Let's look at the most efficient scorers in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season since January 1, 2025 among players using at least 9 possessions per game.

Stats review: Who have been 2025's most reliable scorers?

With two rounds remaining, the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague regular season is nearing its conclusion. Only two teams have locked up their playoff qualification and there are a dozen teams still vying for a chance to advance to the next phase... And every team currently in the postseason picture is still competing for important seeding, so momentum at this juncture of the season is incredibly valuable.

The contributions of the players above have been critical to their team’s performances down the stretch. The table lists the most efficient scorers since January 1st among players using at least 9 possessions per game.

The intrigue at the top here aligns with the ongoing battle at the top of the standings. Despite the efforts of [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/), who has held one of the top spots on every version of the list in all of his recent EuroLeague campaigns, [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) leapfrogged [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) in Round 32 to rise into first place with two games remaining. [Errick McCollum](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/errick-mccollum/005216/) has had a lot to do with that. The 37-year-old did not join Fenerbahce until January and, amid a few quiet nights, has shot the lights out off the bench on numerous occasions late in the year. Like [Marko Guduric](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/marko-guduric/004004/) further down this list, he gives that offense another X-factor who can run extremely hot offensively. With very little decided in the Play-In Showdown qualification spots, what the difference between the top two seeds means in the short term is difficult to say, but there’s pride and Final Four seeding on the line for the league’s current leaders.

After finishing 2024 at 9-9, [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/) has gone 9-5 in 2025 while gaining important ground on several teams around them in the standings for tie-breaker purposes. [Dario Brizuela](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dario-brizuela/009992/)’s sudden rise as a knockdown shooter has been an important factor in that turnaround.  After a mini-slump that saw him shoot only 15% from beyond the arc in November, Brizuela has shot 53% from three ever since - a big reason why Barcelona now leads the EuroLeague in bench scoring.

[Sterling Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sterling-brown/012720/)’s placement here is not especially surprising - he’s been one of this season’s most opportunistic three-point shooters while finishing at a 73% clip on the interior.  The same goes for [Nikos Rogkavopoulos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikolaos-rogkavopoulos/011085/) who has made more jump shots over closeouts than anyone on the year.

[Jordan Loyd](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jordan-loyd/009754/) and [Daniel Theis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/daniel-theis/004132/) were both in-season pickups for [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/) who have both filled significant roles in their late-season battle for home-court advantage in the playoffs. While Loyd’s scoring chops are well-established, Theis last played in the EuroLeague during the 2016-17 campaign. He’s quickly solidified himself as one of the league’s most effective roll men nonetheless.

[Cedi Osman](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/cedi-osman/004088/) is another player who has returned to the EuroLeague for the first time since the 2016-17 season and while he got off to a modest start, he has starred at times in 2025 for the defending champions.  While [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/) is in good shape to secure home-court advantage in the quarterfinals, currently sitting in third place, perhaps the wildest fact of the second half of the season is that they still are technically not assured a spot in the postseason with two games remaining.

[Shabazz Napier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shabazz-napier/011224/) started the season on fire, cooled off mid-year, and then picked his level of play back up in time to keep [FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/mun/) on the edge of the top four. Napier creates separation for his jumper at a high level and has been very tough to guard when his jumper is falling on top of that.

Whether this group keeps things going through the final two weeks is a point of interest as there’s still a staggering amount on the line with the season winding down.

The most-efficient players in the league have had big roles in their teams' success 

Stats review: Who have been 2025's most reliable scorers? 

Paris Basketball continues to surprise in this year's EuroLeague, with its season sweep of Panathinaikos BC keeping its playoff hopes well and truly alive.

Tiago Splitter happy to be making history with Paris

[Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/) needed something special to beat reigning champion [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/) on the road, and the French club certainly delivered that in a thrilling encounter on Friday night.

Inspired by backcourt leader [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/) flirting with a triple-double as he amassed an astonishing combination of 20 points, 14 assists and 9 rebounds, along with 2 steals and 9 fouls drawn, for a PIR of 36, Paris came flying out of the blocks to score 56 first-half points. It then held its nerve to survive a trademark Panathinaikos comeback attempt in the final period.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This match up was 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/rmc0L54zUr">pic.twitter.com/rmc0L54zUr</a></p>&mdash; Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball/status/1905918308840296516?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[The 98-101 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/paris-stuns-panathinaikos-in-thriller-98-101/) – secured when [Juancho Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/juancho-hernangomez/012712/) missed an improbable attempt to force overtime at the final buzzer – was even more impressive as it came on the back of demoralizing late collapses and narrow defeats against [Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/zalgiris-edges-paris-83-81-on-franciscos-jumper/) and [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nigel-hayes-davis-the-hero-as-fenerbahce-beats-paris-101-100-to-make-playoffs/) in its previous two road games.

Those heartbreaking losses gave Paris’s doubters plenty of opportunity to extend their argument that Tiago Splitter’s men lack the experience to grind out tough wins when it matters the most in the world’s most competitive league. After stepping up to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague by winning the BKT EuroCup last season, and with a roster largely containing players who had never previously played in this competition, it’s easy to understand those concerns over Paris’s ability to last the pace against most seasoned opposition.

And when the fourth quarter in Athens saw Splitter’s team’s advantage dwindle away from 17 points (69-86) to just 5 points (86-91), with more than half of the final period still remaining and 18,000 Panathinaikos fans creating an intense cauldron of noise with every possession, even the most optimistic Paris player must have struggled to prevent his head from swirling with doubts.

But the French side held its collective nerve, finding just enough at both ends of the court to hold on for a huge victory that could prove to make all the difference between a direct passage into the playoffs and not even making the play-in.

And the scale of his team’s achievement was not lost on Splitter, who was happy to laud his players after watching them beat Panathinaikos for the second time this season.

“It's huge,” admitted the Brazilian. “It’s a big accomplishment. This whole season has been amazing and today we played one more of those games. The guys played their hearts out, some guys with injuries they played through.

“This is the last sprint of the season. We’ve still got two tough games coming, but this one was huge for us. We have a small history in EuroLeague but it feels amazing to be part of this. The fourth quarter was a little tougher for us: they were switching everything, they put you in tough spots, playing with the crowd. It’s really hard to beat them here, but somehow we found a way to get the win.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">VIEW AFTER THE WIN AGAINST PANA 👓🤩 <a href="https://t.co/6VtYtquW1y">pic.twitter.com/6VtYtquW1y</a></p>&mdash; Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball/status/1905967419341881589?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Paris must now travel to face the mighty [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/) before finishing the season with a seemingly friendly home game against last-placed [ALBA Berlin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/alba-berlin/ber/), and it’s conceivable that Splitter’s team could finish anywhere between third and eleventh.

Whatever happens, Friday’s Greek drama suggests that Paris will not suffer for a lack of character.

Game News

The first-year head coach is making waves, as is his team

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Paris Basketball (2025-03-28T19:15:00.000Z)

EuroLeague top photos of the week

Look back at all the action from Round 31 and 32 of the regular season by checking out the best photos of the week! 

Top 10 photos of the week: Round 31 and 32

Round 32 MVP: TJ Shorts, Paris Basketball

A fantastic all-round performance in a key road game in the playoff race, against the defending champion no less, has earned [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/) of Paris Basketball another MVP of the Round honor.

In a [98-101 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-paris-basketball/E2024/288/) over Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, Shorts flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 20 points and personal bests of 14 assists and 9 rebounds. He made 6-of-12 two-point shots, 1-of-4 triples and 5-of-6 free throws, while also collecting 1 steal and drawing 9 fouls. This is the fourth MVP of the Round award – and second in a span of seven days – for the first-year guard.

The next-best PIR, 32, belonged to [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-mirotic/000796/) of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan. In an [88-98 loss](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/ea7-emporio-armani-milan-fc-barcelona/E2024/282/) against FC Barcelona, Mirotic scored 28 points and collected 9 rebounds. Panathinaikos guard [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) had a 31 PIR after collecting 22 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds in a loss against Paris. Rounding out the list of Round 32's best performers are [Tornike Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/) of Virtus Segafredo Bologna and [Elijah Bryant](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/elijah-bryant/009846/) of Anadolu Efes Istanbul, each with a PIR of 28. Shengelia had 15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 rebounds and a block in a [64-108](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/alba-berlin-virtus-segafredo-bologna/E2024/286/) win over ALBA Berlin, while Bryant had 25 points, 6 assists, 3 steals and 2 rebounds in a [90-88](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/anadolu-efes-istanbul-maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/E2024/284/) win over Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv.

### Individual highs: TJ Shorts, Paris, 14 assists

Mirotic led all scorers with 28 points in Round 32. Kendrick Nunn remains the league's scoring leader, improving his average to 20.3 points.

[Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) of Real Madrid had 10 rebounds, the most of any player in this round. [Joel Bolomboy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/joel-bolomboy/009035/) of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, who is currently out injured, is the rebounding leader with 8.3 boards per game.

Shorts had 14 assists, more than any player in Round 32. Shorts increased his overall lead in this category, averaging 7.4 assists per night.

[Andre Roberson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/andre-roberson/013405/) of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne registered 5 steals in this round. [Nick Weiler-Babb](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nick-weiler-babb/010391/) of FC Bayern Munich leads the EuroLeague with 1.6 steals per game.

[Alen Smailagic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alen-smailagic/011051/) of Zalgiris Kaunas had a round-high 4 blocks. Tavares is the league's top shot blocker with 1.4 per game.

There were five double-doubles in Round 32: [Carlik Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carlik-jones/013369/) of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (19 points, 10 assists), [Trent Forrest](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/trent-forrest/013367/) of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (12 points, 12 assists), Shorts (20 points, 14 assists), [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) of AS Monaco (11 points, 12 assists), and Tavares (14 points, 10 rebounds).

The EuroLeague rookie has secured his fourth MVP of the Round award of the season

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans, we have our 32md winner in this season's EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge! Stelios Zikopoulos beat everyone else in Round 32 with his team 'Z1ste', which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 229.90.

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Round 32 winner

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans, we have our 32md winner in this season's [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/)! Stelios Zikopoulos beat everyone else in Round 32 with his team 'Z1ste', which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 229.90.

Stelios had the following starting lineup: Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens's Kendrick Nunn as team captain, then Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul's Nigel Hayes Davies, TJ Shorts of Paris Basketball, Nikola Mirotic of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan and Walter Tavares of Real Madrid. His sixth man was Elijah Bryant of Anadolu Efes Istanbul. The rest of the bench consisted of Milan's Guglielmo Caruso, Mitar Bosnjakovic of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, Danko Brankovic of FC Bayern Munich and Malte Delow of ALBA Berlin. His team's head coach was Virtus Segafredo Bologna play-caller Dusko Ivanovic.

The prize for finishing first in Round 32 is a free VIP Euroleague TV subscription for the 2025-26 season, so congratulations, Stelios!

Marko Djukic and his team 'Kughat' remains the leader of the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/) overall standings with 5,468.44 points.

Trades are now open for Round 33. Remember, four trades are allowed before each round until the end of the regular season. You can either trade up to four players, or a head coach and three players.

The first game in Round 33 tips off on April 2, as Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul hosts FC Barcelona at 19:45 CET. That game marks the next round's deadline.

Make new teams now or improve your existing ones and try to become our next round winner!

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge offers weekly prizes to the top team manager. 

Real Madrid boosted its hopes of booking a spot in the EuroLeague postseason with a hard-fought 72-78 win at KK Crvena zvezda, after the home side’s valiant late fightback fell short in a dramatic finish.

Real Madrid held on for a valuable road win at Crvena Zvezda 

[Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/) boosted its hopes of booking a spot in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague postseason with [a hard-fought 72-78 win at Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/real-madrid-edges-closer-to-postseason-with-win-at-crvena-zvezda-72-78/), after the home side’s valiant late fightback fell short in a dramatic finish.

Having raced into an early 0-14 lead, Real stayed well ahead until the last few minutes, when Zvezda closed the gap to 72-74 with 46 seconds left on the clock and threw their raucous 20,000 home crowd into a complete frenzy.

The hosts were unable to turn the contest on its head, however, as Real kept its nerve from the foul line and ground out a much-needed win in the battle to stay in contention for a potential top-six finish.

The result left both teams at 18-14 among a pack of five outfits with an identical record in what is shaping up to be a most dramatic climax to the regular season. With 11th-placed Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in 12th lurking at 16-16, both sides need one win from the remaining two games to make sure of keeping their respective campaigns alive.

Big man [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) was named player of the game in a rugged and physical contest as he racked up 14 points and 10 boards, having taken full advantage of the injured [Joel Bolomboy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/joel-bolomboy/009035/)’s absence as Zvezda’s center is sidelined with a foot injury.

Tavares acknowledged that Real was ultimately given a stern test of its credentials in a fervent atmosphere, as Zvezda’s relentless fans helped the hosts launch the late onslaught. 

“They have great fans and it’s tough to play here but we did what we had to do to win the game,” Tavares said in his postgame comments. “We led by 15 or more but they came back, and it’s normal because they were at home.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🔝 <a href="https://twitter.com/waltertavares22?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@waltertavares22</a> <br>👏 ¡Nuestro MVP del partido vs <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kkcrvenazvezda</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/autoheroespana?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@autoheroespana</a> <a href="https://t.co/cZlxy22vle">pic.twitter.com/cZlxy22vle</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1905733833942806665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Head coach Chus Mateo added: “This is why basketball is so beautiful. We were in control throughout the game but it’s not easy to last the course in this kind of environment and hence it’s a very good win on a very tough court.”

Zvezda was undone by awful shooting from all over, hitting 17 of 36 from inside and 8 of 38 from downtown, nullifying a staggering 44 boards, including 20 on offense. However, coach Ioannis Sfairopoulos had nothing but praise for his players, who never gave up and nearly completed what would have been a stunning comeback.

“We fought really hard and I can only say good things about my players for their effort,” the Greek tactician said. “We missed so many open shots and layups but it was the burning desire to win the game that made us lose our focus. The fightback was exceptional though and I want to congratulate my team.”

In the final two rounds, Zvezda is at home to Anadolu EFes Istanbul before visiting defending champs Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, while Real entertains Paris Basketball and then closes out the regular season at Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade.

The visitors almost blew a big lead after being in control throughout a rugged contest 

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Real Madrid (2025-03-28T19:00:00.000Z)

In Riga, Anadolu Efes guard Elijah Bryant inspired his team to a victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv BC.

Elijah Bryant came to Efes's rescue against Maccabi

With three minutes left in the third quarter, things in Riga, Latvia, did not look good for [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/). Down 53-63 and having just allowed Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv to go on a 3-17 spurt in the opening seven minutes of the third quarter, Efes needed a major spark to get back in the game against an opponent that was clicking on all cylinders offensively.

Enter [Elijah Bryant](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/elijah-bryant/009846/).

Having scored 9 points up to that point, Bryant hit a step-back three-pointer over [Roman Sorkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/roman-sorkin/011219/), then 60 seconds later added a mid-range jumper with the shot-clock expiring to cut the deficit to 58-65. After a pair of dunks by [Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/), one assisted by Bryant, the third quarter finished with a last-second triple from Bryant to restore Efes’s lead, 66-65.

Elijah Bryant (25 points) vs. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

Elijah Bryant's highlights vs. Maccabi

Bryant continued his run in the fourth. After 55 seconds of play, he hit another three-point shot over Sorkin, then followed it up with a mid-range jumper before adding another triple to give Efes a 74-71 lead.

“I was just trying to stay in the next-play mentality, regardless of the score,” Bryant said in a [EuroLeagueTV](https://tv.euroleague.net/) interview after the game. “To take every possession seriously because this was a big game for us. To take one possession at the time, and we got the win.”

The game was far from over and it continued to be a back-and-forth battle until the final seconds, but Bryant single-handedly brought Efes back into the game. He scored 16 points in a 21-8 run for his team to restore control.

“Elijah did a great job to lift the teammates in such a specific moment, then [Shane \[Larkin\]](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/), and [Darius \[Thompson\]](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/darius-thompson/011078/) and D.O. \[[Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/)\] did excellent”, Efes head coach Luca Banchi said.

Bryant did not score another basket until the very end but he did come up with a clutch play, this time on the defensive end.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">🔥 MODE ON <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhereIStand?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhereIStand</a> <a href="https://t.co/K0boO6cKoE">pic.twitter.com/K0boO6cKoE</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1905708397863096803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

After [Rodrigue Beaubois](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/rodrigue-beaubois/006590/) split free throws with 10.7 seconds to go to make it 89-88, the ball went to inspired Maccabi guard [Rokas Jokubaitis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/rokas-jokubaitis/007519/), who had scored 19 points on the night. Jokubaitis started to penetrate to the rim, but Bryant was there to punch the ball out of Jokubaitis’s hands. Larkin grabbed the loose ball, securing Efes a sixth straight win and a place in the postseason.

In addition to scoring 25 points, Bryant also had team highs with 6 assists and 3 steals.

“Maccabi gave some choices to him and Shane, gave them possibility to distribute, not only to finish. And they were excellent,” Banchi said as he praised Bryant and Larkin, the latter of whom finished with 11 points and 4 steals.

“We know we have a great roster, that we have many resources in our arsenal. Even in the worst moment, we continue to play. The last 15 minutes are our reward for our sacrifice on the court."

Efes will, at the very least, participate in the EuroLeague Play-In Showdown, but its chances to finish the regular season as one of the top six teams are alive and kicking.

The veteran guard scored 16 points in a five-minute span to rally Efes

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2025-03-28T17:30:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko's bench players stepped up in Round 32 as the Turkish team went top of the EuroLeague standings with a win over Baskonia.

Roster depth helped Fenerbahce rise to first the standings

Double-round weeks are often energy-draining, especially taking into account that every game matters in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. And when the first of the two duels is a rollercoaster of a game like [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/)’s [clash against Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nigel-hayes-davis-the-hero-as-fenerbahce-beats-paris-101-100-to-make-playoffs/) on Tuesday night, coaches need to get help from the bench players in order to clinch back-to-back wins.

The Turkish side needed a [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/) buzzer-beating triple to down Paris at home, with their starters scoring 65 of the team’s 101 points on the night. The Fenerbahce forward may have not slowed down [on Friday against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-downs-baskonia-to-move-top-of-the-standings-82-77/), but this time it was his team’s depth that made the difference.

Fenerbahce’s bench both outscored (47-35) and out-assisted the starters (10-3), providing the team with much-needed energy on the floor. Seven players netted at least 4 points each off the bench, while [Nicolo Melli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nicolo-melli/002849/) and [Dyshawn Pierre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dyshawn-pierre/010560/) protected the boards with 9 and 8 rebounds, respectively, with [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/) recording a team-high 5 assists.

More importantly, they covered for Hayes-Davis and [Marko Guduric](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/marko-guduric/004004/), both of whom were in foul trouble in the closing quarter.

Meanwhile, with [Jilson Bango](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jilson-bango/013696/) and [Khem Birch](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/khem-birch/007182/) both missing out, Melli and [Sertac Sanli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sertac-sanli/002968/) were the only two available bigs for Saras Jasikevicius. When they picked up 2 and 3 fouls, respectively, it was time for [Metecan Birsen](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/metecan-birsen/003091/) to step up off the bench. Birsen had played just over one and a half minutes all season heading into Friday’s clash, but his contribution was significant on Friday evening, pairing 4 points with 3 rebounds in 5:19 on the floor.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Bizimkiler! 💛💙<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/ba65Kdvll7">pic.twitter.com/ba65Kdvll7</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1905719552300011774?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Fenerbahce completed the double-round week with two straight home wins, moving atop the standings by overtaking Olympiacos Piraeus due to its superior head-to-head record. With two games remaining, the Turkish side need another two wins to clinch the top seed in the playoffs.

“The mentality \[for the last two games\] will be the same,” Jasikevicius told EuroLeague TV after the game. “We go out, trying to win the game. It’s not only going to the playoffs. It’s going to the EuroLeague Playoffs playing good basketball. And we need to go play EuroLeague playoff basketball, which is one level higher from what we’re doing right now.”

For the time being, Fenerbahce can celebrate that it has mathematically secured home-court advantage heading into the playoffs. Meanwhile, its roster depth will allow it to dream big this season.

The team's bench outscored and out-assisted the starters

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2025-03-28T17:45:00.000Z)

Only 48 hours after being held to a club-record low 52 points in a 36-point defeat against KK Crvena zvezda, Virtus Bologna bounced back in historic fashion by beating ALBA Berlin 64-108 on Friday night.

Virtus set all-time marks in 44-point win at ALBA

Only 48 hours after being held to a club-record low 52 points in a 36-point defeat against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, [Virtus Segafredo Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/vir/) bounced back in historic fashion by [beating ALBA Berlin 64-108](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/virtus-thrashes-alba-64-108/) on Friday night.

It was a dominant performance that saw Virtus set a club record with 35 assists and 31 two-point shots made. But that was only one part of the story on a record-breaking night.

The 44-point margin is Virtus's biggest victory in a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague game this century and the fourth-largest win by a road team. A couple of times in the fourth quarter, Virtus held a 51-point margin, which would have tied the largest road win in competition history, but ALBA scored six points in the final minute to prevent Virtus from setting a new record.

What was remarkable was the first half, with Virtus having scored 62 points, 10 more than it managed in Belgrade. Dusko Ivanovic’s team needed 17 minutes and six seconds to score 52 points, after scoring that many in 40 minutes just 48 hours earlier.

Moreover, a 29-point lead (33-62) was the biggest halftime lead by Virtus in a road game and the second-largest halftime lead by a road team in a EuroLeague game this century. And Virtus holding a 44-87 lead after 30 minutes marked the largest margin a road team had held after three quarters in competition history.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">La Virtus vince a Berlino 👊🏼 <a href="https://t.co/eNMWUtypmJ">pic.twitter.com/eNMWUtypmJ</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Segafredo Bologna (@VirtusSegafredo) <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusSegafredo/status/1905723375038894188?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Among other records, this was the first time Virtus scored more than 100 points in a road game and it was the second-most points the team scored in a game, only behind the 113 it poured in against Estudiantes in the inaugural EuroLeague season 25 years ago.

Virtus might have been eliminated from playoff contention weeks ago, and was embarrassed in Belgrade earlier this week, but it certainly found a way to bounce back in memorable fashion.

Dusko Ivanovic's side snapped a nine-game losing streak in memorable fashion

ALBA Berlin v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2025-03-28T19:00:00.000Z)