Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens announced on Thursday that it has loaned out big man Ioannis Kouzeloglou to Maroussi Athens for the remainder of the season

Panathinaikos sends Ioannis Kouzeloglou out on loan

[Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/) announced on Thursday that it has loaned out big man [Ioannis Kouzeloglou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ioannis-kouzeloglou/profile/004451/) to Maroussi Athens for the remainder of the season. Kouzeloglou (2.04 meters, 30 years old) first joined the Greens on a two-year deal over the summer. He made his EuroLeague debut this season and appeared in three games in the competition. Kouzeloglou had a bigger role in the Greek League, where he contributed 2.9 points and 2.3 rebounds.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="el" dir="ltr">Η ΚΑΕ Παναθηναϊκός AKTOR ανακοινώνει την παραχώρηση του Γιάννη Κουζέλογλου στο Maroussi CHERY με την μορφή δανεισμού μέχρι το τέλος της τρέχουσας αγωνιστικής περιόδου.<br><br> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/paobcaktor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#paobcaktor</a> <a href="https://t.co/KuACAGIGzk">pic.twitter.com/KuACAGIGzk</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr/status/2006732514891804809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

More Panathinaikos news

The big man will continue the season with Maroussi Athens

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 19 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub: Round 19

## Friday, January 2, 2026

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (18:00 CET)

**Pablo Laso, Efes head coach** 

"Crvena Zvezda is a very good and athletic team with multiple ways to play. Donatas Motiejunas adds a valuable size as a big man who helps them with his passing and ball movement. They can go with a small lineup, using Semi Ojeleye and Chima Moneke inside, which makes them difficult to match up against. For us, this game is an important test. Our new player Saben Lee has just arrived, PJ Dozier has returned from injury, and we are playing at home. It’s a big challenge to face a team like Crvena Zvezda, and I hope we have a good game and secure the victory."

**Ercan Osmani, Efes forward** 

"Crvena Zvezda is a dangerous team with talented players. They started the EuroLeague strongly and are also fighting for a playoff spot. On our side, some of our teammates who have recovered from injuries have rejoined the team, and we believe we will keep getting better day by day. In the first game of the new year, we want to get a victory in front of our fans to make a good start to the year. Hopefully, we will begin a winning streak with this game and climb to the spot where we want to be in the standings."

### Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (20:00 CET)

**Sarunas Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce head coach**

"Baskonia is in very good shape, clearly. Ascending rhythm with the play and the wins. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Marcus Howard are playing on a great level, and the team is really trying to understand what the new coach wants. And clearly building. In general, in the past we had very bad results in Vitoria. Let's see if we can change it."

**Nicolo Melli, Fenerbahce big man**

"It's a very tough game. It comes in a very good moment for them. They're playing very well. Vitoria is always a tough court to play on. We are coming off a good moment, a good period, so hopefully we keep it. We can keep going and start the new year with the right steps. It's not going to be easy, but we're going to go there with one goal."

Nicolo Melli: 'Vitoria is always a tough court to play on'

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (20:15 CET)

**Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos head coach**

“Happy New Year to everyone, to all the people who follow us, to the entire EuroLeague and its supporters. The team is doing well. We will be ready for this game; we are in very good shape. We have great respect for Olympiacos, who for me are one of the top teams in the EuroLeague. 

"The truth is that I told my players that over these two years we won the EuroLeague, we won the title, we won the league and the cup, but we never beat Olympiacos in the EuroLeague. That is the reality. We will try to play good basketball. It will certainly be a tough game. We want to continue being among the top four teams in the standings. We had some minor injuries; last week many players were ill, as I was as well—I stayed at home for three days. Now everyone is healthy and ready for this game. 

"Jerian Grant has a minor issue, so we protected him in today’s practice. I think he will train normally tomorrow morning and will be on the court with us. Sloukas is fine. He didn’t play in Kaunas and Maroussi, but he completed the last two or three practices and tomorrow he will be on the court. Samodurov injured a finger. He went to the hospital for an MRI. I hope it’s nothing serious. It was a surprise for us, because he trained but felt pain in his little finger."

**Richaun Holmes, Panathinaikos center**

“The preparation is the same—we watch video and get ready. I’m a creature of habit; I like consistency in my work and routine to stay focused. I feel good, I’m finding chemistry with my teammates again, and I’m looking forward to stepping on the court. It’s going to be fun—I’m excited about the atmosphere. The fans have been great all season, so I can’t wait to be back in front of them. Faried is my guy; I’m happy to see him out there and I try to learn as much as I can from him. I’m fully ready—I’ve always liked competition. I play basketball, I’m doing what I dreamed of, and I look forward to every challenge.”

**Giorgos Bartzokas, Olympiacos head coach**

“Panathinaikos has been playing very well lately, and this is reflected both in their results and in the numbers. As we’ve heard, their roster will be complete, with no absences, and combined with the intense atmosphere there, this creates a very difficult situation for the visiting team—let alone for us. We need to rely on our team play, play together as we have in recent games, and go there aiming to win the game. It’s important to stay focused for all 40 minutes. Obviously, to win on that court—where most teams lose—you need to stay concentrated, not give them easy possessions and allow them to get into transition. They have players who are very good at that, such as Osman and Nunn. How we execute, how we do the basic basketball things—spacing, how we set screens on the ball or away from the ball, and how we attack the boards—are always very important. I think that if we execute our game plan, we will have a serious chance to win.”

**Sasha Vezenkov, Olympiacos forward**

“First of all, I’d like to wish everyone a happy new year, with health above all. Olympiacos–Panathinaikos, and vice versa, is a special game for the fans, the organizations, and the teams. But as professionals, we approach it as just another game. The first round is coming to an end, and we want to see our level of readiness for a big game, and we are ready to give 100%. It’s the biggest derby in Europe—the winner gets a week-long psychological boost, while the loser thinks about it a bit more. However, given the schedule we have in January, both a win and a loss are forgotten the same night. Of course, a win against your eternal rival gives you an extra boost. We know the atmosphere, most of us have played many games like this, and we are ready for battle.”

Giorgos Bartzokas: 'Panathinaikos has been playing very well lately'

### Virtus Bologna vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (20:30 CET)

**Dusko Ivanovic, Virtus head coach**

"Another difficult game, like every game against Milan. In the last three, four games, they played really well, faster, with good shooting percentages and with very aggressive defense. We must approach the match with great effort, especially since we will be missing three players, two of whom play in the paint, but we must be alert and fight to win."

**Saliou Niang, Virtus forward**

"We have a big game against Milan. We're going into this game with several injuries, but we still have the team and that can't be an excuse. We care a lot because, in any case, it's a very emotional game. We know how much our fans care about this game, and the same goes for us. We'll give it our all: we're preparing as best we can. A win would be the best way to start 2026."

**Peppe Poeta, Milan head coach**

"Bologna's pace at home is a pace worthy of the top of the standings: with home court advantage and a strong defensive identity, they have built their EuroLeague record. For us, it will be crucial to keep our balance offensively to make sure they won't be able to run much and go off with the crowd. It will be important also to work well defensively and limit their second chances off offensive rebounds because they are very effective at taking advantage of them. Generally, we know we need a solid and consistent game for 40 minutes, as always when we play in such a tough building."

Saliou Niang: 'A win would be the best way to start 2026.'

### Real Madrid vs. Dubai Basketball (20:45 CET)

**Sergio Scariolo, Real Madrid head coach**

“We are facing a team full of talent, with many very good players in one-on-one situations, capable of attacking the basket, getting to the free-throw line frequently, and with great shooters… It’s a complex game because of the quality of the opponent. We will have to work very hard defensively to keep them under control, and it won’t be easy. At the same time, we are highly motivated to play a good game, another one in front of our fans, and keep adding wins in the EuroLeague standings.”

**Walter Tavares, Real Madrid center**

“This is a very tough game, the first of the year, at home, and we hope to rise to the occasion. In this EuroLeague, there are many teams tied, there’s a lot of parity, and whoever loses focus this month or next could end up very low in the standings. We have to try to get as many wins as possible to stay as high as we can. Dubai Basketball competes very well; it’s a new team with very good players, and that’s why this game will be tough because, in this competition, it’s hard to beat any team. We’re going to try to do our best and defend our home in the first game of the year with our fans. I think we need to be consistent for the full 40 minutes and avoid the ups and downs that hurt us a lot.”

**Jurica Golemac, Dubai head coach**

“Tough game, tough opponent. Every away game is very tough in the EuroLeague, especially Real Madrid. They’ve got a very experienced team, very deep roster, very experienced coach. So we need to play very, very patient, very disciplined, very physical, to be smart, not lose control and try to get them to the last quarter, to stay close and be able to surprise.”

**Justin Anderson, Dubai forward**

“We need to continue to play together the way that we’ve been playing, sharing the basketball, playing with great energy, great speed, great pace. It’s going to be a tough environment. This is a classic team in the EuroLeague, well coached. We have a lot of respect for what they do and how they run this team. But at the same time, it’s very important for us to start the new year off right, so we want to make sure we put our best foot forward and rebound and run.”

Sergio Scariolo: 'We will have to work very hard defensively'

### FC Bayern Munich vs. Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (21:00 CET)

**Svetislav Pesic, Bayern head coach**

"Winning five times in a row is very rare in the EuroLeague, especially this season with so many games. Maccabi has a very good balance between outside and inside players. This will be our first test to see how well, after three Bundesliga games, we have internalized the new philosophy. The players are eager, but Maccabi is a challenge as one of the best transition teams in Europe. They play very fast and with confidence, so we know what our first task is.”

**Oded Kattash, Maccabi head coach**

"Bayern is better than its results. Once again, we find ourselves playing against a team that changed coaches. In the game against Hapoel, they couldn't make too many corrections or changes, but already in their recent league games, we've seen them doing things completely differently. Naturally, the impact of a coaching change is that they are more committed. They've received some new spirit, so defensively, they are more present... Bayern has a very deep roster. In recent games, players who played less have stepped up, always someone different. We know the style and the key players, and we'll come prepared for that."

**Marcio Santos, Maccabi center**

"We know Bayern is not in the best form, but it's a good team with good players and good shooters. We need to be focused on the game, play defense and play hard. Every game is important, so we'll do our best every night. I think because they're in last place, they'll come with a lot of energy and hunger. We need to show up with our own hunger and start the year with a good game."

Svetislav Pesic: 'This is the first test of our new philosophy'

## Tuesday, December 30, 2025

### Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv vs. Zalgiris Kaunas (20:05 CET)

**Dimitris Itoudis, Hapoel head coach**

“Zalgiris is a very competitive team. They play at a high tempo and base a lot of their game on transition, which is generated by their strong defense. They have size and can play both big and small lineups, often averaging lineups of over two meters. They have very creative guards, but at the same time their bigs and forwards contribute a lot to their game.”

**Dan Oturu, Hapoel center**

“Every game presents a different challenge. Zalgiris is a great team, well coached, with talented players, competing hard for all 40 minutes. It’s going to be a real challenge , and we’ll have to rise to the occasion.”

**Tomas Masiulis, Zalgiris head coach**

“We’re facing the best team in the EuroLeague at the moment, one that has a lot of experienced players, good coaches, and a disciplined group. Their defense and physicality are at a very high level. It’s going to be a tough game.”

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. Paris Basketball (20:15 CET)

\--

### Valencia Basket vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (20:30 CET)

**Pedro Martinez, Valencia head coach**

"The EuroLeague is an extremely demanding competition. We're doing well, but we're struggling to win every game, and I don't think tomorrow will be any different. Partizan is a team with an impressive roster. The names of the players they have, how good they are, obviously they're not having a good season at the moment, but I'm absolutely sure that with Joan Peñarroya they're going to change the dynamic and improve. And let's hope it's not tomorrow when they start, but if it's not tomorrow, it will be soon because they have a lot of quality and I'm sure Joan will pull the right strings to make them change. All the alarm bells are ringing, partly because of the difficulties we had in winning yesterday's game and partly because Partizan has some of the best players in the EuroLeague. This roster started the season with the goal of being a Final Four contender, and obviously things aren't going well for them, but they are taking the right steps to change the dynamic, and we have to be prepared for all the difficulties. Yesterday showed that we are a very good team, but that to win games we need to be at 100%. Eighty percent isn't good enough, nor is 90%, but when we are at 100% we are very competitive against everyone, and that's kind of the goal we need to achieve."

**Joan Penarroya, Partizan head coach**

"Valencia is a strong team with an excellent coach, so it’s no surprise they’ve been getting these results so far. They play at a high pace, create a lot of possessions, and take a lot of shots from beyond the arc. On top of that, they have talented players who can attack off the dribble, knock down threes, or make the right pass at the right time. For us, the most important thing will be trying to control their transition game and limit their fast breaks."

**Cam Payne, Partizan guard**

"We need to look at the video and see how we can stop them. The most important thing is to keep playing together, which will give us a good chance in tomorrow’s game."

### FC Barcelona vs. AS Monaco (20:30 CET)

**Xavi Pascual, Barcelona head coach**

"First of all, we know we’re playing against one of the best teams in the league, a team that has taken part in the Final Four the last two seasons, a team that is extremely well built at every position, with a lot of perimeter talent, a lot of physicality, and one that will make it very, very hard for us to compete against them. Not only because we’re shorthanded, and that shows, but also because their quality is extremely high and they’re very well balanced across the board. Yes, the four guards – Mike \[James\], the all-time leading scorer in the competition and an incredible player; then there’s \[Elie\] Okobo, \[Matthew\] Strazel, and \[Nemanja\] Nedovic, who bring a tremendous amount of creation. And then, of course, you look at the physical presence at the 3 and 4 positions with \[Jaron\] Blossomgame and \[Alpha\] Diallo, who are very dominant at both spots, plus Miro \[Nikola Mirotic\]. And then you go inside, with \[Kevarrius\] Hayes and \[Daniel\] Theis. Honestly, it’s a very, very good team. We need the Palau to help us a lot, like it did against Baskonia, because the difficulties in winning this game will be incredibly great. This is a big game, one of the biggest you can see in Europe. It’s an extremely difficult game in every aspect, and only with a full Palau really pushing us can we achieve victory – otherwise it will be practically impossible."

**Miles Cale, Barcelona forward**

"The team is in a really good place right now, with a positive mindset. Even though we’re missing some key players, we’re all coming together and fighting as a group to keep finding ways to win. We were on the road yesterday and came away with a solid win – a great team victory. Today we’re focused on preparing the right way for tomorrow’s game, and hopefully we can come out with another good win. They’re a very experienced team, top to bottom, so we’re going to have to rely on each other, lean on our veteran guys, and bring energy from the opening tip. Defense is going to be key. Even though they have a lot of offensive weapons, we’re going to have to dig in, dig deep, and get stops. If we can do that, I think we’ll put ourselves in a good position to win the game. Hopefully we get a great crowd in here for the last game, bring some good energy, and come away with a win for our fans. Our fans have been incredible lately, and we want to finish it off with a strong win for them."

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 19 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season

Pregame quotes, Round 19: 'It’s the biggest derby in Europe'

FC Bayern Munich v Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (2026-01-02T20:00:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v Dubai Basketball (2026-01-02T19:45:00.000Z)

Virtus Bologna v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2026-01-02T19:30:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Olympiacos Piraeus (2026-01-02T19:15:00.000Z)

Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2026-01-02T19:00:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2026-01-02T17:00:00.000Z)

Valencia Basket v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2025-12-30T19:30:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona v AS Monaco (2025-12-30T19:30:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v Paris Basketball (2025-12-30T19:15:00.000Z)

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv v Zalgiris Kaunas (2025-12-30T19:05:00.000Z)

The Greek derby carries many labels, but every battle between Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens and Olympiacos Piraeus captures the attention of basketball fans throughout the continent, regardless of the circumstances. On Friday, January 2, 2026, the next clash – in Round 19 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague regular season – will take place at OAKA.

Top five EuroLeague eternal derbies between Panathinaikos and Olympiacos

The Greek derby carries many labels, but every battle between Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens and Olympiacos Piraeus captures the attention of basketball fans throughout the continent, regardless of the circumstances. On Friday, January 2, 2026, the next clash – in Round 19 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague regular season – will take place at OAKA.

Panathinaikos currently sits higher in the standings with a 12-6 record, while Olympiacos, with one game in hand, is 10-7. However, the Reds are riding a nine-game winning streak in the eternal EuroLeague head-to-head.

The Greens’ last win dates back to the 2020-21 season at the Peace and Friendship Stadium, a 77-88 victory. Their most recent home win came six years ago, on December 6, 2019.

The rivalry between Greece’s two biggest clubs at the continental level has produced countless memorable moments. From the first clashes in the mid-1990s – often with Final Four implications – to the modern era under the current competition format, where every team faces each other home and away, the derby has remained must-watch basketball.

Eurohoops revisits these EuroLeague matchups, looks back at the results, and presents a Top 5 list to set the tone ahead of the upcoming meeting between these two behemoths.

Read more [HERE](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1913174/top-five-euroleague-eternal-derbies-between-panathinaikos-and-olympiacos/).

Who doesn’t eagerly await the big derby between Panathinaikos and Olympiacos? Not only basketball fans in Greece, but across the world

With the game on the line, Nando De Colo made sure that LDLC ASVEL registered its sixth win of the EuroLeague season by downing Paris Basketball. It was also ASVEL's fifth home win in the last six games. 

Nando De Colo turns back the clock... again

There was a lot of anticipation before the game between LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne and Paris Basketball. Last season, [ASVEL downed Paris 98-93](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/asvel-ends-paris-unbeaten-run-in-all-french-rivalry-series-thriller-98-93/) at home to stop the guests' historic 10-game winning streak. Both teams have changed a lot from one year to another but ASVEL did it again, outgunning Paris 94-89 at LDLC Arena on Tuesday night.

With the game on the line, [Nando De Colo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nando-de-colo/002100/) made sure that ASVEL registered its sixth win of the EuroLeague season. It was also ASVEL's fifth home win in the last six games. 

[Bodian Massa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/bodian-massa/012618/) tied it with a put-back layup, 74-74, and right after that, it was time for De Colo to make the difference in the game. He grabbed an offensive rebound, got the ball back from [Thomas Heurtel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/thomas-heurtel/klt/) and nailed a catch-and-shoot three-pointer from way downtown. [Nadir Hif](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nadir-hifi/012640/)i managed to tie the game again, 77-77, before De Colo buried another big one from downtown, shooting over center Momo Faye to put ASVEL in charge for good.

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne-Paris Basketball | Round 19 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

A red-hot De Colo was far from being done. He followed [Shaquille Harrison](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shaquille-harrison/013371/)'s reverse layup with a third three-pointer, wide open from the left wing. Already in the final minute, De Colo was triple-teamed and found [Glynn Watson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/glynn-watson/014013/) for another triple, good for an 88-81 ASVEL lead with 36.4 seconds left. Paris never gave up but was never within striking distance, as Watson and Heurtel kept the hosts safe from the foul line.

De Colo needed just 21 minutes to finish the game with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 fouls drawn and a PIR of 24. Watson had a career-high 28 points.

Nando De Colo led LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne to a big home win with yet another legendary clucth performance. 

De Colo leads ASVEL past Paris

ASVEL outrebounded Paris 50-38. Those 50 rebounds tie the club's record in the competition; it previously pulled down 50 boards in a [70-68 home win over CSKA ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2021-22/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne-cska-moscow/E2021/53/#box-score)Moscow on October 27, 2021. ASVEL had 23 offensive rebounds, a new club record and the third-best mark in the EuroLeague this season. Zalgiris Kaunas had 25 offensive rebounds in a 95-78 road loss against Olympiacos Pireaus in Round 10, and Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade pulled down 24 in a 92-99 road victory over Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv.

"It's a great win. We are in a good rhythm right now, especially in the EuroLeague, so it's great. We know nothing is easy for us during the season, but we keep fighting and tonight, I think we see the team Pierric \[Poupet, ASVEL coach\] wants to see on the court. It wasn't perfect, but at the end we got the win because we did it together," De Colo said after the game. 

"I think we did everything together when it was tough. They were up five, eight, 10, but we kept our rhythm. We kept our focus. This was the main word on the board. And I think this makes the difference."

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Ici, c&#39;est Villeurbanne.<br><br>C&#39;était notre dernier match de l&#39;année 2025 et on espère que vous avez kiffé autant que nous ! 🙌 <a href="https://t.co/PY1Q1ciLX0">pic.twitter.com/PY1Q1ciLX0</a></p>&mdash; LDLC ASVEL (@LDLCASVEL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL/status/2006123276360171979?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

At age 38, De Colo is averaging 13.6 points with great shooting percentages (63.4% 2FG, 40.0% 3FG, 98.3% FT), 4.7 assists and a PIR of 17.8 in less than 21 minutes per night. In other words, he is proving that age is just a number. 

As for ASVEL, it plays five of its next six games at home, which statistically is great news: Coach Poupet's team is on a 16-game road losing streak that dates back to last season. It hosts Real Madrid in Round 20 on January 6, 2026.

Game News

The 38-year-old superstar guard led ASVEL past Paris with a supreme clutch performance 


AS Monaco dominated FC Barcelona 90-74 on the road in Round 19 of the EuroLeague, showcasing a collective effort led by Kevarrius Hayes and Mike James. 

Kevarrius Hayes the headline act as impressive Monaco dismantles Barcelona

[AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/) cruised to a statement win at rival [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/) on Tuesday night, dominating practically the entire game to underline its title credentials with a 74-90 triumph.

Barcelona’s only lead came with the first basket of the night, which was immediately followed by a 0-7 run as Monaco went ahead for good. The margin remained in double digits from the start of the second quarter for the rest of the game, and Barca’s frustration at its inability to narrow the gap spilled over when coach Xaxi Pascual was ejected after consecutive technical fouls early in the third quarter.

It was a rematch of last season’s very closely contested playoff series, which was eventually won by Monaco in the final possession of Game 5, but there was nothing close about this mismatch as Vassilis Spanoulis’s men were superior all over the floor.

FC Barcelona-AS Monaco | Round 19 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Although superstar scorer [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) characteristically led the way with 19 points, the most impressive aspect of Monaco’s performance was that it was a true collective effort rather than relying on the undoubted individual talent at its disposal.

The stats sheet amply shows how a variety of players contributed in different ways: [Kevarrius Hayes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kevarrius-hayes/010390/) made 6-of-7 two-pointers in a season-high 15 points, blocked 2 shots and had 2 steals; [Elie Okobo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elie-okobo/011212/) and James dished 5 assists; [Jaron Blossomgame](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jaron-blossomgame/011231/) and Hayes grabbed 5 rebounds; [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/) snared 3 steals; James, Okobo, [Nemanja Nedovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nemanja-nedovic/000848/) and [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-mirotic/000796/) made multiple three-pointers… and the whole team succeeded in slowing down Barca star [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/), whose MVP of the month award for December – announced earlier in the day – turned into a cold wet blanket as he was held to 8 points on 2-of-12 field-goal shooting along with 3 turnovers.

<center>
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The team’s top statistical performer was Hayes with a season-high PIR of 24, just 2 short of his personal best, and he offered an eloquent assessment of the triumph when he spoke to EuroLeague TV after the action, pointing to his team’s tally of 19 assists as an indicator of its strength.

“We stayed together. Even when they were making a run coming back, we did a good job of keeping our composure, being focused, making plays and playing as a team,” he said.

“I feel like we’re finding our rhythm, we’re figuring things out, getting used to one another and it’s really showing in the way we share the ball. We’re really trusting each other, knowing what we can do.”

Hayes also found room for some humour as he mysteriously concluded: “As long as we can keep up this energy and this effort, we definitely can define it as \[some unintelligible noises doubtless intended as an in-joke for the benefit of the locker room\].”

Victorious coach Vassilis Spanoulis was in a more serious frame of mind – just like his players throughout the game – as he paid tribute to the performance. “We played amazing defense, we stuck to our game plan for 40 minutes,” he enthused. “The guys were very concentrated. They executed great, so congratulations.”

We have now reached the exact midway point of the regular season, with the ultra-competitive nature of the EuroLeague clearly illustrated by the fact that five different teams are currently placed within one win of first place – Barca and Monaco among them as they share a 12-7 record.

Monaco is one of the competition’s hottest teams after grabbing three consecutive victories, but Spanoulis is taking nothing for granted as he reflected on the opening 19 rounds.

“A lot of up and downs from a lot of teams, a huge season that we’ve never faced before with so many games,” he reasoned. “We try to learn from this and we have to be consistent in the second round.”

Tuesday’s performance made one thing clear: when Monaco plays to its potential over the full 40 minutes, the Roca Team takes some stopping.

Vassilis Spanoulis’s team delivered an outstanding collective display for a big road win

Valencia Basket will head imperiously into 2026 after a seventh win in the last eight EuroLeague games took the Spanish outfit to the top of the EuroLeague standings on a 13-6 record, courtesy of an ultimately emphatic 86-73 home win over Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade.

Valencia keeps rolling to go top with gritty home win over Partizan

[Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/valencia-basket/pam/) will head imperiously into 2026 after a seventh win in the last eight EuroLeague games took the Spanish outfit to the top of the EuroLeague standings on a 13-6 record, courtesy of an ultimately emphatic 86-73 home win over [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/).

It was another gritty and physical display by Valencia, which erased an early 6-17 deficit and dominated the fourth quarter, as [Darius Thompson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/darius-thompson/011078/) (17 points) and [Nate Reuvers](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nathan-reuvers/012738/) (14) came up big in crunch time to engineer a final 17-5 run which took the hosts across the finish line.

[Brancou Badio](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/brancou-badio/007527/) chipped in with 14 points, [Jean Montero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jean-montero/010042/) added 13 while [Jaime Pradilla](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jaime-pradilla/010393/) racked up 11 and 7 boards to underline a smooth team effort, as Valencia overcame a mediocre shooting night thanks to steely defense which limited Partizan to 9-of-27 from long range. The home team also dominated offensive rebounds 14-7 and had 9 steals as Valencia hustled tirelessly at both ends of the court, forcing a barrage of tough shots from the visitors.  

Valencia Basket-Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade | Round 19 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Partizan led for much of the first half and stayed on an even keel in the third quarter, but Valencia took the lead for good after Thompson hit a deep three to give the hosts a 65-63 lead. The Serbian side closed in to 69-68 early in the fourth but its offense then came to a screeching halt as Valencia closed out the contest with a 17-5 run which had the home fans in raptures after the final buzzer.

“We hoped that at some point they’d break and it happened in the last five minutes,” Thompson said in his postgame comments. “We’ll just take it one game at a time and not look to far ahead and we’ll see what happens at the end of the season.”

The outcome was a fitting reward for head coach Pedro Martinez, whose relentless Valencia team has stunned the EuroLeague with torrid pace and physical defense which saw the outfit steamroll through the first half of the regular season and hit the pinnacle. 

“It was a very tough game, one of the toughest of the season so far and we have to be very happy as well as recover for the next game,” said Martinez. “This is an incredible competition with a lot of great teams and we are doing well at the moment, but two or three defeats could send us sliding into mid-table. We have to be ready and keep practicing,” he added.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">VAMOOOOOOOOOOOS 🧡<br><br>¡¡Cerramos 2025 y una TREMENDA primera vuelta en EuroLeague con 13 victoriasssss!! 🔥<br><br>🏆 J19 <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a><br>🟠 <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@valenciabasket</a> 86<br>⚫ <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PartizanBC</a> 73<br>🤝 Vitaldin<br><br>Mañana lo haremos de nuevo pero por si acaso... BON ANY, FAMILIA!! 🧡 <a href="https://t.co/duAoKjLudH">pic.twitter.com/duAoKjLudH</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/2006115737300013102?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Following last week’s 87-112 home drubbing by Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv, it was another tough outing and a second successive defeat for Partizan’s new head coach Joan Penarroya, as well as the club’s fourth in a row, which sent the team reeling into a 6-13 record. Penarroya conceded that his team paid the price for poor shooting from downtown.

“We competed very well in a difficult game for us but to win in Valencia we needed better percentages from the three-point line and we missed a lot of those shots,” he said. “Congratulations to Valencia for the win and for an amazing season. We only scored 10 points in the fourth quarter and that sums it up. Our situation is not good, but we improved from the last game we played.”

The hosts wiped out an 11-point first quarter deficit to prevail on the back of ironclad defense

Zalgiris Kaunas spoiled Hapoel Tel Aviv’s EuroLeague homecoming with a dominant defensive display and a 93-80 road win. After trailing early, Zalgiris locked down defensively in the middle quarters and controlled the boards to secure its fourth road victory of the season.


Zalgiris ‘outhustles’ Hapoel in commanding road outing

Tuesday night was a special one for [Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/hapoel-ibi-tel-aviv/hta/), which returned to Menora Mivtachim Arena for its first-ever EuroLeague game in the city. Fans packed the stands and, in their bid to push their team to what would have been a historic victory, they created a festive atmosphere that provided the hosts with a boost of energy in the opening stages.

Yet, [Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/zal/) had different ideas.

Heading into the clash following an 85-92 home loss to Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, the Lithuanian side was aware that a victory away at the league leader would be the ideal manner to get back to winning ways.

Energized by the crowd, Hapoel dominated in the first quarter and took a 25-18 lead into the second. However, a slow start to the game was followed by back-to-back quarters in which Zalgiris’s defense asphyxiated one of the best offenses in the competition. The visitors held Hapoel to 15 points in the second and just 13 in the third, securing a 53-63 cushion heading into the fourth.

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv-Zalgiris Kaunas | Round 19 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

“I think we played pretty good defense in the second and third quarter towards a lot of what we decided before the game,” Zalgiris head coach Tomas Masiulis told EuroLeague TV. “Some shots that we gave, they did score, but I think that defense was the key.”

With [Vasilije Micic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vasilije-micic/002580/) sidelined through injury, Hapoel leaned on the team's top scorer [Elijah Bryant](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elijah-bryant/009846/), but Zalgiris was having none of this. The 30-year-old guard may have ended the game on 14 points, but he managed to score just 5 in the first three quarters.

“[\[Ish\] Wainright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ish-wainright/013284/) scored 3 three-point shots, [\[Johnathan\] Motley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/johnathan-motley/011157/) scored 2 three-point shots, so this was my risk,” Masiulis stressed in the post-game press conference. “If they are scoring, that means that somebody else is not scoring. One of our ideas was to risk shots from them but not to allow their main player, Elijah, to feel the game.”

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Masiulis’s plan worked to perfection, as Bryant was a non-factor for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, [Moses Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/moses-wright/012878/) provided the spark on the other end with back-to-back dunks in the third, as a 2-13 run allowed the visitors to establish a double-digit lead.

[Nigel Williams-Goss](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-williams-goss/007982/) made some clutch buckets, netting 10 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter. Following his poorest outing of the season in the game against Panathinaikos, [Sylvain Francisco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sylvain-francisco/007975/) was instrumental with 8 assists, while [Azuolas Tubelis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/azuolas-tubelis/008192/) set the tone by grabbing a team-high 8 rebounds.

In fact, Zalgiris outrebounded Hapoel 21-40, forcing head coach Dimitris Itoudis to admit that the visitors “outhustled” his team. Yet according to Williams-Goss, his team’s consistency is what led to the 80-93 triumph.

“Just playing for 40 minutes,” he told EuroLeague TV. “There’s been a lot of times this year where we played really well for 20 minutes, 25 minutes and then we left 15 minutes to get away. So, our challenge was putting those full 40 minutes together and we did that against a really good team today. So I’m super proud of the win.”

Having celebrated its fourth road victory this term, Zalgiris is scheduled to open the upcoming double-round week with a game away at Virtus Bologna. And with its confidence sky-high after a commanding display in Tel Aviv, Masiulis’s players will look to open 2026 with another bang.

The visitors bounced back from a slow start to ruin Hapoel’s return party

Kevin Punter earns EuroLeague MVP of December after leading all scorers with 24.4 points per game and delivering a historic 43-point performance in Barcelona’s triple-overtime win over Baskonia.
Punter led all EuroLeague players in December with 24.4 points per game, shooting 55.1% on two-pointers, 46.9% from three-point range, and 92.0% at the foul line. He averaged 3.0 triples made, 3.4 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while ranking fifth in PIR (23.0) and fifth in average plus/minus (+9.8). 

Kevin Punter powers his way to EuroLeague MVP of December honors

[Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/)’s spectacular scoring and clutch play have earned him the Euroleague Basketball MVP of the Month for December presented by Motorola. The [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/) guard was the catalyst for his team’s 4-1 record during the month, combining efficiency, leadership, and one unforgettable performance.

Punter led all EuroLeague players in December with 24.4 points per game, shooting 55.1% on two-pointers, 46.9% from three-point range, and 92.0% at the foul line. He averaged 3.0 triples made, 3.4 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while ranking fifth in PIR (23.0) and fifth in average plus/minus (+9.8). Logging more than 32 minutes per contest, he was one of just seven players to average at least 30 minutes for the month.

"The stat of putting in the work every day, that nobody don’t see, that’s the biggest thing that sticks out to me," Punter told Olivia Harlan Dekker on the EuroLeague & Friends: MVP Talk podcast. "When you hit those numbers, you always just go back to what kind of work am I putting in every day."

His signature outing came in Round 17, when Punter authored a historic night in Barcelona’s triple-overtime thriller against Baskonia. He scored 43 points – becoming just the ninth player this century to surpass the 40-point mark in a EuroLeague game – and set a club record with 12 two-point field goals. Twenty-three of those points – alongside countless highlights – came in the 3 overtime periods to keep Barcelona alive and then wrest away the win. Punter finished 4-of-7 from deep and a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line, adding 2 steals and posting a PIR of 40 to claim MVP of the Round honors.

"In the moment, when it’s so many overtimes, at least for me, you lose track of what overtime is it again, or what happened in what overtime," Punter said about the night when he scored 43 points, the fourth most in modern EuroLeague history.

He also explained what helped him drop more than half of those in three extra sessions: "It’s understanding it’s a long, long game. Your time is gonna come at some point. And keeping your mind in the game, keeping the aggressive mindset."

Punter’s consistency was evident throughout December. He opened the month with 14 points and 6 assists in a win at Crvena Zvezda, followed by 24 points in just 25 minutes against Olympiacos. He added 21 points and 4 assists in Paris and closed the month with 20 points and 2 steals in a hard-fought loss at Fenerbahce.

The MVP of the Month award is now in its 20th season. The winner is named by Euroleague Basketball based on his and his team’s performance during the month in question. The December award was based on the games played between Rounds 14 and 18. The cut-off point was Round 18 as Round 19 comes to a conclusion in January.

This is Punter’s second MVP of the Month award; his first also came with Barcelona in October 2024. He now joins Juan Carlos Navarro, Ante Tomic, and Nikola Mirotic as the only players to win multiple MVP of the Month honors with the club.

Barcelona’s strong December run has solidified its position among the league’s elite, and Punter’s scoring brilliance will remain central to its push as the regular season heads into its second half.

A month of brilliance capped by a 43-point explosion secures Punter’s second MVP of the Month award



Javier Gancedo shares his recommendations for the coming week in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge.

Fantasy tips, Round 19: Javier Gancedo is back in the hot seat

The first half of the 2025-26 EuroLeague Regular Season comes to an end this week. Since we had unlimited trades last week, I thought it would be best to stay away from superstars of choice and instead, I will offer a few suggestions on players who are not that expensive to play alongside the big names in the game. But before all that, let's review Geoff Gillingham's recommendations last week.

Geoff recommended McKinley Wright of Dubai Basketball. Not a very risky choice as pretty much everyone had him, but he delivered with 33.0 fantasy points and earned 1.0 credits, so that's a big win. Luca Vildoza of Virtus Bologna had 21.0 points and earned 0.4 credits, so well done, Geoff! Joel Parra of FC Barcelona did not have his best game against Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, getting 3.0 points and losing 0.3 credits. It was an interesting choice without Toko Shengelia and Will Clyburn, but it just didn't work.

Jaylen Hoard of Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv had 15.4 points and kept his value. I will call it a tie, because when you spend 15.1 credits in a player, you want him to do better than 15.4. Finally, Richaun Holmes of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens had -2.7 fantasy points and lost 0.6 credits. Bad call. So it's two wins, two losses and one tie for Geoff.

Let's see how I do this week. Here we go:

Nick Weiler-Babb, Nigel Williams-Goss, Talen Horton-Tucker, Matt Costello and Cedi Osman are featured in this week's article. 

EuroLeague Fantasy tips: Round 19 

### Matt Costello, Valencia Basket (10.2 credits)

Kameron Taylor is everyone's player of choice in Valencia, so I am offering an alternative. [Matt Costello](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/matthew-costello/010444/) played well against Baskonia last week, getting 18 points and 6 rebounds for a PIR of 22. He's had PIRs of 19 or higher in three of the last four games. He should keep it going at home against Partizan.

### Talen Horton-Tucker, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (11.5 credits)

One of the best newcomers this season, [Talen Horton-Tucker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/talen-horton-tucker/014124/) has been playing better and better as the season has progressed. Over the last four games, Horton-Tucker has averaged 21.3 points on 30 of 45 two-pointer shooting (66.7% 2FG), 4.0 rebounds and 6.0 fouls drawn for a PIR of 20.8. At just 11.5 credits, Horton-Tucker is a steal.

Matt Costello has had a PIR of 19 or higher in three of the last four games.

### Cedi Osman, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (12.7 credits)

The Greek Derby is coming and, as always, it is time for the most experienced players to step up. [Cedi Osman](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/cedi-osman/004088/) has averaged 19.5 points and a PIR of 23.0 over the last two games, in which he has made all 6 of his two-point shots and 7 of 11 three-pointers. Osman has a reputation for doing well in big games, so this is a good chance for him.

### Nick Weiler-Babb, Anadolu Efes Istanbul (11.9 credits)

[Nick Weiler-Babb](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nick-weiler-babb/010391/) has been playing much better since Coach Pablo Laso joined the team. In the last three games, Weiler-Babb has averaged 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 8.8 assists with just 1.0 turnover per game for an average PIR of 21.7. If he keeps passing the ball with such efficiency, his value should keep skyrocketing.

### Nigel Williams-Goss, Zalgiris Kaunas (10.3 credits)

It didn't take [Nigel Williams-Goss](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nigel-williams-goss/007982/) much time to bounce back from an injury and start playing great again. Over the last four games, Williams-Goss has averaged 14.5 points, 5.8 assists and a PIR of 18.0. All eyes are on Sylvain Francisco, but quietly, as usual, Williams-Goss is getting great numbers night in, night out.

More EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge News

Javier Gancedo shares his recommendations for the coming week in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge