

More balls sink through the nets in Group A than in Group B. The scoring average for Group A teams is 82.9 points per game led by Prometey’s 87.0. The only two teams averaging at least 40 percent on three-point shooting are from this group: Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse (40.3%) and Joventut Badalona (40.0%). Joventut also tops the charts in free-throw accuracy (81.6%). Cluj not only leads the competition in two-point accuracy, but its 66.7% two-point shooting is on pace to set the EuroCup record. Dynamo Moscow set that record by shooting 61.8% on twos during the 2007-08 campaign. 

### Kings of the close call

Bourg shares the best record in Group A with Joventut at 6-3 and a main reason for that has been its performance in close games. The team is 5-1 in games decided by 7 points or less. The lone loss was at home against Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana, 90-91, last week. Prometey and Cluj have also been in a number of close games. Neither has had the magic touch in close and late situations that Bourg has; Prometey is 3-3 in games decided by 7 points or less and Cluj is 2-4 in such games. With many more close games likely on tap, how teams far in those could tip the balance in Group A. 

ratiopharm Ulm, Germani Brescia Leonessa, Lietkabelis Panevezys, U-BT Cluj-Napoca, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana Top Plays from 09/30/2022 to 01/03/2023

Half-season highlights of bottom 5 Group A teams

Group A midway through the regular season 

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica has announced the signing of experienced combo guard [Erick Green](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/erick-green/005159/) until the end of the season. Green (1.93 meters, 31 years old) arrives from Hapoel Holon of Israel, where he averaged 22.3 points per game. He is a veteran of Euroleague Basketball competitions, as he played four seasons in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and two in the 7DAYS EuroCup.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Zeleno ide sa plavo-bijelim: Bivši evroligaš stiže u Podgoricu 🔵⚪️<a href="https://t.co/BECwlva3ms">https://t.co/BECwlva3ms</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeOwnTheFuture?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeOwnTheFuture</a> <a href="https://t.co/ofms32CRL2">pic.twitter.com/ofms32CRL2</a></p>&mdash; KK Budućnost VOLI (@KKBuducnostVOLI) <a href="https://twitter.com/KKBuducnostVOLI/status/1608221786893680641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

In the EuroLeague, Green made a total 102 appearances with Montepaschi Siena, Olympiacos Piraeus, Valencia Basket and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul between 2013 and 2019. He scored a total of 1,027 points, or 10.1 per game, and dished 113 assists. In the EuroCup, Green played 15 games with Siena and Bahcesehir Koleji Istanbul in 2013-14 and 2020-21, respectively. In his last EuroCup season, in 2020-21 in Turkey, he averaged 21.3 points and 4.7 assists as a starter in all of his nine appearances. He has also played in Spain and China and in the NBA with the Utah and Denver.

Buducnost signs scoring ace Green

U-BT Cluj-Napoca has completed the signing of Kasey Shepherd until the end of the 2022-23 season. Shepherd (1.89 meters, 28 years old) spent the first part of the campaign with Bahcesehir Koleji, where he averaged 8.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 steals in 9 Turkish League games. He will make his 7DAYS EuroCup debut with Cluj.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Santa? Was it you? 🚨Transfer Alert! 🚨<br>Welcome to oUr family, Kasey Shepherd! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HaideU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HaideU</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cluj?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cluj</a> <a href="https://t.co/oFWR2FgNpd">pic.twitter.com/oFWR2FgNpd</a></p>&mdash; U-BT Cluj-Napoca (@UBTCluj) <a href="https://twitter.com/UBTCluj/status/1608056329448607744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Shepherd began his professional career in Montenegro with BC Ulcinjska Rivijera in 2017-18, before splitting time the following the season between Kaposvari KK of Hungary and Batumi RSU of Georgia. In 2019-20, Shepherd played for Kyiv Basket of Ukraine, averaging 16.8 points in the Basketball Champions League. He improved on that average one year later in the same competition, scoring 17.4 points per night with BC Nizhni Novgorod of Russia. Last season with Tofas Spor Kulubu, Shepherd's role in the BCL was reduced, but in the Turkish League he averaged 11.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals in 25 games. His new experience with Cluj will see him play in Romania for the first time in his career and make his first appearance in the EuroCup.

Cluj signs guard Shepherd on deal until end of season

Last year nobody expected Frutti Extra Bursaspor to make it to the final and this season there are at least four teams who can surprise anyone in a single-game playoff.

A lot has been said about the new format of the 7DAYS EuroCup which has a long regular season and then knock-out elimination phases.

[MORE...](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1440047/dont-sleep-on-the-eurocup-sleepers/)