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).

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<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. 

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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

Vassilis Toliopoulos is putting the lessons he learned from Vassilis Spanoulis, his idol, ex-teammate and current national team head coach, into action with Aris BC.

Vassilis Toliopoulos: 'Spanoulis taught me to be a better leader' 

Part of being a superstar is being a role model and inspiration for younger people. [Vassilis Toliopoulos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/vassilis-toliopoulos/004292/) got to experience his idol [Vassilis Spanoulis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vassilis-spanoulis/juo/) both as a teammate and head coach and that helped the [Aris Midea Thessaloniki](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/aris-midea-thessaloniki/ari/) captain become a better leader for his team. 

Toliopoulos was just 19 years old when he joined [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) in 2015 after playing with Ikaros Chalkidas and Kolossos Rhodos beforehand. Spanoulis was still one of the best in Europe back then at 33 years of age. 

“I learned a lot from Vassilis. As a teammate, I was there for three and a half years. I didn’t have a chance to play with him a lot, but it was great just seeing him and how he was as a captain with Olympiacos, one of the best teams in Europe," said Toliopoulos, who was with Olympiacos until early 2019, which is when he moved to Aris for the first time.

"What he said in the locker room and how he pushes everybody to be their best version on the court and how competitive he was, even in practices and scrimmages that didn’t count. He never wanted to lose. That was something that helped build my mentality.” 

Nine years after joining Spanoulis as a teammate, Toliopoulos got the chance to play for him. The three-time EuroLeague champion was installed as Greece national team coach in October 2023 and he called the sharpshooting Toliopoulos into his squad for his coaching debut in the February 2024 window of the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers. 

Toliopoulos, who had played for Greece in qualifying games in 2020 and 2021, scored 2 points in the first game of the window and then pulled off his best Spanoulis imitation in the second game. He totaled 26 points with 4 three-pointers, 3 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals as well as the game-winning layup with 29 seconds left in a 74-72 win over the Netherlands. 

“Having him call me to the national team – my idol and one of my favorite teammates – meant a lot to me. I really appreciate what he did for me and how he showed that he believed in me,” Toliopoulos said about the call-up from Spanoulis. 

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That wouldn’t be the last time the two former teammates hooked up for Greece in 2024. Spanoulis included Toliopoulos in his roster for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament. It was the first major tournament for Toliopoulos, who is nicknamed “Pistoliopoulos”, and he averaged 8.3 points and 2.0 assists as Greece won the event and qualified for the Olympics. And that came on the court where he and Spanoulis played together – Olympiacos’s famed home, the famed Peace and Friendship Stadium. 

“I really enjoyed the moment. I tried my best to help the team qualify,” said Toliopoulos, who also got to experience NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo as a teammate. “He’s such an amazing guy. He’s the hardest worker I have seen in my life. He really does everything to help the team. He talks in the locker room. He really pushes everybody on the court to be their best self. I am really such a lucky guy to have seen all those things from him and the other guys there.”

Winning the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) of course also meant a date for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

“The Olympics are the best thing that can happen to an athlete. It’s an amazing dream that came true," he revealed. "I couldn’t believe after the OQT that it would really happen. I didn’t understand that until I was there at the opening ceremony. I will never forget that experience. It’s such an amazing experience and I hope that every athlete that dreams of it can live it.”

Toliopoulos averaged 10.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists in Paris, where Greece lost to Germany in the quarterfinals. 

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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9KTCZLNb0a/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Vasilis Toliopoulos (@v.tolio4)</a></p></div></blockquote>
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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-fHXl2ue3l/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Vasilis Toliopoulos (@v.tolio4)</a></p></div></blockquote>
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The summer saw another big moment for Toliopoulos as he signed a two-year extension with Aris despite interest from clubs abroad, including Turk Telekom Ankara and others within Greece. 

“It was nice to know that I had interest from abroad and also from Greece. I wanted to stay with the team, but first of all, I wanted the contract that I deserved after the last two great seasons,” said Toliopoulos, who played for Aris for the remainder of the 2018-19 season as well as since 2022. 

"I am really happy the team understood what I brought to this club and how passionate I am to be here. They did everything they could to keep me in the team. It was really important to me that they showed how important I am to the team.”

Vassilis Toliopoulos's top plays in Rounds 1-8

Toliopoulos was honored for his excellent 2023-24 season by being named the Most Improved Player in the Greek League.

“That meant a lot to me because it shows all the work I put into my game and that everybody appreciated everything I did on the court. It gave me motivation to keep working and keep getting better,” he said. 

Toliopoulos also helped Aris – which celebrated its last of 10 league championships in 1991 – make club history last season. 

In the third and final game of the Greek League quarterfinal playoffs, Aris was down 2 points with 4.7 seconds left. Toliopoulos was on the free-throw line and missed his second foul shot, managed to grab the loose ball rebound, move beyond the three-point line and toss up a fall-away high arching three-pointer that fell to give Aris the victory over Promitheas Patras. 

“That was one of the best moments in my career. Maybe the best,” he recalled. 

The shot sent Aris to the Greek League semifinals for the first time since 2017. 

“It was important for Aris to have this success, for me, for all the players.” 

Toliopoulos and Aris have struggled thus far in the EuroCup with a 2-6 record, but the 28-year-old is doing his best to lead the team after learning important lessons from his idol, Vassilis Spanoulis. 

The Aris guard is fourth in the EuroCup in scoring (18.4 ppg.) so far this season

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana secured the services of one of the best young players in the BKT EuroCup, signing a long term deal with center Joan Beringer, the club announced. Beringer turned 18 years of age earlier this month, and inked his first professional contract that ties him with the club from the Slovenian capital until the summer of 2028.

Cedevita locks up big man Beringer long term

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana secured the services of one of the best young players in the BKT EuroCup, signing a long term deal with center [Joan Beringer](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/joan-beringer/012996/), the club announced. Beringer (2.07 meters, 18 years old) turned 18 years of age earlier this month, and inked his first professional contract that ties him with the club from the Slovenian capital until the summer of 2028.

Beringer has shined in his EuroCup debut this season. He made 7 appearances through the first eight rounds of the season, averaging 4.0 points on 75.0% shooting and 5.4 rebounds, second most on the team. He also had totaled 5 steals and 4 blocks.

His best performance came in Round 6 loss against Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem with 10 points and 6 rebounds. In each of the two games since then, Beringer pulled down 8 rebounds.

Prior to joining Cedevita this past summer, Beringer played with Strasbourg junior teams in his native France.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="sl" dir="ltr">Nadarjeni 18-letni Joan Beringer je s Cedevito Olimpijo podpisal svojo prvo profesionalno pogodbo do leta 2028! <br><br>Joan se je ljubljanskemu klubu pridružil letošnje poletje, v kratkem času pa je postal eden od ključnih Zmajev v članski zasedbi!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ZmajevaDruzina?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ZmajevaDruzina</a> <a href="https://t.co/bxPkiQiRTj">pic.twitter.com/bxPkiQiRTj</a></p>&mdash; Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (@KKCedOL) <a href="https://twitter.com/KKCedOL/status/1858842686024798495?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

The 18-year old is averaging 4.0 points on 75.0% shooting and 5.4 rebounds.

Valencia Basket bolstered its frontcourt by signing center Amida Brimah for the remainder of the season, the club announced Tuesday. 

Valencia powers up with shot-blocker Amida Brimah

[Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/valencia-basket/pam/) bolstered its frontcourt by signing center [Amida Brimah](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/amida-brimah/012075/) for the remainder of the season, the club announced Tuesday. 

Brimah (2.13 meters, 30 years old) arrives from BAXI Manresa, where he was on a short-term deal. He averaged 3.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in eight Spanish League games this season.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">🧡 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenvingutAmida?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenvingutAmida</a><br><br>Cas 👉 Valencia Basket alarga su juego interior con el fichaje de Amida Brimah<a href="https://t.co/spyMdrweYf">https://t.co/spyMdrweYf</a><br><br>Val 👉 Valencia Basket allarga el seu joc interior amb el fitxatge d&#39;Amida Brimah<a href="https://t.co/xP5rQV5KzP">https://t.co/xP5rQV5KzP</a><br><br>Eng 👉 Valencia Basket extends its frontcourt… <a href="https://t.co/iHSx3umo8u">pic.twitter.com/iHSx3umo8u</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1858796049373991107?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Brimah started his career with the Austin Toros of the G League and also played for Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade of Serbia, the Indiana Pacers of the NBA, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Grand Rapids Gold and Santa Cruz Warriors of the G League, the Mets de Guaynabo of Puerto Rico, Filou Oostende of Belgium, Akita Northern Happinets of Japan, and [Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/cosea-jl-bourg-en-bresse/bou/) of France, where he made his BKT EuroCup debut. 

In 14 EuroCup games with Bourg in the 2022-23 season, he averaged 4.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. He was fifth in the competition in blocks that season. 

Amida Brimah blocking shots

Brimah won the Belgian League and Cup double with Oostende in 2022 and lifted the G League trophy with Austin in 2018, the same season he was also named to the league's all-defensive team. Before that, he helped the University of Connecticut win the NCAA Tournament in 2014 alongside current FC Bayern Munich players [Niels Giffey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/niels-giffey/001557/) and [Shabazz Napier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shabazz-napier/011224/).   

More Valencia News

The center from Ghana was fifth in the EuroCup in blocks two seasons ago

U-BT Cluj-Napoca has completed the signing of Gediminas Orelik, the club announced Monday. The length of the contract has not been disclosed.

U-BT Cluj-Napoca adds Gediminas Orelik

[U-BT Cluj-Napoca](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/u-bt-cluj-napoca/clu/) has completed the signing of [Gediminas Orelik](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/gediminas-orelik/002012/), the club announced Monday. The length of the contract has not been disclosed.

Orelik (2.00 meters, 34 years old) spent the first part of this season playing for Juventus in his native Lithuania, averaging 11.4 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists in nine Lithuanian League games.

A veteran of the BKT EuroCup, Orelik returns to the competition where he has played 91 times, posting career averages of 12.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists. His 1,131 points in the EuroCup rank him 19th overall all time.

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The Lithuanian forward spent the last three seasons with 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys and showed that he is still an elite scorer in the EuroCup, averaging 15.4 ppg. in 2021-22, 13.8 ppg. in 2022-23, and 15.5 ppg. in 2023-24. 

Cluj will be Orelik's fifth club in the EuroCup after previously suiting up for Siauliai (2009-10), Rudupis Prienal (2011-13), Rytas Vilnius (2013-16) and then Lietkabelis (2021-24). The 2013-14 campaign also saw him compete in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with Rytas for the first time.

More Cluj News

The Romanian side will be the fifth club he represents in the EuroCup

Cluj adds Gediminas Orelik

Noa Essengue, a 17-year-old who is projected to be a lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, has taken his game to another level in his second year with ratiopharm Ulm and has now been called up to the French national team.

Noa Essengue overflowing with confidence, looking ahead to France debut

Heading into the national team break, [Noa Essengue](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/noa-essengue/011391/) is brimming with confidence after standing out for [ratiopharm Ulm](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/ratiopharm-ulm/ulm/) in the BKT EuroCup, and he cannot wait to make his debut for France.

The 17-year-old has taken the next step with Ulm in his second season in Germany and is showing why he is considered one of the top young talents in the world, ranking fourth on the team in scoring (13.1 ppg.), first in index rating (17.0), first in rebounds (5.2 rpg.), tied for first in steals (1.1 spg.), and second in fouls drawn (4.2 per game).

“I'm really good, really confident,” Essengue, who is shooting 63.4% on two pointers and 40% on three-pointers, tells David Hein. “When I'm in a game, I know I can drive, and I know if someone closes out on me, I can pass the ball. I know my teammate goes to make a shot or goes to rebound, so I'm really confident about my team.”

That is a major jump from his first season in the EuroCup last year, when he averaged 2.7 points and 1.7 rebounds in about 6 minutes per game over seven contests.

This season’s EuroCup numbers are also higher than what he is producing in the German League, where he has posted 7.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.8 steals in eight games.

The best plays of ratiopharm Ulm prodigy Noa Essengue through the first eight rounds of the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup season.

Noa Essengue's top plays this season

Essengue is not surprised at all about his production, even though he will not turn 18 until December 18.

“I worked out all summer. I worked out every day and I played \[for the U18\] national team,” says the Frenchman, who worked out this past summer in Orlando in the United States.. “And already last year, I practiced with the guys in the BBL and EuroCup. So I already knew the team. I'm not surprised.”

This season has seen a major highlight already as Ulm took a trip to the United States to play [an exhibition game against the Portland Trail Blazers](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/ratiopharm-ulm-and-its-basketball-program-attracts-nba-attention/). Essengue led the team in scoring that night with 20 points in a 111-100 loss – though the game was still close midway through the fourth quarter.

“We did a good job. We only lost by 11, so that's a good performance by the whole team,” states Essengue, who also picked up 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. “So I'm just feeling good and proud of my team.

“We played all together. We played our game. We loved playing against an NBA team, because we don't play every day against an NBA team. So everyone was excited.”

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Essengue still faces a major disadvantage because of a lack of muscle mass since he is still so young and physically hasn’t developed into an adult’s body – yet. But that has not slowed him down from fighting in the paint at both ends and driving to the basket on offense.

The Orleans native was dominant at youth level, [being named the MVP of the Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Dubai tournament](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/news/herculean-effort-earns-noa-essengue-mvp-for-ulm/) last season. His amazing performance helped Ulm become the first German club to win an ANGE qualifier. That all-around game is starting to translate to the senior level.

“The coach trusts me, my teammates trust me, so I can play my game,” he says. “I'm not stressed about nothing. I know if I make mistakes, that's not wrong. My teammates can cover me, so I just play my game.”

The national team window will have a special meaning for Essengue as he was nominated for the French senior team for the first time for the two games against Cyprus in the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers.

“I just want to say thank you to my coach \[Frederic Fauthoux, head coach at Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse\]. I know that it's my first time. I'm really excited,” Essengue says. “Just playing with some guys I have been watching on TV since I'm young, and to represent my country, that's just amazing. That's my dream since I was a kid. I'm just happy. I'm excited for this moment.”

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Essengue is also looking forward to playing with Nolan Traore, with whom he played at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2024 and who also starred at last season’s ANGE for U18 PFBB INSEP Paris.

But of course, it will be great to learn from the likes of [Andrew Albicy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/andrew-albicy/003425/), [Axel Bouteille](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/axel-bouteille/003840/), Paul Lacombe, Nicolas Lang, [Adam Mokoka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/adam-mokoka/012698/) and [Yoan Makoundou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/yoan-makoundou/011935/).

“Everyone on the team has had a big career, so I can learn from each of them. They can give me some advice for getting better,” Essengue says.

This will be another big experience that will make the young talent that much better.

More Noa Essengue News

The 17-year-old is projected to be a lottery pick in next year's NBA Draft

Valencia Basket is a great example of the benefits of having a deep roster, but other EuroCup teams are also thriving with their bench units.

Stats review: The value of a strong bench

Round 8 of the BKT EuroCup was highlighted by several key wins as things remain very tight, with a half dozen teams vying for position in the middle of Group A and [Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/valencia-basket/pam/) continuing to stand out in Group B. Scoring over 100 points for the fifth time in seven games, the Spanish club featured seven scorers in double figures including three off the bench.

Roster depth matters in the EuroCup; each of the last two teams to win the competition ranked among the top three in the percentage of minutes played by their bench at the end of the season. Despite the recent correlation with winning, the definition of a deep team remains nebulous. For some groups it is rooted in the quality of their sixth and seventh men, for others it’s the feeling that they have seven starters allowing them to mix and match, and some even benefit from being able to play 10 or 11 players. Regardless of the details, it’s the impact of that depth on the floor that is meaningful.

That has been especially true for Valencia through the first months of the season. With a mixture of perhaps the league’s highest talent level from top to bottom and how coach Pedro Martinez has chosen to exploit it, the Spanish club has leveraged its depth as effectively as any team in EuroCup history. Without a single player averaging 23 or more minutes per game but 11 players who have been in the team’s starting five and 14 who have seen game action, no team in the league has used its reserves and mixed up its lineups as liberally as the Group A leaders. The result has been a surprising level of consistency. 

Not only has Valencia scored 100 points five times, but its second-ranked offensive efficiency has been nearly flat quarter to quarter. Its bench has outscored opposing reserves by 19 points per game as the way this roster can maintain a high standard of play for 40 minutes has been an unsolvable puzzle for opposing teams so far this season. No team has used its bench more than its starters for a full season in recent EuroCup history, but early returns suggest it may work in Valencia’s favor to become the first.

[Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/cosea-jl-bourg-en-bresse/bou/) has this season’s second-highest bench scoring differential. In contrast to Valencia, Bourg used the same starting lineup in their first four games before some injuries led to some reshuffling. When healthy, the French club has used a platoon system; its two most used lineups this season did not feature any common players until last round. Even as its bench has played some 10% fewer minutes than Valencia’s, the value of those true second-unit minutes has been apparent early on as the bench has outscored opposing reserves by 74 points, explaining most of their fifth-ranked +48 point differential.

The fluidity of Valencia’s rotations and the chemistry of Bourg’s bench have had an obvious impact on the standings, but there are plenty of other nuggets to be found looking across the EuroCup this season. 

[Jordan Ford](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jordan-ford/013270/) may be coming off the bench for [Dolomiti Energia Trento](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dolomiti-energia-trento/trn/), but that has not stopped him from ranking sixth among all players in points per-game. His production has made Trento the only team other than Valencia getting as much scoring from its bench as its starters. 

No team has leaned on its starters more heavily than [Turk Telekom Ankara](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/turk-telekom-ankara/ttk/), which has played them a league-high 67% of the time through eight games despite using 10 different starters. While some of these numbers will flatten out as the year goes on, it will be interesting to see if that continues to work now that teams have settled into the rhythm of the season.

Let's dive into how important teams' production off the bench has been to winning