Plenty of players used Round 3 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup season as their personal stage for major performances that by and large guaranteed their teams victories.
Round 3 roll call: Happy returns and promising newcomers
Stats
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Landesberg gave Granca scoring punch
Sylven Landesberg is Dreamland Gran Canaria's main addition to a backcourt that already worked really well together, up to the point of lifting the BKT EuroCup trophy for the first time last season. Landesberg provided instant offense in Round 3 against Dolomiti Energia Trento, coming off the bench to get 21 points in as many minutes. He buried 5 of 6 two-pointers and 2 of 4 shots from downtown, adding 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 fouls drawn for a game-high PIR of 24. Good news for Gran Canaria, bad news for everyone else: the champs have potential to be even better this season.
Toliopoulos led Aris to first win
Aris is back to the EuroCup for the first time since the 2015-16 campaign and had to wait until Round 3 to collect its first win, edging Turk Telekom Ankara 68-66 at home. It would not have been able to do it without playmaker Vassilis Toliopoulos, who had another brilliant performance. He finished the game with 22 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 8 fouls drawn, good for a PIR of 21. Toliopoulos played a decisive role, too, hitting 3 of his 4 triples in the third quarter as Aris pulled away to a nine-point lead. He also buried the go-ahead free throws as the last player to score in the game.
Dekker shined for London in his EuroCup return
Since the day he arrived in the English capital last season, Sam Dekker has been the London Lions' franchise player. He missed his team's first two games this season due to injury but Dekker is back and was ready to showcase his versatility and talent right away. He led London to an 87-99 road victory against Prometey Slobozhanske, one of last season's semifinalists, with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 5 fouls drawn and a PIR of 22. London made sure that Dekker has more talented players around him this season but make no mistake, he remains the Lions' leader due to his experience, charisma and all-around skills.
Ginat stepped up for Hapoel in Venice
Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv remained undefeated in Group A by downing Umana Reyer Venice 81-97 in the Floating City. Tomer Ginat had a really solid night shooting the ball, hitting 6 of 9 two-pointers and 3 of 4 triples on his way to 21 points, adding 6 rebounds to amass a PIR of 20. When Venice led 55-52 midway through the third quarter, Ginat followed a baseline jumper with a three-pointer in an 0-8 run that put Hapoel ahead for good, 55-60. The guests never trailed after that and Ginat had 5 quick points midway through the fourth quarter to make sure Hapoel sealed the outcome.
Wolves forward Mekowulu showed his potential
Wolves Vilnius was very close to sealing its first-ever win in the competition but Joventut Badalona rallied from a double-digit deficit to force overtime and win the game, 107-98. Despite his team's loss, Christian Mekowulu had an all-around performance despite not having the best shooting night, hitting just 1 of his 8 field goal tries. Nonetheless, he finished with 8 points, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks and 5 fouls drawn for a PIR of 13. He intimidated on defense, changing a lot of shots, and was accurate from the foul line, hitting 6 of 7 attempts. His only miss, however, took place late in regulation, in a game that went down to small details like that.
Williams was Buducnost's main pillar
Buducnost VOLI Podgorica grabbed its second consecutive home win in Group B, downing Slask Wroclaw 103-89 in the Montenegrin capital. It was a very team-oriented performance, as six Buducnost players scored 12 points or more. JaCorey Williams finished the game with a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds, hitting 8 of 12 two-point shots and adding 2 steals and 3 fouls drawn for a PIR of 23. Buducnost led 58-56 early in the first half and Williams went on to score 8 points in the final 5 minutes of the third quarter. Thanks to Williams's effort, Buducnost boosted its margin to 74-66 after 30 minutes and never looked back.