Fenerbahce Beko and Olympiacos BC, two favorites to make it to the 2025 EuroLeague Final Four, left it all out on the court in Round 1, leading to a passionate exchange afterward.

Emotions boiled over as EuroLeague heavyweights locked horns 

The much-anticipated blockbuster in Round 1 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fully lived up to its billing as it produced a high-octane clash between Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and Olympiacos Piraeus.

Packed with talent, both teams gave as good as they got throughout the contest, with [Fenerbahce prevailing 82-71](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/gritty-fenerbahce-sinks-olympiacos-82-71-thanks-to-second-half-onslaught/) thanks to immense contributions from new arrivals [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/), [Bonzie Colson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/bonzie-colson/009783/) and [Boban Marjanovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/boban-marjanovic/lmg/), complemented by a stellar fourth-quarter performance by stalwart [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/).

An understrengthed Olympiacos, missing injured big men [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) and [Moustapha Fall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/moustapha-fall/008811/), got outmuscled in the paint and forced to take a barrage of tough perimeter shots, which they clearly did not enjoy having lost the battle of the boards 44-24 while making only 4-of-20 shots from downtown.

Fenerbahce vs. Olympiacos | R1 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Fenerbahce was able to pull away in the fourth quarter, hitting top gear at both ends in the home stretch, as the hosts forced the Greek side into submission. What followed was an ugly face-off between the home team’s head coach Saras Jasikevicius and his Olympiacos counterpart Georgios Bartzokas.

Jasikevicius got into his longtime rival’s face and the latter responded with an equally angry gesture, forcing their staff and assistants to pull them apart after the final buzzer.

Both men later offered their explanations at the post-game press conference, blaming each other for lack of respect in a rare sight of rivalry going too far in Europe’s premier club competition.

Yet, Bartzokas and Jasikevicius will no doubt quickly put their spat to bed and turn their attention to upcoming challenges, on and off the court. The Olympiacos play-caller must be hoping that Milutinov and Fall will recover quickly, while the Fenerbahce boss will have to deal with [the long-term absence of guard Scottie Wilbekin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-confirms-the-worst-scottie-wilbekin-has-torn-his-acl/), who suffered an ACL tear in the first quarter against Olympiacos.

On the court, it appears Jasikevicius hit the nail on the head with the new signings, whose quality should give Fenerbahce the extra depth required to feature as strong contenders to win its second EuroLeague title.

In contrast, Bartzokas seemingly faces a tough process of blending [Evan Fournier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/evan-fournier/013380/) into the Olympiacos offense after a 12-year spell in the NBA, where he averaged a career-high 19.7 points for the Orlando Magic in the 2020-2021 season before he got traded to the Boston Celtics during that campaign. 

Fournier failed to hit the ground running on his EuroLeague debut, having scored a mere 5 points while managing just 1 assist against an ironclad Fenerbahce defense.

Bartzokas ultimately conceded that Olympiacos lacked the zest and mettle to prevail in an intimidating environment.

“We made some silly turnovers and gave them 14 offensive rebounds. It was about lack of physicality, aggressiveness and desire to get the ball, which is a big problem for us right now,” he said in a courtside interview.

“The players need to understand that every game in the EuroLeague is war, and they need to play like warriors if they want to win.”

Game News

Fenerbahce came out on top against Olympiacos in a fascinating battle on Friday night

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Olympiacos Piraeus (2024-10-04T17:30:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes showed a different side to its game in its EuroLeague opener by shutting down Virtus Bologna's offense, while star guard Shane Larkin is still working his way back into form.

Everything is heading in the right direction for resurgent Efes

Anadolu Efes Istanbul managed to do something on Friday night that it had not done in years. On the road at Virtus Segafredo Bologna, [Tomislav Mijatovic's men came away with a 67-76 triumph](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/strong-fourth-quarter-lifts-efes-to-win-over-virtus-67-76/), bringing an end to a couple of streaks in the process.

Those 67 points are the fewest Efes has allowed in a road win since December 2022, a 60-86 win in Kaunas, and its Round 1 triumph represents the first time Efes won a season opener on the road since 2018.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">👊 EuroLeague’de ilk maç ilk galibiyet!<br>Virtus Segafredo Bologna 67 - 76 Anadolu Efes | Maç Sonucu<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenimYerimBuras%C4%B1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenimYerimBurası</a> <a href="https://t.co/NAuQiVx89A">pic.twitter.com/NAuQiVx89A</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1842310413955813847?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Obviously, the victory came behind its defense, which did not allow Virtus to score more than 16 points in any of the last three quarters.

"We gave up a few offensive rebounds, a couple of turnovers, but we got the job done," said [Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/), who paced Efes with 14 points and 9 rebounds.

Efes had 13 turnovers, but it forced 18. Also, Efes had 10 offensive rebounds to just 7 from Virtus.

So, while Efes's juggernaut offense might have left a little to be desired, its defense was stellar. After all, Virtus was restricted to 48.5% two-point shooting and made just 5 threes on 20 attempts (25.0%).

Anadolu Efes Istanbul guard Shane Larkin discussed his team's performance after beating Virtus Segafredo Bologna in Round 1 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Shane Larkin: 'The sky is the limit for us'

That seems like a recipe Efes that Coach Mijatovic would like to see on display on a nightly basis going forward.

"I am not going to say we need to improve; we need to maintain the rebounding presence, maintain the tips, deflections, aggressiveness on defense, get steals," Mijatovic stated in his post-game interview. "Those are the things that get easy points for us, get us in a good rhythm, good momentum."

What really jumped out is that Efes left [Will Clyburn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/will-clyburn/004888/), who spent the last two seasons playing for the Turkish side, scoreless in 18 minutes of action. That's just the third time Clyburn has been held scoreless in his 220 EuroLeague appearances, with the last time coming in the third-place game at the 2021 Final Four. The only time it happened in a regular-season game was in March 2018.

"We said that we are playing against one of the most experienced and the most dangerous offensive teams in Europe," Mijatovic explained when asked about stopping Clyburn, and also holding [Marco Belinelli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/marco-belinelli/bcn/) to 7 points. 

"We know Will very much, and we know Marco \[Belinelli\] throughout his career. Those guys are super dangerous. And it does not take one person; it is a collective effort and you need to work on it. Okay, you got to be a little bit lucky at certain times because in basketball you need a little bit of luck. 

"It is not going to happen often in the future that Will be kept to a low scoring average. He is a great player, one of the best in modern EuroLeague history, the same as Marco. I think our team collective sacrifice and effort resulted in a great performance and a great victory like this one."

Virtus Segafredo Bologna vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul | Round 1 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

On the other hand, Mijatovic was very happy to see [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/) in action for the first time this season. Larkin missed the entire preseason due to a knock and did not feature in the Turkish Super Cup over the weekend, meaning he had to shake off a bit of rust in Bologna. 

"I've been on the court with the team for five days, I am feeling okay," Larkin said afterward. "Not great yet, but day by day I'll get better and a win is a win. I am glad we got that tonight."

Larkin came off the bench and finished with 11 points on 3-for-6 three-point shooting, as well as dishing 5 assists. He showed how he still retains the clutch gene midway through the fourth quarter, too, hitting back-to-back triples to cap a 2-15 run and open a 10-point Efes lead.

"We stayed together, made the big plays when we needed to. Key stops, key blocks, key offensive rebounds, key threes. That's what it is all about," Larkin added. 

The last time Efes won its EuroLeague opener on the road, it was Larkin's first EuroLeague game in Efes uniform.

"Playing on the road in the EuroLeague is extremely difficult. So, to come here and get a win in the first week of the season is great for our team."

The Turkish side secured an impressive Round 1 win in Bologna

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2024-10-04T19:00:00.000Z)

Crvena Zvezda grabbed its first win of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season by beating Paris Basketball in Round 1, rallying in the final 15 minutes to get the job done. 

Crvena Zvezda leaned on its experience and know-how in Paris 

In its opening game of the new Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade found itself in a critical situation midway through the third quarter. 

Paris Basketball led 51-38 midway through the period, pushed on by a sellout crowd at the brand-new Adidas Arena and led by an outstanding [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/). 

Despite being without its most experienced player, playmaker [Milos Teodosic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/milos-teodosic/jdr/), Zvezda found a way to get back into the game and [eventually grab a 77-80 victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/crvena-zvezda-spoils-the-party-for-paris-77-80/).

Paris Basketball vs. Crvena Zvezda | R1 Highlights |2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Zvezda did what all experienced teams have to do when their backs are against the wall: improve its aggressiveness at both ends and try to go to the foul line as often as possible. Zvezda hit five free throws in a decisive 0-11 run highlighted by [Codi Miller-McIntyre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/codi-miller-mcintyre/009048/)'s fast-break layup, euro-stepping away from [Nadir Hifi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nadir-hifi/012640/) to get a lightning quick basket.

Once the game was close, Zvezda found a go-to guy in [Nemanja Nedovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nemanja-nedovic/000848/), who got plenty of help from the most experienced players on the team. Paris regained a 58-53 lead late in the third quarter but Nedovic buried a couple of three-pointers and added a floater in traffic, with [Luka Mitrovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/luka-mitrovic/002553/) and Miller-McIntyre making telling contributions for a 63-67 Zvezda lead.

Nedovic had time for a fifth three-pointer in as many shots, then [Nikola Kalinic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-kalinic/004866/) beat the shot clock with another bomb from downtown. Zvezda managed the end of the game very well, keeping a slim lead and using fouls to prevent Paris from tying the game. When Hifi took a potentially game-tying shot, the final buzzer had sounded and it didn't go in, anyway.

Nemanja Nedovic had 21 points on 5 of 6 three-pointers to lead Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade past Paris Basketball in Round 1 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Nedovic shot the lights out in Paris

"We have these experienced players that played a lot of years in the EuroLeague and who have played a lot of games like that," Zvezda head coach Ioannis Sfairopoulos told EuroLeague TV after the game. "We took the right decisions defensively and offensively, and that was very important."

Nedovic finished the game with 21 points on 5-of-6 three-pointers. [Isaiah Canaan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/isaiah-canaan/010612/) added 14 points for Zvezda, hitting two critical free throws down the stretch. As always, Kalinic did a little bit of everything, finishing the game with 9 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and a PIR of 17.

"The EuroLeague is back, the intensity is back, the energy is back," Kalinic stated. "We knew they were going to go out there full of energy. They want to win in their new arena, in front of their fans, so when we managed to control that the pace and the rhythm of the game, we were good. 

"We played an amazing second half, so I'm very proud of the guys. I think finally in the second half, we found our chemistry. We figured out what's working for us offensively and defensively, so we have to build on that."

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="sl" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/adidasPlayeroftheGame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#adidasPlayeroftheGame</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> R1 🏀<br><br>⭐️ NEMANJA NEDOVIĆ<br><br>📊 21 pts, 7/8 FG, 5/6 3FG, 3 ast.<br>PIR 21<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://t.co/4tFM169Nma">pic.twitter.com/4tFM169Nma</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1842314312045740434?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"Winning away in the first game of the season is huge for us for our confidence," added Nedovic. "And we have to build on this, we cannot stop now. We didn't give up. It has to do a little bit with our experience. We are an experienced team. We know how to fight in tough situations and that's what we did today."

Zvezda outrebounded Paris 29-43, pulling down 15 offensive rebounds and allowing Paris to get just 17 defensive boards. It shot the ball better from downtown, too, thanks in large part to Nedovic's accuracy. Zvezda buried 10-of-22 three-pointers (45.5%) and Paris only hit 6-of-23 shots from beyond the arc (26.7%).

Zvezda will again be without Teodosic in its home opener against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in Round 2, so it will be hoping that its most experienced players can step up once again.

The Serbian side grabbed its first win of the season, rallying in the final 15 minutes to get the job done

Paris Basketball v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2024-10-04T19:00:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes got its 2024-25 EuroLeague season off to the perfect start, beating Virtus Bologna 67-76 on the road.

Strong fourth quarter lifts Efes to win over Virtus, 67-76

Anadolu Efes Istanbul started the new Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season in the best way possible, going on the road and overcoming Virtus Segafredo Bologna 67-76 on Friday night. In a tight and very physical game, Efes pulled away for good with a 2-15 run early in the fourth quarter, opening a double-digit lead and never allowing Virtus to threaten again.

Dan Oturu led Efes with 14 points and 9 rebounds. Elijah Bryant scored 12, and Shane Larkin had 11 points and 6 rebounds in the win. Isaia Cordinier paced Virtus with a game-high 16 points, while Tornike Shengelia scored 12 in a losing effort.

Game Videos

Efes got going behind Ercan Osmani and Oturu before back-to-back three from Darius Thompson and Osmani opened a 7-13 lead. After a Virtus timeout, however, the hosts replied with back-to-back triples from Daniel Hackett and Cordinier, sparking a 12-0 run capped by Mouhamet Diouf that opened a 19-13 advantage, with Virtus 21-15 ahead after 10 minutes.

The battle became even more physical in the second quarter. Diouf's three-point play made it 24-17, but Jordan Nwora answered with a three-pointer. Ante Zizic had a big put-back dunk, yet Larkin's triple, on his first shot of the night with 4:52 left in the second quarter, tied things at 27-27. Virtus replied with seven straight points, five of which coming from the foul line, but Oturu's three-point play sparked Efes's answer. Oturu finished the half with a dunk just before the buzzer, meaning the two teams were tied, 36-36, at halftime.

Efes had a great start to the second half. Fueled by Bryant, who scored 6 points, and helped by a three-point play from Oturu, Efes made a 0-11 run to open the third quarter as it took the first double-digit lead of the game, 36-47. Virtus needed nearly five minutes to score in the second half, but Cordinier's basket started a 7-0 run of their own, capped by a three-point play from Shengelia. Marco Belinelli's wide-open corner triple started another 7-0 run from Virtus, capped again by Shengelia, who put the hosts back in front. Virtus led 52-51 after 30 minutes.

In the fourth, Larkin's tough jumper and Vincent Poirier's dunk restored the lead for Efes before three triples on consecutive possessions – one by Rodrigue Beaubois and two by Larkin – made it 56-66. A runner from Bryant set a 58-70 score with under five minutes to go. Virtus attempted a rally, holding Efes without a basket for almost four minutes, but Efes made several defensive stands and saw its win over the line.

Dan Oturu, Elijah Bryant and Shane Larkin scored in double figures for the visitors

KK Crvena zvezda grabbed an 77-80 victory at Paris Basketball in Round 1 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

Crvena Zvezda spoils the party for Paris, 77-80

In the first-ever Turkish Airlines EuroLeague game hosted at Adidas Arena, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade edged Paris Basketball 77-80 in the French capital in Round 1 of the 2024-25 season.

Nemanja Nedovic paced the winners with 21 points on 5-of-6 three-pointers. His only miss came late in the game as he helped Zvezda rally from a 13-point second-half deficit. Isaiah Canaan added 14 points for Zvezda. TJ Shorts led Paris with 16 points. Nadir Hifi and Maodo Lo each added 12 while Kevarrius Hayes had 10 for the hosts.

Nikola Kalinic got Zvezda going with a three-pointer and Joel Bolomboy erased Hayes's jumper with an alley-oop dunk for a 2-5 lead. Hayes scored again, then Canaan followed a triple with a layup to boost the guests' lead to 4-10. Bolomboy capped a 0-7 run with a tip-in, then Leon Kratzer matched that with a floater and Lo followed a three-pointer with a driving layup to cut Paris's deficit to 11-12. Ognjen Dobric and a red-hot Lo traded layups before Canaan found space for a wide-open triple. Collin Malcolm answered from downtown and Shorts hit his trademark pump-fake jumper to give Paris its first lead, 18-17, after 10 minutes.

Shorts buried consecutive jumpers for a 22-17 Paris lead early in the second quarter. Nedovic struck from beyond the arc and matched Hayes's basket with a wild driving layup. Codi Miller-McIntyre sank a jumper off the dribble and Nedovic buried another three-pointer to complete the guests' comeback, 26-27. Rokas Giedraitis and Lo each joined the three-point shootout, then Malcolm's three-point play put Paris back in charge, 32-30. Nadir Hifi found his first points, Yago dos Santos and Mikael Jantunen traded layups, and Shorts soon boosted his team's lead to 39-33. Canaan hit a jumper but Jantunen and an unstoppable Shorts boosted the hosts' margin to 43-35 at halftime.

Canaan scored in penetration soon after the break, then Tyson Ward single-handedly made it a double-digit game, 47-37. Hayes made a pair of free throws and Hifi added a floater to give Paris a 51-38 advantage. Mike Daum scored down low and erased Hifi's driving layup with a jump hook before Luka Mitrovic brought Zvezda within single digits, 53-45. Miller-McIntyre took over with a fast-break layup, Kalinic added a tip-in and Nedovic got the guests even closer at 53-51 after an 0-11 run. Ward swished a corner triple, Bolomboy stepped up with a reverse layup and Shorts restored a 58-53 Paris lead. Nedovic buried a huge three-pointer and Mitrovic's layup tied it at 58-58 after 30 minutes.

Miller-McIntyre scored around the basket to put Zvezda in charge, 58-60. Ward matched that with a put-back layup and Jantunen buried a three-pointer. An unstoppable Nedovic got help from Giedraitis to keep Zvezda ahead, 63-67, with over seven minutes left. Jantunen kept pacing Paris and Hifi buried a rainbow shot from beyond the arc for a 68-67 Paris lead. Nedovic answered from downtown, Kalinic bettered Lo's short jumper with his own triple and Mitrovic scored down low to make Paris call a timeout at 70-75. Shorts hit a stop-and-pop jumper and matched Miller-McIntyre's basket with an outstanding driving layup that gave Paris hope at 74-77 with a minute left. Hifi and Miller-McIntyre each split free throws, then Hifi returned to the line, hitting both attempts for a 77-78 score with 8.3 seconds remaining. Canaan made foul shots and Hifi could not take a shot before the final buzzer.

Nemanja Nedovic's near-perfect shooting night made it happen


Scottie Wilbekin tore his ACL in Fenerbahce Beko's opening-round victory against Olympiacos BC to start the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

Fenerbahce confirms the worst: Scottie Wilbekin has torn his ACL

The fears of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul fans have been confirmed as guard [Scottie Wilbekin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/scottie-wilbekin/006661/) suffered an ACL tear during [his team’s 82-71 win against Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/gritty-fenerbahce-sinks-olympiacos-82-71-thanks-to-second-half-onslaught/) in Round 1 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.  

Wilbekin went down holding his knee in the latter stages of the first quarter and had to be helped off the court by his teammates.

“Our player Scottie Wilbekin suffered an injury to his right knee during the game against Olympiacos on Friday, October 4 (today),” read a statement by Fenerbahce. “After the medical examinations of our player at Acıbadem Ataşehir Hospital, an anterior cruciate ligament tear was detected and an operation is planned. We extend our best wishes to Scottie Wilbekin and hope he recovers as soon as possible.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Scottie Wilbekin’in sağlık durumu hakkında bilgilendirme<br><br>🔗 <a href="https://t.co/j1c3XgGQFH">https://t.co/j1c3XgGQFH</a> <a href="https://t.co/HlRXljR7A5">pic.twitter.com/HlRXljR7A5</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1842306275058557199?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The 31-year-old guard is now in his ninth EuroLeague season – his third as a Fenerbahce player – and has played 242 games in the competition, averaging 13.1 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals for his career.

The guard is set for a lengthy period on the sidelines

Fenerbahce Beko defeated Olympiacos BC 82-71 in the standout fixture in Round 1 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

Gritty Fenerbahce sinks Olympiacos, 82-71, thanks to second-half onslaught 

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul earned a hard-fought 82-71 win over Olympiacos Piraeus in the blockbuster clash of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague’s opening round, having fought back from a 32-36 first-half deficit with a stellar performance after the break.

The game was marred by what has turned out to be [a serious knee injury to Fenerbahce guard Scottie Wilbekin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-confirms-the-worst-scottie-wilbekin-has-torn-his-acl/), who was carried off the court by his teammates after landing awkwardly in the latter stages of the first quarter.

Wade Baldwin, who joined Fenerbahce from Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv during the offseason, stood out with a magnificent all-round effort of 19 points, 7 assists and 5 boards to propel the home team, while Nigel Hayes-Davis added 15 points.

Bonzie Colson, who arrived alongside Baldwin from Maccabi, chipped in with 10 points and 9 boards and towering center Boban Marjanovic amassed 8 points to go with 4 boards, having arrived in Istanbul after a decade-long stint in the NBA.

At the other end, Moses Wright excelled with 15 points and 7 boards for Olympiacos, Shaquielle McKissic scored 13 points and Sasha Vezenkov, the EuroLeague’s 2023 MVP, finished on 11 points with an underwhelming display upon his return to the club after a season with the Sacramento Kings.

With the Greek side’s big men Nikola Milutinov and Moustapha Fall sidelined by injuries, Fenerbahce took full advantage of the void in the visiting team’s paint to win the rebounding battle overwhelmingly, having collected 44 boards against 24 racked up by Olympiacos.

Fenerbahce raced into an early 10-4 lead which swelled to 24-15 midway through the second quarter, before an audacious McKissic three-pointer helped Olympiacos turn the tide and edge ahead in the closing stages of the first half.

Olympiacos was still in the driving seat early in the third quarter, 36-42, but Fenerbahce then engineered an 11-0 run which turned the tables and eventually enabled the hosts to edge ahead 57-56 ahead of the final period.

The titanic tussle between two of the league’s most heralded teams looked set to go down to the wire with the rivals deadlocked 65-65 midway through the fourth quarter, before Fenerbahce pulled away for good on the back of an 8-0 run.

Any hopes of a final twist Olympiacos might have nurtured were vanquished when Hayes-Davis sank a long three which became a four-point play as he drew a foul from Vezenkov in the process, giving Fenerbahce a decisive 78-69 lead. The hosts then saw out the rest of the game and came away with an 82-71 triumph.

The new-look Turkish side relied on its offseason reinforcements to turn the tide in a pulsating clash 

Olimpia Milano has confirmed that center Josh Nebo suffered a groin injury against AS Monaco Basket and will be reevaluated in two weeks.

Josh Nebo (groin) to be reevaluated in two weeks

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan has confirmed that center [Josh Nebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/josh-nebo/011199/) sustained a muscle injury in his left groin during [the Italian side’s 93-80 defeat at AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-runs-past-milan-in-opener-93-80/) in Round 1 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Nebo ended up playing 22:24 minutes in what was his first game since joining Milan from Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv this past summer. In his time on the court, he amassed 7 points, 2 rebounds and 1 block.

“Olimpia Milano announces that, during the Monaco game, Josh Nebo suffered a muscle injury in his left groin area that will be reevaluated in a fortnight,” Milan confirmed in a statement on Friday night.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">🇮🇹La Pallacanestro Olimpia Milano comunica che, nel corso della gara di Monaco, Josh Nebo ha riportato una lesione muscolare nella regionale inguinale sinistra che verrà rivalutata in due settimane.<br>🇬🇧During the Monaco EuroLeague game, Josh Nebo reported a muscle injury in the… <a href="https://t.co/SDQNPEPbJ1">pic.twitter.com/SDQNPEPbJ1</a></p>&mdash; Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936/status/1842268330469498972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

How Nebo recovers from this injury will determine when he returns, but the two-week prognosis means he is expected to miss Milan's next three EuroLeague games: at home to Paris Basketball (October 11) and Zalgiris Kaunas (October 17) in Rounds 3 and 5, respectively, and on the road at Olympiacos Piraeus (October 15) in Round 4.

The center played 22:24 minutes on his Milan debut

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v Zalgiris Kaunas (2024-10-17T18:30:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2024-10-15T18:15:00.000Z)

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v Paris Basketball (2024-10-11T18:30:00.000Z)

The EuroLeague is back for its 25th season, ladies and gentlemen! Round 1 is full of incredible, must-watch matchups.

Game Center: Who is ready for some EuroLeague basketball!?

## Friday, October 4

### [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 82-71 Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/gritty-fenerbahce-sinks-olympiacos-82-71-thanks-to-second-half-onslaught/)

Fenerbahce earned a hard-fought 82-71 win over Olympiacos in the blockbuster clash of the EuroLeague’s opening round, having fought back from a 32-36 first-half deficit with a stellar performance after the break. The game was marred by what looks like a serious knee injury to Fenerbahce guard Scottie Wilbekin, who was carried off the court by his teammates after landing awkwardly in the latter stages of the first quarter.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">EuroLeague&#39;de sezona galibiyetle başlıyoruz! 💛💙<br><br>Tebrikler Fenerbahçe Beko! 💪<br><br>Maç Sonucu | Fenerbahçe Beko 🆚 Olympiacos: 82-71<br><br>Skor dağılımımız: Baldwin 19, Hayes-Davis 15, Colson 10, Marjanovic 8, Sertaç 7, Melli 5, Hall 5, Birch 4, Guduric 4, Zagars 3, Pierre 2.… <a href="https://t.co/SOYpWKcKYg">pic.twitter.com/SOYpWKcKYg</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1842288083145752661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Virtus Segafredo Bologna 67-76 Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/strong-fourth-quarter-lifts-efes-to-win-over-virtus-67-76/)

Efes started the new EuroLeague season in the best way possible, going on the road and overcoming Virtus 67-76 on Friday night. In a tight and very physical game, Efes pulled away for good with a 2-15 run early in the fourth quarter, opening a double-digit lead and never allowing Virtus to threaten again. Dan Oturu led Efes with 14 points and 9 rebounds. Elijah Bryant scored 12, and Shane Larkin had 11 points and 6 rebounds in the win. Isaia Cordinier paced Virtus with a game-high 16 points, while Tornike Shengelia scored 12 in a losing effort.

### [Paris Basketball 77-80 Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/crvena-zvezda-spoils-the-party-for-paris-77-80/)

In the first-ever EuroLeague game hosted at Adidas Arena, Crvena Zvezda edged Paris 77-80 in the French capital in Round 1 of the 2024-25 season. Nemanja Nedovic paced the winners with 21 points on 5-of-6 three-pointers. His only miss came late in the game as he helped Zvezda rally from a 13-point second-half deficit. Isaiah Canaan added 14 points for Zvezda. TJ Shorts led Paris with 16 points. Nadir Hifi and Maodo Lo each added 12 while Kevarrius Hayes had 10 for the hosts.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Major road W to kick off the <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> season in style 🔥<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/hashtag/Euroleague25?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Euroleague25</a> <a href="https://t.co/40nOnS0EFk">pic.twitter.com/40nOnS0EFk</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1842309284622983187?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Thursday, October 3

### [ALBA Berlin 77-87 Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-bc-beats-alba-in-berlin-77-87/)

In its first return to the German capital since winning the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague title last May, Panathinaikos collected its first win as reigning champion by downing ALBA 77-87 at Uber Arena in Round 1 on Thursday night. Kendrick Nunn paced the winners with 16 points. Mathias Lessort added 14 and 8 rebounds, and Juancho Hernangomez had 11 points, while Kostas Sloukas and Jerian Grant scored 10 points apiece for Panathinaikos. Will McDowell-White netted 13 points in his EuroLeague debut with ALBA. Martin Hermannsson added 12, Trevion Williams had 11 while Khalifa Koumadje pulled down 13 rebounds for the hosts.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Final score ☘️<a href="https://twitter.com/albaberlin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@albaberlin</a> - <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/paobcaktor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#paobcaktor</a> 77-87<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://t.co/qrP1AGvcHo">pic.twitter.com/qrP1AGvcHo</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr/status/1841909551957737797?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Zalgiris Kaunas 74-67 FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/zalgiris-kaunas-powers-past-barcelona-74-67/)

Zalgiris kicked off the 2024-45 EuroLeague campaign in style by beating Barcelona 74-67 at a buzzing Zalgirio Arena on Thursday. The hosts dictated the tempo throughout the duel and imposed their style of play on Barcelona by playing tough on defense, forcing the visitors to score fewer than 20 points in each of the four quarters.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Zalgiris starts the new EuroLeague season with a home W! 💚<br><br>(Presented by: Go3). <a href="https://t.co/cMFtAoQTQC">pic.twitter.com/cMFtAoQTQC</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1841916142929228229?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [AS Monaco 93-80 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-runs-past-milan-in-opener-93-80/)

Monaco led from start to finish and opened the new Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season in style, downing the visiting Milan 93-80 on Thursday night. Monaco opened the game with an 18-4 run and held a 21-point lead at halftime behind its 12 offensive rebounds. The visitors halved the lead early in the fourth quarter behind Armoni Brooks, and briefly got within single digits, but Monaco’s lead was never in danger.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">♨️ 𝙌𝙐𝙀𝙇𝙇𝙀 𝙋𝙍𝙀𝙈𝙄𝙀̀𝙍𝙀 ! 🤩<br><br>🔝 En surclassant Milan, la <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> lance idéalement sa campagne d&#39;Euroleague devant son public ! 👏🥁<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/bezaJA7YN8">pic.twitter.com/bezaJA7YN8</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1841917184013959354?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 88-82 Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/baskonia-grinds-down-partizan-88-82-thanks-to-cohesive-team-effort/)

Baskonia celebrated an impressive 88-82 home win over Partizan in Round 1 of the EuroLeague after coming from behind in an enthralling contest which lit up a packed Buesa Arena. New arrival Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, who joined Baskonia from French rival LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne during the offseason, came up big on his debut for the Spanish outfit as he earned the player of the game award after racking up 15 points, 4 boards, 2 assists and 1 block in a smooth all-round performance.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">LA PRIMERAAAAA YA ESTÁ AQUÍ 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥<br><br>1/1 en <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> ✅✅✅✅<br><br>¡Vamooooos! <a href="https://t.co/dtiWGxZpJL">pic.twitter.com/dtiWGxZpJL</a></p>&mdash; Baskonia (@Baskonia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Baskonia/status/1841941089609027905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [FC Bayern Munich 97-89 Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bayern-munich-takes-opening-night-thriller-over-real-madrid-97-89/)

In a thrilling contest of constant swings in momentum, Bayern eventually overcame Real Madrid, 97-89, to claim a famous victory from the first game at the spectacular new SAP Garden. The first two quarters followed the same pattern, with Bayern starting strong but Real responding to keep it close at halftime. The script was flipped as the Spanish team surged clear with a 0-13 run after the break, but Bayern came back magnificently with its own 13-0 run to grab the win.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">WIN!!! 🤯 What a spectacle at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SAPGarden?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SAPGarden</a>! We beat <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RMBaloncesto</a> in a true thriller during its opening. Incredible, what a game! 🎉🔥 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FCBB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeBallTogether?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeBallTogether</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BAYRMB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BAYRMB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/tIiGHV2ApZ">pic.twitter.com/tIiGHV2ApZ</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/1841946888997613604?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 89-82 LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/report-maccabi-vs-asvel/)

Maccabi opened its EuroLeague season in style with an 89-82 victory over ASVEL, coming back from 10 points down in a game that featured 23 lead changes. Tamir Blatt had career highs of 21 points, 12 assists and 37 PIR for Maccabi while Jaylen Hoard and Jordan Loyd both scored 15 points, while Jasiel Rivero added 11 points and 9 rebounds. Joffrey Lauvergne paced ASVEL with 17 points and Paris Lee tallied 12 points and 4 assists.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tamir Blatt leads the way in Round 1 for <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabiTLVBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MaccabiTLVBC</a>!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/PqsMKnq93k">pic.twitter.com/PqsMKnq93k</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1841944000384897214?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Some 130 days after Panathinaikos lifted the EuroLeague title in Berlin, the new season got underway on Thursday night

Game Center: Zvezda, Efes win on the road; Fener topples Olympiacos

FC Bayern Munich v Real Madrid (2024-10-03T18:45:00.000Z)

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2024-10-03T18:30:00.000Z)

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2024-10-03T19:00:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas v FC Barcelona (2024-10-03T17:00:00.000Z)

AS Monaco v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2024-10-03T17:00:00.000Z)

ALBA Berlin v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2024-10-03T16:45:00.000Z)