Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 12 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub: Round 12

## Friday, November 21, 2025

### Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Paris Basketball (20:15 CET)

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos head coach**

"First of all, we must not get carried away by Paris’s tempo, because the faster they play on offense, the more opportunities they give you to score as well. We’re talking about the top offense and the team with the best pace in the EuroLeague. Hifi is the league’s top scorer and he plays 21 minutes, during which he takes 19 shots. That gives an indication of how the team plays. They are the number one team in scoring from pick-and-roll handlers. We need to execute on offense with patience, not rush, and read exactly what they give and what they don’t. We explained this to the players. Obviously, we have to go after the rebounds. They press full court, and we must not let them get the ball in their hands. In our recent games, we’ve made quite a few turnovers, and we need to protect the ball if we want to execute well."

**Evan Fournier, Olympiacos forward**

"They present many challenges as a team. They have speed and rhythm. It will come down to desire. We have to control the tempo, move the ball, play our game, shoot, and play tough."

### Virtus Bologna vs. Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (20:30 CET)

**Dusko Ivanovic, Virtus head coach**

"Maccabi is a very strong team in every position. They are very good in transition and offensive rebound. We will need to be physically ready because I think the match could be decided in the paint. We have to run and fight for rebounds. They share the ball very good also."

**Alessandro Pajola, Virtus guard**

"We're expecting another tough game, as all EuroLeague games are, both at home and away. Maccabi is a talented team, and it will be crucial for us to maintain our concentration throughout the entire 40 minutes, especially on defense. We will definitely need to improve certain aspects of our game and be more consistent overall. We will be playing at home, so we are also counting on the support of our fans, as has always been the case so far this season."

**Oded Kattash, Maccabi head coach**

“We’re heading into an away game against a team that’s very strong at home. We’ll need to raise our level of aggressiveness in an arena that’s not easy to play in. We’ll be without T.J Leaf, so everyone will need to give a little more on both ends of the court.”

**Marcio Santos, Maccabi center**

"We know that every EuroLeague game is tough. Every team is good, so we'll try to get the win and play our best basketball."

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (20:30 CET)

**Zeljko Obradovic, Partizan head coach**

"We’re playing against the reigning European champions and that alone says enough about the challenge in front of us. They’ve built this year’s team to compete for the highest goals, and even though they didn’t start the season the way they wanted, they’ve been getting better and better. One of the main characteristics of their game is that they’re the best defensive team in the EuroLeague. The reason for that lies in the fact that their perimeter players are tall and can provide support to their inside players. Those are some of the things we’ve been preparing for throughout the week. We’ll need to play patiently, avoid falling into the trap of taking rushed shots, and find better solutions against their defensive adjustments. I hope we’ll reach the level required to play a good game."

**Jabari Parker, Partizan forward**

"We take it one game at a time. Tomorrow is very important, and we shouldn’t look too far down the line. We have to learn from our mistakes, but it’s a new day. A new day and a fresh start, and I believe we’re going to get back on track."

**Sarunas Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce head coach**

"One of the most difficult road games, the atmosphere is the best in Europe and the people push their team. Partizan, after last game, will be very motivated and going to play very physical. We need to find ways to react to that and to especially understand the situations that they want to involve their best players."

**Onuralp Bitim, Fenerbahce forward**

"Another important game awaits us on our path toward our goals. As always, we will step onto the court aiming for the win. We know what to expect in Belgrade. We are preparing very well for a matchup against a great coach, a strong team, and an intense atmosphere. To return home with a victory, we must stay committed to our system and fight until the final second."

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. FC Bayern Munich (20:30 CET)

**TJ Parker, Bayern assistant coach**

"Baskonia often plays like a different team at Buesa, where they run the transition, the fast, Spanish game. We want to get them into the half court and defend intensely as a team, not only against Luwawu-Cabarrot, who is having an exceptional season, but also against the dangerous shooter Howard and their very athletic players like Diallo and Diop."

### Valencia Basket vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (21:00 CET)

**Pedro Martinez, Valencia head coach**

"It's a very motivating game against a team that is on a very good run. I think they've won seven of their last eight in the EuroLeague, plus all the games they've won in their league, which is almost all of them. They're a team that has hit a very good run of form with the change of coach. And they're a very physical team, one of the best teams in the EuroLeague this season. Every team has its philosophy, and they have one that seems to work very well for them. I understand that there's a positive side to that. Players who play a lot of minutes in a row play with more confidence, they're more assured. We want our players to adapt to a different way of playing. I couldn't say which is better or worse. They're all good or they're all bad. It depends on the players, it depends on the teams, and it depends on the moment. We have to play our game, whatever they do, and we'll adapt, and they'll have to adapt to what we do."

**Kameron Taylor, Valencia forward**

"Every game in this competition is very difficult. We have to go out there focused and do what we always do against a very good team. I'm a little disappointed that I won't be able to see my friend Tyson Carter, but we're going to focus on the game."

**Sasa Obradovic, Crvena Zvezda head coach**

"Valencia is a team nobody wants to play against, no matter what moment they’re in. They have a deep roster and don’t depend on one or two players. With that style of play, everyone has problems. You simply don’t practice for it enough to be able to counter that kind of game. Last year it was even tougher because no one was adapted to that type of offense and defense, and now there are a few teams that play that way. For us, the most important thing is to recognize what we want to attack through pick-and-roll situations, and that’s not easy with players who just joined — new chemistry again, getting to know each other again. No matter how fluid and good it may look at certain stages, there are no guarantees, especially in these circumstances, because it’s not just about tactics but also about the physical condition. \[Jordan\] Nwora has been out, Chima \[Moneke\] similarly, but it’s important to have a sense of how much everyone needs to play."

**Jordan Nwora, Crvena Zvezda forward**

"I’m really excited. My teammates did a great job — the team stayed in form and kept winning. I had time to recover. Now I feel better, and I’m really excited to be coming back. We’re just taking it game by game, as if none of the previous games were played. Every game is equally important. It’s easy to stay grounded — we still haven’t accomplished anything; we have our goals ahead of us. Of course, it’s always nice to win, but we’re just following the flow of the games. We have a lot of talent on this team, and it depends on who gets going. The guys have their roles, and we just need to keep it that way. As for Valencia, they play really fast, and the key will be to slow them down and play good defense."

## Thursday, November 20, 2025

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. FC Barcelona (18:30 CET)

**Igor Kokoskov, Efes head coach**

"It’s an unwritten rule that when a team changes its coach, there's always an energy boost for that team with the new coach. They're going to be definitely motivated to play their best game. They have experienced players. We had three days to regroup ourselves. There are a lot of injuries that we're dealing with, but we have no excuse. Whatever we have, we have to use all our guys and everybody's got to be ready to play against a team who didn't win a lot of games. But we know they're dangerous, especially because they have a new coach and experience. They have those two things that we have to emphasize."

**Cole Swider, Efes forward**

"Barcelona is a great team, we are preparing for a team that is desperate as well. We are excited for the opportunity to play in front of our home fans once again against a great team. We’ll do our best to put on a great performance and come away with the win."

**Xavi Pascual, Barcelona head coach**

"Efes is a team with a very deep roster which has very important injuries, without a doubt, but even with that, the players they have are very good. We have to be focused and play very well to be able to win. It's a very dynamic team, and they also play a lot of minutes with two players who can play power forward and center \[Ercan Osmani and Rolands Smits\] which makes things more difficult. It is the kind of team that is not the one that best fits our characteristics. We have to play a very good game, and very balanced at both ends. And it won't be easy, because the players will give their all, but logically, there will be a new coach, and since they will give their all, there will also be a moment of pressure, because they will be able to show what they can so, and we need calm, tranquility in the most difficult moments. I'm very happy to be back in the EuroLeague, I feel like a EuroLeague coach, and not being there, for me, was complicated."

**Dario Brizuela, Barcelona guard**

"We are playing against a team that has a lot of talent and very mobile power forwards like Osmani and Smits, so in that sense they can make things complicated. We are talking about a very versatile team. As we did throughout the season, I think that being solid on defense is key, especially when you play on the road. If you go to a road game in the EuroLeague and you allow 100 points, you have great chances to lose. That will be the key, and then on offense, keep trying to be ourselves. Getting a road win in the EuroLeague is like winning twice because it is very difficult. In the situation we are in, it would be great to win. When you play for Barca, the goals are the highest ones, no matter who the coach or the players are. Xavi \[Pascual\] arrived here and has full confidence in our roster. He feels we can compete for everything and that is linked to how we felt since the first day of the season."

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Dubai Basketball (20:15 CET)

**Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos head coach**

"We forget last week. Even if Dubai is a new team in the EuroLeague, they have very experienced players with great quality like \[Filip\] Petrusev, like \[Aleksa\] Avramovic, like Dwayne Bacon, who is very effective on offense. Kabengele is playing a very good season, he started the season very well. So we will be ready. Tough game, very important game. But of course we feel better than one week ago. Omer \[Yurtseven\] is still not healthy, I hope he will be 100% ready for the next game that we will play against Partizan on Tuesday. \[The improvement in Panathinaikos's play has one easy answer:\] Kenneth Faried! The answer is very simple. You cannot play basketball for 40 minutes without a real center. Tactically, you can play basketball for 10-15 minutes with the guards, with Mitoglou at the 5 like we played in previous years, but to play the whole game without a real center, it was impossible. For this reason, we lost these games at Red Star, at Bologna, so we had a lot of problems. Now with his contribution, the team found a balance and everybody's quality has shown on the court. In the team, if you miss something, it's a problem for all of the players. He has done a great job in the last two games, I hope he will continue like this."

**TJ Shorts, Panathinaikos guard**

"The energy is good. We had a good two days of practice after our off day. Now we just want to roll with the momentum we built over the last double week, with the tough win we had in the Greek League over Aris, and continue to push. When I'm able to contribute, it just boosts my confidence. I'm hoping to continue to just help the team find ways to be successful when I'm on the court and just continue to find my rhythm. It's still relatively early in the season, but it's getting into the more important part of the season, so you've got to bring your A game every night. The recipe is in the work we do every day; the way we practice, the way we communicate with each other, the energy we bring on the court, the energy the fans give us when we play at home. I don't have any secret recipe to win games, we've just got to go out there and do it. It helps a lot \[having Kenneth Faried\]. First of all defensively, just knowing that someone is behind you to be the last line of defense. It just makes everyone else who is on the ball be a little bit more confident, be a little more aggressive. He's been great since he got here. Offensively, a guy who can set screens, can dunk the ball, catch lobs, do a little bit of everything. For myself, it's been a big help to my game and he's been a big help to our team in general."

**Jurica Golemac, Dubai head coach**

"They are playing great basketball the last 2-3 weeks with some new additions, with all the energy they have playing at home. Like every game, it's very important to stop their easy transition points, to be strong in our paint, to rebound the ball, and try to run and get as many easy points as we can. Of course, it's not going to be easy, they are one of the most talented teams in Europe and one of the favorites to win the EuroLeague, but it's a great challenge for us. You cannot stop them, but you need to try to limit them through teamwork. We need to work 40 minutes all together."

**Dwayne Bacon, Dubai forward**

"We've just got to play the right way and defend. They're a very tough team from top to bottom. They've been together for a couple of years, so they know how to play exactly with each other. Everybody knows their role well. When we look at them, it's definitely a point we're trying to get to, so we've just got to play solid. There's going to be ups and downs throughout the game, but you've got to keep fighting, keep playing, and we've got to defend for 40 minutes. Every game gives me a motivation. I'm happy to be back here, but I think everybody tries to overexaggerate when you play somewhere and you finally come back for the first time. I loved being in Greece, it's one of my favorite cities in Europe, probably my favorite place in Europe. I'm just excited to be here. It's going to be a tough game, I love tough games, so I'm just excited to play."

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan vs. Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (20:30 CET)

**Ettore Messina, Milan head coach**

"We're facing a team with enormous talent and depth. We'll need to play a game based on courage, cohesion, and pace, while also counting on the support of our people in the stands. The key aspects for us will be defending the players who create scoring for Hapoel and controlling the rebounds."

**Armoni Brooks, Milan guard**

"Hapoel is a very talented team, with a Final Four-caliber roster. We're facing a tough game and executing our game plan will be crucial. We have some absences, but like we did against Olympiacos, we want to embrace the challenge, focusing on our depth because on this team, everyone has occasionally been able to step up when needed, and it doesn't depend on one or two players."

**Dimitris Itoudis, Hapoel head coach**

"They are coming in with four straight wins - very important wins - and they have the personnel to win games in a variety of ways. They can play small ball, they use different lineups, and they have great ball-creators. They use a lot of switches, and their bigs are experienced and athletic. Overall, Milan has a deep roster. I don’t know who will be available and who won’t, so we’re preparing for each and every one of them."

**Collin Malcolm, Hapoel forward**

"Every EuroLeague game is tough. Milano has some really good, experienced players. We just have to make sure we control the game at our pace."

### Real Madrid vs. Zalgiris Kaunas (20:45 CET)

**Sergio Scariolo, Real Madrid head coach**

"I think we are facing one of the best teams in this first games in this EuroLeague season. Offensively, they are really good, with high shooting percentages and the ability to run the break, especially after forcing turnovers, which they know how to go They have the ability to play one-on-one, especially through Francisco and Lo. We have to keep having the ability of getting a lot of high-percentage shots like we did until now but obviously, trying to make them. That is what changes everything completely, even when it comes to being more fluid and having more space in the paint. We have to keep working to generate those shots and take them in practice to try to grow in that sense."

**Usman Garuba, Real Madrid forward**

"Zalgiris is a team that had a very good start of the season and is playing great games. They had a great start and it is going to be hard for us tomorrow, but we have to be ready. The team is ready to face this new challenge. I think this game is important in order to keep taking steps forward in the EuroLeague, which is what we all want, to keep improving. Defense has to be our main strength because if we play good defense, everything else will flow. We have to try to play great defense in this game to stop Zalgiris's game. This is a strong test at home and we have to try to add a win at Movistar Arena, always pushed by our fans. That would be very important for the whole team."

**Tomas Masiulis, Zalgiris head coach**

"The coach has changed, as have quite a few players. Now there is less freedom, with more play for shooters and those playing the 4, \[Mario\] Hezonja and \[Trey\] Lyles. The style has changed, but the athleticism and physicality remain. They want to run like a Spanish team, with \[Facundo\] Campazzo firing up the whole team. They have a lot of weapons. \[Nigel Williams-Goss\] has already been trying a bit, he tried yesterday, he will try today too. But he is not flying to Madrid yet. We are expecting him in the near future, because there are already positive developments."

**Edgaras Ulanovas, Zalgiris forward**

"After the trip to Dubai, this trip doesn't seem so difficult, even though the flight took four hours. We are most looking forward to the games. The training sessions were productive. Everything is fine. Of course, we lost Dovydas \[Giedraitis\], who was starting to get back into rhythm. We feel ready, and we'll see how it goes. \[Trey Lyles\] showed great talent, a very talented player on offense. He is tall and fights well for the ball. One of the tasks is to make the game difficult for him, not to let him get into it easily, too easily. Of course, some players may have more difficult shots because they can do so and play fast. It will definitely be a huge task to stop both Trey Lyles and the others."

## Wednesday, November 19, 2025

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. AS Monaco (20:00 CET)

**Vassilis Spanoulis, Monaco head coach**

"In the Euroleague, there are no easy games. ASVEL’s standings at the start of the season mean nothing to us; we’re approaching this game with a lot of focus and determination. We believe in ourselves and our strengths, and we’re ready for this game."

**Nikola Mirotic, Monaco forward**

"We’re coming to Villeurbanne to win. We’re having good practices, we know our strengths and weaknesses, and the team is still looking to improve. This is a point in the season where we need to take the next step. We still have room for improvement to achieve more consistency and regularity, which we’ve lacked since the start of the season."

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 12 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season

Pregame quotes, Round 12: 'Fenerbahce is the best defensive team in the EuroLeague'

Valencia Basket v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2025-11-21T20:00:00.000Z)

Virtus Bologna v Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (2025-11-21T19:30:00.000Z)

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2025-11-21T19:30:00.000Z)

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v FC Bayern Munich (2025-11-21T19:30:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v Paris Basketball (2025-11-21T19:15:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v Zalgiris Kaunas (2025-11-20T19:45:00.000Z)

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (2025-11-20T19:30:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Dubai Basketball (2025-11-20T19:15:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v FC Barcelona (2025-11-20T17:30:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v AS Monaco (2025-11-19T19:00:00.000Z)

In one of the best and most intense games of the season, Real Madrid beat Zalgiris Kaunas 100-99 at Movistar Arena in a game to remember. Theo Maledon and Facu Campazzo paced Los Blancos to their sixth win of the season, 

Real Madrid survives Zalgiris in historic shootout

In one of the best and most intense games of the season, Real Madrid beat Zalgiris Kaunas 100-99 at Movistar Arena in a game to remember. Theo Maledon and Facu Campazzo paced Los Blancos to their sixth win of the season, but according to Coach Sergio Scariolo's words after the game, it didn't go as planned.

"I don't remember a game where a team scored 100 points with just 2 threes. This is probably a unique case," Scariolo said.

 Real Madrid finished the game having made just 2 of 9 three-pointers. Those 2 three-point shots made are the lowest mark for Real in over a year. It previously made only 2 triples in a 79-89 home loss against FC Barcelona on March 7, 2024. Real had never scored more than 80 points in games in which it made 2 or fewer three-pointers.

Still, Real found ways to be effective, mainly through its two star guards. Campazzo had a sensational first quarter, reaching 10 points in the game before Zalgiris. He left for the bench late in the first quarter with 12 points, no missed shots and his team leading 18-8. 

Campazzo was scoreless from that moment until the final 3 minutes, in which he scored 8 points, including two critical acrobatic baskets that prevented Zalgiris from regaining the lead in the final minutes. Campazzo finished the game with season-highs of 20 points and a PIR of 25.

Maledon made things happen off the bench with an all-around offensive performance, getting easy baskets in transition and attacking the rim to draw fouls. He broke the 20-point mark for the first time in this EuroLeague season, making 7 of 8 two-pointers and 11 of 11 free throws for a season-high PIR of 34.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🔝 ¡Nuestro MVP frente al <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bczalgiris</a>!<br>✨ <a href="https://twitter.com/Theo_Maledon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Theo_Maledon</a> <a href="https://t.co/nF01WkOeMU">pic.twitter.com/nF01WkOeMU</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1991636733167841615?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

Zalgiris trailed almost all the way in the first half until Sylvain Francisco decided he had had enough. Francisco singlehandedly kept Zalgiris in the game throughout the second half, in which he had 24 points and 8 assists. The Zalgiris star scored 17 points in the fourth quarter, and struck three times from downtown in the final 80 seconds. When he fouled out with 2.5 seconds left, Francisco received a great ovation for Real fans, and even Coach Scariolo praised him after the game.

"Unbelievable, man. How easy can basketball be, right? Give the ball to the guy, make a couple of three-pointers, shoot the three and make it. But you got to know that he's a great player. He can do it. It's not the first time he does that," Scariolo said. "And Zalgiris proved that they are one of the best teams in this start of the competition because they have a tough, strong-sized team with many players who can shoot, and with great handlers like Francisco and \[Maodo\] Lo."

Francisco set two career-highs against Real with 11 assists and a PIR of 37. He also matched his personal best in scoring with 33 points. Francisco also scored 33 points with Zalgiris against FC Bayern Munich on January 30, 2025.

Sylvain Francisco of Zalgiris Kaunas had 33 points, 11 assists and a PIR of 37 in a 100-99 road loss against Real Madrid in Round 12 of the EuroLeague regular season. 


Francisco has career night against Real 

After he fouled out, Campazzo missed free throws, the second one intentionally to run the game clock down. And Zalgiris had a chance to win at the buzzer, but Ignas Brazdeikis's prayer from beyond midcourt only hit the backboard.

By not hitting three-pointers, Real went inside and almost broke a club record by scoring 33 two-pointers. The club record is 34 two-pointers in a 94-45 home victory over Spirou Charleroi on December 23, 2010. That night, Real also struggled from downtown, making just 4 of 17 three-pointers.

The two teams combined for 75 fourth-quarter points (38-37), which was the second-highest mark in EuroLeague history. Zalgiris holds the record along with SLUC Nancy, when they combined for 77 points in the fourth quarter on January 8, 2009. Zalgiris beat Nancy 105-94 in that game.

Real set a club record for fourth-quarter scoring with 38 points. Its previous best was 36 points in a 104-113 win over Ural Great on March 27, 2002. Scariolo was also Real's coach that night.

Though it did not go according to plan, Real found a way to win, bounce back from consecutive losses and deny Francisco the chance to give Zalgiris a victory in what statistically was his best night in the EuroLeague - for now.

Game News

Campazzo and Maledon shine as Francisco delivers career night in 100–99 thriller

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv is in seventh heaven and proudly sitting at the top of the EuroLeague with a 9-3 record after an 83-105 road drubbing of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan on Thursday

Hapoel shows it means business with statement win at Milan 

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv is in seventh heaven and proudly sitting at the top of the EuroLeague with a 9-3 record after an 83-105 road drubbing of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan on Thursday, with the Israeli side fast becoming the envy of the competition with its high-tempo game.

The performance against Milan, which dropped to 6-6, left nothing to be desired as Hapoel demonstrated entertaining and high-scoring basketball with its pack leaders again coming to the fore in a ruthless destruction of the hosts, who were only able to cope in the first quarter.

From there on, it was a lop-sided contest and Hapoel’s efficiency will leave few teams fancying their chances against a well-oiled machine firing on all cylinders in its debut EuroLeague season.

Coach Dimitris Itoudis seem to have ticked all the boxes in assembling a talent-packed outfit, with Dan Oturu and Antonio Blakeney pacing Hapoel on 20 points each at Unipol Forum, the latter also grabbing 7 rebounds. Elijah Bryant added 18 points and big man Johnathan Motley chipped in with 17, while Vasilije Micic rounded up a smooth team effort with 13.

“Congratulations to my team. We knew we had to change our mindset defensively in the third quarter and we did it immediately,” Itoudis said in his postgame comments. “It was a team effort as we made some great stops and whoever came off the bench or in the starting lineup was giving something. Basketball requires a plan at both ends and you can’t disconnect one from the other.”

Oturu toyed with his markers on offense while he also constituted a wall in his own paint, as Milan’s was ground to a screeching halt after a decent first half with the Italian side only trailing 45-49 at the interval. A 0-12 Hapoel run early in the third quarter was a sign of things to come and the visitors never looked back, forcing droves of home fans to leave the gym in a hurry well before the final buzzer.

“In the third quarter, we used our defense to fuel other parts of our game,” said Oturu. “Great second half team effort and I’m just happy we won the game. I am here to go out and compete and help my team win. We came here on a four-game winning streak and needed to bring our best performance, so we’ll just try to rack up the wins as we go along.”

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Hapoel shot a sound 10-of-22 from downtown and a staggering 31-of-43 from inside, having dished out 23 team assists to steamroll Milan and Bryant also played a key role as the visiting team’s back court overwhelmed their opponents.

“We had 8 turnovers in the first half so we limited those and as they packed the paint, we were able to make better decisions and get the win,” Bryant said. “If you look down the league, teams that get the most rebounds usually win and I’m pretty sure that we won the rebounding battle tonight. We have a lot of talent on our team, tonight it was Dan (Oturu) who did the job for us, but we’ve got plenty of players who can play both offense and defense.”

Hapoel duly won the battle of the boards 37-27, having also limited Milan to hitting a mere 5-of-24 from downtown thanks to aggressive pressure on the perimeter, as open looks were few and far between for the home team.

The visiting team kept rolling on with a masterclass performance and an emphatic victory

Panathinaikos Athens went on a 16-1 run to end the third quarter and kicked off the fourth with a 10-0 surge to finish the game off, securing a 103-82 victory over Dubai Basketball.

Panagiotis Kalaitzakis brings the hustle to fuel Panathinaikos’s surge against Dubai

Nothing seemed to be going according to plan for Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens in the first half of its clash against Dubai Basketball on Thursday night. Cedi Osman suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter and didn't feature for the remainder of the game, with key players Kostas Sloukas, Kendrick Nunn and Juancho Hernangomez all in foul trouble before the break.

The hosts were giving away easy buckets, as McKinley Wright was cooking on the floor, ending the first half with 6 assists. All the Greens needed was a game-changer and they found one in the form of Panagiotis Kalaitzakis.

“In the first half, we played a terrible defense,” Ergin Ataman told EuroLeague TV after the game. “We were too soft and our guards didn’t pressure the ball. At halftime before we entered the locker room, we discussed in the coaches' room and \[assistant\] coach Christos \[Serelis\] insisted on putting Panagiotis Kalaitzakis on defense to improve \[our\] aggressivity and he was right. So, I accepted his opinion and with Kalaitzakis on the court we improved the pressure on the point guard, McKinley Wright, who created a lot of possessions in the first half.”

Despite not getting playing time before the intermission, Kalaitzakis came out of the locker room as a man on a mission, bringing the defensive hustle his team was desperate for. The hosts instantly tightened up their defense, holding Dubai to just 14 points after the visitors bagged 48 in the first half. Numbers can be misleading, as Kalaitzakis scored just 2 points in 11 minutes on the floor, but he was the player who tilted the game and shifted the momentum in the second half.

Fueled by the guard trio of Sloukas, Jerian Grant and Nunn on the offensive end, Panathinaikos went on a 16-1 run to end the third quarter and kicked off the fourth with a 10-0 surge to finish the game off, securing a 103-82 victory.

Team captain Sloukas pulled off another outstanding performance, turning back the clock for yet another game and finishing on 15 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds.

“Kostas is probably the best point-guard over the last six or seven years in the EuroLeague,” Ataman added. “To create on the court at 36 years old is not a problem with a player like Sloukas, because he’s amazing, a good professional who takes care of his body and gives great contribution to this team.”

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Nunn scored 18 of his 22 points after the break and Grant pulled off his finest performance this season by netting 13 of his 15 points in the second half. With the fans at a sold-out Telekom Center Athens buzzing during Panathinaikos’s comeback, the hosts reached the 100-point mark for the second time in three games as they outscored Dubai 58-34 in the second half.

“We didn’t manage to answer, especially in the second half, to their aggressivity,” Dubai head coach Jurica Golemac admitted in the post-game press conference. “We started playing individually and looked for individual solutions and that resulted in a couple of easy turnovers and easy baskets \[for Panathinaikos\]. We knew that when OAKA gets involved, it’s very hard to stop their momentum.”

Following a four-game road swing, Panathinaikos returned to its home court with a victory that allowed it to improve the team's record to 8-4. Both their next two games are set to take place at Telekom Center Athens too and the Greens proved on Thursday night that they boast the depth to find solutions and get the fans involved even when they get off to a slow start on home soil.

The Greens' guard helped his team shift into another gear on defense in the second half

Isaia  Cordinier showed ice in his veins from the charity stripe to give Anadolu Efes Istanbul a 74-73 victory over FC Barcelona in an inspiring come-from-behind battle 

Cordinier shows ice in his veins as Efes spoil Pascual’s return with Barcelona

Isaia Cordinier made all 8 of his free throws as Anadolu Efes Istanbul overcame ever-mounting injury concerns thanks to the next big showing from the Frenchman, including the game-winning free throws with 0.3 seconds left in the game.

Cordinier showed ice in his veins from the charity stripe to give Efes a 74-73 victory over FC Barcelona in an inspiring come-from-behind battle with the Turkish side missing seven players and Barcelona on a high with the return of head coach Xavi Pascual.

“I just was trying to get into my own bubble and focus on the routine and try to knock down the free throws,” said Cordinier about his foul shots, which finished off his night with 14 points and 3 rebounds.

Efes head coach Igor Kokoskov was a bit less relaxed in the final three-tenths of a second. When asked in the post-game interview what he was thinking when Cordinier was at the foul line, the coach said: “If he misses the free throws, tomorrow he would run suicides the whole day. That was my thought.”

We’ll never know if Kokoskov would have actually made Cordinier run the next day because the forward played another big game in the absence of the club’s franchise player Shane Larkin. The team leader went down early in last week’s game against FC Bayern Munich with a groin injury that will keep him out about eight weeks.

“We’re gonna miss him. I expect some other guys will step up, just like they did tonight,” the coach said.

Cordinier poured in 26 points last week and led the way against Barcelona. But he had plenty of help. Jordan Loyd and Ercan Osmani both scored 13 points and Nick Weiler-Babb collected 12 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists. And even 22-year-old Brice Dessert registered a career-high 12 points.

“We are giving 100 percent, our energy is really high. Even if we don’t have our big-name players, everyone is showing they want to play. I am really happy about this team. We need to push like this every game,” Osmani said.

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Barcelona took initial control of the game in the second quarter, building up a 13-point lead late in the first half and going into the break up 35-46. The visitors scored the first 2 points of the second half, but Efes roared back into the game.

Weiler-Babb drained 2 three-pointers in a 19-2 surge to pull ahead 54-50 and Kokoskov’s men were up 58-53 late in the third quarter.

“In the third quarter, when we were down 11, we talked about one possession at a time. Don’t panic. Just one defensive stop and make a little run, which we did. That third quarter was huge defensively and executing in crunch time, making big plays,” Kokoskov said.

An Osmani tip-in off a missed free throw had the hosts up 69-64 with under 4 minutes to play. Barcelona showed its experience and went on a 1-9 spurt to lead 70-73 after Tomas Satoransky’s corner three-pointer with 52 seconds to go.

Dessert hit two free throws at the other end with 36 seconds to go and then after Barcelona failed to convert, Efes had the final possession. Cordinier drove and had his initial shot blocked, but he grabbed the miss and was fouled with 0.3 seconds to go by Jan Vesely. And the 28-year-old Cordinier secured the win.

“I just think it’s the mentality we are trying to have as a group. We’re not trying to find any excuses.” Cordinier said. “We are the only ones who can do the job. We have to step on the floor believing we are going to win every game.”

Efes has now won back-to-back games for a 5-7 record to inch closer to the play-in line in the standings.

Barcelona came into the game having won four of its last five games and was playing its first game under returning Coach Pascual, who returned to the club after nine years away. Jan Vesely had 16 points and Willy Hernangomez added 10 points, but they were not enough - especially to make up for the poor third quarter.

“In the third quarter we played very bad. We missed all the open shots. Also defensively, we didn’t control the game. We lost our advantage immediately. After that, it was point by point and both teams could (have won). It’s clear that in the second half, we didn’t play well and that is why we lost the game,” said Pascual, whose team fell to 7-5.

Isaia Cordinier won the game with 2 free throws with 0.3 seconds left

Dubai Basketball forward Dwayne Bacon has been diagnosed with a fracture in his right thumb, the club confirmed on Thursday

Dubai’s Dwayne Bacon sidelined with thumb fracture

Dubai Basketball forward [Dwayne Bacon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dwayne-bacon/011286/) has been diagnosed with a fracture in his right thumb, the club confirmed on Thursday. His return to the court will depend on his recovery progress and ongoing medical evaluations.

The timing of the injury could not be worse, as Bacon has been one of Dubai's key contributors in the team’s inaugural EuroLeague season. Through 11 games, he’s averaging 15.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per outing, playing nearly 30 minutes per game. What’s more, he is one of only four Dubai players to appear in all 11 EuroLeague games thus far, with key contributors like Dzanan Musa, Nate Mason and Aleksa Avramovic having all missed significant time.

This season is Bacon's third in the EuroLeague after debuting with AS Monaco during the 2021-22 campaign and playing for Panathinaikos Athens the next year. He played in China, Puerto Rico and Russia before joining Dubai over the summer.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Medical Update<br><br>Dwayne Bacon has been diagnosed with a fracture of his right thumb.<br><br>His return to the court will depend on his recovery progress and the evaluation of the medical staff. <a href="https://t.co/pmH0Z7uPdX">pic.twitter.com/pmH0Z7uPdX</a></p>&mdash; Dubai Basketball (@dubaibasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/dubaibasket/status/1991563360903606497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


More Dubai Basketball news

The star forward is the top scorer for the EuroLeague debutants 

There were very few reasons for LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne fans to feel happy after Wednesday night’s 52-84 loss against AS Monaco, but the debut of Thomas Heurtel was one.

Thomas Heurtel’s debut the only bright spark on a night to forget for ASVEL

There were very few reasons for [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/) fans to feel happy after Wednesday night’s [52-84 loss against AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-keeps-its-foot-on-the-throttle-en-route-to-record-night/), but the debut of [Thomas Heurtel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/thomas-heurtel/klt/) was one.

The veteran point guard, who sits eighth all-time in EuroLeague assists, was given the nod by coach Pierric Poupet just under four minutes into the game and went on to finish with 7 points, 1 rebound and 2 assists in over 13 minutes on the floor.

“It's exciting to get back on the court with the team,” Heurtel told EuroLeague TV in the pre-game interview. “It’s been a long wait. I will try my best.”

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne-AS Monaco | Round 12 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

With fellow veteran [Nando De Colo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nando-de-colo/002100/) forced to watch on from the sidelines as he recovers from a hamstring injury, which is [expected to keep him out for another week or so](https://ldlcasvel.com/point-medical/), Heurtel showed glimpses of what he can offer the team, particularly when it came to keeping his cool amidst the chaos going on around him.

Naturally there was a bit of rust while Heurtel was out there, having not featured at all in the EuroLeague or French League this season, and that helps to explain his 4 turnovers. But there were also moments where he slowed things down, showing a poise that no other ASVEL player seemed to have as the tide began to turn.

Over the coming weeks, the 36-year-old – who played 253 EuroLeague games between 2011 and 2022 for Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, Anadolu Efes Istanbul, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid – will be one of the players Coach Poupet leans on most to guide this young, inexperienced group.

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Despite the debut of Heurtel, it really was a night to forget for ASVEL. Not only did it tie its second-lowest scoring total in a EuroLeague game, but it suffered its sixth heaviest EuroLeague defeat. Its 23 turnovers tied for the club’s second-highest figure in this category, too.  

“We just had a much better team in front of us,” Coach Poupet lamented in his post-game interview with EuroLeague TV. “I didn’t recognize my team today. I’m the first person who is responsible for this, so I’ll take the blame. We’ll find solutions in order to play better. That’s all I can say right now.”

As tough as it was to lose to Monaco like that, the 41-year-old play-caller will be hoping that he may have already found one of those solutions in Heurtel, while the return of De Colo in the coming week or two could be just the remedy ASVEL needs.

The 36-year-old made his first appearance of the season

On what ended up being a straightforward night for Vassilis Spanoulis’s AS Monaco, last season’s EuroLeague runner-up laid down a marker in its Rivalry Series clash at LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne on Wednesday.

Monaco keeps its foot on the throttle en route to record night

On what ended up being a straightforward night for Vassilis Spanoulis’s [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/), last season’s EuroLeague runner-up laid down a marker in its Rivalry Series clash at [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/) on Wednesday.

Monaco came into the game having won seven straight games against ASVEL in the EuroLeague, with the only blot on its record being an 84-85 defeat in their first-ever meeting in Europe’s elite – a contest that saw [William Howard score a buzzer-beating three-pointer from the parking lot](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owGlCJvEnu0) to secure a memorable victory.

In this latest installment, Monaco’s quality showed against an error-prone ASVEL, grabbing a 52-84 win and making a bit of history in the process.

The 32-point difference between the teams, confirmed by a [Juhann Begarin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/juhann-begarin/008161/) dunk with one second to go, ensured this was the biggest triumph in Monaco’s EuroLeague history, surpassing the 30-point winning margin it had in [a 69-99 victory at Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-made-a-statement-with-huge-win-at-fenerbahce/) in 2024-25.

That’s not all. By holding ASVEL to just 52 points, Monaco set another club record for the fewest points allowed by an opponent, beating the 60 it [limited Olympiacos Piraeus to in a 64-60 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/monaco-turnaround-downs-olympiacos-64-60/) in 2022-23. Coach Spanoulis’s side also made a club-record 18 steals on the night, 5 more than its previous best (both in 2021-22).

Both teams will come away feeling like they could – and should – have played better, but for Monaco it was important to get back in the winning column after suffering back-to-back losses at Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade in the double-round week last week.

“Last week, ASVEL won against Partizan and we lost there, so the EuroLeague is like this,” Coach Spanoulis told EuroLeague TV after the game. “We played incredibly good defense.”

However, there is still room for improvement.

“I think we can play much better, but for me a win is a win,” he added. “I think we played incredibly good defense – we were locked in, we were concentrated.

“For sure, we can play better. It’s still November. We have a lot of things to improve, like shooting percentages, rebounds, rhythm of the game, consistency. It’s normal, it’s November.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">👏 Excellents minutes pour <a href="https://twitter.com/ym2p3?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ym2p3</a> en <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a><br><br>⌚️ 9 minutes de jeu<br>🎯 8 points<br>🙌 2 rebonds<br>📊 10 PIR<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RivalrySeries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RivalrySeries</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/fSUKvUKAWu">pic.twitter.com/fSUKvUKAWu</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1991262043429564443?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

For star guard [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/), it was important that Monaco found a way to shake off its shaky start – it only scored 14 points in the first quarter – and begin to pull away, going on to lead 21-34 at the half and then 40-64 after three quarters.

“We started a little bit sloppy,” he admitted to EuroLeague TV. “I think the game in general was kind of sloppy. But we fought through, picked it up and came out with the win. Another game on the road, you’ve got to bring something from it.”

Wednesday night was Monaco’s fourth straight road game and its sixth in the last seven, but it now has the chance to start picking up some real momentum with five of its next six EuroLeague fixtures taking place at Salle Gaston Medecin, including the next three in a row.

Sitting on a 7-5 record after 12 games, don’t be surprised if you see Monaco surge up the standings as we head towards the turn of the year.

ASVEL had no answer for its French League rival

Xavi Pascual didn’t waste any time setting expectations as he stepped back into the spotlight Wednesday, holding his first press conference in his second stint as FC Barcelona’s head coach. Roughly 50 media members crowded into the room – a turnout big enough that veteran center Jan Vesely joked about it after practice – and Pascual delivered a steady message: the past is off-limits, and the focus is entirely on what comes next.

Xavi Pascual: ‘I’ve come to Barça for one reason – to win’

[Xavi Pascual](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fc-barcelona-reunites-with-coach-xavi-pascual/) didn’t waste any time setting expectations as he stepped back into the spotlight Wednesday, holding his first press conference in his second stint as [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/)’s head coach. Roughly 50 media members crowded into the room – a turnout big enough that veteran center Jan Vesely joked about it after practice – and Pascual delivered a steady message: the past is off-limits, and the focus is entirely on what comes next.

“I will never make any reference to the past,” Pascual said. “I have a lot of respect for Joan \[Peñarroya\] and everything he did. From now on, we talk about what *we* do – good or bad.”

Peñarroya was dismissed 10 days earlier, and interim coach Oscar Orellana guided Barça to a 3-0 week before Pascual’s arrival. Pascual made sure Orellana received his due. “We have to congratulate Oscar and his staff for those three important victories,” he said. “The players have been extraordinary these last two days. The intensity, the concentration… it creates excitement. We’re ready to play.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Work. Work. Work. <a href="https://t.co/Fgf8kvjWJJ">pic.twitter.com/Fgf8kvjWJJ</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1990852505430077760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Pascual, who previously coached Barça from 2008 to 2016, admitted he always believed a return was possible, even if the timing surprised him. “I always imagined that one day I could come back,” he said with a smile. “I’ve been waiting for the call for eight years, but it never arrived. All over Europe, people told me, ‘You’ll end up back at Barça.’ I didn’t know when, but I always felt it might happen.”

The 52-year-old Catalan coach is one of the most accomplished in club history, having delivered the 2010 EuroLeague title along with four Spanish League and three Spanish Cup trophies during his nine-year run. He made clear that expectations remain unchanged. “I have come to Barça for one reason: to win,” Pascual said. “There are no transition seasons here. We’ll say it loudly – our goal is to compete for every title.”

Xavi Pascual during an FC Barcelona training session. (PHOTO: FC Barcelona)

Despite speculation about midseason roster moves, Pascual insisted he’ll take time to evaluate the group before making any decisions. Every coach and every player, he emphasized, starts with a clean slate. “I make decisions based on what I see and feel,” he said. “That’s why I haven’t changed any staff member. Everyone stays, everyone can show their value. The players will work with me, and based on that, we’ll decide if we need to make a move. Right now, we all have to be on the same page.”

Since leaving Barcelona in 2016, Pascual has coached at Zenit St. Petersburg and Panathinaikos, gaining experience managing different roster styles and taking over midseason, something he believes prepared him for this moment. “Experience is the accumulation of mistakes,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot about the European basketball reality. I’m still the same person, the same coach, but with more perspective and confidence.”

Willy Hernangomez and Xavi Pascual come together. (PHOTO: FC Barcelona)

Pascual made it clear he didn’t return to build toward next season. The goal is to be competitive immediately. “This is Barcelona,” he said. “We play to win, not just to be there. I told the players directly: I’m not here to build something for next season. I’m here because I believe we can do big things *now*.”

After two years away from the EuroLeague, Pascual also acknowledged how meaningful the opportunity is. “I feel like a EuroLeague coach,” he said. “Not being there was hard for me. So I’m very happy to be back – and to do it with my club.”

More Barcelona News

The new FC Barcelona head coach spoke at an introductory press conference on Wednesday