With the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague on a two-week hiatus from games, it is the perfect time to look back at the top performers from the first 26 rounds of the regular season and to look ahead and make our early picks for some of the end-of-season awards. Several Euroleague.net staff members will take part and reveal their choices. After sharing their selections for the Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy on Monday, the EuroLeague Best Defender Trophy on Tuesday and the All-EuroLeague First Team on Wednesday, today we look to the All-EuroLeague Second Team.

Awards Watch: All-EuroLeague Second Team

With the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague on a two-week hiatus from games, it is the perfect time to look back at the top performers from the first 26 rounds of the regular season and to look ahead and make our early picks for some of the end-of-season awards. Several [Euroleague.net](http://Euroleague.net) staff members will take part and reveal their choices. After sharing their selections for the [Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/awards-watch-euroleague-top-scorer/) on Monday, the [EuroLeague Best Defender Trophy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/awards-watch-euroleague-best-defender/) on Tuesday and the [All-EuroLeague First Team](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/awards-watch-all-euroleague-first-team/) on Wednesday, today we look to the All-EuroLeague Second Team.

### Shane Larkin, Wade Baldwin, Alec Peters, Jan Vesely, Walter Tavares

#### *by Igor Petrinovic*

When it comes to the playoff picture, Anadolu Efes Istanbul has been on the outside looking in throughout the season, but [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/) has been doing his best to keep Efes relevant. He ranks second in average PIR (20.8), third in scoring (17.6 ppg.) and seventh in assists (5.3 apg.). [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/) ranks fourth in scoring (17.4 ppg.), ninth in assists (5.1 apg.) and sixth in average PIR (18.5), overcoming injuries to be a force in a chaotic season for Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv. Enjoying a career-best season, [Alec Peters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alec-peters/008829/) has been a difference-maker for Olympiacos Piraeus with 14.3 points on an outstanding 54.8% three-point shooting, third-best in the league. [Jan Vesely](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jan-vesely/000925/) (12.9 ppg.) is the most consistent performer for second-placed FC Barcelona. No player averaging 12.0 or more points plays fewer minutes than Vesely (21:04), and he ranks second in per-40 min PIR (31.5). Real Madrid center [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) makes an impact on the floor that goes beyond his numbers, which rank him second in blocks (1.6 bpg.) and third in rebounds (6.8 rpg.) while also averaging 10.1 points and a PIR of 16.3.

### Shane Larkin, Keenan Evans, Toko Shengelia, Chima Moneke, Walter Tavares

#### *by Javier Gancedo*

Most of my All-EuroLeague Second Team features players who definitely made their teams better, but didn't compete for the top spots in the regular-season standings. [Toko Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/) is leading Virtus Segafredo Bologna to a comeback season, pacing the team in rebounds (5.5 rpg.) and PIR (18.1) and ranking second in scoring (14.5 ppg.) and assists (3.6 apg.). [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz has proven himself at this level, leading the EuroLeague in rebounds (7.3 rpg.) along with solid numbers (14.2 ppg., 1.2 spg., 19.3 PIR). [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/) is playing his best basketball in years and [Keenan Evans](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/keenan-evans/011218/) showed us that his injury belongs to the past, but Anadolu Efes Istanbul and Zalgiris Kaunas, respectively, are two wins behind the Play-In Showdown cutoff. [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) of Real Madrid has battled injuries all season, and that is why he is not one of my first-team choices. Tavares's numbers remain solid: 10.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and a PIR of 16.3.

### Wade Baldwin, Keenan Evans, Shavon Shields, Toko Shengelia, Vincent Poirier

#### *by Geoff Gillingham*

Some of these players selected will feel hard done by to not be in my All-EuroLeague First Team group, but getting Second Team honors still means they are among the top 10 players in the league this season. My first pick for the Second Team is Maccabi’s [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/). He’s been red-hot in the second half of the campaign and is certainly worthy of a spot in this five. Similarly, Zalgiris’s [Keenan Evans](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/keenan-evans/011218/) has been on a tear on the offensive end since the midway point of the season, improving his scoring average to 17.1 ppg, which is fifth best in the league. His 18.6 PIR is shared with Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens’s Mathias Lessort for fourth spot overall, too.

I see that my colleagues have not gone with EA7 Emporio Armani Milan’s [Shavon Shields](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shavon-shields/007831/), but for me, he has been really impressive all year long. Results have not gone as Milan would have hoped, but Shields has been one of the few shining lights for the Italian club, ranking sixth in the EuroLeague in scoring (16.8 ppg.) and ninth in PIR (17.4). Next, a player who I seriously deliberated putting in my First Team: [Toko Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/) of Virtus. Like Shields, Shengelia has responded in perfect fashion following a season blighted by injury, with the Georgian forward’s inspirational performances allowing Virtus to find itself in the upper echelons of the standings. 

Rounding out my All-EuroLeague Second Team picks is [Vincent Poirier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vincent-poirier/004887/) of Real Madrid. Perhaps my selection is a controversial one given that my three colleagues have all gone with Walter Tavares, but I believe Poirier has been Real’s more impressive center this year. Playing 19:18 minutes on average compared to 23:07 for Tavares, Poirier has averaged 9.3 points on 70.0% two-point shooting, the fifth-best accuracy in the league, while he leads the league in blocks.

The best plays so far this season by Wade Baldwin, Keenan Evans, Shavon Shields, Toko Shengelia and Vincent Poirier.

Geoff Gillingham's All-EuroLeague Second Team picks

### Wade Baldwin, Chima Moneke, Toko Shengelia, Alec Peters, Walter Tavares

#### *by Frankie Sachs*

The five players I list here are all All-EuroLeague First Team talents and it should not be seen as a knock on any of them that they are my Second Team picks. My choices are heavily influenced by how I think things might look by the end of the season, so let’s take a look. [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/) has been simply outstanding for Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, which has a favorable schedule the rest of the way. However, if the back injury suffered by backcourt mate Lorenzo Brown causes teams to smother Baldwin or for Maccabi to struggle, it would be tough to make a First Team case for him.

[Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/)’s numbers and [Toko Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/)’s leadership both make them worthy of First Team consideration, but their respective teams, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz and Virtus Segafredo Bologna, both face very tough schedules the rest of the way and anything short of very strong individual and team finishes leaves them on the second team. [Alec Peters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alec-peters/008829/) is playing his best season with great numbers for a contending Olympiacos Piraeus team and [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) of Real Madrid is as impactful a player there is in the competition, but their numbers trail the best players at their respective positions and leave them as Second Team players, for now. 

Check out the favorites below, according to Euroleague.net journalists

### Milan coasts into the semis

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan is the first club to reach the Italian Cup semifinals after swatting aside Dolomiti Energia Trento 80-57 on Wednesday evening. Ettore Messina’s side was led by Johannes Voigtmann and Shavon Shields, both of whom had 14 points. Devon Hall and Shabazz Napier contributed 9 points each, too. It was a defensive masterclass by the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague club, with Nicolo Melli causing all sorts of problems for Trento as Milan led 65-35 after three quarters of play.

<center>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">Milano scappa nella ripresa e conquista la semifinale! ⚪️🔴<br>80 a 57 il punteggio finale 💪🏻<br><br>(Shields e Voigtmann 14 pts, Hall e Napier 9, Flaccadori 6)<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/insieme?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#insieme</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/olimpiamilano?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#olimpiamilano</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ForzaOlimpia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ForzaOlimpia</a> <a href="https://t.co/h1fHBsKQOG">pic.twitter.com/h1fHBsKQOG</a></p>&mdash; Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936/status/1757852330693722487?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Fenerbahce responds after a slow start

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul has set up a semifinal matchup with Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul in the Turkish Cup after beating Aliaga Petkimspor 68-81 in the quarterfinals. Tarik Biberovic was the star of the night for Fenerbahce with a team-high 22 points, with Johnathan Motley adding 14 and Nigel Hayes-Davis contributing 12. Despite Aliaga ending the first quarter with a 22-21 lead, Fenerbahce outscored its opponent in each of the next three quarters as it secured the victory.

<center>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">İzmir&#39;de Maç Bizim!<br><br>Tebrikler Fenerbahçe Beko! 👏<br><br>Maç Sonucu | Aliağa Petkim Spor 🆚 Fenerbahçe Beko: 68-81<br><br>Skor dağılımımız: Biberovic 22, Motley 14, Hayes-Davis 12, Sertaç 7, Wilbekin 7, Guduric 7, Melih 6, Calathes 4, Şehmus 2. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://t.co/aaZlgmmSQq">pic.twitter.com/aaZlgmmSQq</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1757846795718181088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Zvezda edges past FMP

An inspired performance by Nemanja Nedovic allowed Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade to defeat FMP 80-75 in the Serbian Cup quarterfinals. Nedovic finished the night with 20 points, with teammates Dejan Davidovac and Adam Hanga chipping in with 15 and 13 points, respectively. Former Zvezda center Ognjen Kuzmic had a dominant performance for FMP with an 18-point, 15-rebound double-double, but it proved to be in vain. Zvezda led after each of the four quarters, but never more than 5 points (17-16, 40-36, 58-55, 80-75).

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Pobeda Zvezde u četvrtfinalu Kupa &quot;Radivoj Korać&quot; 💥<br><br> <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/sportmts?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sportmts</a> <a href="https://t.co/Jpjxv1BDyH">pic.twitter.com/Jpjxv1BDyH</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1757873245842276478?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

There were no surprises for the EuroLeague clubs in their domestic cup competitions

Domestic cups: Milan, Fenerbahce, Zvezda all into the last four

EuroLeague Diaries landed in the capital and largest city in the United Kingdom to witness first-hand the growth of the game of basketball in London. Host Sofia Del Prado visits with the Simply British Ballers content creators, English Premier League goalkeeper Lukasz Fabiansky of West Ham United, and London Lions players to hear from each about hoops in the iconic city. She also takes in the Lions' BKT EuroCup regular-season finale against Wolves Vilnius at The Copperbox Arena. Join Sofia to see London like never before through the eyes of EuroLeague Diaries.

EuroLeague Diaries experience London!

The latest edition of EuroLeague Diaries sees Sofia Del Prado experience the growth of basketball London-style!

With the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague on a two-week hiatus from games, it is the perfect time to look back at the top performers from the first 26 rounds of the regular season and to look ahead and make our early picks for some of the end-of-season awards. Several Euroleague.net staff members will take part and reveal their choices. After sharing their selections for the Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy on Monday and the EuroLeague Best Defender Trophy on Tuesday, today we look at their choices for the All-EuroLeague First Team.

Awards Watch: All-EuroLeague First Team

With the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague on a two-week hiatus from games, it is the perfect time to look back at the top performers from the first 26 rounds of the regular season and to look ahead and make our early picks for some of the end-of-season awards. 

Several [Euroleague.net](http://Euroleague.net) staff members will take part and reveal their choices. After sharing their selections for the Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy on Monday and the EuroLeague Best Defender Trophy on Tuesday, today we look at their choices for the All-EuroLeague First Team.

### Facu Campazzo, Mike James, Dzanan Musa, Jan Vesely, Mathias Lessort

#### *by Javier Gancedo*

I am going to be practical. I am assuming that the best four teams in the standings will get the home-court advantage in the playoffs and advance to the Final Four, so I am going to pick one star per team plus another from Real as the best team in the competition. [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) (19.4 ppg., 5.3 apg., 21.6 PIR) has to be there in what should be a historic season for him. [Facu Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) leads Real Madrid in PIR (16.8) and [Dzanan Musa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dzanan-musa/006540/) (13.6 ppg., 14.0 PIR) was already chosen to the 2022-23 All-EuroLeague First Team. 

[Jan Vesely](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jan-vesely/000925/) of FC Barcelona ranks second in PIR per 40 minutes (31.5) and is posting great numbers (12.9 ppg., 4.5 rpg., 16.6 PIR) in 21 minutes per night. And [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/) of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, also a first-team choice last season, leads the Greens in rebounds (6.1 rpg.) and PIR (18.6). And I expect these five players to dominate in the playoffs, when fans, coaches, media and players vote!

### Mike James, Facu Campazzo, Dinos Mitoglou, Jan Vesely, Mathias Lessort

#### *by Geoff Gillingham*

It didn’t take me too long to decide on my five. For starters, [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) is having an MVP-caliber season in my eyes and is a lock for the All-EuroLeague First Team. In addition to inspiring Monaco to a 16-10 record so far, the third-best mark in the league, James leads the EuroLeague in scoring (19.4 ppg.) and PIR (21.6). He’s been incredible in 2023-24. Joining him in the backcourt is Real Madrid’s [Facundo Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/), who has a team-high 16.8 PIR for the team with by far the best record, 22-4. His playmaking – he averages 6.5 assists per game – second best in the league – has been key in making Real such a force this year.

I feel really bad for not putting Virtus’s Toko Shengelia on my team, but I’m instead giving love to Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens’s [Dinos Mitoglou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/konstantinos-mitoglou/007866/). In his first year back at OAKA, Mitoglou has made a huge impact in helping bring a sense of optimism back to the Greens’ supporters, posting 12.8 points., a team-best 6.2 rebounds. and a 15.7 PIR, the second-best mark on the team. Anyone who has watched FC Barcelona this season should not be surprised by this next pick: [Jan Vesely](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jan-vesely/000925/). The Czech big man has been back to his best, posting team highs in points (12.9 ppg.) and PIR (16.6) for a Barca team that has been in the upper echelons of the standings throughout almost the entire season. Vesely has been impressive all year long. 

Last but not least, [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/). Both he and Mitoglou have been two of the main keys behind Panathinaikos becoming a giant force in the EuroLeague once again, with the Frenchman averaging 13.3 points., 6.1 boards and a team-best 18.6 PIR, which is the fifth-best mark in the EuroLeague. In the paint, Lessort has been close to unstoppable right from the season’s opening tip.

The best plays so far this season by Mike James, Facundo Campazzo, Dinos Mitoglou, Jan Vesely and Mathias Lessort.

Geoff Gillingham's All-EuroLeague First Team picks

### Mike James, Facu Campazzo, Chima Moneke, Toko Shengelia, Mathias Lessort

#### *by Igor Petrinovic*

No controversies here. In the backcourt, I like AS Monaco guard [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/), the EuroLeague leader in scoring (19.4 ppg.) and PIR (21.6), who is also eighth in assists (5.3 apg.). I pair him with point guard [Facu Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/), who ranks second in assists (6.5 apg.) and 10th in average PIR (16.8), the highest PIR on league-leading Real Madrid. At center, the best candidate is Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens’s [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/), who is an enormous source of energy and has averaged a PIR of 20.9 in 16 wins, and 14.8 in 10 losses. 

Forward [Tornike Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/) (18.1 PIR, 14.5 ppg., 5.5 rpg., 3.6 apg.) had a tremendous start of the season and is an all-around driving force for Virtus Segafredo Bologna, the EuroLeague's most pleasant surprise this season. And Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz forward [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) leads the league in rebounding (7.3 rpg.). Despite coming off the bench, he is just outside the top 10 with 14.2 points per game, while ranking third with a PIR of 19.3.

### Mike James, Facu Campazzo, Shane Larkin, Jan Vesely, Mathias Lessort

#### *by Frankie Sachs*

This is all about projecting the future, isn’t it? We know how the players have performed until now and the key to this exercise is to decide who will keep it up – and even improve – down the stretch. Some of these picks are no-brainers. Not only is [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) the league leader in scoring and PIR, but Monaco faces the easiest road to the finish line in terms of strength of schedule. No one has done more for the league’s best team this season than [Facu Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/), who leads Los Blancos in minutes played, games started (25), assists (6.5 apg.), steals (1.2 spg.) and PIR (16.8). [Jan Vesely](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jan-vesely/000925/)’s place is secured thanks to his outstanding per-minute numbers and what he contributes to the team sitting second in the standings.

There are three players I gave strong consideration to for my remaining two spots: [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/), [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/) and [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/). Efes has the second-most-favorable strength of schedule the rest of the way and if it storms up the standings into the Play-In Showdown and then reaches the playoffs with Larkin, who is currently second in the league in average PIR (20.8) leading the way, how can he not be an All-EuroLeague pick. Baskonia and Panathinaikos both have tough remaining schedules, and the question is how their stars will perform down the stretch. Even though Moneke has the superior numbers, Lessort has been nearly as good and if he leads the Greens to home-court advantage in the playoffs and a Final Four berth, the Frenchman cannot be ignored.

### Monaco took out ASVEL to reach French Cup quarterfinals 
In an eighthfinals matchup between Turkish Airlines EuroLeague teams in the French League, AS Monaco knocked out LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne from the French Cup with a 92-82 victory. Mike James scored 16 points and dished 9 assists and Donatas Motiejunas added 16 points in as many minutes to pace the winners. Elie Okobo tallied 12 points and 5 assists, Matthew Strazel also scored 12 and Yakuba Outtara contributed 10 points.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">✅️ 𝐋𝐚 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%F0%9D%90%91%F0%9D%90%A8%F0%9D%90%9C%F0%9D%90%9A%F0%9D%90%93%F0%9D%90%9E%F0%9D%90%9A%F0%9D%90%A6?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#𝐑𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦</a> 𝐞𝐧 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐝𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐞 𝐥𝐚 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%F0%9D%90%82%F0%9D%90%A8%F0%9D%90%AE%F0%9D%90%A9%F0%9D%90%9E%F0%9D%90%83%F0%9D%90%9E%F0%9D%90%85%F0%9D%90%AB%F0%9D%90%9A%F0%9D%90%A7%F0%9D%90%9C%F0%9D%90%9E?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐃𝐞𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞</a> ! 💯<br><br>🚀 L&#39;ASM a haussé le ton en deuxième mi-temps 🆚️ <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LDLCASVEL</a> pour une nouvelle superbe victoire à Gaston-Médecin ♨️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CDFBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CDFBasket</a> <a href="https://t.co/a3e2dS5VA7">pic.twitter.com/a3e2dS5VA7</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1757506485486039460?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Monaco led 45-43 at halftime and it was still a 2-point game 4 minutes into the second half. The hosts made their move to stretch the margin to 67-59 after 30 minutes and then Strazel heated up to establish an 11-point lead early in the fourth quarter. The margin hit 17 in the closing minutes before Monaco took its foot off the gas.

Mike Scott paced ASVEL with 13 points and Charles Kahudi and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot netted 11 apiece. The quarterfinals will take place on March 16 in Trelaze.

### Efes opens Turkish Cup defense with victory

Reigning Turkish Cup holder Anadolu Efes Istanbul began its defense with a 94-85 victory over Manisa Buyuksehir Belediye Spor in the first quarterfinal on Tuesday evening. Shane Larkin shined with 23 points and 10 assists and Will Clyburn added 22 points and 7 rebounds to lead Efes. Darius Thompson and Tibor Pleiss added 11 points. Emanuel Terry paced Manisa with 23 points and 13 rebounds.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">📢 <a href="https://twitter.com/Migros_Turkiye?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Migros_Turkiye</a> ile Manisa Büyükşehir Belediye Spor karşılaşmamızın <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MVP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MVP</a>’si Shane Larkin!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LarkinSize%C4%B0yiGelecek?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LarkinSizeİyiGelecek</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenimYerimBuras%C4%B1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenimYerimBurası</a> <a href="https://t.co/9D3zUXjjwg">pic.twitter.com/9D3zUXjjwg</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1757449226680750545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Terry and former Efes star James Anderson started with a bang for Manisa which raced to a 7-19 lead. The margin stood at 18-27 after 10 minutes before Efes opened the second quarter on a 16-2 tear to take control for good. It was 51-47 at the break and Marisa kept it close, closing to within 74-73 early in the fourth quarter, but Larkin made sure that Efes held on.

Efes has won the Turkish Cup a record 12 times, including most recently in 2022. The Turkish Cup was cancelled last season due to the devastating earthquake in Turkey. In the semifinals on Friday, it will face the winner of the game between Pinar Karsiyaka and Galatasaray Istanbul.

Monaco knocked off ASVEL in the French eighthfinals, while Efes was victorious in the Turkish quarters. 

Domestic cups: Monaco, Efes both advance

Fantasy Challenge Podcast: Meet the stars

With a break from games in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, your favorite podcast hosts are back to review the season so far. EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Podcast co-hosts Javier Gancedo and Frankie Sachs will share the biggest risers, hardest fallers and most-owned players in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge this season.

What lessons can be learned from the fact that only one mid-season signing has gained in value since his debut? Which Partizan guard does Javi think will go off down the stretch? Which former EuroLeague Rising Star will Frankie stay away from? The answers are inside! Watch on YouTube or listen wherever podcasts are available for more insight into the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge.

With the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague on a two-week hiatus from games, it is the perfect time to look back at the top performers from the first 26 rounds of the regular season and to look ahead and make our early picks for some of the end-of-season awards. Several Euroleague.net staff members will take part and reveal their choices. After revealing their selections for the Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy on Monday, today we continue with the EuroLeague Best Defender Trophy.

Awards Watch: EuroLeague Best Defender

With the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague on a two-week hiatus from games, it is the perfect time to look back at the top performers from the first 26 rounds of the regular season and to look ahead and make our early picks for some of the end-of-season awards. 

Several [Euroleague.net](http://Euroleague.net) staff members will take part and reveal their choices. After revealing their selections for the Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy on Monday, today we continue with the EuroLeague Best Defender Trophy.

### John Brown gets his flowers

#### *by Geoff Gillingham*

On a team stacked with offensive firepower, [John Brown’s](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/john-brown/010588/) elite-level defense is crucial in making AS Monaco tick. [Having told my colleague Frankie Sachs in training camp](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/john-brown-as-monaco-basket-interview-best-defender-euroleague/) that he thinks he is “the best defender in the EuroLeague”, Brown’s play this season has certainly demonstrated that to be the case. 

He has regularly been tasked with guarding the opposition’s best player – especially those that play in the forward positions or at center – and has reveled in the role of party pooper, leading to below-par nights for some of the EuroLeague’s biggest stars. Monaco’s offense has been lauded during its recent five-game winning streak, but Brown’s defense provides the platform for the likes of Mike James and Elie Okobo to shine on the other end of the floor. A first EuroLeague Best Defender Trophy would certainly be well-deserved for the 32-year-old.

John Brown of AS Monaco has had another excellent season on the defensive end during the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague campaign.

Best Defender candidate: John Brown

### Walter Tavares reigns supreme, again

#### *by Frankie Sachs*

There are numerous ways for an elite defender to impact a game. Some can neutralize an elite scorer. Others disrupt an offense by hawking and hounding the opposing point guard. And then there are the elite rim-protectors. Yet nobody – and I mean nobody – does more to trouble the opposition’s attack than [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) of Real Madrid. A three-time EuroLeague Best Defender Trophy-winner, Tavares stands out on paper for his shot-blocking prowess; he is the competition’s all-time leader with 405 blocked shots and second this season by the slimmest of margins with 1.6 per game. 

However, blocks do not tell the entire story as Tavares’s presence in that paint not only alters dozens of shots each season, but also causes untold guards who have penetrated the paint to circle through without even trying to shoot or pass. Tavares’s combination of height, length and intelligent positioning anchor *Los Blancos*' defense and wreak havoc on the rest of the league, which is why you can count on many of the EuroLeague’s head coaches voting for Tavares to win this prestigious award again.

Best Defender candidate: Walter Tavares

### Grant gaining steam as Greens’ ace

#### *by Igor Petrinovic*

This season, [Jerian Grant](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jerian-grant/011204/) returned to the EuroLeague as the 2022-23 EuroCup MVP and the playmaker has averaged 8.8 points, 4.0 assists, and 2.4 rebounds, while currently ranking second in the league with 1.6 steals per game. But his impact for Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens goes far beyond his numbers, as Grant has displayed relentless perimeter defense, setting the tone for a team that has won six of its last eight games and has shown immense defensive improvement. 

The Greens opened the season allowing 80 or more points 10 times in the first 15 rounds. Over the last 11 games, however, Panathinaikos allowed more than 80 points just twice and is averaging 72.2 points allowed over that stretch. In the middle of it is Grant, who not only leads the team in time spent on the floor, but ranks sixth in average minutes played in the league (29:53). Grant might not have been on everyone's radar when the season began, but he has turned himself into one of the frontrunners for EuroLeague Best Defender Trophy.

Best Defender candidate: Jerian Grant

### Walkup has a really strong case

#### *by Javier Gancedo*

There are a good number of reasons to have [Thomas Walkup's](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/) name on the table when it comes to selecting this season's EuroLeague Best Defender. First, he leads the best defense in the competition, as Olympiacos Piraeus only allows 75.2 points per game. Second, Walkup was last season's runner-up in the voting for the Best Defender Trophy, only trailing Walter Tavares. Finally, take the competition's three best scorers and see how they did against Walkup when they visited Olympiacos. 

In the case of Anadolu Efes Istanbul's Shane Larkin, he had 8 points on 3-of-8 shooting and a PIR of 10 in his only game against the Reds. Mike James of AS Monaco was limited to 10 points in his team's road loss in Piraeus. When Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz played at Peace and Friendship Stadium, Markus Howard hit 2-of-10 shots on his way to 11 points. Walkup is an efficient on-ball and pick-and-roll defender who deserves the award.

Thomas Walkup leads Olympiacos Piraeus's defense, the best in the competition (75.2 ppg.).

Walkup: turning defense into offense

Euroleague Basketball has announced the following disciplinary sanction pertaining to incidents that occurred in Round 26 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague regular season.

Round 26 disciplinary sanctions

- Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade has been sanctioned with a fine of €3,500 for the throwing of objects on to the playing court on occasion of its home game against FC Bayern Munich under Article 29.2.h) of the Euroleague Basketball Disciplinary Code.
- Crvena Zvezda meridianbet Belgrade has been sanctioned with a fine of €30,000 for repeated incidents generated by the public on occasion of its home game against Zalgiris Kaunas under Article 29.1.g) of the Euroleague Basketball Disciplinary Code.
- Kendrick Nunn, Player of Panathinaikos Aktor Athens has been sanctioned with a fine of €2,500, for repeated public statements, following Rounds 23 and Round 24,  related to the performance of the referees, under Article 24.2.c) of the Euroleague Basketball Disciplinary Code.

Euroleague Basketball has announced the following disciplinary sanctions pertaining to incidents that occurred in Round 26 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague regular season.

You can now watch the first episode of Euroleague Basketball Originals’ latest documentary on YouTube.

Episode 1 of “Overseas” released on YouTube: How three EuroLeague stars adapted to life abroad

The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague is full of players who have switched countries in order to pursue their dreams. In the “Overseas” documentary series, which focuses on EA7 Emporio Armani Milan’s Kyle Hines, Olympiacos Piraeus’s Shaquielle McKissic and AS Monaco’s Donatas Motiejunas, fans are able to get a glimpse of the ups and downs of being a professional basketball player overseas.

Hines, a four-time EuroLeague champion, has been playing in Europe since 2008 and in Europe’s premier club basketball competition since 2010. From Sicklerville, New Jersey, in the United States, Hines’s EuroLeague career has seen him play in Germany (Brose Bamberg, 2010-11), Greece (Olympiacos, 2011-13), Russia (CSKA Moscow, 2013-20) and now Italy (2020-present), where he first began his professional career with Veroli Basket back in 2008.

McKissic signed for Olympiacos during the 2019-20 season, which gave him the chance to make his EuroLeague debut. He has been with the Reds ever since. Born in Seattle, Washington, in the U.S., McKissic’s journey to reach the top of European basketball was not the most straightforward. He split the 2015-16 season between Italy (VL Pesaro) and South Korea (Changwon LG Sakers), then played in Turkiye (Usak Sportif, 2016-17), Spain (Dreamland Gran Canaria, 2017-18), Russia (Avtodor Saratov, 2017-18) and Turkiye again (Gaziantep, 2018-19; Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul, 2019-20). During that 2019-20 campaign, he made a mid-season switch to Olympiacos and, as they say, the rest is history.

In the case of Motiejunas, he is now in his third season at Monaco, having arrived in the principality in the summer of 2021. Having come through the academy of Zalgiris Kaunas, making his senior debut in the 2007-08 season, he then suited up for Aisciai Kaunas in 2008-09 before beginning his worldwide adventure. Motiejunas, born in Kaunas, Lithuania, played in Italy (Benetton Treviso, 2009-11) and Poland (Arka Gdynia, 2011-12), ahead of a move across the water, as he joined up with the Houston Rockets in the NBA. Following four years in Houston (2012-16), he played for the New Orleans Pelicans (2016-17) and then changed continents once again, signing for the Shandong Golden Stars in China (2017-19). A brief stint back in the NBA followed at the tail end of the 2018-19 season, but Motiejunas returned to China by joining the Shanghai Sharks (2019-20) and then the Xinjiang Flying Tigers (2020-21), prior to returning to Europe with Monaco.

During the documentary series, you will hear crucial bits of advice from Hines, McKissic and Motiejunas on how they navigated their careers overseas, as well as the knock-on effects of being so far away from home.

"Overseas" joins a long list of premium, long-form content from the Euroleague Basketball Originals platform. Among the other documentaries available are "[Back 2 Back](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D1m0YpAdW8)", "[Land of MVPS](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMDJsLc01Lg)" and [“Obradovic, the return”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMMDVBd-iwc).