Sarunas Jasikevicius of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul has been voted the 2024-25 Aleksander Gomelskiy Coach of the Year. Jasikevicius was chosen by his peers—fellow Turkish Airlines EuroLeague head coaches.

Sarunas Jasikevicius named 2024-25 Aleksander Gomelskiy Coach of the Year

Sarunas Jasikevicius of [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/?season=2024-25) has been voted the 2024–25 Aleksander Gomelskiy Coach of the Year, becoming the first Lithuanian head coach to receive the prestigious honor. In one of the closest races in recent memory, Jasikevicius was chosen by his peers—fellow Turkish Airlines EuroLeague head coaches—as the recipient of the season’s top coaching award. Despite dealing with a string of injuries throughout the campaign, Jasikevicius guided Fenerbahce to a [second-place finish](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/standings/) in the regular season with a 23–11 record.

By receiving the Gomelskiy Trophy, Jasikevicius has once again made history. He becomes the first person to win the EuroLeague as a player and later be named the competition’s best coach. Jasikevicius captured four EuroLeague championships as a player—with FC Barcelona in 2003, Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2004 and 2005, and Panathinaikos in 2009—and was named Final Four MVP in 2005. Now 49, “Saras” has also won domestic championships in Lithuania, Spain, and Turkiye as a head coach.

The Aleksander Gomelskiy Coach of the Year Trophy is named after the legendary coach who led ASK Riga to the first EuroLeague title in 1958 and added three more continental crowns between Riga and CSKA Moscow. Gomelskiy also guided the Soviet Union to gold at the 1988 Olympics and remains one of the most decorated figures in basketball history. Euroleague Basketball chose him as one of the 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors in 2008. He is also a member of both the Basketball Hall of Fame and the FIBA Hall of Fame. Gomelskiy passed away in 2005.

Jasikevicius edged Georgios Bartzokas of Olympiacos Piraeus in the voting. Gordon Herbert of FC Bayern Munich and Tiago Splitter of Paris Basketball tied for third. Other coaches receiving votes included Luca Banchi (Anadolu Efes Istanbul), Joan Penarroya (FC Barcelona), Oded Kattash (Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv), Ioannis Sfairopoulos (Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade), Zeljko Obradovic (Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade), Pierric Poupet (LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne), Ergin Ataman (Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens), and Vassilis Spanoulis (AS Monaco).

Despite high expectations, Jasikevicius faced immediate adversity. Fenerbahce’s season opener saw star guard [Scottie Wilbekin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-confirms-the-worst-scottie-wilbekin-has-torn-his-acl/) suffer a season-ending ACL injury just 125 seconds into the game. Additional key players—[Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/wade-baldwin-out-with-hamstring-injury/), [Devon Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/devon-hall-to-undergo-surgery-on-hand-injury/), and [Dyshawn Pierre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahces-dyshawn-pierre-sidelined-by-calf-injury/)—missed significant time due to injuries. Only [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/), [Bonzie Colson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/bonzie-colson/009783/), and [Nicolo Melli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nicolo-melli/002849/) played in all 34 regular season games, and just eight players appeared in more than 22.

Through a series of roster changes—including the mid-season additions of [Errick McCollum](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/errick-mccollum/005216/) and [Jilson Bango](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jilson-bango/013696/)—Jasikevicius maintained his team’s competitive edge. Fenerbahce posted multiple six-game winning streaks, highlighted by key road victories at Virtus Segafredo Bologna and Olympiacos. The team tied for the most road wins in the league (11) and remained resilient despite ranking in the bottom half of several statistical categories.

Jasikevicius is now the 13th different recipient of the Coach of the Year award. Only [Zeljko Obradovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/zeljko-obradovic-is-alexander-gomelskiy-coach-of-the-year/) (three times), [Georgios Bartzokas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2223-coach-of-the-year-georgios-bartzokas-olympiacos-piraeus/) (three), Ettore Messina (two), [Pablo Laso](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/laso-named-gomelskiy-euroleague-coach-of-the-year-for-second-time/) (two), and [Dimitris Itoudis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/cskas-dimitris-itoudis-is-voted-alexander-gomelskiy-coach-of-the-year) (two) have won it multiple times. Other past winners include Pini Gershon, Dusko Vujosevic, Xavi Pascual, Dusan Ivkovic, [David Blatt](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/david-blatt-voted-alexander-gomelskiy-coach-of-the-year/), [Ergin Ataman](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/coach-of-the-year-ergin-ataman-anadolu-efes-istanbul/) and, most-recently, [Chus Mateo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/chus-mateo-is-voted-by-his-peers-as-the-euroleague-coach-of-the-year).

Looking ahead, Jasikevicius will aim to join an elite group by winning the EuroLeague both as a player and head coach. Only three individuals have achieved that feat: Lolo Sainz, Armenak Alachachian, and the most recent, Svetislav Pesic, who won as a player in 1979 and as a coach in 2003.

2024-25 EuroLeague Award winners

On the second episode of The Crossover this season, which is reflecting on the biggest moments of the last 25 to mark the EuroLeague's 25th anniversary, Xavi Pascual and Boniface N'Dong reflect on FC Barcelona's 2010 title victory in Paris.

Xavi Pascual, Boniface N'Dong remember 2010 title triumph on The Crossover

The 2010 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague championship won by [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/) remains the last time that the Spanish club lifted European basketball's ultimate crown.

On the second episode of The Crossover this season, which is reflecting on the biggest moments of the last 25 to mark the EuroLeague's 25th anniversary, Xavi Pascual and Boniface N'Dong reflect on the *Blaugrana*'s 2010 title victory in Paris.

More Barcelona News

Nadir Hifi and Kevarrius Hayes enjoyed big nights in the play-in as Paris Basketball defeated Real Madrid to make the EuroLeague Playoffs.

Nadir Hifi, Kevarrius Hayes epitomize sky-high confidence of Paris: ‘We can play with anybody’

Fresh off securing the Turkish Airlines [EuroLeague Rising Star](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/pariss-nadir-hifi-is-the-2024-25-euroleague-rising-star/) Award, [Nadir Hifi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nadir-hifi/012640/) was determined to put on a show at Movistar Arena in the play-in. The same can certainly be said of [Kevarrius Hayes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kevarrius-hayes/010390/), too.

While [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/) deservedly earned plenty of plaudits, [including by this author](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tj-shorts-laid-the-foundation-for-pariss-memorable-play-in-victory-at-real-madrid/), Hifi and Hayes showed their importance to coach Tiago Splitter’s squad in [Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/)'s [73-81 triumph over Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/paris-stuns-real-madrid-in-play-in-73-81-to-set-up-playoff-date-with-fenerbahce/). 

Courtesy of its first-round win in the Play-In Showdown, Paris rubber-stamped its place in the EuroLeague Playoffs and can now prepare for a best-of-five series with [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/).

Hifi and Shorts both sat on 11 points at halftime on Tuesday night, while Hayes had 6, all of which came off dimes by Shorts. Real Madrid boasts a frightening group of centers, but on Tuesday night it was [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) – the EuroLeague’s MVP of the Month for March and April – and [Serge Ibaka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/serge-ibaka/003583/) who were included on the 12-man roster, with [Bruno Fernando](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/bruno-fernando/013667/) surprisingly left out. Early on, Hayes wanted to make an impression.

One of four players on Paris’s roster with previous EuroLeague experience, Hayes enjoyed a first quarter that he’ll remember for a long time to come.

He got his first points of the night after peeling off a pick and roll with Shorts for a dunk inside to put the visitors 3-5 ahead, then – with Tavares on the bench with 2 early fouls – he blocked Ibaka before combining with Shorts for another big dunk. Next, he stole the ball from [Dzanan Musa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dzanan-musa/006540/) to force a jump ball. To put the cherry on top of an excellent opening period, Shorts sent up an alley-oop pass and Hayes was on hand for the slam.

Paris Basketball center Kevarrius Hayes posted 6 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal and 1 block in 5:45 minutes during the first quarter of his team's play-in win against Real Madrid.

Kevarrius Hayes's dominant first quarter

Paris led 22-27 after 10 minutes and 36-46 at the halftime break, with Real Madrid having grabbed 13 rebounds, of which 2 were on the offensive glass. Paris, meanwhile, had 25, with 5 coming on *Los Blancos*’ end of the floor.

“In the first half they had 2 offensive rebounds, \[so we were\] just trying to keep them off the boards as much as possible,” Hayes told [Euroleague.net](http://Euroleague.net)’s Geoff Gillingham in the mixed zone. “It takes a lot and I appreciate them helping me out, rebounding down. Especially if I can’t get it, to make sure Tavares can’t get it and then they’ll take care of it. I feel like we did very good at that tonight and just trying to manage the rebounds as much as possible.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We are Paris Basketball 🖤❤️💙 <a href="https://t.co/Fg2X1aFIVz">pic.twitter.com/Fg2X1aFIVz</a></p>&mdash; Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball/status/1912269422514807258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

If rebounding was one of the keys to the win, another was the maverick play of Hifi. The 22-year-old – nicknamed “the Prince of Paris” – left the crowd inside Movistar Arena stunned on multiple occasions, showing a creativity in his scoring that was very reminiscent of 2023-24 EuroLeague MVP [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/).

Time after time, Hifi stuck the dagger further into Real Madrid after 20-23 seconds of good defense. He finished the night with 15 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists, but his sidestep three-pointer over [Sergio Llull](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sergio-llull/tgb/) with 2:41 minutes to go felt like the decisive basket. Not only did it give Paris a 68-74 lead, but it came at a time when Real Madrid was mounting a late charge.

Paris Basketball guard Nadir Hifi finished with 15 points as his team defeated Real Madrid in the play-in.

Nadir Hifi's field goals vs. Real Madrid

Paris actually came into Tuesday’s play-in game against *Los Blancos* with a 0-2 record in this fixture, but Coach Splitter’s men showed what they are capable of once again on the biggest stage. For Hifi, he is feeling bullish ahead of the series with Fenerbahce, another team that Paris was winless against this season.

“It’s going to be a tough series,” he said to [Euroleague.net](http://Euroleague.net)’s Geoff Gillingham in the mixed zone. “We know how difficult it is to play in Istanbul, but we already lost two times to them and we know how they play. We can win against them, and we should have taken both \[games\] that we lost. I believe in everybody here and we’re going to work hard to get to the Final Four.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Scenes 🥳🥳🥳🥳 <a href="https://t.co/OzO76JAycQ">pic.twitter.com/OzO76JAycQ</a></p>&mdash; Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball/status/1912442356122427848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Hayes feels the same way.

“We played Fener, we know how they are,” he added. “We just had a big game against them (101-100 in Round 32), unfortunately they hit a shot at the end. But we know we can play with them – we can play with anybody.

“Winning this game \[tonight\] the way we did, I feel like we were very mature, corrected a lot of the mistakes we made earlier this season and walked away with the win tonight. All we’ve got to do is the same thing: just be us, play with pace, and good things will happen.”

There’s no denying the confidence that Paris is playing with right now, and Fenerbahce should be wary about what is to come. A fascinating series awaits, that's for sure.

Game News

The two players enjoyed big nights in the play-in as the French side defeated Real Madrid to make the playoffs

Hifi, Hayes epitomize sky-high confidence of Paris: ‘We can play with anybody’

Real Madrid v Paris Basketball (2025-04-15T19:00:00.000Z)

Fresh off being named the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague MVP of the Month for March and April, Real Madrid star center Walter Tavares spoke to Euroleague.net’s Geoff Gillingham at the club’s training complex in Valdebebas to reflect on the last month and a half.

Walter Tavares, March-April MVP: ‘It’s hard these days to be a big man’

Fresh off being named the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague MVP of the Month for March and April, [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/) star center [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) spoke to [Euroleague.net](http://Euroleague.net)’s Geoff Gillingham at the club’s training complex in Valdebebas to reflect on the last month and a half.

Tavares, who has equaled Olympiacos Piraeus’s Sasha Vezenkov for the third most MVP of the Month awards all-time with four, discussed a number of topics during the interview.

The 33-year-old explained the evolution of his game over the years, flying the flag for big men in the EuroLeague, Real Madrid’s 6-0 end to the regular season, his game-winning basket against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, plus much more.

FC Bayern Munich's Nick Weiler-Babb has been named the recipient of the 2024–25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Best Defender Trophy, recognizing his exceptional defensive performance throughout the season

Nick Weiler-Babb is named the 2024-25 EuroLeague Best Defender

FC Bayern Munich's Nick Weiler-Babb has been named the recipient of the 2024–25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Best Defender Trophy, recognizing his exceptional defensive performance throughout the season. The award, voted on by head coaches from across the EuroLeague, honors the player deemed to have had the greatest impact on the defensive end of the court. Weiler-Babb's relentless energy, versatility, and lockdown perimeter defense have been his calling cards and helped Bayern advance to the postseason for the first time since 2022.

Now in his fifth EuroLeague season - all of which have come with Bayern, Weiler-Babb has built a reputation as a defensive anchor and vocal leader. Throughout the 2024–25 campaign, he consistently drew the toughest assignments, often neutralizing the opposing team's top perimeter threats. His ability to guard multiple positions, combined with elite anticipation and physicality, made him a game-changer for Bayern’s defensive schemes.

Weiler-Babb collected more steals than any other player this season – 52 and counting – for a league-best 1.6 average. He accounted for 22.4% of all of Bayern's steals, while leading all guards in rebounds with 4.2 per night during the regular season.

The Best Defender Trophy is one of several awards that recognize the elite play of the best players in the EuroLeague at the end of the regular season. The first of this season's honorees was Kendrick Nunn of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens as the winner of the Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy. Nadir Hifi of Paris Basketball was chosen as the EuroLeague Rising Star, another award voted upon by the head coaches. The Alexander Gomelskiy Coach of the Year, All-EuroLeague teams and EuroLeague MVP will be revealed in the coming days.

Walter Tavares of Real Madrid finished second behind Weiler-Babb in the voting for the Best Defender Trophy, followed by Alpha Diallo of AS Monaco, Jerian Grant of Panathinaikos and last season's winner Thomas Walkup of Olympiacos, in fifth place. Others who received votes were Joel Bolomboy of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, Arnas Butkevicius of Zalgiris Kaunas, Alessandro Pajola of Virtus Segafredo Bologna and Andre Roberson of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne.

Weiler-Babb is the 10th different recipient of the EuroLeague Best Defender trophy and the first Bayern player to win it. Dimitris Diamantidis of Panathinaikos Athens won the award six times (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011). Tavares is a three-time winner, taking home the award in 2019, 2021 and 2023, as is Kyle Hines who claimed the award in 2015 and 2018 with CSKA Moscow and then in 2022 with EA7 Emporio Armani Milan. Bryant Dunston won it with Olympiacos in 2014 and 2015. In addition to Walkup, who won it last season, the other Best Defender honorees include CSKA players Victor Khryapa and Andrei Kirilenko, in 2010 and 2012, respectively; Stephane Lasme in 2013 with Panathinaikos; and Adam Hanga in 2017 with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz.

The playmaker becomes the first Bayern player to earn this honor

FC Bayern Munich earned a shot at making the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs after grinding out a 97-93 overtime home win over Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade on the back of a sterling team effort

Gordon Herbert proud of Bayern warriors who shook off fatigue 

[FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/mun/) earned a shot at making the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs after grinding out [a 97-93 overtime home win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bayern-advances-with-97-93-overtime-win-over-crvena-zvezda/) over [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/red/?season=2024-25) on the back of a sterling team effort. The rollercoaster kept fans at SAP Garden on the edge of their seats throughout and Bayern prevailed in a strength-sapping contest, which followed a grueling regular season.

Bayern head coach Gordon Herbert heaped praise on his men after they found another gear in overtime and forced Zvezda into submission to earn a showdown with [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/?season=2024-25), the prize being a best-of-five quarterfinal series against [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/).

 “I give a lot of credit to the players for finding the energy, the will and determination to fight through the fatigue,” Herbert said at the postgame press conference. “We kept our heads up and came out on top in overtime after [Vladimir Lucic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/vladimir-lucic/001288/) hit a couple of big shots.

 “We’ve lived to play another day, it’s a good win and the manner of this victory will help build team spirit as it’s shown the resilience of this group. We now need to fight off the fatigue and then we’ll have a look at what we need to improve on ahead of the Madrid game.”

Vladimir Lucic made an impact at both ends against Zvezda

Having excelled in most departments, Bayern might want to take a look at ball handling as the home team committed 16 turnovers against 20 assists, while shooting 14-of-31 from deep and racking up 38 boards, including 13 on offense. Bayern also collected 8 steals, courtesy of its relentless hustle which helped the German outfit erase a 10-point deficit.

Herbert’s Zvezda counterpart Ioannis Sfairopoulos rued some officiating calls that went against his team, but ultimately Zvezda will look back at poor free throw shooting as the Serbian squad made a modest 14 of 25 shots from the foul line, missing 5 in overtime when the chips were down. The visitors also had a forgettable night from downtown, making just 5 of 22 three-pointers while they also lost the battle of the boards as they racked up 33 rebounds.

Game Videos

Sfairopoulos put on a brave face at the press conference, commending his team for putting up a spirited fight, having missed a chance to snatch an automatic playoff berth after losing six of its last eight regular season games.  

“It was our last game of the season in the EuroLeague and on one hand we are satisfied that we participated in the play-in as we’ve made progress compared to last year,” the Greek tactician said. 

“On the other hand, knowing that we could have done more leaves a bitter taste. It’s been a promising season and one to build on for the future, a learning curve and a base for improvement. Last but not least, I want to thank our fans who’ve supported us all the way.”

Thousands of Zvezda fans thronged the gym on Tuesday night and made their team feel at home at SAP Garden, sending the Serbian side off with a rising ovation despite a tough loss that propelled Bayern into the business end of Europe’s premier club competition. 

The Canadian head coach hailed his team’s effort in epic win over Crvena Zvezda 

FC Bayern Munich v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2025-04-15T18:30:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich lived to fight another day after digging deep into its resources for a 97-93 overtime home win against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade in the Play-In Showdown, booking a clash with 11-time Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champs Real Madrid on Friday

Sheer grit saw Bayern across the finish line against Crvena Zvezda 

[FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/mun/) lived to fight another day after digging deep into its resources for [a 97-93 overtime home](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bayern-advances-with-97-93-overtime-win-over-crvena-zvezda/) win against [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/red/?season=2024-25) in the Play-In Showdown, booking a clash with 11-time Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champs [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/?season=2024-25) on Friday. The winner of that contest will advance into the playoffs, with the prize being a best-of-five quarterfinal series against [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/), which topped the [regular season standings](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/standings/).

Bayern ultimately came out on top against battling Zvezda thanks to iron-willed determination in the face of adversity, having conceded a last-gasp sucker punch at the end of regular time. A deft Zvezda sideout left [Filip Petrusev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/filip-petrusev/011194/) unmarked in the paint 1.6 seconds before the fourth quarter buzzer to level the score, 84-84, forcing overtime in which Bayern guard [Nick Weiler-Babb](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nick-weiler-babb/010391/) produced a moment of game-winning magic.

Off balance and facing his own baseline, Weiler-Babb unleashed a full-court overhead pass that found [Devin Booker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/devin-booker/007056/) alone as a ghost at the other end to slam-dunk and gave Bayern a decisive 94-89 lead.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/nickbabb12?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nickbabb12</a> after pulling an IMPOSSIBLE dime! 👀<br><br>Assist of the year?! 🤯 <a href="https://t.co/Lg88cTPuyA">pic.twitter.com/Lg88cTPuyA</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1912259722469589005?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

It was a fitting climax to an absorbing contest in which the lead kept changing hands throughout, with both sides rallying from double-digit deficits before Bayern showed it had more in the tank down the stretch.

Booker, who racked up a team-high 21 points and 5 boards, acknowledged it took every ounce of energy to force Zvezda into submission.  

“We never gave up as this team always had a lot of grit and a lot of fight and tenacity,” the big man said. “We let a couple of games slip before but not tonight. Every time we pick up on the defensive end, it translates all over our game as our offense comes no matter what. We fed off the energy from the crowd tonight and we came away with the victory.”

Weiler-Babb elaborated that conceding an easy basket at the end of regulation had left Bayern with the challenging task of shaking off the disappointment in overtime, when captain [Vladimir Lucic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/vladimir-lucic/001288/) gave the home team a perfect start with a couple of successive three-pointers.

“It was a hard-fought game, lots of ups and downs as both teams made runs and also struggled in certain periods,” the versatile guard said after amassing 15 points, 6 boards and as many assists.

“We stuck together and came out on top after the letdown at the end of the fourth quarter. We didn’t end the regular season the right way and knowing that we had to win today, we locked in and bounced back in the second half.”

All 11 of Ivan Kharchenkov's points against Zvezda

The effort also drew praise from head coach Gordon Herbert, as Bayern produced a flawless third quarter which turned a 39-46 halftime deficit into a 71-61 lead at the end of the third quarter, Herbert, who took charge at Bayern last summer after a glorious three-year spell with the German national team, also singled out 18-year old prospect [Ivan Kharchenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ivan-kharchenkov/012123/) who sank a career-high 11 points in just over 6 minutes on the court in the first half.

“We had a really good third quarter as our starters came out and played with a lot of energy,” said the 66-year-old Canadian tactician. “We got a lot of defensive stops in the third. They had a run, we hung on and congratulations to our players. We were up 10 and then down by 4, but we stayed with it and never gave up. It was our fifth game in 10 days, we needed to rotate and Ivan gave us good minutes in the first half.”

The German team prevailed in a titanic clash decided by a moment of genius from Nick Weiler-Babb

TJ Shorts led from the front as Paris Basketball defeated Real Madrid on the road to make the EuroLeague Playoffs.

TJ Shorts laid the foundation for Paris’s memorable play-in victory at Real Madrid

What a season this has been for [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/) and [Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/).

On Tuesday night, in the first game of the play-in, Paris travelled to the Spanish capital to take on 11-time Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/). This was going to be the 635th EuroLeague game in Real Madrid’s history and just the 35th for Paris. Experience was certainly in favor of the hosts.

In the end, experience counts for little against a team led by Shorts. Right from the tip, the EuroLeague rookie made sure to inspire and guide his teammates by laying the foundation for [a 73-81 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/paris-stuns-real-madrid-in-play-in-73-81-to-set-up-playoff-date-with-fenerbahce/).

Shorts drained a three-pointer on the opening offense of the game, then found [Kevarrius Hayes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kevarrius-hayes/010390/) for a slam, and drove to the rim for a layup to give Paris an early 6-7 lead. Seven points for Paris, seven points from the hands of Shorts.

Another couple of connections between Shorts and Hayes in the latter stages of the first quarter showed the freedom that the visitors were playing with. Having posted 7 points and 4 assists in the opening 10 minutes, with Paris leading 22-27, Shorts also appeared with the final play of the first half to give his team a 36-46 advantage at the interval, the first time either team had led by double digits.

Shorts went to work early in the third quarter to stave off any Real Madrid comeback, then he did a bit of scoring and playmaking in the fourth as Paris just about managed to hold off *Los Blancos*.

The 27-year-old was a menace throughout and finished the contest with 23 points, 2 rebounds and 9 assists, while he played a season-high 30:46 minutes – just the second time this season he has gone above 30 minutes.

Shorts stole the show against Madrid in the Play-In Showdown

TJ Shorts stole the show against Madrid in the Play-In Showdown

His simple presence on the floor was a positive factor for Paris, too, as he was a +10 in the plus/minus column, an important factor given the team's eight-point win.

"We've been working very hard,” Shorts told EuroLeague TV afterward. “We had to do it the hard way going through the play-in, but now we stamped our ticket. It's an amazing feeling right now. I'm just so happy for everybody that's a part of Paris Basketball to be able to enjoy this."

By winning in Madrid, Paris has set up a playoff date with [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) in the 2-7 matchup. Shorts fancies his team’s chances, though.

"The sky is the limit. I've been talking about this all year,” he stated. “We believe we can compete with the best. We went head up with Real Madrid here. We obviously know the history, we know the talent that they have on that roster. We have the utmost confidence in ourselves that we can compete with anybody.

“And now, obviously, we understand we're playing against Fenerbahce. We will lock in on them, but tonight we're gonna enjoy it. And then we'll get ready for the playoffs."

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Shorts managed to put on another show in front of one of his closest friends, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz forward Chima Moneke, who was sat in the first few rows. 

Paris has been the fairy-tale story of the season and after Tuesday night’s game at Real Madrid, it still has a few chapters that need to be written.

The EuroLeague rookie helped guide his team to the playoffs

FC Bayern Munich advanced in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Play-In Showdown and will face Real Madrid for a berth in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs after the German side ground out a dramatic 97-93 overtime home win against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade. 

Bayern advances with 97-93 overtime win over Crvena Zvezda 

FC Bayern Munich advanced in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Play-In Showdown and will face Real Madrid for a berth in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs after the German side ground out a dramatic 97-93 overtime home win against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade.

Big man Devin Booker paced Bayern with 21 points and 5 boards; Carsen Edwards netted 17 points and Nick Weiler-Babb racked up 15 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Captain Vladimir Lucic added 13 points and Ivan Kharchenkov 11.

At the other end, Filip Petrusev led Zvezda with a monster individual performance garnished by 30 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Nikola Kalinic posted 20 points and 7 rebounds while Nemanja Nedovic chipped in with 13 points for the visitors.

Roared on by droves of Serbian fans at SAP Garden, Zvezda produced a 4-14 run to take a 16-23 lead late in the first quarter as Kalinic and Petrusev poured 17 points between them. However, Bayern closed out the first period with 5 unanswered points to the slash deficit.

Zvezda shot 8 of 10 from inside in the first quarter on the back of good movement of the ball, presenting Kalinic and Petrusev with a barrage of easy points. The tide turned in the second as 18-year-old Kharchenkov popped up as a trump card up Coach Gordon Herbert’s sleeve, sinking a career-high 11 points in just 6:26 minutes on the court as Bayern nosed ahead 31-30 before Zvezda hit back again.

Driven by Nedovic, who netted 9 points in the second period, Zvezda conjured a 5-16 run to take a double-digit lead for the first time in the game, 36-46, before Booker closed the gap on the halftime buzzer with a deep three-pointer.

Zvezda had dished out 14 assists in a smooth first-half effort while Bayern stayed in touch thanks to 8 offensive boards, setting the stage for a pulsating second half which duly produced an array of thrills and spills akin to a knockout game.

The visitors still had the upper hand and a 49-55 advantage early in the third quarter but Bayern roared back with a 22-6 streak which turned the matchup on its head and gave the hosts a 71-61 lead ahead of the final 10 minutes, with Booker doing damage from all over.

Bayern appeared to be cruising with a 74-63 lead early in the fourth but Zvezda stormed back with a 3-17 run to turn the tide and retake the initiative, 77-80, before a dramatic finish to regulation saw Petrusev force overtime with a last-gasp effort 1.6 seconds before the buzzer.

Lucic then stepped up with a pair of successive threes to give Bayern a 90-84 lead in overtime and Weiler-Babb effectively sealed the contest with a most audacious assist, as he hurled the ball over his head to the other end of the court where Booker was at hand for an easy dunk.

Zvezda’s desperate effort to force a second overtime period fell short as the visiting team missed 5 free throws in the home straight, with its offense hitting a wall when the chips were down.

The home team prevailed in a rip-roaring rollercoaster after the lead kept changing hands throughout 