Hapoel Tel Aviv BC enjoyed a peaceful evening as it defeated the visiting Trefl Sopot 91-72 at Samokov Arena. 

Hapoel Tel Aviv dominates Trefl, 91-72

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv enjoyed a peaceful evening as it defeated the visiting Trefl Sopot 91-72 at Samokov Arena. The hosts struggled offensively in the early going but managed to score 30 points in the second quarter to build a double-digit advantage, 49-32, with the guests never threatening thereafter. Hapoel improved its record to 11-6 and is one game off from clinching second place in the group. 

The winners were led by Johnathan Motley, who registered a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds, good for a PIR of 27. Yam Madar followed with 13 points, Antonio Blakeney contributed 12, and Marcus Foster and Patrick Beverley added 11 apiece. Darious Moten and Geoffrey Groselle paced Trefl with 17 points each, while Nick Johnson finished with 16 in the losing effort.

Game Videos

The hosts struggled on offense in the early going, as they needed two and a half minutes to score a field goal after six attempts. Trefl took advantage of that to earn a 2-7 edge, but it didn’t last for long, as Motley took over with back-to-back baskets inside to push Hapoel ahead, 8-7. With neither team able to find their offensive momentum, the score only progressed thanks to free-throw shooting, and this allowed the home side to increase the margin to 13-9 after 7 minutes. Groselle stepped up to help the visitors with 6 points in a row, featuring a nice battle against Motley that brought Trefl within 17-15. A buzzer-beater by Blakeney closed the first half with a 19-15 advantage for the home side.

Hapoel fastened the pace after the break, using Foster on offense and exploiting offensive rebounding to go up 27-19 after 12 minutes. Trefl stopped the game, but a three-pointer by Blakeney right after the game resumed sparked a 7-2 run that built a double-digit lead for the hosts, 34-21, forcing a second timeout in less than 4 minutes in the period. It didn’t work either, as 7 straight points by Foster created a 41-23 gap for the hosts. Alleyne tried to give Trefl a spark with 5 points, but the closest the visitors could get was within 11 points. Then, another 8-2 run led by Blakeney restored a safe margin for Hapoel, which finished the first half 49-32 ahead.

Game News

Trefl found some energy at halftime and took to the court with a stronger outlook, led by Groselle inside and Moten outside, as it reduced the distance to 51-38. Moten took the reins for the visitors later, drilling back-to-back three-pointers and adding and a pair of inside buckets that revitalized Trefl's offense. The visitors couldn’t match that accuracy in their defensive response, however, and Hapoel took advantage of that to feed Motley inside to avoid further problems, 66-52, with 8 points in a row coming from him. Back-to-back triples by Beverley and Guy Palatin made it a 20-point game soon after, 72-52, while Moten kept rocking and closed the third period with another bomb to make it 72-55.

A technical foul called on Jakub Schenk opened the last quarter, but Moten stayed red-hot and provided a free throw and a three on two consecutive possessions to keep Trefl breathing at 73-59. Johnson made it even closer, 73-61, right before getting another technical that enabled Hapoel to regain a comfortable cushion, 76-61. With Madar and Beverley pulling the strings, the hosts kept their opponents at a safe distance, 83-67, with 4 minutes remaining. Trefl looked for answers by returning Groselle onto the court, but his fourth foul and Schenk’s fifth made the guests forget their chances of a rally. Madar and Bruno Caboclo, from the free-throw line, set an 89-69 margin entering the last minute that confirmed the win.

A strong second period, which saw the hosts outscore the visitors 30-17, set the foundations for the win

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv v Trefl Sopot (2025-01-29T17:00:00.000Z)

In a thrilling contest in the Turkish capital, Turk Telekom Ankara outscored Umana Reyer Venice 35-21 in the fourth quarter to come away with an 84-81 win that leaves Erdem Can’s men within touching distance of the EuroCup Playoffs. 

Turk Telekom downs Reyer in a stunner, 84-81

In a thrilling contest in the Turkish capital, Turk Telekom Ankara outscored Umana Reyer Venice 35-21 in the fourth quarter to come away with an 84-81 win that leaves Erdem Can’s men within touching distance of the EuroCup Playoffs. Both teams entered Round 17 with a 9-7 record in Group B, but Turk Telekom’s win and Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem's triumph at Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse ensured that the Turkish side is officially in the BKT EuroCup Playoffs.

Braian Angola led Turk Telekom in scoring with 17 points, but Olivier Hanlan scored 11 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter, and Kyle Alexander downed four crucial free throws inside the final eight seconds en route to 13 points. Anthony Brown also chipped in with 13 points. Reyer’s Mfiondu Kabengele had a 20-point, 18-rebound double-double, but in vain. Tyler Ennis added 12 points, Davide Casarin scored 11, and Carl Wheatle finished with 10, including a crazy three with 3.2 seconds left that gave Reyer a bit of hope, only for Alexander to knock down two free throws with 2.4 seconds left to ice the game.

Kabengele was causing all sorts of problems for Turk Telekom from the jump, scoring 7 points as Reyer raced out to a 3-11 lead. That advantage extended to 3-14 when Wheatle drained a three-pointer, capping a 10-0 run for the visitors. Hanlan combined with Angola to give Turk Telekom some life, as they scored 4 and 6 points respectively the rest of the way to make it 13-18 after 10 minutes.

If Kabengele was the man of the first quarter, it looked like Casarin was going to be the star of the second. He scored a runner and dished two beautiful assists before drawing an offensive foul inside the first 2:15 minutes as Reyer opened a double-digit lead at 15-25. Turk Telekom kept punching back, with Speedy Smith erupting for 7 points to get the hosts within five points, 29-34, but Ennis, Wheatle and Kyle Wiltjer helped fix a 31-41 score at the break.

After scores by Wheatle and Kabengele in the early part of the third period, Ennis’s three free throws gave Reyer its largest lead of the game at 36-48. Plenty of free throws followed, but Turk Telekom could never reduce it to single figures. Brown eventually did with a layup at 43-51, then the two teams kept responding to one another before Yoan Makoundou’s layup set a 49-60 score after 30 minutes.

Everything changed in the fourth period. Ismet Akpinar and Angola drained threes either side of a Casarin triple to start the fourth, then Turk Telekom started rolling. The hosts went 17-3 to start the final frame, with Hanlan’s three-pointer at the end of that run giving Turk Telekom its first lead at 66-63. The lead changed hands several times over the following minutes, with the game tied at 76-76 entering the final 60 seconds. Hanlan and Brown scored from mid range to put Turk Telekom 80-76 ahead with 16 seconds to go, then Wiltjer’s reverse layup gave Reyer life at 80-78 with 8.5 seconds remaining. Alexander then made a couple of free throws and Wheatle hit a crazy three-pointer, but Alexander returned to the line with 2.4 seconds left to ice the game and give Turk Telekom an 84-81 win.

Turk Telekom Ankara v Umana Reyer Venice (2025-01-29T16:30:00.000Z)

Check out what the protagonists are saying ahead of Round 17 of the BKT EuroCup, and who might be missing in action.

Round 17: Pregame quotes and injury reports

## Wednesday, January 29

### Turk Telekom Ankara vs. Umana Reyer Venice (17:30 CET)

**Neven Spahija, Umana Reyer Venice head coach**

"A very tough game between two important teams fighting for their last chances to qualify for the playoffs. We’re playing away, but we’ve already shown that we can play good basketball far from home. We have great respect for Ankara, but we’ll try to win. To do so, we’ll need to bring our defense, which has been a strong point since the start of the season, and never lose our composure during the game."

**Xavier Munford, Umana Reyer Venice forward**

"It’s a must-win game because we’re back against the wall; a victory for us would be crucial to trying to secure a spot in the playoffs. We’ll need a game with great mentality. We’re a team made up of experienced athletes who have already played this kind of game; basketball players live for these moments. We need to step onto the court motivated because we have hard work to get done. The desire for redemption after the game against Trento should give us an extra push."

Reyer injury news: **Davide Moretti is out.**

### Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv vs. Trefl Sopot (18:00 CET)

**Dimitris Itoudis, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv head coach**

"We are playing against a team that has drastically changed its roster since the game in the first round. The way they’ve competed in recent games does not reflect their current position in our group. They are very aggressive on defense and have an excellent flow to their game. \[Nick\] Johnson adds a new dimension to their play, alongside \[Geoffrey\] Groselle, who didn’t play in the first game, as well as their versatile forwards and guards. Overall, we’re facing a very athletic team that clearly knows what they want on the court. We expect a very tough game, and for us, it’s important to compete with intensity, play aggressively, and establish our identity on the court. Controlling the boards will also be key, as rebounding is a critical factor in this matchup."

**Antonio Blakeney, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv guard**

"This is a big game for us. We have been playing well, and Sopot has been competing hard in every game, so we have to be ready to compete and battle for the win."

**Nahiem Alleyne, Trefl Sopot guard**

"We already know this is a tough matchup, a tough team. They've got a lot of veteran guys. We've just got to stick to our principles: defensively get back, stop the transition game; offensively just move the ball around. Obviously we've got to hit shots, but if the ball's not going in, just keep attacking them and getting to the line."

### 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys vs. U-BT Cluj-Napoca (18:00 CET)

**Mihai Silvasan, U-BT Cluj-Napoca head coach**

"This is a very important game. The qualification has not been played. We still need to win some games and we want to win both of them. We are taking it one game at a time and we are focused on this one. We will not play against a weak team and it is hard to win on their court. They share the ball well and have dangerous players. Our team needs to have the right mindset to win this game."

**Gediminas Orelik, U-BT Cluj-Napoca forward**

"It is going to be a tough game, I have been in this team for almost three seasons. It is going to be hard, they always play well at home. It is going to be fun to see them again, even though I have played against them before. It will be fun, because I will play for the first time against them in their gym. I know they have nothing to lose, but they are always fighting for victory and for their fans. For us, it is one of the biggest games of the season. It will be really important for the standings."

### Aris Midea Thessaloniki vs. Veolia Towers Hamburg (19:00 CET)

\--

### Buducnost VOLI Podgorica vs. Joventut Badalona (19:00 CET)

**Dani Miret, Joventut Badalona head coach**

"We didn't achieve our objective, it's clear that it's a hard blow for the team. We have prepared and fought until the end, trying to stay alive, but we could not. We have two games left and we must try to be productive, try to remain competitive and manage to improve as a group."

### Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse vs. Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem (19:30 CET)

**Frederic Fauthoux, Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse head coach**

"It’s a team that is very physical and very athletic, which can play a very direct game. We will have to expect a very high pace, and stop the strong players facing us. It will be up to us to be lucid about that."

**Adrian Nelson, Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse player**

"We are prepared for the game mentally, and know what’s at stake and the fight for top six in the EuroCup standings. We know that they have a very talented roster so we must rely on our defense and take care of business at home."

### Dreamland Gran Canaria vs. Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul (21:00 CET)

\--

## Tuesday, January 28

### Bahcesehir College Istanbul vs. ratiopharm Ulm (17:00 CET)

**Ty Harrelson, ratiopharm Ulm head coach**

"We're playing against the leader of our high-caliber group. We're thinking game by game and not prioritizing based on opponent or importance. I want my team to value every possession and fight for the full 40 minutes – that's the only way we can take an important step forward together."

### Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana vs. Valencia Basket (18:30 CET)

**Zvezdan Mitrovic, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana head coach**

"We only have one day to prepare for Valencia. There’s no big pressure on us; we can prove ourselves, but it will be very tough. Valencia has demonstrated this season, both in the EuroCup and the Spanish League, that they are a EuroLeague-level team. They play fast, aggressive basketball, with excellent three-point shooting and offensive rebounding. We need to focus on ourselves and be ready for a tough, physical game."

**Jaka Blazic, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana guard**

"A win against Valencia would mean a lot. They’re possibly the strongest team in the EuroCup, showing the best performances this season. Our task will be to slow them down and establish our rhythm. If we can do that, we might surprise them."

**Chris Jones, Valencia Basket guard**

"A tough game, but it's our next game on the schedule, so it's important for us. Without looking at the standings, it's the next thing we have to do, so we have to go out and compete and continue what we did in our previous game and keep getting better and better. I think it will be a different game than the first leg; they are fighting for a better position and we are fighting to keep improving as a team. We have our own goals, but that ''next game mentality', just go out, fight hard and accept the results that that brings us. Coach tells us all the time, just think about the next game. It doesn't matter who we're playing, just go out there and do what we do as a team to live with the results and hopefully get the win."

### Dolomiti Energia Trento vs. Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius (20:00 CET)

**Alessandro Magro, Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius head coach**

"It's a very important game for us against a team that is performing well in the Italian League. In the last two BKT EuroCup games, they \[overwhelmed\] their opponent. This team is really aggressive running the floor, having a high pace, and everybody is involved. We have to be ready to match up their physicality and their quickness."

**Tre'Shawn Thurman, Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius forward**

"It's a must win for us. I expect everyone on the team to use every ounce of energy they have in them whether it's defense or offense. Just turn on their teammates and everyone to try to be on the same accord. We must have a mentality like never before."

Dreamland Gran Canaria v Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul (2025-01-29T20:00:00.000Z)

Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse v Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem (2025-01-29T18:30:00.000Z)

Aris Midea Thessaloniki v Veolia Towers Hamburg (2025-01-29T18:00:00.000Z)

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica v Joventut Badalona (2025-01-29T18:00:00.000Z)

7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys v U-BT Cluj-Napoca (2025-01-29T17:00:00.000Z)

Dolomiti Energia Trento v Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius (2025-01-28T19:00:00.000Z)

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana v Valencia Basket (2025-01-28T17:30:00.000Z)

Bahcesehir College Istanbul v ratiopharm Ulm (2025-01-28T16:00:00.000Z)

After an unfortunate start to the season, Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius finds itself right where it wants to be: on the doorstep of the BKT EuroCup Playoffs with its destiny in its own hands after defeating Trento in Round 17

Wolves boosted playoffs chances with win at Trento 

Three months after an unfortunate start to the season, [Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/wolves-vilnius/roster/wol/?season=2024-25) finds itself right where it wanted to be: on the doorstep of the BKT EuroCup Playoffs with its destiny in its own hands.

Wolves boosted its chances of reaching the postseason after coasting to [a 70-96 victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/wolves-take-step-toward-playoffs-with-70-96-win-at-trento/) over [Dolomiti Energia Trento](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dolomiti-energia-trento/roster/trn/?season=2024-25) to secure back-to-back wins exactly when it needed them most.

“This is probably one of our better defensive games all season. Right now we’re showing up when we need some wins,” said [Andrew Andrews](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/andrew-andrews/011248/), who poured in a team-high 19 points, including making 12 of 14 free throws.

“It was a great team performance. Unfortunately it’s just a win. We have to immediately think about the next one and that will be really tough at home against Buducnost,” added Wolves head coach Alessandro Magro, whose team allowed 70 or fewer points for the third time this season.

Wolves now has a 9-8 record and currently occupies sixth place in Group A - though [Buducnost](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/buducnost-voli-podgorica/roster/bud/?season=2024-25) can pull back ahead of the Lithuanian side after its [Round 17](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/buducnost-voli-podgorica-joventut-badalona/U2024/163/) game at home against already-eliminated [Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/joventut-badalona/roster/jov/?season=2024-25).

Then everything will be set up for the big showdown in the final round as Wolves will host Buducnost on Wednesday, February 5 at Twinsbet Arena in Vilnius. Buducnost won the first matchup between the teams, [104-77 in Round 9](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/buducnost-sends-a-message-with-blowout-win-against-wolves-104-77/) in the Montenegro capital.

“We will need the same level of energy, desire and effort for the final crucial game against Buducnost,” Magro said after the win over Trento.

Magro wishes he and his team could have already locked up their playoff berth, especially after the club failed to reach the postseason in its debut season in 2023-24 by just one victory. Wolves ended Group A play last year with [an 8-10 record](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/standings/?season=2023-24&type=Traditional&phase=REGULAR%20SEASON) - one win behind [Besiktas Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/besiktas-istanbul/roster/bes/?season=2024-25).

At the same time, Magro has to be happy his team is on the brink of making history, especially after its poor start to the season.

Wolves dropped its first three games of the season, putting itself behind the eight ball very early in the season and not grabbing its first win until October 16 at Joventut Badalona. Now, three months later, Wolves have had highs and lows since then.

The three-game losing streak was followed by five straight wins for a 5-3 record before Magro saw his team drop five of the next seven to sit outside the playoff ranks at 7-8.

Wolves last week infused new life into its playoff hopes with [a surprising 88-76 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/wolves-upset-gran-canaria-88-76-in-important-victory-in-playoff-race/) at home over [Dreamland Gran Canaria](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dreamland-gran-canaria/roster/can/?season=2024-25). And now, all the cards are on the table and all Wolves needs is to beat Buducnost.

And that is all Wolves wanted after the poor start to the season.

The Lithuanian team’s slow start can be forgotten for good with a win to close the regular season 

Wolves boosted playoff chances with win at Trento 

Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius did a great job shutting down Dolomiti Energia Trento’s two biggest stars and also excelled in two areas where it has struggled all season - three-point shooting and rebounding - to roll to a critical victory 70-96 victory in Round 17 of the BKT EuroCup

Wolves slowed Trento's stars and surprised with triples, rebounding

[Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/wolves-vilnius/roster/wol/?season=2024-25) did a great job shutting down [Dolomiti Energia Trento](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dolomiti-energia-trento/roster/trn/?season=2024-25)’s two biggest stars and also excelled in two areas where it has struggled all season to roll to a critical victory on Tuesday.

Wolves held Trento’s [Jordan Ford](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jordan-ford/013270/) and [Anthony Lamb](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/anthony-lamb/013272/) to a combined 13 points while shooting a club record 61.9% on three-pointers and dominating the glass at Trento for [a 70-96 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/wolves-take-step-toward-playoffs-with-70-96-win-at-trento/) to keep its playoffs destiny in its own hands.

Ford came into the game leading the team in scoring at 16.5 points but was limited to just 9 points on 5 field goal attempts. Lamb meanwhile managed just a season-low 4 points on 1-of-6 shooting after coming into the game averaging 14.3 points per game.

Six players made threes for Wolves in Trento

“We showed the desire, will and physicality. We were able to disarm their best scorers. It was a great team performance,” said Wolves coach Alessandro Magro.

Wolves drained 13 of 21 three-pointers as it drastically bested its previous three-point benchmark of [52.8% - 19 of 36](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/three-point-blitz-helped-wolves-to-big-win/) - [in Round 11](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/wolves-bounce-back-to-down-hapoel-104-100/) against [Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/roster/hta/?season=2024-25). Alessandro Magro’s team came into the game shooting only 32.7% from long range - ranking 14th in the EuroCup.

Wolves was however able to take advantage of a Trento team that has struggled all year stopping its opponent’s three-point game, allowing them to shoot 38.1% on triples - the worst ranking in the league.

Four Wolves players drained multiple three-pointers with [Matas Jogela](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/matas-jogela/006853/) hitting 4 of 6 and [Anthony Cowan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/anthony-cowan-jr/012003/) knocking down 3 of 5.

The other unusual area of dominance for Wolves was rebounding. The Lithuanian side ranked [14th in total rebounding](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/stats/key-stats-teams/?size=1000&misc=&seasonCode=U2024&category=TotalRebounds&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&aggregate=perGame) and Trento was 11th in the league. Still, Wolves showed its greater desire in grabbing 41 rebounds to 22 for the home side.

Wolves was particularly strong on its defensive glass, limiting Trento to just 5 offensive rebounds. That was actually one area the team had been solid all season though, giving up just 10.4 boards on that side of the court per game - ranked fifth.

All in all, Wolves put together a strong team performance and is now knocking on the door of the playoffs.

Wolves' defense stood strong against Trento’s biggest weapons

Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius took a big step towards reaching the BKT EuroCup Playoffs by winning 70-96 at already-eliminated Dolomiti Energia Trento 

Wolves take step toward playoffs with 70-96 win at Trento

Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius took a big step towards reaching the BKT EuroCup Playoffs by winning 70-96 at already-eliminated Dolomiti Energia Trento on Tuesday. Wolves opened a 14-point lead in the second quarter and was not threatened the rest of the way in winning back-to-back games for a 9-8 record in Group A. A victory in the final round against Buducnost VOLI Podgorica will put the Lithuanian side in the playoffs.

Andrew Andrews paced four Wolves scorers in double figures with 19 points - including 12-of-14 from the free throw line - while Matas Jogela had 14 points and both Anthony Cowan and Kristupas Zemaitis added 13 points. Trento had won its last two games and fell to 6-11 despite Saliou Niang scoring 11 points in the loss.

Neither team was able to score in the first 2 minutes until Marek Blazevic’s tip-in for the visitors. Wolves followed with 4 triples and led 0-14. Eigirdas Zukauskas hit a three-pointer to finally get the hosts on the scoreboard after nearly 5 minutes. Toto Forray’s 6 points for Trento closed the gap to 9-16, but Wolves finished the first quarter on a 2-9 run to lead 11-25 after 10 minutes.

Wolves opened the scoring in the second quarter to increase the cushion to 16 points. Myles Cale scored 7 points in an 11-1 burst to get Trento within 24-30. Jeffery Taylor hit a triple to stop the bleeding for Wolves and start a 2-10 answer to lead 26-40. Wolves went into the break ahead 30-40.

Trento twice scored to make it a 10-point game in the third quarter - the second time being 38-48. The hosts failed to score for the next 2+ minutes and Andrews scored for 6 points as Wolves led 38-56. Jogela and Zemaiis added three-pointers and Wolves held a 50-68 advantage after three quarters.

Wolves put the game out of reach with the first 6 points of the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 50-74. Trento did not get closer than 20 points the rest of the night.

The Lithuanian side still holds own fate in race for the postseason 

Valencia shifted styles to beat Cedevita

Taking into account that [Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/cedevita-olimpija-ljubljana/roster/lju/?season=2024-25) and [Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/valencia-basket/roster/pam/?season=2024-25) came from 100-plus-point scoring performances in their last domestic games and that Valencia had already signed off on 17 triple-digit scoring games so far this season between the Spanish league and BKT EuroCup, many could have expected a high-scoring game and an offensive-oriented clash on Tuesday.

Nothing could have been further from reality, as both squads performed below-par in field goal shooting due to hard-nosed defenses on both ends of the floor. Valencia was able [to win 66-72](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/valencia-bested-cedevita-on-the-road-66-72/) despite shooting 47.7% on two-pointers and 33.3% on threes. Cedevita shot 39.0% from two-point range and 24.0% from deep.

Valencia looked quite uncomfortable when its shots weren't falling as Cedevita punished the Group B leader with a 15-0 run early in the first period that seemed to jeopardize Valencia’s chances.

“Cedevita was playing a very important game for them,” recognized [Xabi Lopez-Arostegui](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/xabi-lopez-arostegui/005356/) after the game. “We knew that it would be a tough atmosphere and that they would play tough, and it’s how the game started.”

Despite that bad start, Valencia adjusted to a different style, relying on its defense to get back to the game and look for some inspiration from long-range when the game came down to the wire. With the score 60-63 midway through the last quarter, Josep Puerto rose up with back-to-back three-pointers that helped Valencia keep the lead for good.

“We didn’t start the game good,” Valencia head coach Pedro Martinez confessed at the post-game press conference. “I think we played better in the second half, and especially in the last quarter. I think we arrived in better physical condition at the end of the game and finally, we won an important game for us.

“I think we have to be happy because Olimpija Ljubljana played with a lot of energy and played a good game, with great defense, very aggressive and we had problems, but at the end we \[managed to\] adapt to this defense, and especially the 2 three-pointers by Puerto were key for our win.”

Being able to adjust to a different kind of game can be a key to what Valencia can expect in the playoffs, as Xabi Lopez-Arostegi stressed.

“\[This win\] is very important”, he said. “These kinds of games are very good for us to improve as a team, to play tough games like we are going to play in the future, so we are happy to get this win away.”

The Group B leaders had to overcome a 15-0 run early in the game to prevail in a defensive battle in the Slovenian capital

Valencia Basket is one win far from securing the best record in the BKT EuroCup Regular Season after defeating Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana 66-72 at Arena Stozice on Tuesday 

Valencia bested Cedevita on the road, 66-72

Valencia Basket is one win far from securing the best record in the BKT EuroCup Regular Season after defeating Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana 66-72 at Arena Stozice on Tuesday night. The visitors had to overcome a 15-0 run early in the first period and needed to wait till the last quarter to earn a game-high 56-63 advantage that Josep Puerto converted into a win with back-to-back threes late in the game. 

Valencia improved to 15-2 and can secure home-court advantage throughout the postseason if it wins or Bahcesehir College Istanbul loses in Round 18, while Cedevita dropped to 10-7, but still could confirm a playoff berth this week depending on Wednesday’s results.

Puerto led all Valencia scorers with 13 points, followed by Chris Jones and Xavi Lopez-Arostegui, who provided 12 and 10, respectively. Brynton Lemar paced Cedevita with 14 points, Devin Robinson recorded a double-double of 12 points and 12 boards, DJ Stewart did the same with 11 and 12, while Aleksej Nikolic scored 11 in the losing effort.

Despite Nate Sestina opening fire from deep, the hosts showed great energy in the early going and went on a 13-0 run with all starters scoring to force the first timeout by Valencia. Cedevita went a little bit further with a basket by Stewart to earn a 15-3 edge, but the visitors rapidly found offensive momentum when Jones and Brancou Badio teamed up. Five points by the former launched Valencia and 5 more by Puerto brought the visitors within 18-17 after 8 minutes. Stefan Jovic completed the comeback with an extraordinary offensive move to close the first quarter with Valencia enjoying its first lead of the game, 20-21.

Jovic opened fire in the second with another bucket, as the offensive woes continued for the home side, due to several turnovers and missed free throws. But Cedevita didn’t step back and built on defense, stopping Valencia’s scorers from getting momentum, as Joan Beringer and Lemar combined to return the lead to the hosts, 24-23. Both teams swapped leads and the game had several ties until Lemar made it 32-29 with a corner three-pointer. Puerto came to the rescue to minimize the disadvantage to 32-31, but missed a buzzer-beating three that allowed Cedevita to lead at halftime.

Semi Ojeleye and Nikolic traded three-pointers soon after the game resumed, as both teams based their offenses on long-range shooting, but with no big success except those. Robinson rose with a monster dunk and a smooth jumper to keep Cedevita ahead, but Valencia didn’t lose track and remained close, 41-40, midway through the third quarter. A three-point play by Sestina after a TV timeout brought the lead back the visitors, 41-43, but Cedevita managed to stay calm using the free-throw line and offensive rebounding. Ojeleye hits his second from behind the arc to make it 47-48, but Beringer kept the hosts up at the end of the third period with a dunk, 49-48.

Valencia geared up early in the fourth, as Ojeleye hit again from deep and Jaime Pradilla capped a fastbreak with a slam to boost Valencia to a 49-53 edge and force a Cedevita timeout after only 1:18. Stewart and Robinson took over then, helping the hosts ahead 56-55. Another spurt, this time coming from Lopez-Arostegui and Jones, switched the lead again, and set a game-high 7-point difference for Valencia, 56-63, with 4 minutes to play. Stewart and Lemar brought Cedevita within one possession right after the timeout, but the hosts couldn’t do anything against Puerto, who chained together a couple of triples to make it 63-69 with less than 100 seconds to go. Nikolic hit a long three to keep Cedevita alive, but consecutive misses by Stewart and Lemar allowed Badio and Costello to seal the outcome, 66-72.

Despite recording its second-lowest scoring output of the season, Valencia claimed another win

Bahcesehir College Istanbul rolled on with its fifth win in the last six games to cement the top spot in Group A of the BTK EuroCup and improved to 14-3 after an 85-81 home win over ratiopharm Ulm as the German side slipped to 9-8

Bahcesehir left Ulm’s playoff fate hanging in the balance

[Bahcesehir College Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/bahcesehir-college-istanbul/roster/bah/?season=2024-25) rolled on with its fifth win in the last six games to cement the top spot in Group A of the BTK EuroCup and improved to 14-3 after [an 85-81 home win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/tai-odiase-shines-as-bahcesehir-edges-ulm-85-81/) over [ratiopharm Ulm](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/ratiopharm-ulm/roster/ulm/?season=2024-25) as the German side slipped to 9-8.

More importantly for Ulm, it missed a chance to seal a playoff berth with a game to spare after overturning a 15-point second-half deficit, only to let a 75-76 lead slip away in the home stretch as [Tai Odiase](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tai-odiase/011823/) stepped up for Bahcesehir.

It would have been a big ask for Ulm to win such a tough road game under any circumstances, but the visitors will be kicking themselves in the teeth for drawing blanks when the chips were down, having roared back after trailing 51-36.

The result means Ulm’s fate is out of its own hands, as it needs other results to go its way ahead of the final regular season round, when it hosts [Hapoel Shlomo Teal Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/roster/hta/?season=2024-25). Should it fail to qualify, Ulm may well be haunted by [an 82-85 home loss to Buducnost Voli Podgorica](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/buducnost-wins-thriller-at-ulm-82-85/) and even more so by the [85-71 debacle at Dolomiti Energia Trento](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/trento-rolls-past-ulm-86-71-to-keep-playoff-hopes-alive/) in the previous two games, with the Italian side out of contention.

Ulm’s head coach Ty Harrelson rued the missed opportunity but lauded his team's valiant second-half effort.

“I am proud of my team the way we came back in the second half. Unfortunately, we didn’t make the plays in the last minute and a half or so and that made the difference,” Harrelson said in his postgame comments. “The home team showed their composure and their experience when the game got tight and that’s something for us to learn from.”

Bahcesehir had more in the tank in the last few minutes and Odiase, who paced the Turkish side with a game-high 22 points, highlighted that it was his team’s defense that made the difference in a dramatic finish.

“They are a really good team in transition but we stuck to our defensive principles and got the win,” Odiase said. “We turned the ball over a bit too many times but we were able to keep our composure down the stretch,” he added. 

Bahcesehir head coach Dejan Radonjic was pleased after his team dug deep to keep its perfect home record intact, despite already being assured of finishing top of the group and thus clinching an automatic quarterfinal berth.

“It was a tough game against a very good opponent full of young and talented players,” the Montenegrin tactician said. ”They play in a specific way but defensively we did a lot of good things, especially in the first half. We lacked energy in the last 10 minutes, but we did enough to win the game.”

The German side missed a chance to seal its postseason berth with a game to spare 