Name: The EuroLeague & Friends crew discuss All-25 legends, March Madness, Joe Rogan and more
Channel: Euroleague Basketball

This week's EuroLeague & Friends episode, featuring Shani Blatt, Deniz Aksoy, Vasiliki Karamouza and Aleksandra Radivojevic, sees the girls break down the biggest talking points in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, the newest additions to the All-25 EuroLeague Team, Joe Rogan's response to the Belgrade derby, and much more.

The EuroLeague & Friends crew discuss All-25 legends, March Madness and Joe Rogan

This week's EuroLeague & Friends episode, featuring [Shani Blatt](https://www.instagram.com/shaniblatt/), [Deniz Aksoy](https://www.instagram.com/denizzaksoy/), [Vasiliki Karamouza](https://www.instagram.com/vasiliki_karamouza/) and [Aleksandra Radivojevic](https://www.instagram.com/amazing__alex/), sees the girls break down the biggest talking points in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, the newest additions to the All-25 EuroLeague Team, Joe Rogan's response to the Belgrade derby, and much more.

The EuroLeague & Friends crew discuss All-25 legends, March Madness, Joe Rogan and more 

The EuroLeague & Friends crew discuss All-25 legends, Joe Rogan and more 

Euroleague Basketball has now unveiled the full All-EuroLeague 25 Team, with the last batch of five players completing the list Tuesday. These 25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague greats all have a large number of spectacular performances in their résumés, so Eurohoops has picked the best games from each player.

All-25 EuroLeague Team: The best games of each player

Euroleague Basketball has now unveiled the full All-EuroLeague 25 Team, with the last batch of five players completing the list Tuesday.

These 25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague greats all have a large number of spectacular performances in their résumés, so Eurohoops has picked the best games from each player.

What does “best game” mean exactly? Not necessarily their career nights, their most prolific ones with the biggest numbers or full stats sheet. We picked the outings that mattered, that were championship-winning, iconic, historic, season-defining, highly memorable or – in many cases - all of them together.

Read more [HERE](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1802745/all-25-euroleague-team-the-best-games-of-each-player/).

Eurohoops has paid homage to the legends that have been selected among the best 25 EuroLeague players of all time

Top 5 Plays | Semifinals Game 1 | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup

FC Barcelona was dealt another major injury blow on Tuesday night with Chimezie Metu rupturing his right Achilles tendon. With 3:12 left in the third quarter against FC Bayern Munich, Metu suffered a non-contact injury while inbounding the ball.

Barcelona loses Metu to Achilles tendon rupture

[FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/) was dealt another major injury blow on Tuesday night with [Chimezie Metu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/chimezie-metu/013379/) rupturing his right Achilles tendon. With 3:12 left in the third quarter [against FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bayern-rallies-for-101-102-victory-in-barcelona/), Metu suffered a non-contact injury while inbounding the ball.

“Upcoming treatment will be decided in the coming days”, Barcelona wrote in a brief statement on Tuesday night.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">Molts ànims, 𝐌𝐞𝐳𝐢𝐞. Estem amb tu 💙❤️‍🩹 <a href="https://t.co/xIFvAd8Kru">pic.twitter.com/xIFvAd8Kru</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1904645522524430381?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Metu is the third Barcelona player that is out for the season after ACL injuries to playmakers [Nico Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nicolas-laprovittola/006435/) and [Juan Nunez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/juan-nunez/010106/). Also, center [Jan Vesely](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jan-vesely/000925/) has been sidelined since Round 23.

Metu, in his first EuroLeague season, has been Barcelona’s third-best scorer (11.0 PPG) and the top rebounder (4.8 RPG) while playing 20 minutes in a role off the bench.

After a dramatic 101-102 loss against Bayern, Barcelona dropped to a 17-14 record with three regular-season games to go.

Game News

The big man is the third Barcelona player to suffer a season-ending injury

Barcelona loses Chimezie Metu to Achilles tendon rupture

FC Barcelona v FC Bayern Munich (2025-03-25T19:30:00.000Z)

EuroCup Fantasy Challenge: Semifinals winner, Game 1

Congratulations to Arale Weisberg, our 21st winner in the 2024-25 EuroCup Fantasy Challenge! Arale's team, 'Aralos 10', posted a score of 178.25

Arale had the following starting lineup: Jean Montero of Valencia Basket as team captain, then his teammate Matthew Costello, Yam Madar of Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv and Bahcesehir College Istanbul duo of Marko Simonovic and Axel Bouteille. Valencia guard Chris Jones was the sixth man.

The head coach of Arale's team was Pedro Martinez of Valencia Basket, and the four bench players were Tyler Cavanaugh of Bahcesehir, Ish Wainright of Hapoel as well as Dreamland Gran Canaria duo of Nico Brussino and Caleb Homesley.

The prize for finishing first in the 21st round of the EuroCup Fantasy Challenge is a free subscription to Euroleague TV for the 2025-26 season, so congratulations, Arale!

The leader in the overall standings remains Milos Mihajlovic and his squad, 'BallIsLife', which has a total of 3,523.15 points after the first 21 rounds. Trades are now open for the 22nd round, which is Game 2 of the EuroCup semifinals, and the number of trades is unlimited.

Make new teams now or improve your existing ones and try to become EuroCup Fantasy Challenge's next winner!

EuroCup Fantasy Challenge offers weekly prizes to the top team manager, so get in the game and go for the gold!

Nigel Hayes-Davis bounced back from a couple of tough games by scoring the game-winning three-pointer for Fenerbahce Beko against Paris Basketball, which also guaranteed his team's place in the EuroLeague Playoffs.

Nigel Hayes-Davis reminded everyone of his All-EuroLeague talent against Paris

Sat on 3 points at halftime, it looked like [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/) was set for another off night in Round 31.

The [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) star came into Tuesday night after netting 8 points in Round 29 and 9 points in Round 30, so given the high standards we have come to expect from the All-EuroLeague forward, it was a surprise to see him struggling again.

He wasn’t the only one. Fenerbahce looked out of sync as a team and trailed 44-51 to Paris Basketball at the interval, then 71-84 after 30 minutes, with Hayes-Davis having added 2 points to his tally. On a night that Fenerbahce could have wrapped up a place in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs, it looked like being a damp squib.  

What happened next? Fenerbahce rallied. And most importantly, Hayes-Davis did Hayes-Davis things.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr">😏😏😏 <a href="https://t.co/jbInFkyzqs">pic.twitter.com/jbInFkyzqs</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1904634228886602117?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

With his team starting to gain some momentum, having cut Paris’s lead to six points at 80-86, Hayes-Davis knocked down a three-pointer. Bang! 83-86.

Then another. Bang! 86-86. Fenerbahce had led just once in the game to that point, at 9-8, but the 30-year-old made it a personal 8-0 run by scoring inside and causing a huge eruption inside Ulker Sport and Event Hall. With 3:36 minutes to go, Fenerbahce had completed its comeback from 15 points down.

There was still a lot to do, though, and Paris refused to go down without a fight. Huge scores by Tyson Ward, Mikael Jantunen and Yakuba Ouattara swung the momentum Paris’s way once again, 91-93, then a three-point play by TJ Shorts gave the visitors a five-point margin, 91-96, with 1.37 minutes remaining.

A runner by [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/) and a three-pointer by [Tarik Biberovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tarik-biberovic/006961/) helped tie the game at 98-98 with 20 seconds left, but Shorts looked like he was going to be the hero when he drove to the rim and scored a layup to put Paris 98-100 ahead with 2.5 seconds on the clock. Immediately, Fenerbahce called a timeout as coach Saras Jasikevicius wanted to draw up a play.

This was Hayes-Davis’s time to shine. Marko Guduric inbounded the ball to Hayes-Davis, he stepped to his right and sent up a three-pointer. Bang! [A 101-100 Fenerbahce win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nigel-hayes-davis-the-hero-as-fenerbahce-beats-paris-101-100-to-make-playoffs/) and a [guaranteed place in the playoffs](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-becomes-the-second-team-to-lock-up-a-playoff-spot/).

“Credit to the guys, we didn’t give up,” Hayes-Davis told EuroLeague TV afterward. “We were down probably 15, maybe. There were times it didn’t look good for us. The fans stayed with us and kept cheering when we were down, and that’s what I always appreciate.

“I was fortunate enough to make a shot. I worked really hard, a lot of shots last night. I missed probably my first eight shots, but keep shooting and the ball will find itself, and fortunately it went in and we got a good win.”

Hayes-Davis ended his night with 19 points, with 14 of those coming in the fourth quarter alone. As Stephen A. Smith might say, [he’s a baaaaaaad man](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlbO3ZZeSHg).

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/NIGEL_HAYES?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NIGEL_HAYES</a> Saw this same pull-up 11000000000 times last season in practice 🤷🏼‍♂️ <a href="https://t.co/Ms5DjRMXAG">https://t.co/Ms5DjRMXAG</a></p>&mdash; Nate Sestina (@NateSestina23) <a href="https://twitter.com/NateSestina23/status/1904678286644355579?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

For the American forward, these types of shots are the fruit of the hours and hours of unseen work that go into his craft.

“It’s just a lot of work. You saw me come early and shoot the ball,” he said to Deniz Aksoy. “The fans and most people don’t see all that work, all they see is the game and go, ‘Why is Nigel missing \[shots\]?’ You know, we shot thousands and thousands of shots and hopefully the ones, when they count, they go in. Tonight, the one that mattered the most went in.”

Fenerbahce fans will be hoping that this clutch, cold-blooded moment by Hayes-Davis will spell good news heading into the postseason as the Turkish side goes in search of its second EuroLeague championship. For now, though, the club will just be focusing on securing home-court advantage in the playoffs.

Not only did he score the game-winning three, but he was instrumental in his team’s fourth-quarter comeback

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Paris Basketball (2025-03-25T17:45:00.000Z)

All the latest injury news surrounding all registered players ahead of Round 31 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

EuroLeague injury report: Round 31

Follow all the latest injury information for registered players in the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season, as reported by the clubs, and get your [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/home?_ga=2.101462721.1199459303.1696273873-903329349.1669636775) teams up to date!

### ALBA Berlin

All of ALBA's roster is available for its game at Partizan on Tuesday, the club has confirmed.

- David McCormack missed Round 30.
- Justin Bean missed Rounds 29 and 30.

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Vincent Poirier is questionable for Efes's game against Baskonia on Wednesday, the club has confirmed.

- Vincent Poirier left Efes's Round 30 win with an ankle injury. He didn't play in the Turkish League last weekend, and the club has listed him as questionable.
- Rodrigue Beaubois didn't play in the Turkish League last weekend, but is available for Round 31.
- Ridvan Oncel last played in Round 14.
- Dogus Ozdemiroglu last played in Round 25.

### AS Monaco

Nick Calathes is available once again for Monaco's game against Zalgiris on Tuesday, according to the club's website.

- Nick Calathes last played in Round 26.
- Vitto Brown has last played in Round 22 but is back practicing again.

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

Baskonia has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Efes on Wednesday.

- Chima Moneke did not play in Round 30, but he returned to action in the Spanish League last weekend.
- Kamar Baldwin, who returned to action in Round 29, suffered a hand fracture last weekend and will undergo surgery, [the club announced on March 17](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/kamar-baldwin-to-undergo-surgery-for-hand-fracture/).
- Ousmane Ndiaye has been loaned out to Granada, [the club announced on February 27](https://x.com/Baskonia/status/1895050149593764178).

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade

Joel Bolomboy (foot), Luka Mitrovic (knee) and Mike Daum (knee) will miss Crvena Zvezda's game against Virtus on Wednesday, the club has confirmed.

- Filip Petrusev could not play against Olympiacos, his parent club, in Round 30 as part of the loan agreement, but he is available once again.
- Joel Bolomboy is out for 3-6 weeks after spraining his ankle, [the club announced on March 14](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/joel-bolomboy-out-3-6-weeks-with-ankle-sprain/).
- Luka Mitrovic, who last played in Round 26 due to a knee problem, and underwent an arthroscopic knee surgery on March 19 and is expected to return to practicing in two weeks' time.
- Mike Daum, who last played in Round 18, has undergone knee surgery, the club announced on January 9.

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan

Josh Nebo is Milan's only absentee for its game at Real Madrid on Tuesday, the club has confirmed.

- Neno Dimitrijevic did not play in Round 30, but he did feature in the Italian League last weekend and is available for Round 31.
- Freddie Gillespie last played in Round 28 after suffering a scary fall, but he is available for Round 31.
- [Josh Nebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/josh-nebo-to-be-reevaluated-in-3-4-weeks/) suffered another injury in Round 17 and is expected to miss extended time, according to coach Ettore Messina.

### FC Barcelona

Jan Vesely, Juan Nunez and Nico Laprovittola are ruled out for Barcelona's game against Bayern on Tuesday, the club has confirmed.

- Juan Nunez is out for the rest of the season [after undergoing knee surgery](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/barcelona-juan-nunez-done-for-season-after-knee-surgery/).
- [Jan Vesely is expected to be sidelined for 8-10 weeks](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/barcelona-jan-vesely-out-8-10-weeks/) due to a knee injury, the club announced in early February.
- [Nico Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nico-laprovittola-to-undergo-knee-surgery/) was ruled out for the season due to an ACL and meniscus injury.

### FC Bayern Munich

Bayern has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Barcelona on Tuesday.

- Devin Booker last played in Round 24 as he has been out with a minor knee injury, but he has rejoined team practices.
- Oscar da Silva, who last played in Round 27, is out for 'the coming weeks', the club announced on March 6.

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

Nigel Hayes-Davis (injury), Devon Hall (illness) and Khem Birch (injury) are all game-time decisions while Scottie Wilbekin is ruled out for Fenerbahce's game against Paris on Tuesday, the club has confirmed.

- Khem Birch missed Round 30 due to injury.
- Arturs Zagars last played in Round 27 due to a coach's decision.
- [Scottie Wilbekin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-confirms-the-worst-scottie-wilbekin-has-torn-his-acl/) tore his ACL in Round 1 and is out long term.

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

ASVEL has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Olympiacos on Tuesday.

- Charles Kahudi did not play in Round 30, nor in the French League last weekend.
- [Mbaye Ndiaye ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/mbaye-ndiaye-ldlc-asvel-out-for-several-months-with-knee-injury/)has ruptured the cruciate ligaments in his right knee and is likely out for the season.

### Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

Marial Shayok, Jasiel Rivero and Jaylen Hoard are ruled out for Maccabi's game against Panathinaikos on Wednesday, the club has confirmed.

- Marial Shayok will be out until mid-April with a shoulder injury, [the club announced on March 25](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/maccabi-loses-marial-shayok-to-shoulder-injury/).
- Jasiel Rivero has suffered a broken ankle, [Maccabi announced on March 11](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/maccabi-loses-jasiel-rivero-to-broken-ankle/).
- Jaylen Hoard has been out with a hamstring injury since [the club announced it on January 29](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/maccabis-jaylen-hoard-suffers-another-torn-hamstring/).

### Olympiacos Piraeus

Giannoulis Larentzakis (flu), Nikola Milutinov, Luca Vildoza, Thomas Walkup, Nathan Mensah and Keenan Evans are all ruled out for Olympiacos's game at ASVEL on Tuesday, the club has confirmed.

- Moses Wright has returned to action and is available.
- Young player Stefanos Spartalis has travelled with the team to Lyon.
- Nigel Williams-Goss exited Olympiacos's Round 29 game with a leg injury and did not play in Round 30, but he is available in Round 31.
- Luca Vildoza and Nikola Milutinov are out for the next two weeks, [according to the club's website](https://www.olympiacosbc.gr/en/news-en/game-news-en/11144-a-thundering-olympiacos-despite-the-absences.html).
- Keenan Evans has been registered. He has not played this season after undergoing knee surgery last May.
- Thomas Walkup (back) last played in Round 20.

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens

Panathinaikos has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Maccabi on Wednesday.

- [Omer Yurtseven](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-loses-center-yurtseven/) suffered a leg injury on January 20, which will sideline him for six to eight weeks.
- [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/all-euroleague-center-mathias-lessort-leaves-game-with-leg-injury/) suffered a broken fibula in Round 17 and will miss several months.
- Marius Grigonis (lower back surgery) has not played since Round 4.

### Paris Basketball

Paris has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Fenerbahce on Tuesday.

- Collin Malcolm is out for 'several weeks' with a hamstring injury, [according to the club's website](https://parisbasketball.com/en/2025/03/medical-statement-from-paris-basketball/).
- Maodo Lo is out for 'several weeks' with a hamstring injury, [according to the club's website](https://parisbasketball.com/en/2025/03/medical-statement-from-paris-basketball/).
- Daulton Hommes is out for 'several months' with a hand injury, [according to the club's website](https://parisbasketball.com/en/2025/03/medical-statement-from-paris-basketball/).
- Leon Kratzer is out for an 'indefinite period' due to personal reasons, [according to the club's website](https://parisbasketball.com/en/2025/03/medical-statement-from-paris-basketball/).
- Enzo Shahrvin last played in Round 23.

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade

All of Partizan's players are available for its game against ALBA on Tuesday, the club has confirmed.

- Mario Nakic did not play in Round 30 due to illness.
- Mitar Bosnjakovic last appeared in Round 16.

### Real Madrid

Real Madrid has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Milan on Tuesday.

- Xavier Rathan-Mayes last played in Round 27.

### Virtus Segafredo Bologna

Momo Diouf is Virtus's only absence for its game at Crvena Zvezda on Wednesday, the club has confirmed.

- Momo Diouf did not play in Round 30.
- Virtus parted ways with Riccardo Visconti.

### Zalgiris Kaunas

Zalgiris has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Monaco on Thursday.

- Lukas Lekavicius (groin) last played in Round 26.

Stay up to date with the latest information provided by the EuroLeague clubs

Injury report, Round 31: Poirier questionable, Maccabi missing three players

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2025-03-26T19:05:00.000Z)

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2025-03-26T19:00:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2025-03-26T17:30:00.000Z)

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 31 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub: Round 31

## Wednesday, March 26

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (18:30 CET)

**Luca Banchi, Anadolu Efes Istanbul head coach**

"We expect a very tough game against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, a team that proved all their potential during the last game they won against Bayern. From our side we really wish to capitalize what we did in our last games and have the support of our fans to push the team at the highest level possible. We have to prepare ourselves for a very intense game because of their physicality, their athleticism and unbelievable scoring potential. And I really wish that we will be able to continue to progress and have another important performance to achieve our goals."

**Jordan Nwora, Anadolu Efes Istanbul forward**

"This is a big week for our team. It starts off by playing a good team, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz. Hopefully we can get the job done at home and continue our playoff push."

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. Virtus Segafredo Bologna (20:00 CET)

**Ioannis Sfairopoulos, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade head coach**

"Virtus is a very dangerous team, with many good players who can be great if they have a good day. Then they create a problem for the opponents. For our part, we have to be right on defense. Let's not let them play around. To maintain concentration and follow the plan for 40 minutes. On offense, it is important that we make the right decisions, that we have the flow of the game, that the ball moves."

**John Brown, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade forward**

"I expect a great fight against Virtus. Although this team is at the bottom of the table, they will come here to win, we have to understand that and play our game."

**Dusko Ivanovic, Virtus Segafredo Bologna head coach**

"We face Crvena Zvezda, a team that played very well and had a great game against Olympiacos. True, they play without big guys, but all that makes them more dangerous, they are perhaps the most talented team in the competition. We will go there to try to win and, above all, to restore the mentality we haven't had in the last games, and to improve our performance."

**Will Clyburn, Virtus Segafredo Bologna forward**

"We will play another game in a hot environment with a great atmosphere. Our opponents need to get a result to go all the way, we will have to play our basketball to prepare for the season finale. We will play tough on the court and improve after each and every game."

### Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (20:05 CET)

**Oded Kattash, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv head coach**

"It’s a long and exhausting season regardless, but we can already see the finish line. Lorenzo \[Brown\] is great – we miss him a lot. And Wenyen \[Gabriel\] as well – we’ll see him too. \[This week, we are facing\] two top teams, in my opinion, both will make the playoffs and are capable of going all the way."

**John DiBartolomeo, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv guard**

"The fact that we're going into our last double week is something to look forward to, but two very, very strong teams that we have to play well against. We've been playing well of late, we've had a couple of wins, but I don't think we've been playing our best and we need to pick it up this week."

**Levi Randolph, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv forward**

"I think it's good to always be able to get some kind of rest, especially when you have some bumps and bruises that you may want to calm down a little bit. Just looking forward to the last stretch of the season, we want to finish strong. Like I said the whole season, we just want to continue to get better every day."

**Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens head coach**

"Maccabi won their last four games \[in all competitions\]. They have some injuries, but they are playing well know, especially with \[Rokas\] Jokubaitis and \[Tamir\] Blatt recovering. It will be a very important game for us, for the standings. We have two new injuries, in the same 3-4 position. But we are in the final of the regular season, last four games. But we don’t have a chance to look for excuses. There is only one reality, that we need to win to continue towards our goal to secure top four position in the standings. There is a big fight for the playoffs. I don’t want to talk about injured players, I like to focus on the healthy players that we will have."

## Tuesday, March 25

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. Paris Basketball (18:45 CET)

**Saras Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul head coach**

"It's a very important game. We need everybody's maximum effort to maximum concentration. Paris is one of the fastest teams. We need to manage the ways to slow them down and make it difficult for their guards."

**Arturs Zagars, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul guard**

"Obviously, Paris is a fast-paced team. They run and they open the games up really well. I think they're one of the best in the first half in EuroLeague and we are not there I think, especially in the first quarters where we need to start the game much better. Especially, on home court, we have to get ready for a physical game, a little bit dirty maybe and do our best. Obviously, we need our fans’ support, like every game and especially now because it's a really important game for us. Trying to secure the home crowd and hopefully they'll be here loud and clear."

### AS Monaco vs. Zalgiris Kaunas (19:00 CET)

**Vassilis Spanoulis, AS Monaco head coach**

"You could say it's a do-or-die game for them, but for us too. We absolutely have to win to put ourselves in the best possible position in the standings. Both teams are highly motivated, and it's a crucial game."

**Donatas Motiejunas, AS Monaco center**

"I know this Zalgiris team and its players very well, and I know it's going to be a tough game. It's going to be a big battle, both physically and tactically. The team is well coached, they know how to impose their slower, more tactical game. We want to do the opposite: run, play fast, push in transition. We have to force them to play at our tempo."

**Andrea Trinchieri, Zalgiris Kaunas head coach**

"It's the last double-round week of the season and it comes in an insane schedule for us: Friday, Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday. And all road games. We have to focus one game at a time. We know the strength, the talent of Monaco. They strengthened their roster in the last month with Daniel Theis, a player I know very well. He gives them a lot offensively and defensively. It looks like, at the moment, he's the best rolling big in the entire EuroLeague. If you think that he is playing with \[Elie\] Okobo, \[Mike\] James, it's easy \[for opposition coaches\] to have a headache. So one game at a time, one possession at a time, and we will try to do our best. We are fighting, we are competing. We need a little bit more quality, especially on offense, and that's it."

### FC Barcelona vs. FC Bayern Munich (20:30 CET)

**Gordie Herbert, FC Bayern Munich head coach**

"Barcelona is clearly in a very strong phase right now. We want to build on the things we did well in Saturday’s league game compared to last Thursday. But we still have to improve. Barcelona is another big, physical team that forces the most turnovers in the EuroLeague. So we need to take great care of the ball and avoid giving away easy points. We must be solid in transition defense, slow them down in the half-court, and prevent second chances."

### Real Madrid vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (20:45 CET)

**Chus Mateo, Real Madrid head coach**

"Tomorrow's game is a direct clash between two teams that are fighting to get into the playoffs. There's a lot of parity and now any of the games we're going to play until the end of the regular season are all direct confrontations with teams of an extraordinary competitive and basketball level that will make us sweat a lot to beat them. The players of both teams are very aware of the importance of these direct confrontations in order to reach the first objective of this competition, which is to make the playoffs. Milan has a great team with players of extraordinary talent. The whole roster has a lot of talent, but if you look at the numbers of \[Nikola\] Mirotic, \[Zach\] LeDay, \[Shavon\] Shields, \[Fabien\] Causeur, a player we have a special affection for, \[Leandro\] Bolmaro, \[Neno\] Dimitrijevic, \[Nico\] Mannion, \[Armoni\] Brooks... you realize the quality they have and, surely, tomorrow they will want the same as us: to play at their best level, to give their best version to beat us. But, above all, Milan is a team that knows how to play very good basketball, that is really well coached by a super coach \[Ettore Messina\] and that shoots extraordinarily well from three-point territory."

**Dzanan Musa, Real Madrid forward**

"We head into tomorrow's game with a lot of enthusiasm and also a lot of confidence. We need to win if we want to get into the playoffs, which is our goal, and I think that, if we do things right, we will have a chance to get the victory. Tomorrow we will play a final because now every game in the EuroLeague is a final, but we have to focus above all on what comes next, which is Milan. They will also face this game as if it were a final and I think defense and toughness will be key. If we defend well and close the rebounding, we will be able to run. We have a lot of offensive talent, but our defense needs to be at the highest level to be able to win tomorrow."

**Ettore Messina, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan head coach**

"Real Madrid is going through a very positive period right now. Their most experienced players, as it is customary for great ones, are raising their performance level. Obviously, \[Walter\] Tavares's presence in the middle will affect the game, at both ends of the floor. To face him in the best way, we will have to use our skills with confidence and correctly."

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. ALBA Berlin (20:45 CET)

**Zeljko Obradovic, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade head coach**

"We are in a specific moment after we played extremely badly in a very important game against Efes. We used the game against Mornar to rest and recover certain players, and prepare them for the crucial week ahead. We talked with the team, the players have to increase their concentration, we received a lot of shots from distance in situations when we were not in the bonus. The will and desire must also be on a much higher level. Everyone, starting with me, should think about whether the fans who follow us everywhere and support us at all times deserve to see this picture. The fans will always be with the team, but we have to show the reaction. The least we can give them is a merciless fight."

**Sterling Brown, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade guard**

"I expect us to go out on the court, play hard and win. It will be a good game, ALBA plays hard at every moment and we prepared for that. I have confidence in the abilities of our team and believe that we will change things that were not good in the previous period. One loss should not hold us back, there are still four games to go and we still have a chance to clinch the playoffs."

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (20:45 CET)

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus head coach**

"I don’t agree with the argument that ASVEL has nothing to play for. It has been proven over time in the EuroLeague that everyone plays for the win until the final game. Everyone is competitive and everyone wants to play until the end. ASVEL beat Monaco on the road yesterday, and I don’t think anyone doubts they have talent as a team. We are in a special situation. Practically, even if we don't win any of the remaining games, we are in the top three. Of course, we have a lot of issues right now with injuries and fatigue, and we are trying to primarily deal with these things."

**Moses Wright, Olympiacos Piraeus center**

"I feel great, I’m happy to be back. It was a long process. I really wanted to get back on the court, but I knew I had to be patient and let things take their course. I’m just happy to be back. As far as it concerns the game against ASVEL, we will miss a lot of players but we will give our best in order to get one more win."

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 31 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub: 'There is only one reality, we need to win'

Jean Montero is nicknamed "El Problema". If anyone had doubts on why he is called like that, Montero made sure everyone knew. 


Jean Montero solved Valencia's scoring problems against Hapoel

In an intense and extremely tactical showdown, Valencia Basket grabbed a 91-82 victory over Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv at La Fonteta, taking a 1-0 lead in their best-of-three semifinal playoff series and getting within one victory of returning to the EuroCup Finals for the eighth time.

It was not easy for Valencia, as Hapoel started the game with the right rhythm, not allowing the hosts to share the ball and forcing their best scorers into one-on-one situations. Hapoel quickly identified [Yam Madar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/yam-madar/011052/) as its go-to guy, and soon got plenty of help from [Marcus Foster](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marcus-foster/010386/) to get a double-digit margin, 36-46, near halftime.

Valencia needed answers on offense and 21-year-old guard [Jean Montero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jean-montero/010042/) provided them from that moment until the end of the game.

Jean Montero finished the game with 24 points, scoring 20 of those in the final 22 minutes of the game. He led Valencia to a 1-0 lead in its best-of-three semifinal series against Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv.

Montero leads Valencia past Hapoel

Montero went to the line twice and made all 4 free throw attempts to help Valencia get within 42-48 at halftime. After the break, Montero scored around the basket off a great pass by [Chris Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/chris-jones/010568/), added a floater and sent the crowd to their feet with a wild four-point play. He then found [Matt Costello](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/matthew-costello/010444/) for a jump hook that capped a 12-0 run. When Hapoel got within 62-59 late in the third quarter, Montero stepped up once again with an off-balance three-point play.

He was far from done: Montero buried a jumper and soon added a three-pointer to put Valencia on track to win the game, 74-63, with 8 minutes remaining. Montero finished the game with 24 points, scoring 20 of those in the final 22 minutes of the game.

"I don't really focus on points. I am just trying to do my thing the best I can do, to help the team to get the dub. I know I am really good at getting points but I am just trying to do my thing," Montero said. "They are a great team and we can never give up. We know it is not going to be an easy series. They have great players and we have to fight through it, just keep in the momentum."

Game Videos

Valencia had 4 assists before the break but once Montero found his rhythm, everybody followed. Valencia had 14 assists in the second half and committed just 9 turnovers. It also outrebounded Hapoel by 42-31, including 16 offensive rebounds. 

After the game, Valencia head coach [Pedro Martinez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/valencia-basket/pam/martinez-pedro?season=U2024) praised Hapoel's defense and said that he expects another top-class basketball battle in Game 2 on Friday.

"We beat a great team that plays very tough, very smart, an incredibly well-coached team. We had a lot of problems and were out of rhythm for a lot of minutes," Coach Martinez said after the game. "It was a tough game, maybe the toughest game of the season for us. We have to prepare, because the next game is going to be very similar to this."

If anyone questioned why Montero is nicknamed 'El Problema', he supplied answers on Tuesday night

Valencia Basket v Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (2025-03-25T19:30:00.000Z)

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade kept its bid to reach the Turkish Airline EuroLeague postseason on track with an 85-71 home win over ALBA Berlin after big man Brandon Davies produced arguably his best performance for the Serbian club.

Partizan leaned on Brandon Davies to dismiss plucky ALBA 

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade kept its bid to reach the Turkish Airline EuroLeague postseason on track with an 85-71 home win over ALBA Berlin after big man Brandon Davies produced arguably his best performance for the Serbian club.

Davies poured a game-high 22 points shooting 9 of 10 from the floor to lift Partizan after the team had suffered three successive defeats and made a poor start against ALBA, drawing rare jeers from the home crowd after falling behind 13-14 in the opening quarter.

The versatile Davis stepped up, knocking down a barrage of mid-range jumpers, coupled with a pair of threes and a spectacular slam dunk after a steal in front of a galvanized home crowd.

Partizan leaned on Brandon Davies to dismiss plucky ALBA

With many of Partizan’s big guns still struggling to find their best form after the February break, it was a timely and much-needed contribution from Davies and forward Isaac Bonga, who chipped in with 14 points and 6 boards in his second game back from a long injury layoff.

The result gave Partizan a lifeline win in the home straight of the regular season, a fact Davis acknowledged ahead of the Serbian side’s do-or-die road game at FC Bayern Munich on Thursday, with the stakes upped by the German team’s shock 101-102 win at Barcelona. 

“It was important for us to get that win and build momentum,” Davies said in his postgame comments. “We’ve been in a rut before and we had to dig deep and get ourselves out of it, so that’s what we did tonight,” he added, referring to Partizan’s dreadful 2-8 start to the current campaign.

“In this business you’ve got to be able to learn from your mistakes and keep moving forward, so this is a step in the right direction. Our mindset is to win the next one.”

Playmaker Carlik Jones stepped up with 15 points and 9 assists, keeping the engine room running after a slow start as Partizan made only 4 of 15 shots from the floor in the first quarter. Donning a huge Partizan scarf around his neck, a present from the team’s fans after the final buzzer, Jones hailed the home faithful for trademark fervent support throughout the contest. 

“It’s been a tough three games for us but they always come out to support us and I don’t know where we’d be without them,” said the South Sudanese point guard.

“It was hard to play defense and not score at the other end too in those three defeats. Defense wins championships but at the end of the day, you’ve also got to be able to score as well. It’s been tough but we tried to move on and we were able to get the win today.”

Coach Zeljko Obradovic's men got back to winning ways led by their versatile big man 

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v ALBA Berlin (2025-03-25T19:45:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne celebrated with its fans the club’s history in European basketball and Coach Pierric Poupet’s side delivered on the court by beating Turkish Airlines EuroLeague leader Olympiacos 81-70 at a packed LDLC Arena.

'Special' ASVEL celebrated historic night in style

[LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/) took advantage of this season's last double-round week to celebrate with its fans the club’s history in European basketball. And coach Pierric Poupet’s side delivered on the court by [beating Turkish Airlines EuroLeague leader Olympiacos 81-70](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/asvel-overpowers-olympiacos-81-70/) at a packed LDLC Arena.

ASVEL's supporters saw their team don a special green jersey to commemorate the team that reached the 1997 Final Four in Rome. Tributes were paid to members of that legendary side, including club icon Delaney Rudd, whose No. 4 shirt has been retired by ASVEL.

“It was crazy, special,” Coach Poupet said after the game. “Special night, special crowd, special team, special character. I’m very happy that we get to celebrate this 1997 team. They saw what the people who come to watch the game want to see. They want to feel emotions, that’s what it’s all about.”

On the floor, two Frenchmen were meant to lead the charge, with [Nando De Colo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nando-de-colo/002100/) and [Theo Maledon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/theo-maledon/007027/) combining for 19 of their team’s 23 points in the fourth quarter to down the Reds. The former netted 10 of his 18 points in the closing quarter, including 2 big triples to practically finish the game off.

“I’m not sure if everyone understands exactly what this jersey means, but we tried as French players to remind everybody what it is,” De Colo told EuroLeague TV. “Pierric told us this morning how this week is important for us especially on the court, but also for the fans.”

Meanwhile, Maledon pulled off another complete display by recording 23 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and a team-high PIR of 28.

“Amazing, it might be the jersey,” Maledon told EuroLeague TV after the final whistle. “We really played with a lot of passion, a lot of heart and showed our fans what we’re about. You always want to know about your history, you always want to represent your history. We had the chance to do that tonight and I think that we did it the best way possible against the best team in the EuroLeague right now.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Ceci n’est pas un rêve : Delaney Rudd lance le clapping pour une victoire face à l’Olympiacos 🥹🥹🥹🥹💚💚💚💚💚 <a href="https://t.co/PDdMHNStbF">pic.twitter.com/PDdMHNStbF</a></p>&mdash; LDLC ASVEL (@LDLCASVEL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL/status/1904658332796829919?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

ASVEL ‘European Heritage Week’ will end with another home clash, this time against Zalgiris Kaunas on Thursday night. The French side may have missed out on postseason, but they proved on Tuesday night that they can pose problems to any rival, especially when motivation is sky-high due to the club celebrating its history in European basketball.

“We won the game, but I think the most important thing is that we got to celebrate the 25th anniversary of EuroLeague with Delaney Rudd celebrating the 1997 Final Four,” Poupet told the post-game press conference. “I’m very happy that the crowd, the team and the teammates from that 1997 \[team\] got to celebrate all together. It’s a great feeling to be part of this. I think we’re blessed to live this and hopefully, we can show the same face on Thursday against Zalgiris.”

The players donned a green jersey as tribute to the legendary 1997 team

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v Olympiacos Piraeus (2025-03-25T19:45:00.000Z)

Walter Tavares is playing his best basketball of the season and helping Real Madrid in their push to make the EuroLeague Playoffs.

Walter Tavares is hitting top gear at just the right time

Right from the opening tip, [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) meant business for [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/) as the 11-time Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion [beat EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 96-89](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/real-madrid-downs-milan-96-89-but-fails-to-secure-tiebreaker/) on Tuesday night.

The Milan big men simply had no answer for the 33-year-old, who grabbed an offensive rebound and dunked for the opening score of the game, then pulled down another shortly after before converting a layup. It looked like it was going to be a long night for the Little Red Shoes.

That feeling was amplified in the latter stages of the first quarter as Tavares and [Usman Garuba](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/usman-garuba/007630/) combined to wreak havoc in the Milan paint. After helping Real Madrid go 12-3 ahead to start the game, Tavares was instrumental in his team holding a 24-9 advantage just over seven minutes into the contest.

When Real Madrid added mid-season signing [Bruno Fernando](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/bruno-fernando/013667/) to a frontline that already contained Tavares, Garuba and [Serge Ibaka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/serge-ibaka/003583/), it might have felt like overkill. Instead, it looks like a masterstroke as Tavares is now able to get plenty of rest when needed, freeing him up to have a devastating effect in the minutes he’s out on the court.

At halftime against Milan, with Real Madrid leading 54-41, Tavares had 10 points, 3 rebounds, all of which were on the offensive end, 1 assist, 1 block and a 13 PIR in seven and a half minutes. By the end of the night, the eight-year EuroLeague veteran posted 19 points on 8-of-8 two-pointers and 3-of-4 free throws, 7 rebounds, with 5 being on the offensive glass, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks and a 27 PIR. It was the type of Tavares performance that Real Madrid and EuroLeague fans have grown accustomed to seeing over the years.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🔝 <a href="https://twitter.com/waltertavares22?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@waltertavares22</a> <br>👏 ¡Nuestro MVP del partido vs <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OlimpiaMI1936</a>!<a href="https://twitter.com/autoheroespana?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@autoheroespana</a> <a href="https://t.co/txdX42SMUf">pic.twitter.com/txdX42SMUf</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1904657698701860904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

What was notable about Tuesday night’s display is that it came after a similarly dominate outing against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne last time out, as Tavares amassed 23 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and a 28 PIR [in an 81-70 triumph](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tavares-leads-real-past-asvel-81-70/). The Cape Verdean has now finished with a PIR of 20 or more in back-to-back games for the first time since Games 2 and 3 of the 2024 playoffs, showing that he is hitting his stride at the business end of the season once again.

*Los Blancos* are now in the midst of a three-game winning streak and have jumped up to eighth in the standings, but the goal will be to keep rising further and try to achieve a top-six finish. Two tough road games in Serbia against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade and Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade are sandwiched between a home contest with Paris Basketball, but with Tavares playing at this level, Real Madrid will fancy its chances against anyone at the moment.

The towering center is playing his best basketball of the season

Real Madrid v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2025-03-25T19:45:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich held the number one offense in the league to just 2 free throws in the final 3 minutes to reel off a 2-11 close to the game and win 101-102 at FC Barcelona in a massive road victory in the battle for the playoffs. 

Bayern's defense stepped up when needed late

FC Bayern Munich’s defense has been questioned all season, but it showed against FC Barcelona that it can perform when it counts as the German champs finished the game in superb fashion for a crucial comeback win.

Bayern held the number one offense in the league to just 2 free throws in the final 3 minutes to reel off a 2-11 close to the game and win 101-102 at Barcelona in a massive road victory in the battle for the playoffs.

“A character win for us,” said Bayern head coach Gordon Herbert. “We had a great last 2 minutes of the game. We got some stops and the guys played tough and we got some big baskets going the other way. Defensively we struggled at times. They are a very good offensive team. But give our guys credit. They fought through stuff and stayed together.”

Bayern trailed by 11 points 94-83 with just over 5 minutes to play and it was still 99-91 when Herbert’s men stepped up their defense, which came into the game ranked 16th in the league in points allowed.

“We were very resilient in the second half, especially in the fourth quarter when it came down to it. Big-time players make big plays and we just stuck together at the end,” said Nick Weiler-Babb, who collected 16 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists in the win, which improved Bayern’s record to 18-13 and dropped Barcelona to 17-14.

The victory also came after Bayern had suffered a 112-89 loss last week at Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz.

“A very big one for us. We lost a bad one in Baskonia so we had to bounce back. And this was a good way to do it,” added Weiler-Babb.

“That was a high-level game. With a team like that, there were so many runs and so many momentum changes. I’m just happy to get through this game healthy and be able to win,” said Carsen Edwards, who scored 23 points including a layup to make it 101-100 with 39 seconds to play and setting up Vladimir Lucic’s game-deciding free throws with 17 seconds left.

“A big win for us. We have to keep chipping away and take it one game at a time. But this was a good one for us.”

Also to know that the defense can be there in big games when it matters most.

FC Bayern Munich has struggled all season on defense, but the unit shined late against Barcelona

FC Bayern Munich guard Nick Weiler-Babb spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat FC Barcelona in Round 31 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.  

Nick Weiler-Babb: 'Big-time players make big plays'

Valencia Basket guard Jean Montero spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team defeated Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv in Game 1 of the BKT EuroCup Semifinals. 

Jean Montero: 'I'm just trying to do the best I can do'

FC Barcelona-FC Bayern Munich | RS Round 31 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Mike James came up big in crunch time to lead Monaco past Zalgiris

It didn’t seem like the best night for [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) at the beginning of the second quarter of the game that [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/) was playing [against Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-survives-overtime-thriller-against-zalgiris-96-86/). Right after committing his second foul, he was called for a technical foul that sent him to the bench with his team trailing 21-28. Without James, Monaco fell even lower, amassing a 15-point deficit (27-42).

Thanks to a late reaction before the break, Monaco trailed just 44-48 at halftime, but the feelings were not very good for a team that played to secure a top seed in the playoffs.

“We didn’t play good in the first half, we received a lot of points”, Monaco head coach Vassilis Spanoulis regretted after the game. “And this is not our basketball, we received 48 points, and after halftime half we gave up 32, we had like two different faces.”

That duality was also represented by James, who despite scoring the first bucket of the second half and grabbing his 1,000th rebound of his EuroLeague career soon after, was having a small impact in the game until it went into the final moments.

Mike James (22 points) Highlights vs. Zalgiris Kaunas, 03/25/2025

Mike James shined for Monaco against Zalgiris

With Zalgiris still up 70-73 with less than 3 minutes remaining, James decided to take over Monaco’s offense, scoring 8 points in a row capped by a huge three that made it 78-78 entering the last minute. That was crucial for Monaco to force overtime, when [Daniel Theis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/daniel-theis/004132/) converted a couple of free throws to tie it 80-80 at the end of the fourth quarter.

When the game resumed, James needed just two possessions to show his greatness. He opened with a basket to put his team ahead with just 15 seconds played and later he came up big and drew a foul on [Bryant Dunston](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/bryant-dunston/003048/) that turned into 3 free throws that set Monaco on the winning track for good, 85-80.

“We showed some heart today,” James stressed. “I mean, it was a do-or-die game for us. It is at the end of the season, so we are fighting for the playoffs and the home court. So, it was a big win for us. We got another one in two days, so \[now, it’s time to\] take a deep breath and calm down a little bit tonight and get ready for the game on Thursday.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Trapped in Mike&#39;s web 🕷🕸<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/i5fcuNf0gO">pic.twitter.com/i5fcuNf0gO</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1904831202193715486?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

James didn’t need to score more, as [Elie Okobo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/elie-okobo/011212/) showed up to finish the job in the next possessions, and finished with a game-high 22 points, with many of them coming in crunch time to decide a close game. Something his head coach also celebrated.

“It was our time to take a close game,” celebrated Spanoulis. “We missed four or five close games, we could have more wins, and now it’s our time to pick one. It’s great for our psychology, we showed big character down the stretch, we made good plays and we played our best defense in the overtime… Everybody stepped up in overtime.”

The guard scored 13 points in 5 minutes bridging the last quarter and the overtime

AS Monaco v Zalgiris Kaunas (2025-03-25T18:00:00.000Z)

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade guard Carlik Jones spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat ALBA Berlin in Round 31 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.  

The EuroLeague & Friends crew discuss All-25 legends, March Madness, Joe Rogan and more

Top 5 Plays | Semifinals Game 1 | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup

Nick Weiler-Babb: 'Big-time players make big plays'

Jean Montero: 'I'm just trying to do the best I can do'

FC Barcelona-FC Bayern Munich | RS Round 31 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Carlik Jones: 'It's been a tough three games for us'