Dolomiti Energia Trento kept alive its slim chances of reacing the postseason by blowing out ratiopharm Ulm 86-69 at home. 

Trento rolls past Ulm 86-69 to keep playoff hopes alive

Dolomiti Energia Trento kept alive its slim chances of reacing the postseason by blowing out ratiopharm Ulm 86-71 at home. Trento scored the first 15 points of the game and never looked back in snapping a three-game losing streak to move to 5-10 in Group A.

Anthony Lamb led the way for Trento with 21 points and Jordan Ford netted 20 points on a night when Trento’s veteran Toto Forray became the EuroCup’s all-time leader in games played with 145. In addition, Mario Machetti played the final 74 seconds at age 15 years, 9 months and 1 day to become the third-youngest player in EuroCup history behind Stefan Petkovic of Benetton Freibourg (15y 0m 10d) and Nikolaos Vasileiou of Promitheas Patras (15y 6m 4d).

Ulm has lost back-to-back games after winning five straight games to fall to 9-6 on the season. Ulm has averaged just 72.5 points in those two games after scoring 106.7 points in the previous three contests. Noa Essengue was Ulm’s top scorer with 18 points and 8 rebounds and Justinian Jessup had 12 points and 6 steals.

Game Videos

Ulm had a nightmare start to the game with 9 missed shots and 3 turnovers while Lamb made 2 three-pointers for 8 points in a 15-0 run for Trento. Isaiah Roby finally scored for Ulm after more than 5 minutes. Karim Jallow made it 17-8 for the guests while Ford scored 7 points for Trento, which led 25-10 after 10 minutes.

Ulm did a good job slowing down Trento’s offense with a 0-6 run over a 3-minute spurt to get within 27-18. Quinn Ellis and Ford both drained triples in an 11-2 surge to stretch the lead to 38-20. Ulm missed its first 11 three-pointers before Marcio Santos finally hit from deep but the visitors were down 43-26 at the break.

Game News

Roby opened the second half with the first score but Ulm could not get the defensive stops as Trento went on an 11-3 run to extend the advantage to 21 points at 54-33. Ulm managed to make 3 triples in trimming the deficit to 56-44. Ford punched back with 5 points and Trento led 65-50 after three quarters.

Ellis converted a three-point play to start the fourth quarter and Ulm’s offense produced only 2 points in the first 3 minutes and the cushion was 75-54. Ulm had one more run with Alfonso Plummer and Essengue bookending a 0-10 surge with triples to get as close as 75-64. Lamb answered with three jumpers to secure an 84-69 lead with only 98 seconds to go to lock up the win.

Quick start helps Trento snap a three-game losing streak 

Trento rolls past Ulm 86-71 to keep playoff hopes alive

Dolomiti Energia Trento v ratiopharm Ulm (2025-01-14T19:00:00.000Z)

Nothing was going right for [Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/besiktas-istanbul/roster/bes/?season=2024-25) in the third quarter offensively in its big game against [Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/wolves-vilnius/roster/wol/?season=2024-25). Luckily for Besiktas head coach Dusan Alimpijevic, the Turkish side found the energy to continue its fight on defense - and [Jonah Mathews](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jonah-mathews/011936/) had a near career night on offense - to get a crucial victory.

Mathews poured in 27 points and Besiktas held Wolves under 20 points in each of the final three quarters for [a 79-77 victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/besiktas-rallies-to-beat-wolves-79-77-snap-three-game-skid/) and an 8-7 record in Group A while Wolves dropped to 7-8. It was a performance that impressed the home side’s coach.

“I don’t know how we found the energy to win this game. I don’t care how we won this game. I just care that my guys found the energy and found a way to win this game,” Coach Alimpijevic said.

Jonah Mathews delivered scoring as Besiktas found energy to beat Wolves

Besiktas failed to score for the first 7:34 minutes in the second half and watched Wolves pull away with a 0-11 run for an 11-point deficit. After scoring 15 points in the first half, Mathews did not score in the third quarter until 11 seconds were left.

The 26-year-old American led the comeback in the fourth quarter with 10 points, including 8 straight points inside the final 4 minutes.

"A win is always good. My teammates found me I was able to hit some shots. They are a very good team and have shown that in the EuroCup and the Lithuanian League. So I am happy we got the win,” said Mathews, who also had 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 7 fouls drawn for a performance index rating of 30.

That PIR set a new personal high for Mathews, topping his previous high of 27 while his 27 points were 1 shy of his personal best. 

Besiktas shot an impressive 41.7% on three-pointers, which is not a surprise given the Turkish side had made 38.0% from long range coming into the game, which was third-best in the EuroCup. But Besiktas did surprise many by converting 23 of 25 free throws (92.0%). Alimpijevic’s team was the worst free-throw shooting team in the league at just 71.1%.

Coach Alimpijevic was impressed with his team’s defensive performance 

Jonah Mathews delivered scoring as Besiktas found energy to beat Wolves 

Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul v Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius (2025-01-14T17:00:00.000Z)

Aquila Basket Trento legend Toto Forray etched his name into BKT EuroCup history when he became him the competition’s all-time leader in games played with 145 appearances.

Toto Forray becomes EuroCup career leader with 145th appearance 

[Dolomiti Energia Trento](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dolomiti-energia-trento/trn/) legend [Toto Forray](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/toto-forray/006382/) etched his name into BKT EuroCup history when he took the court against ratiopharm Ulm on Tuesday night. 

That appearance made him the EuroCup’s all-time leader in games played with 145. Forray, 38, takes the record away from three-time champion and [Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/valencia-basket/pam/) great [Rafa Martinez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/rafa-martinez/001351/).

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">RECORD BREAKER! 📈<br><br>With today&#39;s start Toto Forray is the ALL TIME player with the most appearances in EuroCup history! 💯<br><br>All games in one club! Take a bow 👏<a href="https://twitter.com/AquilaBasketTN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AquilaBasketTN</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZGY4uWiQop">pic.twitter.com/ZGY4uWiQop</a></p>&mdash; BKT EuroCup (@EuroCup) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup/status/1879242026258182644?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Forray, a native of Argentina, has spent the vast majority of his career with Trento, which he joined in 2011 when it was in Italy’s third division. He helped the club climb all the way to Italy’s top flight and has been Trento’s captain since 2016.

In nine EuroCup seasons, Forray has amassed 944 points on 237 triples, 282 assists and 154 steals. He entered Tuesday’s game ranked fourth in career steals, 30th in assists, 32nd in three-pointers made and 41st in points scored.

More Trento News

The Trento guard is in his ninth EuroCup season

Valencia Basket sealed a quarterfinals spot, led by Ojeleye's strong fourth quarter 


Ojeleye sent Valencia to the quarterfinals 

[Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/valencia-basket/roster/pam/?season=2024-25) became the first team to lock down a quarterfinals spot in the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup with [Tuesday's 91-96 victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/semi-ojeleye-leads-valencia-past-lietkabelis-91-96/) over [7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/lietkabelis-panevezys/roster/lkb/?season=2024-25) in Round 15. That win guaranteed Coach Pedro Martinez's men a top 2 finish in Group B. Valencia has thus earned a bye the eighthfinals round and will play at home in the single-game quarterfinals.

Lietkabelis had already beaten Valencia earlier this season at La Fonteta, [106-107 in overtime](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/lietkabelis-stuns-valencia-in-ot-106-107/). It was the first team to beat Valencia in EuroCup action this season and led 78-76 early in the fourth quarter. The game had been a back-and-forth battle until star forward [Semi Ojeleye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/semi-ojeleye/011982/) decided he'd had enough.

Valencia Basket forward Semi Ojeleye had 20 points against 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys.

Ojeleye leads Valencia to 13th win

Ojeleye buried consecutive three-pointers and added a pair of free throws in an 0-8 run that put Valencia ahead for good, 78-84. He had time to bury another bomb from downtown, another foul shot and a driving layup to get 13 of his game-high 20 points in the fourth quarter. When Lietkabelis got within 91-93, [Chris Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/chris-jones/010568/) sealed the outcome with a critical three-point play. On a team loaded with talent, Ojeleye and Jones have proven to be the most experienced players and the go-to guys in close games.

Valencia played better defense when it mattered most, too, limiting Lietkabelis to just 17 fourth-quarter points. The hosts found easy options inside the arc for 30 minutes, making 23 of 35 two-pointers (65.7% 2FG), dishing 20 assists and committing just 9 turnovers. Everything changed in the fourth quarter, in which Lietkabelis made just 3 of 8 two-pointers (37.5% 2FG) and had as many assists as turnovers, 4.

The fact that Valencia already punched its ticket to the quarterfinals should not slow the team down, as there is a bigger goal at stake. Right now, Valencia leads Group B with a 13-2 record and a whopping global average of +217. Finishing the regular season with a better record than any team in Group A would give Valencia the home-court advantage in each and every potential playoff series in both the semifinals and the finals.

"They are a good team. It's a good competition and they play so hard, and when a team plays that hard, they always have a chance to win. We were able to come out with a win tonight just because I think we matched their energy in the end," Ojeleye said. 

"I want to win, and I want to win for my teammates. I think everybody on the team wants to win, so at any point we have great players that can do the same thing, whether it's Jean \[Montero\], Chris \[Jones\], Xabi \[Lopez-Arostegui\]... We have all had big moments."

Valencia Basket sealed spot in the quarterfinals led by Ojeleye's strong fourth quarter 


Semi Ojeleye sent Valencia to the quarterfinals 

Valencia Basket v 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys (2024-12-20T19:30:00.000Z)

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana outscored Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem 7-15 over the game's last 4 minutes to claim a 70-74 victory at Samokov Arena in Bulgaria. 

Cedevita holds off Jerusalem 70-74 to rise into second place

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana outscored Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem 7-15 over the game's last 4 minutes to claim a 70-74 victory at Samokov Arena in Bulgaria. The victory sent Cedevita into second place in Group B with a 9-5 record, while Jerusalem is right behind at 9-6. Cedevita will play its delayed Round 13 game against 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys on Thursday, which if it loses it will fall behind Jerusalem in the standings, since Jerusalem holds the head-to-head tiebreaker between the teams. <br>
<br>
Brynton Lemar led the Cedevita attack with 17 points against his former team and Aleksej Nikolic added 16 – including 6 free throws down the stretch to help seal the win. Devin Robinson posted 15 points and 9 rebounds and teenager Joan Beringer tallied 8 points and 11 boards as Cedevita outrebounded Jerusalem 36-50. Justin Smith and Jared Harper scored 16 each for Jerusalem, with the latter also dishing 8 assists, and Khadeen Carrington scored 15 in defeat.

Beringer scored on a put-back for Cedevita on the game’s first possession and then more than 3 minutes passed before the next points were scored via Chris Johnson free throws. A three-point play by Robinson and a three-pointer by Lemar made it 2-8. Lemar added another three to stretch the lead before Smith finally made Jerusalem’s first basket after more than 6 minutes of game play. Nikolic sank Cedevita’s next triple to make it 6-14. Jerusalem trimmed the gap thanks to free throws by Carrington and Jeremy Morgan. Carrington added a jumper to make it 13-16 after 10 minutes.  

Yovel Zoosman tied the game with a three-pointer on the first possession of the second quarter. Smith heated up with a pair of scores to give Jerusalem its first lead, 20-18. After a Cedevita timeout, Jaka Blazic scored his first points of the contest with a tough layup. Blazic added more points from the line. Harper, the EuroCup's leading scorer, was scoreless until his triple with less than 4 minutes left in the quarter made it 28-23. Lemar kept Cedevita close with a tough layup and a three-pointer and Nikolic drilled a three at the halftime buzzer to give his team a 32-33 lead.

Harper tied the game with a floater early in the second half only to see Devante Jones answer with a triple. Harper remained hot for Jerusalem, but Jerusalem struggled to deny Beringer on the offensive glass. The young center fed Jones for a second-chance triple and threw down an alley-oop slam to make it 40-44. Harper drained a three and fed Justin Smith as Jerusalem quickly erased the deficit. Zoosman added a triple to cap an 8-0 run. Lemar answered for Cedevita and it was 50-49 at the end of the third quarter.   

A tip-in by Robinson put Cedevita ahead on the first possession of the fourth quarter. Harper fed Smith for a layup and scored a contested basket to push Jerusalem in front. Robinson made sure to keep Cedevita close. Johnson buried a three to make it 61-57 with less than 5 minutes to play. Jones closed the gap to 63-62 with a clutch triple and then Robinson put Cedevita ahead. Robinson added a long jumper with 1:13 remaining to put his team up 3. After Carrington and Nikolic traded free throws, Harper missed from deep. Nikolic grabbed the rebound, was fouled and made it a two-possession game from the line. A three by Zoosman with 12 seconds left gave Jerusalem hope, but again Nikolic answered with free throws and Cedevita hung on.  

The win leveled the two teams with 9 wins while Cedevita has a game at hand

Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem v Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (2025-01-14T18:00:00.000Z)

Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul picked up a massively important victory in the fight for the playoffs as it defeated Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius 79-77 at home after a nightmare start to the second half. Besiktas survived going scoreless for more than 7 minutes in the third quarter and falling behind by 11 points to win down the stretch and snap a three-game losing streak for an 8-7 record. 

Besiktas rallies to beat Wolves 79-77, snap three-game skid

Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul picked up a massively important victory in the fight for the playoffs as it defeated Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius 79-77 at home after a nightmare start to the second half. Besiktas survived going scoreless for more than 7 minutes in the third quarter and falling behind by 11 points to win down the stretch and snap a three-game losing streak for an 8-7 record. 

Jonah Mathews poured in 27 points for the hosts, Berk Ugurlu added 20 points and Kelan Martin and Dustin Sleva both chipped in 10 points. Wolves have now dropped five of the last seven games for a 7-8 record. The one good thing for the Lithuanian side is it still owns the tiebreaker over Besiktas thanks to its 93-78 home win in Round 6. Anthony Cowan scored 22 points in the loss. 

Besiktas went up 5-2 to start the game but Regimantas Miniotas scored Wolves’ first 7 points and it was 5-9. Ugurlu knocked down two triples at the other end in a 14-4 run to put Besiktas up 19-13. The scoring in the final 4 minutes was almost exclusively from the free-throw line, with Wolves trailing 23-22 after 10 minutes. 

Wolves held Besiktas scoreless for the first 3 minutes of the second quarter and took a 23-26 lead. Mathews responded with five straight points to put Besiktas back up 28-26, starting a stretch of four lead changes. Miniotas added two free throws and a three-point play as Wolves led multiple times by three points. The score was deadlocked 40-40 at the break. 

Jeffery Taylor opened the second half with a score for the guests, but it was the only points for either team for nearly the first 5 minutes of the third quarter. Cowan had five points in the 0-11 run to give Wolves the lead 40-51. Besiktas finally scored at the 2:26 minute mark after 10 missed shots and 2 turnovers. Yigit Arlan’s triple finally got Besiktas on the board and Ugurlu added a three-point play to get within 50-56. And the guests were leading 52-59 after 30 minutes.

The Besiktas push continued in the final frame, with Conor Morgan hitting a triple to make it 57-61. Martin converted a three-point play and Ugurlu added another three-pointer to get the hosts within 63-66 with 5 minutes to play. An unsportsmanlike foul on Cowan resulted in two Sleva free throws and a Mathews jumper to put Besiktas back in front 67-66. Mathews just kept going with a jumper and three-point play and the home side led 73-67 with 97 seconds to go. And that was enough for the win. Sleva finished the game off for good with two free throws with 3.6 seconds to go. 

While the Turkish side secured an advantage over the Lithuanian outfit in the playoff race, it is Alessandro Magro's men who still hold the tiebreaker

Valencia Basket became the first team to qualify to the EuroCup Quarterfinals after downing 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys 91-96 on the road in Round 15 on Tuesday. 

Semi Ojeleye leads Valencia past Lietkabelis, 91-96

Valencia Basket became the first team to qualify to the BKT EuroCup Quarterfinals after downing 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys 91-96 on the road in Round 15 on Tuesday. Valencia improved to 13-2 in Group B and locked at least second place at the end of the regular season, enough to skip the eighthfinals and play the single-game quarterfinals at La Fonteta. Lietkabelis dropped to 4-10 and could be mathematically out of the playoff race at the end of this round. 

Semi Ojeleye led the winners with 20 points. Jaime Pradilla, Chris Jones and Jean Montero each added 14, Xabi Lopez-Arostegui had 13 and Nate Reuvers got 11 for Valencia. Martynas Varnas led Lietkabelis with 19 points. Paulius Danusevicius added 14, Georgios Kalaitzakis 13, Djordje Gagic 11 and Dovis Bickauskis 10.

Montero got Valencia going with a jumper and then he bettered Gagic's jump hook with a triple. After Danusevicius banked in a close shot, Pradilla followed a three-pointer with a layup. Kalaitzakis's jumper drew Lietkabelis within 6-9. Gagic scored again and followed Kakaitzakis's jumper with a dunk to put the hosts ahead, 12-11. Lopez-Arostegui stepped up for Valencia with 7 quick points to put his team in charge, 14-18. After Danusevicius struck from downtown, Jones followed a driving layup with a jumper. Ojeleye sank a corner triple for a 19-25 Valencia lead. Montero and Gagic traded baskets and then Aminah Brimah boosted the visitors' lead to 21-28 after 10 minutes.

Bickauskis struck from beyond the arc early in the second quarter and Grantas Vasiliauskas dunked to make it 26-30. Lipkevicius sank a jumper and an unstoppable Vasiliauskas dunked three more times to give Lietkabelis a 34-33 lead. After Jones buried a floater, Reuvers, Lopez-Arostegui, Oleksandr Kovliar, Montero and Varnas each struck from downtown for a 40-44 score. Jones and Josep Puerto also buried one triple apiece, which prompted the hosts to call timeout at 40-50. Kalaitzakis and Bickauskis fueled a 6-0 Lietkabelis run, but Jones restored a 46-52 Valencia edge at halftime.

Pradilla scored twice around the rim right after the break. Lipkevicius beat the shot clock with a three-pointer and got help from Gagic and Danusevicius to bring Lietkabelis within 55-56. After Matt Costello buried a three-pointer, Varnas answered with a driving layup and Kovliar struck from downtown, which led to a Valencia timeout at 60-59. Reuvers stepped up with a layup and erased Varnas's alley-oop basket with a dunk. Bickauskis followed a driving layup with a bomb from downtown, Ojeleye made a corner triple and Danusevicius set a 69-68 Lietkabelis lead. Kalaitzakis followed a jumper with a layup, but Pradilla scored again and Lopez-Arostegui's three-pointer kept Valencia within 74-73 through three quarters.

Puerto struck from beyond the arc early in the fourth quarter. Kalaitzakis banked in an off-balance shot, which Varnas followed with a backdoor layup for a 78-76 Lietkabelis lead. Ojeleye took over with back-to-back three-pointers in a 0-8 run that he capped with free throws. Lipkevicius and Varnas each struck from downtown, but a red-hot Ojeleye single-handedly kept Valencia in charge, 84-90, with 3 minutes left. Danusevicius stepped up with a close basket that Montero improved with an eight-meter bomb. Varnas hit free throws and added a triple that gave Lietkabelis hope at 91-93. Jones silenced the crowd with a wild three-point play that sealed the outcome.

The forward made the difference in the fourth quarter 


7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys v Valencia Basket (2025-01-14T17:00:00.000Z)

Joventut Badalona has confirmed that Sam Dekker has signed a deal to remain with the team until the end of the 2024-25 season.

Sam Dekker re-signs with Joventut until end of season

[Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/joventut-badalona/jov/) has confirmed that [Sam Dekker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/sam-dekker/009672/) will remain with the team on a deal until the end of the 2024-25 season.

Dekker (2.03 meters, 30 years old) initially joined Joventut on a short-term deal in mid-November and later received a one-month extension, but the former NBA forward will now see out the remainder of the campaign in Badalona.

Since arriving in Spain, Dekker has played six times in the BKT EuroCup for Joventut, averaging 9.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists. In the Spanish League, he has posted 13.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists in eight appearances.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">💣 Sam <a href="https://twitter.com/dekker?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dekker</a>, renovat fins a final de temporada!<br><br>✍️ El Club Joventut Badalona i l’aler pivot nord-americà han ampliat el contracte que els unia i Dekker acabarà el curs a la Penya<br><br>📝 El comunicat: <a href="https://t.co/SHWYQ97UGl">https://t.co/SHWYQ97UGl</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CityOfBadalona?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CityOfBadalona</a> <a href="https://t.co/WpEhR9oeWc">pic.twitter.com/WpEhR9oeWc</a></p>&mdash; Club Joventut Badalona (@Penya1930) <a href="https://twitter.com/Penya1930/status/1879113776055955847?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Formerly a member of the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Washington Wizards, and Toronto Raptors in the NBA, Dekker is in his sixth season in Europe. 

Prior to landing at Joventut, he played on the old continent for Lokomotiv Kuban (2019-20), Turk Telekom Ankara (2020-21), Bahcesehir College Istanbul (2021-22), and the London Lions (2022-24).

Now in his fourth EuroCup season, having played for Lokomotiv, London and now Joventut in the competition, his career averages stand at 14.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steal per night across 43 games.

Joventut is currently eighth in Group A with a 5-9 record, but with four games remaining in the regular season, it still has hopes of sneaking into the top six and playing playoff basketball in March.

More Joventut News

The American has quickly become a fans' favorite in Badalona

Hapoel Tel Aviv BC guard Marcus Foster spoke to Frankie Sachs about what makes his team special in this week's EuroCup interview.

Marcus Foster: 'I can help this team elevate'

[Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/hta/) has been in the headlines since a splash of high-profile signings, which have made the club a serious contender for the BKT EuroCup crown. Despite all the big names, no player has put the ball in the net more for Hapoel this season than [Marcus Foster](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marcus-foster/010386/) with 188 points. 

A combo-guard with EuroLeague experience, Foster has been a go-to scorer at most stops in his career, but this season has taken on a different role and – after an adjustment period – he’s been thriving in it.

Foster, 29, is among the league’s most-efficient shooters, having made 70.3% of his two-pointers and 43.5% of his threes to average 13.4 points. 

In this interview, Foster discusses how he adjusted to his role on this team, who Hapoel’s unsung heroes are, what it’s like to play for coach Dimitris Itoudis, and how Hapoel’s demanding schedule helps the team, among other topics.

**Congratulations on your three-game winning streak in the EuroCup. The team is getting contributions from everywhere and you guys aren’t even at full strength! How is the vibe in the locker room?**

"The vibe is very high right now. I think we're figuring out what we need to do to be a good team and especially at this time of the season, with four EuroCup games left, we want to find some momentum heading into the playoffs."

**You’ve always been a great scorer, but this season your scoring efficiency has been truly outstanding. What do you attribute that to?**

"This year it's more about just focusing on being the best role player I could be for this team as far as my scoring ability; defensively, just trying to do all the little things and just focus on whatever minutes I have, I have to be the best, you know, not for my individual self, but for the team. So it's a different role but I understand the goal we have as a team and the talent we have, so I feel if I can be a star in my role, I can help this team elevate and get to where we need to be."

Big buckets from Marcus Foster of Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv, Rounds 1-14, 2024-25

Big buckets from Marcus Foster

**Can you talk more about that role and how you’ve adapted to it?**

"I think just being patient and taking the shots I’m allowed to take. You know, usually I'm in a role where I can come down and take some bad shots and, you know, force some things, but this year with the team we have, I have to be more efficient. I have to execute in the time that I have and also I'm playing with great guys on my team. When you're coming down and Patrick Beverley has the ball, you know \[the opposition's\] defense is a little more worried about him or Yam Madar or Antonio Blakeney, Bar \[Timor\], you know. It's just the people I'm surrounded by, there's so much attention on other guys and there's attention on me, so the time I have when I have the ball, I just have to be efficient and make the reads and make the plays I know how to make.

"I think it's definitely different expectations, like I was saying; this is a role that it took me a little bit to get to understand how to play. Usually, I'm the guy that is trying to make the plays every time down, trying to get guys going. Now there are situations where I can sit back and let them work for me, in the sense of coming down, just spacing out the court, sitting in the corner. They might not get me the first two or three times, but eventually, the ball's gonna come around to me just because those guys know how to dissect the game and get players better each time, so like I said, it's a very different role than I’m used to, but I'm enjoying doing something new on the court."

**Was it difficult mentally to adjust to playing such a different role on a team?**

"Yes. At the beginning, it was very difficult. As you can see I wasn't playing the best at the beginning, but I started to figure it out and game by game, I started getting good at what I'm doing right now. Of course, my whole career in Europe, outside of Panathinaikos, I was really the main guy, the creator, I was making the reads, I'm making the passes most of the time. I'm 80% of the offense on my team. So I've definitely missed that aspect of it, but I like being around elite-level players and on a high-level team that has a very big ambition to win and go to the EuroLeague. It makes it all worth it for me. I remember coming in when I signed. What I'm doing now is what I talked about. I always say less is more. The less I do, the more valuable I am to this team. I don't have to overdo it, overforce it sometimes, but you know at the end of the day, I still gotta play my game and that's what the fun part about it is. I'm enjoying it. How can I still play my game but also do less and help my team? So it took me a while to get it and now I feel like I'm in a groove where I'm understanding what I need to do each night."

"It took me a while to get it and now I feel like I'm in a groove where I'm understanding what I need to do each night."

**When you signed with Hapoel, the team had already signed Johnathan Motley and made it clear that it was aiming high. And then came Ish Wainright, Patrick Beverley and later Bruno Caboclo. What were your reactions as the team kept getting stronger?**

"It just made me more confident in the situation I'm in. You know when you're coming in and you're making the team, you know, you have all these ambitions and goals, but you never know what could happen throughout the season. So you know the more and more we’re signing, the more and more I understand that this team, this organization is serious about what they're trying to do. So it just put... I wouldn't say it puts the pressure on us as players, it just puts a different perspective on what we need to do on the court. I think that's why there's so many eyes, so much attention and so much talk around the team when we win games and lose games. I was just excited about being around these guys, some guys I've known for a while, some guys that I'd seen play and some guys that I've always wanted to play with, like Joe Ragland, so I'm just excited that I was one of the guys chosen to be a part of this."

**The rotation can be very deep with contributions coming from all over. Who would you say is the unsung player, the player who gets the least credit for his contributions?**

"I would probably say Bar Timor or Ish Wainright just because those guys are so solid for us every night. You know, you got Bar leading us and doing different things. Some games Bar may have 12-15 points for us or some games; like last game against Jerusalem \[in the Israeli League\], he had 7 assists. Bar does a little bit of everything and he defends for us. Guys like that who aren't, you know, I would say the guys like Patrick Beverley, Johnathan Motley, Antonio Blakeney with the higher name as far as the standards of NBA and stuff like that, we all know Bar has a big name in Europe because he's been a consistent player, but you know, every game he's bringing another dimension for us that helps us win. And then Ishmail Wainright, he just does all the dirty work for us. He's guarding the best players. He may not be getting the most shots on the team, but he also can shoot, so he's a threat on the offensive end for us and as you can see in games, Ish just sits down and does the dirty work, gets deflections and he's on the floor and he's talking to guys. When you got guys like that in the locker room, it helps us a lot."

Foster on Bar Timor: 'Every game he's bringing another dimension for us that helps us win'

**The big midseason addition was Yam Madar, who wasn’t playing much in the EuroLeague with FC Bayern Munich but has looked great since returning to Hapoel. What can you say about playing alongside him?**

"It's great. You know, sometimes I'm watching him play and I forget how young of a player he is because of the way he carries himself on the court. He has a very mature game and he helps me be able to score some of the easy shots that I score sometimes because the way he drives and kicks puts me in situations to make the game easier for me. And just this energy every day, he's trying to learn, he's trying to be a better player to help his team and he also takes information in. You know at the levels he's played in the past couple years with Partizan, Fenerbahce and Bayern Munich, he understands the level of what it takes to have a good team and also be a good player."

**What has it been like to play for Coach Itoudis? What kind of impact can you say he’s had since taking over?**

"It's tough. I'm not gonna lie. It's very tough, but it's a good thing. You know, he's a very hard coach. Elite coach. I understand why he is one of the best coaches in Europe and why he has titles and all that because every day he's asking for perfection, and he's not \[just\] asking for perfection from Patrick Beverley or Johnathan Motley, he's asking from everybody. From the guy that plays the most to the guy that may never play. And that's what I like about him. And what I like even more is he's teaching me how to be a different dynamic player, like what we've been talking about. He's teaching me how to play off ball, he's teaching me how to defend guys, what I need to do when guys are coming off the pick-and-roll. He's really teaching me the game in a way I've never been taught before. So I never thought I would be in a position where he would be my head coach. So, you know, it's tough some days, but I'm enjoying it and being a part of this process with him."

Foster on Coach Itoudis: 'He's really teaching me the game in a way I've never been taught before'

**The security situation is Israel has meant that you guys are playing all of your “home” games in Bulgaria. Of course, the demanding travel schedule is a burden. But I imagine there must be some positives to that in terms of team bonding and off-court chemistry.**

"It's difficult to have to travel like that and going to Samokov, Bulgaria, a small, small, small place and, you know, not much to do there, but it gives us that bonding time. We're at the airport every week. Long bus trips, so we spend a lot of time with each other, and it helps us bond and like I said, this team is something I've never been a part of as far as on the court and off the court. We're a very close team, and not just the foreign players. The foreign players and the Israeli players are very close. So I'm just enjoying being part of this."

**How much can that off-court chemistry help the team on the court?**

"A lot. I believe it helps a lot. I think, through my past years playing different teams, the closer teams are, those are the teams that win at the end. Because you start to understand each other, you start to know each other. So I think that's gonna be a big part and I think that's what's helping us right now gel and as we are because we're with each other every day."

"This team is something I've never been a part of as far as on the court and off the court. We're a very close team."

**You have played all the teams in your group at least once and you know the other Israeli team in the EuroCup, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem, pretty well. How far do you think Jerusalem can go in this competition?**

"Jerusalem is a very good team, very well-disciplined team on defense. I think that's what makes them so good. And when you've got a guy like Jared Harper who's leading the way, it also helps them a lot, I think they have a chance to be a final four team with a chance to go to the championship regardless who they play in the semifinals, whether it be us or Valencia, Bahcesehir. Whoever they play, I think they definitely have a chance to make the finals.”

**Can you imagine a scenario where you guys are playing them in the semifinals or the finals and what that would mean for Israeli basketball?**

"I think that would mean a lot to Israeli basketball. I'm not sure if it's ever been done before but I think it's something that would be great for this country and just to put people to understand how good of a basketball place this is to play, so that would be something amazing if it did happen that way."

More Hapoel Tel Aviv News

The Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv guard spoke to Frankie Sachs about what makes his team special in this week's EuroCup interview