FC Barcelona survived its first do-or-die situation in the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs by downing AS Monaco 100-89 at Palau Blaugrana in Game 3 of their best-of-five series on Wednesday. 

Barcelona beats Monaco in Game 3 to stay alive, 100-89

FC Barcelona survived its first do-or-die situation in the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs by downing AS Monaco 100-89 at Palau Blaugrana in Game 3 of their best-of-five series on Wednesday. Monaco has a 2-1 lead in the series. Barca hosts Game 4 on Friday. 

Willy Hernangomez led the winners with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Jabari Parker added 16 points, Dario Brizuela and Kevin Punter each added 14, while Justin Anderson had 10 for Barca. Mike James led Monaco with 20 points and 12 assists. Elie Okobo added 19 points, Alpha Diallo 16, Jaron Blossomgame 12 and Daniel Theis 10 for the guests.

Game Videos

Tomas Satoransky got Barca going with a jumper that Diallo bettered with a corner triple for a 2-3 Monaco lead. Anderson answered from downtown and Parker added back-to-back bombs from beyond the arc that boosted Barca's lead to 11-6. James joined the three-point shootout, then Youssoupha Fall answered with a put-back layup before Okobo's stop-and-pop jumper kept Monaco within 13-11. James hit a floater and found Diallo for a three-pointer. Hernangomez stepped up for Barca, but Blossomgame took over with a tip-in before Mam Jaiteh's layup boosted the guests' lead to 16-20. James kept pacing Monaco, yet Anderson single-handedly kept Barca as close as 21-24. Brizuela and Matthew Strazel traded three-pointers to fix the score at 24-27 after 10 minutes. 

 

Alex Abrines hit a jump hook in the lane early in the second quarter. Hernangomez dunked and Brizuela found Joel Parra for a one-handed slam that made Monaco call a timeout at 30-27. Abrines ignited the crowd with a three-pointer, Hernangomez added a jumper, then Brizuela's coast-to-coast layup boosted the hosts' lead to 39-27. Hernangomez capped a 17-0 run with a tip-in, as Monaco went scoreless for over 5 minutes until Diallo downed a close jumper. Abrines and Diallo traded triples, and Brizuela scored in penetration, but Theis's dunk gave Monaco hope at 46-34. Satoransky stepped up with a driving layup that Diallo bettered with a three-pointer. Blossomgame buried a floater before Brizuela's three-pointer restored a double-digit Barca lead, 51-39, at halftime.

Game News

Okobo struck from beyond the arc immediately after the break. Hernangomez hit a jump hook and Kevin Punter scored off a steal to keep Barca out of trouble, 55-42. Okobo sank a jumper and Diallo dunked in a 0-7 Monaco run that Theis capped with a triple, good for a 55-49 deficit. Hernangomez kept pacing his team with a tip-in that Anderson followed with a driving layup for a 59-49 Barca lead. Punter bettered Theis's layup with a three-pointer, Parker also struck from downtown but James also buried back-to-back triples for a 65-57 score. A red-hot James bettered Brizuela's layup with another three-pointer and went on to trade baskets with Fall to keep Monaco within 69-62. Punter scored again, Blossomgame hit a jump hook and Jaiteh's layup gave Monaco hope at 71-66. Parker beat the third-quarter buzzer with a wild three-pointer that restored a 74-66 Barca lead.

Parra hit a triple early in the fourth quarter which Satoransky followed with a layup in transition for a 79-67 Barca lead. Okobo followed a driving basket with a three-pointer before bettering Hernangomez's layup with another bomb from beyond the arc. Okobo remained unstoppable and got help from Theis to give Monaco hope, 85-80, with under 6 minutes left. Hernangomez took over with an off-balance put-back layup, Theis split free throws and Punter hit all three free-throw attempts for a 90-81 Barca lead. Strazel and Parra exchanged jumpers, and Theis buried a floater, but Punter kept Barca fully in charge, 93-85, with 2:45 left. Parker sealed the outcome with a fast-break dunk with a couple of minutes remaining.

Willy Hernangomez led the Blaugrana with a monster performance


FC Barcelona v AS Monaco (2025-04-30T17:00:00.000Z)

All the latest injury news surrounding all registered players ahead of Game 3 of the 2025 EuroLeague Playoffs.

EuroLeague Playoffs injury report: Game 3

Follow all the latest injury information for registered players in the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs, as reported by the clubs, and get your [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/home?_ga=2.101462721.1199459303.1696273873-903329349.1669636775) teams up to date!

## Game 3: Wednesday, April 30

### FC Barcelona vs. AS Monaco (19:00 CEST)

#### Barcelona

- **Jan Vesely is ruled out for Game 3**.
- Nico Laprovittola, Juan Nunez and Chimezie Metu are all out long-term.
- Dame Sarr will not be part of Barcelona's roster for the remainder of this season, [the club has announced](https://x.com/FCBbasket/status/1912872378666807417).

#### Monaco

- **Monaco has not yet sent an injury report ahead of Game 3**.
- Nick Calathes missed the first two games of the series.
- Georgios Papagiannis and Juhann Begharin did not dress in Games 1 or 2, but both played in a French League game on Sunday.

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (19:45 CEST)

#### Efes

- **Rodrigue Beaubois**, who suffered an injury in Round 33, is [expected to be out for at least another two weeks](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/rodrigue-beaubois-out-for-at-least-six-weeks-with-calf-tear/), and is confirmed to be **the only Efes player not available for Game 3**.

#### Panathinaikos

- **Panathinaikos has not yet sent an injury report ahead of Game 3**.
- Ioannis Papapetrou, who was sidelined with an injury in Games 1 and 2, travelled with the team to Istanbul.
- [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/all-euroleague-center-mathias-lessort-leaves-game-with-leg-injury/) suffered a broken fibula in Round 17 and is still working his way back from injury.
- Marius Grigonis (lower back surgery) has not played since Round 4.

## Game 3: Tuesday, April 29

### Paris Basketball vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (20:30 CEST)

#### Paris

- **Paris has not yet sent an injury report ahead of Game 3**.
- Maodo Lo is out for 'several weeks' with a hamstring injury, [the club's website stated on March 24](https://parisbasketball.com/en/2025/03/medical-statement-from-paris-basketball/).
- Daulton Hommes is out for 'several months' with a hand injury, [the club's website stated on March 24](https://parisbasketball.com/en/2025/03/medical-statement-from-paris-basketball/).

#### Fenerbahce

- **Nicolo Melli** and **Sertac Sanli** join long-term absentee Scottie Wilbekin in **being unavailable for Game 3**, the club has confirmed.

### Real Madrid vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (21:00 CEST)

#### Real Madrid

- **Real Madrid has not yet sent an injury report ahead of Game 3**.
- Eli Ndiaye, who last played in Round 28, [has been dealing with a shoulder issue](https://x.com/pilarcasado/status/1909957418328502603).

#### Olympiacos

- **Evan Fournier and Tyler Dorsey are unavailable for Game 3**, the club confirmed.
- Keenan Evans, who has recently returned from a long-term injury, is yet to make his season debut.

Stay up to date with the latest information provided by the EuroLeague clubs

Playoffs injury report, Game 3: Vesely out for Barça

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Paris Basketball (2025-04-24T17:45:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-04-24T18:30:00.000Z)

AS Monaco v FC Barcelona (2025-04-25T17:00:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v Real Madrid (2025-04-25T18:30:00.000Z)

## Wednesday, April 30, 2025

### [FC Barcelona 100-89 AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/fc-barcelona-as-monaco/E2024/319/)

Barcelona survived its first do-or-die situation in the 2025 EuroLeague Playoffs by downing Monaco 100-89 at Palau Blaugrana in Game 3 of their best-of-five series on Wednesday. Monaco has a 2-1 lead in the series. Barca hosts Game 4 on Friday. Willy Hernangomez led the winners with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Jabari Parker added 16 points, Dario Brizuela and Kevin Punter each added 14, while Justin Anderson had 10 for Barca. Mike James led Monaco with 20 points and 12 assists. Elie Okobo added 19 points, Alpha Diallo 16, Jaron Blossomgame 12 and Daniel Theis 10 for the guests.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">Doncs ens veiem divendres, culers 😉 <a href="https://t.co/DNBfZefCht">pic.twitter.com/DNBfZefCht</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1917655298526892255?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Anadolu Efes Istanbul 77-81 Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/anadolu-efes-istanbul-panathinaikos-aktor-athens/E2024/320/)

Defending EuroLeague champs Panathinaikos ground out a priceless 77-81 road win over Efes in Game 3 to move a step closer towards reaching the 2025 Final Four in Abu Dhabi. Player of the game Kendrick Nunn produced a monster performance, scoring 19 of his game-high 25 points to lead the Greens while Konstantinos Mitoglou chipped in with 18 points and 6 boards, including a clutch three down the stretch. Kostas Sloukas netted 10 points. At the other end, Shane Larkin paced Efes on 17 points, Dan Oturu added 14 and Elijah Bryant netted 13 to go with 7 boards. Ercan Osmani scored 10 points for the hosts, all of them in the first quarter as Efes led 23-20 after 10 minutes.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Final Score ☘️<a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AnadoluEfesSK</a> - <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/paobcaktor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#paobcaktor</a> 77-81<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeTheGreens?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeTheGreens</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LiveTheGreenMagic?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LiveTheGreenMagic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Club1908?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Club1908</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneClubOneApp?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OneClubOneApp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToAbuDhabi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToAbuDhabi</a> <a href="https://t.co/90iP3k1L9M">pic.twitter.com/90iP3k1L9M</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr/status/1917669367484948610?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Tuesday, April 29, 2025

### [Paris Basketball 88-98 Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/paris-basketball-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2024/321/)

Fenerbahce sealed its progress to the Final Four by overcoming Paris Basketball, 88-98, in an overtime battle to complete a series sweep. A back-and-forth first half ended with Fenerbahce leading, 40-46. The second half was even closer, and concluded with TJ Shorts scoring the last 4 points of regulation to force overtime. But Tarik Biberovic netted the first 7 points of the extra period, and Fener didn’t look back. Paris was inevitably led by Shorts with a joint career-high 29 points, while Nadir Hifi scored 24. Biberovic powered Fener with 21 points, Nigel Hayes-Davis added 18 and Marko Guduric scored 14.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">AİT OLDUĞUMUZ YERDE, FINAL FOUR’DAYIZ! 😎<br><br>Tebrikler Fenerbahçe Beko! 👏<br><br>Normal Süre Sonucu | Paris Basketball 🆚 Fenerbahçe Beko: 88-98<br><br>Skor dağılımımız: Biberovic 21, Hayes-Davis 18, Guduric 14, Hall 9, Baldwin 8, McCollum 8, Pierre 8, Bango 6, Birch 4, Colson 2.… <a href="https://t.co/oq6HJTpIi4">pic.twitter.com/oq6HJTpIi4</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1917319602326950118?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Real Madrid 80-72 Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/real-madrid-olympiacos-piraeus/E2024/318/)

Real Madrid made it 2-1 in its series against Olympiacos by defeating the Reds 80-72 at Movistar Arena on Tuesday night. A 0-13 run allowed the visitors to take a 38-44 lead into the third quarter, but *Los Blancos* held Olympiacos to just 18 points in the second half and grabbed a hard-fought victory. Walter Tavares netted a team-high 15 points, with Dzanan Musa and Mario Hezonja scoring 14 each. Sasha Vezenkov led all scorers with 21 points, Nigel Williams-Goss scored 17 and Saben Lee added 11.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">🏁 FP: <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RMBaloncesto</a> 80 - 72 <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Olympiacos_BC</a><a href="https://twitter.com/UnicajaBanco?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UnicajaBanco</a> <a href="https://t.co/U8lYmbxIVe">pic.twitter.com/U8lYmbxIVe</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1917322006049010174?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Fenerbahce became the first team to make it to the Final Four on Tuesday

Game Center: PAO takes 2-1 lead in series with Efes; Barça fights back to win Game 3

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2025-04-30T17:45:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v Olympiacos Piraeus (2025-04-29T19:00:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2025-04-29T18:30:00.000Z)

With a defensive-minded approach, Real Madrid showed in Game 3 that it can cause problems for Olympiacos BC in Game 4.

Real Madrid discovered a blueprint to build on ahead of Game 4

A return to basics is often considered as the best solution when a team finds itself with its back against the wall, and that was the situation for [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/) at halftime [against Olympiacos Piraeus on Tuesday night](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/real-madrid-beats-olympiacos-80-72-in-game-3-to-trim-series-deficit/). 

The hosts hit the ground running and took a 28-21 lead into the second quarter, but the Reds bounced back and outscored *Los Blancos* 10-23 to make it 38-44 after 20 minutes.

Enter Real Madrid’s most powerful weapon in this last stretch of the season. The hosts’ defense suffocated Olympiacos’s offense, holding the visitors to just 12 and 16 points in the last two quarters. This was just the third time that Georgios Bartzokas’s men have scored fewer than 73 points in one game this season. 

“Our defense was very good,” coach Chus Mateo told EuroLeague TV after the game. “We stayed together in the bad moments and we grew up as a team.”

Real Madrid recorded 11 steals and scored as many as 16 points off turnovers throughout the game. All players who stepped on to the floor, including starters and second unit, were locked in on defense, with [Sergio Llull](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sergio-llull/tgb/), [Mario Hezonja](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mario-hezonja/003108/), [Dzanan Musa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dzanan-musa/006540/) and [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) registering 2 steals each. Four of their steals came in the crucial fourth quarter, dealing a big blow to the guests.

“We know that the playoffs are \[about\] defense and not offense,” Tavares stressed. “If we play defense, on offense we have more confidence to make the plays, make the shots.”

Ten of Olympiacos’s 14 turnovers came after the break, with the guests struggling to share the ball in their bid to find open looks. 

“We turned the ball over 10 times in the last 20 minutes and all of that was transition points that we gave them,” Bartzokas admitted in the post-game press conference.

Despite losing Game 2 in Piraeus, Real Madrid held Olympiacos to just 77 points, laying a solid foundation to build on. A few adjustments on both ends and [Evan Fournier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/evan-fournier/013380/)’s absence due to injury allowed the hosts to tighten up their defense. 

Boosted by the crowd at Movistar Arena, Real Madrid didn’t allow Olympiacos to produce the signature free-flowing offense that helped it clinch top spot in the regular-season standings.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">👏 ¡Seguimos! 👏 <a href="https://t.co/9BNh7Jg3f8">pic.twitter.com/9BNh7Jg3f8</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1917326775631180272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The two teams will have less than a couple of days to work on their adjustments before they take to the floor on Thursday night, when Real Madrid will look to even the series while Olympiacos will aim for a victory that would clinch them a spot at the Final Four.

“We've just got to get one more win,” Musa told EuroLeague TV. “We know that it’s not going to be easy on Thursday. They will adjust, they will be better, but I think that we now have the formula of how we want to play, how we want to approach these games and I think that if we do the right thing, we can tie the series.”

The blueprint is there for Real Madrid, which has lost just five games at home this season. One of those defeats came at the hands of Olympiacos, with Tuesday’s loss for the Reds being their first loss on Spanish soil this season. 

With Game 4 just around the corner, Real Madrid can look back on its players’ effort and hustle in the second half of Game 3 and draw inspiration as it looks to take the series back to Greece.

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul forward Nigel Hayes-Davis played 2 games for Team USA at Etihad Arena last summer throughout its preparations for the Olympic Games in Paris

Nigel Hayes-Davis is hoping for a happy return to Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi is a new and unfamiliar venue for the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, with the 2025 Final Four helping to expose the continent’s elite basketball competition to a wider audience by heading away from European shores for the first time.

One player, however, does have some prior experience from the Etihad Arena, because [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) forward [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/) appeared at the venue in two international games last year.

Although he didn’t make the final roster, Hayes-Davis was with Team USA throughout its preparations for the Olympic Games in Paris, including showcase meetings with Serbia and France last July.

With superstars such as LeBron James, Steph Curry and Jayson Tatum taking most of the court time, Hayes-Davis had little opportunity to shine as he played for just 3 minutes across the two encounters. But it was still an understandably memorable experience, which he fondly remembered in the immediate aftermath of Fenerbahce’s [series-clinching overtime win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-advances-to-final-four-with-ot-win-at-paris-88-98/) over [Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/roster/prs/) on Tuesday.

“It’s a beautiful full circle,” he told EuroLeague TV. “I’ve already been there in that gym, got two wins in that gym, so hopefully I can repeat that \[at the Final Four\]. That would be a beautiful thing.”

Nigel Hayes-Davis highlights vs. Paris Basketball

Hayes-Davis performed to his usual high standards in Game 3 on Tuesday, contributing 18 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds and 1 steal for a game-high PIR of 24. But this Fenerbahce team is built on collective cohesion rather than individual brilliance, and he was eager to underline the team ethic as he said: “The team stepped up, a lot of guys stepped up in a lot of ways, that maybe didn’t play all year. Like [Dyshawn \[Pierre\]](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dyshawn-pierre/010560/) stepped up with great, huge minutes for us.

“Now we get some rest and look forward to get ready to go to Abu Dhabi and try to finish the job. Very happy for the guys, some guys haven’t been to the Final Four, so I’m happy they get to experience it because it’s a tremendous experience.”

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ht" dir="ltr">MVP MVP MVP! 🔥 <br><br>👉 <a href="https://twitter.com/NIGEL_HAYES?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NIGEL_HAYES</a>! 👏 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bug%C3%BCndenYar%C4%B1naHaz%C4%B1r?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BugündenYarınaHazır</a> <a href="https://t.co/5om4mZl30D">pic.twitter.com/5om4mZl30D</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1917350608438452505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Victorious coach Saras Jasikevicius, who was dumped, fully suited, into the bath as his players - led by Hayes-Davis - enjoyed their postgame celebrations in the locker room, believes his team’s progress is well deserved as a reward for their recent performances – but warns that more must follow.

“I have to take off hats to my players,” Jasikevicius noted. “The last couple of months, we’ve been playing good basketball, our level of concentration and basketball went up. This is the most important and that will give us more chances of winning the whole thing.

“Everybody knows how difficult it is, how many good teams will be in Abu Dhabi. So tonight is a party, but next day we’re back to work because we need to keep getting better. Final Four is another level up, and another level up you’ve got to play better.”

With a 6-2 finish to the regular season and a playoff sweep of dangerous Paris, this Fenerbahce team is clearly heading in the right direction. Whether that will take them all the way to the summit, we’ll find out soon.

The Fenerbahce forward played in the UAE last summer for Team USA

The five-man unit of Sergio Llull, Alberto Abalde, Andres Feliz, Usman Garuba and Serge Ibaka helped swing the momentum in Real Madrid's favor in Game 3 against Olympiacos BC.

Real Madrid’s second unit shifted the momentum in fourth quarter of Game 3

The playoffs are a marathon in which roster depth plays an important role. Coming off the bench, players aim to provide their team with an injection of energy and hustle that could prove crucial in the game. And that’s precisely what [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/)’s second unit managed in the second half [against Olympiacos Piraeus in Game 3 on Tuesday night](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/real-madrid-beats-olympiacos-80-72-in-game-3-to-trim-series-deficit/).

The guests went on a 2-13 run to end the first half, taking a 38-44 lead into the second. [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) managed to tie it at 56-56 from the line with 1 minute remaining, which is when Chus Mateo’s rotation turned the tide for the hosts.

[Sergio Llull](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sergio-llull/tgb/) netted a bucket for a 58-56 lead after 30 minutes and despite [Luca Vildoza](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/luca-vildoza/007947/) tying things up with a floater early in the fourth quarter, *Los Blancos* went on a 9-2 run that served as a blow to Olympiacos’s morale. Real Madrid’s five on the floor throughout that surge consisted of Llull, [Alberto Abalde](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alberto-abalde/003733/), [Andres Feliz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/andres-feliz/011247/), [Usman Garuba](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/usman-garuba/007630/) and [Serge Ibaka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/serge-ibaka/003583/), all of whom chipped in on both ends to secure a 67-60 cushion.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">¡FORZAMOS EL 4⃣º! <a href="https://t.co/Spk2dcqrOz">pic.twitter.com/Spk2dcqrOz</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1917324257618428397?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

A three-point play by Garuba was followed by steals from Llull and the former, before Ibaka nailed a basket. Feliz missed a triple, but Ibaka collected the offensive rebound, with Garuba adding 2 more points to his tally for a 65-60 cushion. Then, a steal from Feliz led to an Abalde bucket that gave *Los Blancos* a seven-point advantage. Sasha Vezenkov responded from inside, but Abalde hit a triple and Ibaka connected again to make it 72-62.

“They know that we need to play as a team and someone can score, another player can rebound, another can play defense,” Coach Mateo told EuroLeague TV after the game. “We need to use the players that we need at any moment. Garuba played great defense in the fourth quarter, Andres managed the team very well, Sergio Llull put pressure on the ball. Alberto Abalde made a great game, too, and Serge Ibaka, of course. It’s very important for us to recognize that we are not only four or three players. We are a team.”

After the game, Georgios Bartzokas praised his Real Madrid counterpart for the trick with the second unit that allowed the hosts to gain momentum.

“It was obvious that \[Real Madrid’s second unit\] would put lots of pressure, taking advantage of the crowd, the atmosphere,” Bartzokas said in the post-game press conference. “They played really physically defending the ball, creating a game with a lot of contact. So, it was a good and smart decision by Coach Chus.”

[Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/), [Dzanan Musa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dzanan-musa/006540/) and [Mario Hezonja](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mario-hezonja/003108/) may have combined for 42 of Real Madrid’s 80 points in Game 3, but it was the second unit that stepped up when it mattered most. Should they do that in Game 4 as well, *Los Blancos* can take the series back to Piraeus and put even more pressure on the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season leader.

Coach Mateo’s rotation turned the tide for Los Blancos

Tarik Biberovic came to the fore in overtime as Fenerbahce Beko defeated Paris Basketball in overtime in Game 3 to secure its place at the 2025 EuroLeague Final Four.

Tarik Biberovic rode his luck to send Fenerbahce to Abu Dhabi

[Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/)’s progress to the Final Four was anything but easy, as [Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/) pushed the Turkish titan to overtime with a gutsy performance in its first-ever home playoff game.

Indeed, when [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/) scored the last two baskets of regulation to make it 80-80 and force that additional period, it was tempting to think that Paris had grabbed all the momentum and would be able to ride the wave to a memorable victory.

[Tarik Biberovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tarik-biberovic/006961/) had other ideas.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr">💛💙🤳<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/JY20pHxMQK">pic.twitter.com/JY20pHxMQK</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1917337329817079808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The Fenerbahce swingman changed the course of the action by scoring the first 7 points of overtime in a memorable and ultimately decisive passage of play.

First, Biberovic netted his fifth three-pointer of the evening, followed by a smoothly dispatched baseline jumper. And to complete the hat-trick, he took advantage of a bizarre moment which totally deflated the home team. A Paris possession ended with Shorts trying to find [Nadir Hifi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nadir-hifi/012640/) but, with wires crossed, the pass was heading out of bounds until it hit a referee on the sideline and bounced straight to Biberovic, who had an open route to the rim for an uncontested layup.

It was a surreal and rarely-seen moment, but entirely within the laws of the game as the referee counts as part of the playing surface, and credit must go to Biberovic for being quick-witted enough not to hesitate, heading straight to the basket to make the most of his fluky fortune.

Even without that strange score, Biberovic’s contribution was highly significant as he finished with a team-high 21 points, also underlining his all-round game by delivering 3 assists and snaring 3 steals.

Reflecting on his game-changing overtime flurry, Biberovic told EuroLeague TV: “To be honest, I was really exhausted! But overtime is all about mental toughness and we prepared for this.

“We worked hard for this moment and every single player is dreaming about this moment. I’m very thankful to have that opportunity and seal the game in this way, but basically it’s a team effort. We played really great basketball throughout the series, we didn’t give up when they were coming at us in Game 3 and this is the reason we’re going to the Final Four now.”

And even if he might have benefitted from a little bit of fortune along the way on Tuesday, there’s no doubt that Biberovic will be a major weapon for Fenerbahce in Abu Dhabi next month.

The Fenerbahce shooter netted five three-pointers… and a memorable fluke


Real Madrid made it 2-1 in its Turkish Airlines EuroLeague playoff series against Olympiacos Piraeus by defeating the Reds 80-72 in Game 3 at Movistar Arena on Tuesday night. 

Real Madrid beats Olympiacos, 80-72, in Game 3 to trim series deficit

Real Madrid made it 2-1 in its Turkish Airlines EuroLeague playoff series against Olympiacos Piraeus by defeating the Reds 80-72 in Game 3 at Movistar Arena on Tuesday night. 

A 0-13 run allowed the visitors to take a 38-44 lead into the third quarter, but *Los Blancos* held Olympiacos to just 28 points in the second half and grabbed a hard-fought victory.

Walter Tavares netted a team-high 15 points, with Dzanan Musa and Mario Hezonja scoring 14 each. Sasha Vezenkov led all scorers with 21 points, Nigel Williams-Goss netted 17 and Saben Lee added 11.

Facundo Campazzo and Musa connected from deep before 6 more points from the latter gave Real Madrid a 14-8 lead. Williams-Goss responded with his second triple of the night, but Tavares’s third straight dunk at the other end restored an 18-13 cushion. Then, Hezonja and Musa drilled a three apiece, with Andres Feliz netting back-to-back baskets for a 28-21 lead after 10 minutes.

Sergio Llull opened the second quarter with an off-balanced jumper, but Olympiacos answered with a 0-10 surge fueled by Lee and Williams-Goss, who put the visitors one point ahead, 30-31. Real Madrid went on a 6-0 run, but Olympiacos responded with a 0-13 spurt as back-to-back slams from Moses Wright allowed the Reds to take a 38-44 lead into the second half.

Musa opened the third with a layup in transition before buckets from Tavares and Hezonja tied it at 46-46. Vezenkov took over with 5 straight points that restored a 47-51 cushion. Yet, Hezonja drilled a corner triple and Llull netted a signature midrange jumper that put Real Madrid back in front, 58-56, heading into the closing quarter.

Luca Vildoza netted a floater, but Real Madrid replied with a 9-2 run inspired by Usman Garuba for a 67-60 lead. Alberto Abalde drilled a triple before an Ibaka jumper gave the hosts a 72-62 lead with 4:30 left on the clock. Vezenkov completed a four-point play before draining one from downtown to make it a two-possession game. Then, Lee made 2 of 2 from the line, but Campazzo netted 6 points in a row to finish the game off.

The hosts’ defense held the Reds to just 28 points in the second half

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul sealed its progress to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four by overcoming Paris Basketball, 88-98, in an overtime battle to complete a series sweep.

Fenerbahce advances to Final Four with OT win at Paris, 88-98

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul sealed its progress to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four by overcoming Paris Basketball, 88-98, in an overtime battle to complete a series sweep.

A back-and-forth first half ended with Fenerbahce leading, 40-46. The second half was even closer, and concluded with TJ Shorts scoring the last 4 points of regulation to force overtime. But Tarik Biberovic netted the first 7 points of the extra period, and Fener didn’t look back. 

Paris was inevitably led by Shorts with a joint career-high 29 points, while Nadir Hifi scored 24. Biberovic powered Fener with 21 points, Nigel Hayes-Davis added 18 and Marko Guduric scored 14.

Inside buckets from Devon Hall and Tyson Ward got the scoreboard moving in an otherwise slow-scoring start. Shorts and Hayes-Davis traded blows, and Shorts added a triple for a 9-4 lead. Jilson Bango’s tip-in was answered by Maodo Lo’s layup, and Hifi’s triple protected Paris’s lead. But Fener roared back with three straight triples through Hayes-Davis, Errick McCollum and Biberovic to lead 18-19 at the end of the first.

Kevarrius Hayes and Bonzie Colson exchanged inside baskets early in the second, before Ward and Shorts gave Paris a 25-24 edge. Bango’s close-range finish and Guduric’s three-ball restored the Fener’s lead, and McCollum’s layup made it 25-31. Hifi and Biberovic both scored twice, before three-pointers from Bandja Sy and Sebastian Herrera kept Paris close 35-36. Biberovic also fired from deep and Dyshawn Pierre added a layup, but Shorts responded from mid-range. Herrera added another three-ball, and Hall’s free throws made it 40-46 at the break.

Shorts opened the second-half scoring before Guduric and Ward traded triples. Paris gained further momentum with consecutive baskets from Shorts, then surged into the lead 55-53 as Hifi and Ouattara netted in a 6-0 run. The scoring slowed until Wade Baldwin scored from close-range, but Hifi kept Paris pushing with two straight scores. Hayes-Davis’s three-ball made it 59-58, before Baldwin’s layup helped make it 61-63 with 10 minutes left.

Collin Malcolm’s tough bucket tied it up to start the fourth, and Hayes added a put-back slam for a Paris lead. Pierre and Hayes-Davis forced another lead change, but Shorts tied it again, 67-67. McCollum and Shorts made smooth jumpers, then Khem Birch’s dunk made it 71-73 with 4 minutes left. Baldwin’s jumper and Guduric’s free throws stretched it to 71-77, before Shorts’ driving layup gave Paris hope. Biberovic and Hifi traded triples, and it was 76-80 heading into the last minute. Shorts scored at the rim and added a jumper to tie it with 15 seconds left to force overtime.

Biberovic opened the additional minute with his fifth three-pointer followed by a baseline jumper, and completed a 0-7 run with a fast-break finish. Hifi’s layup kept Paris alive, but Guduric responded for an 82-90 lead. Hayes-Davis added a layup-and-one, and Hifi’s four-point play wasn’t enough for the hosts as Hayes-Davis netted again to make sure of the win.

The Turkish team became the first qualifier for the end-of-season showpiece