FC Bayern Munich announced on Saturday it is parting ways with head coach Gordie Herbert with immediate effect.

Bayern, coach Gordon Herbert part ways

[FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/mun/) announced on Saturday it is parting ways with head coach Gordie Herbert with immediate effect.

“The 66-year-old Canadian and the German champions mutually agreed to end their cooperation early after a constructive discussion on Saturday”, the club explained in the official announcement on its website, adding that both parties agreed that the decision was made “in the best interests of the team and the club.”

Bayern is currently on an eight-game losing streak, but has played its last seven games on the road. The team sits in 19th place with a 5-12 record.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🇬🇧📰Coach Gordon Herbert to leave Bayern Basketball: <a href="https://t.co/xAylkwCq6O">https://t.co/xAylkwCq6O</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/2002404124130775222?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Herbert joined Bayern just after the 2024 Summer Olympics, having left his head-coaching post with the German national team. In three years in that position, Herbert led Germany to a gold medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup and a bronze medal at EuroBasket 2022.

Last season, under Herbert’s guidance, Bayern came within a win of the EuroLeague Playoffs, losing in the second round of the Play-In Showdown on the road at Real Madrid. Last season, playing under Herbert, Nick Weiler-Babb was chosen as the EuroLeague Best Defender, while Carsen Edwards finished the season second in scoring, as he averaged 20.4 points.

But over the summer, Weiler-Babb joined Efes, Edwards went to Virtus while star big man Devin Booker departed to joined EA7 Emporio Armani Milan. Meanwhile, Johannes Voigtmann and Justus Hollatz came back injured from the EuroBasket, while Kamar Baldwin suffered an injury in November and is still missing in action.

Bayern also announced that the team will be led by the current assistant coaching staff, but that it “hopes to clarify the succession plan by Tuesday evening’s next EuroLeague home game at \[home\] against league leaders Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv."

Bayern is the sixth team to change a coach this season, following Efes, Milan, Barcelona and the Belgrade duo of Crvena Zvezda and Partizan.

This is the sixth coaching change this season in the EuroLeague

An epic performance on a record-breaking night saw FC Barcelona’s Kevin Punter post a PIR of 40, snatching MVP of the Round honors for the first time since joining the club and the fourth time in his career.

On a night when Barcelona set a new EuroLeague scoring record in a 134-124 triple-overtime win over Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, Punter netted 43 points, becoming just the ninth player this century to score more than 40 points in a EuroLeague game.

Round 17 MVP: Kevin Punter, FC Barcelona

An epic performance on a record-breaking night saw FC Barcelona’s [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/) post a PIR of 40, snatching MVP of the Round honors for the first time since joining the club and the fourth time in his career.

On a night when Barcelona set a new EuroLeague scoring record in a 134-124 triple-overtime win over Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, Punter netted 43 points, becoming just the ninth player this century to score more than 40 points in a EuroLeague game. Logging 44 minutes and 59 seconds, he set a club record by making 12 two-point field goals on 19 attempts. He also went 4-of-7 from three-point range and a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line, while adding 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.

Two players finished Round 17 with a PIR of 35: Baskonia’s [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/) and Dubai Basketball’s [McKinley Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mckinley-wright-iv/012606/). Howard shined with 33 points on 6-of-8 shooting from two-point range and 6-of-7 from beyond the arc, along with 6 assists, in Baskonia’s loss to Barcelona. Wright, meanwhile, recorded 17 points, 15 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals in Dubai’s come-from-behind 76-80 road win over Anadolu Efes Istanbul.

The next-best PIR of the round, 32, belonged to Barcelona’s [Tomas Satoransky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tomas-satoransky/002939/), who finished the triple-overtime thriller with 23 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Rounding out the top performers is Olympiacos Piraeus forward [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/), who posted a PIR of 28 behind 17 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in a 107-84 win over LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne.

### Individual highs: McKinley Wright, Dubai, 15 assists

Punter led all scorers with 43 points in this round. Baskonia’s [Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/timothe-luwawu-cabarrot/012080/) is the new scoring leader with 20.1 points per game.

Two players had a round-best 11 rebounds: [Kenneth Faried](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kenneth-faried/011284/) of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens and [Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/) of Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv. [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) of Olympiacos remains the league rebounding leader with 7.5 boards per game.

Dubai’s McKinley Wright dished a EuroLeague season-high 15 assists. Wright and Zalgiris guard [Sylvain Francisco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sylvain-francisco/007975/) are the EuroLeague co-leaders in this category, each averaging 6.9 assists per game.

Real Madrid’s [Facundo Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) led all players in Round 17 with 4 steals. [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/) of AS Monaco tops the steals charts, averaging 1.7 per game.

Real Madrid’s [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) had 4 blocks, more than any other player in this round. Tavares improved his season-best average to 2.1 rejections per contest.

There were two double-doubles in Round 17: McKinley Wright with 17 points and 15 assists, and [Codi Miller-McIntyre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/codi-miller-mcintyre/009048/) of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade with 21 points and 10 assists.

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Round 17 winner

EuroLeague fans, we have our 17th winner in this season's [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/)! Fotis Kondylopoulos beat everyone else in Round 17 with his team fotaras theoulis, which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 254.90.

Fotis had the following lineup: Sasha Vezenkov of Olympiacos Piraeus as team captain, Walter Tavares of Real Madrid, Kameron Taylor of Valencia Basket, McKinley Wright of Dubai Basketball and Iffe Lundberg of Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv as his starters. Kevin Punter of FC Barcelona was his sixth man. Fotis's bench players were Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens duo of Panagiotis Kalaitzakis and Alexandros Samodurov, Virtus Bologna's Momo Diouf and Olympiacos's Tyler Dorsey. Olympiacos play-caller Georgios Bartzokas was Fotis's head coach.

The prize for finishing first in Round 17 is a VIP EuroLeague TV Subscription for the 2026-27 Season, and an automatic entry to a lottery to win two tickets to the 2027 Final Four.

Trades are now open for Round 18 of the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/), and the number of trades is unlimited.

The first game of Round 18, Dubai Basketball vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, is scheduled to tip off on Tuesday, December 23 at 17:00 CET. This marks the next round's deadline.

Make new teams now or improve your existing ones and try to become our next round winner! To help with that, watch the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge podcast weekly on the [EuroLeague's YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@euroleague) and on all audio platforms.

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

Breaking a frustrating losing streak, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade narrowly defeated Virtus Bologna on Friday night in an incredibly tense and entertaining matchup at Belgrade Arena. After 19 total lead changes, the Serbian team were able to snatch the 90-89 victory in the final seconds.

Zvezda shows steel to secure slim win and snap streak against Virtus

“We showed character in a very difficult situation, with many chemistry problems,” said Sara Obradovic after arguably [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/red/)'s most important win since he joined back in October.

Breaking a frustrating losing streak, his team narrowly defeated [Virtus Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/vir/) on Friday night in an incredibly tense and entertaining matchup at Belgrade Arena. After 19 total lead changes, the Serbian team were able to snatch the 90-89 victory in the final seconds.

Having lost its last three games, Zvezda needed a reaction and they found it, despite some stiff resistance from their Italian opponents. Obradovic expected nothing less than a fight from Dusko Ivanovic’s men, but expressed his relief to have secured the crucial W.

“We all knew how hard Bologna is and that we didn’t have good momentum after the last few games, so to break the losing streak was essential for us,” Obradovic stated.

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade-Virtus Bologna | Round 17 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

The teams went back and forth for the majority of the opening period, until Zvezda pulled away to open up a notable advantage. Virtus then increased the effort and tied the ball game, before stealing a lead just before halftime. A shooting barrage then pushed the visitors further ahead, but Zvezda pushed back to tie the contest.

Virtus consistently edged ahead for most of the fourth quarter, led by its star guard duo of [Carsen Edwards](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carsen-edwards/011987/) and [Luca Vildoza](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/luca-vildoza/007947/), but both teams made major shots in the closing minute to exchange leads. Ultimately, the final blow was landed when [Jared Butler](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jared-butler/014163/) found himself open for a scrappy layup as Obradovic’s men earned the slim victory.

[Codi Miller-McIntyre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/codi-miller-mcintyre/009048/) was in inspired form for the hosts, adding 10 assists and 4 boards to his 21-point scoring performance, hitting 9 of his 14 shot attempts. [Jordan Nwora](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jordan-nwora/013363/) recorded 20 points and 3 rebounds. [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) and [Semi Ojeleye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/semi-ojeleye/011982/) also reached double figures in scoring on their way to victory.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ru" dir="ltr">ТИМ ❤️🤍<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kkcz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kkcz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreTheTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreTheTeam</a> <a href="https://t.co/k00fXotmBc">pic.twitter.com/k00fXotmBc</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/2002171663404978521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

As fans have come to expect, Edwards was a standout for Virtus, leading the way with 29 points and hitting clutch shots to keep his team in the game. However, his flame-throwing antics weren’t enough to get the job done. A key statistic for Virtus to reflect on will be turnovers. The Italian side committed 17 to Zvezda's 10,** doing a disservice to the major, gutsy plays they were able to make throughout.

Coach Ivanovic shared his thoughts after the game, simply putting the loss down to one factor.

“In the second half, we needed better defense," he claimed.

The result moves Zvezda to 10-7 in its EuroLeague campaign. Ivanovic’s men slide to 8-9, but they will have a chance to bounce back against Paris Basketball next Tuesday. Virtus will face Olympiacos Piraeus on in a week's time.

Game News

Following three successive defeats, the Serbian side got back on track in Round 17

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

A three-game losing skid had dealt a major blow to Olympiacos Piraeus’s morale heading into Friday’s clash against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne. The Reds had failed to find their spark, losing four of their last five games and struggling to produce their trademark basketball on the floor during that stretch.

Olympiacos bounces back from adversity versus ASVEL, looking to build ‘habits’

A three-game losing skid had dealt a major blow to [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/)’s morale heading into Friday’s clash against [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/). The Reds had failed to find their spark, losing four of their last five games and struggling to produce their trademark basketball on the floor during that stretch.

Each EuroLeague campaign might be a marathon, but the mid-season mark is approaching and teams are called to gear up in their bid to start the new calendar year with fresh energy. Meanwhile, as [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) stressed after the 107-84 thrashing of ASVEL, his team is looking to build habits that will allow them to grow into the season.

And Friday’s outing in front of their fans was a first big step in that direction.

Olympiacos Piraeus-LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne | Round 17 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Olympiacos was solid from start to finish on both ends of the floor, with its top scorers leading the charge on offense and the whole team putting in extra effort on the other end.

[Tyler Dorsey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tyler-dorsey/009849/) nailed 4 triples to end the game on 22 points, but more importantly, he found his open teammates off the dribble and contributed a season-high 6 assists. Vezenkov pulled off another complete display by scoring 17 points to go with his 5 rebounds and 4 assists – his highest mark of the season.

[Evan Fournier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/evan-fournier/013380/), who has been up and down this season, went 7 for 9 from the field and 5 for 6 from the line to register a season-high 21 points. His compatriot, [Frank Ntilikina](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/frank-ntilikina/006591/), also reached double figures in scoring by netting 11 points, his best tally as an Olympiacos player.

The hosts managed 25 assists, with head coach Georgios Bartzokas praising his players’ offensive performance against ASVEL.

“We were really efficient offensively, sharing the ball and scoring 63 points in the second half with a lot of assists,” he said in the post-game press conference. “We are looking forward now to develop our game and look better every day.”

As for the defensive side of the floor, Olympiacos forced its opponent into 16 turnovers and grabbed 9 steals, with six players getting at least one each.

“Honestly, it just feels good to get the win, get some positive vibes around here,” Dorsey told EuroLeague TV after the game. “Hopefully, this starts something for us. We have to turn it up a notch on everything. Hopefully this is the right step into the rest of this month. That’s what we have to find: getting back to having fun and getting back to winning games.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Let’s go for the next one ✊🏽<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> <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/OLYASV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OLYASV</a> <a href="https://t.co/BtMNgDgaRV">pic.twitter.com/BtMNgDgaRV</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/2002135332855406902?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The foundation is there, with Olympiacos being one of the most consistent teams over the last few years. But as Vezenkov admitted, what’s currently missing is chemistry, something that players and coaching have been working on in this first stretch of the season.

“We have to build chemistry,” the Olympiacos forward said when speaking with EuroLeague TV. “It’s December, I know it’s early in the season, but winning is a habit and fighting is a habit. We have to fight and win. We have to find it, we have to work hard. We’re looking positively forward.”

Having lost three in a row away from home, the Reds will look to get back to winning ways on the road as they face Virtus Bologna next week.

In a highly-competitive EuroLeague, every win matters. But what matters most for Olympiacos right now is to build those habits that will turn them into an undisputed contender as the season unfolds.

The Reds got back to winning ways by pulling off a dominant outing in Round 17

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

Multiple EuroLeague scoring records were broken on Friday night during the frenetic triple-overtime showdown between FC Barcelona and Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Barcelona sets scoring record, Punter joins exclusive club on epic Friday night

Multiple EuroLeague scoring records were broken on Friday night during the frenetic triple-overtime showdown between [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/) and [Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/bas/).

The clash between the two Spanish rivals at Palau Blaugrana will go down in the EuroLeague record books as the highest scoring game in competition history, and the night Barcelona broke the EuroLeague's all-time scoring record.

And all of that just 24 hours after [Theo Maledon of Real Madrid scored the 1,000,000th point](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/euroleague-celebrates-1000000th-point-in-competition-history/) in competition history.

FC Barcelona-Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | Round 17 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

No team has ever scored more points in a EuroLeague game than Barcelona’s 134, breaking the record of 130 which Real Madrid set nearly two years ago.

The combined 258 points in Barcelona’s 134-124 triple-overtime triumph are the most scored by two teams in a EuroLeague game, surpassing the mark of 256 from January 6, 2024, when [Real Madrid defeated Anadolu Efes Istanbul 130-126 after four overtimes.](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/real-madrid-anadolu-efes-istanbul/E2023/170/#boxscore)

This clash, which was the 6,368th game in competition history, marks the first time a EuroLeague contest finished after triple overtime, and just the second time that a game went past two overtimes.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">KP - KING PUNTER 👑<br><br>43 PTS | 12/19 2FG | 4/7 3FG | 7/7 FT | 40 PIR<a href="https://twitter.com/KPJunior_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KPJunior_</a> is just DIFFERENT 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/lliuIYYdBM">pic.twitter.com/lliuIYYdBM</a></p>&mdash; EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/2002150010859803030?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Barcelona hero [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/) finished with a career-high 43 points, which is the fourth most in the modern EuroLeague era, becoming just the ninth man to score more than 40 points in a single game. Punter’s heroics included 23 points after the end of the fourth quarter, including a driving layup with 0.1 seconds left in the second overtime session to tie the game at 122-122 and eventually allow history to be rewritten.

Among other marks, Punter also broke Barcelona's club record with 12 two-point shots made, while the *Blaugrana* broke a club record for total team PIR (152).

Baskonia, meanwhile, also broke its club scoring record with 124 points, which is the fifth-best mark all-time, only below Barcelona (134) in this game, Real (130) and Efes (126) from their quadruple-overtime contest, and [AS Monaco, which scored 125 points earlier in December](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-does-it-again-euroleague-history-made-against-paris/).

The Round 17 showdown between Barcelona and Baskonia ended a historic EuroLeague week in style

Barcelona sets scoring record, Punter joins exclusive club on memorable Friday night

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

It was a night to remember at Palau Blaugrana, one that those lucky fans who were in the building will never, ever forget. FC Barcelona needed three overtimes to beat Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 134-124 in epic fashion, against all odds, rallying several times during the game behind spectacular performances from Kevin Punter and Tomas Satoransky.

It was a night to remember at Palau Blaugrana, one that those lucky fans who were in the building will never, ever forget. [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/) needed three overtimes to beat [Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/bas/) 134-124 in epic fashion, against all odds, rallying several times during the game behind spectacular performances from [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/) and [Tomas Satoransky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tomas-satoransky/002939/).

Let's start with the obvious records. Barca broke the EuroLeague's all-time scoring record, which belonged to Real Madrid in a 130-126 quadruple-overtime win against Anadolu Efes Istanbul. Indeed, Baskonia's 124 points is also a new club record and the fifth-best scoring mark in EuroLeague history. Punter finished the game with 43 points, a new club record and the fourth highest-scoring mark in competition history, only behind Nigel Hayes-Davis (50), Shane Larkin (49) and Sasha Vezenkov (45).

The special thing, however, is not what happened, but how it happened.

Barca trailed for the majority of the game. Baskonia led 47-53 at halftime and boosted its margin to 51-64 midway through the third quarter. Right after that, [Will Clyburn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/will-clyburn/004888/) left the game with an injury and didn't return. Remember, Barca was already without injured big men [Toko Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/) and [Jan Vesely](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jan-vesely/000925/). In desperate need of a go-to guy, Punter and Satoransky put their team on their backs and started to make things happen on offense.

Satoransky had two points in the opening 25 minutes and finished the game with 23, a new career high, while he also posted 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Punter had 29 points in the final 28 minutes of the game, finding good looks from all angles. Baskonia still led 89-94 with less than 2 minutes left in regulation but Satoransky hit a three-pointer, Punter scored around the basket and [Nico Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nicolas-laprovittola/006435/) soon gave his team a 97-94 lead. There was more drama, though, as [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/) nailed his sixth three-pointer from as many attempts to send the game to overtime. He was 11 of 11 from the field at that point.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">MARKUS HOWARD FORCES OT 🥶🥶🥶<br><br>He’s 11/11 tonight 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/a5nmKLsQDQ">pic.twitter.com/a5nmKLsQDQ</a></p>&mdash; EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/2002130624547860716?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

Punter was Barca's hero in the first two overtime sessions. He scored seven of his team's nine points in the first extra period for a 106-106 tie. Baskonia managed to get a 107-116 lead with less than three minutes left in the second extra period, but Punter had other ideas. He exploded with 13 points in less than 3 minutes, including a driving layup that sent the game to triple overtime, 122-122, with 0.1 seconds left. Punter eventually found help from Satoransky and [Willy Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/willy-hernangomez/003196/), who combined for all of Barca's points in a 12-0 run that sealed the outcome. Exhausted, Baskonia was limited to just two points in the final 5 minutes.

"At the end of the second overtime, we were nine points down and it looked like we had lost the game," coach Xavi Pascual said in the post-game press conference. "We had that great moment of Kevin, who brought us back into the game and tied it. During this whole process, I thought about one thing: what I would tell my players in the locker room, win or lose. And what I would tell them is that I am proud of them of everything they have done, of all the effort, of everything."

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">KP - KING PUNTER 👑<br><br>43 PTS | 12/19 2FG | 4/7 3FG | 7/7 FT | 40 PIR<a href="https://twitter.com/KPJunior_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KPJunior_</a> is just DIFFERENT 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/lliuIYYdBM">pic.twitter.com/lliuIYYdBM</a></p>&mdash; EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/2002150010859803030?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

As in every good story, Barca had some unsung heros. Laprovittola returned from injury to get 7 points and 4 assists in 19 minutes. Youngster [Sayon Keita](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sayon-keita/012885/) saw extended playing time at center and made the most of it, finishing the game with 9 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block and a PIR of 15. Barca ended up amassing a team PIR of 152, a new club record. Its previous best was a team PIR of 140 in a 67-103 road victory over ALBA Berlin on Nocember 5, 2020.

After the game, Punter and Satoransky were ecstatic, knowing they had played some of the best basketball of their careers.

"This goes fast, but I think today was an amazing game," Satoransky said. "I don't think in regular time it was our best performance overall on defense, but I think in the toughest moments we knew how to play with character. When we were down by nine, KP went into God mode, so that I think inspired everybody.

"And the fans were amazing today. Really one of the best in my six years \[here\]. I think it's probably one of the best that I have experienced, so a big thanks to them, and big respect for Baskonia for the way they played today. Obviously, it's cruel to lose like this, but I think we were a little fresher in the last overtime and the shots that they usually hit during the game, they didn't fall."

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Triple OT forced, 40-piece secured! 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/KPJunior_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KPJunior_</a> is BUILT DIFFERENT<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MotorolaMagicMoment?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MotorolaMagicMoment</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Moto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Moto</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FCBbasket</a> <a href="https://t.co/mCMuLfBds7">pic.twitter.com/mCMuLfBds7</a></p>&mdash; EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/2002140657914425700?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

"What to say? We never gave up," Punter declared. "I think we were down nine with 2.37 to go. We just kept chipping away, kept chipping away. And that's it. I think it was triple overtime. We didn't stop fighting and we kept making plays."

When Punter was asked if it was one of his best performances ever, he had no doubt: "Yeah, I would say. For sure."

Like Satoransky, Coach Pascual was eager to heap praise on the Palau Blaugrana crowd for the role they played on the night.

"At the end of the game, it is an explosion of emotions, of something more than a game," he said. "Above all, what is most exciting is to see the Palau deliver in this way, to be close to the players, applauding at the beginning of each overtime, acknowledging the effort. Today, what happened is what I said before the game: that our fans had to help us win this game, and our fans have been key to winning it."

Barcelona play two more EuroLeague games before the end of 2025: on the road against defending champion Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, led by former head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius, and at home against AS Monaco. Baskonia, meanwhile, visits Valencia Basket on December 23 before hosting Fenerbahce on January 2, 2026.

In a game for the ages, the Blaugrana beat Baskonia after three overtime periods

Barcelona, Baskonia make history at Palau Blaugrana in triple-overtime epic

AS Monaco came up with a strong defensive showing on Friday night to snap a frustrating two-game losing skid and clear their collective minds ahead of the holiday period. 

Monaco clears minds to end skid, beats Bayern with defense 

[AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/) came up with a strong defensive showing on Friday night to snap a frustrating two-game losing skid and clear their collective minds ahead of the holiday period. 

Monaco put on a show with [FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/mun/) in town, romping to a 103-77 win and improving to 10-7, including a 6-2 mark at home. 

Bayern started the game better and opened a 2-11 lead before finding itself 8-17 up, but Monaco went on a 20-2 run to open a nine-point lead. Monaco started the second half with a 10-2 spurt and then finished off Bayern for good with a 20-3 surge later in the third quarter. 

“We haven’t been playing our best basketball, but we had to hang our hat on defense and execute on offense and share the ball. And that’s what we did tonight and we scored over 100 points. It’s important to keep this momentum,” said [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/), who collected 12 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists. 

“Defensively I think we guarded the ball well and guarded the three-point line well because they are good shooters. And I am happy we came out with the win.”  

AS Monaco-FC Bayern Munich | Round 17 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

The Bayern game came after Monaco wasted a 17-point lead in the third quarter in losing at home to Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 86-92 in Round 15 and then lost 85-73 to Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz earlier in the week.

Monaco really shared the wealth offensively against Bayern, with seven players scoring in double figures. The team’s index rating of 147 set a new club record and was the season high for any EuroLeague team this season. 

[Elie Okobo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elie-okobo/011212/) scored 18 points, [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-mirotic/000796/) had 16, [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) totaled 14 points and 6 assists, while [Kevarrius Hayes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kevarrius-hayes/010390/) chipped in 11 points, [Daniel Theis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/daniel-theis/004132/) added 10 points, and [Matthew Strazel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/matthew-strazel/008099/) tallied 10 points and 5 assists. 

“We had two losses in the previous two games and we said we had to clean our mind and kind of get a fresh start. And we did a great job,” said Okobo, who also dished out 4 assists. “Our main focus was defensively. They didn’t score many points and everybody was involved – hustle plays, everybody fighting for each other. And we came out with a win at home before Christmas. It was very good for us.”

Head coach Vassilis Spanoulis was happy about how his team responded after the two losses.

“I think we played good basketball. We came back with a good performance. After the first 5-6 minutes, we dominated the game and we were great on both ends of the floor. We have to keep playing like this, keep improving and keep being consistent,” Spanoulis said. 

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">😤 𝑯𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DagheMunegu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DagheMunegu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/KsZsmRZ9Vz">pic.twitter.com/KsZsmRZ9Vz</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/2002124098332471606?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Bayern, for its part, probably is thrilled this game is over. This was the seventh consecutive road game in the EuroLeague for the team, and Gordon Herbert’s men lost all seven to fall to 5-12. Bayern, which has lost eight games in a row, had a couple of close games in that stretch – dropping two games by two points, one by one point and another by seven points. Bayern also has played three of its last four games in German competitions on the road. 

Bayern shot just 31.0% from long range, was outrebounded 41-25 and allowed Monaco to shoot 71.4% on two-pointers and 40.0% from long range. [Oscar da Silva](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/oscar-da-silva/011244/) paced Bayern with 13 points.

“We played a good first seven minutes and then they dominated us the last 33 minutes. Their physicality, their ability to make shots really hurt us,” said Herbert.

There could be some relief coming soon as Bayern play six of its next seven games at home. Maybe the men from Munich will soon have a chance to clear their minds as well.

While Vassilis Spanoulis's side bounced back, the visitors' road woes continued

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

A chunk of late-game luck and another clutch performance by its unstoppable playmaker allowed Dubai Basketball to finally have a victorious ending in a road game.

A delighted McKinley Wright sets assist mark, lifts Dubai over Efes

A chunk of late-game luck and another clutch performance by its unstoppable playmaker allowed [Dubai Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/dubai-basketball/dub/) to finally have a victorious ending in a road game.

[McKinley Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mckinley-wright-iv/012606/) had a EuroLeague season-high 15 assists and scored 10 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter, while Davis Bertans netted all of his 11 points in the final period, including the team’s 3 fourth-quarter three-pointers, as Dubai secured a come-from-behind 76-80 win over [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/) on Friday night.

“We’ve been in a lot of close games on the road this year, it was about time we pulled one out,” Wright said in a EuroLeague TV interview after the dramatic win.

Dubai snapped a five-game road losing streak, which included a two-point loss in Valencia and a one-point defeat in Bologna. Now, they finally prevailed in a dramatic finale on the road, as their only other road win this season came also in Istanbul, back in October, against the defending champs Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul.

“Every road win in the EuroLeague is special. It looks like Istanbul is a happy city for us,” Dubai head coach Jurica Golemac joked.

However, a mere millimeter left or right, this could have easily been another crushing loss.

Anadolu Efes Istanbul-Dubai Basketball | Round 17 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

After Dubai erased a 10-point third quarter deficit thanks to Bertans's long-range shooting and Wright making play after play, the visitors seemed in control when Wright made a short jumper to make it 72-76 in the last minute. Efes forward [Ercan Osmani](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ercan-osmani/012710/) answered with a triple, 75-76, but Wright was calm from the free-throw line to make it a three-point game.

Dubai was in an even better position when [Nick Weiler-Babb](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nick-weiler-babb/010391/) could only split free throws with 9.8 seconds to go. Dubai had a 76-78 lead and possession, however a bad inbound pass resulted in a turnover, giving Efes new life.

To make things worse, [Justin Anderson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/justin-anderson/012795/) and Bertans had a defensive miscommunication on the ensuing possession, and [Jordan Loyd](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jordan-loyd/009754/) was left all alone on a three-pointer. His shot looked straight on target as some of the Dubai players watched it in disbelief with hands on their head, but the shot somehow rolled out.

Those few seconds seemed like a lifetime, but Dubai pulled down a rebound and finally prevailed.

“In the end, we had a little bit of luck, but I think bravery through the whole game gave us the win, and I think we deserved it,” Coach Golemac pointed out.

The outcome also gave Wright a right to celebrate his memorable performance.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Double-double done the Wright way! <a href="https://t.co/1Qhb7gipVC">pic.twitter.com/1Qhb7gipVC</a></p>&mdash; Dubai Basketball (@dubaibasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/dubaibasket/status/2002099593014919382?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The Dubai playmaker had a career night just three days ago when he collected 26 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds, but it came in a nail-biting defeat at home to Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv. This time, all those fourth-quarter baskets made the difference.

“Justin Anderson does a great job of telling me it’s time,” Wright revealed about his clutch performances. “My teammates and my coaching staff believe in me with the ball in my hands in the fourth quarter. And I am just trying to stay confident and stay within the flow, and just make the right reads.”

Wright was also not shy to admit the reason why he was delighted about finishing the night with 15 assists.

“It’s my career high, in general,” Wright stressed. “High school, college, AAU \[basketball\], whatever. It feels good. Shout-out to my guys making shots, especially Bertans down the stretch.”

Looking at the big picture and taking a peak at the standings, Dubai is only one win away from the postseason places. The UAE-based team will play its last game of the calendar year at home against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan next week. A win would allow Dubai to take an even 9-9 record into 2026.

Considering the injuries, its relative EuroLeague inexperience, and the travel the team has endured, it’s quite an accomplishment for the competition newcomers.

And if Wright continues to play the best basketball of his career, who knows what the second part of the regular season could hold for Dubai.

It was once again McKinley Wright time as the Dubai playmaker scored all of his team's clutch points and set a season high in assists in a long-awaited narrow road win

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