Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana reinforced its frontline with the signing of veteran center Andrija Stipanovic for the remainder of the season. 

Cedevita brings back Andrija Stipanovic 

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana reinforced its frontline with the signing of veteran center [Andrija Stipanovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/andrija-stipanovic/005113/) for the remainder of the season. Stipanovic (2.08 meters, 37 years old) arrives from 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys, where he averaged 11.0 points on 61.3% shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists for a PIR of 19.0 in five BKT EuroCup games this season. This is his eighth EuroCup season and he has suited up for six different clubs in that time.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Andrija Stipanović returns to Stožice after a little more than four years.<a href="https://twitter.com/ANDROSTIPAN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ANDROSTIPAN</a>, welcome back to the Dragon family! 💚🧡<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ZmajevaDruzina?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ZmajevaDruzina</a> <a href="https://t.co/uvmsPP8GqB">pic.twitter.com/uvmsPP8GqB</a></p>&mdash; Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana - English (@KKCedOL_EN) <a href="https://twitter.com/KKCedOL_EN/status/1860979178343977232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Stipanovic started his professional basketball career with Hermes Analitica Zagreb and later played for Split and Velika Gorica of his native Croatia as well as Liege Basket and Oostende of Belgium, Caserta and Vanoli Cremona of Italy, Trabzonspor and Buyukcemece of Turkiye, U-BT Cluj-Napoce of Romania, Lietkabelis in Lithuania, and Cedevita Zagreb of Croatia, which later merged to become Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana. He helped Cluj win four consecutive Romanian League championships and two Romanian Cups, too. He also won the Croatian League and Cup double with Cedevita Zagreb in 2018 and defended the Croatian Cup in 2019.

Cedevita Olimpija head coach

"We've brought in an experienced center who has been playing in the EuroCup for many years. His experience both on the court and in the locker room will undoubtedly help the team. At the same time, we hope that young Joan Beringer will make further progress alongside him. We know Stipanovic as a competitive player and he will definitely help us improve our rotation of big men, an area where we faced significant challenges in the first third of the season." 

In 105 career EuroCup games with Oostende, Trabzonspor, Cedevita Zagreb, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana, Cluj and Lietkebelis, Stipanovic has amassed 1,122 points (10.7 ppg.) and 505 rebounds (4.8 rpg.). He is 5 points away from cracking the all-time time 20 in EuroCup scoring. Stipanovic is second all-time in two-point shots made with 476, fifth with 211 offensive rebounds, tied for sixth in career rebounds, and ninth in accumulated PIR (1,334).

Andrija Stipanovic's best plays with Lietkabelis

More Cedevita Olimpija news

The center previously played for the club in 2019-20

Valencia Basket announced on Sunday that big man Nate Reuvers has suffered a broken finger on his left hand. 

Valencia loses Nate Reuvers to broken finger

Valencia Basket announced on Sunday that big man [Nate Reuvers](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/nathan-reuvers/012738/) has suffered a broken finger on his left hand. He is expected to undergo surgery in Valencia this week after which a timetable for his recovery will be established. Reuvers suffered the injury while playing for the Hungarian national team in a EuroBasket 2025 qualifying game on Friday in Istanbul. The big man has averaged 6.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 13:39 minutes over seven EuroCup games this season, his first in the competition.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ro" dir="ltr">🏥🧡 ¡Ánimo, <a href="https://twitter.com/Reuvers35?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@reuvers35</a>!<br><br>Cas 👉 Parte médico Nate Reuvers<a href="https://t.co/vmsHk0Jbjb">https://t.co/vmsHk0Jbjb</a><br><br>Val 👉 Comunicat mèdic Nate Reuvers<a href="https://t.co/PB6WiqADTf">https://t.co/PB6WiqADTf</a><br><br>Eng 👉 Nate Reuvers medical report<a href="https://t.co/BgRk2Rh3xy">https://t.co/BgRk2Rh3xy</a> <a href="https://t.co/IcMWk3QbCU">pic.twitter.com/IcMWk3QbCU</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1860639509693813174?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

More Valencia Basket news

He suffered the injury playing for the Hungarian national team

New Hapoel Tel Aviv BC head coach Dimitris Itoudis was formally presented at a press conference at Hapoel’s arena in Tel Aviv, where for nearly an hour, he spoke about the team’s goals, his relationship with Ofer Yannay, working alongside Stefanos Dedas again and much more. 

Dimitris Itoudis is 'motivated' and 'honored' to take over at Hapoel Tel Aviv

Ofer Yannay has a lot to be proud of since taking over as Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv's owner. He reached a new high last week with the signing of two-time EuroLeague champion Dimitris Itoudis as the club's new head coach. Itoudis will step in as head coach, while the previous head coach, Stefanos Dedas, will remain as an assistant coach, the same role he held under Itoudis before at CSKA Moscow and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul.

On Sunday, Itoudis was formally presented at a press conference at Hapoel’s arena in Tel Aviv, where for nearly an hour, he spoke about the team’s goals, his relationship with Yannay, working alongside Dedas again and much more.

"Hapoel always had the best fan base and what we did in the summer, we managed to get to have a pretty good roster and now we have the best coaching staff," Yannay said while introducing Itoudis. "If you want to be competitive, if you want to build something for the long term, all of the things are extremely important and I'm very very happy to have Coach Itoudis with us and I am looking forward to see what's going to happen next."

When it was Itoudis’s turn to talk, he said that Yannai's "passion and his vision matches my expectations of trying to build something great."

The coach went on to liken the building of a team to building a house, commenting on a new home he recently built in Greece. While the original timetable was planned for before the spring, he did not get the keys until after the summer. Likewise, there is no rush on getting Hapoel to be its best version of itself, there is time for that later.

Dimitris Itoudis's introductory press conference

"We're still looking how we gonna become a better team. As I said, with all the coaching staff, we had a four-hour meeting yesterday and a practice. I cannot get deeply into the details because I want to be honest with you, I haven't seen the team in action in full roster. I scouted the team. I watched games. I talked with Stef \[Dedas\] a lot of times about the team, but still, if I'm not coaching the team then, I cannot go into more details. The expectations and the wish to accomplish things is great. We need to also be in reality sometimes because basketball you're not playing alone, you have great opponents," Itoudis continued.

The coach lamented the fact that the timing of the FIBA national team window will keep several players away from training this week, including center Bruno Caboclo, who will not practice under Itoudis until after the team travels to Bulgaria for Thursday's game against ratiopharm Ulm.

He later explained how important being able to work with the players one-on-one is to building the team he envisions. "I need to challenge some of the players to see how they're gonna react under pressure. You know people that they work with me, they know how much I'm gonna get deeply into the criticism because I believe in eye-to-eye contact and criticism. The picture never lies. I do spend a lot of time watching film."

Naturally, both Yannay and Itoudis were asked about the status of star center Johnathan Motley, who was one of the club’s marquee signings over the summer, but left the club abruptly several weeks ago. The big man has a relationship with Itoudis from their time together at Fenerbahce.

"Jonathan Motley is a great player. The contract with him is valid and we expect him to return. I can say that his agent communicated with George Hinas on Friday evening," Yannay said. "I hope this is the first step to him coming back to Hapoel."

Itoudis followed by saying: "Mot is a point of emphasis for us. It’s a completely different team when Mot is in and contributes offensively and defensively and when he’s not. We as a coaching staff, we would love to know the situation sooner than later because this is how we can move to the next step."

More Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv news

The two-time EuroLeague champion head coach was introduced in Tel Aviv on Sunday

Itoudis is 'motivated' and 'honored' to take over at Hapoel

Aris adds Cooper to backcourt

Aris Midea Thessaloniki strengthened its perimeter by signing guard Sharife Cooper until the end of the season, the club announced Friday. Cooper (1.85 meters, 23 years old) arrives from the Turkish side Merkezefendi where he averaged 15.8 points, 6.3 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals this season.

For the young guard this is already his fourth professional season. Cooper played only 12 games in college at Auburn University, before splitting time between the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA and College Park SkyHawks in the G-League during his first pro campaign in the 2021-22. The next two seasons, Cooper played with the Cleveland Charge in the G-League, before finishing last season with Liaoning in China. He is now set to make his BKT EuroCup debut.

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Rimantas Kaukenas, a European basketball star as a player, has made sure he leaves a positive impact in his native Lithuania long after retiring thanks to his Rimantas Kaukenas Charitable Foundation.

Rimantas Kaukenas Charitable Foundation: Providing joy for ill children

[Rimantas Kaukenas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/rimantas-kaukenas/bjr/) was a European basketball star as a player and has made sure he leaves a positive impact in his native Lithuania since retiring. In 2011, he founded the Rimantas Kaukenas Charitable Foundation while he was still an active player. More than 13 years later, Kaukenas is now president of BKT EuroCup club [Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/wolves-twinsbet-vilnius/wol/) and his foundation is one of the biggest and most recognized in the Baltics.

His foundation is a nonprofit charity that provides help to seriously ill children, supporting families raising children with oncological, genetic and other critical diseases. From surprises involving basketball players, singers or athletes to activities in hospitals and many different sorts of events, the Rimantas Kaukenas Charitable Foundation makes sure it brings joy to the daily lives of seriously ill children. It also cooperates with several hospitals in the country. The foundation has created a community involving the children's heroes and their parents, ready to help each other whenever it is needed. In this video, Kaukenas talk about his foundation's achievements, its growth over the years, and how committed he is to it.

Veolia Hamburg Towers have signed shooting guard Johnathan Stove for the remainder of the season

Hamburg looks to cook with Johnathan Stove

Veolia Hamburg Towers have signed shooting guard Johnathan Stove for the remainder of the season. He will be eligible to make his BKT EuroCup debut later this week when Hamburg visits Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana. Stove (1.93 meters, 28 years old) arrives from Greek side Maroussi Athens, where he averaged 10.2 points in five games this season. He return to Germany after averaging a team-high 16.4 points per game last season for SYNTAINICS MBC, including a memorable 41-point effort against Niners Chemnitz.

Veolia Hamburg Towers head coach

"We were looking for reinforcements and believe that we have found exactly the player we need in Johnathan. His physique at both ends of the court will do us good. He also proved last year that he can have an impact in the German league, so he brings a certain amount of experience with him. I'm looking forward to working with him."

After playing college basketball at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, Stove began his professional career in 2021 in Albania with Vllaznia Shkodra. After an impressive start, he was signed by Israeli club Hapoel Galil Elyon, with which he won the Balkan League. Stove played for BC Nokia in Finland in 2022-23 and then in Germany last season.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">🚨 TRANSFER ALERT 🚨<br><br>Die <a href="https://twitter.com/hamburgtowers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hamburgtowers</a> verpflichten Jonathan Stove! 🏀 <br><br>Der <a href="https://twitter.com/syntainicsmbc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@syntainicsmbc</a> Topscorer der <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/easycreditbbl?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#easycreditbbl</a>-Saison 23/24 (inkl. 41-Punkte-Game) kehrt aus Griechenland (Maroussi BC) zurück nach Deutschland. 🇬🇷➡️🇩🇪<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/welcometowow?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#welcometowow</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/madetowow?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#madetowow</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/welcometohamburg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#welcometohamburg</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/news?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#news</a> <a href="https://t.co/55F1fPRwLD">pic.twitter.com/55F1fPRwLD</a></p>&mdash; easyCredit BBL (@easyCreditBBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/easyCreditBBL/status/1859628340803490013?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The shooting guard returns to Germany after leading SYNTAINICS MBC in scoring last season

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana v Veolia Towers Hamburg (2024-11-28T17:30:00.000Z)

Tarik Phillip has switched EuroCup teams by joining Hapoel Jerusalem from Trefl Sopot.

Hapoel Jerusalem brings in star guard Tarik Phillip

[Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-bank-yahav-jerusalem/jer/) has strengthened its backcourt by bringing in playmaker [Tarik Phillip](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/tarik-phillip/009649/), who has signed from another BKT EuroCup side in [Trefl Sopot](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/trefl-sopot/tso/), on a deal until the end of the 2024-25 season.

Phillip (1.91 meters, 31 years old) started the season with Trefl, averaging 12.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.2 steals in eight EuroCup games, ranking eighth overall in PIR (19.2).

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="iw" dir="rtl">טאריק פיליפ חתם בהפועל!<br>לידיעה המלאה &gt;&gt; <a href="https://t.co/GikfBKoGEL">https://t.co/GikfBKoGEL</a> <a href="https://t.co/dzsYZ8uDwc">pic.twitter.com/dzsYZ8uDwc</a></p>&mdash; Hapoel Jerusalem BC (@JerusalemBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerusalemBasket/status/1859644982027747626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Jerusalem will be Phillip's fifth team in the competition after his previous experiences with Tofas Bursa of Turkiye (2019-20), Umana Reyer Venice of Italy (2021-22) and the London Lions of Great Britain (2023-24). In 53 EuroCup career games, Phillip has posted averages of 9.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.4 steals.

The best plays of Tarik Phillip with Trefl Sopot through the first eight rounds of the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup season.

Tarik Phillip's top plays this season

Curiously, he briefly played for Jerusalem in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 campaigns, playing a total of seven games. Phillip started his professional basketball career with Szolnoki Olajbanyasz of Hungary, and also played for Clavijo Logrono and San Pablo Burgos of Spain, as well as for the Memphis Hustle in the G League. 

He has also been a member of the British national team. He helped the Lions win back-to-back British League titles in 2023 and 2024.

More Jerusalem News

He joins from fellow EuroCup side Trefl Sopot

Jerusalem brings in star guard Tarik Phillip

When it comes to players who can most appreciate the current five-game winning streak for BC Wolves, there are Kristupas Zemaitis and Regimantas Miniotas, who have been there from the very beginning. But Jeffery Taylor can also lay claim to a huge part of the club’s success after he was sold immediately on the idea of the club in its infancy.

Jeffery Taylor is proud of Wolves' growth and his role in it

When it comes to players who can most appreciate the current five-game winning streak for [Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/wolves-twinsbet-vilnius/wol/), there are Kristupas Zemaitis and Regimantas Miniotas, who have been there from the very beginning. But [Jeffery Taylor](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jeffery-taylor/006546/) can also lay claim to a huge part of the club’s success after he was sold immediately on the idea of the club in its infancy.

Zemaitis and Miniotas are the only two players from the opening-day roster in 2022 when Wolves debuted in the Lithuanian top flight. Taylor joined the club just before Christmas that year – only days after a chat with club president Rimantas Kaukenas. 

“Rimantas called me and was explaining the project to me. And I was just very, very interested and motivated from the start to come here and help. Just being part of something from the ground up and being able to potentially make history and keep making history, growing this brand and growing this club is something very, very interesting and fun to do as a competitor,” recalled Taylor, who in December 2022 was at home in Sweden without a job after having spent the previous seven years with [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/). 

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Taylor’s agent spoke with Kaunkenas and then brought the idea to the then-33-year-old forward. About a week after speaking with Kaukenas, Taylor signed a one-year deal.

“Kaukenas is known as a great competitor. And he just sold me on the idea of coming here and competing and making history and taking this thing to the next level. And for me, after we had that talk, it was a no-brainer. I was sold,” he said.

Kaukenas played professionally in Europe from 2000 to 2017 in his native Lithuania, Israel, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Spain. The former shooting guard found his greatest success in Italy, where he played five seasons in the EuroLeague with Montepaschi Siena and helped the team reach the Final Four in 2008. Kaukenas also competed in the EuroLeague with Real Madrid, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz and Zalgiris Kaunas.

The Vilnius native also played more than a decade for the Lithuanian national team and appeared in many big tournaments, including a third-place finish at EuroBasket 2007 and a semifinal berth at the 2008 Olympic Games.

Manned with the experience of winning the 2018 EuroLeague crown as well as four Spanish League titles with Real Madrid, Taylor was an integral part in Wolves taking third place in the Lithuanian League in its first season.

Taylor decided to stay in Vilnius and see what else the club could do. [He signed a two-year contract](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/bc-wolves-lock-up-jeffery-taylor-for-2-more-years/) with an option for an additional season. 

“It's been a really fun, interesting ride to see this thing basically from the beginning up until now, how much we've grown from the very beginning up until the position we're in today in 2024,” Taylor said.

The best plays of Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius forward Jeffery Taylor through the first eight rounds of the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup season.

Jeffery Taylor's top plays in 2024-25

Last season, Wolves went 8-8 in the regular season in its EuroCup debut, missing the playoffs by just one victory. The club also finished third in the Lithuanian League again and then beat Neptunas in the first round of the playoffs before taking Rytas Vilnius to five games in the semifinals. 

“I think that throughout the first years, we've grown a lot. We've shown that we want to be around for the long run. We want to be competitive. We want to be in the playoffs and play for something every season and get to places where the team hasn't been before,” Taylor said. 

This current five-game winning streak has seen Taylor and co. win at Joventut Badalona, Trefl Sopot and Dreamland Gran Canaria in addition to home wins over Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul and Dolomiti Energia Trento. During that stretch, Wolves also defeated EuroLeague side Zalgiris Kaunas 100-82 in the domestic league. 

“For us, the focus every game is to be really, really solid on defense; play with physicality, sticking with our principles and our details. And I think that's kind of what changed the most during this winning streak. We really just kind of came together in those different departments,” said Taylor, who could not help Wolves from losing its first three games of the EuroCup season. 

“It was never a problem of scoring the ball. We have a lot of guys who can score the ball. For us, it was just always going to be about defense and playing with a high level of physicality and going from there.”

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And what about being in Vilnius, which is well known as a basketball hotbed but dominated by two-time EuroCup winners and seven-time national champions Rytas Vilnius.

"I do believe Vilnius is big enough to have two teams. More good basketball anywhere is always a good thing in my opinion,” Taylor countered. “The city has been historically Rytas's city. They have so much history. It's a well accomplished club. But for our part we want to just keep growing, keep making history, keep making our own history.”

Just like how Taylor was convinced from the beginning. 

More Wolves News

The former EuroLeague champ was sold immediately on Wolves' project in its infancy by club president Rimantas Kaukenas

Eight rounds into the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup and the first break of the regular season is here. It seems like a fitting time to note the players who have stood out so far in the current campaign and give them their flowers.

2024-25 EuroCup early season awards by Eurohoops

Eight rounds into the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup and the first break of the regular season is here.

It seems like a fitting time to note the players who have stood out so far in the current campaign and give them their flowers.

### MVP

### Jared Harper – Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem

Not only is [Jared Harper](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jared-harper/011970/) arguably the most offensively dominant player in the EuroCup right now, but his team is also collecting one victory after the other. [Hapoel Jerusalem](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-bank-yahav-jerusalem/jer/) currently stands second in Group B at 6-2, second only to the one undefeated team in the competition, [Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/valencia-basket/pam/), Harper’s ex-team.

Harper is generating points in abundance for him and his teammates. He’s the EuroCup leading scorer with 21.4 points – the only one among his peers above the 20.0 ppg. mark – while dishing out 6.9 assists, the third-best average in the competition. This lethal combination of skills has seen him cause plenty of headaches for his team’s opponents. Indeed, Harper is more or less the definition of unstoppable, winning a league-high 8.4 fouls per game.

Read more about the other awards winners [HERE](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1745441/2024-25-eurocup-early-season-awards-by-eurohoops/).

The MVP, First Team, Second Team, Rising Star and Best Coach are all selected