Name: Birutis with the big slam! Motorola Magic Moment
Channel: Euroleague Basketball

Laurynas Birutis unleashes the big dunk despite the best efforts of Carsen Edwards and Vladimir Lucic to block his path

Birutis with the big slam! Motorola Magic Moment

Zalgiris Kaunas v FC Bayern Munich (2025-01-30T18:00:00.000Z)

With 0.2 seconds on the clock, Nick Weiler-Babb's inbounds pass is tipped in by Niels Giffey, who got it off on time

Weiler-Babb, Giffey execute inbounds play to perfection! Motorola Magic Moment

Andreas Obst looked set for a guaranteed reverse layup, but Deividas Sirvydis raced back to block his effort

Sirvydis’s chase-back block on Obst! Motorola Magic Moment

Title contenders tend to have short memories, bouncing back from tough defeats and ending losing slides with statement wins, and that’s precisely what Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem managed on Wednesday night.

Jerusalem proved why it is a strong title contender at Bourg

Over the years, both BKT EuroCup and Turkish Airlines EuroLeague coaches have labeled the two competitions as marathons. And they have every right to say that. Every game is important, but title contenders tend to have short memories, bouncing back from tough defeats and ending losing slides with statement wins.

That’s precisely what [Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-bank-yahav-jerusalem/jer/) managed on Wednesday night and it did so in style against another team aiming for a deep run in the playoff, last year's runner-up [Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/cosea-jl-bourg-en-bresse/bou/).

Bourg came into Wednesday’s clash looking to extend its three-game winning streak, while Jerusalem came into the contest following back-to-back narrow defeats. The momentum may not have been on Jerusalem’s side, but coach Yonatan Alon’s team demonstrated that they have what it takes to flip the script.

Jerusalem hit the ground running against the French side, dominating from the off at Ekinox. The visitors secured a 9-24 cushion after 10 minutes and never looked back. They maintained a double-digit lead for most of the game, handing Bourg its largest home defeat of the season (67-94) to clinch a playoff spot.

“Throughout the season, there’s ups and downs,” [Jared Harper](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jared-harper/011970/), who netted a game-high 31 points, said after the game. “Every team goes through that. I feel like in our last two games, the two losses, we played really good defensively, but our shots were not really going in. So, as long as we control what we can control, making sure we play in the right way as a team, and I think that we did that tonight, we’re going to make some shots and finish with the win.”

Jerusalem improved its record to 10-7 and a victory in their last game of the season against [Turk Telekom Ankara](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/turk-telekom-ankara/ttk/) will see them secure an eighthfinals bye. “It was a great team win,” Harper added. 

“We knew coming into the game that we could solidify ourselves in the playoffs and we were able to do that with a great win on the road. Now we have control of our own destiny going forward, seeing the results of the other games, to try and get the best position we can going into the playoffs and go get a win next week.”

Boasting the same record as Jerusalem following [its 84-81 victory over fellow playoff contender Umana Reyer Venice](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/turk-telekom-downs-reyer-in-a-stunner-84-81/) earlier on Wednesday, Turk Telekom also competes for a top-two spot, making Round 18’s duel a must-win clash for both sides. But as Harper pointed out, there’s no better way to prepare yourself for the postseason than locking horns with other playoff contending teams. 

“It’s a big game,” Harper noted. “Turk Telekom are trying to get the same thing. It’s good, leading up to the playoffs of EuroCup, having these big games to get ready for the big playoff games.”

[Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/valencia-basket/pam/) has already secured both top spot in Group B, as well as quarterfinal qualification. Jerusalem, Turk Telekom and [Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/cedevita-olimpija-ljubljana/lju/) will now compete for the second spot, with the Israeli side currently being in pole position. “This group is really tight and every game can mean a lot to every team,” Alon admitted in the post-game press conference.

On Wednesday, Jerusalem demonstrated that it can bounce back from adversity. Beating Turk Telekom in the last round could allow them to build consistency. And consistency is precisely what leads teams to titles.

Game News

The Israeli side has clinched a playoff spot and now aims for an eighthfinals bye

Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse v Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem (2025-01-29T18:30:00.000Z)

Hapoel Bank Yahav guard Jared Harper added another feat to an already historic season by becoming the BKT EuroCup MVP for Round 17. Harper led Jerusalem to a 67-94 road win at Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse, which clinched a playoff berth for the club, with 31 points and 4 assists. 

Round 17 MVP: Jared Harper, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem

Hapoel Bank Yahav guard Jared Harper added another feat to an already historic season by becoming the BKT EuroCup MVP for Round 17. Harper led Jerusalem to a 67-94 road win at Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse, which clinched a playoff berth for the club, with 31 points and 4 assists. He made 4 of 6 two-pointers, 3 of 4 threes and 14 of 15 free throws in racking up a performance index rating of 36, which was the most of all players in Round 17. This is Harper’s fifth MVP of the round this season, which is the most ever in the EuroCup Regular Season.

The second-highest PIR of Round 17 was authored by Umana Reyer Venice center Mfiondu Kabengele, who posted a 33 in his team's 84-81 loss at Turk Telekom Ankara. The big man scored 20 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, which was a career-high, club record and the most of any player in the competition all season.

The Veolia Towers Hamburg duo of Kur Kuath and Brae Ivey had the third and fourth-best PIR of the round, respectively, in beating Aris Midea Thessaloniki 88-90 in overtime. Kuath had personal bests of 19 points and 13 rebounds for a PIR of 31 and Ivey scored 25 points on 6-of-10 three-point shooting for a PIR of 30. Rounding out the top performers of Round 17 were Johnathan Motley of Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv and Zavier Simpson of U-BT Cluj-Napoca, each with PIRs of 27.

### Individual highs: Mfiondu Kabengele, Umana Reyer Venice, 18 rebounds

 

The EuroCup leaders were at their best in Round 17 with Jared Harper, Zavier Simpson and Mfiondu Kabengele each posting the best numbers in scoring, assists in rebounds, respectively.  

Harper's 31 points raised his average to 22.8 per game for the season, which are 4.5 points more than second-placed Anthony Brown of Turk Telekom. 

After Simpson dished 10 assists, he is averaging 7.4 dimes per game. Jaleen Smith of Bahcesehir College Istanbul is a distant second with 5.8.

Kabengele collected 18 boards on Wednesday, which marked the most of any player all season. His per-game average is now 9.8, with Kyle Alexander of Turk Telekom second with 7.2.

Hamburg’s Ivey was the Round 17 leader with 5 steals. He is now sixth with 1.6 steals per game. Andrew Albicy of Dreamland Gran Canaria remains the season-long leader with 2.1 per game. 

Aris's Josh Roberts rejected 5 shots, which were Round 17's high. He is 11th-best on the season with 0.9 blocks per game. Kyle Alexander tops the charts with 2.2 blocks per game. 

Seven players recorded double-doubles in Round 17. Simpson (24 points, 10 assists) was the lone player with a point-assist double-double. The remaining six were: Kabengele, Kuath, Motley (22 points, 10 rebounds), Martynas Varnas (10 points, 10 rebounds) of 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys, and the Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana duo of Devin Robinson (12 points, 12 rebounds) and DJ Stewart (11 points, 12 rebounds). 

It is the guard’s fifth such honor this season

Two of the EuroLeague's most exciting players go head to head in Round 24, as Paris Basketball's TJ Shorts comes up against LDLC ASVEL's Theo Maledon in a battle between the MVP of the Month for October and the MVP of the Month for December.

TJ Shorts, Theo Maledon collide in must-watch all-French derby

There is always loads of excitement when two domestic teams face off in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, and that certainly is the case when [Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/) welcomes [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/) on Thursday night in the French capital. And that’s despite their rivalry going back only three years.

It's not just because both Paris (13-9) and ASVEL (11-12) have been among the most exciting teams to watch this season, and are both in the midst of the race for the EuroLeague Playoffs, but this game will also feature a showdown between two of the EuroLeague’s best point guards this season, Paris’s [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/) and ASVEL’s [Theo Maledon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/theo-maledon/007027/).

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">« C’est la France frère 🇫🇷 »<br>Demain, on affronte <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LDLCASVEL</a> à la maison pour une revanche qui s’annonce BOUILLANTE en <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> 🔥<br><br>Dernières 🎟️ en vente ici : <a href="https://t.co/aK0pJIO3ca">https://t.co/aK0pJIO3ca</a> <a href="https://t.co/sUb7A1cSCX">pic.twitter.com/sUb7A1cSCX</a></p>&mdash; Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball/status/1884628354898239829?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Let’s start with Shorts. The EuroLeague’s October MVP ranks fourth in scoring with 18.4 points per game, second in assists with 7.4 per game and fourth in index rating with 22.1 per contest.

On the other hand, there is Maledon. The MVP for December, who is third in average PIR at 22.3, enters this game sixth in scoring with 18.0 points per game and is just outside the top 10 with his averages of 4.7 assists and 1.1 steals.

Paris's TJ Shorts and ASVEL's Theo Maledon fight for possession on the floor during their teams' Round 15 matchup earlier this season.

The two have also been an example of consistency. Maledon has scored at least 15 points in 14 of his last 15 games, and has posted a double-digit PIR in 15 straight games. Shorts has scored in double figures in 14 straight and 20 of his 21 EuroLeague appearances. He has had a PIR of 10 or more in 14 straight games.

What’s even better, when these two teams met earlier this season in Round 15, both players shined.

[ASVEL pulled out a 98-93 to end Paris's 10-game winning streak](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/asvel-ends-paris-unbeaten-run-in-all-french-rivalry-series-thriller-98-93/), with Maledon collecting 22 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals, good for a PIR of 30. On the other side, Shorts set his personal bests with 29 points and 11 two-pointers made, which came on 14 attempts. He also dished 8 assists and had a personal-high PIR of 41.

In the EuroLeague, every game matters, but a win in this one would mean a lot to each club.

After a terrific start to the season, Paris pulled out of its recent slump and has won its last two home games, while it has scored at least 86 points in each of the last three rounds.

ASVEL, however, has won in three of the last four rounds and has been victorious in three of its last four road games after opening the season 0-7 on the road.

A rivalry between Paris and ASVEL might be fresh, having started in November 2021 with their first-ever French League clash, but it has quickly grown into a EuroLeague derby we cannot wait to tip off.

Thursday night brings another all-French derby and a clash of two MVP candidates

Paris Basketball v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2025-01-30T19:30:00.000Z)

Round 17 of the BKT EuroCup had something for everyone. Check out round's best plays and see who had the best of them!

Top 10 Plays | Round 17 | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup

Congratulations to Branislav Popadic, our 16th winner in the 2024-25 EuroCup Fantasy Challenge! Branislav's team, 'Loza2Land', posted a score of 216.25.

EuroCup Fantasy Challenge: Round 16 winner

Congratulations to Georgios Makris, our 17th winner in the 2024-25 [EuroCup Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/)! Georgios's team, 'Brahami 7', posted a score of 225.85.

Georgios had the following starting lineup: Zavier Simpson of U-BT Cluj-Napoca as team captain, then Jared Harper of Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem, Mfiondu Kabengele of Umana Reyer Venice, Noa Essengue of ratiopharm Ulm and Matas Jogela of Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius. Kur Kuath of Veolia Towers Hamburg was the sixth man.

The head coach of Georgios's team was Andrej Zakelj of Buducnost VOLI Podgorica, while the four bench players were Anthony Cowan of Wolves, Maxime Courby of Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse, Georgios Gkiouzelis of Aris Midea Thessaloniki and Quinn Ellis of Dolomiti Energia Trento.

The prize for finishing first in Round 17 is a free subscription to Euroleague TV for the 2025-26 season, so congratulations, Georgios!

The leader in the overall standings remains Milos Mihajlovic and his squad, 'BallIsLife', which has a total of 2,983.75 points after the first 17 rounds. Trades are now open for Round 18. Remember, four trades are allowed before each round until the end of the regular season.

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!

EuroCup Fantasy Challenge: Round 17 winner

Dreamland Gran Canaria-Besiktas Fibabank Istanbul | Round 17 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup   

Dreamland Gran Canaria v Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul (2025-01-29T20:00:00.000Z)

CB Gran Canaria’s offense had been sputtering recently but jumped to life in the penultimate game of the regular season, with the 2023 EuroCup champs coming out with a 90-81 victory against Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul. 

Gran Canaria offense woke up against Besiktas as playoffs near

The old adage goes: offense wins games, defense wins championships. Well, [Dreamland Gran Canaria](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dreamland-gran-canaria/can/) will be happy that its offense woke up as the BKT EuroCup Playoffs are just around the corner.

Gran Canaria’s offense had been sputtering recently but jumped to life in the penultimate game of the regular season, with the 2023 EuroCup champs coming out with [a 90-81 victory against Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/gran-canaria-secures-top-three-finish-with-comfortable-90-81-win-over-besiktas/).

“It was an important win for us, getting back to winning ways. It's a good feeling. The team played well and deserved this win,” said Gran Canaria head coach [Jaka Lakovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dreamland-gran-canaria/can/lakovic-jaka/?season=U2024), whose team had lost four of its last five games. “Offensively, we did a good job.”

With the win over Besiktas, Gran Canaria has locked up a top-three finish in Group A with an 11-6 record and still has one final game – at last-placed Trefl Sopot next week – as it hopes to finish second and secure a bye to the quarterfinals.

“We have one more game to go and still nothing is finished. The job is still not done,” Lakovic added.

[Caleb Homesley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/caleb-homesley/011251/) led the way for Gran Canaria with 18 points. That came after he tallied 20 points last week.

“We had dropped a couple in a row. I thought our effort tonight was outstanding. We just wanted it a little bit more than them,” Homesley said.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We are back 🤞🏽💛 <a href="https://t.co/lHnUWwTfia">https://t.co/lHnUWwTfia</a></p>&mdash; Andrew Albicy (@andrewalbicy) <a href="https://twitter.com/andrewalbicy/status/1884724707938750691?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Gran Canaria needed Homesley’s output after having scored more than 77 points just once in the last five EuroCup games. The win over Besiktas was just the second time Lakovic’s team reached the 90-point mark. The other time was Gran Canaria’s [historic 125-78 win at home over ratiopharm Ulm](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/gran-canaria-overwhelms-ulm-125-78/) back in Round 5.

Gran Canaria has been solid all season defensively, ranking third in opponent’s PIR (79.6), second in scoring (75.7 ppg) and first in assists allowed (15.7). But Lakovic’s team has not played to the same level offensively.

Gran Canaria ranked 17th in the competition in scoring at 78.9 points per game – a fact that makes it tough to get wins when the defense struggles a bit. The Spanish side had given up 81.4 points per game in its last five EuroCup contests.

“The difference in the game was our third quarter. We were very solid defensively. We made a lot of steals and that gave us confidence to run and score in transition,” Lakovic said.

Sure, the defense will be key as Gran Canaria looks to lift a second EuroCup title in three years, but being better on offense wouldn’t hurt the team’s chances, either.

The Spanish side scored 90 points for just the second time this season 

Four teams have already booked their place in the EuroCup ahead of Round 17 – Valencia, Bahcesehir, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and Gran Canaria – but who will join them this week?

Game Center: Round 17

### EuroCup Playoffs: Who has qualified?

Heading into Round 17, four teams had booked their place in the BKT EuroCup Playoffs: **Valencia Basket, Bahcesehir College Istanbul, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv, and Dreamland Gran Canaria.**

So, who has joined them after this week's games?

Well, **Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana** advanced to the postseason without even playing on Wednesday as two things happened: Turk Telekom Ankara beat Umana Reyer Venice, and U-BT Cluj-Napoca lost at Lietkabelis. Either of these results would have been enough for the Slovenian side to go through.

**Turk Telekom** needed two things to happen in order to qualify – and both things came to fruition. First, it defeated Reyer after tying its season high for points in a quarter, having outscored Reyer 35-21 in the fourth period to claim a narrow victory. Then, a little later, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem's triumph over Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse confirmed Turk Telekom's spot in the postseason.

The other team that sealed their playoff place this week was **Hapoel Jerusalem**, which required a victory over Bourg and ended up romping to a 27-point win.

## Wednesday, January 29, 2025

### [Turk Telekom Ankara 84-81 Umana Reyer Venice](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/turk-telekom-ankara-umana-reyer-venice/U2024/170/)

In a thrilling contest in the Turkish capital, Turk Telekom outscored Reyer 35-21 in the fourth quarter to come away with an 84-81 win that leaves Erdem Can’s men within touching distance of the EuroCup Playoffs. Braian Angola led Turk Telekom in scoring with 17 points, but Olivier Hanlan scored 11 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter, and Kyle Alexander downed four crucial free throws inside the final eight seconds en route to 13 points. Anthony Brown also chipped in with 13 points. Reyer’s Mfiondu Kabengele had a 20-point, 18-rebound double-double, but in vain. Tyler Ennis added 12 points, Davide Casarin scored 11, and Carl Wheatle finished with 10, including a crazy three with 3.2 seconds left that gave Reyer a bit of hope, only for Alexander to knock down two free throws with 2.4 seconds left to ice the game. Turk Telekom is officially be in the EuroCup Playoffs after Hapoel Jerusalem beat Bourg on the road.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Muhteşem bir geri dönüş!💙🤍<br><br>Maç sonucu: Türk Telekom 84-81 Umana Reyer Venice<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AnkaraBasketbolu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AnkaraBasketbolu</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kaizen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kaizen</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreHereForAReason?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreHereForAReason</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToGreatness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToGreatness</a> <a href="https://t.co/FdBEm08rG9">pic.twitter.com/FdBEm08rG9</a></p>&mdash; Türk Telekom Basketbol (@TT_Basketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/TT_Basketbol/status/1884673904188203488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv 91-72 Trefl Sopot](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv-trefl-sopot/U2024/161/)

Hapoel enjoyed a peaceful evening as it defeated the visiting Trefl 91-72 at Samokov Arena. The hosts struggled offensively in the early going but managed to score 30 points in the second quarter to build a double-digit advantage, 49-32, with the guests never threatening thereafter. Hapoel improved its record to 11-6 and is one game off from clinching second place in the group. The winners were led by Johnathan Motley, who registered a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds, good for a PIR of 27. Yam Madar followed with 13 points, Antonio Blakeney contributed 12, and Marcus Foster and Patrick Beverley added 11 apiece. Darious Moten and Geoffrey Groselle paced Trefl with 17 points each, while Nick Johnson finished with 16 in the losing effort.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="iw" dir="rtl">הפועל מנצחת את טרפל סופוט 👹<br><br>תודה לקהל האדום שהגיע ודחף כל המשחק ♥️ <br> <br>הקבוצה תשוב מחר לארץ ותחל בהכנות לקראת משחק הליגה מול ב&quot;ש/דימונה בשבת (1.2) . <a href="https://t.co/NRs9bPUqj9">pic.twitter.com/NRs9bPUqj9</a></p>&mdash; Hapoel Tel Aviv BC (@HapoelTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC/status/1884682191457624542?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys 92-91 U-BT Cluj-Napoca](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/7bet-lietkabelis-panevezys-u-bt-cluj-napoca/U2024/169/)

Lietkabelis rallied from 12 points down in the fourth quarter to knock off Cluj 92-91 at home and keep the guests from locking up a playoff spot. Lietkabelis was down 71-83 with 5 minutes to play but fought all the way back, before Dovis Bickauskis hit the game winner with 2.2 seconds left. The Lithuanian side, which had already been eliminated from postseason contention, snapped a four-game losing streak to move to 5-12 in Group B. Bickauskis finished with 13 points, Oleksandr Kovliar led the way with 18 points, Djordje Gagic had 17 points, and Martynas Varnas collected 10 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists. Cluj would have secured a spot in the playoffs with a win but fell to 10-8 after having won three of its last four games. Zavier Simpson scored 24 points with 10 assists, Adam Mokoka had 15 points and De’Shawn Stephens chipped in 12 points and 9 rebounds in the bitter defeat.

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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DFa7awTsNNW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by BC „7bet-Lietkabelis” (@bclietkabelis)</a></p></div></blockquote>
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### [Aris Midea Thessaloniki 88-90 Veolia Towers Hamburg](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/aris-midea-thessaloniki-veolia-towers-hamburg/U2024/168/)

Hamburg captured its first road win since 2023 with an 88-90 overtime victory over Aris. Hamburg improved to 5-12 in Group B and sentenced Aris, which was playing its first game with new head coach Nikos Vetoulas on the bench, to finish in last place after it fell to 3-14. Brae Ivey shined with 25 points on 6-of-10 three-point shooting – both career highs – plus 5 assists and 5 steals and Kur Kuath had personal bests of 19 points and 13 rebounds in addition to 2 blocks for the winners. Sharife Cooper was Aris's leading scorer with 19 points and 6 assists, but he also committed 7 turnovers. 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐍 🏀💥<br>Kur Kuath bringt uns in allerletzter Sekunde in die OT und wir holen ENDLICH den ersten Auswärtssieg dieser <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@eurocup</a>-Saison! 😎<br><br>Brae <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ivey?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ivey</a> 25 𝙋𝙏𝙎 | 5 𝘼𝙎𝙏 | 5 𝙎𝙏𝙇<br>Kur <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kuath?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kuath</a> 19 𝙋𝙏𝙎 | 13 𝙍𝙀𝘽 | 3 𝘼𝙎𝙏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VeoliaTowersHamburg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VeoliaTowersHamburg</a> 📷 Makridis Pavlos <a href="https://t.co/7pdH8j2lnt">pic.twitter.com/7pdH8j2lnt</a></p>&mdash; Veolia Towers Hamburg (@hamburgtowers) <a href="https://twitter.com/hamburgtowers/status/1884699432056152525?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Buducnost VOLI Podgorica 107-75 Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/buducnost-voli-podgorica-joventut-badalona/U2024/163/)

Buducnost made a big step towards clinching a playoff spot in the EuroCup as it improved its Group A record to 9-8 after an emphatic 107-75 home win over shorthanded Joventut Badalona, which was missing several key players. The result means that Buducnost is assured of making the postseason if it beats Wolves Vilnius on the road in its final regular season matchup, while a defeat may not turn out to be costly if other results go the Montenegrin team’s way. Among half a dozen home players who posted double figures, livewire playmaker Yogi Ferrell stood with a team-high 20 points and 5 assists, shooting 6 of 7 from three-point range. Teenager Djordje Jovanovic capped a perfect night with 13 points, having sank all his five shots from the floor. Big man Kenan Kamenjsas chipped in with 12 points and 8 boards, while Rasheed Sulaimon, Fletcher Magee and Nikola Tanaskovic added 10 points each. At the other end Sam Dekker paced Joventut on a game-high 26 points, Yannick Kraag scored 12 and Michael Ruzic netted 11 for the visitors, who had earlier lost any hope of advancing into the business end of the competition.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Plavo bijeli SHOWTIME je u gradu!!!! 🔵⚪️<br><br>Nova stotka, nova elegija, ali i novi hustle.<br><br>Hvala našim navijačima koji su od Morače napravili Bombonjeru!!!!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kkb?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kkb</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/hukmora%C4%8De?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#hukmorače</a> <a href="https://t.co/Tf04O0vzCu">pic.twitter.com/Tf04O0vzCu</a></p>&mdash; KK Budućnost VOLI (@KKBuducnostVOLI) <a href="https://twitter.com/KKBuducnostVOLI/status/1884698175652479472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse 67-94 Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/cosea-jl-bourg-en-bresse-hapoel-bank-yahav-jerusalem/U2024/166/)

Jerusalem got back to winning ways by demolishing Bourg 67-94 at Ekinox on Wednesday evening. The visitors hit the ground running, imposed their game on Bourg and led by double digits for the majority of the contest. Having improved its record to 10-7, Jerusalem has managed to clinch a playoff spot and will push for a top-two finish in the last round. Bourg dropped to 9-8, but they are still in playoff contention. Jared Harper led all scorers with 31 points, with Khadeen Carrington and Justin Smith netting 15 and 14, respectively. Maksim Salash paced Bourg with 16 points and Brandon Jefferson bagged 10 in a losing effort.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="iw" dir="rtl">ואריה אם ישאג, מי לא ירא? 😤<br>בראשון אנחנו בקריית אתא, לכרטיסים &gt; <a href="https://t.co/vLHhVAleXB">https://t.co/vLHhVAleXB</a> <a href="https://t.co/IxkHRHoUng">pic.twitter.com/IxkHRHoUng</a></p>&mdash; Hapoel Jerusalem BC (@JerusalemBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerusalemBasket/status/1884701789246693475?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Dreamland Gran Canaria 90-81 Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/dreamland-gran-canaria-besiktas-fibabanka-istanbul/U2024/165/)

Gran Canaria shrugged off its recent struggles and clinched a top-three spot in Group A – and home-court advantage in the eighthfinals – by beating Besiktas 90-81 at home. The 2023 EuroCup champions moved to 11-6 after having lost four of its last five games. The Gran Canaria offense finally returned after scoring more than 77 points just once in that poor stretch. Caleb Homesley paced the winners with 18 points, with Nico Brussino picking up 15 points, Mike Tobey chipping in 14 points and 7 rebounds, and George Conditt contributing 13 points and 6 rebounds. Besiktas saw its two-game winning streak snapped and now has a 9-8 record, including four straight road losses. Jonah Mathews scored 18 points in the losing effort.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="in" dir="ltr">🏀 Final:<br><br>🐥 Dreamland Gran Canaria 90<br>⚫️ Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul 81<br><br>🔥 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VamosGranca?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VamosGranca</a> <a href="https://t.co/wtwztLbFWK">pic.twitter.com/wtwztLbFWK</a></p>&mdash; Dreamland Gran Canaria (@GranCanariaCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/GranCanariaCB/status/1884721880499622101?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Tuesday, January 28, 2025

### [Bahcesehir College Istanbul 85-81 ratiopharm Ulm](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/bahcesehir-college-istanbul-ratiopharm-ulm/U2024/162/)

Bahcesehir ground out a hard-fought home win over Ulm and improved to 14-3 in Group A, while the German side slipped to 9-8 after a fourth successive loss. Bahcesehir had already secured the top spot in the group, but the result could turn out to be damaging for Ulm, which now needs other results to go its way if it is to clinch a playoff berth. Tai Odiase carried Bahcesehir with a game-high 22 points, shooting 7 of 9 from the floor and 8 of 9 from the line. Jaleen Smith added 15 points for the home team, which blew a 15-point lead in the second half before it forced the final twist. Nelson Weidemann racked up 18 points and 5 boards for Ulm.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">🏠 Home court protected!<br><br>BKT EuroCup normal sezonunda çıktığımız son iç saha maçımızdan galibiyetle ayrılıyoruz!<br><br>BKT EuroCup | A Grubu 17. Maç | Maç Sonucu | Bahçeşehir Koleji 85 - 81 ratiopharm Ulm<br><br>•⁠ ⁠Tai Odiase: 22 sayı, 2 ribaund<br>•⁠ ⁠Jaleen Smith: 15 sayı, 3… <a href="https://t.co/cUf1eFtiwp">pic.twitter.com/cUf1eFtiwp</a></p>&mdash; Bahçeşehir Koleji Spor Kulübü (@BKBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/BKBasketbol/status/1884299882619412606?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana 66-72 Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/cedevita-olimpija-ljubljana-valencia-basket/U2024/167/)

Valencia defeated Cedevita Olimpija at Arena Stozice to improve to 15-2. It can secure home-court advantage throughout the postseason if it wins or Bahcesehir loses in Round 18, while Cedevita dropped to 10-7, but still could confirm a playoff berth this week depending on Wednesday’s results. Josep Puerto led all Valencia scorers with 13 points, followed by Chris Jones and Xavi Lopez-Arostegui, who provided 12 and 10, respectively. Devin Robinson and DJ Stewart posted double-doubles in the losing effort.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">VAMOOOOOOOOOOOS 🧡<br><br>Victoria en Ljubljana para acabar la fase de grupos con el mejor balance de la competición 🔥<br><br>🟢 <a href="https://twitter.com/KKCedOL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KKCedOL</a> 66<br>🟠 <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@valenciabasket</a> 72<br><br>🏆 J17 <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Eurocup</a><br>🤝 Vitaldin Sport <a href="https://t.co/ipznyIVJay">pic.twitter.com/ipznyIVJay</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1884321283044737366?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Dolomiti Energia Trento 70-96 Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/dolomiti-energia-trento-wolves-twinsbet-vilnius/U2024/164/)

Wolves took a big step towards reaching the playoffs by winning at already-eliminated Trento. Wolves opened a 14-point lead in the second quarter and was not threatened the rest of the way in winning back-to-back games for a 9-8 record in Group A. A victory in the final round against Buducnost will put the Lithuanian side in the playoffs. Andrew Andrews paced four Wolves scorers in double figures with 19 points - including 12-of-14 from the free throw line. Trento had won its last two games and fell to 6-11 despite Saliou Niang scoring 11 points.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Total team effort to pull out a very important dub in Trento ✊ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreWolves?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreWolves</a> <a href="https://t.co/93U24fCS86">pic.twitter.com/93U24fCS86</a></p>&mdash; BC WOLVES (@wolves_bc) <a href="https://twitter.com/wolves_bc/status/1884345774471020678?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Seven playoff spots have now been filled: Bahcesehir, Hapoel Tel Aviv and Gran Canaria in Group A, and Valencia, Jerusalem, Cedevita, and Turk Telekom

Game Center: Turk Telekom, Jerusalem, Cedevita make playoffs; five home winners from seven tonight

Aris Midea Thessaloniki v Veolia Towers Hamburg (2025-01-29T18:00:00.000Z)

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica v Joventut Badalona (2025-01-29T18:00:00.000Z)

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv v Trefl Sopot (2025-01-29T17:00:00.000Z)

7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys v U-BT Cluj-Napoca (2025-01-29T17:00:00.000Z)

Turk Telekom Ankara v Umana Reyer Venice (2025-01-29T16:30:00.000Z)

Dolomiti Energia Trento v Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius (2025-01-28T19:00:00.000Z)

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana v Valencia Basket (2025-01-28T17:30:00.000Z)

Bahcesehir College Istanbul v ratiopharm Ulm (2025-01-28T16:00:00.000Z)

CB Gran Canaria shrugged off its recent struggles and clinched a top-three spot in Group A – and home-court advantage in the eighthfinals – by beating Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul 90-81 at home. 

Gran Canaria secures top-three finish with comfortable 90-81 win over Besiktas

Dreamland Gran Canaria shrugged off its recent struggles and clinched a top-three spot in Group A – and home-court advantage in the eighthfinals – by beating Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul 90-81 at home. The 2023 EuroCup champions moved to 11-6 after having lost four of its last five games. The Gran Canaria offense finally returned after scoring more than 77 points just once in that poor stretch. 

Caleb Homesley paced the winners with 18 points, with Nico Brussino picking up 15 points, Mike Tobey chipping in 14 points and 7 rebounds, and George Conditt contributing 13 points and 6 rebounds. Besiktas saw its two-game winning streak snapped and now has a 9-8 record, including four straight road losses. Jonah Mathews scored 18 points in the losing effort.

Game Videos

Brussino scored 5 points as the hosts jumped ahead 12-6. While Gran Canaria made seven of its first eight shots, Besiktas was just as hot, with Dustin Sleva scoring 9 points for a 21-24 lead. Conditt responded with two baskets and put Gran Canaria 26-24 ahead. And the high-scoring first quarter ended with the two teams deadlocked at 29-29. 

Uros Plavsic’s three-point play started the second quarter for the guests, who led 31-34 before going 2 minutes without a score, which allowed Gran Canaria to take a 37-34 lead. Another Sleva triple put Besiktas back on top, 41-42, only to have Andrew Albicy hit a three-pointer and Homesley add five points for a 49-44 cushion. The score was 55-53 at halftime. 

Brussino scored the first four points of the second half and gave the hosts a 59-53 lead, while Besiktas needed nearly 3 minutes to finally score. Besiktas committed 7 turnovers in the first five 5 minutes of the quarter to fall behind 66-56. An Albicy triple gave Gran Canaria the advantage at 69-58. Besiktas temporarily trimmed the gap to seven points, but the Spanish side hit the final seven points of the quarter to lead 76-62 after 30 minutes.

A Conditt free throw increased the Gran Canaria advantage to 15 points at 77-62. Besiktas had one more push, with Plavsic scoring six points to get within 79-70. Six straight free throws increased the margin to 87-72 with 4 minutes left to decide the game. 

The 2023 EuroCup champs used a big third quarter to get an important victory  

Jared Harper of Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem finished the game against Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse with 31 points in a in 67-94 blowout in Round 17 of the BKT EuroCup

Unstoppable Jared Harper wreaked havoc on Bourg's defense

[Jared Harper](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jared-harper/011970/) demolishing an opposing defense is no news anymore. Having scored in double digits in each of his 16 games, the [Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-jerusalem/roster/jer/?season=2024-25) guard is the [BKT EuroCup’s leading scorer](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&seasonCode=U2024&statisticMode=perGame&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&statistic=score) and arguably the finest performer in the competition so far this season.

Harper finished the game against [Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/jl-bourg-en-bresse/roster/bou/?season=2024-25) with 31 points, but this stat may not surprise anyone, as he has already scored 27 or more points in five duels this term. The 27-year-old Jerusalem star shot 4-for-6 from inside the arc and 3-for-4 on triples in the [67-94 blowout](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/jerusalem-trashes-bourg-67-94-to-book-playoff-berth/) of Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse on Wednesday night.

Jared Harper had another big night for Hapoel Jerusalem in Round 17

Jared Harper had another big night in Round 17

For yet another game, he was aggressive on offense, drawing a game-high 7 fouls and making 14 of 15 from the charity stripe to amass almost one-third of Jerusalem’s points at Ekinox. Having pulled off another extraordinary performance for the Israeli side, Harper earned plaudits from his coach, Yonatan Alon, who was full of praise for his player after the game.

“He is a great player,” Alon said in the post-game press conference. “I’m happy he plays for us. It’s not only the skill that you see. It’s also the character, playing \[despite being\] hurt \[or\] tired. Obviously, all the teams put a lot of pressure on him and he’s still performing at the highest level. Signing him was a very good choice.”

Harper may have stolen the spotlight, but [Khadeen Carrington](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/khadeen-carrington/008912/) and [Justin Smith](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/justin-smith/013276/) also chipped in with 15 and 14 points, respectively, meaning that the three Jerusalem players combined for 60 points against Bourg.

Having gone 5-for-18 from the field in Jerusalem’s previous game that ended in a narrow [76-75 loss away at Umana Reyer Venice](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/mfiondu-kabengele-lifts-reyer-past-jerusalem-76-75/), Harper bounced back with a statement outing at Bourg. The Jerusalem guard has led his team to playoff qualification, with a potential win next week against [Turk Telekom Ankara](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/turk-telekom-ankara/roster/ttk/?season=2024-25) being just enough to clinch them a quarterfinal spot. And in Harper, Jerusalem boasts a player who can ensure that too. But that’s not news anymore.

The Jerusalem guard scored almost one-third of his team’s 94 points at Ekinox

Buducnost VOLI made a statement of intent with a comprehensive 107-75 drubbing of Joventut Badalona which put the Montenegrin team on the verge of reaching the EuroCup Playoffs.

Rampant Buducnost fired on all cylinders against Joventut

[Buducnost VOLI Podgorica](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/buducnost-voli-podgorica/bud/) made a statement of intent with a comprehensive [107-75 drubbing of Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/buducnost-blows-away-joventut-107-75-edges-closer-to-playoffs/) which put the Montenegrin team on the verge of reaching the BKT EuroCup Playoffs.

Buducnost visits [Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/wolves-twinsbet-vilnius/wol/) in the final round of the regular season and a win in Lithuania would seal qualification for the knockout stages of the competition.

The hosts sank an impressive 14 of 24 from downtown and limited Joventut to just 8 of 35, as they also won the battle of the boards 37-23. The two teams racked up 10 offensive rebounds each but Buducnost overwhelmed Joventut in their own paint, having also dished out 26 assists to the Spanish side’s 17.

The result means Buducnost has won five of its last six games to claw its way back into the playoff picture and will head to Vilnius buoyed by a fantastic performance, with player of the game [Yogi Ferrell](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/yogi-ferrell/011281/) coming off the bench to pace the hosts on 20 points and 5 assists.

Five other players posted double digits as Buducnost shared the ball superbly on offense, while grinding Joventut to a halt with ironclad third-quarter defense which forced the visiting team to commit a barrage of turnovers.

“It was a great victory and a shout-out to the first unit for their defense,” a delighted Ferrell said in his postgame comments. “It gave us a lot of confidence out there. The last four games have been must-win, so we’ll go there \[to Vilnius\] poised to execute the game plan.” 

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Place Yogi’s picture under the term “volume scorer”! Pure Indiana shooting flavor 👌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kkb?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kkb</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/hukmora%C4%8De?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#hukmorače</a> <a href="https://t.co/1YjBRweF8l">pic.twitter.com/1YjBRweF8l</a></p>&mdash; KK Budućnost VOLI (@KKBuducnostVOLI) <a href="https://twitter.com/KKBuducnostVOLI/status/1884716907053428964?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Coach [Andrej Zakelj](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/buducnost-voli-podgorica/bud/zakelj-andrej/) also had one eye on next week’s tough matchup in Lithuania, with Wolves too vying for a top-six finish which would secure a berth in the business end of the competition.

“Congratulations to my players, they managed under pressure and played aggressive defense in the second half,” he said. “It’s not over yet, though, so we must focus and move on after getting some rest.”

The home team shot the lights out from deep and prevailed at both ends in the paint 

LJ Figueroa comes from behind to deny Lottie at the rim

Figueroa rejects from behind! Magic Moment of the Night

 LJ Figueroa comes from behind to deny Lottie at the rim

Dovis Bickauskis drives from the outside and stops for the floater to win the game.

Game-winner for Bickauskis! Magic Moment

 Dovis Bickauskis drives from the outside and stops for the floater to win the game.

Despite leading 19-15 at the end of the first quarter and finishing with a 91-72 victory, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv struggled through a tough start against last-placed Trefl Sopot

Hapoel fixed early offensive woes to take over against Trefl

Despite leading 19-15 at the end of the first quarter and finishing with [a 91-72 victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/hapoel-tel-aviv-dominates-trefl-91-72/), [Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/roster/hta/?season=2024-25) struggled through a tough start against last-placed [Trefl Sopot](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/trefl-sopot/roster/tso/?season=2024-25). Hapoel simply shot the ball terribly in the first 10 minutes, going 5-of-15 from two-point range (33%) and 0-of-2 from behind the arc, as free-throw shooting and offensive rebounding were the only good news for Coach Dimitris Itoudis’s team.

“I have to congratulate the team for the win, but I gotta be honest. It was not our best game,” he confessed. “We did not play well offensively. That's one of the worst games. We did not move the ball well, we were stuck on a lot of isolations and individual plays, but we were hustling, that’s the good point.”

Everything changed in the second quarter, though, as [Marcus Foster](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marcus-foster/010386/) and [Antonio Blakeney](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/antonio-blakeney/013402/) combined to help Hapoel gear up on offense and play at a higher pace. The result was a 30-point performance with 21 of those coming from the American duo. The percentages rose, as Hapoel made 10 out of 12 two-pointers (83%) and hit twice from downtown on 5 attempts (40%).

As a result, Hapoel escaped to lead 49-32 at halftime and the margin never went below the 10-point mark until the end of the game.

Itoudis praised his players' performance despite the offensive woes and a below-par output at some moments of the game: “\[Even\] not having the best performance, we scored 91 and had the lead almost from the beginning until the end. It says something about this team, so congratulations.”

With this win, Hapoel needs just one more win in the last round against [ratiopharm Ulm](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/ratiopharm-ulm/roster/ulm/?season=2024-25) on the road, or a loss by [Dreamland Gran Canaria](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dreamland-gran-canaria/roster/can/?season=2024-25), to secure second place in Group A and to enter the playoffs with more guarantees, something that seemed not to worry Itoudis so much now.

“I don't look that far, for the quarterfinals or whatever,” he confessed. “We have one more game left, a crucial game for us on the road against a very good team.”

The team from Tel Aviv scored 30 points in the second quarter to take control of the game