Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 24 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub: Round 24

## Friday, January 31

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. Virtus Segafredo Bologna (18:30 CET)

**Saras Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul head coach**

"Virtus is doing really well since the change of the coach and winning games. One of the things we have to worry about is the defensive pressure. The guards are very big and physical. Offensively, they present a lot of problems with the shooting bigs and with the situations off-picks of \[Marco\] Belinelli."

**Arturs Zagars, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul guard**

"Obviously, we had a tough week. So now, we have to refresh our energy and everything. No game in the EuroLeague is easy. So, today and tomorrow, we are going to continue our preparations. For our fans, please keep being consistent like you have been so far. It's amazing to play here. We just got to do a better job to protect our home court."

**Dusko Ivanovic, Virtus Segafredo Bologna head coach**

"I believe that in the last month Fenerbahce has been playing their best, winning 10 wins in a row. They are a great team, attacking very well with excellent shooters, they know how to open the court with many players and they always play with great confidence."

**Achille Polonara, Virtus Segafredo Bologna forward**

"We face one of the best teams in Europe. A difficult game awaits us in a tough court, but we are also aware that we can compete with anyone if we play our basketball."

### AS Monaco vs. Real Madrid (19:00 CET)

**Chus Mateo, Real Madrid head coach**

"We are feeling good, confident and eager to face a big game against AS Monaco, which is a great team, as it has shown in recent seasons in which it reached the Final Four, which is doing things very well and has elite players who are capable of winning games on their own. We'll play a game that is important for us and we travel with the goal of being able to get a victory on a difficult court."

**Sergio Llull, Real Madrid guard**

"The team is good, enthusiastic. We are working hard, trying to get the new signings to adapt as quickly as possible and we are aware that we have a difficult game on a difficult court, but it is very important to take a step forward and climb up the standings. AS Monaco is a team with great individuals, players with a lot of points in their hands. They defend very aggressively, they steal a lot of balls, and that allows them to run on the fast break and score easy points. We have to control this aspect of their game, rebound well, avoid turnovers to not let them run and, on offense, try to play our game to have a chance to win."

**Matthew Strazel, AS Monaco guard**

"Real Madrid are in great form, they're moving up the standings. A defeat would mean we'd be level with them, and that's not what we want. We want to react, give a different account of ourselves and start a winning streak. We've analyzed Real's game. We've drawn up a game plan that we have to stick to it. We'll miss Jordan \[Loyd\] and Elie \[Okobo\] offensively, but that's part of the ups and downs of the season. We're going to give everything we've got to win this game."

### Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (20:15 CET)

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus**

"Efes is a very talented team, with depth on its bench. They have high-level players. In my opinion, Efes is a Final Four team. They had some injuries, and that probably affected them. Recently, they are in good momentum. Against Milano, they scored 110 points, and that did not have to do just with the fact that Nikola Mirotic was out. It was more because they play very well and they have great cooperation on offense and defense. It is going to be a tough game. We will miss Thomas Walkup. There are more players that they are facing some smaller injury issues, but they will play. Luca Vildoza, who yesterday practiced individually, will practice today with the team, and he will play. Also, Moustapha Fall is dealing with an injury in his right-hand small finger, but that’s what it is… It is a game that we must win in order to maintain high in the standings."

**Giannoulis Larentzakis, Olympiacos Piraeus**

"We have a chance to react after the loss against Fenerbahçe in our home court. We do not want to lose again at Peace and Friendship Stadium. For sure, Efes is a talented team, but they also have weaknesses. We have worked on their weaknesses the whole week, and I believe that tomorrow we will be ready to do what we have to do in order to get back on the winning track."

**Luca Banchi, Anadolu Efes Istanbul head coach**

"We are preparing for a very challenging game. Olympiacos is actually one of the most competitive team in EuroLeague. And especially their court will make them feel very confident. We need to offer a great consistency for 40 minutes long because it's a matter to match their incredible physicality, athleticism and capacity, also to develop the possession for all the 24 seconds. That's why we really wish to have another important performance, collective effort and capacity to keep a high intensity of game for 40 minutes."

**Darius Thompson, Anadolu Efes Istanbul guard**

"We are going to play against Olympiacos, a great team who has a great home atmosphere. We have to go there and compete, fight as a team and try to do the best as we can."

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (20:30 CET)

**Zeljko Obradović, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade**

"In the EuroLeague derby, Crvena Zvezda fans will be present in our arena, just as our fans were at the first game \[earlier this season\]. I see this as something very positive, moving in a direction where fair play ultimately prevails. I hope that Partizan fans will understand the importance of tomorrow’s game, that they will fully support the team, and that there won’t be a single offensive word directed at anyone from Crvena Zvezda. That is my wish, and I once again urge them to focus solely on cheering and supporting our team. As for the game itself, the derby is crucial for both us and Crvena Zvezda. We know each other very well. What’s most important for us is to get four players back as soon as possible: Vanja Marinkovic and Frank Ntilikina are definitely out, while Aleksej Pokusevski and Mitar Bosnjaković are dealing with illnesses. We’ll see if either of them will be able to help the team."

**Isaac Bonga, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade**

"I expect us to win. We need to stick to the game plan and repeat the good things we've done in recent games. We're excited because this will be the first derby in front of our fans, and I believe that will be a big advantage for us."

**Ioannis Sfairopoulos, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade head coach**

"We know each other very well. Partizan has been playing very well of late, they have five wins from the last six games in the EuroLeague. We have to be concentrated and follow the game plan. This is the third time we will play against them this season, but this game will have one difference. As the host in this game, the pressure is on Partizan's side."

**Nemanja Nedovic, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade guard**

"There are no secrets, we know a lot about each other. We know that Partizan is in good form. We know we have to stop their transition game if we want to beat them. A derby is always a derby."

## Thursday, January 30

### Zalgiris Kaunas vs. FC Bayern Munich (19:00 CET)

**Andrea Trinchieri, Zalgiris Kaunas head coach**

"Another game, another opportunity to bounce back. In the last 20 quarters we played, we were amazing for 14 quarters, we were terrible for six. That cost us a 1-4 record in the last five games. Some things we can do better, another thing is to remain objective and keep in mind the quality of the opponents and what they needed to do in order to come back. We know what we have to improve, we are working on it, and the team is aware. Do you change these things by snapping your fingers? No. Do you improve these things in one day, one practice? No. I believe that with the right commitment that we have and a little bit of luck, which we don't have at this moment, I believe that we are going to get back on track."

### Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv vs. ALBA Berlin (20:05 CET)

**Oded Kattash, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv head coach**

"ALBA may be ranked last, but since their injured players have returned, they have been playing better, even in their losses. We will be missing Jaylen \[Hoard\], and everyone understands how important he is to us. It's hard to know what to expect, but we want to win. We feel better in terms of training, but Jaylen's injury has disrupted our rhythm now."

**Trevion Williams, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv center**

"It should be fun \[playing my former team\]. It will be good to see the guys again, I'm excited. We always want to build on the good things that we did, and also take the bad things and improve on them. We come into this game with a lot of confidence and we're looking to get the job done and keep it rolling. Obviously Jaylen \[Hoard\]'s part of the team, but the next guy has to step up, whether it's me, whether it's Will \[Rayman\], whoever it is."

**Levi Randolph, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv forward**

"The message this whole season has been to try to continue to get better. We're making strides in that direction, we've been able to get some good wins down the stretch, and we'll look to continue that \[against ALBA\]. \[Jaylen Hoard\] is an important piece for us, he's one of our main players, one of our go-to guys. It's going to be different for us to play without him, but we have a lot of depth, we have guys who are ready to step up. We have great big men who are ready to play tomorrow and we're looking forward to getting the job done."

### Paris Basketball vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (20:30 CET)

\--

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (20:30 CET)

**Ettore Messina, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan head coach**

"The game might look to be prohibitive for us. However, in front of our people, we fully intend to play with courage, keeping out the sadness that afflicted us in Istanbul, and with the healthy players we will have, try to pose to the defending champions of Panathinaikos the best possible challenge."

**Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens head coach**

"Milan always has a lot of experience, a great coach. They are missing some important players like \[Nikola\] Mirotic, an important player, but on their home court they will play an aggressive game and react after the big loss they had last week in Istanbul. It will be a very tough game, like all games on the road. They have experienced players like \[Shavon\] Shields, \[Nico\] Mannion, \[Leandro\] Bolmaro, \[Zach\] LeDay is a very important player, so it will be a tough game. We will not make any additions, our roster is big enough. I will give more responsibilities at the center position to Dinos Mitoglou, who is a much better player than the players that are on the market. We hope that \[Omer\] Yurtseven comes back in three or four weeks, and then we will wait for Mathias \[Lessort\]."

**Cedi Osman, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens forward**

"\[Milan\] had some games where they've lost with a high deficit – one of those games was against us, the other was against Efes last week. But they're on their home court now so I don't think it will be the same. We have to forget the game that we played against them, this is going to be a different game. They're going to come out strong, they're going to come out aggressive, and we know that it's always tough to play on the road. In the Baskonia game, we beat them \[at OAKA\] by 30 points but then over there it was a different game. We have to be ready."

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

**Joan Penarroya, FC Barcelona head coach**

"We know where we are going. We are in a delicate situation at a physical level. I was very happy in Victoria. I was treated very well. It's my first time back and I'm happy to be reunited with a lot of people I haven't seen lately."

**Chimezie Metu, FC Barcelona center**

"If you give Baskonia confidence, they are a very dangerous team. They have been able to beat great teams and we must be focused on the job at hand. Anyone can beat anyone and we must try to be consistent."

Pregame quotes hub: 'The pressure is on Partizan's side'

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2025-01-31T19:30:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-01-31T19:15:00.000Z)

AS Monaco v Real Madrid (2025-01-31T18:00:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2025-01-31T17:30:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2025-01-30T19:30:00.000Z)

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2025-01-30T19:30:00.000Z)

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v FC Barcelona (2025-01-30T19:30:00.000Z)

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v ALBA Berlin (2025-01-30T19:05:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas v FC Bayern Munich (2025-01-30T18:00:00.000Z)

Here, you can find all the latest injury news surrounding all registered players in the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

EuroLeague injury report: Round 24

Follow all the latest injury information for registered players in the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season, 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!

### ALBA Berlin

ALBA lists Matt Thomas as questionable, and Justin Bean as the only player out for its game at Maccabi on Thursday.

- Martin Hermannsson did not play in Round 23 but is listed as available for this game.
- Ziga Samar has left the club to join Gran Canaria on loan.
- [Justin Bean](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/justin-bean-out-three-months-with-broken-wrist/) is out until early February after breaking his wrist.

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Shane Larkin and Vincent Poirier are questionable for Efes's game at Olympiacos on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- Derek Willis and Stanley Johnson did not play in Round 23.

### AS Monaco

Elie Okobo and Jordan Loyd are ruled out for Monaco's game against Real Madrid on Friday, according to the club's website.

- Elie Okobo did not play in the French League last weekend due to a heel injury. He last played in Round 22.
- Jordan Loyd is out until mid-February with a hamstring injury. He last played in Round 22.

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

Baskonia has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Barcelona on Thursday.

- Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot did not play in Round 23.
- [Tadas Sedekerskis is out with an injury](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/baskonia-tadas-sedekerskis-suffers-thigh-injury/) in his thigh muscle, but no timetable has been set for his return.

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade

Mike Daum is Crvena Zvezda's only absentee for its game at Partizan on Friday, according to the club's website.

- Nemanja Nedovic last played in Round 20.
- Branko Lazic (back) last played in Round 15.
- Mike Daum, who last played in Round 18, has undergone knee surgery, the club confirmed on January 9.

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan

Nikola Mirotic, Giampaolo Ricci, Josh Nebo, Fabien Causeur and Ousmane Diop are ruled out for Milan's game against Panathinaikos on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/leg-injury-sidelines-milans-nikola-mirotic/) announced on January 19 that he will be out for at least two weeks.
- Ousmane Diop last played in Round 19.
- Fabien Causeur last played in Round 18.
- [Josh Nebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/josh-nebo-to-be-reevaluated-in-3-4-weeks/) suffered another injury in Round 17 and is expected to miss extended time, according to coach Ettore Messina.

### FC Barcelona

Jan Vesely, Justin Anderson and Nico Laprovittola are ruled out for Barcelona's game at Baskonia on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Juan Nunez did not play in Round 23.
- [Nico Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nico-laprovittola-to-undergo-knee-surgery/) was ruled out for the season due to an ACL and meniscus injury.

### FC Bayern Munich

According to the club, Bayern will be without Shabazz Napier and Elias Harris in its game at Zalgiris on Thursday.

- Vladimir Lucic returned to action in Round 23.
- Shabazz Napier did not play in Round 23 and is out against Zalgiris due to illness.
- Elias Harris did not play in Round 23.

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

Fenerbahce will, again, be without Wade Baldwin and Scottie Wilbekin for its game against Virtus on Friday.

- [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/wade-baldwin-out-with-hamstring-injury/) has not played since suffering a hamstring injury in Round 16.
- [Scottie Wilbekin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-confirms-the-worst-scottie-wilbekin-has-torn-his-acl/) tore his ACL in Round 1 and is out.

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

ASVEL has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Paris on Thursday.

- Ben Bentil made his ASVEL debut in Round 23.
- Joffrey Lauvergne returned to action in Round 23.
- [Charles Kahudi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/charles-kahudi-out-for-four-weeks-with-groin-injury/) last played in Round 14.
- [Mbaye Ndiaye ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/mbaye-ndiaye-ldlc-asvel-out-for-several-months-with-knee-injury/)has ruptured the cruciate ligaments in his right knee and is likely out for the season.

### Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

Jaylen Hoard is unavailable for Maccabi's game against ALBA on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Jaylen Hoard is out for two to four weeks with a hamstring injury, the club announced on January 29.

### Olympiacos Piraeus

Thomas Walkup, Keenan Evans and Moses Wright will miss Olympiacos's game against Efes on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- Keenan Evans has been registered ahead of Round 24 but remains unavailable. He has not played this season after undergoing knee surgery last May.
- Shaq McKissic (illness) missed Round 23 but is available for this game.
- Thomas Walkup (back) last played in Round 20.
- [Moses Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/moses-wright-out-for-the-season-with-health-issue/) is out for the season with a health issue.

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens

Omer Yurtseven, Mathias Lessort and Marius Grigonis are ruled out for Panathinaikos's game at Milan on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- [Omer Yurtseven](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-loses-center-yurtseven/) suffered a leg injury on January 20, which will sideline him for six to eight weeks.
- Kostas Antetokounmpo last played in Round 17.
- [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 will miss several months.
- Marius Grigonis (lower back surgery) has not played since Round 4.

### Paris Basketball

Paris has not yet sent an injury report for its game against ASVEL on Thursday.

- Daulton Hommes has not yet played this season.

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade

Partizan has Aleksej Pokusevski and Mitar Bosnjakovic listed as game-day decisions due to illness, while Frank Ntilikina and Vanja Marinkovic remain out for the game against Crvena Zvezda on Friday.

- Duane Washington last played in Round 20 but returned to action in the domestic league and is available for the Belgrade Derby.
- Frank Ntilikina last played in Round 20.
- Vanja Marinkovic has not played since Round 16 due to an Achilles injury.

### Real Madrid

Real Madrid has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Monaco on Friday.

- [New signing Dennis Smith Jr.](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/real-madrid-baloncesto-signs-ex-nba-guard-dennis-smith-jr/) has been registered ahead of Round 24.
- [New signing Bruno Fernando](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bruno-fernando-signs-for-real-madrid-baloncesto/) has been registered ahead of Round 24.
- Serge Ibaka returned to action in Round 23.
- [Gaby Deck](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/real-madrid-loses-gabriel-deck-to-torn-hamstring/) last played in Round 18 and is sidelined with a torn hamstring.

### Virtus Segafredo Bologna

Ante Zizic and Will Clyburn are both ruled out for Virtus's game at Fenerbahce on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- Ante Zizic last played in Round 19.
- [Will Clyburn is out until mid-March](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/will-clyburn-virtus-bologna-out-at-least-10-weeks-with-foot-injury/) due to a foot injury.

### Zalgiris Kaunas

Alen Smailagic is a game-time decision while Dovydas Giedraitis is ruled out for Zalgiris's game against Bayern on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Dovydas Giedraitis is out for a few weeks with a knee injury, the club said on January 29.
- Tomas Dimsa, who has not been registered, remains out with a shoulder injury.

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

Injury report, Round 24: Who will miss out on the Belgrade derby?

Every derby is special, but some carry a specific weight that makes them truly unforgettable. The clash between Serbian basketball giants KK Crvena zvezda and KK Partizan is exactly that – a showdown steeped in history, passion, and fierce competition.

Why you can’t miss the EuroLeague Serbian derby

Every derby is special, but some carry a specific weight that makes them truly unforgettable. The clash between Serbian basketball giants [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/red/) and [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/) is exactly that – a showdown steeped in history, passion, and fierce competition.

The magnitude of the Belgrade derby only seems to grow each year. Five battles between these powerhouses have already electrified the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, and not a single one has disappointed. But the sixth? It promises to be the best yet.

The first three Serbian EuroLeague encounters were absolute thrillers, each going down to the wire. The very first clash came down to a dramatic three-pointer by [Nemanja Nedovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nemanja-nedovic/000848/) in the dying seconds, sealing a Crvena Zvezda victory in front of 18,000 stunned Partizan fans. Some would say it doesn’t get better than that – but this Friday night (20:30 CET) might just prove them wrong.

Never before has a EuroLeague Belgrade derby taken place this deep into the regular season, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. With just 11 games left before the Play-In Showdown, only a single win separates the two rivals in the standings. Both sides are eyeing the postseason, making this contest pivotal.

Read more [HERE](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1778448/why-you-cant-miss-the-euroleague-serbian-derby/).

Catch the Belgrade derby's pregame and postgame show on the EuroLeague's official YouTube channel from 19:00 CET

Olimpia Milano stunned Panathinaikos BC in Round 24, with Zach LeDay and Freddie Gillespie emerging as heroes for Ettore Messina's undermanned squad.

Milan showed mettle in the face of adversity to down the champions

[EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/mil/) put behind a pair of crushing defeats in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague to produce one of its best displays in recent history and [sink the competition’s reigning champion, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/zach-leday-shines-as-milan-roars-back-to-beat-panathinaikos-87-75/).

Milan was missing top scorer [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-mirotic/000796/), influential guards [Diego Flaccadori](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/diego-flaccadori/005670/) and [Fabien Causeur](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/fabien-causeur/001392/), energetic forward [Ousmane Diop](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ousmane-diop/013385/), and long-term casualty [Josh Nebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/josh-nebo/011199/), but [Zach LeDay](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/zach-leday/008987/) carried the home team by tying his career high of 33 points and a season-high PIR of 39 as he lit up the contest from start to finish.

LeDay, who also racked up 8 boards, shot 12 of 17 from the floor (5 of 7 from downtown) and 4 of 4 from the line as he took full advantage of the absence of [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/) and [Omer Yurtseven](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/omer-yurtseven/005353/), the visiting team’s big men who are also sidelined by injuries.

Having scored 5 points in the first quarter, LeDay turned on the heat in the second when he sank 12 and then added 16 in the second half as Milan steamrolled the Greens on the back of airtight defense which paved the way towards a memorable victory against the champs.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">39 pts of index rating<br>31 pts scored <br><br>MVP MVP!!!<br><br>LeBron LeDay<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/insieme?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#insieme</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ForzaOlimpia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ForzaOlimpia</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ds552SeLOq">pic.twitter.com/Ds552SeLOq</a></p>&mdash; Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936/status/1885096263407808748?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

In his postgame comments, LeDay confirmed that Milan was inspired by the occasion as much as he and his teammates were stung by the 70-90 home defeat Partizan followed by the 110-66 drubbing at Anadolu Efes Istanbul in the previous two rounds. 

“I wanted to pick up my warrior mentality and pass it on to the rest of the team,” LeDay said in a courtside postgame interview. “The EuroLeague champs came here tonight, they are a great club with a great coach, one of the best of the decade and in the history of the competition.”

Center [Freddie Gillespie](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/freddie-gillespie/011941/), who joined Milan in November after a short stint with the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian National Basketball League, was one of Milan’s unsung heroes in the resounding win over Panathinaikos.

Gillespie racked up 11 points and 4 boards to underline the home team’s dominance in the paint and revealed that the painful defeats in the previous two rounds had led to some soul-searching in the locker room ahead of the clash with the defending champion.

“We had some honest conversations \[after the Efes debacle\], we came together and focused on what we needed to get better at,” said Gillespie. “We knew that we wanted to come out with a lot of energy and heart tonight. The work ethic at his club is incredible and I feel that I am growing as a player and as a person here.”

The outcome also put a big smile on coach Ettore Messina’s face as one of the EuroLeague’s senior tacticians heaped praise on his men. The 65-year-old, who has won four titles in Europe’s elite club competition, also thanked the home fans whose fervent support put extra wind in Milan’s sails on a memorable night.

“I feel so proud of my players as they were marvelous and played hard for 40 minutes,” he said. “It’s a great win and we are very thankful to the fans for creating an amazing atmosphere.

“We played with a lot of heart but we also played some very good basketball. LeDay had an incredible game, his scoring and rebounding was superb and the team had a lot of confidence in him.”

Next up for Milan in the upcoming double-round week are visits to Bayern Munich and Zalgiris Kaunas, while Panathinaikos is at home to Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and Real Madrid in a pair of blockbusters.  

Game News

The shorthanded Italian outfit produced its best performance of the season to defeat Panathinaikos

Olimpia Milano celebrated an impressive 87-75 home win over reigning champion Panathinaikos BC and improved to 13-11 in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, with Zach LeDay pouring in a career-high 33 points for the Italian side.

Zach LeDay shines as Milan roars back to beat Panathinaikos, 87-75

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan celebrated an impressive 87-75 home win over reigning champion Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens and improved to 13-11 in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, with Zach LeDay tying his career high by pouring in 33 points for the Italian side.

Despite missing its top scorer Nikola Mirotic, Milan snapped a two-game skid and recovered superbly from last week’s 110-66 fiasco at Anadolu Efes Istanbul, as LeDay produced a spectacular display in Europe’s premier club competition.

Nico Mannion chipped in with 14 points for Milan, Freddie Gillespie added 11 and Shavon Shields scored 10 for the home team, which trampled Panathinaikos after nosing ahead 17-16 at the end of the first quarter behind airtight defense.

At the other end, Kostas Sloukas paced Panathinaikos with 22 points, Kendrick Nunn netted 18 and Cedi Osman amassed 12, but the support cast misfired all over as the Greens sorely missed injured big men Mathias Lessort and Omer Yurtseven, long-term casualties who’ve been sidelined by serious injuries.

Game Videos

Following a tight first quarter, Milan stayed in control as LeDay dominated all over and scored 12 points in the second, taking his first-half tally to 17 as he bedazzled his markers time and again and had the crowd inside Unipol Forum on their feet. LeDay knocked down a couple of successive threes and then hit an audacious turnaround jumper to give the hosts a 31-24 lead midway through the second quarter, before Sloukas countered with some big plays of his own to slash the visiting team’s halftime deficit to 39-37.

Panathinaikos briefly levelled the score early in the third but that was as good as it got for the Greens, as Milan hit top gear again and pulled away to 54-45 on the back of a couple of triples from Mannion and another from LeDay. Panathinaikos cut the gap to 54-48 but Milan responded with a rampant 12-2 run thanks to a barrage of offensive boards which allowed Shields to sink another triple, while LeDay nailed an audacious three-point play which galvanized a raucous home crowd.

Panathinaikos briefly clawed its way back into the contest early in the fourth quarter as the Greek side closed in to 68-59, but that turned out to be the last roll of the dice.

Fired up by the unstoppable LeDay, Milan quickly found another gear and ran out a comfortable winner as the home team ramped up its defense again and confined the Greens to a mere 18 of 38 from inside, with Nunn limited to just 7 of 18 from the floor.

In contrast, LeDay shot 7 of 10 from inside the three-point arc and 5 of 7 from deep, having also racked up 8 boards to cap a memorable night as Milan stayed on course to reach the postsason.  

The Italian team bounced back from last week’s debacle at Efes in grand style 

With 3.5 seconds left and the game tied at 86-86, Baskonia head coach Pablo Laso put the basketball in Trent Forrest's right hands – and he scored the game-winning shot against FC Barcelona.


Coach Laso trusted Trent Forrest to become the hero – and he delivered

The [Round 24 showdown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/forrest-lifts-baskonia-past-barca-88-86/) between [Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/roster/bas/) and [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/roster/bar/) was a thriller that came down to the wire. 

After a tight fourth quarter, [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) buried a three-pointer to give Baskonia an 86-82 lead in the final minute. Barca was far from done, as [Juan Nunez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/juan-nunez/010106/) scored around the basket, the defense forced a turnover and [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/) did what Kevin Punter usually does in crunch time; he hit a jumper to tie the game, 86-86, with 3.5 seconds remaining.

After a timeout, the logical move was to give Moneke the chance to win the game. Moneke had been unstoppable all game long, logging 22 points, 9 rebounds and 8 fouls drawn for a PIR of 34. 

Baskonia coach Pablo Laso opted to go in a different direction, giving Moneke the ball to inbound it, which surprised Barca. His choice was [Trent Forest](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/trent-forrest/013367/), who took Nunez one-on-one and found the advantage to make a one-handed jumper in the lane with just 0.5 seconds remaining.

"It was a good play drawn up by Coach, and I was just able to get to my spot and knock down the shot," Forrest said after the game. "It feels good. We haven't been on this side of these close games, so it's good for us to finally be able to get a win."

"Why Trent? I think it was a situation in which we had to try to score close to the rim. Trent has a very good touch around the basket, and I thought it would be difficult that they helped," Coach Laso said. "I think it as very surprising from them that Chima \[Moneke\] inbounded the ball, and he made the perfect choice and Trent attacked the rim very well in a situation in which we knew it would be hard for them to double-team. He has a good touch there and this is why we chose him. [Nikos \[Rogkavopoulos\]](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikolaos-rogkavopoulos/011085/), [Markus \[Howard\]](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/) and [Tima \[Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot\]](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/timothe-luwawu-cabarrot/012080/) generated good space for Trent to attack the rim. I am very happy that he hit the shot."

Baskonia did a lot of things well during the game just to be in that situation. The team recorded 6 blocks, dished 21 assists and was very effective inside the arc. Baskonia made 26 of 37 two-pointers (70.3%), while Barca finished the game with 25 of 47 two-point shooting (53.2%), 18 assists and 1 block. Baskonia win the rebounding battle 33-26. Baskonia had a PIR of 107, far more than Barca's 83 in a two-point victory.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">Garra. Lucha. Carácter 🔵🔴 <a href="https://t.co/kJgHiTw4IQ">pic.twitter.com/kJgHiTw4IQ</a></p>&mdash; Baskonia (@Baskonia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Baskonia/status/1885079614038380747?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Moneke made sure to praise his teammate after his game-winning shot. It's been a long process for Forrest, who is showcasing his best basketball lately.

"I want to give a special shout out to Trent Forrest though, just because coming from America to play in the EuroLeague is not easy. I remember telling him in preseason that there would be an adjustment period and he's one of the best teammates I have had. He never complains, is always listening and is very accountable," Moneke said. 

"And now we are seeing the Trent for us that I knew we would see. I'm happy for him, that he got his moment today. He is going to be a big, big part for us."

With 3.5 seconds left and the game tied at 86-86, the Spanish coach put the basketball in the right hands 


Paris Basketball got good contributions from both its starters and bench during its 91-82 win over LDLC ASVEL in Round 24.

Both Paris units delivered in revenge win over ASVEL

[Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/) is a special team and it’s been proving that night in, night out this season. 

Head coach [Tiago Splitter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/splitter-tiago/) has taken many by surprise with his massive substitutions during the games, often changing all five players on the floor to refresh the team. It’s something unique in European basketball, but Paris is a unique team. And when this tactic works out on the court, the end product is quite impressive.

On Thursday night, Paris found the perfect harmony between its two units, with the starters netting 45 points and those who came off the bench scoring 46 to [down LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 91-82](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/paris-dominates-asvel-91-82-in-french-derby/) in the all-French derby. 

“We knew that we had to play hard against them,” Coach Splitter told EuroLeague TV after the game. “They are a very talented team. We did a good job off the boards. Both of our units were good tonight.”

Paris outrebounded ASVEL 40-34, with [Maodo Lo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/maodo-lo/007032/) stealing the limelight on the court by netting a team-high 18 points off the bench in less than 20 minutes. The Paris guard was aggressive on offense and looked unstoppable in the paint, going 6 for 9 from inside the arc. 

“Maodo was exceptional,” Splitter added. “He really put the ball under his arms and decided a lot of important basketballs.”

This was Paris’s first victory over ASVEL this season across all competitions. In fact, it was ASVEL that ended its rivals’ impressive 10-game winning streak earlier this season with [a 98-93 home victory in Round 15](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/asvel-ends-paris-unbeaten-run-in-all-french-rivalry-series-thriller-98-93/) back in December. Just a few days later, ASVEL dealt another blow to Paris with a 98-92 win in the domestic league. 

But revenge has been delivered at last, and Lo expressed his joy after the game. “ASVEL is a very good opponent,” he said on EuroLeague TV. “We’ve had trouble against them this season. This was a huge win for us.”

What follows for Paris is a tough double-round week, where it will host [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) before playing on the road at [Virtus Segafredo Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/vir/). And striking the right balance between its two units could be the key as Paris looks to build a new winning streak.

The starters and bench netted 45 and 46 points, respectively, in derby triumph

Martin Hermannsson tied his own club record with 11 assists as ALBA ended a 10-game losing skid by defeating Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 87-93 in Round 24 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

ALBA, Hermannsson tied assist records as offense shined

[ALBA Berlin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/alba-berlin/roster/ber/?season=2024-25) has been struggling in many areas this season with the offense being a major issue. But the German side put together a superb performance on the offensive end in finally snapping its long losing streak.

ALBA ended a 10-game losing skid with [an 87-93 victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/alba-finally-wins-again-beats-maccabi-to-snap-10-game-skid/) over [Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/roster/tel/?season=2024-25), scoring a season-high points in a non-overtime game. The most points this year for Israel Gonzalez’s team was in [the 105-101 overtime victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/undermanned-alba-showed-incredible-fight-to-beat-milan-in-ot-105-101/) over [EA7 Emporia Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/roster/mil/?season=2024-25) in Round 9. ALBA was victorious for the first time since December 4.

“It’s a much better feeling on the other side of the column. We’ve had a really difficult stretch the last couple of months. Just proud of the boys in the locker room. We deserve it and hopefully we can build off it,” said [Yanni Wetzell](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/yanni-wetzell/011934/), who poured in a career-high 22 points.

It wasn’t easy though as ALBA built a 16-point lead in the final quarter, but watched as Maccabi pulled within 3 points inside the final 2 minutes. Still, ALBA came up with the big plays down the stretch to knock off Maccabi.

“I’m glad we weathered the storm. We talked about it in a timeout. They’ve made their run, now it’s time to put our foot on the gas and make ours. I’m proud of how we held it together in those last minutes,” Wetzell added.

“We needed this a lot. We fought for this one for sure. This is a much better feeling than walking away with nothing,” said [Martin Hermannsson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/martin-hermannsson/008780/), who collected 11 points and 11 assists.

All 11 of Martin Hermannsson's assists against Maccabi

All 11 of Hermannsson's assists against Maccabi

The 11 assists tied his own club record along with [Reggie Redding](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/reggie-redding/004844/) in 2014-15,[ Peyton Siva](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/peyton-siva/007125/) in 2019-20 and [Jayson Granger](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jayson-granger/003024/) in 2020-21.

ALBA ended up dishing out 31 assists in the game while committing only 8 turnovers. The team evened its club record of 31 assists from 2020-21 and 2022-23.

ALBA came into the game ranked 17th in scoring at 79.7 points and last in turnovers committed with 15.3 per game. Those numbers will improve after the win over Maccabi. And Coach Gonzalez is confident his team has turned a corner.

“I am very happy with the pride they played with today and solving all the problems that we have and winning the game,” he said. “To react like that today we took a step forward in our mentality. We were able to focus and have a goal and they did it very well today.”

ALBA scored its most points in a non-overtime game this season 

Paris Basketball recorded its third straight home win by defeating LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 91-82 at Adidas Arena on Thursday in Round 24 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Paris dominates ASVEL, 91-82, in French derby

Paris Basketball recorded its third straight home win by defeating LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 91-82 at Adidas Arena on Thursday night. The hosts led from start to finish and managed to absorb ASVEL’s comeback attempts in the second half. Having gotten back to winning ways after a loss at Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade last week, Paris improved its record to 14-9. ASVEL dropped to 11-13.

Maodo Lo paced Paris with 18 points and Tyson Ward netted 16, with Nadir Hifi and TJ Shorts scoring 14 and 13, respectively. For ASVEL, Andre Roberson led all scorers with 20 points, having gone 6-for-8 from deep. Theo Maledon combined his 18 points with 6 assists and 4 rebounds. Joffrey Lauvergne scored 12 points and Nando De Colo added 10.

Kevarrius Hayes got Paris going from inside before a trademark midrange jumper by Shorts and a layup from Tyson Ward gave Paris a 6-0 lead. Maledon responded with a three-point play and Roberson tied it up from deep. Yet, Lo took over with 5 straight points to restore an 11-6 cushion. Ben Bentil netted his first basket for ASVEL, but Ward hit another one from downtown to make it 14-10. Collin Malcolm drilled back-to-back buckets and Ward scored in transition, but Roberson beat the first-quarter buzzer with a three to bring ASVEL within 20-15.

Paris opened the second quarter with a 7-0 run fueled by Shorts, who set up Mikael Jantunen for a triple before scoring inside. But Roberson and Paris Lee nailed consecutive threes, with Joffrey Lauvergne making a couple of free throws that trimmed the deficit to 27-23. Hifi connected from beyond the arc twice before Yakuba Ouattara drained one of his own to make it 36-24. An exchange of blows inside was followed by another Hifi triple for a 44-31 advantage. Then, the game turned into a free-throw affair before a triple from Jantunen and a jumper by Shorts gave Paris a 54-40 cushion after 20 minutes.

Roberson nailed his fourth triple of the night before Lee and Shorts traded scores inside, 58-45. Maledon made 6 of 7 from the line, with a Lee basket and another three from Roberson slicing the difference down to 62-57. Lo netted inside and Bandja Sy scored one from deep to extend the margin to 67-58. Shaquille Harrison answered with a layup on the other end before David Lighty and Shorts traded buckets, with Paris maintaining a 69-64 lead heading into the closing quarter.

Harrison opened the fourth with a pull-up jump shot, but Ward scored twice from deep and Shorts went all the way to the basket for a 10-0 surge that made it 79-66. Lauvergne scored 5 straight points before Roberson’s sixth triple of the night brought ASVEL within 81-74. But Ouattara netted back-to-back baskets and a Lo layup made it 87-74. ASVEL tried to fight back through Maledon and De Colo in crunch time, but Paris ran down the clock to clinch the victory.

The hosts led from start to finish in a well-earned victory