O’Shae Brissett threw down a dunk with 3.9 seconds left to give Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv a 95-97 win at Dubai Basketball in Round 16 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague

Maccabi shows character in handing Dubai first loss at Coca-Cola Arena

The biggest phrase Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv players and coach Oded Kattash used after its big road win over Dubai Basketball was that the team “showed character”. After failing to finish off games earlier in the season, the Israeli team finally delivered the knockout blow.

O’Shae Brissett threw down a dunk with 3.9 seconds left to give Maccabi a 95-97 win at Dubai Basketball to not only extend its season-best winning streak to three games, but also hand the hosts their first loss at Coca-Cola Arena.

It wasn’t easy, though, as Maccabi saw Dubai race back from 17 points down in the third quarter to tie the game midway through the final period and then get a four-point play by McKinley Wright with 27 seconds left to even things at 95-95. But Iffe Lundberg drove to the basket and as the Dubai defense collapsed on him he fed the ball to Brissett for an easy dunk - his only points of the game. Maccabi’s victory nearly turned into a defeat, but Wright’s long-range attempt was just off at the buzzer.

“It was a very good win for us, especially against a good team,” said Kattash, whose team improved to 6-10. “We knew it wouldn’t be easy to close the game. But we showed character and found a way to get a W. That is something that we were struggling to do earlier in the season, so I am really proud of the players.”

Jaylen Hoard led the way with 21 points, Roman Sorkin had 17 points, Lonnie Walker totaled 14 points before being ejected with 6 minutes to play and Lundberg finished with 13 points and 4 assists.

Sorkin noted some of the same things as his coach, saying: “I think we showed a lot of character after we led and they came back. A few weeks ago, maybe we would have broken down. But we showed character. We kept going.”

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Maccabi twice this season had solid leads in the fourth quarter but could not close the deal.

In Round 5, Maccabi was up by 13 points with under 5 minutes left but lost 94-95 to Olympiacos Piraeus. In Round 9, Maccabi had a 9-point lead with 8 minutes left against AS Monaco and then needed to score the final 6 points in regulation to force overtime, where it lost 107-112.

And then Maccabi fought back from 20 points down to actually take the lead in the fourth quarter at Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, but ended up losing 84-75 in Round 10.

“I thought the team played well in spurts. I think we could have done a better job of staying consistent throughout the game. But we’ll take the win. I am really happy. It’s our third win in a row, so that’s good for our team, good for the momentum and the spirit of the team,” added Hoard.

Game News

Dubai could not use a career night by Wright, who set personal bests with 26 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists and an index rating of 42. Justin Anderson added 18 points and Filip Petrusev 15 points - though only 4 of those came in the second half.

It was another nail-biter for Dubai after its last three games were decided by just 1 point - including two wins. Dubai dropped to 7-9, including a 6-1 record at its home arena - though the game was played without fans in the stands.

“Again, the game was decided by one possession. Again we fought back. We didn’t have enough power and energy to break the game,” Dubai coach Jurica Golemac said. “The crucial part was the third quarter when we started without energy, without aggressiveness, without intensity. They got confidence and took an advantage. We fought back and found the rhythm, but not enough to win the game.”

After Dubai led 52-51 through 20 minutes, the home side managed only 14 points in the third frame. Wright nearly delivered another magical victory after his game-winning basket with 0.5 seconds in an 89-88 home win last week.

But it wasn’t meant to be and Maccabi collected its character-building win.

Maccabi gave up 17-point lead, but extended win streak to three games

Dubai Basketball v Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (2025-12-16T16:00:00.000Z)

With Javier Gancedo unavailable this week, we welcome fantasy expert and friend of the pod Arale Weisberg aboard for episode No. 12 of the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Podcast! Arale joins Frankie Sachs of EuroLeague.net, Sport 24's Vasiliki Karamouza to think through all the angles as they try to create the perfect fantasy teams for Rounds 16 and 17.  

Fantasy Challenge Podcast: It's Lonnie time! And more!

With Javier Gancedo unavailable this week, we welcome fantasy expert and friend of the pod Arale Weisberg aboard for episode No. 12 of the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Podcast! Arale joins [Frankie Sachs](https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2FMrEuroleague&data=05%7C02%7Cgeoff.gillingham%40euroleague.net%7C8f23c17ba6e24a938a4c08ddff3a0ce8%7C2b3d64f0329542979f1528435f0a62ce%7C1%7C0%7C638947346960894891%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=qhPt96t3ngeIaZ%2FSU%2FA67vi5euxZ5OVn9QfMhhj343M%3D&reserved=0) of [EuroLeague.net](http://EuroLeague.net), Sport 24's [Vasiliki Karamouza](https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2Fkaramouza_vas&data=05%7C02%7Cgeoff.gillingham%40euroleague.net%7C8f23c17ba6e24a938a4c08ddff3a0ce8%7C2b3d64f0329542979f1528435f0a62ce%7C1%7C0%7C638947346960937569%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=RuVg%2FRj%2BbH%2FiJbU%2BYkpXVo6vX%2B39lXvvomI9gNtMJLs%3D&reserved=0) to think through all the angles as they try to create the perfect fantasy teams for Rounds 16 and 17.  

They salute the outstanding recent play of Lonnie Walker, Kevin Punter and McKinley Wright and question whether Filip Petrusev, Nigel Williams-Goss and Nikola Milutinov are the right picks. The trio also agonize over the best coach to have in Round 16. They also discuss the latest EuroLeague news and how it could affect us in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge.

Frankie, Vasiliki and Arale all reveal their teams for Round 16 and react to questions sent in by Fantasy Podcast viewers in the “Get Featured, Get Rewarded” segment.

If you love the EuroLeague, you will love the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Podcast.

Frankie and Vasiliki are joined by fantasy expert Arale Weisberg for this week’s episode

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Virtus Bologna (2025-12-19T19:45:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona v Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2025-12-19T19:30:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2025-12-19T19:15:00.000Z)

AS Monaco v FC Bayern Munich (2025-12-19T18:30:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2025-12-19T18:00:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Dubai Basketball (2025-12-19T17:30:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v Paris Basketball (2025-12-18T19:45:00.000Z)

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2025-12-18T19:30:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (2025-12-18T19:15:00.000Z)

Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv v Valencia Basket (2025-12-18T19:05:00.000Z)

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Virtus Bologna (2025-12-17T19:30:00.000Z)

Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v AS Monaco (2025-12-17T19:30:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v FC Bayern Munich (2025-12-17T19:00:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-12-17T18:00:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v FC Barcelona (2025-12-16T20:00:00.000Z)

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v Real Madrid (2025-12-16T19:30:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v Valencia Basket (2025-12-16T19:15:00.000Z)

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2025-12-16T19:05:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2025-12-16T17:45:00.000Z)

Javier Gancedo shares his recommendations for the coming week in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge

EuroLeague Fantasy tips, Rounds 16-17: Who should be in your fantasy lineup?

Welcome to the last EuroLeague double-round week of 2025! After Round 17, unlimited trades will be allowed for the third time this season, so it is a good time to try to be a bit more creative in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge and look for opportunities in the market to be more competitive in private leagues, the Trophy Cup and the overall standings. Before I make my recommendations for the coming week, let's see how my colleague Igor Petrinovic's choices were last week.

Igor recommended Matthew Strazel of AS Monaco after a couple of great games. He had 11.0 fantasy points and his fantasy managers earned 0.1 credits, so it was a good one. Momo Diouf of Virtus Bologna continued his streak of solid games. Against Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv, he posted a PIR of 18 and pushed his value up 0.4 credits.

McKinley Wright was also an excellent choice. Not only did he make the game-winning shot to lift Dubai Basketball over FC Bayern Munich, but Wright had 30.8 fantasy points and earned 0.7 credits to the fantasy managers who had him. Mario Hezonja of Real Madrid also gained value, 0.3 credits, through his 19.8 fantasy points. Finally, Leo Bolmaro of EA7 Emporio Armani saw limited playing time and dropped -0.5 credits with a negative fantasy score of -0.9. That's four wins and a loss for Igor. Well done! He should probably write this column every week! But alas, you are stuck with me for now. Here are my recommendations for Rounds 16 and 17:

Tyrique Jones has averaged a PIR of 28.5 over the last two games

### Tyrique Jones, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (15.9 credits)

I know, [Tyrique Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tyrique-jones/011981/) is an expensive player, but my recommendation is based on the fact that Nikola Milutinov of Olympiacos is seeing less playing time. If you are looking for an alternative to "Milu", look no further. Jones has averaged 18.0 points and 9.8 rebounds for a PIR of 28.5 over the last two games.

 

### Will Clyburn, FC Barcelona (14.1 credits)

There are a few Barca players who have improved their numbers since Xavi Pascual became the team's head coach and [Will Clyburn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/will-clyburn/004888/) tops that list. Clyburn has been unstoppable in the last two games, getting 22 points and a PIR of 24 against Zvezda, and following that up with 28 points and a PIR of 33 against Olympiacos. His next game? Against run-and-gun Paris!

Justin Anderson, Azuolas Tubelis, Tyrique Jones, Johannes Voigtmann and Will Clyburn are featured in this week's article. 

EuroLeague Fantasy tips: Rounds 16-17

### Azuolas Tubelis, Zalgiris Kaunas (10.6 credits)

I guess no one saw this coming, but [Azuolas Tubelis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/azuolas-tubelis/008192/) has been one of the best power forwards in the EuroLeague this season. In his first campaign with Zalgiris, Tubelis has already had three games with a PIR of at least 23. His last one? 17 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists and a PIR of 26 against Paris!

 

### Johannes Voigtmann, FC Bayern Munich (9.2 credits)

Okay, so you don't want to spend that much money in a center. I get it and have another choice for you. [Johannes Voigtmann](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/johannes-voigtmann/007201/) has seen much more playing time lately and has made the most out of it, averaging 12.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.0 blocks and a PIR of 2.0 in the last two games. All for less than 10.0 credits!

 

### Justin Anderson, Dubai Basketball (7.4 credits)

Dubai has a lot of backcourt injuries, which means other players have seen extended playing time. All eyes are on Wright, but [Justin Anderson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/justin-anderson/012795/) has been sensational over the last three games, averaging 13.0 points on 7-of-8 two-point shooting and 7 of 13 on three-pointers, plus 5.0 rebounds for a PIR of 17.3. Sensational!

More EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge News

Sportradar's Matt Kamalsky examines the defensive improvements that have vaulted FC Barcelona and Valencia Basket to top-three spots in the standings

Stats review: Explaining Barcelona and Valencia's rise in the standings

There was significant movement at the top of the EuroLeague standings following Round 15 as Valencia Basket and FC Barcelona jumped into the top three, joining [Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/hapoel-ibi-tel-aviv/roster/hta/) to form the trio of teams with at least 10 wins thus far.  That is no small feat for a pair of teams that started the season 2-3 and 3-3, respectively, before rattling off impressive strings of performances that now put them in striking distance of first-place heading into the final two-round week of 2025. 

For [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/roster/bar/), the change that has sparked its recent success is pretty specific.  With its offense performing at a top-10 level even as it had a couple players in and out of the lineup in the early going, much of its growth has come defensively, hinging almost entirely on a change in approach at guarding pick-and-rolls. 

On the surface, Barcelona has gone from allowing 1.07 points per possession over its first six games to only 0.97 per possession over its last nine. That is roughly the equivalent of jumping from 20th to fourth in defensive efficiency. Digging a little deeper, the choices that have supported that improvement are pretty clear. After giving opposing ball handlers quite a bit of latitude in the early going, Barcelona is facing 5 fewer possessions from opposing guards in the pick-and-roll per game — getting over screens more consistently and often just doing a better job of forcing opposing guards to give up the ball, whether hedging or switching.  Similarly, rotating early to limit scoring opportunities for opposing screeners — especially on pops to the perimeter, Barcelona has loaded up to stop two-man actions.  Even if it is facing more jumpers when the ball is sprayed out to the wings, it has contested looks within pick-and-rolls and deflected enough passes with its rotations to more than compensate.

While [Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/valencia-basket/roster/pam/) has made its gains on the defensive end as well, its path there has been less conventional; it is taking away opportunities inside and challenging teams to beat it from beyond the arc. After facing 27.6 three-point attempts per game with its defense set through the first five games, it has faced only 20.4 per game in the 10 games since. That’s the difference between rankings 20th and second in three-point attempts allowed in the half-court. With many of those attempts coming off the catch, Valencia has contested a higher percentage of the attempts it has faced on the perimeter than it did in the early going, while allowing a league-best 58% shooting around the rim. While the success in that latter regard aligns with its adjustments, Valencia's opponent’s three-point percentage dropping from 42% to 32% has been a pleasant surprise and key to their rise in the standings.

The challenge for Barcelona and, perhaps even more so, Valencia moving forward is the same as it has been for every team climbing the standings in the EuroLeague over the last several seasons in particular: sustainability. While Fenerbahce was 10-5 through 15 games last season, Panathinaikos had only just fought its way above .500 during its championship run, while Anadolu Efes was just 7-8 during its 2021-22 championship campaign. The level of parity in the EuroLeague does not make it easy for teams to show their championship form, especially in the early part of the year. 

While their ultimate placement remains to be seen, Valencia and Barcelona deserve credit for finding their footing and changing their fortunes so quickly. The question remains: is there another team prepared to rise even higher than this year’s current leaders or can the current trio of leaders hold serve over the next several months?

Sportradar's Matt Kamalsky examines the defensive improvements that have vaulted Barcelona and Valencia to top-three spots in the standings

Olympiacos Piraeus extended its perfect start in the Greek League to 10-0 after a commanding 62-105 victory over Peristeri Athens at Andreas Papandreou Arena

Olympiacos dominates Peristeri to stay perfect in Greek League

Olympiacos Piraeus extended its perfect start in the Greek League to 10-0 after a commanding 62-105 victory over Peristeri Athens at Andreas Papandreou Arena. The Reds turned a close contest into a rout with a spectacular third quarter that featured a 0-24 run.

Sasha Vezenkov led the winners with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Alec Peters contributed 15 and 6, Kostas Papanikolaou added 11 points and Tyler Dorsey 10, while Thomas Walkup dished 16 assists. Ty Nichols was Peristeri’s top scorer with 13 points and Alvo Cardenas and Riley Abercrombie betted 10 each.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="el" dir="ltr">ΤΕΛΙΚΟ 🏀 Περιστέρι - <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> 62-105 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PEROLY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PEROLY</a> <a href="https://t.co/1Mp6qcrAY2">pic.twitter.com/1Mp6qcrAY2</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/2000231862632116670?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Head coach Giorgos Bartzokas opened the game with Walkup, Evan Fournier, Peters, Vezenkov, and Nikola Milutinov. Vezenkov set the tone early, scoring Olympiacos’s first 6 points and finishing the opening period with 10. Despite his strong start, Peristeri stayed competitive thanks to Nichols, who had 8 points and 2 steals to give the hosts a slim 22-21 lead after 10 minutes.

Olympiacos tightened its defense in the second quarter and began to pull away. Vezenkov continued his scoring spree, reaching 17 points by the 15th minute as the visitors built a double-digit advantage. By halftime, Olympiacos led 35-50, with Dorsey adding key baskets to complement Vezenkov’s early dominance.

The third quarter was when Olympiacos broke the game open. Bartzokas’s men locked down defensively, holding Peristeri to just 3 points over 9 minutes while unleashing a 0-24 run. Peters spearheaded the offensive explosion as Olympiacos executed flawlessly on both ends, winning the quarter 9-32 and stretching the margin to 44-82. The final period was purely academic, but Olympiacos continued to entertain, surpassing the 100-point mark and sealing its tenth straight league win in style.

More Olympiacos news

The Reds improved to 10-0 on the Greek League season

EuroLeague top photos of the week

Look back at all the action from Rounds 15 of the regular season by checking out the best photos of the week! 

Top 10 photos of the week: Round 15

Anadolu Efes Istanbul announced on Saturday morning that Pablo Laso has been appointed as its new head coach until the end of the 2026-27 season.

Efes appoints Pablo Laso as head coach

[Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/) announced on Saturday morning that Pablo Laso has been appointed as its new head coach until the end of the 2026-27 season. Laso arrives to Istanbul to [replace Igor Kokoskov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/efes-parts-ways-with-head-coach-igor-kokoskov/), who parted ways with the club in late November after a 5-8 start in the EuroLeague season.

Since then, Rade Trifunovic served as interim head coach, with Efes losing two more games and dropping to 18th place in the standings with a 5-10 record. Efes is also on a four-game losing streak in the Turkish League, where it has a 6-4 record.

Laso coached his hometown Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz last season and finished with a 14-20 record in the EuroLeague, before losing in the quarterfinals of the Spanish League Playoffs against eventual champion Real Madrid.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Antrenörlük kariyeri boyunca iki EuroLeague şampiyonluğunun yanı sıra pek çok lig ve yerel kupa şampiyonluğu da yaşayan Pablo Laso ile 2026 - 2027 sezonu sonuna kadar sözleşme imzaladık. <br><br>Welcome Coach! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenimYerimBuras%C4%B1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenimYerimBurası</a> <a href="https://t.co/fqHFypYZiq">pic.twitter.com/fqHFypYZiq</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1999793533830775285?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Real Madrid is the place where Laso has had enormous success, most notably guiding *Los Blancos* to EuroLeague titles in 2015 and 2018. The 58-year-old spent 10 seasons in charge of Real Madrid, leading the team to a 213-97 record in 310 EuroLeague games.

Under his stewardship, Real Madrid reached seven out of a possible 10 Final Fours, while the club from the Spanish capital won 22 trophies with Laso at the helm: two EuroLeague titles, six Spanish League crowns, six Spanish Cups, seven Spanish Super Cups, and one FIBA Intercontinental Cup.

In the 2014-15 and 2017-18 seasons, when Real Madrid became EuroLeague champions, Laso was named as the EuroLeague Coach of the Year in each of those campaigns.

EuroLeague Masterminds | Pablo Laso

In the summer of 2023, Laso joined FC Bayern Munich and posted a 13-21 record in the EuroLeague, but he enjoyed a much better time domestically, lifting the German League and German Cup titles. A year later, Laso returned to his hometown by penning a deal with Baskonia, and now he is joining Efes, which has been heavily depleted by injuries.

[Shane Larkin will be out until early February](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/shane-larkin-undergoes-groin-surgery-out-for-two-months/) after undergoing groin surgery, [Georgios Papagiannis is out for the season](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/efes-ercan-osmani-out-three-weeks-georgios-papagiannis-to-miss-eight-months/) following an ACL injury in mid-October, while PJ Dozier has been out since [mid-November](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/pj-dozier-to-miss-4-6-weeks-with-thigh-tear/). The bright spot has been a return of Vincent Poirier, who made his first appearance on Thursday in a road loss against Valencia Basket.

More Efes News

The two-time EuroLeague championship-winning coach is the new man in charge of Efes

A career night for Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv guard Lonnie Walker and a season-best performance by FC Barcelona forward Will Clyburn saw them share Round 15 MVP honors. For Walker it is the first time he has been the MVP of the Round in 33 career EuroLeague appearances, while it is the seventh such award for Clyburn in his 258-game career.

Round 15 co-MVPs: Lonnie Walker, Will Clyburn

A career night for [Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/maccabi-rapyd-tel-aviv/tel/) guard [Lonnie Walker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/lonnie-walker-iv/013403/) and a season-best performance by [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/) forward [Will Clyburn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/will-clyburn/004888/) saw them share Round 15 MVP honors. For Walker it is the first time he has been the MVP of the Round in 33 career EuroLeague appearances, while it is the seventh such award for Clyburn in his 258-game career.

Walker posted a career-high 33 PIR, the joint highest of any player in this round, in Maccabi’s 92-84 win over LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne after netting a career-best 29 points – the best of any player in Round 15 – on 10-of-11 two-pointers, 2-of-8 three-pointers and 3-of-3 free throws. What’s more, the guard pulled down a personal-high 9 rebounds, in addition to recording 1 assist and 2 fouls drawn. Walker’s accolade comes after [Roman Sorkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/roman-sorkin/011219/) achieved the same feat in Round 6 of this current campaign.

Clyburn enjoyed a season-best night as Barcelona grabbed a 98-85 victory against Olympiacos Piraeus, setting new season highs with a 33 PIR and 28 points, which came in large part thanks to a career-high 7 three-pointers made on 10 attempts. He also shot 3 for 5 inside the arc 1 for 1 from the line, in addition to grabbing 3 rebounds, dishing 2 assists, making 3 steals, blocking 1 shot and drawing 2 fouls. Clyburn follows Toko Shengelia in earning MVP of the Round honors this season, as the Georgian did so in Round 8.

Two players shared the next-best index rating in Round 15, with Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade’s [Tyrique Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tyrique-jones/011981/) and Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv’s [Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/) each recording a 30 PIR – a season high for Jones, a career-best effort in the case of Oturu.

In Partizan’s 79-76 Rivalry Series triumph over Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, Jones finished with 15 points on 6-of-7 two-point attempts and 3-of-4 free throws, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals and 7 fouls drawn. Oturu, however, led his team to a 74-79 win at Virtus Bologna, posting 21 points on 9-of-10 two-pointers and 3-of-4 free throws, 10 boards, 1 steal, 1 block and 5 fouls drawn. This is the first double-double of Oturu’s 75-game career.

Sorkin rounds out the list of best performers in Round 15 with a PIR of 29. The Maccabi forward poured in a career-high 26 points on 8-of-13 two-point attempts, 1-of-3 triples and 7-of-10 free throws, as well as 7 rebounds, 1 assist, a joint career-best 4 blocks – the second round in succession he has had 4 blocks – and 6 fouls drawn.

### Individual highs: Roman Sorkin, Maccabi, 4 blocks 

Lonnie Walker was the top scorer in Round 15 with 29 points. Paris Basketball’s Nadir Hifi is this season’s leading scorer with 20.9 points per game.

Zalgiris Kaunas big man Azuolas Tubelis and Partizan forward Isaac Bonga pulled down 11 rebounds apiece, more than anyone else in this round. Olympiacos Piraeus center Nikola Milutinov tops the rebounding charts with 7.6 boards per night.

Three players – Zalgiris’s Nigel Williams-Goss, Virtus’s Luca Vildoza and Olympiacos’s Thomas Walkup – each had a round-high 10 assists. Zalgiris playmaker Sylvain Francisco is the top assists provider this season with 7.1 dimes per contest.

There were also three players who led the way in steals in Round 15 with 4 apiece: Tyrique Jones, AS Monaco’s Alpha Diallo and Hapoel’s Ish Wainright. Diallo is also the season leader in this category with 1.8 steals per game.

Roman Sorkin topped all players in blocks in this round with 4. Real Madrid’s Walter Tavares is atop the leaderboard in blocks with 2.0 rejections per night.

Tubelis (17 points, 11 rebounds), Williams-Goss (18 points, 10 assists), Oturu (21 points, 10 rebounds) and Bonga (16 points, 11 rebounds) were the only players to finish with a double-double in Round 15.

FC Barcelona v Olympiacos Piraeus (2025-12-12T19:30:00.000Z)

Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2025-12-11T19:05:00.000Z)

Not in his wildest dream could Mirko Ocokoljic imagine until just a few weeks ago that he would rocket into the spotlight as a top contender to take charge of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade on a full-time basis.

Mirko Ocokoljic 'the right man for the job' after Partizan’s Serbian Derby comeback

Not in his wildest dream could Mirko Ocokoljic imagine until just a few weeks ago that he would rocket into the spotlight as a top contender to take charge of [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/) on a full-time basis.

Rewind the tape to the early stages of the current EuroLeague season and you’ll see a confident and beaming Zeljko Obradovic thinking big after Partizan made a 3-2 start, looking forward to another tilt at reaching the postseason.

Then came a dramatic slump in form and with it disarray at the club, the likes of which was almost unfathomable. Partizan dropped to 4-9 after a dismal 1-7 run, prompting Obradovic, the winner of a record nine EuroLeague titles with five different clubs, to do the unthinkable.

He stepped down. Shocked and infuriated by their icon’s resignation, the die-hard fans reacted emotionally and then brutally. [They gave Obradovic a hero’s welcome at Belgrade airport](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/zelko-obradovic-receives-heros-welcome-as-partizans-fans-and-board-rally-behind-him/) when he returned from Greece a day after the team landed, following a 91-69 drubbing at Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens.

Not just a handful of fans but thousands. They begged him to reconsider and so did the board, but Obradovic stayed true to his word and honored his promise not to return.

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade-Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade | Round 15 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Ocokoljic was cold-shouldered by fans, much like the team when they stepped inside a packed Belgrade Arena, with the 20,000-strong crowd rooting for Bayern out of spite and holding giant placards with Obradovic’s image. Having absolved their “patriarch” – as one of the fans at the airport described Obradovic – of any wrongdoing for Partizan’s plight, they ripped into the players, jeering every time they scored and cheered every single time Bayern did at the other end.

Having [ground out a 92-85 win over the German side](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/duane-washington-tyrique-jones-power-partizan-to-first-win-of-post-zeljko-obradovic-era/) despite feeling like the road team at home, Partizan went on to win at U-BT Cluj-Napoca by the same score in the regional ABA League before locking horns with an in-form Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, which had hit top gear under head coach Sasa Obradovic.

Ocokoljic rebuffed suggestions that being Obradovic’s understudy at AS Monaco was his trump card in a memorable 79-76 win on Friday night, as Partizan wiped out a 16-point third-quarter deficit and roared back in the fourth to overpower Zvezda.

“I know Sasa well but you never know what he might pull out of the hat, and that’s why we struggled so much against their switch defense,” Ocokoljic told the post-game press conference. “He is methodical and structured but also full of surprises. I want to thank the fans for their frenetic support. This really is the most emotional victory of my career, for sure.” 

Partizan fans did show up this time, for their own team. The atmosphere reached fever pitch as the hosts turned the contest on its head in the home straight, drawing wild cheers from hordes on the terraces which only a few days ago interrupted their practice session as thousands gathered in front of Belgrade Arena and demanded to be addressed by captain [Vanja Marinkovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vanja-marinkovic/004761/).

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The moment, 16 down to Derby Day winners 🤯 <br><br>Absolute scenes 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/0amTwi27c4">pic.twitter.com/0amTwi27c4</a></p>&mdash; EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1999606612420636912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

For Ocokoljic, who enjoyed a trophy-laden spell as an assistant at Monaco under Zvezdan Mitrovic and then Sasa Obradovic, it seemed just like another day in the office as he deflected questions whether he was about to be promoted.

“I can’t speak to that,” he told reporters. “I came into this job as an interim knowing that it might only be for a few games, and I have had no talks to such effect with anyone at the club. We’ll see what happens and my priority right now is to make sure we keep working hard and keep our feet on the ground.”

Ocokoljic, who joined Partizan as Zeljko Obradovic’s assistant during the close season, could not be a more contrasting figure to his former boss, who made it a habit of screaming at players and getting into their faces during games when things didn’t go according to plan.

Cutting a calm and composed coach never looking likely to lose his temper, Ocokoljic appears to have a soothing effect as desirable as aftershave to sensitive skin, having calmed his players’ nerves after jittery starts in all three games under his tenure.

“The club really should do the right thing and give him a long-term contract,” pundit and former coach Vlade Djurovic told Serbia’s Arenasport television after the derby. “There’s been a plethora of top names circulating around since Zeljko stepped down and I don’t know what Partizan’s board is going to do, but they ought to look closer to home. Ocokoljic is the right man for the job.”

The derby win has catapulted the club’s interim head coach as the prime candidate to take over full time

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2025-12-12T19:30:00.000Z)