Isaia Cordinier was the star man for Virtus Bologna in the absence of Toko Shengelia as the Italian side beat FC Barcelona 86-81 in Dusko Ivanovic's first home game in charge.

Cordinier’s night to remember carried Shengelia-less Virtus to another win 

[Isaia Cordinier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/isaia-cordinier/009549/) picked a great night to have the performance of his career as he helped carry [Virtus Segafredo Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/vir/) to a hard-fought [home victory over FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/virtus-battles-past-barcelona-86-81-in-first-home-game-under-ivanovic/) as the team looks to turn the corner.

With top star [Toko Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/) missing a second straight game, Cordinier stepped up with a career-high 24 points, including 8-of-10 free throws, in an 86-81 victory in Virtus’s first home game under new head coach Dusko Ivanovic. Cordinier added 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and 8 fouls drawn for a personal-best PIR of 38.

"I’m just happy that I could help the team win tonight," said the 28-year-old, whose previous scoring best was 23 points in Round 2 against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne.

The 28-year-old was all over the court at both ends, driving to the basket, hitting three-pointers, dishing out assists and then also coming up with big defensive plays down the stretch. After making just 1-of-2 free throws for an 83-81 lead, Cordinier forced Barcelona guard [Dario Brizuela](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dario-brizuela/009992/) into a traveling turnover with 13 seconds left in the game – a real back-breaker in Barcelona’s hopes of pulling out the win.

"The most important thing for us is fighting - getting back to passion, fight and togetherness," Cordinier added. "With the flow of the team and the energy on defense, we could run, we could share the ball on offense." 

That Cordinier play was indicative of Virtus’s toughness down the stretch.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="pt" dir="ltr">Defense ⛔️ <a href="https://t.co/UYDaqpHH4A">https://t.co/UYDaqpHH4A</a> <a href="https://t.co/dl2LjxuQwE">pic.twitter.com/dl2LjxuQwE</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Segafredo Bologna (@VirtusSegafredo) <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusSegafredo/status/1870221784961765530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“The aggressiveness in the last two minutes was the key," said [Ante Zizic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ante-zizic/004554/), who added 12 points and 11 rebounds – including tying a career high with 8 offensive rebounds. 

Cordinier has really taken off this season in what is his fourth year with Virtus and third in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. He helped the club win the BKT EuroCup title in 2022 and then played a strong role for the France national team last summer to win the silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

He scored 20 points just once last season in the EuroLeague while picking up a PIR of 20 or more four times. Through the first 17 games of the 2024-25 campaign, Cordinier has already scored 20+ points twice while collecting a PIR of 20+ on six occasions. 

Still, Cordinier knows a big part of Virtus’s team was missing against Barcelona – namely leading scorer and rebounder Shengelia. 

And Cordinier had a message to the Georgian forward after the win: “Get healthy, brother. We’re with you, we're thinking about you, and we miss you.”

Game News

The Frenchman stepped up in the absence of the star Georgian forward for a great performance 

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v FC Barcelona (2024-12-20T19:00:00.000Z)

Theo Maledon and Melvin Ajinca came up big as LDLC ASVEL beat Zalgiris Kaunas in Round 17 to achieve something that it had never done before: win back-to-back road games in a double-round week.

Youngsters led ASVEL to history-making win in Kaunas

[LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/) entered the week with seven losses in as many road games this season, but after [its 72-78 win in Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/asvel-holds-off-zalgiris-72-78-continues-its-winning-streak/) on Friday night, Pierric Poupet's men ended up accomplishing something in this double-round week that the club had never done before.

ASVEL started out by [edging Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 79-82](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/asvel-stuns-partizan-for-first-road-win-79-82/) at Belgrade Arena on Tuesday, so now it has two road wins in a row after its triumph at Zalgiris. ASVEL is also on a three-game winning streak and has won five of its last six games to improve to 8-9 at the halfway point of the regular season.

But the feat, the back-to-back wins on the road, is something rare for ASVEL.

This is the first time ASVEL has won both games in a double-round week since December 2022, but the first time ever that ASVEL has emerged victorious in successive games during the double-round week away from home.

But, there is more.

The only time ASVEL has won consecutive games on the road was in 2021, but those came weeks apart. ASVEL won in Rounds 20 and 23 in January 2021, then won a third straight on the road a month later, in Round 26.

However, Friday night in Kaunas was the first time in the round-robin EuroLeague format that ASVEL has won road games in consecutive rounds, too.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">JUSTE UN MEC CHILL.<br><br>🪣 17 points<br>🎁 6 passes décisives<br>💪 4 rebonds<br>🏹 7/7 aux lancers francs<br>🗒️ 24 d&#39;évaluation<br><br>C&#39;est rien, c&#39;est Théo Maledon.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LDLCASVEL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LDLCASVEL</a> <a href="https://t.co/937L5mftGz">pic.twitter.com/937L5mftGz</a></p>&mdash; LDLC ASVEL (@LDLCASVEL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL/status/1870205758740279310?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Friday's triumph came behind the 23-year-old star [Theo Maledon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/theo-maledon/007027/) and the 20-year-old [Melvin Ajinca](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/melvin-ajinca/010316/). The team was also without its center [Joffrey Lauvergne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/joffrey-lauvergne/004194/), but it did not matter. ASVEL held Zalgiris to 72 points, kept Lonnie Walker scoreless, and has moved within one win of postseason places in the standings.

Truly a remarkable week for ASVEL.

The French side's week was nothing short of remarkable, and for the club, a historic one

Zalgiris Kaunas v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2024-12-20T18:00:00.000Z)

Weiler-Babb sank the game-winning free throw with 11.8 seconds left


Bayern grabs long-awaited road win at Milan, 78-79

In a thriller that went down to the final shot, FC Bayern Munich grabbed its third road win of the season – and its first at Unipol Forum since December 2018 – by edging EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 78-79 in Round 17 on Friday. Bayern improved to 11-6 in the standings while Milan dropped to 9-8. 

Carsen Edwards led the winners with 25 points. Devin Booker added 23 while Nick Weiler-Babb had 10 and 12 assists for Bayern. Nikola Mirotic paced Milan with 18 points. Zach LeDay added 14, Fabien Causeur had 13 while Josh Nebo and Neno Dimitrijevic each got 11 for the hosts.

Game Videos

Johannes Voigtmann got Bayern going with a floater, Weiler-Babb scored in penetration and Niels Giffey's layup gave the guests a 1-6 lead. Shavon Shields stepped up with a backdoor layup, but Weiler-Babb matched it with a driving basket. Booker buried a jumper, then followed LeDay's corner triple with a jumper and added an alley-oop dunk for a 6-14 Bayern margin. Voigtmann dunked before Weiler-Babb and Edwards each struck from beyond the arc to boost the guests' lead to 6-22. Edwards took over with a driving layup that capped a 0-14 run. Dimitrijevic hit a jumper and LeDay erased Booker's huge alley-oop slam with a turnaround jumper. LeDay struck from downtown to keep Milan within 14-26 after 10 minutes.

LeDay kept pacing Milan early in the second quarter and Dimitrijevic's jumper made Bayern call a timeout at 18-26. Causeur struck from beyond the arc and erased Andreas Obst's triple with one of his own from downtown. Oscar da Silva stepped up with a tip-in that Onuralp Bitim followed with a fast-break layup. Nebo scored down low and Dimitrijevic hit a turnaround jumper for a 28-33 Milan deficit. Voigtmann dunked for the visitors, but Mirotic single-handedly helped the hosts tie it at 35-35. Edwards hit a triple and Booked erased Nebo's jump hook with an alley-oop dunk. Nebo returned the favor with a dunk at the other end, fixing the halftime score at 39-40. 

Nebo dunked again to put Milan in charge, 41-40, right after the break. Causeur hit a floater in the lane, but Booker responded by burying back-to-back jump hooks for a 43-44 Bayern edge. Dimitrijevic buried a stop-and-pop jumper and Mirotic struck from beyond the arc to put Milan back ahead, 48-46. Booker answered from downtown, Milan's Dimitrijevic buried a jumper off the dribble, then Edwards's layup gave Bayern a 50-51 lead. Shields bettered Booker's layup with a three-pointer, and Edwards followed a layup with a three-pointer, but Mirotic tied it at 58-58. Kevin Yebo made free throws and Edwards nailed a wide-open triple for a 59-65 Bayern lead after 30 minutes.

Mirotic took over with a put-back layup and a step-back jumper early in the fourth quarter. Nebo scored around the basket to tie it at 65-65. Armoni Brooks buried a three-pointer that capped a 9-0 run, as Weiler-Babb stepped up with a driving layup. Voigtmann shocked Milan fans with a huge one-handed slam and Booker added a fast-break dunk that made the hosts called a timeout at 68-71. Shields scored around the basket and Causeur buried another triple for a 73-71 Milan lead. LeDay hit a three-pointer, Edwards answered from downtown and added a fast-break layup that tied it at 76-76 in the penultimate minute. Edwards scored in penetration, then Causeur banked in a high-arching driving layup for a 78-78 tie. Weiler-Babb split free throws with 11.8 seconds left and Shields missed a jump hook almost at the buzzer.

Weiler-Babb sank the game-winning free throw with 11.8 seconds left to secure the visitors' first win in Milan in six years

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v FC Bayern Munich (2024-12-20T20:00:00.000Z)

KK Crvena zvezda got back to winning ways by downing Maccabi Tel Aviv BC 81-73 at Belgrade Arena on Friday night. With this win, Zvezda finished the first half of the regular season with a winning record, 9-8, while Maccabi dropped to 4-13.

Bolomboy, Yago lead Crvena Zvezda past Maccabi, 81-73

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade got back to winning ways by downing Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 81-73 at Belgrade Arena on Friday night. With this win, Zvezda finished the first half of the regular season with a winning record, 9-8, while Maccabi dropped to 4-13.

Zvezda led by 15 at halftime but Maccabi opened the second half with a 0-17 run. However, Joel Bolomboy and Yago Dos Santos carried the team after that, and with a little help from Rokas Giedraitis, Zvezda pulled away again. Bolomboy finished with 17 points and Yago paired 15 points with 7 assists in a victory. Roman Sorkin had 21 points and 9 rebounds, Levi Randolph scored 16, and Jaylen Hoard collected 14 points plus 11 rebounds in a loss.

Bolomboy opened the scoring with a pair of close-range baskets, but Sorkin scored 7 points, including a triple, then Hoard scored inside twice to open a 10-13 Maccabi lead. But Canaan hit his second triple to get Zvezda's offense moving, then Nedovic had a driving layup and a triple to make it 21-15 at the end of the first quarter.

Nedovic hit another three, and Yago had a driving layup as Zvezda needed 64 seconds to open a double-digit lead, 26-15. The baskets kept coming in threes, as Yago and Rayman traded triples, and Mitrovic had a three-point play before Randolph and Sorkin hit back-to-back threes to set a 34-28 score. But Canaan hit a triple before Petusev went on a run, scoring 8 points and ensuring it was 48-33 at halftime.

Maccabi dominated to start the second half, going on a 0-17 run. Blatt and Jokubaitis were orchestrating things, Sorkin and Hoard started the run before Randolph hit a triple. More baskets from Sorkin and Hoard put Maccabi in front 48-50 with 4:30 left in the third. But Bolomboy stopped the bleeding inside, Daum knocked down a corner triple as Zvezda answered with a 7-0 run of its own. Sorkin and Hoard scored some more, but Rokas Giedraitis beat the third-quarter buzzer with a triple to make it 60-54.

Baskets were few and far between in the early minutes of the fourth quarter. Maccabi got within 62-59, but Bolomboy scored from long range before Yago and Giedraitis connected from long range. A three-point play from Bolomboy and another triple from Yago opened a 76-62 lead. David DeJulius stopped the bleeding with a triple, but all Maccabi could do was cut into the deficit. Another DeJulius triple made it 79-70, but Zvezda grabbed two offensive rebounds, with Bolomboy's put-back restoring a double-digit margin and sealing the deal.

The hosts overcame a terrible start to the third quarter to grab its ninth win

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2024-12-20T19:30:00.000Z)

The final round of the first half of the EuroLeague Regular Season will also complete the last double-round week of the season. 

Game Center: Round 17

## Friday, December 20

### [Anadolu Efes Istanbul 86-77 Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/ercan-osmani-leads-efes-past-partizan-86-77/)

Efes grabbed its third consecutive victory, and fourth straight at home, by topping Partizan 86-77 at the Basketball Development Center in Round 17 on Thursday. Efes improved to 10-7 in the standings while Partizan dropped to 7-10. Ercan Osmani paced the winners with a career-high 25 points. Rodrigue Beaubois scored 12 while Shane Larkin, Jordan Nwora and Darius Thompson each had 11 for the Efes. Thompson added 10 assists for a double-double. Tyrique Jones led Partizan with 23 points. Sterling Brown netted 15 while Duane Washington had 10 for the guests.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">💪 Senin sayende Anadolu Efesli!!! <br>Anadolu Efes 86 - 77 Partizan | 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/DjloQ0wjCu">pic.twitter.com/DjloQ0wjCu</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1870186824959742005?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Zalgiris Kaunas 72-78 LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/asvel-holds-off-zalgiris-72-78-continues-its-winning-streak/)

ASVEL continued its charge up the standings with another road win as it held off Zalgiris 72-78 at Zalgirio Arena on Friday night. This win, which was ASVEL's third straight and fifth in the last six games, improved the team to 8-9, while Zalgiris dropped to 10-7, a win behind the league leaders. ASVEL led for the majority of the night and never allowed the hosts to get closer than 4 points in the fourth quarter. Melvin Ajinca and Theo Maledon each scored 17 points, Paris Lee netted 12 and Nando De Colo added 11 points. Sylvain Francisco poured in 22 points for the hosts, while Deividas Sirvydis scored 10.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">BACK TO BACK WINS ON THE ROAD 🔥🔥🔥<br><br>Les Villeurbannais réalisent un deuxième exploit cette semaine en allant s&#39;imposer dans l&#39;enfer de la Zalgirio Arena ! Quelle force de caractère, quel groupe, bravo les gars ! 💪<br><br>On les retrouve dimanche à la <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLC_Arena?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LDLC_Arena</a> face à Paris ! <br>🎟… <a href="https://t.co/tKPirXbFWZ">pic.twitter.com/tKPirXbFWZ</a></p>&mdash; LDLC ASVEL (@LDLCASVEL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL/status/1870199877445267638?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Virtus Segafredo Bologna 86-81 FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/virtus-battles-past-barcelona-86-81-in-first-home-game-under-ivanovic/)

Virtus finished the first half of the regular season on a high note by winning a back-and-forth battle 86-81 over Barcelona in the first home game under new coach Dusko Ivanovic. The fourth quarter featured 12 lead changes and four ties, with Virtus scoring the final six points for its second victory in three games under its new play-caller for a 4-13 record, including 2-7 at home. Isaia Cordinier had a night to remember with a career-high 24 points to go with 6 rebounds and 7 assists for a career-high 38 PIR. With Toko Shengelia missing for a second straight game, Ante Zizic stepped up inside and added 12 points and 11 rebounds, Matt Morgan scored 10 points and Alessandro Pajola tallied 9 points and 7 assists. Barcelona has now dropped six of the last eight games for a 9-8 record. Jabari Parker led the way with 21 points while Kevin Punter collected 17 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists and Willy Hernangomez chipped in 14 points.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">Energia, carattere e passione: VINCE LA VIRTUS ⚡️ <a href="https://t.co/Z6czxF1JKa">pic.twitter.com/Z6czxF1JKa</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Segafredo Bologna (@VirtusSegafredo) <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusSegafredo/status/1870211390436454453?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Olympiacos Piraeus 90-85 ALBA Berlin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-digs-deep-to-edge-alba-90-85/)

Olympiacos scraped a labored 90-85 home win over ALBA and improved to 11-6 in the EuroLeague after a late rally allowed the Greek side to force the final twist, as the German outfit dropped to 3-14 despite a valiant effort. Evan Fournier paced Olympiacos with a game-high 23 points and big man Moustapha Fall added 18 for the Greek side, which completed a perfect double-round week with a second successive home win after beating Virtus on Wednesday. Sasha Vezenkov netted 17 points, including crucial free throws in the final minute, while Shaquielle McKissic chipped in with 10 for the hosts, who benefited from 14 offensive boards. At the other end, Matt Thomas led ALBA on 19 points while Yanni Wetzell and Trevion Williams posted 13 apiece for the visitors.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">Final 🏀 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> - ALBA B. 90-85 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OLYBER?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OLYBER</a> <a href="https://t.co/wSIAU21dJD">pic.twitter.com/wSIAU21dJD</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1870213960273932628?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 81-73 Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bolomboy-yago-lead-crvena-zvezda-past-maccabi-81-73/)

Crvena Zvezda got back to winning ways by downing Maccabi 81-73 at Belgrade Arena on Friday night. With this win, Zvezda finished the first half of the regular season with a winning record, 9-8, while Maccabi dropped to 4-13. Zvezda led by 15 at halftime but Maccabi opened the second half with a 0-17 run. However, Joel Bolomboy and Yago Dos Santos carried the team after that, and with a little help from Rokas Giedraitis, Zvezda pulled away again. Bolomboy finished with 17 points and Yago paired 15 points with 7 assists in a victory. Roman Sorkin had 21 points and 9 rebounds, Levi Randolph scored 16, and Jaylen Hoard collected 14 points plus 11 rebounds in a loss.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="sr" dir="ltr">Важна победа црвено-белих у 17. колу <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> 🔴⚪️ <a href="https://t.co/nFiDzrNCrI">pic.twitter.com/nFiDzrNCrI</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1870222290958368778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 78-79 FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bayern-grabs-long-awaited-road-win-at-milan-78-79/)

In a thriller that went down to the final shot, Bayern grabbed its third road win of the season – and its first at Unipol Forum since December 2018 – by edging Milan 78-79 in Round 17 on Friday. Bayern improved to 11-6 in the standings while Milan dropped to 9-8. Carsen Edwards led the winners with 25 points. Devin Booker added 23 while Nick Weiler-Babb had 10 and 12 assists for Bayern. Nikola Mirotic paced Milan with 18 points. Zach LeDay added 14, Fabien Causeur had 13 while Josh Nebo and Neno Dimitrijevic each got 11 for the hosts.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">WIN! 🔥<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/EA7BAY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EA7BAY</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/0AlCYhHyBL">pic.twitter.com/0AlCYhHyBL</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/1870227257933123922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Thursday, December 19

### [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens 104-69 Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nunn-shines-again-as-panathinaikos-demolishes-baskonia-104-69/)

Panathinaikos blew away visiting Baskonia in the Round 17 opener to improve to 10-7, while the Spanish side dropped to 7-10 after Kendrick Nunn paced the home team with 26 points and a career-high 9 assists. The game was marred by a serious injury to Panathinaikos center Mathias Lessort, who landed awkwardly early in the second half and appeared to have injured his ankle. Lorenzo Brown added 18 points for Panathinaikos. At the other end, Chima Moneke scored 16 points for Baskonia.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Paobcgr</a> make it two wins in two games in the double week! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/IOegDKtpmH">pic.twitter.com/IOegDKtpmH</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1869829878473994681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Real Madrid 94-72 AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/real-thrashes-first-place-monaco-94-72/)

Real Madrid rounded out a perfect double-round week by thrashing Monaco in the Spanish capital on Thursday. Real improved to 8-9 in the standings while Monaco dropped to 11-6. Dzanan Musa led the winners with 22 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists and Mario Hezonja added 13 points. Mike James paced Monaco with 19 points.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">🏁 FP: <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RMBaloncesto</a> 94 - 72 <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AsMonaco_Basket</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/UnicajaBanco?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UnicajaBanco</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZtZ4J6bPqj">pic.twitter.com/ZtZ4J6bPqj</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1869860350524567983?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The game between Paris and Fenerbahce has been suspended

Game Center: ASVEL, Bayern win on the road; Virtus stuns Barcelona

Olympiacos Piraeus v ALBA Berlin (2024-12-20T19:15:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2024-12-20T17:30:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v AS Monaco (2024-12-19T19:45:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2024-12-19T19:30:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2024-12-19T17:45:00.000Z)

Olympiacos BC scraped a labored 90-85 home win over ALBA Berlin and improved to 11-6 in the EuroLeague after a late rally allowed the Greek side to force the final twist, as the German outfit dropped to 3-14 despite a valiant effort.

Olympiacos digs deep to edge ALBA, 90-85

Olympiacos Piraeus scraped a labored 90-85 home win over ALBA Berlin and improved to 11-6 in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague after a late rally allowed the Greek side to force the final twist, as the German outfit dropped to 3-14 despite a valiant effort.

Evan Fournier paced Olympiacos with a game-high 23 points and big man Moustapha Fall added 18 for the Greek side, which completed a perfect double-round week with a second successive home win after beating Virtus Segafredo Bologna on Wednesday.

Sasha Vezenkov netted 17 points, including crucial free throws in the final minute, while Shaq McKissic chipped in with 10 for the hosts, who benefited from 14 offensive boards. At the other end, Matt Thomas led ALBA on 19 points while Yanni Wetzell and Trevion Williams posted 13 apiece for the visitors.

The early stages suggested that Olympiacos was in for plain sailing as the home team raced into a 16-6 lead, with Fall steamrolling through ALBA’s paint time and again. The plucky visitors tore up that script, though, hitting back to nose ahead 26-28 early in the second quarter on the back of a 0-9 run.

Fall and McKissic then had the crowd on its feet with some spectacular plays which lit up the Peace and Friendship Stadium, but ALBA refused to roll over and Olympiacos took only a slender 44-41 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Vezenkov joined the scoring party in the third quarter and Fournier sank a couple of successive threes in the period’s closing stages to give the hosts their biggest lead of the night, 66-54, once again setting the stage for what should have been a walk in the park for Olympiacos in the final 10 minutes.

However, ALBA had other ideas. The visiting team drained a flurry of audacious three-pointers in the fourth quarter while Olympiacos choked from downtown at the other end, enabling the visiting team to surge ahead 82-85 as the atmosphere among the home fans went flat.

Fournier then showed his class and the resolve of a former NBA stalwart, as he nailed a pair of crucial shots to put Olympiacos back in front, while Vezenkov was ice-cool from the foul line to complete the clutch 8-0 run and secure the home team’s victory.

The hosts prevailed after the competition’s bottom team had threatened to stage a stunning upset 

Virtus Bologna finished the first half of the regular season on a high note by winning a back-and-forth battle 86-81 over FC Barcelona in the first home game under new coach Dusko Ivanovic. 

Virtus battles past Barcelona, 86-81, in first home game under Ivanovic 

Virtus Segafredo Bologna finished the first half of the regular season on a high note by winning a back-and-forth battle 86-81 over FC Barcelona in the first home game under new coach Dusko Ivanovic. The fourth quarter featured 12 lead changes and four ties, with Virtus scoring the final six points for its second victory in three games under its new play-caller for a 4-13 record, including 2-7 at home. 

Isaia Cordinier had a night to remember with a career-high 24 points to go with 6 rebounds and 7 assists for a career-high 38 PIR. With Toko Shengelia missing for a second straight game, Ante Zizic stepped up inside and added 12 points and 11 rebounds, Matt Morgan scored 10 points and Alessandro Pajola tallied 9 points and 7 assists. Barcelona has now dropped six of the last eight games for a 9-8 record. Jabari Parker led the way with 21 points while Kevin Punter collected 17 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists and Willy Hernangomez chipped in 14 points.

Barcelona struggled early from the field, going nearly 3 minutes without a score as Virtus went up 6-2, and it was 10-4 for the home side around the midway point of the opening quarter. After a timeout, Barcelona was able to score more consistently and cut the gap to 10-9. Cordinier had a great start and Barcelona could not get defensive stops, with Virtus leading 19-13. The surge continued and the hosts led 23-15 after 10 minutes. 

Barcelona held Virtus to just one basket in the first 4 minutes and a Parker triple made it 26-22. The hosts dominated the offensive glass with 11 offensive rebounds, 6 of them coming from Zizic, who had two put-back scores to keep Virtus up 32-24. A Hernangomez three-point play trimmed the deficit to 32-29 before Pajola finally hit Virtus’s first three-pointer after the team missed its first 13 shots from long range. A Punter triple had Barcelona down just 35-34 at the break.

Alex Abrines opened the second half with a triple to put Barcelona ahead, only to have Andrejs Grazulis and Cordinier hit threes and Will Clyburn to dunk to make it 43-37. Two more Virtus baskets made it 47-40. Parker and Punter combined for nine points as Barcelona would not let Virtus get away, pulling within 49-48. Virtus’s hot shooting continued with two three-pointers, but the guests evened the game, 60-60. And the score was tied 65-65 after 30 minutes.

The game remained close and went back and forth early in the final frame with seven lead changes in the first 5 minutes, with Barcelona going ahead 72-75. Cordinier continued his fantastic night with an assist and two free throws to put Virtus up 78-77. Four more lead changes followed, with Cordinier making three of four free throws as Virtus lead 83-81 with 27 seconds to go. Cordinier then forced Dario Brizuela into a traveling turnover with 13 seconds left, with Pajola making one free throw at the other end. The game was decided when Parker missed a jumper and Punter committed an unsportsmanlike foul on Clyburn in the waning seconds.

The Italian side moves to 2-1 under the Montenegrin head coach

LDLC ASVEL continued its charge up the standings with another road win as it held off Zalgiris Kaunas 72-78 at Zalgirio Arena on Friday night. This win, which was ASVEL's third straight and fifth in the last six games, improved the team to 8-9, while Zalgiris dropped to 10-7, a win behind the league leaders.

ASVEL holds off Zalgiris, 72-78, continues its winning streak

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne continued its charge up the standings with another road win as it held off Zalgiris Kaunas 72-78 at Zalgirio Arena on Friday night. This win, which was ASVEL's third straight and fifth in the last six games, improved the team to 8-9, while Zalgiris dropped to 10-7, a win behind the league leaders.

ASVEL led for the majority of the night and never allowed the hosts to get closer than 4 points in the fourth quarter. Melvin Ajinca and Theo Maledon each scored 17 points, Paris Lee netted 12 and Nando De Colo added 11 points. Sylvain Francisco poured in 22 points for the hosts, while Deividas Sirvydis scored 10.

Laurynas Birutis and Neal Sako traded dunks early in the game, after Maledon had a three-point play and before Francisco struck a three-pointer. Ajinca and Deividas Sirvydis traded three-pointers, then Maledon joined the three-point party and Andre Roberson had a three-point play to open a 10-16 lead. Dunston scored inside and had a jumper before delivering a big block on the defensive end, but Roberson and Nando De Colo made sure the visitors held a 16-21 advantage after 10 minutes.

Dunston, Francisco and Sirvydis put together a 7-0 run to give the hosts their first lead, 23-22, but Ajinca and Paris Lee hit back-to-back triples to restore ASVEL's lead, also sparking a 0-9 run. Alen Smailagic had a monster dunk, but Sako extended the margin to 27-37. De Colo's three-point play made it a 13-point game, but Francisco nailed two threes in succession to make it 36-43 at halftime.

Zalgiris opened the third quarter with an 11-2 run, with Butkevicius hitting a triple and Birutis and Edgaras Ulanovas scoring inside. ASVEL was without a field goal for nearly 6 minutes to open the quarter until Tarik Black scored inside. Butkevicius scored a fast-break layup and Brady Manek drained a triple, but Shaquille Harrison had a pair of layups and Ajinca hit a three-pointer to give ASVEL a 53-56 lead after 30 minutes.

Ajinca had a three-point play and Francisco scored in traffic. De Colo and Francisco traded triples, then De Colo and Manek exchanged long-range shots, 61-65. Maledon and Black got to the free-throw line to keep the hosts at bay, and after another three-pointer by Manek, Maledon's three and Roberson's dunk made it 66-76. Sirvydis hit a second-chance triple in the penultimate minute, but ASVEL made a pair of defensive stands and closed it out.

Pierric Poupet's men escape from Kaunas with their second road triumph this week

Ercan Osmani was integral as Anadolu Efes beat KK Partizan in Round 17 to record its fourth straight home win in the EuroLeague.

Ercan Osmani's hard work paid off against Partizan

[Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/) completed a perfect double-round week with [an 86-77 home victory over Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/ercan-osmani-leads-efes-past-partizan-86-77/), with [Ercan Osmani](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ercan-osmani/012710/) continuing his impressive form by having a career-best performance.

Osmani started strong, getting 10 points in the opening 12 minutes. He stepped up big early in the third quarter with a three-pointer from the right wing and a huge one-handed slam. The 26-year-old, however, was just getting started.

Anadolu Efes Istanbul forward Ercan Osmani had a career-high 25 points on 6 of 7 two-pointers, 4 of 7 three-pointers and 1 of 2 free throws, adding 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 assists and 5 fouls drawn for a personal-best PIR of 29.

Osmani's career night against Partizan

He finished the game with a career-high 25 points, 10 more than his previous record against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv on March 20, 2024. Osmani hit 6-of-7 two-pointers, 4-of-7 three-pointers and 1-of-2 free throws, adding 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 assists and 5 fouls drawn for a personal-best PIR of 29.

Partizan led 58-61 at the end of the third quarter behind an unstoppable [Tyrique Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tyrique-jones/011981/), playing against Efes in Istanbul for the first time since leaving the club this past summer. Osmani had 10 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, playing a big role in his team's victory.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">💪 Bu kutlamayı sonuna kadar hak ettin! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenimYerimBuras%C4%B1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenimYerimBurası</a> <a href="https://t.co/DkQTLwfrf8">pic.twitter.com/DkQTLwfrf8</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1870194916254458303?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Rodrigue Beaubois](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/rodrigue-beaubois/006590/) was equally outstanding, scoring all 12 of his points in the final 10 minutes on 4 bombs from beyond the arc. Osmani and Beaubois combined for 22 of Efes's 28 fourth-quarter points, and the hosts' defense did the rest down the stretch.

After the game, Osmani felt nothing but thankful to everyone around him. He was the most talked-about player, too.

"I have to thank my teammates because they believe in me," Osmani told EuroLeague TV. "First of all, I have to thank them because if they were not here, I wouldn't do those \[career-high numbers\], so I am felling great because I have really great teammates and I am lucky about that. Of course, it is a double week and I am feeling tired, but I needed to play today. Tomi \[Tomislav Mijatovic\] believes in me, so thank you!"

"Tonight, Ercan Osmani had a career game and carried us in the fourth quarter, making big shot after big shot, rebounds, getting to the basket," Efes star guard Shane Larkin said. "We have that kind of talent in this team, it's not going to be the same guy every night but that's what makes us dangerous."

"We were fully aware of Ercan's potential. We are very fortunate and very lucky that he fits superbly in our team. He is following the lead, playing with the system and his individual potential, which is huge, comes to play," Coach Mijatovic said. "Today, he really carried us in his shoulders in some parts of the game but he was an important piece of the whole puzzle."

He enjoyed a starring role in an Efes win in Round 17
