If Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz fans were told before their team's game against Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul that star forwards Tadas Sedekerskis and Chima Moneke would combine for 5 points, not many of them would have predicted a win. 


Markus Howard saved the day at Buesa Arena

If Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz fans were told before their team's game against Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul that star forwards Tadas Sedekerskis and Chima Moneke would combine for 5 points, not many of them would have predicted a win. 

But that is exactly what happened and, luckily for Baskonia, Markus Howard made sure that he hit all the right shots at the right time to lead Baskonia to an 80-79 game in a game that could have gone either way.

Howard finished the game with 28 points, making 7 of 12 two-pointers and 4 of 13 three-pointers. He had 9 points in the fourth quarter and the go-ahead three-pointer with 7.9 seconds remaining. He got the ball from Codi Miller-McIntyre and took the shot while being fouled by Marko Guduric. Nothing but net.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">ICE IN THOSE VEINS 🥶 <a href="https://twitter.com/markushoward11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@markushoward11</a> wins it 🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MagicMoment?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MagicMoment</a> I <a href="https://twitter.com/Baskonia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Baskonia</a> <a href="https://t.co/sNKPZnNW1b">pic.twitter.com/sNKPZnNW1b</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1732511200854888568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>


"This is basketball at a high level, the EuroLeague. Many games finish like this, in the last possession. We had patience and played calm in a situation like this. Markus \[Howard\] really made one incredible shot," Coach Ivanovic said after the game.  

Howard missed the additional free throw, giving Fenerbahce a chance to win the game at the buzzer. Guduric had scored twice in the final 2 minutes. He grabbed the defensive rebound and went straight for a one-on-one situation against Chima Moneke. He got a good look but his eight-meter shot hit the back of the rim.

"There is no better feeling that getting a tough victory in the EuroLeague, in front of our home fans. They brought the energy tonight and we are just happy to leave with the win," Howard said. When asked about his game-winning shot, he gave credit to Coach Ivanovic: "Coach drew a great play and we executed. Codi \[Miller-McIntyre\] made a great setup and my teammates just put me in a great position."

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Oh my DAYS 🤯<a href="https://twitter.com/CMMPatience?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CMMPatience</a> that was ridiculous, what a PUTBACK 💪🔥 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MagicMoment?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MagicMoment</a> I <a href="https://twitter.com/Baskonia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Baskonia</a> <a href="https://t.co/3jDweeT8zq">pic.twitter.com/3jDweeT8zq</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1732494546666176518?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

Baskonia fans also had the opportunity to see one of the best dunks of the season at the end of the first half. Howard missed a floater and Miller-McIntyre came out of nowhere to detonate a high-flying, one-handed put-back slam that sent the crowd to their feet.

Baskonia is 6-1 since Coach Ivanovic returned to the team. Half of those wins were by 1 point. Baskonia beat Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 84-83 on late free throws by Moneke. It downed Olympiacos Piraeus 74-75 a week later on Miller-McIntyre's game-winning shot. Howard was the go-to guy this time, proving that any player in the team can be decisive in crunch time which of course, is great news for Baskonia fans.

Game Videos

Game News

With 28 points and the go-ahead basket, Howard was the hero on Wednesday for Baskonia. 

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2023-12-06T19:30:00.000Z)

Valencia Basket Club won a thriller, 85-81, over KK Crvena zvezda (4-7) at La Fonteta in Round 12 of the 2023-24 EuroLeague Regular Season.

Valencia prevails, 85-81, as Zvezda's fightback falls short

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EuroLeague Live Blog: Valencia Basket vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade.

Big men Brandon Davies and Semi Ojeleye combined for 38 points and 11 rebounds to lift Valencia. 

Valencia prevails, 85-81, as Zvezda's fightback falls short 

Valencia Basket v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2023-12-06T19:30:00.000Z)

Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C. survived a thriller on the road at LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne at the Astroballe in Round 12 of the 2023-24 EuroLeague Regular Season to win 91-94 thanks to a big game from Wade Baldwin. 

Baldwin, Maccabi hold off ASVEL, 91-94

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EuroLeague Live Blog: LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv.

Maccabi's star guard tallied 21 points and 8 assists to help the Israeli champs to victory on the road. 

Wade Baldwin, Maccabi hold off ASVEL, 91-94

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2023-12-06T19:15:00.000Z)

Saski Baskonia edged Fenerbahçe Basketball 80-79 in a thriller at Buesa Arena in Round 12 of the 2023-24 EuroLeague Regular Season thanks to some clutch shooting by Markus Howard.

Markus Howard lifts Baskonia past Fenerbahce, 80-79

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EuroLeague Live Blog: Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul.

The star guard scored 9 fourth-quarter points, including the game-winning three in the closing seconds, to decide the game. 

Virtus Bologna improved to 8-4 and moved one game back of Barça Basket after winning 80-75 in Round 12 of the 2023-24 EuroLeague Regular Season.

Virtus Bologna completes comeback to frustrate Barça Basket, 80-75

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Isaia Cordinier of Virtus Segafredo Bologna shoots a shot against FC Barcelona in Round 12 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Iffe Lundberg's 11 fourth-quarter points ended up being the difference as the Italian side improved to an 8-4 record.

Virtus completes comeback to frustrate Barcelona, 80-75

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v FC Barcelona (2023-12-06T19:30:00.000Z)

Virtus Bologna duo Achille Polonara and Daniel Hackett are the latest players to take part in the EuroLeague's Bromance Quiz.

Bromance Quiz: Achille Polonara and Daniel Hackett, Virtus Bologna

[Achille Polonara](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/achille-polonara/002084/) is ready to make his long-awaited return to the court this Wednesday night after [completing his chemotherapy treatment](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/achille-polonara-returns-to-virtus-bologna-training-after-chemotherapy/), which is great news for everyone associated with Virtus Segafredo Bologna. During the club’s media day, which came before the discovery of Polonara’s testicular tumor in early October, the Italian forward sat down with Virtus teammate [Daniel Hackett](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/daniel-hackett/001844/) as part of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague’s Bromance Quiz.

Curiously, this is the first season that Polonara and Hackett are teammates at club level, although they have been through many battles together with the Italian national team. As such, it’s fair to say that they know quite a lot about each other.

There are plenty of laughs between the two along the way, with a very Italian feel throughout. Whether it is talking about pizza, joking between themselves or discussing their pasts, the bond between Polonara and Hackett is clear to see.

Make sure to check it out, as you are sure to experience some laughs yourself along the way.

More Virtus News

Bromance Quiz: Achille Polonara & Daniel Hackett, Virtus Segafredo Bologna

The Italian teammates are the latest pairing to be put to the test.

Bromance Quiz: Achille Polonara and Daniel Hackett, Virtus Segafredo Bologna

Anadolu Efes S.K. has confirmed that Erkan Yilmaz will be out for approximately three months after undergoing collarbone surgery.

Anadolu Efes forward Erkan Yilmaz out for three months

The injury crisis at Anadolu Efes Istanbul continues to get worse and worse, with the club confirming on Wednesday that forward [Erkan Yilmaz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/erkan-yilmaz/006372/) will be out for approximately three months after undergoing collarbone surgery. Yilmaz sustained the injury during [Tuesday night's 71-68 win against Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-live-blog-anadolu-efes-sk-vs-panathinaikos-bc/) in Round 12 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

The 26-year-old Yilmaz has largely had to make do with a backup role at Efes this season, averaging just 1.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 10:25 minutes across 11 appearances, but he is a valuable member of the squad for head coach Erdem Can. After all, it was Coach Can who decided to bring Yilmaz with him from Turk Telekom Ankara to Efes.

"Following the injury suffered by our talented player Erkan Yılmaz in yesterday's game, tests revealed a fracture in his right collarbone and he was operated on by Prof. Dr. Baris Kocaoglu today," read a statement by Efes.

"Our team doctor Ugur Dilicik stated that our player will be away from the court for about three months after the successful surgery."

<center>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Başarılı oyuncumuz Erkan Yılmaz&#39;ın dün oynanan karşılaşmada yaşadığı sakatlığın ardından yapılan tetkiklerde sağ köprücük kemiğinde kırık tespit edilmiş, Prof. Dr. Barış Kocaoğlu tarafından bugün ameliyatı gerçekleştirilmiştir. <br><br>Takım Doktorumuz Uğur Diliçıkık, başarıyla… <a href="https://t.co/TyeyFxD69M">pic.twitter.com/TyeyFxD69M</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1732413227017843079?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Injury woes for Efes

Yilmaz joins a long list of injured players for Efes. Just earlier this week, the club announced that [Will Clyburn will be out until at least mid-January and that Rodrigue Beaubois would be sidelined for three weeks](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/efes-loses-clyburn-beaubois-to-injury/). In addition, Elijah Bryant has been out since Round 6, Tibor Pleiss hasn't played since Round 8, [Ante Zizic is unavailable until mid-December](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/ante-zizic-anadolu-efes-sk-out-for-three-weeks-with-calf-injury/) and [Derek Willis is out until mid-January](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/efes-forward-willis-undergoes-finger-surgery/).

All in all, that means Coach Can is currently without seven first-team players, which has resulted in Efes having to dip into the market to make up the numbers. Forward Mike Daum arrived from Derthona Basket and has already played two games for the club, while center Dan Oturu signed just a few days ago and made his Efes debut in Round 12.

More Efes News

Erkan Yilmaz in action for Anadolu Efes Istanbul in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

He is the latest Efes player that will miss an extended period of time.

Erkan Yilmaz out for three months following collarbone surgery

The EuroLeague's current rebounding leader, Tadas Sedekerskis of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, is something of a surprise for several reasons, but mainly because of just how much he is dominating the boards.

 Baskonia's Tadas Sedekerskis: An unlikely rebounding king 

If you had placed any bets before the tipoff of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague on who will lead the competition in rebounds with almost one-third of the regular season in the books, [Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/bitci-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/roster/bas/?season=2023-24) forward [Tadas Sedekerskis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sedekerskis-tadas/007230/) probably wouldn't have been among your top options.

In retrospect, he should have been. Not your traditional big man, Sedekerskis is currently ranked first among all EuroLeague players with a powerful 8.9 rebounds per game – 6.9 defensive and 2.1 offensive. Since last season, the 25-year-old has more than doubled his rebounding output, from 4.2 to 8.9, with a corresponding increase in playing time, from under 19 to 31 minutes per game.

Not only is Sedekerskis the EuroLeague's most prolific rebounder this season but he's way ahead of all others, with second-placed Bonzie Colson of Maccabi Tel Aviv more than 2 rebounds behind him on average.

[MORE](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1592775/baskonias-tadas-sedekerskis-an-unlikely-rebounding-king/)...

The EuroLeague's current rebounding leader is something of a surprise for several reasons, but mainly because of just how much he is dominating the boards.

Baskonia's Tadas Sedekerskis: An unlikely rebounding king

Tyrique Jones had a career night as Anadolu Efes S.K. spoiled the return of Panathinaikos B.C. head coach Ergin Ataman to Sinan Erdem Dome in Round 10 of the 2023-24 EuroLeague season.

Tyrique Jones ruined Ergin Ataman's Anadolu Efes homecoming game

It was a special night for Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens head coach Ergin Ataman, who [returned to Sinan Erdem Sports Hall to face Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-live-blog-anadolu-efes-sk-vs-panathinaikos-bc/) for the first time since leaving the team. It was also [his 400th EuroLeague game](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/ergin-ataman-becomes-third-to-coach-400-games/) since the competition was founded in 2000. He joined Zeljko Obradovic and Ettore Messina in this select club.

Coach Ataman was warmly received by the Efes fans. More than half of his 400 EuroLeague games, 222 to be precise, were on the Efes bench over parts of eight seasons. He led the team to EuroLeague titles in 2021 and 2022, as well as to the 2019 EuroLeague Championship Game.

Efes came into this game without key players Ante Zizic, Rodrigue Beaubois, Will Clyburn, Tibor Pleiss and Derek Willis. But luckily for head coach Erdem Can, he had Tyrique Jones, who had a career night and led Efes to a hard-fought 71-68 victory.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">HE WON THE CUP 🏆🏆<br><br>Ataman greets the home fans on his return 👏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/mujMLEcalB">pic.twitter.com/mujMLEcalB</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1732092806062059583?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>


### Tyrique Jones dominated for Efes

Jones set the tone early with a three-point play on his team's first possession and soon added a jump hook and dunk to quickly build a 12-4 lead. Predictably, Panathinaikos came back and took a 59-62 lead with over 4 minutes before the end. What's more, Efes had lost a sixth player, forward Erkan Yilmaz, due to injury.

Jones was far from done as he gave Efes a 63-62 lead with a tip-in. When Jerian Grant hit a three-pointer, Jones grabbed 2 offensive rebounds at the other end, drew a foul and made both of the resulting free-throw attempts to tie it at 65-65. After Kendrick Nunn buried a three-pointer, Jones scored again around the basket and got help from Shane Larkin to put Efes back ahead, 70-68.

The game came down to the last shot, but Dinos Mitoglou missed from downtown at the buzzer. When the dust settled, Jones had set new career highs in points (21), rebounds (13), steals (4), fouls drawn (5) and PIR (36). His 8 offensive rebounds were a new EuroLeague season high and also tied for second place in club history, trailing only Loren Woods, who pulled down 10 offensive boards against Le Mans on January 10, 2008.

Tyrique Jones set new career-highs in points (21), rebounds (13), steals (4), fouls drawn (5) and PIR (36).

Jones leads injury-plagued Efes to home win

"Like I said at halftime, we just needed to come out with the same aggressiveness, and it was next man up. We counted on everybody who played tonight," Jones said after the game. "Fortunately, I'm here. It's just credit to my teammates and all glory to God. It's just my will to win. We wanted this game. We're protecting home court. And we're going to continue to try to protect home court every time we step in front of this house."

### An increased role for Tyrique Jones

Jones was the 2022-23 BKT EuroCup's fifth-best rebounder with 8.0 boards per game. With less playing time and an adjustment to a new level of competition, Jones's rebounding average dropped to 2.7 rebounds in his first 10 EuroLeague games. Since Zizic picked up an injury, however, Jones is averaging over 31 minutes per night and 11.5 rebounds per game.

<center>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">What a night, huh?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Together?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Together</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhereIStand?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhereIStand</a> <a href="https://t.co/zczaOIUKJu">pic.twitter.com/zczaOIUKJu</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1732126337689686466?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

He will have the chance to test his rebounding skills against Johannes Thiemann and Khalifa Koumadje next, as Efes plays against ALBA Berlin at Mercedes-Benz Arena, home of the 2024 Final Four, in a battle of Round 12 winners on Thursday night. As for Coach Ataman, his 401st EuroLeague game will be at home against the defending champions, Real Madrid. 

Anadolu Efes Istanbul center Tyrique Jones unleashes some emotion during his team's game against Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens in Round 12 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

The former Efes boss was hoping to steer Panathinaikos to victory in his homecoming, but the American center had other plans. 

Tyrique Jones ruined Coach Ataman's homecoming game

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2023-11-24T17:30:00.000Z)