Prometey Slobozhanske welcomes U-BT Cluj-Napoca to Arena Riga on Wednesday evening in a game that pits the best offenses in the 7DAYS EuroCup up against one another.

The hosts are coming off back-to-back defeats, which dropped their record to 3-4 on the season. Last time out, on the road at Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse, Prometey lost 92-85. This season has seen Gian Clavell, DJ Stephens and DJ Kennedy show what they can do in the EuroCup, averaging a combined 39.0 points per game, but against Bourg they had 28 points between them. Prometey was without Caleb Agada and his 15.2 points per game, too. Yet, the competition's second-best offense at 86.1 points per contest will hope to arrest its mini slide in Round 8, with the team's star players likely to play a big role in any success Prometey has.

Game News

Cluj, meanwhile, recorded an impressive 98-82 win in Round 7 at home to Joventut Badalona. The problem for Cluj is that it has been far better at BT-arena than it has been on the road, going 3-1 in Cluj-Napoca and 0-3 on its travels. Leonardo Meindl continued his impressive debut EuroCup campaign with a game-high 21 points against Joventut, while Karel Guzman and Patrick Richard contributed 19 and 14 points, respectively. Cluj has the best offense in the EuroCup at 87.4 points per night, so it will have to lean on that side of the ball if it is to come away with its first road win on Wednesday evening.

It's a battle of high-scoring offenses when Prometey, Cluj meet

Prometey Slobozhanske v U-BT Cluj-Napoca (2022-12-14T17:00:00.000Z)

In a meeting between two of the most impressive teams in this year's 7DAYS EuroCup, Turk Telekom Ankara (5-2) welcomes the London Lions (4-3) to Ankara Spor Salonu.

Turk Telekom saw its five-game winning run snapped in Round 7 as it fell 81-88 at home to Gran Canaria. Curiously, both of the Turkish team's defeats this season have come at Ankara Spor Salonu, as it is 2-2 at home and 4-0 on the road. Tony Taylor had an excellent performance off the bench for Turk Telekom in its loss to Gran Canaria, scoring 28 points, but Erkan Yilmaz was the only other player to get into double figures, finishing with 12. Coach Erdem Can will be keen to see regular starters Jerian Grant and Axel Bouteille improve on their 9-point showings last week.

London, meanwhile, has recovered from a slow start to the season by going 3-0 in its last three games, of which two have been on the road. Last time out, against Promitheas Patras in Greece, the ever-consistent Sam Dekker had a game-high 20 points, while veteran big man Kostas Koufos put his fingerprints on proceedings with 10 points, 9 assists and 3 assists. London head coach Ryan Schmidt has instilled a lot of belief in his team, and it has the chance to further cement its place in the playoff positions with a statement win at Turk Telekom in Round 8.

Turk Telekom looking to respond against in-form London

Turk Telekom Ankara v London Lions (2022-12-14T17:00:00.000Z)

In a never-seen-before showdown in European competitions, Paris Basketball (5-2) takes on Promitheas Patras (4-3) in Group B. Paris is 4-0 on the road but just 1-2 at home. Promitheas comes off back-to-back home losses and hopes to bounce back right away.

Paris relies on its physicality to make a difference in this game. It leads the EuroCup in blocked shots (4.1 bpg.) and defensive rebounds (30.3 drpg.), which allows Paris to get going in transition. Kyle Allman, Amar Gegic and Axel Toupane are fast, athletic players who thrive in their team's run-and-gun style. Paris, however, ranks 19th in offensive rebounds (8.7 orpg.), so there is room for improvement. As always, finding Ismael Kamagate in the paint should give Paris a better chance to win the game. 

Promitheas has been without Joe Young, the EuroCup's top scorer, in its last two games. If Young remains sidelined, Arnoldas Kulbokas and Anthony Cowan should be ready to get extended responsibilities on offense. Promitheas is last in offensive rebounds (8.3 drpg.) despite making just 48.8% of its two-point shots (19th overall). Being more effective in the paint and powering the offensive board against the best defensive rebounding team in the competition are perhaps the biggest keys for Promitheas in this exciting game.

Paris, Promitheas finally meet 

Paris Basketball v Promitheas Patras (2022-12-14T19:30:00.000Z)

For the second consecutive season, ratiopharm Ulm (3-4) and Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse (6-1) meet in 7DAYS EuroCup Regular Season action. Last season, Ulm beat Bourg twice: 96-86 at home and 72-85 on the road. Bourg, however, was 2-5 after seven games last season and now leads Group A with a 6-1 record this season. 

Ulm relies on its young, electric backcourt to make a difference in the game. Juan Nunez, Yago Dos Santos and Fedor Zugic give Coach Anton Gavel plenty of options to either attack the rim or find an open teammate. Ulm ranks seventh in assists (18.1 apg.) and is eighth in turnovers (14.3). Being able to circulate the ball better and connecting with its big men, Nicolas Bretzel and Karim Jallow, for easier points in the paint should make Ulm's offense more efficient against a team with the best win-loss record in the competition right now. 

Bourg leads the 2022-23 EuroCup in three-point shooting, having made 40.2% of its shots from downtown. Bourg, however, is just 16th in assists at 16.6 per night, so a lot of its shots come in one-on-one situations. James Palmer has scored 20 or more points in each of the last three games and Bourg should continue running its offense through him. On defense, preventing Dos Santos and Zugic from attacking the rim should be important, so guards like Frantz Massenat, Axel Julien and Hugo Benitez must be ready for a big defensive challenge. 

Bourg, Ulm meet again in Round 8

ratiopharm Ulm v Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse (2022-12-14T18:30:00.000Z)

Two of the top teams in Group A will clash on Wednesday when Joventut Badalona hosts Umana Reyer Venice. Joventut (4-3) has lost back-to-back games for the first time since the 2021 quarterfinals after falling 98-82 at U-BT Cluj-Napoca last week. Reyer (5-2) is riding high with five straight wins after blasting last season’s runner-up Frutti Extra Bursaspor 78-65 last week. 

All signs point to a defensive showdown as Reyer has allowed the second-fewest points in the EuroCup this season (72.0 ppg.) and Joventut is third (76.6 ppg.). They also excel in particular in limiting opposing three-point shooters; Reyer’s opponents have made just 30.0% of their attempted triples and Joventut’s foes have shot 30.9% from behind the arc. 

Henry Ellenson (11.4 ppg.) and Ante Tomic (10.1 ppg.) are Joventut’s top scorers with Pau Ribas and Kyle Guy leading the backcourt. Former Joventut forward Derek Willis (13.7 ppg., 6.3 rpg.) has been Reyer’s go-to guy alongside Mitchell Watt (12.4 ppg., 5.4 rpg.) inside and Allerik Freeman (12.3 ppg.) from the perimeter. With so much talent on these well-coached teams, this Round 8 showdown should be a thriller.

Group A powers Joventut, Reyer clash

Joventut Badalona v Umana Reyer Venice (2022-12-14T19:15:00.000Z)

The London Lions have confirmed the signing of [Jordan Taylor](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/jordan-taylor/005247/), who joins the team after it was confirmed that Tarik Phillip will miss the remainder of the 2022-23 season due to injury. Taylor (1.88 meters, 33 years old) has moved from one 7DAYS EuroCup team to another, swapping Group A for Group B, as he played the first four games of this season with U-BT Cluj-Napoca. In those contests, he averaged 14.2 points, 2.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals.

Jordan Taylor 2022-23 Cluj highlights

Taylor has one year of experience in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, which came with LCLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in 2019-20, and five seasons of knowhow in the EuroCup. He made his EuroCup debut in 2013-14 with Virtus Roma, before going on to represent ALBA Berlin (2015-16), Galatasaray (2017-18), Limoges CSP (2018-19) and Cluj (2022-23) in the competition. Across 44 appearances in the EuroCup, Taylor has averaged 10.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.1 steal. Now, having signed for London, the American ballhandler will look to bring his shooting, playmaking and experience to a team looking to continue its upwards trajectory.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here’s your Lions Medical &amp; Roster update! 🦁📄<br><br>A lot going on! ✍️<br>Don’t miss the action, get your tickets now: <a href="https://t.co/m2oPj24RmZ">https://t.co/m2oPj24RmZ</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wearelondon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wearelondon</a> <a href="https://t.co/jdrtfUvEC7">pic.twitter.com/jdrtfUvEC7</a></p>&mdash; London Lions (@LondonLions) <a href="https://twitter.com/LondonLions/status/1601968812127043585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Point guard Taylor swaps Cluj for London

The ball screen revolution has taken a turn this season. Pick-and-roll play, having held a prominent role in European basketball for decades, has now risen to prominence as the  go-to action of choice for coaches over recent years. As it stands, 43% of all half-court possessions in the 7DAYS EuroCup this season have been used by ballhandlers in pick-and-roll situations or created by one of their passes.

While that percentage has risen slightly from last year, efficiency has dipped noticeably. Teams converted possessions derived from pick-and-rolls at a 0.95 points-per-possession rate last season – which is fr better than this season's 0.92 league average. Much of the strain on pick-and-roll efficiency can be traced to the ballhandlers themselves. Not only have EuroCup defenses done a better job guarding the ball, but they have forced opposing ballhandlers to look for their own offense, rather than pass to the roller, more often than in the past.

As a result of all that, having a ballhandler who can create well for himself and others has become a luxury for many teams.

The table above lists the top pick-and-roll weapons in the EuroCup referencing their score-pass balance, overall point production, and the points per possession they have created in pick-and-roll situations this season. It provides a somewhat interesting glimpse into not only who has excelled this season, but what they excel at. It also paints a pretty clear picture of which teams are getting the most out of their playmakers as three pairs of teammates appear in the top 10 above. 

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana notched its first win of the season in Round 7, but Yogi Ferrell's assertiveness in creating points off of pick-and-rolls has been a bright spot all season and is a big reason that his team is one of just four to average more than 1.0 point per possession overall. Not only has his quickness given opposing teams headaches, but Ferrell has tried to get pretty ambitious with his passing at times – often to great effect, as his sterling efficiency suggests.

Besides Ferrell, Joe Young of Promitheas Patras is the only other player scoring in double-figures while looking for his own shot in pick-and-rolls this season. He may not be the most productive passer on this list, but he's posted gaudy scoring numbers in terms of both production and efficiency. His ability to stop and pop or make short-range jumpers forces defenses to pick their poison.

Quickly rising through the ranks of European hoops, Kendale McCullum is still learning how to pick and choose his spots at this level which makes his production as a passer stand out. He and Ziga Samar have both served as x-factors for Veolia Towers Hamburg at points this season.

Known primarily for his scoring ability early in his career, J'Covan Brown of Hapoel Vegan Friendly Tel Aviv has come a long way as a facilitator over his 11 seasons as a pro. Teenager Juan Nunez of ratiopharm Ulm is coming from the other end of the spectrum, posting the highest pass-score ratio of any player on the list just eclipsing his countryman, Ferran Bassas of Gran Canaria. While he has room to mature as a decision-maker and improve as a shooter, his natural passing talent is obvious.

No single playmaking style dominates the discourse in the EuroCup as aggressive scorers like Kyle Allman of Joventut Badalone, probing passers like Josh Adams of Cedevita, and balanced playmakers like Yago Dos Santos of Ulm have all put up numbers steadily this season. With pick-and-roll efficiency down overall, such solid guard play can be more of a differentiator than it has been in recent years – no matter how one defines it.

### Looking Ahead

The standings got really crowded in Round 7. With four teams at 5-2 in Group B, the scheduling quirk that has top-ranked Buducnost VOLI Podgorica playing second-ranked Gran Canaria and third-ranked Turk Telekom Ankara in back-to-back weeks will provide some much needed clarity in the pecking order of contenders as we head into the second half of the season.

Stats Review: Pick-and-roll trends

Two classic 7DAYS EuroCup teams will meet on Tuesday night when Gran Canaria (5-2) welcomes Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (5-2) to the Canary Islands in Group B. This will be the seventh time these teams have met each other in the EuroCup and the Spanish team has won all six previous encounters. Granca comes off an 81-88 road win at Turk Telekom Ankara behind 21 points by Vitor Benite. The visitors also won last week, at home against Trento, 73-58, led by Marko Jagodic-Kuridza's 20 points.

Gran Canaria leads the league in assists (20.9 apg.) and Buducnost is the best team under the boards (44.0 rpg.). Granca boasts the third-best offense in the competition, while Buducnost stands 15th with a difference of almost 5 points between them. Gran Canaria has better shooting percentages from all ranges and also commits fewer turnovers. The visitors have better numbers in defensive categories such as steals and blocks. It will be a battle of two styles on Tuesday.

AJ Slaughter (13.1 ppg.) and Benite (10.3 ppg.) are the only two players on Gran Canaria averaging double figures in scoring, but three more players average 9 or more points: Khalifa Diop, Damien Inglis and John Shurna. If they can all be at the right place at the right time so that assist wizards Andrew Albicy and Ferran Bassas can feed them the ball, the hosts will be halfway there. Alpha Kaba is one of the most determinant players in the EuroCup at the moment (13.4 ppg., 12.0 rpg.) and he's well-covered by Trae Bell-Haynes (11.6 ppg.) and Cameron Reynolds (11.1 ppg.). The visitors will need Marko Jagodic-Kuridza and Petar Popovic to step up and give the team a much-needed boost that could lead to a prestige road win and the first victory over Granca since they started playing each other in November 2010.

Buducnost looks for first EuroCup win against Granca

Gran Canaria v Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (2022-12-13T20:00:00.000Z)

Dolomiti Energia Trento (1-6) hosts Veolia Hamburg Towers (3-4) on Tuesday in a Group B duel. After winning its first game in Round 6, Trento fell on the road at Buducnost VOLI Podgorica last week, 73-58, despite Darion Atkins's strong game (16 points, 7 boards, 3 steals and 4 blocks). Hamburg was back on the winning track last week with a 98-91 success at home against Hapoel Vegan Friendly Tel Aviv. Yoeli Childs was a one-man army with 20 points and 11 rebounds in that game. This will be the third time these two teams meet in the EuroCup. Last season, Hamburg swept their two encounters.

On paper, the visitors seem to have the upper hand going into the game. They are the fourth-best team in the league under the glass and second in offensive rebounds (13.7). Trento seems to have better shooting percentages overall, but it is the worst team on the defensive glass. On defense, the hosts rank third overall in steals (8.4) but they seem to be lacking in the offense department, so Trento will have to try to circulate the ball well and look for good shooting options. Hamburg is playing against a team that seems to be in a rough patch, but the visitors would be wise not to lower their guard because Trento has already demonstrated that it can win at home.

Trento will rely on Diego Flaccadori (13.2 ppg.), who has played well lately, Drew Crawford (11.8 ppg.) and Atkins (11.0 ppg.). They form the most assertive trio for Trento in offense, but the team could use a bit of help from names like Trent Lockett and Andrejs Grazulis, who average more than 20 minutes on court and could up their contribution. Childs (14.9 ppg.) is the leader for Hamburg alongside James Woodard (12.8 ppg.), Lukas Meisner (12.5 ppg.) and Kendale McCullum (12.2 ppg.) to form a lethal quartet that should earn the team more wins this season.

Trento will want to keep winning against Hamburg

Dolomiti Energia Trento v Veolia Towers Hamburg (2022-12-13T19:00:00.000Z)