Nigel Hayes-Davis played a full role in his team’s 70-81 title game victory over AS Monaco, earning the Final Four Most Valuable Player award 

MVP Hayes-Davis gets his deserved reward

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul forward [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/) has been one of the most inspirational and popular performers in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague for several years, and now his dedication and all-round talents have been rewarded with a well-deserved championship.

Fittingly, Hayes-Davis played a full role in his team’s 70-81 title game victory over AS Monaco, earning the Final Four Most Valuable Player award by leading all scorers with 23 points, also adding 9 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 assist and 1 blocked shot for a game-high PIR of 30.

Those numbers don't show the hustle plays he also produced throughout the game, throwing himself all over the floor to make saves, break up passes, play hard defense, fight for loose balls and grab tough rebounds.

So there's no doubt that Hayes-Davis fully merits all the accolades heading his way, but his immediate reaction was surprisingly understated.

Game Videos

Usually a charismatic and entertaining interviewee, on this occasion he appeared a little overwhelmed when he faced the EuroLeague TV cameras a few minutes after receiving his MVP award and personal championship trophy.

But he revealed there was a good reason for his relatively low-key reaction, explaining: “I’ve worked very hard in the last three or four years trying to be present, and I’ve played this moment out in my mind for the last month, this past year. So now that I’m here, it kind of feels like I’ve already done it.

“I don’t look as excited as I am, but I’m extremely happy, extremely proud. We worked very hard all year, a lot of ups and downs like every season, but it’s tremendous to be a champion.”

One striking stat from Hayes-Davis’s performance in the title game was his nerveless free throw shooting, making all 14 of his attempts from the foul line.

Game News

That was nothing new because he has been an outstanding free throw shooter all season, making 90.1% of his attempts (129 of 142). And he gave an intriguing insight into that aspect of his game, explaining: “I’ve really taken a step in how big mental preparation and manifestation is.

“I saw a video of \[Cristiano\] Ronaldo. He says a little phrase to himself before he takes a free-kick. Once I found out what he said, I just changed it from football terms to basketball terms.

"So if you watch me at the free throw line, I have the same speech routine I give myself. I go up and shoot the free throw, and I’m glad I made all of them today.

“The most important thing to my mother is that I make my free throws. If I miss them she’s pissed, so as long as I keep making them she’ll be happy!”

More on Nigel Hayes-Davis

A few minutes later, Hayes-Davis also joined the live postgame show on the EuroLeague YouTube channel, and for once strayed away from his usual modesty by allowing himself a few words of self-indulgent congratulations.

“You don’t always get what you work for,” he said. “Kids grow up hearing that you work hard and you get what you work for. That doesn’t always happen. But you keep working, you keep working, you keep working, and now I’m the best.

“I’m the MVP, I’m the champion. My hard work paid off, I earned it and I deserve it.”

And nobody will argue with that.

After six EuroLeague seasons, Hayes-Davis is a champion

MVP Nigel Hayes-Davis gets his deserved reward

AS Monaco v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2025-05-25T17:00:00.000Z)

After leading Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul to its second-ever Turkish Airlines EuroLeague title, Nigel Hayes-Davis has been crowned as the 2025 Final Four MVP.

Final Four MVP: Nigel Hayes-Davis, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

After leading [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) to its second-ever Turkish Airlines EuroLeague title, [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/) has been crowned as the 2025 Final Four MVP.

Hayes-Davis was absolutely dominant in [Fenerbahce’s 70-81 Championship Game victory over AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-crowned-2025-champion-with-70-81-win-over-monaco/) at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, posting game highs of 23 points and 9 rebounds, as well as 1 assist, 2 steals and 1 block, good for a game-high PIR of 30.

Even though he struggled somewhat from the field, shooting 4 for 13, he was a perfect 14 for 14 from the free-throw line as he continued to find ways to positively impact his team. This performance came after posting 7 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks and zero turnovers as Fenerbahce eliminated last year's champion, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, in the semifinals.

Hayes-Davis now follows in the footsteps of [Ekpe Udoh](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ekpe-udoh/006503/), who was the Final Four MVP when Fenerbahce became the EuroLeague champion for the first time in 2017.

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul has become the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion for the second time in club history after defeating AS Monaco 70-81 in the 2025 Championship Game at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. 

Fenerbahce crowned champion with 70-81 win over Monaco

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul has become the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion for the second time in club history after defeating AS Monaco 70-81 in the 2025 Championship Game at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. 

Monaco led the majority of a hard-fought first half, but Fener finished strong to take a 33-35 interval lead. It stayed close in the third quarter, but the Turkish team dominated the final period to take title glory. 

Nigel Hayes-Davis led the way with 23 points and 9 rebounds, with Marko Guduric scoring 19, while Devon Hall and Wade Baldwin netted 13 apiece. Alpha Diallo paced Monaco with 19 points, Mike James scored 17, Matthew Strazel had 13 and Daniel Theis contributed 12.

Guduric scored the opening basket with a driving layup, but Monaco responded with triples from Diallo and Strazel, along with 5 points from James. Diallo netted again to complete an 8-0 run, giving Monaco a 13-4 lead. Hayes-Davis scored 4 straight to reduce the gap, before James and Hall traded triples to make it 16-11. Theis and Baldwin exchanged inside scores, before Tarik Biberovic and Jaron Blossomgame netted from mid-range to make it 20-18 after ten minutes.

In a low-scoring start to the second quarter, Baldwin’s triple briefly gave Fener the lead, but Theis immediately hit back from deep. Diallo scored twice as Monaco extended the lead to 29-21 with a 9-0 run, which was snapped by Guduric’s layup. The red-hot Diallo and Nicolo Melli traded three-pointers, and Hayes-Davis made it closer with a smooth layup. Khem Birch’s tip-in and Hall’s fierce slam kept Fener moving, and Hall beat the halftime buzzer with a wild acrobatic put-back for a 33-35 lead.

Guduric drilled a three-pointer to open the second half, before Daniel Theis reignited Monaco with a layup-and-one. Hall and James traded driving layups to make it 38-40, and Hayes-Davis netted from mid-range to keep Fener ahead despite Strazel’s three-point play. Baldwin scored twice for a 43-48 lead, but Monaco went back ahead through triples from Blossomgame and Diallo. Guduric hit straight back with his own three-ball, and Hayes-Davis was also on target from deep for a 51-54 lead through three quarters.

The early minutes of the fourth were a defensive struggle, before Baldwin’s triple made it 51-59. Errick McCollum’s three-point play completed a 0-11 run, giving Fener the game’s first double-digit lead. Theis’s reverse layup boosted Monaco, but Guduric’s long two made it 55-65. Diallo’s dunk was bettered by Hall’s step-back three, before James’s jumper and Strazel’s free throws followed by a triple pulled it back to 64-69 with two minutes left. But Fener’s defense then took over again, and Guduric’s triple sealed the deal.

The Turkish team claimed the EuroLeague title for the second time after a dominant fourth quarter

Fenerbahce crowned 2025 champion with 70-81 win over Monaco

Olympiacos Piraeus walks away from a successful 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague campaign with plenty to be proud of. The Reds defeated archrival Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens 97-93 in the Third-Place Game on Sunday in Abu Dhabi to cap a season that saw them finish atop the regular season standings.

Olympiacos ends season on winning note with assist record

[Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/roster/oly/?season=2024-25) walks away from a successful 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague campaign with plenty to be proud of. The Reds defeated archrival [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-bc-athens/roster/pan/?season=2024-25) [97-93 in the Third-Place Game](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-comes-up-trumps-over-panathinaikos-in-third-place-game-97-93/) at Etihad Arena on Sunday in Abu Dhabi to cap a season that saw them finish atop the regular season standings.

While Friday's loss to AS Monaco in the semifinals is sure to sting for some time, Olympiacos bounced back with a fantastic showing to finish the season in third place. Coach Georgios Bartzokas's men led from tip to buzzer with several players shining on the night.

[Alec Peters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alec-peters/008829/) shined bright with 32 points on 6-of-11 three-point shooting. After the game, he revealed a little about his approach to the game.

"I feel blessed to have the opportunity to bring joy to a lot of people’s lives out here," Peters said. "They came to see some basketball and every time I put on my shoes, I’m gonna try to give my best effort because I don’t want to stop playing someday and feel like I could have given more. So that’s what it was about for me today."

Peters tied Trajan Langdon for the most points scored in a Final Four game in the last quarter century. Langdon did so in 2011 for CSKA Moscow. Peters's 6-three-pointers also evened the Final Four mark.

"It sounds like I could have made one more and broken both of those records," Peters joked. "I’m gonna be thinking about that all night now!"

[Luca Vildoza](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/luca-vildoza/007947/) dished 9 assists and [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/) 8 to lead the attack as the Reds smashed the Final Four record with 34 assists. The previous record of 31 belonged to Maccabi Tel Aviv from its legendary 2004 championship game bashing of Skipper Bologna.

[Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) bounced back from his lowest-scoring game of the season in the semis to pour in 23 points for the winners and [Moses Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/moses-wright/012878/) netted a season-high 19.

"We gotta set the tone for the Greek League Finals. This isn’t a game we took lightly," said Wright, who missed a chunk of the season due to a medical condition. "It was great to get back out there and show everybody what I can do… To get a win here and get the momentum here for the Greek League is what we were trying to do and we did it.

"To play a lot of minutes and score, rebound and affect the game the way I did felt really good."

These two teams will lock horns again later this week in the opener of the Greek League Finals. Regardless of how that goes for the Reds, they can take pride in how they finished the EuroLeague season.

The Reds’ 34 dimes are the most assists ever recorded in a Final Four game

Olympiacos Piraeus v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2025-05-25T14:00:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko and AS Monaco Basket meet in the EuroLeague Championship Game at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, so which team do the Euroleague.net writers think will go on to lift the EuroLeague title?

Championship Game predictions: Fenerbahce vs. Monaco

At 19:00 CEST, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and AS Monaco meet in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi to determine the 2024-25 EuroLeague champion. Fenerbahce is aiming to lift its second EuroLeague crown after last doing so in 2017, while Monaco is competing in the title decider for the first time. 

With that in mind, which team do the [Euroleague.net](http://Euroleague.net) writers think will come out on top?

### Javier Gancedo: Monaco

It is arguably the most unpredictable Championship Game in many years. None of the superstars on either team have been at this level before, plus no French League team has got this far in more than three decades. Still, I believe the 2025 Final Four will go down as Mike James's finest moment. James started the season with an injury and has only got better and better since Vassilis Spanoulis was hired as head coach. He understands the game better than ever, has a team-first approach, and can help his side in many ways. It is safe to say that Coach Spanoulis made James a better leader. Jaron Blossomgame and Alpha Diallo are good, solid options to use against Nigel Hayes-Davis, plus Daniel Theis gives Monaco much-needed physicality in the middle. Long story short, Monaco has everything to make history. James is the only player in the All-25 EuroLeague team that never won the competition. That comes to an end tonight. **My take: Monaco by 5-7 points, Mike James as Final Four MVP.**

### Igor Petrinovic: Fenerbahce

I don’t remember the last time I was this torn about making a pick. Whether I was right or wrong in the past, I had an idea about who I thought would win. This time, I see only the strengths of both teams. I would say Fenerbahce is playing better as a team and is arguably EuroLeague’s best team this calendar year. They've got many pieces who seem like role players until they start taking over games, and every player has bought into coach Saras Jasikevicius's team-first mentality a long time ago. But I also believe Monaco has a more star-studded lineup than Fenerbahce, with Mike James leading the way. And James was locked in in the semifinals. Monaco beat Fenerbahce twice this season, and the Roca Team might have just put their best performance of the season on display in the semis. So, with all that in mind, there is only one way this should be decided: overtime. And in the extra session? I am staying with the pick I made in my Playoffs Bracket. **My pick: Fenerbahce in OT, Tarik Biberovic as Final Four MVP.**

### Geoff Gillingham: Fenerbahce

So, it seems that Igor and I speak the same language. Fenerbahce has only got better as the season has gone on and their semifinal performance against Panathinaikos proved that it has learned the lessons of last year. Coach Saras Jasikevicius has also learned from his previous Final Four heartbreaks as a head coach and is the calmest I remember seeing him. My [Euroleague.net](http://Euroleague.net) colleagues know how much I love Mike James, but Fenerbahce's got the defensive nous and offensive quality to make Monaco suffer, despite losing both regular-season games to Vassilis Spanoulis's squad. After an eight-year wait, the EuroLeague title is heading to Istanbul! **My prediction: Fenerbahce by 7 points, Wade Baldwin as Final Four MVP.**

### Frankie Sachs: Monaco

Belief in which team will win tonight comes down to which narrative you believe in more. Is it finally time for Saras to win the EuroLeague as a head coach? Or is Vassilis Spanoulis destined to win it in his first try? Is Mike James going to leave the list of the best players never to win the EuroLeague? Are Nigel Hayes-Davis and Wade Baldwin going to climb the mountain? The players say this game is won by who wants it more. My gut feeling is that Monaco will be that team. And MJ55 will take home the Final Four MVP Trophy. 

The Euroleague.net writers explain who they think will lift the EuroLeague title

Olympiacos Piraeus v AS Monaco (2025-05-23T18:00:00.000Z)

Ahead of the EuroLeague Championship Game, AS Monaco Basket forward Jaron Blossomgame sat down with Euroleague.net to discuss the title decider against Fenerbahçe Beko.

Jaron Blossomgame catches up with Euroleague.net ahead of the Championship Game

Ahead of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game, which takes place later today (19:00 CEST), [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/) forward [Jaron Blossomgame](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jaron-blossomgame/011231/) sat down with [Euroleague.net](http://Euroleague.net) to discuss the title decider against [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/).

Jaron Blossomgame looks ahead to the Championship Game

Ahead of the EuroLeague Championship Game, Fenerbahçe Beko guard Wade Baldwin sat down with Euroleague.net to discuss the title decider against AS Monaco Basket.

Wade Baldwin speaks to Euroleague.net ahead of the Championship Game

Ahead of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game, which takes place later today (19:00 CEST), [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) guard [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/) sat down with [Euroleague.net](http://Euroleague.net) to discuss the title decider against [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/).

Wade Baldwin previews the Championship Game

See what players on AS Monaco and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul said at the media availability session on the eve of the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game.

Players' thoughts before the Championship Game

### Nick Calathes, Monaco guard

"It feels great. It is always great to have a chance to be able to win a championship, so for us to make it to the final is huge. And we want to do better than that. Obviously, we want to win it. It is huge for us to get your body right, to get your mindset right and to stay locked in. They are well coached. They have got a lot of guys that can create and get shooters the ball in the right position. They know how to play, their guards are really tough. And then obviously you got Nigel \[Hayes-Davis\] who pretty much can do it all. It felt really good to be out there. It's been a long time, it has been an up-and-down season for me with injuries, and just to be out there with the guys and help was great. I hope to do the same thing tomorrow. My knees felt great, everything felt good, so I will be ready to go for the final. You never know when you can get another chance. I had a chance in Barcelona that I regret. This would be amazing to get."

 

### Elie Okobo, Monaco guard

"We have to stay locked in like we were yesterday and bring even more intensity, do even better. They are a really talented team. We are really excited that it is about to start, and we are ready. The semifinal showed we evolved, that we improved as a team throughout the years, throughout the season and you gain experience. And when a team makes a run, it’s about keeping your composure, staying focused and locked in on the game plan and what you have to do. I think that’s what we did yesterday, we did it at a high level and we will have to do it in the championship game. I feel like we have been sacrificing for the good of the team. It does not matter who is scoring, who makes an assist. The goal is to play as a team, play at a high level defensively and share the ball. You can see that everyone can shine on this team, everyone can bring something to the table on offense and on defense and that’s what we're gonna have to do. These games are to win titles, not for stats."

### Mam Jaiteh, Monaco center

"I think we have extreme determination and extreme willingness of trying to win, win this final. You never know if we are going to have a chance again to have this kind of game, so the goal is to have no regrets and to be able to give it all in tomorrow's game. Our goal is to play even more physical than what we did yesterday. We know that this is a final and there are going to be some x-factors, some tactical things that can be different, so if we play with this physicality and this energy, that's how we are going to give us a lot of chances to win. I'm feeling great, and I think this is the mood and the mentality of every guy on the team right now, being able to give everything that the team needs, and being available to contribute to the team, because this is the only way to win. We have to play as a team and everybody has to bring something."

### Marko Guduric, Fenerbahce guard

"I think we had 9 turnovers in the semifinals, and I think that’s the key for us. We have seen how Monaco threw Olympiacos off its game with the defense and pressure, they have players who do a great job with that. Key will be our turnovers, how we will get into our offensive sets and control the game. We are watching our games against Monaco from this season, and last night’s game. Honestly, the film was not long. I believe it is not easy to put too much information at this point into players’ minds, and I think \[Coach Jasikevicius\] knows that, and knows it better than us. It’s to make it as simple as possible, to stress just a few important things. Monaco’s semifinals performance did not surprise me because we played five playoff games last season against them. It’s the same players, and I remember how physical and tough it was. Now they also have Nick Calathes, who was with us last season and does some great defensive things not seen in the box scores. And they have Daniel Theis, who was not there last season, and gives them extra quality."

### Bonzie Colson, Fenerbahce forward

"It's going to be a fun atmosphere. We're blessed to be in situation to play for a final. They're a really great, progressive and talented team, so we got to focus in on being patient and executing as best we can offensive. Tomorrow's a whole new game, but we got to play that same way \[we did on Friday\], and we think it's going to be more aggressive. Monaco has always been talented, they have great chemistry. They have the same guards, they added Nick \[Calathes\] as another veteran guard, but they’re scorers, they defend really well, they're very aggressive. I’ve played them a lot, so I know what they do. They know what we do. So it's gonna come down to just executing and playing more aggressive than them. It should be an exciting game. A EuroLeague championship is why I'm here. It’s a goal of a lot of people, So, it'll be definitely the highest achievement that I can reach, being a player in Europe. I'll have my girlfriend, my daughter – actually, her birthday is Monday – and then, my girlfriend's mom, sister, and cousin here for the game."

### Sertac Sanli, Fenerbahce center

"It is amazing to play the final because we played the whole season for this game. Everything we did was to play this game, and everybody knows that, all of my teammates know this. And everybody wants to play as soon as possible because nobody can wait. We are excited to step on the court in the EuroLeague final and I hope we are going to win. There are no favorites in this kind of game. It is just one game and there is nothing you can do about it the day after. This is a there-is-no-tomorrow kind of game, everything we did was to play this game, and who wants it more is going to win it. We have to fight for 50-50 balls, dive for loose balls and fight more, make good fouls. The team that fights the most is going to win the game. I can be the first player to win the EuroLeague with Fenerbahce and Efes. It's really exciting and with the help of our fans, it is a really great opportunity for my career, a great milestone for me. I hope we are going to win it tomorrow, and I can check one more box in my career."

Third-Place Game: Pregame quotes

### Third-place Game: Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (16:00 CEST)

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus head coach**

"I cannot hide from anybody. This game is a game nobody wants to play. We will try to play with the player who are more fresh because we have a challenge ahead of us in the domestic league, we play on Friday against Panathinaikos and that is really important. I don’t know how in one day you can overcome this kind of situation we face right now. It is not easy for human beings, even if they are professionals at this level. But we will do our best."

**Nikola Milutinov, Olympiacos Piraeus center**

"Everything went wrong \[in the semifinals\]. We shot with bad percentages, we had turnovers, we did not have a lot of assists. But we have to give credit to Monaco, they were playing great defense. Without them playing that type of defense we would have probably done \[many things\] better. Our bad night, their good night, congrats to them. We cannot stay in the past, we have to look ahead. It is hard because some players have some issues, some players might be rested tomorrow. But, to be honest, the most important thing is to finish the \[third-place\] game healthy and to get ready for Friday. The big goal is the Greek League, we know how much that means to the fans."

**Alec Peters, Olympiacos Piraeus forward**

"Everything went wrong. Everybody who watches basketball knows what happens. It’s exactly how Olympiacos doesn’t want to play basketball. How we played the whole season, to come out and have a performance like that in the semifinal leaves a pit in your stomach. We are going to play Panathinaikos a lot in the next couple of week, so hopefully we are going to try to set the tone tomorrow, and get a feel for it. But anytime you are on this stage, you have to remember how blessed you are to have this opportunities and be in these cool places and do these things. Hopefully we wake up tomorrow with a mindset of getting back to the routine of playing."

**Cedi Osman, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens forward**

"It is not easy to recover and to play for the third and fourth place. But, we have to. So, we will play to win. But five days later we will have an important Greek League finals game against Olympiacos, so we also have to think about what is ahead for us."

Check out what the Final Four stars said during media availability at Etihad Arena on Saturday