The veteran talisman of Virtus is ready for the challenge of trying to reach his first EuroLeague Playoffs.

Marco Belinelli, Virtus: 'Age is just a number'

Virtus Segafredo Bologna travels [to face Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz on Friday](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz-virtus-segafredo-bologna/E2023/309/) in the final Play-In Showdown game with a chance to qualify for the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs. That would give [Marco Belinelli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/marco-belinelli/bcn/) the chance to make his EuroLeague Playoffs debut at age 38. 

When it comes to the EuroLeague Playoffs, Belinelli has been unlucky in terms of timing. He helped Fortitudo Bologna reached the EuroLeague Championship Game in 2004 but in that case qualified to the Final Four straight from the Top 16. When playoffs returned to the competition in 2005, Belinelli had three chances to get there with Fortitudo but never made it. 

After a long time in the NBA – where he made the playoffs in six separate seasons and became champion with San Antonio in 2014 – Belinelli returned to Europe and helped Virtus win the BKT EuroCup title in 2022. Last season, Virtus missed the EuroLeague playoffs. But now, after shocking Anadolu Efes Istanbul on the road, 64-67, on the first night of the Play-In Showdown, Belinelli and Virtus have the chance to experience the best-of-five EuroLeague Playoffs for the first time if they can win against Baskonia on Friday.

### Belinelli prepared for a long career

Belinelli's long-term experience will be central to the Virtus cause.

"Age is just a number for me – that's my opinion – so I just try to go on the court, every practice and every game, to show what I can do, show how I can help my team to win," he says.

It is no accident that Belinelli is not only playing professionally at age 38, but ranks among the top 15 overall scorers and top 10 per-minute scorers in the EuroLeague. 

"For sure, taking care about my body and everything is the reason why I'm still playing, you know, like 100%," Belinelli said. "I try to do my treatment, eat in the right way, go to sleep early, just stay with my family and my baby, so that keeps me going. That's the reason."

Of course, Belinelli has plenty of other playoff experience – just not in the EuroLeague – to fall back on at this point in the season. He helped Virtus win the Italian League title in 2021, in his first season after returning from the NBA. His NBA playoff experience totaled 65 games with New Orleans, Chicago, Philadelphia and of course, San Antonio, the team with whom he won that 2014 NBA title. 

"When I signed for Virtus Bologna, I got the opportunity to win immediately the Italian championship... so for me it was really like a dream come true. I didn't expect that from the beginning, immediately," Belinelli said. "But it's important to say that if somebody plays for Virtus Segafredo Bologna, he needs to know that here we want to win trophies. So, it's the first thing, and we're going to try to do that every year."

This season, Belinelli is averaging 14.2 points, 1.8 assists and a PIR of 9.4, proving he is much more than a three-point shooter. 

"I think that's my style of basketball, everybody know me like a three-point shooter but like I say many times, I don't just want to be a shooter. I just try to help the team and create for my teammates. I try to play better defense, you know?," Belinelli said. "So I just try to do that because I want to do that, I want to show that to the people, and we just want to win."

We all know that Marco Belinelli of Virtus Segafredo Bologna is an elite three-point shooters. But that's only part of his game.

Marco Belinelli: much more than a three-point shooter

### A team on a mission

Speaking of fire power, Belinelli believes Virtus has one of the most dangerous backcourts in the competition, which could be a difference-maker in Vitoria-Gasteiz just like it was against Efes in Istanbul. Iffe Lundberg sealed the outcome in the final seconds with a bomb from downtown. Belinelli buried 3 triples from beyond the arc, while Lundberg, Achille Polonara and Awudu Abass hit 2 each. 

"I think we have a lot of players who are playing much better than last year. They've got more confidence and for sure, it's important to score three-point shots," Belinelli said. "I think we have a great group of guys. Everybody wants to play hard and sacrifice for our coach and for the organization, for sure. And we play together. We move the ball side to side, everybody has confidence to be on the court and be important for the team."

"Virtus needs to stay at this high level."

Having so many shooters wouldn't be so important if Virtus did not have a power forward able to attack the rim and make the most out of the space its three-point bombers generate. Luckily for Virtus, it has the perfect player for that job, Toko Shengelia, and Belinelli appreciated his role as a veteran leader in every way. 

"He is a good guy, he is a good leader and honestly, I expect that from Toko," Belinelli said. "He's got talent, he can score pretty much everywhere. He can handle the ball, he can run fast, so I'm really happy and very lucky to play with him. And I hope that he's going to stay like this with us for a long time." 

Playoffs or not, don't be surprised see Belinelli playing for Virtus at age 39 and even beyond. He is shooting the ball well, contributing in many ways and above all, considers Bologna his home. Belinelli was born in San Giovanni in Persiceto, barely 30 kilometers away from the city. He believes coming back to Virtus was the right decision at the right time, going full circle by joining the team in which he started his professional basketball career. 

"I mean, it's great for me. I played in the NBA for 13 years, so that was a long time. And for me, it was time to come back home," Belinelli says. He and Virtus "pretty much we want the same thing, to win some trophies and get better as an organization. So, I'm really happy to be here. I'm home and I think Virtus needs to stay at this high level."

[Antonius Cleveland](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/antonius-cleveland/012744/)’s basketball career has taken him around the world. After a standout college basketball career at Southeast Missouri State, he became the second player from the school ever – and first since 1962 – to play in the NBA. After parts of two seasons with Dallas and Atlanta, Cleveland found a new home in Australia.

He was selected as the Australian League’s Best Defensive Player in 2022 with the Illawarra Hawks and repeated as the winner of the league’s top defensive honor the next season with the Adelaide 36ers. Since the season in Australia finishes earlier than in most European leagues, Adelaide – which had Cleveland under contract for another season – allowed him to play for a few months in Europe.

Cleveland signed for Hapoel Eilat of the Israeli League in February 2023 and it did not take long for him to make an impact. In 11 games there, he averaged 17.6 points with excellent shooting numbers, 4.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.8 steals. He was the Israeli League playoff of the month for March 2023 and also placed first in the league’s slam dunk contest.

He played so well that his future was quickly changing. 

Antonius Cleveland's best plays from the regular season

“I knew that I probably wasn't going back to Australia,” Cleveland said of his time in Eilat. “I just didn't know like where. But I knew I would be somewhere different and better.”

Cleveland did not get the chance to play against Maccabi that season, but he was able to watch the perennial Israeli champs and learn a little about the EuroLeague.

“I didn't know anything about the EuroLeague. I would go out to eat and they would always have Maccabi’s game on,” Cleveland recalled. “I wanted to play after watching the games. I wanted to play. So just 3-4 months later I get the opportunity. It's kind of surreal and a blessing.”

When his season in Eilat ended, Cleveland returned to his offseason residence in Dallas, Texas, where he was preparing for his wedding to Monie. And then the unexpected happened.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">and the two became one, <br>Mr. and Mrs. Cleveland 🖤✨ <a href="https://t.co/WqwJhsPetK">pic.twitter.com/WqwJhsPetK</a></p>&mdash; Monie Cleveland (@MonieeJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/MonieeJ/status/1690122178417537024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“Maccabi came into the picture probably like a week before my wedding,” Cleveland explained. “I got married on July 28th. So Maccabi probably came in the picture around the 21st, 22nd when I first spoke on the phone with them. And it happened out of nowhere, honestly.”

Once all the details were worked, there were still some issues to deal with before Cleveland could formally sign with Maccabi.

“I was under contract to go back to Australia. So when that happens, you got to pass your physical so the buyout process can get done,” he said. “I had to fly to Tel Aviv for a day. I think I flew in like on the 23rd. And I was, I came back, I was back in Dallas like on the 25th. So it was crazy, but it was exciting at the same time.”

Antonius Cleveland’s ‘crazy, but exciting’ journey to Maccabi

Fortunately, since he and Monie had been engaged for a year, most of the wedding preparations were under control. His and Monie’s mothers were in town to help and Cleveland was able to disappear for a few days without causing too much stress for anyone.

Cleveland said he really only had two roles in the wedding prep: “I just swiped the \[credit\] card. That's pretty much it… I think I picked the suits that I wanted my groomsmen to wear, but other than that, my wife did everything.”

It also made things easier for Cleveland that his former team was understanding of his situation, and he was able to leave with their blessing.

“My coach was the one telling me like to go, so they understand,” Cleveland said. “And the owners, one of them is a big soccer guy, so he kind of like gets it… So they were all excited for me and it's like a no-brainer, honestly.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">My guy Cj! Much love for him , his family and the city of Adelaide. I enjoyed my time there and I’m thankful for my relationships that was made with my teammates , front office and most importantly the fans. I wish y’all the best 🖤 <a href="https://t.co/qZzPBvXHzM">https://t.co/qZzPBvXHzM</a></p>&mdash; 1️⃣ (@ac_uno1) <a href="https://twitter.com/ac_uno1/status/1687419810588897281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

His Adelaide coach, CJ Bruton, had a spell playing in Israel back in 2009.

“He played against Maccabi in the playoffs that year and did pretty well,” Cleveland explained. “He pretty much knows about the EuroLeague, Maccabi Tel Aviv. So he was excited for me and we keep in touch as well. So he's following me and I'm still following them.”

Once Cleveland passed the physical, he was able to turn his attention to the wedding.

“I was happy to get over here and then get it over with and get back because this is a long trip to just turn around and just make. So I was kind of relieved the moment I got on the plane coming back.” He said.

“It was probably the happiest. I mean, I'm about to get married. I just signed... Like it just was a great weekend and I had to deal with the congrats on signing to Maccabi. It just was a lot and I was kind of overwhelmed with everything, but still grateful and thankful at the same time.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Best weekend of my life hands down . We appreciate everybody who pulled up to Dallas for the support. It was epic 🖤🖤🖤💍💍 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/crossovertocleveland?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#crossovertocleveland</a></p>&mdash; 1️⃣ (@ac_uno1) <a href="https://twitter.com/ac_uno1/status/1685805531502424064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Less than a week before his summer wedding, the swingman was first approached by Maccabi Tel Aviv and they put the deal together in a matter of days

These storied clubs meet in a best-of-five showdown for a single ticket to the Final Four in Berlin. 

Breakdown: FC Barcelona vs. Olympiacos Piraeus

Two storied clubs will square off in the playoff series that features [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/roster/bar/?season=2023-24) and [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/roster/oly/?season=2023-24). Barca has played at each of the last three Final Fours and reached the championship game in 2021. The Reds competed at the last two Final Fours and got to the championship game last season. Only one of these franchises will keep its streak alive and head to Berlin after what promises to be a thrilling best-of-five series. 

Little separates these teams; both finished the regular season with 22-12 records and only by virtue of a tie-breaker does Barca possess the home-court advantage in the series. 

### History and crossed paths

Multiple-time EuroLeague winners and blue-collar powerhouses, Barca and Olympiacos have crossed paths many times in the later stages of the competition. In 1997, Olympiacos conquered its first continental crown by downing Barca 73-58 in the championship game in Rome, Italy. David Rivers had 26 points and was chosen as the 1997 Final Four MVP. When they met for the EuroLeague crown in 2010, Barca bested Olympiacos 86-68 to win its second - and to date, last - EuroLeague title. Juan Carlos Navarro earned Final Four MVP honors that season and remains the only Spanish player to get that award. 

Aside from those two finals, Barca and Olympiacos also crossed paths in the 2015 EuroLeague Playoffs. Barca also had the home-court advantage for that series, but lost Game 2 at Palau Blaugrana, 63-76, behind 22 points from Georgios Printezis. Olympiacos prevailed in both games at home, sealing its Final Four ticket in Game 4 with a 71-68 victory on a buzzer-beating, game-winning three-pointer by Printezis. [Tomas Satoransky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tomas-satoransky/002939/) and [Alex Abrines](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alex-abrines/003478/), who lost in that playoff series, have a second chance against the Reds nine years later. Olympiacos team captain [Kostas Papanikolaou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kostas-papanikolaou/001255/) and head coach Georgios Bartzokas have both spent time with Barca in the past, which adds even more spice to this series.

### Barca's home strength vs. Olympiacos's momentum

It is hard to say which will be the more important factor. Barca has been strong at home all season long and Olympiacos has been on fire over the past two months. Barca finished the regular season tied with Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul for the best home record at 15-2. Only AS Monaco and EA7 Emporio Armani Milan have been able to strike in Barcelona. Its numbers are significantly better at home, too. Barca ranks fifth in scoring (87.3 ppg.), third in assists (20.2 apg.), first in two-point shooting (58.7%) and second from downtown (39.8%) at home. Its numbers are much lower on the road: 78.1 points, 18.6 assists, 53.5% in two-point shooting (11th overall) and 34.3% shooting from beyond the arc (15th overall).

Olympiacos Piraeus has been almost unstoppable in the last two months.

Olympiacos: 10-1 in the last 11 games.

Olympiacos won 10 of its last 11 regular season games to finish in fifth place. Only Monaco had a better final push, winning 12 of the last 13. Half of those 10 wins were on the road, which allowed Olympiacos to become one of just four teams to finish the regular season with a positive road record, 9-8. For the second consecutive season, Olympiacos is the best defensive team in the competition, having allowed a mere 73.3 points per game. Over its last 10 wins, Olympiacos has held opponents to low shooting percentages (52.2% 2FG, 32.4% 3FG) and has forced 14.3 turnovers.

### Loads of exciting matchups

The fact that both teams are so deep makes this series even more unpredictable. The biggest similarities are arguably found at the point guard position. Barca's [Ricky Rubio](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ricky-rubio/lfw/), back in the EuroLeague Playoffs after 13 years, and Olympiacos's [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/) are defensive leaders able to stop any defender. That's when it gets tricky. [Nigel Williams-Goss](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nigel-williams-goss/007982/) of Olympiacos and Satoransky are very different point guards. Barca's [Nico Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nicolas-laprovittola/006435/) can score in many ways, while his counterpart [Isaiah Canaan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/isaiah-canaan/010612/) is an explosive scorer who can change any game. Barca can turn to pure shooters Abrines and [Dario Brizuela](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dario-brizuela/009992/) to spread Olympiacos's defense. At small forward, [Nikola Kalinic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-kalinic/004866/) has the experience for Barcelona, but Coach Bartzokas can use [Shaquielle McKissic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shaquielle-mckissic/007853/), Papanikolaou and even [Ignas Brazdeikis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ignas-brazdeikis/011983/) against him.

Alex Abrines, Nicolas Laprovittola and Dario Brizuela are FC Barcelona's top guns from downtown.

Abrines, Brizuela, Laprovittola provide the fireworlks.

The battle in the paint should be equally interesting. After [Moses Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/moses-wright/012878/) joined the Reds, Olympiacos is really deep at center, especially now that potential difference-maker [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) is back. We are talking about some of the best per-minute big men in the competition. Barca's [Willy Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/willy-hernangomez/003196/) is first in PIR per 40 minutes (32.4) and teammate [Jan Vesely](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jan-vesely/000925/) is fourth (29.9). Milutinov ranks second on that board (31.7), [Moustapha Fall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/moustapha-fall/008811/) is 24th (24.9) while Wright (28.8) did not play enough games to appear in the standings. One of the most exciting matchups comes at power forward when [Jabari Parker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jabari-parker/012745/), one of the best newcomers in the competition, goes against Olympiacos's scoring leader [Alec Peters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alec-peters/008829/) (13.4 ppg.).

In a nutshell, you have everything you can ask for in a EuroLeague Playoff series: tradition, great players and two teams with clear strengths trying to make the most of it. Enjoy! 

It all came together for Maccabi at the perfect time on Tuesday as the Israeli champs routed Baskonia to claim a playoff ticket

Scouting, defense and fun led Maccabi to record play-in win

There is only a handful of head coaches in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague to have won it all as a player. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv’s Oded Kattash is among them, though ironically his crown came as a member of the team he will now face in the playoffs next week, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens.

Kattash leaned into his playing experience when he addressed his players right before they took the floor for Tuesday’s Play-In Showdown opener against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz.

“Try to enjoy this. Enjoy the situation. Don’t be afraid of losing,” Kattash told them. “Especially in the situation that was created with the play-in, to look at it as one game, to do the things we know how to do, to play our basketball.”

And Maccabi played its game from the start, leading from tip to buzzer in recording [a no-doubt-about-it 113-85 victory.](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/E2023/307/)  It might have been Maccabi’s best game all season.

The Israeli champs drained a club-record and EuroLeague postseason record 19 three-pointers. The 113 points scored were the most in any postseason game for Maccabi since the night it poured in 118 to win the EuroLeague in 2004 in Tel Aviv. And [Lorenzo Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/lorenzo-brown/009622/) set Maccabi postseason records for three-pointers made and points scored with 7 and 29, respectively.

Like in all successes, there were many causes for the victory. But seemingly everyone at Maccabi agreed on a few main points: Great scouting, focused players, tough defense and having fun.  

After he dominated for the winners, Brown’s initial thoughts were not about his own performance.

“Great scouting by our coaches, I feel like they should get their credit for that,” Brown said. “[Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/) was our focus and I feel like the guys that guarded him tonight did a hell of a job by stopping his three-point shot and his penetration.”

Maccabi and Baskonia go head-to-head in Belgrade with the winner advancing directly to a playoff series with Panathinaikos. Both teams finished the regular season strong, with the hosts winning seven of its last eight, while the Spaniards Baskonia are fresh from road triumphs at Real Madrid and Virtus.

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv-Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | Play-In |  2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Indeed, Howard, the regular season’s leading scorer, was limited to 3 points on 1-of-8 shooting in the first half as Maccabi raced to a 55-36 advantage, which it increased in the second half even as Howard started to score more.

One of the players responsible for slowing down Howard was [Antonius Cleveland](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/antonius-cleveland/012744/), who accounted for 11 points in 18 minutes off the bench.

“Total team effort,” Cleveland said, before adding: “We had fun and I think the scoreboard showed that.”

[Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/), who posted 26 points and 5 assists, added: “Today was a team win. Everybody was very locked in and focused.”

Kattash agreed: “This wasn’t the type of thing you could plan or feel before the game, though we felt this morning that the players were good. We spoke about the game plan and felt they were focused and ready.”

That focus and effort was apparent from the start, as Maccabi forced 5 first-quarter turnovers while building a double-digit lead that it not only protected the rest of the way, but continued adding to. The players' hustle could be seen from the fact that they outrebounded Baskonia 38-27 and enjoyed a 23-8 cushion in second-chance points.

“You can’t always see it on me, but I am very happy. This is a great accomplishment for us,” Kattash added.  

Maccabi can bask in that accomplishment for a day or so, but by next Tuesday, the coaching staff will have to have done their scouting work and the players must be focused and ready when they open the playoffs in Athens.

“We're going into the belly of the beast. It’s a Greek atmosphere that’s one of the top in Europe, so we’ve got to be ready,” Baldwin summed up. “A great matchup, two very good teams, we’ll see how it plays out.”

Scouting, defense and fun led Maccabi to record play-in win 

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2024-04-16T17:00:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona has reached a new agreement with power forward Jabari Parker to extend his contract for two more years, until the end of the 2025-26 season, the club announced Wednesday.

Barcelona extends Parker through 2026

FC Barcelona has reached a new agreement with power forward [Jabari Parker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jabari-parker/012745/) to extend his contract for two more years, until the end of the 2025-26 season, the club announced Wednesday.

Parker (2.03 meters, 29 years old) is playing his first Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season with Barca. He is averaging 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and a PIR of 9.3 in 33 EuroLeague games so far. Despite coming off the bench for more than half of those games, Parker is third on Barca in minutes played, just over 24 per game. He also ranks among the team's best five shooters in three-point (36.9%) and free-throw (80.6%) accuracy.

"From the first moment I came to Barcelona, I had good vibes, played good games and had good experiences," Parker said. "It was easy to take this decision. I would take the same decision 10 times if given the chance. 

"My goal for the next two seasons is to give 100%, focus on what happens on the court, and give back to our fans as much as I can. My life in Barcelona is fantastic. I love it because of the quality of life and the food."

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">𝐉𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐢 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 renova fins al 2026 💙❤<br><br>Tots els detalls, aquí 👇<a href="https://t.co/MrXBiSk9il">https://t.co/MrXBiSk9il</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1780547612799582303?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Youth standout who was second overall draft choice

A former second overall pick in the draft, Parker played 310 NBA games during eight seasons. He spent four seasons with Milwaukee to begin his career, but suffered a torn ACL after just 25 games his rookie season. His career-best season also came with Milwaukee, in the 2016-17, when he averaged 20.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists. He split the 2018-19 campaign between Washington and Chicago, then played with Atlanta and Sacramento in the 2019-20, before joining Boston, his last NBA team before Barca.

Before Parker's professional career started being plagued by injuries, he was a high school and a college basketball standout in the USA. He received numerous accolades, including the USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year in 2011, an award that honors the best US performer in international basketball, as he led the United States to gold medals at the U16 FIBA Americas in 2011 and the U17 FIBA World Championships in 2012. He spent one year playing college basketball at Duke, scoring 19.1 points and earning All-American honors, before turning pro.

Jabari Parker is in his first Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season with FC Barcelona.

2023-24 EuroLeague highlights: Jabari Parker, Barca

The EuroLeague newcomer will be in the competition at least two more seasons

The two-time EuroLeague champion details how he organizes counter-attacks.

Pablo Laso explains his transition offense

Euroleague Masterminds, presented by Motorola, talks to five Turkish Airlines EuroLeague head coaches about their philosophy and tactics.

The newest mastermind is Pablo Laso of FC Bayern Munich, who won two EuroLeague titles over 11 seasons at the head of the bench for Real Madrid. Laso's teams were known for their fun-to-watch offense, leading the EuroLeague during his tenure in total scoring while averaging a second-best 83.5 points per game.

Laso's offensive philosophy starts from defense and the unique opportunities that come with rebounding the other team's misses. The quicker his own team transitions to offense, the more advantages it has while the opposing defense is not yet organized and set.

"First of all, you need to have the ball, and \[to do that\] you need to have good defense. Usually, the highest percentage of getting the ball back is out of defensive rebounds. You can also have some steals, but they usually end up as breakaways," Laso says. "So, it's important that you create transition offense after being scored \[upon\] or after a defensive rebound."

Watch the video to see how Laso sets up his transition offense and then uses screens to either free his best scorers or divert the defense's attention. 

Previous episodes of Euroleague Masterminds, presented by Motorola, featured nine-time EuroLeague champion [Zeljko Obradovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/euroleague-masterminds-what-coaching-greats-know/) of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, four-time champion [Ettore Messina](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/ettore-messina-i-try-to-learn-every-day-from-my-players/) of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan and two-time finalist [Ioannis Sfairopoulos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/ioannis-sfairopoulos-work-hard-improve-yourself-be-patient/) of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade.

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne announced on Wednesday that it has agreed to terms with head coach Pierric Poupet on a two-year contract extension. 

ASVEL pens Coach Poupet to a two-year extension 

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne announced on Wednesday that it has agreed to terms with head coach Pierric Poupet on a two-year contract extension. Poupet, 39, was became ASVEL’s third head coach this season in January when he took over for Gianmarco Pozzecco. He inherited a club with a 3-16 record, but under Poupet ASVEL went 6-9 in the EuroLeague, including wins over Valencia Basket and FC Barcelona in the final two rounds of the regular season. Poupet originally joined the club over the summer as an assistant coach.

“I would like to thank all the club managers, Tony Parker, Gaetan Muller, and all the people who made this contract extension possible,” Poupet said. “I am proud to be part of a great organization that aims to be ambitious and will remain so. I am very happy that people trust me and we will do everything to ensure that the end of the season is good.”

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">🚨 L’avenir s’écrira avec Pierric Poupet <br><br>✍️ Les dirigeants de LDLC ASVEL, très satisfaits des résultats et des attitudes des joueurs depuis qu’il dirige l’équipe professionnelle, ont décidé de prolonger le contrat de Pierric POUPET pour les deux prochaines saisons. <br><br>🗞️ Le… <a href="https://t.co/xOCWuHzAT2">pic.twitter.com/xOCWuHzAT2</a></p>&mdash; LDLC ASVEL (@LDLCASVEL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL/status/1780506590929371557?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Poupet came to coaching after an 18-season career as a player in France, including seven seasons in the top flight. He played for Chorale Roanne in the EuroLeague during the 2007-08 season and for the same club in the EuroCup the following campaign. Poupet began his coaching career with the youth teams at ASC Denain-Voltaire during his final seasons as a player in the French second division.

“Pierric brought a lot of calm from the first day he was in office,” team president Tony Parker said. “The players love playing for him, the fans love watching the team play, and our results have never been better in the EuroLeague since he has been here. It was natural to continue the adventure with him. He is a coach of the future, with strong ideas and a very in-depth knowledge of basketball.”

The first-year boss led the club to a 6-9 EuroLeague record after taking over in January.

Euroleague Basketball has announced the following disciplinary sanction pertaining to incidents that occurred in Round 30 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague regular season.

Round 30 disciplinary sanctions

- Mr Milos Teodosic, player of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade has been sanctioned with two games of suspension in the Euroleague Basketball competitions and a fine of €15,000, for the lack of respect towards a member of the officiating crew, on occasion of its away game against Anadolu Efes Istanbul under Article 27.2.b) of the Euroleague Basketball Disciplinary Code
- Mr Tyrique Jones, player of Anadolu Efes Istanbul has been sanctioned with a fine of €5,000, for the attempted aggression against another individual, on occasion of its home game against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade under Article [27.2.be](http://27.2.be) of the Euroleague Basketball Disciplinary Code
- Mr Joel Bolomboy, player of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade has been sanctioned with a fine of €2,500, for the attempted aggression against another individual, on occasion of its away game against Anadolu Efes Istanbul under Article 27.2.e) of the Euroleague Basketball Disciplinary Code
- Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade has been sanctioned with a fine of €3,000 for the lighting of flares on occasion of its home game against Valencia Basket under Article 29.2.h) of the Euroleague Basketball Disciplinary Code

Euroleague Basketball has announced the following disciplinary sanctions pertaining to incidents that occurred in Round 34 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague regular season.

Round 34 disciplinary sanctions

Virtus Bologna grabbed a shock win at Anadolu Efes in the EuroLeague's Play-In Showdown to set up a do-or-die clash with Baskonia on Friday night.

Virtus silenced the Efes crowd on a memorable night

It was like the script had already been written. Virtus Segafredo Bologna came into the Play-In Showdown on a seven-game losing streak and found itself in a must-win contest against a red-hot Anadolu Efes Istanbul. Few gave Luca Banchi’s men a chance.

That negative feeling surrounding Virtus became even stronger when [Will Clyburn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/will-clyburn/004888/) caught fire at the start of the game, scoring all 17 of Efes’s points in a 17-12 start that got a raucous crowd inside Sinan Erdem Sports Hall even more involved. Yet, the Italian visitors kept their calm and stuck to the game plan, ending the first quarter with a 9-0 run to make it 23-21. From there, Virtus went from strength to strength and ensured the contest was played at the pace it wanted to play at.

### Getting the win over the line

There was little to separate the two in the rest of the clash, with Virtus responding any time Efes looked to try and gain control. Then, in the last five minutes, when baskets were coming at a premium, Coach Banchi saw [Marco Belinelli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/marco-belinelli/bcn/), [Awudu Abass](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/awudu-abass/003527/) and [Iffe Lundberg](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/iffe-lundberg/010781/) really come to the fore to put Virtus in a position to secure [a famous 64-67 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/virtus-stuns-efes-64-67-and-keeps-on-dreaming/). A special mention for [Alessandro Pajola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alessandro-pajola/006739/)’s elite-level defense in the last quarter, too.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hang it in the Louvre. AGAIN 😍🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmarsiAncora?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AmarsiAncora</a> <a href="https://t.co/XNP1AHSSiB">https://t.co/XNP1AHSSiB</a> <a href="https://t.co/l0SVf10D5z">pic.twitter.com/l0SVf10D5z</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Segafredo Bologna (@VirtusSegafredo) <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusSegafredo/status/1780331375943434375?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“I have to congratulate both teams because this is a very emotional part of the season, where after 34 games you play all-in on one night in a do-or-die game,” Coach Banchi commented in the post-game press conference. “It’s a matter of values, a matter of technique and energy.

“We faced one of the hottest teams in the league, \[which was\] coming into the game with 10 wins in a row in the Turkish League and the EuroLeague. On the other hand, we had seven \[straight\] losses in the EuroLeague that affected our confidence. Tonight, we proved that the team is still firm and determined to explore all the opportunities of this season and this tournament.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr">🤍🖤 <a href="https://t.co/k6BwvfrD2a">pic.twitter.com/k6BwvfrD2a</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Segafredo Bologna (@VirtusSegafredo) <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusSegafredo/status/1780330755928846581?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

It is perhaps difficult to underestimate just how doubted Virtus was coming into this game. Even among the [Euroleague.net](http://Euroleague.net) journalists, [only Editorial Director Frank Lawlor predicted a Virtus win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/postseason-predictions-efes-vs-virtus/), leaving us 1/5 on the night. After all, Efes had been flying since Tomislav Mijatovic was appointed as head coach, going 8-2 in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 19-3 overall, while the team had an 11-0 record at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall under his watch. Yet, Virtus was more than willing to turn up and spoil the party.

### A much-needed boost of confidence

Tuesday night’s performance was a bit of a throwback to the Virtus that we saw earlier in the season, when Coach Banchi’s squad occupied a top-four spot in the standings. There has been a noticeable drop-off in the last few months, falling out of the top four and then the playoffs altogether before dropping as far as 10th after Round 34, the last spot for the play-in. However, if Virtus can use its win at Efes as a springboard, it should spell bad news for Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, the team it must face on Friday night for a chance to secure the eighth seed in the EuroLeague Playoffs.

“Right before we played this game, I said that this was the most important game of the season – and the next one is the same,” Shengelia said afterward. “We are not ready to go home. We don’t want to go home. We need to go there \[to Baskonia’s home\] and beat one of the hottest teams as well. Starting from now, we have to prepare ourselves for the game.”

Toko Shengelia spoke to the TV cameras following Virtus Segafredo Bologna's victory at Anadolu Efes Istanbul in the Play-In Showdown.

Shengelia speaks after win at Efes

One hour before Virtus’s clash at Efes tipped off, Baskonia’s game at Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv began. There was optimism that Dusko Ivanovic’s side could pull off a shock in Belgrade, Serbia, but it quickly became one-way traffic as Maccabi took control of the contest and ended up [hammering the Spanish outfit 113-85](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/maccabi-routs-baskonia-113-85-to-advance-to-playoffs/). There was more bad news for Baskonia in that defeat, too, as [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) suffered an injury in the first half and couldn’t return after the break. Hardly the ideal preparation ahead of a do-or-die game on Friday night.

Virtus will be out for revenge as it looks to silence another crowd – this time those who will be inside Buesa Arena. The Italian team ended up losing in Round 34 at home to Baskonia following an incredible 34-point game by [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/), which saw Coach Ivanovic’s team finish eighth and Coach Banchi’s group end the regular season in 10th. But, it may have ended up paying dividends as Virtus has restored its confidence and now heads into its final play-in game in far better spirits, whereas Baskonia is coming off a heavy defeat.

It’s funny how these things play out sometimes.

Game News

The Virtus Segafredo Bologna players celebrate after beating Anadolu Efes Istanbul in the Play-In Showdown.

Despite being on a terrible run, the Italian side defied the odds to set up a play-in finale with Baskonia

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2024-04-16T18:00:00.000Z)