The hosts had 11 more rebounds - and 11 more second-chance points
Markus Howard shined bright but Baskonia beat ALBA with defense, rebounding
Article
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 5 of 34
Group Regular Season
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The easy way to look at Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz’s dominant victory over ALBA Berlin was a red-hot Markus Howard scoring 26 points. But coach Pablo Laso’s Spanish side showed it can play tough defense as well as rise to the challenge against a strong rebounding team.
Howard’s season-high 26 points included 7-of-14 three-point shooting and Baskonia won 80-57 at home to move to 3-2 with a 3-0 record at Buesa Arena. The star scorer was not the story of the game though for the Baskonia coach.
“We have very good scorers. Obviously Markus having 7 three-pointers was a big part of the victory. But defensively we did a very good job keeping ALBA under 60 points. That speaks very good about our defense,” Laso said.
Even Howard was much more keen on talking about the defensive end.
“I think our defense really won us the game today. In the first half we held them to 26 points. That’s something to be applauded. Give great credit to everybody who was on the floor tonight,” Howard said.
ALBA came into the game as the worst three-point shooting team in the competition at just 24.5 percent. And Baskonia didn’t let the German side correct their woes, holding the visitors to just 26.3% from long range as well as just 46.3% on two-pointers.
Another major story in the victory was Baskonia’s dominance on the glass - 47-36 including grabbing 15 offensive rebounds to 8 for ALBA, which led to a 15-4 advantage in second chance points.
Game Videos
- 01:10
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/01/24/3fYIkQ8WTn6u47vReEDd2zodg2BXKe6Z-1737756476606.jpg]()
Carsen Edwards: 'It was a 15-point win? Playing against ALBA, it never feels like that'
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/ZyEQjuSU8UQ/maxresdefault.jpg]()
ALBA Berlin-FC Bayern Munich | RS Round 23 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:12
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Olinde swats Yebo! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/29c1c972-dd9e-422e-9635-546573a46fb3.jpg]()
Real Madrid-Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | RS Round 23 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:24
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/e15d17f5-abbc-4f4b-8d39-6eb9b31ee952.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A88%3A116]()
Samanic posterizes Tavares! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:18
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/134dd91f-2e85-4493-84c1-81d2f8670290.jpg?crop=1240%3A698%3Anowe%3A55%3A56]()
Hall's alley-oop slam! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:02
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/01/18/PMk8wy1Hp5ye8TOkEDer6JxuEuAtKcKs-1737162915594.jpg]()
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot: 'We have great talent in this team and great potential'
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/f2lSCiFqFIY/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 22 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:22
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Luwawu-Cabarrot dishes it behind the back! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:17
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/e724fa10-c47a-4c7a-ace4-4f2f2e70066e.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A47%3A51]()
Donta Hall slams it! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/c48ecb90-5d5c-415d-a457-533e250e5d3c.jpg]()
LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne-ALBA Berlin | RS Round 22 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:09
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McCormack with the nasty alley-oop! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/lS-5zq9D4OM/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz-Olympiacos Piraeus | RS Round 21 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
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EA7 Emporio Armani Milan-ALBA Berlin | RS Round 21 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:09
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Hall rejects Fournier! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:07
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/59848142-e138-4fea-9c4f-f1ec2052ae8f.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A74%3A71]()
Luwawu-Cabarrot stops McKissic! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/636d7b2a-d528-4fef-98c6-1275aa304158.jpg]()
Virtus Segafredo Bologna-Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | RS Round 20 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/G0I6TLBWYbM/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul-ALBA Berlin | RS Round 20 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/23bff996-5b5a-4431-a27d-e15260f1aaa3.jpg?crop=1191%3A670%3Anowe%3A103%3A32]()
Wetzell dunks off a smooth ALBA play! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/p9dJG5CrrMw/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz-Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade | RS Round 19 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
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ALBA Berlin-AS Monaco | RS Round 19 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/8af87333-cb84-4dbf-a4fb-a8e1bc54aa18.jpg?crop=1183%3A665%3Anowe%3A125%3A83]()
McCormack's put-back slam! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:17
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/e65d970b-4632-4929-90b5-895db19c8029.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A120%3A89]()
Big one-hander from Donta Hall! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:28
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/12/27/G3qN9yoUiKT1nqLjIbpIcgrEUfytZh4m-1735337631597.jpg]()
Big CONNECTION Forrest-Hall! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 00:54
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/12/27/HzVCuQxg0xaFJ6wCIpCfhKPA39Zb98Ub-1735341381848.jpg]()
Chima Moneke: 'This is my favorite game I've ever been a part of'
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/zbkgaAqrFLY/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz-Paris Basketball | RS Round 18 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:09
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Hall throws it down! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:19
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/7613b552-b114-4f62-a400-bac7a16689b0.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A129%3A12]()
Moneke stops Shorts! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/e11cc9db-d568-435e-880d-af52c26a71c2.jpg]()
ALBA Berlin-Real Madrid | RS Round 18 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:33
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/0884f5c8-702e-49be-80e4-738cf77b56cf.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A106%3A228]()
McCormack's big put-back dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:20
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/dac23f0a-e5f9-4f6a-bc4d-738f29ea7b4c.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A91%3A30]()
Delow dunks by Tavares! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/5f67b32e-ec3f-4741-9352-c34ce6ee1c1b.jpg]()
Olympiacos Piraeus-ALBA Berlin | RS Round 17 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/qf9io_7AvuE/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | RS Round 17 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/ee192902-44ed-49f6-8b42-fa51ab79f895.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A115%3A70]()
Nice alley-oop from Diop! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d76b904a-40bf-4403-a9c1-b45d034e657e.jpg]()
ALBA Berlin-Zalgiris Kaunas | RS Round 16 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 01:38
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/12/17/9Z6ymh3lK3wjnREsMeHTbdZoDqSU1dBG-1734470302799.jpg]()
Chima Moneke: 'This is our best win of the season'
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/K3myS2EETAk/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv-Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | RS Round 16 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/25b1692c-1ee1-4898-b9a8-4f7678238fb8.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A132%3A41]()
Donta Hall makes creative bucket! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/9a202686-a62f-4d46-a4e7-b581d31b8989.jpg?crop=4000%3A2250%3Anowe%3A0%3A0]()
Ziga Samar joins the EuroLeague Fantasy Podcast!
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/9784b387-7c1e-4d89-b6a0-645268f0b32d.jpg]()
Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz-Virtus Segafredo Bologna | RS Round 15 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/a1830f10-1652-4187-823c-43555eeeab8f.jpg]()
ALBA Berlin-Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade | RS Round 15 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/70d0a86d-5502-4469-8b4d-ca4b50a1ffee.jpg?crop=1214%3A683%3Anowe%3A71%3A57]()
Hall rises for spectacular swat! Motorola Magic Moment,
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/7b61257e-b9ee-44d2-91d4-46d0e1c150a4.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A135%3A80]()
Hall says give me that! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:08
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/eb89cc08-ce94-4df9-a2b7-862873ff4ae0.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A106%3A35]()
What a monster jam by Wetzell! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/14d39f0b-6aa5-43c3-b6df-b2345f29f683.jpg]()
AS Monaco-ALBA Berlin | RS Round 14 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:25
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/2673f7ee-b7d6-459a-9f94-d83eed7cf5f0.jpg?crop=953%3A536%3Anowe%3A107%3A45]()
Huge dunk by McCormack! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:31
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/12/05/UX9S9s5euN2NMqwbcOrPWUlWoksy6hB7-1733440995839.jpg]()
Devin Booker: 'We had the energy from the fans'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/cbc6f4e4-5b4f-4a8e-b1dc-416b50232a07.jpg]()
FC Bayern Munich-Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | RS Round 14 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:17
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/e15de13e-16b4-4fa2-895c-04103cd4ba9d.jpg?crop=1220%3A686%3Anowe%3A58%3A56]()
Moneke with the chasedown block! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/wgCfGu2ABpo/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Virtus Segafredo Bologna-ALBA Berlin | RS Round 13 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
“We made a point before the game that rebounding would be a key to control the rhythm and win because ALBA runs extremely fast in the primary fast break and they shoot the ball very well,” said Nikos Rogkavopoulos, who had 6 rebounds - including 3 from the offensive glass.
Limiting ALBA to 8 offensive rebounds was right on Baskonia’s average of opponent’s offensive rebounds - good for second in the league. But ALBA came into the game ranked first in offensive rebounds with 14.0 per game as well as being the number-one rebounding team in the league. ALBA also ranked first in limiting its opponents to just 7.8 offensive rebounds.
That didn’t work against Baskonia as besides Rogkavopoulos’s 3 offensive rebounds, Khalifa Diop grabbed 4 from the offensive glass, Chima Moneke 3 and Ousmane Ndiaye had 1 offensive rebound. And while Donta Hall did not have an offensive rebound, he ended with 6 rebounds.
“Our big guys, Khalifa, Donta, Ousmane, Nikos, they were great on the offensive rebounds. They created extra possessions for us. Hat goes off to those guys. They really stepped up,” said Howard.
It’s always a boost for team morale when the guy who gets the spotlight makes sure to mention those who did some of the less sexy things in the win, which is just what Markus Howard did. This was a good win for Baskonia to learn from and one which showed it can play tough defense as well.