Virtus Bologna survived another major drama against Baskonia to continue its push up the lower ranks of the standings with a 76-74 win at home. Virtus wasted a 15-point lead but managed to fend off the Spanish side for the second time in the last six rounds in moving to 6-14. The Italian outfit also took its record to 4-2 under new head coach Dusko Ivanovic – the first win being the improbable 81-82 win over Baskonia in Spain in Round 15. 

Virtus wins another thriller over Baskonia, prevails 76-74 at home

Virtus Segafredo Bologna survived another major drama against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz to continue its push up the lower ranks of the standings with a 76-74 win at home. Virtus wasted a 15-point lead but managed to fend off the Spanish side for the second time in the last six rounds in moving to 6-14. The Italian outfit also took its record to 4-2 under new head coach Dusko Ivanovic – the first win being the improbable 81-82 win over Baskonia in Spain in Round 15. 

Matt Morgan led the way with 17 points, Isaia Cordinier had 16 points, Achille Polonara 13 and Andrejs Grazulis chipped in 13 points. Baskonia dropped to 8-12, including 2-8 on the road and 2-5 in its last seven games. Luka Samanic shined in his second game with the team with 16 points and 8 rebounds, and Nikos Rogkavopoulos tallied 13 points and 10 rebounds in the loss. 

Game Videos

Cordinier was Virtus’s main weapon early on with 7 points, including a three-pointer to pull the hosts even at 9-9. Baskonia could not get baskets to fall but made six free throws and pulled ahead 9-13. A triple from Ognjen Jaramaz pushed the guests ahead 12-18 and the score was 14-20 after 10 minutes. 

Donta Hall threw down two dunks to put Baskonia ahead by eight points, 18-26. Polonara tried to get Virtus back in front with two triples, but the guests answered with three-pointers both times to make it 24-32. The Baskonia offense dried up with just one basket in 3 minutes and Morgan had 5 points to trim the deficit to 33-34. Virtus still went into the break down 37-38. 

Game News

Morgan continued his hot play to start the second half with the first seven points and assisted on an Alessandro Pajola three-pointer as Virtus led 47-38. Baskonia needed more than 3 minutes to score and that didn’t stop the Virtus push with a put-back dunk and three-pointer from Grazulis and a Morgan three-point play for a 55-40 cushion. Baskonia punched back with a 2-12 run thanks to a four-point play from Rogkavopoulos, who also hit a triple at the buzzer, and the score was 59-54 after three quarters.

After two scores from Samanic made it a one-point game, Daniel Hackett knocked down a triple for Virtus’s first score of the final frame. Baskonia, however, was up 62-63 after a three-pointer and tip-in from Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot. That was the first of six straight lead changes, with an unsportsmanlike foul on Luwawu-Cabarrot resulting in two Morgan free throws and a Polonara triple as Virtus was leading 71-67 with 3 minutes to play. A Cordinier layup had the advantage at 73-67. And the Frenchman buried a big triple with 77 seconds to play for a 76-70 cushion. After a Samanic layup, the officials reviewed a previous Virtus offense and ruled an unsportsmanlike foul on Grazulis, which Trent Forrest converted into two free throws. Forrest missed a chance to tie the game with 2.5 seconds left from the free-throw line and then Rogkavopoulos was just off target with a potential three-point winner at the buzzer.

The Italian side improves to 4-2 under new coach Dusko Ivanovic

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2025-01-10T19:45:00.000Z)

KK Crvena zvezda rolled on with a resounding 85-69 home win over Paris Basketball in the EuroLeague, improving to 12-8 after its fourth successive victory while the visitors dropped to 11-8 following a fifth defeat in a row. 

Dominant Crvena Zvezda subdues Paris, 85-69

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade rolled on with a resounding 85-69 home win over Paris Basketball in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, improving to 12-8 after its fourth successive victory while the visitors dropped to 11-8 following a fifth defeat in a row.

Isaiah Canaan paced Zvezda with 15 points, Nemanja Nedovic and Codi Miller-McIntyre chipped in with 14 each while Filip Petrusev added 10 to underline a smooth team effort, generated by airtight defense from the Serbian team after Paris had raced into an early 0-9 lead.

At the other end, TJ Shorts led Paris on 17 points, having scored 9 of his team’s opening 11 but soon faded away as Zvezda forced a barrage of tough shots from the livewire playmaker. Kevarrius Hayes and Nadir Hifi netted 13 points apiece for the visitors, who sank a mere 7 of 30 from deep.

Paris had the upper hand in the first quarter as Shorts and Hayes did damage from all over, carving out a 15-25 lead as Zvezda struggled to cope with the French team’s high-tempo offense. However, the hosts ramped up their defense in the second and drew level at halftime, 39-39, as their physicality in the paint began to tell.

The tide turned for good in the third quarter as the home team got their first lead of the game, 45-43, before a Yago dos Santos long three gave the Belgrade outfit a 55-50 advantage ahead of the final 10 minutes.

Canaan buried another one early in the fourth to make it 64-54, and the writing was on the wall for Paris after Nedovic sank one from way downtown, pumping his chest and galvanizing the crowd as Zvezda pulled away to 72-57. Clearly running on empty, Paris was devoid of the energy required to force a final twist as the visitors fell apart on offense.

Zvezda maintained cruise control for the rest of the contest and ran out a deserved winner, boosting its postseason hopes in the process, while Paris now faces a formidable task of getting back on track.

The Serbian side stifled out its French rival with ironclad defense for a fourth successive win

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Paris Basketball (2025-01-10T19:00:00.000Z)

Olympiacos BC and Sasha Vezenkov enjoyed a historic night on Friday as the Reds demolished FC Bayern Munich 112-69 at the Peace and Friendship Stadium, with Vezenkov recording a career-high 45 points – the third most points in EuroLeague history. 

Sasha Vezenkov makes history as Olympiacos thrashes Bayern, 112-69

Olympiacos Piraeus and Sasha Vezenkov enjoyed a historic night on Friday as the Reds demolished FC Bayern Munich 112-69 at the Peace and Friendship Stadium. Despite the absences of Evan Fournier and captain Kostas Papanikolaou, Olympiacos led from start to finish, with Vezenkov recording a career-high 45 points – the third most points in EuroLeague history. 

The hosts shared the ball smoothly throughout the game, registering a club-record 36 assists. Olympiacos remains top of the standings with a 14-6 record, while Bayern dropped to 11-9 after suffering its fourth loss in five games.

Vezenkov paced all scorers, with Shaquielle McKissic netting 16 points and Alec Peters scoring 15. Luca Vildoza had 12 points and Moustapha Fall added 10. For Bayern, Devin Booker was the only player to record double digits in scoring, netting 16 points.

Olympiacos started strong, with Vezenkov opening the scoring before a bucket from Fall and 5 straight points by Peters gave the hosts a 9-0 lead. Gordon Herbert reacted by changing the whole starting five, with Niels Giffey netting Bayern’s first field goal from beyond the arc to make it 12-4. Fall responded with a monster slam before a three-point play by McKissic and a bucket from Vezenkov gave Olympiacos a 21-4 cushion. Voigtmann ended Olympiacos’s run with a triple before a Giffey basket cut the difference to 23-9. Vildoza replied with 4 unanswered points, but Booker dunked in style and Shabazz Napier completed a three-point play that trimmed the deficit to 28-14 after 10 minutes.

Booker opened the second quarter with a three-pointer, before a Napier layup and a triple by Andreas Obst brought Bayern within 30-22. Yet, Vezenkov netted from deep and Fall scored inside to restore a 35-22 lead. Then, Olympiacos went on a 10-2 run fueled by Venenkov, whose 7 straight points made it 45-28. Yet, Bayern fought back, with Ivan Kharchenkov adding 5 points to his tally and Danko Brankovic scoring inside before a buzzer-beating jumper from Nigel Williams-Goss allowed the Reds to maintain a 51-37 lead.

Bayern hit the ground running in the second half, with Voigtmann drilling a corner three and Booker scoring inside to cut the deficit to 51-42. Fall and Vezenkov scored in the paint before a triple from Vildoza extended Olympiacos’s lead to 58-45. Booker and Vezenkov netted 5 points each, but a triple from Obst brought Bayern back within 65-53. Olympiacos responded with a 7-0 run inspired by Vildoza for a 72-53 lead. Then, Nikola Milutinov made 2 of 2 from the line and Vezenkov drained one from beyond the rainbow to maintain a 78-57 cushion heading into the closing quarter.

Olympiacos opened the fourth with a 16-0 surge, as back-to-back triples from Peters and Vezenkov were followed by two three-point plays from McKissic and a Williams-Goss dunk for a 91-57 lead. Then, a red-hot Vezenkov scored 3 consecutive triples, with Giannoulis Larentzakis nailing one of his own to finish the game off.

The Reds have now won five straight in the EuroLeague

Olympiacos Piraeus v FC Bayern Munich (2025-01-10T19:15:00.000Z)

Real Madrid grabbed its fifth consecutive victory by edging Zalgiris Kaunas 64-83 on the road in Round 20 on Friday, with Los Blancos' 19-point win seeing them also take the tiebreak advantage after registering a nine-point loss against Zalgiris in Round 15. 

Real Madrid's defense pounds Zalgiris into submission, 64-83

Real Madrid grabbed its fifth consecutive victory by edging Zalgiris Kaunas 64-83 on the road in Round 20 on Friday. Real improved to 11-9 in the standings while Zalgiris dropped to 10-10 and is on a four-game losing streak. *Los Blancos*' 19-point win saw them also take the tiebreak advantage after registering a nine-point loss against Zalgiris in Round 15. 

Dzanan Musa led the winners with 17 points. Facu Campazzo and Serge Ibaka each added 13 while Mario Hezonja had 10 for Real. Lonnie Walker led Zalgiris with 17 points.

Campazzo got Real going with a jump hook which Walter Tavares followed with a layup for a 0-4 lead. Dovydas Giedraitis struck from downtown, then Musa and Xavier Rathan-Mayes restored a 3-7 Real edge. Walker stepped up for Zalgiris with 5 straight points before Sylvain Francisco scored a fast-break layup to cap a 7-0 run. Brady Manek improved Musa's floater with a bomb from downtown before Francisco and Arnas Butkevicius each joined the three-point shootout for a 19-11 Zalgiris advantage. Campazzo stepped up with a floater and Serge Ibaka added a jump hook to keep Real within 21-15. Lukas Lekavicius followed a floater with a three-pointer to make it a double-digit game, 26-15, after 10 minutes.

Ibaka buried consecutive jump hooks early in the second quarter. Hezonja soon added a three-point play that gave Los Blancos hope at 26-22. Giedraitis banked in an off-balanced shot off a Zalgiris timeout, Ibaka answered from beyond the arc and Andres Feliz's three-pointer tied it at 28-28. Hezonja capped a 2-15 run from the foul line to give Real a 28-30 edge. Giedraitis rescued the hosts with a driving layup and Deividas Sirvydis scored the rest of the points in a 6-0 run that restored a 34-30 Zalgiris lead. Musa took over with an off-balanced three-point play before Campazzo put Real in charge, 34-35, at halftime.

 

Walker hit free throws and nailed a catch-and-shoot triple to put Zalgiris in charge, 39-35, after the break. Hezonja rescued Real with a bomb from beyond the arc which Campazzo followed with a acrobatic layup for a 39-40 lead. Laurynas Birutis scored down low before Musa buried back-to-back three-pointers to make the hosts stop the game at 41-47. Bryant Dunston stepped up with a power layup, Musa silenced the crowd with a coast-to-coast basket and Alberto Abalde's turnaround jumper made it an eight-point game, 44-52. Abalde scored again to giva Real its first double-digit lead, 44-55, which Alen Smailagic cut to 46-55 after 30 minutes. 

Ibaka and Feliz each struck from beyond the arc to break the game open, 46-61, early in the fourth quarter. Zalgiris kept struggling to score whle Eli Ndiaye followed a put-back basket with a fastbreak slam that made the hosts call timeout, 46-65, with over 7 minutes left. Sergio Llull capped a 0-13 run with a three-point play. Smailagic tried to change things with a put-back slam and a three-point play, getting Zalgiris within 51-70. Walter struck from downtown but it was already too little, too late for Zalgiris. Campazzo and Ndiaye made sure that the hosts were not even close to steal the tie-break advantage. 

Dzanan Musa led Los Blancos to their 11th victory


Zalgiris Kaunas v Real Madrid (2025-01-10T18:00:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL came back from an 11-point third-quarter deficit, not allowing a single field goal in the fourth quarter, as it beat Anadolu Efes 76-82 on Friday night. 

Defensive-minded ASVEL rallies to stun Efes, 76-82

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne came back from an 11-point third-quarter deficit, not allowing a single field goal in the fourth quarter, as it beat Anadolu Efes Istanbul 76-82 on Friday night. The win improved ASVEL to a 9-11 record and saw Pierric Poupet's men sweep the season series against Efes, which dropped to 10-10 and 0-1 under new head coach Luca Banchi.

Efes led 57-46 and held multiple 10-point leads in the third quarter, but ASVEL went on a 2-16 run bridging the third and fourth quarters to take a 68-73 lead, which the visitors never relinquished. Nando De Colo scored 16 points, making all 5 of his field goals including 4 three-pointers, while Black had 15 points and 7 assists. Theo Maledon also scored 15, and Shaquille Harrison had 11 points in a winning effort. Shane Larkin and Vincent Poirier scored 14 apiece for the hosts, Ercan Osmani scored 13, and Elijah Bryant 12 points in a loss.

Andre Roberson’s second-chance triple opened the scoring, giving ASVEL an early boost and a 1-7 lead. Back-to-back triples from Larkin and Darius Thompson tied things at 9-9, but Melvin Ajinca hit a pair of triples to give ASVEL an 11-17 edge. Bryant and Harrison traded three-pointers before Dan Oturu scored twice inside, but thanks to Harrison and Maledon, the visitors held a 20-24 advantage after 10 minutes.

Harrison hit a triple to open the second quarter to help extend the lead to eight points. Rolands Smits and Bryant got Efes going again, but David Lighty had a jumper and Maledon took it to the rim to make it 24-33. But Efes stepped up defensively, playing better defense on Maledon, while Smits and Poirier started dominating under ASVEL’s basket. The duo combined to score 7 points, before Osmani capped a 9-0 run to tie the game. Paris Lee netted a triple, but Osmani battled his way for 6 more points to give Efes a 41-38 halftime lead.

Back-to-back triples from Larkin and Osmani opened a 47-38 margin. Maledon hit a triple and Lee added another one of his own to cut it to 51-46. But Poirier scored inside, then Larkin fed Jordan Nwora then raced for a fast-break layup to give the hosts a 57-46 advantage, the first double-digit lead of the game. De Colo hit back-to-back triples before Thompson and Roberson traded close-range baskets. Oturu helped the hosts restore a double-digit margin, 64-54, but De Colo hit another one from long range and Tarik Black scored twice from close range, including a dunk that made it 66-61 after 30 minutes.

De Colo opened the fourth with a three-pointer that made it a two-point game, forcing an Efes timeout after only 61 seconds. Efes was without a single point for exactly 5 minutes, as Maledon and Harrison found their way to the free-throw line, and Black scored twice inside for ASVEL to restore its lead, 68-73. Bryant and Poirier made free throws to end Efes’s scoring drought, but Black scored twice more inside to keep the visitors ahead, 74-77, with 2 minutes to go. ASVEL kept it up defensively, not allowing a field goal the rest of the way, as De Colo and Black sealed the deal.

The French side ruined coach Luca Banchi’s debut on Efes bench

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2025-01-10T17:30:00.000Z)

Arvydas Sabonis, a legendary figure at Zalgiris Kaunas, was honored ahead of the team's game against Real Madrid, another his former teams, on Friday night.

Zalgiris honors club legend Arvydas Sabonis

[Arvydas Sabonis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/arvydas-sabonis/ayo/) received a standing ovation before the game between [Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/zal/) and [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/).

The fact that he is not a fan of public appearances made the evening even more significant. This night was chosen for the ceremony because Zalgiris played against Real, one of Sabonis's former teams, and the iconic center turned 60 years old recently, on December 19. Honoring Sabonis was the latest special event among  Zalgiris's 80th anniversary celebrations.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">True legend and Zalgiris synonym. 🌟<br><br>In honor of Zalgiris’s 80th season, the legendary basketball player Arvydas Sabonis, who recently celebrated his 60th birthday, was honored before the EuroLeague game. 👏🏼 <a href="https://t.co/hLAuiMLdgq">pic.twitter.com/hLAuiMLdgq</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1877780114978566592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Zalgiris used artificial intelligence to turn old photos into the videos that were shown on the jumbotron during the pregame tribute.

Sabonis is more than a Zalgiris legend. He is the club's Honorary President and the best player to ever come out of basketball-crazy Lithuania. As a player, Sabonis was a generational talent ahead of this time, a 2.21-meter mobile center who could run the floor and pass the ball like a guard, take three-point shots and finish in the paint with great authority. His off-the-charts basketball IQ allowed him to dominate almost any basketball game. Sabonis is also a Lithuanian icon who remained loyal to his country, as the country's most famous sports person when it regained independence in the early 1990s.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Back to the ‘80s with the true legend Arvydas Sabonis! 🎞️<br> <br>In honor of Zalgiris’s 80th season, the legendary basketball player Arvydas Sabonis, who recently celebrated his 60th birthday, will be honored in tomorrow’s EuroLeague game before the team introductions. 🌟 <a href="https://t.co/u09C130bKA">pic.twitter.com/u09C130bKA</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1877336171098808753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Born in Kaunas, Sabonis made his Zalgiris's first-team debut in 1981. He helped Zalgiris win three consecutive Soviet Union League titles from 1985 to 1987, setting up a legendary, ongoing sports rivalry with CSKA Moscow. His matchup against CSKA center Vladimir Tkachenko defined an era in European basketball. They played together on the Soviet Union national team, which Sabonis helped win respective gold medals at the 1988 Olympic Games, 1982 Basketball World Cup and EuroBasket 1985. When Lithuania became independent, Sabonis led its national team to Olympic bronze medals in 1992 and 1996 and silver at EuroBasket 1995.

Despite two Achilles tendon injuries that led to chronic knee, ankle and groin issues, Sabonis went on to play in Spain, first for Valladolid and then for Real, which he led to the 1995 EuroLeague crown as the Final Four MVP. Even he was no longer than explosive, Sabonis changed his game, enhancing his three-point shooting and unique passing skills.

Sabonis played in the NBA for seven seasons for the Portland TrailBlazers before returning to Zalgiris, where he played the 2003-04 EuroLeague. At age 40, Sabonis simply dominated, averaging 16.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and a league-best PIR of 26.3. He took Zalgiris to the very gates of the 2004 Final Four, but a heartbreaking overtime loss against Maccabi in Tel Aviv prevented his team from reaching even higher.

One of his sons, Domantas Sabonis, is an NBA star. Another, Tautvydas, is one of Zalgiris's assistant coaches. More than 20 years after retiring from basketball, if Zalgiris is mentioned anywhere around the world, Arvydas Sabonis is the first player who comes to mind.

More Zalgiris News

The club chose its game against Real Madrid, one of his former clubs, to pay homage to the legendary center

[ALBA Berlin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/alba-berlin/ber/) has announced the signing of [Michael Kessens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/michael-kessens/003481/) on a deal until the end of the season, following the center's exit from [Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/) on Thursday.

Kessens (2.06 meters, 33 years old) lifted the BKT EuroCup title last season as Paris's captain, but he did not feature for the club through the first 20 rounds of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">Willkommen bei ALBA, Michael Kessens! 👋<br> <br>Vertrag bis zum Saisonende: Der deutsche Center wechselt von Paris nach Berlin und wird unseren Frontcourt in der <a href="https://twitter.com/easyCreditBBL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@easyCreditBBL</a> verstärken.<br> <br>Let&#39;s gooooooooo! 💛💙<br> <br>🔗 Alle Infos: <a href="https://t.co/oxQ95JpXiX">https://t.co/oxQ95JpXiX</a> <a href="https://t.co/PM4LmHQ6r7">pic.twitter.com/PM4LmHQ6r7</a></p>&mdash; ALBA BERLIN (@albaberlin) <a href="https://twitter.com/albaberlin/status/1877675277343485992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

During Paris's EuroCup-winning season in 2023-24, Kessens averaged 4.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 13 appearances.

A Germany international, the 33-year-old returns to Germany where he had previously spent his entire professional career, suiting up for Eisbaren Bremerhaven (2017-18), SC Rasta Vechta (2018-20), the Fraport Skyliners (2020-21), and Telekom Baskets Bonn (2021-23). 

With Bonn, Kessens was part of the team that won the 2023 Basketball Champions League title under Tuomas Iisalo, who then brought several Bonn players to Paris and went on to secure the EuroCup championship.

More ALBA Berlin News

He heads back to Germany after a season and a half in the French capital

Michael Kessens switches Paris for ALBA

There are several mouth-watering games for EuroLeague fans to enjoy in Round 20 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season this Friday night.

Game Center: Round 20 continues this Friday night

## Friday, January 10

### [Anadolu Efes Istanbul 76-82 LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/defensive-minded-asvel-rallies-to-stun-efes-76-82/)

ASVEL came back from an 11-point third-quarter deficit, not allowing a single field goal in the fourth quarter, as it beat Efes 76-82 on Friday night. The win improved ASVEL to a 9-11 record and saw Pierric Poupet's men sweep the season series against Efes, which dropped to 10-10 and 0-1 under new head coach Luca Banchi.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">NEW WIN ON THE ROAD ! 🔥<br><br>Au caractère, les Villeurbannais vont chercher une énorme victoire sur le parquet du double vainqueur de l&#39;Euroleague, l&#39;Anadolu Efes ! 💪<br><br>Place désormais à 3 matchs consécutifs européens à la maison et ça commence dès mardi face au Partizan ! <br>🎟… <a href="https://t.co/4FzrAPwY9e">pic.twitter.com/4FzrAPwY9e</a></p>&mdash; LDLC ASVEL (@LDLCASVEL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL/status/1877801113371693096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Zalgiris Kaunas 64-83 Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/real-madrid-defense-pounds-zalgiris-into-submission-64-83/)

Real Madrid grabbed its fifth consecutive victory by edging Zalgiris 64-83 on the road in Round 20 on Friday. Real improved to 11-9 in the standings while Zalgiris dropped to 10-10 and is on a four-game losing streak. *Los Blancos*' 19-point win saw them also take the tiebreak advantage after registering a nine-point loss against Zalgiris in Round 15.

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Gg9RPLLXcAAc9Gk?format=jpg&name=large)

### [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 85-69 Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/dominant-crvena-zvezda-subdues-paris-85-69/)

Crvena Zvezda rolled on with a resounding 85-69 home win over Paris in the EuroLeague, improving to 12-8 after its fourth successive victory while the visitors dropped to 11-8 following a fifth defeat in a row.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">STATEMENT VICTORY 🤩<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://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/sportmts?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sportmts</a> <a href="https://t.co/4hWknbHjd5">pic.twitter.com/4hWknbHjd5</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1877822324940120097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Olympiacos Piraeus 112-69 FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/sasha-vezenkov-makes-history-as-olympiacos-thrashes-bayern-112-69/)

Olympiacos and Sasha Vezenkov enjoyed a historic night on Friday as the Reds thrashed Bayern 112-69 at Peace and Friendship Stadium. Despite the absences of Evan Fournier and captain Kostas Papanikolaou, Olympiacos led from start to finish, with Vezenkov recording a career-high 45 points – the third most points in EuroLeague history. The hosts shared the ball smoothly throughout the game, registering a club-record 36 assists. Olympiacos remains top of the standings with a 14-6 record, while Bayern dropped to 11-9 after suffering its fourth loss in five games.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">FINAL 🏀 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> - FC Bayern Munich 112-69 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</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/OLYBAY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OLYBAY</a> <a href="https://t.co/dIgEA5E1xQ">pic.twitter.com/dIgEA5E1xQ</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1877823428918440028?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Virtus Segafredo Bologna 76-74 Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/virtus-wins-another-thriller-over-baskonia-prevails-76-74-at-home/)

Virtus survived another major drama against Baskonia to continue its push up the lower ranks of the standings with a 76-74 win at home. Virtus wasted a 15-point lead but managed to fend off the Spanish side for the second time in the last six rounds in moving to 6-14. The Italian outfit also took its record to 4-2 under new head coach Dusko Ivanovic – the first win being the improbable 81-82 win over Baskonia in Spain in Round 15.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">VINCIAMO NOI, NONOSTANTE TUTTO ❗️ <a href="https://t.co/eaOnVH9lX7">pic.twitter.com/eaOnVH9lX7</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Segafredo Bologna (@VirtusSegafredo) <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusSegafredo/status/1877834586526187746?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Thursday, January 9

### [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 90-73 ALBA Berlin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul-alba-berlin/E2024/172/)

Fenerbahce recorded two straight victories for the first time since Rounds 10 and 11 by beating ALBA at Ulker Sports and Event Hall. A tight, back-and-forth affair in the first three quarters was followed by a 22-4 Fenerbahce charge in the fourth to finish the game off. With this victory, Fenerbahce improved its record to 12-7. ALBA registered its seventh consecutive loss and dropped to 3-17. Sertac Sanli led all scorers with a season-high 18 points and Marko Guduric and Nigel Hayes-Davis netted 14 each. Gabriele Procida paced ALBA with 14 points.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Maç Bizim! 💪 <br><br>Bravo Takım! 👏<br><br>Maç Sonucu | Fenerbahçe Beko 🆚 Alba Berlin: 90-73 <br><br>Skor dağılımımız: Sertaç 18, Guduric 14, Hayes-Davis 14, Colson 10, Pierre 9, Melli 9, Biberovic 8, Mays 4, Hall 2, Birch 2. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://t.co/NI84iJoOYA">pic.twitter.com/NI84iJoOYA</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1877440705708081569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [AS Monaco 84-98 FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/as-monaco-fc-barcelona/E2024/173/)

Barcelona delivered a strong road performance to triumph at Monaco, improving to 11-9 in its quest to climb the standings. Monaco dropped to 13-7 and will lose a share of first place if Olympiacos Piraeus beats FC Bayern Munich on Friday. Barcelona controlled early on and took a double-digit lead early in the second quarter before Monaco fought back to make it 41-45 at the break. Monaco briefly led in the third but the visitor pulled away again, standing firm in the final minutes for a key win. Dario Brizuela led the way with a career-high 27 points and Chimizie Metu added 13 points plus 8 rebounds. Mike James paced Monaco with 23 points and 8 assists.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">𝐀𝐈𝐗𝐈́ 𝐒𝐈́, 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐂̧𝐀! GRAN VICTÒRIA A MÒNACO 👊 <a href="https://t.co/yQB0TgzyUR">pic.twitter.com/yQB0TgzyUR</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1877444656788603319?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 74-107 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-ea7-emporio-armani-milan/E2024/175/)

Milan earned an important victory in its battle to make the playoffs by rolling past Maccabi in Belgrade. Milan took the third quarter 17-33 to lay the foundation for its second straight win to move to 11-9. Milan avoided a slip-up against struggling Maccabi with Shavon Shields pacing five scorers in double figures with 18 points. Maccabi lost for the seventh time in the last eight games and now has a 5-15 record. Roman Sorkin led the losing side with 16 points. 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Big win in Belgrade🤍❤️<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/qvq5yKL63p">pic.twitter.com/qvq5yKL63p</a></p>&mdash; Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936/status/1877459637588398587?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens 96-84 Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/E2024/174/)

Reigning champion Panathinaikos improved to 13-7 and celebrated its fifth successive victory after overpowering Partizan on the back of a game-high 25 points from top scorer Kendrick Nunn and a majestic display from Jerian Grant. With influential playmakers Lorenzo Brown and Kostas Sloukas sidelined, Grant pulled all the strings on offense as he racked up 14 points, 8 assists and 7 boards, propelling a smooth effort at both ends. At the other end, Sterling Brown stood out for Partizan with 23 points, but the visitors dropped to a 9-11 record.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Final Score ☘️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/paobcaktor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#paobcaktor</a> - <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PartizanBC</a> 96-84<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeTheGreens?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeTheGreens</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LiveTheGreenMagic?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LiveTheGreenMagic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Club1908?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Club1908</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneClubOneApp?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OneClubOneApp</a> <a href="https://t.co/xN2eJOz0dO">pic.twitter.com/xN2eJOz0dO</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr/status/1877464085551321178?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Fenerbahce, Barcelona, Milan and Panathinaikos were victorious on Thursday night

Game Center: Huge night for Vezenkov, Olympiacos; ASVEL, Madrid, Zvezda, Virtus win

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2025-01-09T19:15:00.000Z)

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2025-01-09T19:05:00.000Z)

AS Monaco v FC Barcelona (2025-01-09T18:00:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v ALBA Berlin (2025-01-09T17:45:00.000Z)

The man known as the ‘Basque Mamba’ turned himself into Super Dario, as Dario Brizuela scored a career-high 27 points to help FC Barcelona defeat AS Monaco with an impressive array of shot-making as he scored with relentless consistency to spearhead an 84-98 triumph

Dario Brizuela’s career night boosted under-pressure Barca

[FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/roster/bar/?season=2024-25) headed into Thursday night’s tough trip to co-leader [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/roster/mco/?season=2024-25) under severe pressure.

Earlier in the week, the *Blaugrana* suffered consecutive domestic league defeats against local rivals Joventut Badalona and Basquet Girona, leaving [Joan Penarroya](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/penarroya-joan/?season=E2024)’s men in serious danger of failing to qualify for the Spanish Cup for the first time ever.

With the team also placed precariously in the middle of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague standings, it was time for a hero to step forward... And on its trip to the principality, Barca found an unlikely source of inspiration through one of its lesser-heralded talents: [Dario Brizuela](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dario-brizuela/009992/).

The man known as the ‘Basque Mamba’ turned himself into Super Dario, downing Monaco with an impressive array of shot-making as he scored with relentless consistency to spearhead [an 84-98 triumph](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/dario-brizuela-blasts-barca-past-monaco-84-98/), getting his team back in touch with the all-important top four.

Dario Brizuela scored a career-high 27 points for FC Barcelona against AS Monaco, 01/09/2025

Dario Brizuela scored 27 points against Monaco

Brizuela came into the game off the bench midway through the first quarter, and his first act was as a distributor to provide an assist for [Jabari Parker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jabari-parker/012745/), whose three-point strike gave Barca a commanding early 6-15 lead. But the 30-year-old guard is primarily known as a scorer, and he soon settled into his shooting rhythm by netting a three-pointer, which was followed early in the second quarter by a layup to establish the game’s first double-digit margin, a free throw and another triple.

Barca needed to keep on scoring to prevent determined Monaco from taking control of the game and, with usual marksman [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/) suffering a quiet evening until the final quarter, Brizuela’s constancy was the main motor for the visiting team throughout the game.

His third three-pointer, still only midway through the second quarter, saw Brizuela become the game’s first player to reach double digits. When Monaco’s third-quarter comeback threatened to turn the game around, he returned off the bench and immediately got back into the scoring groove – which continued in the final quarter. Brizuela started off that final frame by scoring 5 points in 21 seconds and later added another pair of triples to ensure the home team could not set up a close finale.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">27 punts, 6 triples, 25 de valoració. Nit de rècord de <a href="https://twitter.com/basquemamba?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@basquemamba</a> 🫡 <a href="https://t.co/I9WRfudHUN">pic.twitter.com/I9WRfudHUN</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1877446187080429602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

When it was all over, Brizuela had racked up a career-best 27 points, with excellent efficiency as he made 4-of-6 two-point attempts and 6 of 8 from long range, also adding a couple of assists, 2 rebounds and a steal. Also, significantly, he spent nearly 29 minutes on the floor – more than any other Barca player and way above his previous season-high of 19:41.

The game’s hero admitted it was an important win to lift his team’s spirits after their tough start to the week, saying: “We are in a hard moment right now because we’ve been losing a lot of games in the last minute with bad luck, so this win is huge for us.”

With nine teams separated by just one win between 4th and 12th places at the start of Round 20, it doesn’t take much of a run to make a major move up the EuroLeague standings. Barca is now just one win short of fourth place, and Brizuela acknowledged his team is targeting a strong end to the regular season.

“Now we are fighting for a good spot, so to get a win like this against the leader in EuroLeague is huge for us,” he said. “We’ve got to build from this and keep growing as a team.”

There is still a long way to go, but Brizuela’s scoring exploits on Thursday night gave Barca a big boost at the perfect time.

The Spanish team enjoyed a much-needed win at Monaco on Thursday thanks to a great game from its shooting guard