The Palasport Taliercio crowd gave Rodney McGruder a standing ovation when the Umana Reyer Venice guard left the game with 1:26 minutes left after having helped the club snap its three-game losing streak in the BKT EuroCup - in his first home game of the season. 

Rodney McGruder shines in EuroCup debut for Reyer 

The Palasport Taliercio crowd gave [Rodney McGruder](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/rodney-mc-gruder/012800/) a standing ovation when the [Umana Reyer Venice](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/umana-reyer-venice/games/vnc/?season=2024-25) guard left the game with 1:26 minutes left after having helped the club snap its three-game losing streak in the BKT EuroCup - in his first home game of the season.

McGruder shined in his first EuroCup game with 28 points including 4 three-pointers in an 80-68 Reyer win over [Veolia Towers Hamburg](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/veolia-towers-hamburg/games/ham/?season=2024-25) to snap a three-game losing streak. The 33-year-old also chipped in 1 rebound, 4 assists, 4 steals and only 2 turnovers in 31 minutes.

McGruder gets a standing ovation

“It was a lot of fun to play in front of this home crowd. They gave us a lot of energy tonight and we kind of fed off that. It was a lot of fun,” McGruder said afterward. 

About his strong performance, the American added: “I have great teammates. We tried to put each other in great situations where we can be successful and we were able to do that and came out with a victory.” 

McGruder’s signing with Reyer was announced on October 4 but he didn’t arrive in Italy until October 18 as he remained in the United States to tend to his home in Florida as the area was hit by two major hurricanes. Fortunately, his home wasn’t lost but the community was affected, as McGruder mentioned in his introductory press conference. 

Game Videos

McGruder, who spent half of last season playing for EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, played his first game over the weekend and helped Reyer to a 77-64 road victory over Pistoia for the team’s first win this season in the Italian League. That win also snapped a six-game losing streak in the two competitions for Reyer.

It was also McGruder’s first competitive game since playing for Milan on [March 8, 2024, against Partizan Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/ea7-emporio-armani-milan-partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/E2023/250/#boxscore) in the EuroLeague. And then in his EuroCup debut, he took over from the beginning - scoring 10 of his team’s first 15 points.

Game News

McGruder was big all game and Reyer had built a 23-point lead which was down to 10 points in the final period. The hosts pushed the gap back to 17 points only to have Hamburg fight back to 75-66 with under 4 minutes to play. McGruder snapped the momentum with a big three-pointer.

Those were his final points with the 28 points tying him for fourth all-time on Reyer’s single-game scoring list in the EuroCup - a week after [Kyle Wiltjer](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/kyle-wiltjer/008052/) had set the club EuroCup record with 34 points.

“I’m speechless,” Reyer head coach Neven Spahija said after the game about McGruder’s showing. “The guy never saw us in his life, came here, didn’t play since April or May, I don’t know, and scored almost 30 points. I have to give him credit.”

With the team ahead by 12 points with 86 seconds to go, Spahija subbed McGruder out of the game and the Palasport Taliercio crowd showed its appreciation for the outstanding debut.

The guard impressed with 28 points, 4 assists and 4 steals 

Rodney McGruder shined on EuroCup debut for Reyer 

Umana Reyer Venice v Veolia Towers Hamburg (2024-10-22T18:00:00.000Z)

Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius managed to pull off a hard-fought 92-99 road win when it defeated Trefl Sopot at Ergo Arena on Tuesday night. 

Wolves hold on in Poland for second win in a row

[Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/wolves-twinsbet-vilnius/games/wol/?season=2024-25) managed to pull off a hard-fought 92-99 road win when it defeated [Trefl Sopot](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/trefl-sopot/games/tso/?season=2024-25) at Ergo Arena on Tuesday night. Despite enjoying a 13-point advantage right after halftime, the visitors saw how the hosts forced overtime with a three-pointer with 26 seconds to play in regulation. A strong 10-0 run to start overtime, behind three-pointers by [Andrew Andrews](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/andrew-andrews/011248/), finally turned the scales for the visitors. Wolves improved to 2-3 after earning their second straight win on the road. Trefl Sopot remains winless after 5 rounds.

[Tre'Shawn Thurman](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tre-shawn-thurman/012577/) led the winners with 17 points and 4 rebounds, Andrews followed with 15 and 5 assists, while [Jeffery Taylor](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jeffery-taylor/006546/), [Anthony Cowan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/anthony-cowan-jr/012003/) and [Garrison Brooks](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/garrison-brooks/012789/) finished with 14 points apiece. [Marcus Weathers](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marcus-weathers/013297/) signed off a career-high of 25 points, [Jakub Schenk](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jakub-schenk/013298/) contributed 19 and 7 assists, [Andy Van Vliet](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/andy-van-vliet/003885/) added 11 and [Tarik Phillip](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tarik-phillip/009649/) recorded 10 points, 7 rebounds and 7 dishes in the losing effort.

The home team had a nightmare start, as it missed all its field goal attempts (4) and turned the ball over three times in the first 3 minutes of the game. As such, Wolves easily built a 0-7 advantage behind 5 points in a row by Taylor. An unsportsmanlike foul called on Taylor gave some air to Sopot, who also took advantage of its opponent’s turnovers to recover some balance, shift momentum, and take a 9-7 edge midway through the first quarter. It was nothing but an illusion, as Wolves immediately fought back, locking in in defense and punishing Sopot with a 2-13 run to make it 11-20. A late three by Varis Kariniauskas, the second of Wolves so far, built a double-digit margin for the visitors, 15-25, at the end of the first quarter.

Thurman and Andrews made it worse for the hosts with consecutive three-point plays, 18-31, which seemed to send Sopot to the ropes too early. But it didn’t happen, as Schenk converted the first Polish three - after 5 attempts - in the game and Van Vliet continued with another of his own to reactivate the home side. Weathers joined the party too, reducing the gap to just 30-37 after 15 minutes. The visitors quickly stopped the game with a timeout that slowed down the Sopot reaction.  Taylor showed up again and brought some experience to the table, good to push his team to a 34-47 advantage soon after. A late three by Schenk allowed Sopot to reach halftime still alive, 37-47.

Sopot tried to match its opponent’s physicality after the intermission and geared up in defense to try to turn the tables. It didn’t work at first, as Zemaitis took advantage of another Sopot turnover to make it 39-52, but after a Zan Tabak timeout, McGowens and the first three by Aaron Best revitalized Sopot, 44-52. Weathers joined with an inside bucket, Aaron Best nailed another triple and followed with a fastbreak dunk that took it even further, 53-55. Zyskowski made it a 1-point game with a three-point play, 58-59, but that was the closest Sopot could get in the period, as Brooks first inside, then Cowan from behind the arc, helped Wolves hold on, 62-66, entering the last stanza.

Van Vliet brought the home team within 1 again with a three right after the game resumed, but Wolves didn’t lose their poise. Thurman came up big with a three-point response and a couple of free-throws to cool it down, and when Blazevic added a three-point play right after Jaroslaw Zyskowski couldn’t cap his, the visitors felt at home again, 67-74. But even with 4 players with 4 fouls already - Schenk, Weathers, Robert McGowens and Best, the home team still wanted to make its last statement. A local timeout with Sopot trailing 76-84 and 3 minutes to play triggered the home team reaction, capped with back-to-back three-pointers by Van Vliet and Weathers that evened things, 84-84, with only 26 seconds to go. A difficult last shot by Cowan did not find the net and the game went to extra time.

Andrews decided to take the reins in overtime. He first nailed a three to open the extra period, and later fed Brooks for an inside basket and continued with another three to cap a 10-0 run for the visitors that left Sopot in shock, 84-94. Schenk kept pushing and reduced the gap to 4 points from the line with less than 100 seconds to go, but it turned into the last breath for the home team when Cowan and Zemaitis responded from the same place to confirm the outcome.

 

Key three-pointers by Andrew Andrews decided the game in overtime

Trefl Sopot v Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius (2024-10-22T17:45:00.000Z)

Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul squeezed past Joventut Badalona 82-76 in Round 5 of the BTK EuroCup after prevailing in several departments, most notably the boards in the second half of a pulsating clash that kept fans on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

Fine margins lifted Besiktas past Joventut in a tight battle

[Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/besiktas-fibabanka-istanbul/roster/bes/) squeezed past [Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/joventut-badalona/roster/jov/) 82-76 in Round 5 of the BTK EuroCup after prevailing in several departments, most notably the boards in the second half of a pulsating clash that kept fans on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

Joventut won the battle in the paint quite emphatically in the first half, 20-13, but the home team beefed up its effort in the second and finished on 32 rebounds, only 1 less than the visitors. Crucially, Besiktas racked up 13 offensive boards after collecting just 3 in the first half, with the second-half tally allowing a barrage of second-chance points when the chips were down.

Joventut finished on 11 offensive boards and sank a mere 6 of 23 from deep, while Besiktas drained 8 of 29 as both sides struggled from downtown in the wake of aggressive defense.

Neither side shined from the foul line too, but Besiktas made 14 of 20 free throws while Joventut was contained to 8 of 12 and that also made a telling difference in a game of fine margins.

Center [Emanuel Terry](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/emanuel-terry/010652/) emerged as the game changer with an inspired fourth-quarter performance and [Kyle Allman](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/kyle-allman/011924/) had a vintage all-around display, illustrated by a team-high 16 points. Having praised vibrant support from the home fans, Allman said the team was hitting top gear exactly when it needed to.

“We’re playing as a team right now and clicking at the right time,” the 27-year-old from New York said in a courtside interview. ”We enjoy playing with each other and it shows. My team has confidence in me and I am thankful for that. I also appreciate the fans packing out and being loud, come the next game too.”

Besiktas head coach Dusan Alimpijevic praised a spirited defensive effort from his team, while also singling out Terry who forced Joventut into submission down the stretch.

“Our defense was really good today against a team which has one of the highest IQs in the competition,” the Serbian tactician stated. “They are very good at creating something out of nothing as they have several players with a EuroLeague experience.

“It wasn’t a good shooting night from us but we were so good defensively. Terry was the game-changer with his energy, approach and hustling and he deserved the credit for his contribution.”

Besiktas got the better of Joventut in the paint in the second half and made the most of going to the foul line 

Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul v Joventut Badalona (2024-10-22T17:00:00.000Z)

Umana Reyer Venice snapped a three-game losing streak as it fought through for an 80-68 home victory over Veolia Towers Hamburg in Group B to keep the guests winless. 

Reyer snaps three-game losing skid, leaves Hamburg winless after 80-68 win

Umana Reyer Venice snapped a three-game losing streak as it fought through for an 80-68 home victory over Veolia Towers Hamburg in Group B to keep the guests winless. Reyer opened a 23-point third-quarter lead but watched as Hamburg pulled back to within 9.

Rodney McGruder led the way with 28 points in his first EuroCup game for the 2-3 team while Aamir Simms scored 14 points and Amedeo Tessitori chipped in 10 points and 8 rebounds. Hamburg dropped to 0-5 despite Jaizec Lottie scoring 13 points. 

Brae Ivey scored twice as Hamburg went ahead 3-6. McGruder started hot with 10 points already and a Mfiondu Kabengele three-point play put the hosts up 18-11. Hamburg went nearly 4 minutes without a basket and trailed 22-16 after 10 minutes. 

Reyer opened the second quarter with the first 5 points as the lead reached double figures. Free throws by Davide Casarin made it 30-18. Hamburg managed to get within 9 points but watched Reyer surge away with a 10-4 run for a 44-29 cushion and it was 46-31 at the break. 

McGruder continued his strong game with the first 6 points of the second half in Reyer’s 8-0 start to the third quarter for a 54-31 lead. Hamburg needed more than 2 minutes to finally get on the scoreboard and the margin was 57-33. Lottie and Patrick Heckmann both hit three-pointers in a 0-10 Hamburg run but still trailed 57-43. Reyer snapped a 4-minute scoreless drought with 5 points and led 62-48 after 30 minutes.

Camron Reece had 5 points in the early going of the final frame and Hamburg trimmed the gap to 63-53. Reyer punched back with the next 7 points to extend the advantage to 17 points. The visitors had one more push left with a 5-13 run to bring the deficit to 75-66 with under 4 minutes left - the first time it was in single digits since midway through the second quarter. McGruder stopped the momentum with a three-pointer and Hamburg did not get closer the rest of the way.

It was a memorable EuroCup debut for Reyer guard Rodney McGruder 

Besiktas Fidabanka Istanbul improved its record in the BKT EuroCup Group A to 3-2 after a sublime fourth quarter from center Emanuel Terry helped the Turkish outfit to an 82-76 home win over Joventut Badalona in a thrilling contest.

Battling Besiktas grinds down Joventut, 82-76

Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul improved its record in the BKT EuroCup Group A to 3-2 after a sublime fourth quarter from center Emanuel Terry helped the Turkish outfit to an 82-76 home win over Joventut Badalona in a thrilling contest.

Terry racked up the bulk of his 10 points and 6 boards in the home straight, shooting 5 of 5 from the floor and every one of those efforts were clutch shots, including a pair of spectacular slam dunks. Kyle Allman paced Besiktas with 16 points, Jonah Mathews posted 11 while Conor Morgan and Kelan Martin added 10 each alongside Terry.

At the other end, Ante Tomic led Joventut with 17 points and 7 boards, fellow big man Artem Pustovyi added 16 points and 5 boards and Devon Dotson netted 15 points. Kaiser Bray-Gates amassed 13 points and 5 rebounds for Joventut, which dropped to 2-3 after a second successive defeat.

Reeling from last week’s 63-86 home drubbing at the hands of Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius, Joventut made a purposeful start and raced into an early 2-9 lead before Besiktas regained its composure and edged ahead 21-20 at the end of the first quarter, with Kelan Martin hitting a tough off-balance buzzer beater.

Besiktas relied on long-range artillery from Yigit Arslan in the second quarter to stay in the driver’s seat, while Tomic and Pustovyi wreaked havoc in the paint at the other end to keep Joventut going. The visitors had outrebounded Besiktas 20-13 in the first half but it was the home side that engineered a slender lead at the interval, 42-41.

The third quarter produced a physical battle as both sides stepped up on defense and Besiktas headed into the final 10 minutes with a 58-54 advantage, before some big plays from Tomic and Pustovyi helped Joventut draw level early in the fourth, 62-62.

Galvanized by fervent support from the home fans, Besiktas then pulled away for good as Terry stepped up to the plate at crunch time. Allman followed in his footsteps as the hosts went on a crucial 9-2 run in the last few minutes to open up an unassailable 82-73 lead, much to the delight of their vociferous supporters.

The Turkish team pulled away thanks to a superb fourth quarter from Emanuel Terry

7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys big man Marko Pecarski delivered on the court to lead his team to an impressive 84-80 victory over Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse.

Marko Pecarski pulled off perfect scoring display in first Lietkabelis victory

In a recent interview, [Marko Pecarski](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marko-pecarski/005656/) stressed that his objective this season is to demonstrate that he boasts the virtues to dominate at this level. A few days later, the [7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/7bet-lietkabelis-panevezys/games/lkb/?season=2024-25) big man delivered on the court to lead his team to an impressive 84-80 victory over [Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/cosea-jl-bourg-en-bresse/games/bou/?season=2024-25). Despite Lietkabelis losing its first four games and Bourg coming into Tuesday’s duel undefeated, the Lithuanian side managed to end their losing streak, with Pecarski playing a key role in this win at the Kalnapilio Arena.

“I want to show that I'm also a dominant big man at this level,” Pecarski told David Hein in [an interview for this website last week](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/marko-pecarski-finally-playing-his-own-game-at-lietkabelis/). “This season I want to play my game, to do all the stuff that I do great but at even a higher level. And also the stuff that are not my strengths, I want to show that I can improve on them. I have a lot to show at this level. It's simple. I don't want to talk about stats or anything, but I can play my game and perform great at this level.”

Pecarski did not miss against Bourg

Yet, we need to talk about Pecarski’s stats against Bourg. The 24-year-old center ended the game with a perfect 8-for-8 shooting from inside, 1-for-1 from behind the arc and 3-for-3 from the free-throw line. Having scored 22 points without missing a single shot, this is the eighth-best perfect shooting performance ever in the EuroCup.

He also collected 8 rebounds, as well as 1 assist and 1 block for a PIR of 34.

“I do what I can do to help my team win,” Pecarski told EuroLeague TV after the game. “Today it was like that. Some other game it will be someone else. I think we are becoming a good team and now things are starting to get positive for us.”

Pecarski also produced some crucial plays in the closing quarter to inspire Lietkabelis to victory. [Andrija Stipanovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/andrija-stipanovic/005113/) netted two straight buckets to open the fourth and gave the host a 65-56 lead. The visitors bounced back and responded with a 0-6 run and with the score at 67-62, but Pecarski pulled off a monster block on [Xavier Castaneda](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/xavier-castaneda/013266/), who recorded a game-high 23 points, to shift the momentum back to the hosts.

A triple from [Georgios Kalaitzakis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/georgios-kalaitzakis/006586/) gave Lietkabelis a 75-64 cushion with 3 and a half minutes to go, but Bourg wouldn’t give up and a few trips to the free-throw line made it a one-possession game, 78-77, with less than a minute remaining. Enter Pecarski, who netted a buzzer-beating dagger from inside the arc to extend Lietkabelis’s lead to 80-77 with 0:23 left on the clock. Bourg didn’t manage to get a basket in the following possession and a couple of free throws from Kalaitzakis secured Lietkabelis’s first win of the season.

Coming up next for Lietkabelis is a trip to Spain to face [Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/valencia-basket/games/pam/?season=2024-25) – one of the only two teams that managed to win all their first four games along with Bourg. With Pecarski firing on all cylinders, Lietkabelis could pull off another upset, this time on Spanish soil.

His performance marked the 8th most points by a player on perfect shooting in EuroCup history

7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys v Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse (2024-10-22T16:00:00.000Z)

7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys snapped its four-game losing streak by handing Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse its first defeat of the season, 84-80, in the opening game of Round 5 on Tuesday

Winless Lietkabelis upsets undefeated Bourg, 84-80

7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys snapped its four-game losing streak by handing Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse its first defeat of the season, 84-80, in the opening game of Round 5 on Tuesday. Marko Pecarski pulled off a man-of-the-game display, going 9-for-9 on field goals and allowing the Lithuanian side to improve their record to 1-4. Having suffered a loss for the first time in the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup campaign, Bourg dropped to 4-1.

Pecarski recorded a team-high 22 points, going a perfect 8-for-8 from inside the arc, 1-for-1 from deep and 3-for-3 from the line. Dovis Bickauskis made 4 triples to end the game on 16 points, Georgios Kalaitzakis scored 14 and Andrija Stipanovic added 11. For the visitors, Xavier Castaneda scored a game-high 23 points and Joel Ayayi netted 11.

Pecarski opened the scoring with a triple, but Brandon Paul set up Kevin Kokila before netting a jumper to put Bourg ahead, 3-4. The back and forth continued, with Pecarski taking his tally to 7 early points for an 11-7 lead. Yet, the visitors responded with a 2-11 run, as Joel Ayayi netred one from beyond the arc to put Bourg back in front, 13-18. Then, Kalaitzakis and Mantas Rubstavicius opened their accounts off the bench, cutting the difference to 18-20 after 10 minutes.

Bourg hit the ground running in the second, with Ayayi scoring two straight baskets to extend its lead to 19-26. A few Bourg turnovers allowed the hosts to go on a 9-2 run, with Martynas Varnas drilling one from deep and Stipanovic netting one from inside to put his team back level, 28-28. Bickauskis beat the buzzer with a triple to give Lietkabelis the lead and Varnas netted another three-pointer for a 34-30 cushion. Then, Bickauskis nailed another triple to take his tally to 10 first-half points before Nelson made 2 from the line to trim the deficit to 39-36 at the break.

Following a quiet first half, where he recorded just 2 points, Castaneda opened the second with two straight triples to put Bourg ahead 41-42. Yet, Pecarski netted from inside and Bickauskis scored his third triple of the clash for a 46-42 Lietkabelis lead. Then, the two teams exchanged blows, with Pecarski taking his tally to 17 points for a 54-47 cushion. Kalaitzakis made a couple of free throws to give Lietkabelis a double-digit lead for the first time in the game, 58-47, but Bourg responded with a 3-9 run capped off by a Castaneda triple just before the third-quarter buzzer. 

Stipanovic netted two straight buckets to open the closing quarter, but baskets from Mehdy Ngouama, Castaneda and Jordan Usher brought Bourg within 65-62. Yet, a Pecarski monster block on Castaneda shifted the momentum, with Bickauskis and Kalaitzakis netting one each from deep to extend Lietkabelis’s lead to 75-64 with 03:32 left on the clock. The visitors tightened up their defense and a few trips to the charity stripe brought them within 77-75 with 1 minute remaining. Then, Kalaitzakis made 1 of 2 from the line before Castaneda scored a floater, 78-77. But Pecarski netted a huge buzzer-beating jumper before two free throws from Kalaitzakis clinched it for the hosts.

Marko Pecarski dominated for the hosts with a career night

CB Gran Canaria takes on ratiopharm Ulm in a fascinating EuroCup game this Tuesday night.

Gran Canaria is Ulm's last stop of a memorable road trip

Two teams that belong to BKT EuroCup royalty historically-speaking go up against each other when [Dreamland Gran Canaria](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/carousels/dreamland-gran-canaria/?q=%7B%22articleId%22%3A%22%22%2C%22categoryId%22%3A%22%22%2C%22linkedId%22%3A%7B%22sourceSystem%22%3A%22FS_BASKETBALL_TEAM%22%2C%22sourceSystemId%22%3A%22can%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%22%7D%7D&carouselTitle=Dreamland%20Gran%20Canaria) hosts [ratiopharm Ulm](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/carousels/ratiopharm-ulm/?q=%7B%22articleId%22%3A%22%22%2C%22categoryId%22%3A%22%22%2C%22linkedId%22%3A%7B%22sourceSystem%22%3A%22FS_BASKETBALL_TEAM%22%2C%22sourceSystemId%22%3A%22ulm%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%22%7D%7D&carouselTitle=ratiopharm%20Ulm) in Round 5 on Tuesday night (21:00 CEST).

Indeed, Ulm and Gran Canaria have been in the competition for a long time. Ulm in its 12th EuroCup season and has played in every EuroCup campaign over the last 10 years. Gran Canaria is in its 17th EuroCup season and won the competition in 2023, the same year Ulm lifted the German League title.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝘂𝗳 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮 🏝️<br>📷 | <a href="https://twitter.com/GranCanariaCB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GranCanariaCB</a> <br>📷 | Gran Canaria Arena<br>📷 | 21 Uhr, Magenta Sport<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/uuulmer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#uuulmer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/weareone?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#weareone</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/canyoufeelit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#canyoufeelit</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bkteurocup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#bkteurocup</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/lottobw?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@lottobw</a> <a href="https://t.co/gs5VGMjW4c">pic.twitter.com/gs5VGMjW4c</a></p>&mdash; ratiopharm ulm (@ratiopharmulm) <a href="https://twitter.com/ratiopharmulm/status/1848590102789775596?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Gran Canaria leads the all-time standings in points scored (20,414), rebounds (8,817), assists (4,338) and games played (231). Ulm ranks eighth in games played (171) and is set to climb two spots in the standings this season, going past ALBA Berlin (174) and Rytas Vilnius (179).

It will most certainly be a very special game for Gran Canaria head coach Jaka Lakovic. After a legendary playing career that saw him win the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague title with FC Barcelona in 2010, Lakovic coached Ulm for three seasons – from 2019 to 2022 – before joining Gran Canaria.

Both teams have very different approaches when it comes to constructing their rosters, too. This past summer, for example, Gran Canaria looked for ready-made players while Ulm found some of the biggest young talents in European basketball, in addition to investing in players with no previous EuroCup experience.

Andrew Albicy and John Shurna combine for 253 EuroCup appearances.

Albicy, Shurna still going strong

Gran Canaria still has five players that helped the team win the EuroCup title in 2023: [Andrew Albicy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/andrew-albicy/003425/), [Jovan Kljajic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/jovan-kljajic/007560/), [John Shurna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/john-shurna/006588/), [Nico Brussino](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/nicolas-brussino/008121/) and [Miquel Salvo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/miquel-salvo/005005/). Albicy is arguably the most experienced EuroCup player in the competition this season, ranking second all-time in assists (620) and steals (178), as well as 10th in games played (124).

Shurna is another with plenty of experience, having taken part in 129 showdowns, ninth overall, ranking eighth in rebounds (474) and eighth in three-point shots made (182).

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">en bucle <a href="https://t.co/pK1C0l89Ei">pic.twitter.com/pK1C0l89Ei</a></p>&mdash; Dreamland Gran Canaria (@GranCanariaCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/GranCanariaCB/status/1848655755030716840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Gran Canaria also made sure that most of its newcomers knew what the competition was about, particularly its big guys. [Mike Tobey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/mike-tobey/008966/) won the EuroCup with Valencia Basket in 2019; center [George Conditt](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/george-conditt-iv/012016/) and scoring ace [Joe Thomasson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/joe-thomasson/012095/) were teammates at Promitheas Patras in the 2022-23 EuroCup season; and [Caleb Homesley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/caleb-homesley/011251/) has also appeared in the competition with Veolia Hamburg Towers. Only playmaker [Carlos Alocen](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/carlos-alocen/010623/) is a EuroCup newcomer after four years with EuroLeague perennial contender Real Madrid. 

Ulm is in the middle of a six-game road trip that has seen the team rack up plenty of air miles, with stops in Istanbul, Portland and now Gran Canaria. Only [Tommy Klepeisz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/thomas-klepeisz/010582/) and [Nicolas Bretzel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/nicolas-bretzel/007952/) have 50 or more games of EuroCup experience, but Ulm does boast two of the best young players on the planet – and they are leading the team at present.

[Ben Saraf](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/ben-saraf/011437/) is surprising everybody in his first EuroCup season. At age 18, Saraf has started every one of Ulm’s EuroCup games, averaging 14.5 points, 6.0 assists, 4.8 fouls drawn and a PIR of 14.8. What’s more, he has posted double digits in scoring and PIR in all four of those contests. Saraf has joined forces with another prospect who is making plenty of headlines.

[Noa Essengue](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/noa-essengue/011391/) turns 18 on December 10 but is playing like a veteran, coming off the bench to average 12.2 points on solid shooting (66.7% 2FG, 40.0% 3FG), 5.8 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 6.2 fouls drawn and a PIR of 17.5 in over 26 minutes on the court. Essengue and Saraf rank first and second on the team in PIR, with three-point threat Justinian Jessup (14.5 PIR) right behind.

Born in 2006, Noa Essengue and Ben Saraf are leading ratiopharm Ulm this season.

Essengue, Saraf are a highlight reel in Ulm

Fatigue may be an issue for Ulm in its current tour de force around the Northern Hemisphere. Its last win came against Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius on October 8, 76-94. That game was the first of a road trip that concludes in Gran Canaria this Tuesday night, with Ulm having lost four consecutive games: two in the German League, one in the EuroCup (107-74 against Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul) and another one in its exhibition game against the Trail Blazers.

Both teams started the EuroCup season with three consecutive victories and want to bounce back from their first losses of the season. Tune in for a highly entertaining game at Gran Canaria on Tuesday night.

They will go to battle this Tuesday night

Gran Canaria is Ulm's last stop of memorable road trip

Dreamland Gran Canaria v ratiopharm Ulm (2024-10-22T19:00:00.000Z)

Check out what the protagonists are saying ahead of Round 5 in the BKT EuroCup, as well as who might be missing in action. 

Round 5: Pre-game quotes and injury reports

## Tuesday, October 22

### 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys vs. Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse

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

"We know it won't be an easy trip. We are expecting a big game at Panevezys, we will have to put in the energy and intensity for this away game."

**Maksim Salash, Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse player**

"We know it will be a difficult game, they always play good at home. But we want to continue winning and improve our game."

**Injury report:**

All of Bourg's players are healthy.

### Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul vs. Joventut Badalona

\--

### Trefl Sopot vs. Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius

**Robert McGowens, Trefl Sopot guard**

"Wolves have a lot of players who can score well. They are really good in transition, good in ISO, one of the best in the EuroCup from percentages and analytics standpoint. We are just going to go out there and compete. We have been putting together really good days and getting better. Hopefully, it will finally pay off. We have to stick to our principles and do the little things, and keep competing at a high level."

**Injury report:** All of Trefl's players are available.

McGowens and Sopot welcome Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius

### Umana Reyer Venice vs. Veolia Towers Hamburg

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

"We are recovering players, and it's a key factor for our game. Unfortunately, the schedule doesn't help us because we play again just 48 hours \[after Italian League game\]. Hamburg is a tough team, they haven't won yet, but we know them and their coach from last year, and they will come here to compete. We want to win another game, together with our fans. The constant must be the defense we showed in Pistoia."

**Kyle Wiltjer, Umana Reyer Venice forward**

"We are excited to play in front of our fans again, we want to show our value now that we are getting several players back. I believe it's the start of a new chapter for us, the season starts now. We need to play our basketball, defend hard, and gain more confidence. We want to deliver a great game for our fans."

**Injury Report:**

Reyer's Xavier Munford has a cartilage injury to his right knee, he is OUT for the game.

Reyer's Jordan Parks: experienced a muscle strain in his right thigh. OUT for the game.

Hamburg's Niklas Wimberg is out with a broken leg.<br>
Hamburg's Zsombor Maronka is out as he recovers from an ankle injury.<br>
Hamburg's Benedikt Turudic is out with back problems.

### Dreamland Gran Canaria vs. ratiopharm Ulm

**Ty Harrelson, ratiopham Ulm head coach**

"It's been a rapid journey. I hope that the night in our own beds from Sunday to Monday helped us to recover a little for the game in Gran Canaria. We know the quality of this team and what a great job Jaka is doing on the sidelines. We want to play more concentrated from the start tomorrow and show a reaction."

**Marcio Santos, ratiopham Ulm center**

"The game against Gran Canaria will be a real challenge. They are a strong team and have the home advantage on their side. We will go out with full energy to control the game from the start and give everything to win."

Ulm center Marcio Santos in action

## Wednesday, October 23

### Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem vs. U-BT Cluj-Napoca

**Yonatan Alon, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem head coach** 

"Cluj is an excellent team with experienced players and a very deep, high-quality roster. It will be a tough game, but we are ready. We are happy to face two of our former players – Mareks Mejeris and Zach Hankins. Zach gave a lot to Hapoel Jerusalem, and it's always good to play against players you know and can prepare for better."

**Chris Johnson, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem forward**

"We need to be locked in for 40 minutes and stay together. It's very important that we execute our game plan that our coach has for us  and play as hard as we can."<br>
**Injury report:**<br>
Jerusalem's Nimrod Levi is out with an ankle injury.

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

"This is an important game for us and we want to show that we are in good shape. We do not have any injuries, everybody is healthy and we made it to Bulgaria, so we are preparing for this game. We are focused on playing well. They have really talented players and I believe that defense will be one of the keys of the game. We need to stop their scorers and then use our own weapons!"

**Zach Hankins, U-BT Cluj-Napoca center**

"Hapoel Jerusalem is a great team, but we have to keep the same energy level that we had for the last games, playing our style and playing our pace. We have to focus on slowing Harper down and not let him get to the fault line as much as he is used to. It comes down to the style we want to play, being aggressive on the ball and better on the offensive boards. We want to control the game and it will be a really good challenge!"

### Turk Telekom Ankara vs. Valencia Basket

\--

### Aris Midea Thessaloniki vs. Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana

**Ioannis Kastritis, Aris Midea Thessaloniki head coach**

"We have another very important game ahead of us in the EuroCup competition. We are in a situation where we are seeing continuous progress. So, regardless of whether we are talking about a league game or a EuroCup match, our primary focus is on our team. We need to keep improving in the areas of the game where it's necessary, and from there, the key is to show up just as hungry and highly motivated to achieve a winning result."

**Vasilis Toliopoulos, Aris Midea Thessaloniki guard**

"We know we have a very difficult game ahead. Cedevita's team is at 3-1, while we are at 1-3. We absolutely need to win in order to keep our chances of advancing to the next round. We will give it our all and hope for a positive result."

**Đorđe Adžić, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana assistant coach**

"We are eagerly looking forward to the game against Aris. I think that playing in Thessaloniki is one of the toughest away games in all competitions, especially in the EuroCup. This will be a new experience for us this season. Aris is a well-constructed team, though they had some difficulties at the beginning of the season. Our opponents have a very strong backcourt, and their big men are extremely athletic. Defensively, our primary focus should be on covering their guard duo, Vassilis Toliopoulos and David DeJulius, both complemented by Eleftherios Bochoridis, who has played at the EuroLeague level for many years. We also need to pay attention to their big men due to their specific playstyle, which involves deep rolls and offensive rebounds. Their defense is very aggressive, something we have already faced this season, but we need to be even more cautious and control our game under pressure."

**Rok Radovic, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana forward**

"We are expecting a very tough game in Greece. Everyone knows that Aris always plays very well on their home court. With the support of their fans, they are always extremely aggressive on both ends of the floor. We are preparing diligently for our opponents, and we are heading to Thessaloniki with one goal – to win. We are satisfied with our start in the EuroCup, but we are taking it game by game. We cannot be satisfied with the current number of wins; we know we can achieve more, and we approach every game aiming for victory."

### Buducnost VOLI Podgorica vs. Bahcesehir College Istanbul

\--

### Dolomiti Energia Trento vs. Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv

**Paolo Galbiati, Dolomiti Energia Trento head coach**

"For us, playing the EuroCup is a source of pride because being able to play against teams and players of the caliber of Patrick Beverley makes us happy and I think it should be the same for the fans, too. I would like many to come and support us in the cup also to see these players. They are a top-level team but for us playing against them is very stimulating and we will give one hundred percent to win. The club's motto is We Die Hard and we certainly will not give up after a slap."

**Jordan Ford, Dolomiti Energia Trento guard**

"We are very happy with a \[Italian League\] victory but we absolutely want to return to winning in the EuroCup too. We know that they are a very strong team and we will have to put the best version of ourselves on the court to counter their talent. The match up with Beverley? In basketball you play five against five, so we will have to face it all together."

Dolomiti Energia Trento v Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (2024-10-23T18:00:00.000Z)

Aris Midea Thessaloniki v Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (2024-10-23T17:00:00.000Z)

Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem v U-BT Cluj-Napoca (2024-10-23T16:30:00.000Z)

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica v Bahcesehir College Istanbul (2024-10-23T17:30:00.000Z)

Turk Telekom Ankara v Valencia Basket (2024-10-23T16:30:00.000Z)