One of the main activities EuroLeague FanZone at Unity Square in Kaunas for Final Four weekend was the Saturday night concert featuring two popular Lithuanian artists, [Beatrich](https://www.instagram.com/beatrich/) and [DJ Jovani](https://www.instagram.com/dj_jovani/).

A crowd of 3,000 gathered before the main stage of the FanZone ready to dance the night away when Beatrich hit the stage wearing a full-on Zalgiris Kaunas uniform to roaring approval from the audience.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">And a final message for all the fans who came to the show🙌 <a href="https://t.co/UVpb3FoNxj">pic.twitter.com/UVpb3FoNxj</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1660000480620052481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

During one hour, Beatrich delivered a set of her infectious pop tunes as the night fell on Unity Square, and the crowd was into it!

After Beatrich's set it was the turn for popular DJ Jovani, who unleashed a blistering one-hour session on a FanZone crowd that could not have enough of him. In the end, the crowd was left chanting for more music, but unfortunately, DJ Jovani had to put an end to the session.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Thanks everyone for making this a night to remember🙏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F4GLORY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F4GLORY</a> <a href="https://t.co/S5By5HNtGF">pic.twitter.com/S5By5HNtGF</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1660019999077957632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The two shows sent the crowd into the Kaunas night with a smile and ready to extend the party elsewhere on the eve of the EuroLeague Championship Game at the Zalgirio Arena.

Beatrich and DJ Jovani draw a crowd of 3,000 at the FanZone

A new champion is waiting in Kaunas

#### The stage is set for the crowning of a new Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion on Sunday in basketball-mad Kaunas, Lithuania. Another sellout crowd will be on hand at Zalgirio Arena and at watch parties near and far to witness whether Olympiacos Piraeus will lift its fourth EuroLeague trophy or Real Madrid its 11th. On the eve of the action, the two head coaches – Georgios Bartzokas of Olympiacos and Chus Mateo of Real – showed the elevated respect these two clubs have for each other on and off the court as they sat together in Kaunas to talk about the [EuroLeague Championship Game](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/olympiacos-piraeus-real-madrid/E2022/330/).

Olympiacos Piraeus v Real Madrid (2023-05-21T17:00:00.000Z)

Moustapha Fall, Tarik Black have plans for Walter Tavares

Rest assured, Olympiacos fans, the Reds have a plan to stop Real Madrid's force in the paint, Walter Tavares, in Sunday's Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game. Tarik Black just isn’t ready to share it. 

"I can’t let you know all the secrets, right? I can’t just give you the whole scouting report, especially with a very important game tomorrow," Black told Euroleague Basketball from Zalgirio Arena, one day before the title decider. 

The Reds are 2-0 against Real Madrid this season and have had moderate success against the All-EuroLeague center. Tavares averaged 13 points, 4 rebounds, 2.5 turnovers and 1 block for a PIR of 12.5 in those two games, compared to 11.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks for a PIR of 18.1 against the rest of the league. 

"He's probably the best center in the EuroLeague. He has a big impact for his team and he's been dominating the EuroLeague for years now, so obviously he's a very, very good player," Olympiacos center Moustapha Fall added during Saturday's media availability when quizzed about the Real star. "There is no secret to stop a good player. You just need to try to make everything as complicated as possible and live with the results."

Moustapha Fall, Olympiacos: 'Tavares has been dominating the EuroLeague'

Black said he believes that the versatility and cohesiveness of the Reds' centers can be a problem for other teams, including Real. 

"We just all look different, like Mousa \[Fall\] is a 7-footer, I’m not quite 7 feet but I’m a bit stockier, Joel \[Bolomboy\] isn’t as stocky or as tall, but he's more athletic than both of us two," Black stated. "At the end of the day, it’s all the defensive presence, it's the presence in the paint, and our ability, obviously on the offensive end, to keep the fluidity of the offense going, setting great screens, and on defense, being able to switch, being able to protect the rim. Those things are all fluid as we all rotate out and so actually the things that we are alike make it easier for us to substitute in and keep the ball rolling."

Tarik Black, Olympiacos: 'We’re a very cohesive group'

With Fall the likely starter and Black and Bolomboy expected to spell him off the bench, Olympiacos will have enough men to battle Tavares for all 40 minutes. And how much they manage to contain him could be the story of the championship game.

Real Madrid's [Dzanan Musa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dzanan-musa/006540/) is getting ready for his first Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game with Los Blancos chasing their 11th continental crown.

For Musa, Sunday night's clash in Kaunas is somewhat symbolic, but also a story of what could have been because when Musa was 15 years old, he was offered a long-term deal with Olympiacos.

"I was already about to sign a contract with Olympiacos", Musa confirmed. "Basically paper was in front of me so I was almost signing for Olympiacos. It was basically already a signed contract."

However, the job was never completed and he went to Cedevita Zagreb in Croatia instead. 

"I was looking forward to playing with Spanoulis," Musa said ahead of the championship game. "I was looking up to him when I was a young player, trying to copy all of his shots, step-back, step-side. It was a dream. But I ended up with Cedevita and it is something I am proud of, too. I am grateful for Cedevita to have brought me into the EuroLeague spotlight. So you can always take good from things."

And then, not even a year later after not signing with the club from Piraeus, he made his EuroLeague debut against them.

"It started with the first professional game against Olympiacos, now in the first \[championship game\] against Olympiacos", Musa smiled. "I see it as a funny story."

Dzanan Musa, Real Madrid: 'I was almost signing for Olympiacos'

Musa was 16 years old when he made his EuroLeague debut with Cedevita on October 15, 2015. He scored 4 points in 5 minutes that night as a starter against Olympiacos, where he immediately guarded his idol Spanoulis.

Now, nearly eight years later, and still at just 23 years of age, he is hoping to make an impact on the most anticipated night of the season.

"We have to go as strong as we can because we know how strong they have been throughout the season," Musa said of Sunday.

"They have one of the best, if not the best, fans in Europe. They have a lot of support for all of that. But we will try to win the championship, which is very important for us. We are one step away. 40 minutes is a long game, but we will try to stay focused all 40 to win the game."

The time Dzanan Musa nearly joined Olympiacos

Real Madrid prodigy [Eli Ndiaye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/eli-ndiaye/009213/) has been one of the biggest surprises in the latter stages of the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season. Ndiaye, who is just 18, took part in 14 regular-season games, averaging 0.7 points and 1.0 rebounds in less than 5 minutes on the court. After working hard for an opportunity, Ndiaye has been able to show what he can do at the business end of the campaign.

Real struggled with frontcourt injuries and absences during its playoff series against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, with Gabriel Deck, Guerschon Yabusele, Petr Cornelie and Vincent Poirier all unavailable for selection heading into Game 5. Coach Chus Mateo opted to start Ndiaye at the 4, alongside center Walter Tavares, and he delivered, recording 4 points, 4 rebounds and 1 block in 12 minutes on the floor. It was a career-defining game in which Los Blancos rallied late to down Partizan and make it to the Final Four.

"Little by little \[things have improved\]. It has been a very long season and it has been difficult because I didn't see a lot of playing time, but I was always ready to play and ready to help the team at any moment," Ndiaye said from Zalgirio Arena one day before the championship game. "Now, I have the chance to help the team and here I am, trying to give my best."

That start against Partizan was not just a one-off, though. In the semifinal matchup against FC Barcelona, Real's biggest game of the season to that point, Coach Mateo decided to start Ndiaye once again. He did a little bit of everything, getting 2 points, 2 rebounds and 1 block, as well as playing great defense against Barca superstar Nikola Mirotic. When the final buzzer sounded, Real had beaten the Blaugrana 66-78 to reach its second championship game in a row and its first under Coach Mateo, at least in a head coach capacity.

Eli Ndiaye of Real Madrid played a key role in Game 5 of the playoffs series against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, and in the semifinal against FC Barcelona.

Ndiaye steps up late in the EuroLeague season

"I want to speak about the way Eli Ndiaye started the game tonight," Real guard Fabien Causeur stated after the semifinal win. "He was spectacular against Mirotic. I want to point it out because when you play a game like this for the first time, confidence is very important. He played tough against him."

"We have injured players and things that happened, but here I am, ready to help the team in any way that I can," Ndiaye commented.

Ndiaye may be an unknown name for most EuroLeague fans, but he has already shown hints of the great player he could become. Born in Guddiawaye, Senegal, Ndiaye joined Real as a 13-year-old back in 2017. He made his Spanish League and EuroLeague debuts last season – he was not even an adult at that point – and he quickly established himself as one of the biggest stars in ANGT history.

In particular, Ndiaye stood out in the 2020-21 ANGT Finals in Valencia, averaging 20.8 points, 12.8 rebounds, 3.4 steals and a PIR of 31.6 in four games, which helped Real lift the title and saw him earn tournament MVP honors. Last season, Ndiaye helped Los Blancos defend their ANGT crown, averaging 14.8 points and 11.8 rebounds in four games in Belgrade, Serbia.

Right now, Luka Doncic is the only player to have been chosen as the ANGT MVP and also become a EuroLeague champion. NDiaye and Alberto Abalde, the 2013 AGNT MVP, can join this list. Don't be surprised if he gets to start in the 2023 EuroLeague Championship Game and, if he does, the 18-year-old would become the youngest player to do so in the 21st century.

"Oh, wow! I hope I can be in that list," Ndiaye noted. "But right now, at this moment, I am focused on helping the team. I hope this will come, but right now I just want to help the team as much as I can, in anything that I might be needed for."

Eli Ndiaye continues rapid rise at Final Four

Ex-champions Mike Batiste, Sofoklis Schortsanitis and Matjaz Smodis all looked back at the what it meant to win the title and their fondest Final Four memories.

 Ambassadors look back at their Final Four experiences 

Among the people who are most attracted to attending the Final Four are the very players who have been on center stage at the same event in the past. Many have come back from around the world as Final Four Ambassadors to support in One Team and sustainability initiatives in Kaunas this weekend. But they are also ex-champions, and this week Mike Batiste, Sofoklis Schortsanitis and Matjaz Smodis all looked back at the what it meant to win the title and their fondest Final Four memories.

Ambassadors look back at their Final Four experiences

The 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague FanZone is full of things to do, and one of the main attractions on Saturday evening was the skills contest, in which a select few players took part in the dunk contest and the three-point contest. 

Skills contest: Joventut's Karim Lopez, Zalgiris's Jokubas Rudaitis come out on top

The 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague FanZone is full of things to do, and one of the main attractions on Saturday evening was the skills contest, in which a select few players took part in the dunk contest and the three-point contest.

 

Karim Lopez of U18 Joventut Badalona ended up coming out on top in the dunk contest, beating out Neoklis Avdalas of U18 Panathinaikos Athens. After three dunk attempts between the two, it was the 16-year-old Lopez who wowed the judges enough to take home the prize for the best dunk. The deciding dunk proved to be a 270-degree dunk, which was declared the winner by the two judges: Zalgiris Kaunas legend Paulius Jankunas and current Zalgiris guard Ignas Brazdeikis.

 

There was more competition in the three-point contest, with seven players taking part: Dimitrios Zervos of U18 Panathinaikos, Andrej Kostic of U18 Crvena Zvezda Belgrade, Kasparas Jakucionis of U18 FC Barcelona, Ognjen Srzentic of U18 Mega MIS Belgrade, Bernat Morales of U18 Joventut, Aleksandar Gavalyugov of U18 Next Generation Select Team and Jokubas Rudaitis of U18 Zalgiris. The 2023 three-point contest champion ended up being Rudaitis of Zalgiris, as he scored 9 points in the final round, beating the score of Zervos of Panathinaikos.

Joventut's Karim Lopez, Zalgiris's Jokubas Rudaitis win at ANGT skills contest

When it comes to the third-place game, there are many players who would rather be at home. Don’t count Jordan Loyd among them.

Third-place game offers one team an opportunity to leave with a win

When it comes to the third-place game, there are many players who would rather be at home. Don’t count Jordan Loyd among them.

"We want to leave with a good taste in our mouth,” the AS Monaco guard said Saturday afternoon.

"I’m a glass-half-full guy," Loyd continued before listing the benefits of the third-place game for his team. Among them is building momentum as he and his teammates prepare for the French League playoffs, where Monaco will face Strasbourg on Wednesday night. He explained that when watching scouting video of Barcelona, the coaching staff stressed the similarities between some of Barcelona's sets and those of Strasbourg, so his team can use the third-place game as part of its preparation.

Another reason is that this is Monaco's second EuroLeague season and first time in the Final Four. A victory, even in the third-place game, would be a first in club history at the event.

Team captain Yakuba Ouattara added a few more reasons.

"When you see the last game, the way we played in the second half, we want to go home with a better picture of how we play basketball. Our fans made a trip to support us and we want to show them a better face than what we showed before," Ouattara said. "We are better than what we showed yesterday. Today is a little bit hard because we still have a lot of frustration from yesterday. But as a competitor, we have to swallow it and get back on track."

Game News


FC Barcelona came into and will leave the Final Four in a much different situation than Monaco. As one of the competition's blue bloods, it is a two-time champion and a victory in the third-place game will not add much to the club's legacy. Even so, many of the blaugrana players want the opportunity to leave Kaunas with a win. 

"It's an opportunity to pick ourselves up and try to get ourselves ready for the rest of the Spanish League season," center Mike Tobey said. "It is our last opportunity to play in EuroLeague this year. Again, it is not the stage we want to be on, but it's still a big stage. It's the Final Four, so we want to show again our character and how we bounce back. Tomorrow's a big part of that.

"I think a lot of guys we have here have a lot of experience, and we realize kind of what sport… it's not about how many times you get knocked down. It's being able to pick yourself up. And tomorrow is the perfect opportunity. It's a short turnaround to prove to ourselves for going forward the rest of the season that we are capable of bouncing back after a tough defeat like that."

With hungry professionals like these, the third-place game should be a competitive contest worthy of its place at the EuroLeague Final Four. 

AS Monaco v FC Barcelona (2023-05-21T14:00:00.000Z)

### Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Real Madrid

Two of the goliaths of European basketball [will battle for continental glory when the Reds and Los Blancos square off at Zalgirio Arena](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/olympiacos-piraeus-real-madrid/E2022/330/). These teams boast some of the top players in the competition with Olympiacos led by freshly-crowned MVP Sasha Vezenkov and three-time champion Kostas Sloukas. Real counters with All-EuroLeague First Team Members Walter Tavares, who is also the EuroLeague Best Defender, and Dzanan Musa.

Olympiacos swept the regular-season meetings between these teams this season with an 87-89 victory in Round 3 in the Spanish capital as Vezenkov went for 23 points and 12 boards and a 73-60 triumph in Greece in what was Real's lowest-scoring output of the season.

These teams both are blessed with experienced stars and have faced adversity. Olympiacos rallied from 12 points down at halftime with a record-setting third quarter in Friday’s first semifinal against AS Monaco. Real has now won four elimination games in a row after becoming the first team in competition history to erase a 0-2 deficit in the playoffs and trailing by 9 late in the second quarter of the semifinal. They have both had great seasons, but only one will be celebrating on Sunday night.

A date with destiny in Sunday's Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game

### AS Monaco vs. FC Barcelona

[The third-place game](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/as-monaco-fc-barcelona/E2022/329/) will feature two teams with much different relationships to the Final Four. Monaco is debuting at the event and a victory would be another cherished milestone in a historic season for the club. Barca is at its third consecutive Final Four. Historically, this has been a one-sided matchup; Barcelona is 4-0 in games against Monaco, including an 80-70 victory in Round 25 behind 15 points from Tomas Satoransky.

Beatrich and DJ Jovani draw a crowd of 3,000 at the FanZone

A new champion is waiting in Kaunas

Moustapha Fall, Tarik Black have plans for Walter Tavares

The time Dzanan Musa nearly joined Olympiacos

Eli Ndiaye continues rapid rise at Final Four

Ambassadors look back at their Final Four experiences

Joventut's Karim Lopez, Zalgiris's Jokubas Rudaitis win at ANGT skills contest

Third-place game offers one team an opportunity to leave with a win

At a glance: Championship Sunday