Name: Francisco and Birutis light it up! Magic Moment
Channel: Euroleague Basketball

Francisco and Birutis light it up! Magic Moment

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Zalgiris Kaunas (2025-01-23T19:15:00.000Z)

Osmani slams it with fury! Motorola Magic Moment

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2025-01-23T17:30:00.000Z)

Oturu rejects Gillespie! Motorola Magic Moment

 Poirier stops Bolmaro! Motorola Magic Moment

Umana Reyer Venice remained in the fight to qualify for the playoffs from Group B with a narrow 76-75 home win over Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem in Round 16 of the BKT EuroCup on Wednesday night.

A (missed) shot that changed this EuroCup season

[Umana Reyer Venice](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/umana-reyer-venice/roster/vnc/?season=2024-25) remained in the fight to qualify for the playoffs from Group B with [a narrow 76-75 home win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/mfiondu-kabengele-lifts-reyer-past-jerusalem-76-75/) over [Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-jerusalem/roster/jer/?season=2024-25) in Round 16 on Wednesday night.

After Reyer's win and other Round 16 results, there are now five teams with 9-7 records in Group B: [Turk Telekom Ankara](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/turk-telekom-ankara/roster/ttk/?season=2024-25), [U-BT Cluj-Napoca](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/u-bt-cluj-napoca/roster/clu/?season=2024-25), [Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/jl-bourg-en-bresse/roster/bou/?season=2024-25), Reyer and Jerusalem. Reyer faces a critical battle against Turk Telekom next week, as it has the tie-break disadvantage against all of its other direct opponents, being 0-2 against Cluj and 1-1 with negative point differentials against everybody else with a 9-7 record. Reyer claimed [a 75-67 home win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/gritty-reyer-grinds-out-a-lifeline-win-over-turk-telekom-75-67/) in Round 8 against Turk Telekom, so it arguably could be the biggest game of the season for Coach Neven Spahija's team.

Added to its big tie-break advantage over Reyer (1-1, + 27), Jerusalem is in a good situation against Cluj (1-1, +4) but still has to play on the road at Bourg and at home against Turk Telekom. On the flip side, Jerusalem beat these two teams earlier this season. Only one thing is certain in this mathematical nightmare: 11 wins will get you into the playoffs from Group B, meaning the aforementioned quintet all have their destinies in their own hands. 

Reyer vs. Jerusalem: final seconds

The game between Reyer and Jerusalem came down to the final seconds and re-shaped the playoff fight in Group B. Jerusalem called timeout with 22.8 seconds left and Reyer leading 76-75. The visitors put the ball in [Jared Harper](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jared-harper/011970/)'s hands, and this season's EuroCup top scorer attacked the rim, trying to get a game-winning layup. Harper's block was blocked by [Mfiondu Kabengele](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mfiondu-kabengele/012796/) off the glass, right into [Khadeem Carrington](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/khadeen-carrington/008912/)'s hands.

Carrington had a terrific game until that point, slashing to the rim for easy points and making many mid-range shots. After a quick bounce, Carrington had a better look but [Tyler Ennis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tyler-ennis/008858/) had time to contest the shot, which hit the rim almost at the buzzer. If Harper or Carrington had scored, Reyer would have been 8-8 and with most tie-breaks lost, while Jerusalem would have gone up to 10-6 and into the next round.

Game Videos

Jerusalem finished the game with 20 offensive rebounds, reaching that mark for the third time this season. It took 15 more field goal attempts than its opponent and 7 more free throw attempts, too. The visitors made only 24 of 50 two-pointers (48%) and 4 of 24 shots from beyond the arc (16.7%). Reyer's better percentages (63.2% 2FG, 26.3% 3FG) paid off down the stretch.

"Amazing! We made a lot of mistakes in the end, which I'm a little sad about, but we'll look at the film and get better about it," Kabengele said after the game. "Guys stay together, we were resilient and got stops, and that's all that matters. Sometimes in the game, things will come your way. It's all about who you are so I think we showed who we are in the end."

And now, almost anything can happen in the next two weeks, with one notable exception. One of those 9-7 teams will be going home. 

Game News

If Khadeem Carrington had converted a layup for Jerusalem in the dying seconds on Wednesday, the Group B playoff picture would look a lot different

Umana Reyer Venice v Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem (2025-01-22T19:45:00.000Z)

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 22 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub: 'Paris is a unique team'

## Friday, January 24

### [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. FC Barcelona (20:00 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne-fc-barcelona/E2024/205/)

**Joan Penarroya, FC Barcelona head coach**

"The team is feeling well. After a month in which we barely couldn't have a day off, we were able to stop and I think that it was good for the players. But the competition doesn't stop: it looks like it is a week to rest but we have two road games, and we have to focus on the most recent one, which is the one tomorrow against ASVEL. It is a team that already showed at Palau \[Blaugrana\] that they are really talented, with important players able to play one-on-one, with very good athletes. It is a team that if it plays like it should, it can put anybody in trouble. Theo Maledon is a player that months ago, all good teams in Europe asked about him. But they have other players, someone as experienced as Nando De Colo, who gives them a lot of balance, Paris Lee, Roberson... It is talented team and like other French squads, they like to play on the open court, with quick transitions and a lot of players going one-on-one. It is something we have to stop as a team, not individually."

**Youssoupha Fall, FC Barcelona center**

"We prepared well for the game. We are all positive, we're in good shape, and we're ready to go. We turned our bad form around and are now in a good moment. I think my role is to be ready every time, to be available for my team, even if I don't play: to help my team win, no matter watch. I think it will be a tough game. ASVEL played good last time. We have to stay concentrated and be ready for a new battle."

### [ALBA Berlin vs. FC Bayern Munich (20:00 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/alba-berlin-fc-bayern-munich/E2024/204/)

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

"I'm looking less at the big win we had against them here in the EuroLeague (115:88) and more at the last game we lost there (81:88 in the BBL). ALBA is coming, they're healthy again and have new players. They're a good basketball team, you can't let the standings fool you. But this is an answer game for us. Okay, we're playing against ALBA, this duel has become a great tradition. But what's more important to me is that we play good basketball again, more stable. Even if we have a bad offensive game, like against Virtus, we should be able to win. We can't win every time and score 90 points. We also have to toil sometimes and still be successful."

**Nick Weiler-Babb, FC Bayern Munich guard**

"We played great, nothing went wrong in the first half. But then the game slowly slipped away from us \[in the German League game against ALBA two weeks ago\]. We need to take this seriously and not mess it up. If we are ahead, we have to hold on to that lead, and if we are behind, we need to fight. Despite their many problems, they always had good moments during the season and even won unexpectedly at times. It's always tricky against them because they always play better against us. We cannot take this game lightly. This is different from a \[German League\] game, it's a very important game. Because we want to remain in a position to make the play-in or playoffs in the EuroLeague."

### [Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (20:15 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/olympiacos-piraeus-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2024/206/)

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus head coach**

"We will not approach the game thinking that it is a game for the first place. That’s against our philosophy. It’s just the upcoming game for us, nothing more. Of course, we want the first place and the home-court advantage; there is no doubt about it. But, it’s too soon to talk about it. As we all know, every game in the EuroLeague matters, and the game against Fenerbahçe is not the one that will decide first place. We are coming from a winning streak in the EuroLeague. Generally, we played well the last two months, but this game is going to be different and tough. They defend well on the ball; they have a set game on defense and offense because of their coach philosophy. For us, it is important to control the pace, run a lot, and move the ball well. Since our game in the first \[part of the regular season\], many things have changed on both teams. There are many differences on the rosters as well. Both teams have improved their game, and the proof for that is where they are in the standings."

**Moustapha Fall, Olympiacos Piraeus center**

"We expect a tough game, as every game in the Euroleague. They will play tough, but we will do the same because we want to keep the first position in the standings. All we have to do in order to get one more win is to stay focused and follow our game plan."

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

"We are playing against a team that is the best in Europe and the team that always finds a way to win in a very difficult arena. We must worry first of all about their team concepts, and a team game specially, the ball movement, and then have to deal with some great players who are in very good shape like Vezenkov and Fournier."

**Errick McCollum, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul guard**

"We are preparing for Olympiacos. We know that they are a strong team. They have been in first place. Majority of the year they’ve had a lot of success, a lot of continuity, a lot of the same guys, same coach so our hands will be full. So, we have to prepare for them, the coach will put the game plan in and we have to follow. We must play strong, tough and smart especially on an away game atmosphere like Olympiacos."

## Thursday, January 23

### [Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (18:30 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/anadolu-efes-istanbul-ea7-emporio-armani-milan/E2024/199/)

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

"It's another opportunity in the EuroLeague schedule to show our desire to win a game and we can change the inertia of our actual moment. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan is a playoff team which will come to Istanbul with a strong motivation. I know them as a very proud team and they know how important this game is for both teams. So from our side, I really hope that we use experience from the last games and we approach this game with proper focus, determination and play basketball that can make us compete. Because this is a league where every single possession matters. And we really want to show a different attitude and a different level of performance."

**Ercan Osmani, Anadolu Efes Istanbul forward**

"Unfortunately, we haven't been able to get the results we wanted recently. We want to start a new winning streak and climb up in the standings. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan is a team that has been on the rise recently. We need to show our team play, concentrate very well in 40 minutes and never give up the fight."

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

"\[Thursday\] morning we'll make a decision about \[Leandro\] Bolmaro and \[Zach\] LeDay, who came out hurt from the last \[Italian League\] game. However, we intend to play with cohesion and keep improving at every possible turn. Efes has the talent level of a Final Four team, so we know how hard this game is going to be."

### [Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (20:05 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/E2024/203/)

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

"For us it is our defensive intensity, to keep our focus and finish the job controlling the board. That is something when you play Crvena Zvezda. Also, to attack the right way. They really put a lot of pressure, we need to reduce turnovers. These are the two main keys."

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

"We understand what’s ahead of us, we have a difficult schedule, but there are no excuses. I really feel that it just takes one win to get the ball rolling, get some momentum, gain some confidence we show in spurts. We got to continue to get better."

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

"If we think that the opponent is easy just because the opponent has only five wins - we will be very naive. Maccabi is a very good team and I believe that their position in the table is not realistic. It is very important for us to play good defense.  They are great on offense, they have a quality flow of the ball. They know how to play together, defenders and tall players. They have a great cooperation with each other and we have to stop that cooperation with good defense."

**Luka Mitrovic, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade forward**

"It is rarely easy in the EuroLeague. We don't expect anything else against Maccabi either. Maybe the position says otherwise, but we enter the match very cautiously. We are ready, above all mentally, to play a good game and, God willing, achieve an important victory. At the end of the day, it all depends on us and our release. It proved that even 20,000 fans in the Arena are not enough if we are not good enough. On the other hand, we proved that when we are at a high level, there is no away field where we cannot win."

### [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Zalgiris Kaunas (20:15 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-zalgiris-kaunas/E2024/200/)

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

"Now we'll forget about the Greek League derby \[which we won\] against Olympiacos. In the EuroLeague, we lost two games last week in Spain, so now we will have more games on our home court. The first is against Zalgiris, a very important game because we lost in Kaunas with a huge points difference. They have very experienced players, especially perimeter players: \[Sylvain\] Francisco, \[Lonnie\] Walker, \[Ignas\] Brazdeikis, \[Dovydas\] Giedraitis. On their bigs, Smailagic played a great game against Fenerbahce in Istanbul. Okay, we are missing some important players, but we have a very good roster and we can manage the game with this roster, maybe with some short rotations at the '5' and the '4'. It will be important to play aggressive defense, like we played two days ago in the derby game."

**Kendrick Nunn, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens guard**

"When we play with good energy, it raises our chances of winning. We had a good day of practice, had a good week. The guys will be ready \[against Zalgiris\]. Everybody needs to step up and bring a little more than they have \[given the injury situation\], including me. We're in the back end of the season now and it's important to give ourselves the best seed possible for the playoffs. We will do that, we know that, we're conscious of that, and I'm still confident of that and our chances to win."

**Andrea Trinchieri, Zalgiris Kaunas head coach**

"What to say when you go to play in OAKA against the reigning champion of the EuroLeague? That they are good, we all know. That they are super good, we all know that. They have a lot of talent and they are playing for the repeat, and we should prepare very well physically and mentally. We need to be very aware that we have to play our best game in order to compete. I prevent you from asking me how to stop this player, how to stop that player, because they really have tons of talent: \[Kendrick\] Nunn, \[Kostas\] Sloukas, Lorenzo Brown, Cedi Osman, \[Jerian\] Grant is playing an amazing season. They are a team that I believe will go small ball, and that's something we have to expect. But I don't believe you can have a recipe to stop players with such amounts of talent, so you need to play a really compete game offensively, defensively, and really try to put all the energy you have on both ends of the court."

### [Virtus Segafredo Bologna vs. AS Monaco (20:30 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/virtus-segafredo-bologna-as-monaco/E2024/201/)

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

"We are facing Monaco, a team that I believe has been built to play at the Final Four. They can count on excellent players and a lot of solutions both in 1vs1 against one with Mike James, \[Elie\] Okobo and \[Jordan\] Loyd, and around the basket with \[Donatas\] Motiejunas, they are a really complete team."

**Marco Belinelli, Virtus Segafredo Bologna guard**

"For sure, we have another tough game ahead of us from a physical and mental standpoint. We face a team that comes from three consecutive losses and will want to approach this game from the start aggressively, both on offense and defense, trying to steal balls and find easy baskets. They have great individuality and on our part we will have to take the court in the right way, as we are doing in this last period. It will be necessary to find solutions on offense by playing as a team, without conceding balls in the opponent’s half of the court."

**Vassilis Spanoulis, AS Monaco head coach**

"It's a very, very important game for us. In previous seasons, you had to win around 21 games to get into the playoffs, this year it may be 19 given how close it is, but all these games are ones we have to go out and win. We've got our destiny in our hands, and we've got to be perfectly ready to face this Virtus team in front of their home crowd."

**Mam Jaiteh, AS Monaco center**

"We certainly have to react. It's part of a EuroLeague season to have moments that are very high and others that are a little lower. We have to make sure that this period is as short as possible. To do that, we need to get back to our standards. Get back to what's worked so far, and if we fight for that, we've got a good chance of winning again. Bologna? They're a team I know most of the players in. They've had a difficult start to the season, but you can tell that under the new coach, they're playing better and fighting harder. Their ranking is not representative of what they're doing at the moment. It's going to be very difficult, but we're going to do everything we can to come away with the success we're hoping for."

### [Real Madrid vs. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (20:45 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/real-madrid-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/E2024/202/)

**Chus Mateo, Real Madrid head coach**

"Baskonia is in very good rhythm and is clearly on the rise. That is why I hope that we pay all our attention and do not think that just because we won in Vitoria on January 6, we are going to win \[this\] game without putting in all our effort. Baskonia has players who are clearly improving: Moneke, Luwawu-Cabarrot, Samanic. The two point guards are playing together on many occasions at a good level and, of course, there is Howard, apart from the rest. I am not going to discover anything by saying that Baskonia is capable of scoring a lot and that has many weapons, especially offensive, which makes it dangerous. I think it can beat anyone and that requires all of our attention."

**Usman Garuba, Real Madrid center**

"Every game is important. We have to continue fighting for our objective, which is to continue moving forward in a competition like the Euroleague in which everything is very even. We have played against Baskonia several times this season, we know them well and we know what they are capable of, so we have to be ready and prepared to face a tough and difficult match. Now we are running well and doing damage on the fast break. We have to continue down that path and play with great intensity. We are happy to play at home and we will try to become stronger at the Movistar Arena."

## Wednesday, January 22

### [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade-paris-basketball/E2024/207/)

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

"Paris is one of the teams we lost to in a close finish, even though we had many positive moments in that game. Paris is a unique team that frequently rotates players, and it’s unusual to see players getting up from the bench on their own, knowing substitutions are coming. They play at a very high tempo, take an enormous number of three-point shots, and shoot with impressive accuracy while always crashing the offensive glass. After conceding a basket, they immediately transition into pick-and-roll action. If the first pick doesn’t work, they keep repeating it. We’ve prepared for that, and I expect us to deliver an even better performance than we did in Paris and to continue playing defense the way we did in our last game."

**Arijan Lakic, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade guard**

"After two away games in a double round, we’re now looking forward to playing at home, and I believe we’re ready. Paris plays at a fast pace, and we know we need to slow them down. Even when they concede points, they quickly inbound the ball and transition into offense. We have to be prepared for that and stay focused on every possession."

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 23 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub: 'Every game in the EuroLeague matters'

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Paris Basketball (2025-01-22T19:30:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2025-01-24T19:15:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v FC Barcelona (2025-01-24T19:00:00.000Z)

ALBA Berlin v FC Bayern Munich (2025-01-24T19:00:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2025-01-23T19:45:00.000Z)

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v AS Monaco (2025-01-23T19:30:00.000Z)

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2025-01-23T19:05:00.000Z)

A dominant individual performance in a winning effort allowed DJ Seeley of U-BT Cluj-Napoca to earn Round 16 MVP honors with a PIR of 33, the highest of any player in this round and a new personal-best mark.

Round 16 MVP: DJ Seeley, U-BT Cluj-Napoca

A dominant individual performance in a winning effort allowed [DJ Seeley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/dennis-seeley/004862/) of [U-BT Cluj-Napoca](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/u-bt-cluj-napoca/clu/) to earn Round 16 MVP honors with a PIR of 33, the highest of any player in this round and a new personal-best mark.

Seeley led Cluj to a crucial 94-81 home victory over Turk Telekom Ankara. He finished the game with a career-high 31 points on 3-of-5 two-pointers, 8-of-9 three-pointers and 1-of-1 free throws, while he also had 1 assist, 1 steal and 5 fouls drawn for a PIR of 33. This is the second time that Seeley has secured MVP of the Round honors, having previously done so with Dreanland Gran Canaria in Game 2 of the 2016 semifinals. He is the fourth Cluj player to earn his honor, after Karel Guzman, Emanuel Cate and Zavier Simpson.

[Marek Blazevic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marek-blazevic/008186/) of Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius had a PIR of 32 in his team's 88-76 home win over Gran Canaria. Blazevic had 27 points on 7-of-12 two-pointers and 13-of-13 free throws, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and 8 fouls drawn. 

His teammate [Andrew Andrews](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/andrew-andrews/011248/) amassed a PIR of 31 in that same game. He had 25 points on 3-of-3 two-pointers, 3-of-8 three-pointers and 10 of 10 free throws, adding 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 6 fouls drawn. It is the first time in EuroCup history that two teammates have made 10 free throws apiece in a game without a single miss. 

[Djordje Gagic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/dorde-gagic/004229/) of 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys had a PIR of 30 and Cluj’s [Zavier Simpson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/zavier-simpson/013302/) amassed a PIR of 29 to complete the top individual performances in Round 16. Gagic posted 27 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block, while Simpson amassed 21 points, 3 rebounds, 10 assists and 2 steals.

### Individual highs: Darious Moten, Trefl, 5 blocks

DJ Seeley of Cluj led all scorers in Round 16 with 31 points. [Jared Harper](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jared-harper/011970/) of Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem is the competition's top scorer with 22.3 points per game.

[Kur Kuath](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/kur-kuath/013313/) of Veolia Towers Hamburg pulled down 11 rebounds, more than anyone in Round 16. [Mfiondu Kabengele](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mfiondu-kabengele/012796/) ranks first overall with 9.3 boards per night.

Zavier Simpson of Cluj and [Anthony Cowan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/anthony-cowan-jr/012003/) of Wolves were the only players to reach double digits in assists with 10 apiece. Simpson is also the overall leader with 7.2 assists per game. 

[Berk Ugurlu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/berk-ugurlu/003783/) of Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul collected 4 steals in this round. [Andrew Albicy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/andrew-albicy/003425/) of Dreamland Gran Canaria ranks first overall with 2.1 per night.

[Darious Moten](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/darious-moten/013516/) of Trefl Sopot had 5 blocks in Round 16. [Kyle Alexander](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/kyle-alexander/011973/) of Turk Telekom leads the 2024-25 EuroCup in blocks with 2.3 per game.

Simpson (21 points, 10 assists) and Kuath (14 points, 11 rebounds) were the only players to register a double-double in this round.

This is the second time he has earned MVP of the Round honors in his career

Be sure to take a look at the best ten plays of the 2024 25 BKT EuroCup Regular Season Round 16!

Top 10 Plays | Round 16 | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup

 Be sure to take a look at the best ten plays of the 2024 25 BKT EuroCup Regular Season Round 16!

NextGen Munich MVP Vilkas inspired by former Barcelona youth star Jakucionis

Lithuania has no shortage of great players and one of the next ones on the radar could be Arminas Vilkas, who took home the Most Valuable Player honor after helping the U18 Next Gen Team Munich take the title at the Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Munich. And the center draws a bit of inspiration from a player who left a major mark on the competition in the last two years - Kasparas Jakucionis.

Vilkas averaged 9.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.8 blocks and a 19.2 PIR as NGM defeated U18 Valencia Basket 88-100 to take first place in the second qualifying tournament of the season. He ranked third in PIR, fourth in rebounds, second in blocks and second in offensive rebounds with 3.5.

“It really means a lot. It was unexpected for me. We had a lot of really great players on this team. So it really means a lot. And I appreciate it very much,” said Vilkas, who collected 16 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steal and 5 blocks for an index rating of 36 in the first place game.

“I had 12 players in my head and trying to give them fair minutes so they could get the best exposure out of this tournament. Arminas really stood out. He really deserved the minutes he got. I had to keep him in the game. This guy was incredible all tournament long - offensively and defensively. He helped us so much,” NGM head coach Dogus Balbay said about Vilkas.

This was the second time Vilkas was playing in the competition after he was an invited player for U18 Zalgiris Kaunas at the NextGen Dubai tournament last season.

“The city of Dubai was great, and the whole experience was great. Zalgiris is a great system. We played great, too. We lost in the final, sadly. But it was a great experience,” said Vilkas, who averaged 4.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in Dubai, where the team lost to U18 ratiopharm Ulm in the first place game.

Vilkas is a Kaunas native and started playing the game in second grade and grew up playing for Tornado Kaunas. He is still playing for the team - though only at the U18 level. This season he is also playing for Vilkaviskio in the Lithuanian second division.

Vilkas last season played with Zalgiris as an invited player, but this time he was chosen by Adidas for the Next Gen team for the Munich tournament.

“It means that people see me and they think I can play. I really appreciate that. And I am really happy to be here,” he said.

Vilkas was seen on the international stage twice last summer playing for his country. He averaged 1.8 points and 2.6 rebounds in helping Lithuania finish fifth at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2024 as part of his own 2007-born generation. But he also played a year up and picked up 1.7 points and 1.0 rebounds as part of the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2024 for the 2006-born generation.

“It was a really good experience. The (U18) team plays different basketball than Under-17. So I had to adapt because I came right after the World Cup ended. So I had to adapt quickly,” said Vilkas, whose final game of the U17 World Cup was July 7 and the opener of the U18 EuroBasket was on July 27.

Vilkas said it was exciting to play along great players on the U18 team like Jakucionis and Nojus Indrusaitis, both of whom have moved to college in the United States. That 2006-born Lithuanian generation won the title at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2022 and then finished sixth at the U18 continental tournament.

It was especially meaningful to interact with Jakucionis, who starred two seasons in the NextGen competition for U18 Barcelona. The guard won the MVP of the NextGen Zadar in 2022-23 and then repeated the honor at the NextGen Belgrade event in 2023-24. Jakucionis also made his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut in 2023-24 and played two games in the Spanish League.

“He was a really great guy. He's friendly. He talks. You would think like a star would be up here (signals above him), like, he wouldn't talk to you because you're too low for him. But he's a friendly guy. He’s like a friend. You can talk to him like a friend. And you don't see that he's a star, that everybody knows him,” Vilkas said of Jakucionis, who dominating for Illinois in college with 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.0 steals.

“It really inspires me to be a good guy and to reach for my dreams.”

And the performance adds Vilkas to a list of Lithuanian talents to watch for the future.

Vilkas played with two-time NextGen qualifier MVP at FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2024

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 Branislav Popadic, our 16th winner in the 2024-25 [EuroCup Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/)! Branislav's team, 'Loza2Land', posted a score of 216.25.

Branislav had the following starting lineup: Zavier Simpson of U-BT Cluj-Napoca as team captain, and his teammate DJ Seeley, then Turk Telekom Ankara's Anthony Brown, Noa Essengue of ratiopharm Ulm and Kur Kuath of Veolia Towers Hamburg. Jared Harper of Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem was the sixth man.

The head coach of Branislav's team was Dusan Alimpijevic of Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul, while the four bench players were Derek Needham of Besiktas, Berkan Durmaz of Turk Telekom, Mfiondu Kabengele of Umana Reyer Venice and Sergio De Larrea of Valencia Basket.  

The prize for finishing first in Round 16 is a free subscription to Euroleague TV for the 2025-26 season, so congratulations, Branislav!

The leader in the overall standings remains Milos Mihajlovic and his squad, 'BallIsLife', which has a total of 2,792.25 points after the first 16 rounds. Trades are now open for Round 16. 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!

KK Partizan has gone 10-3 since beating KK Crvena zvezda in the last Belgrade derby... and the two teams go head to head again next week.

Partizan warmed up for Belgrade derby by racking up another win

Ten rounds into the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, fans of [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/) must have been in disbelief. Their team not only had a 2-8 record but was 1-4 at home, and up next was the derby against archrival Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade.

Even though there were many doubts surrounding [Zeljko Obradovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/obradovic-zeljko/)’s players, basically all of whom had only joined the club this past summer, they stood up to be counted in the derby and secured a 77-89 win – a victory as the road team, but on their home court at Belgrade Arena.

Since that derby win, Partizan has won six of its last seven home games, including [Wednesday night’s 92-86 triumph over Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/isaac-bonga-stars-as-partizan-outguns-paris-92-86/), and gone 10-3 overall. Were it not for two MVP-level performances by Theo Maledon and Joffrey Lauvergne for LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in Round 16, Partizan could quite easily be riding a seven-game winning streak at home.

Partizan has won its last three contests at Belgrade Arena and is on a three-game winning streak overall following a perfect double round last week that saw the Serbian side beat ASVEL and EA7 Emporio Armani Milan on the road by a combined 51 points. Yes, 51 points.

The margin of victory against Paris was *just* six points, but it was equally as important as the side from the French capital had defeated Partizan by three points (74-71) back in Round 8. As such, Coach Obradovic’s troops hold the tiebreaker advantage, something that could be crucial in 11 rounds’ time.

“It was a tough start, we knew they were going to play really fast," forward Isaac Bonga told EuroLeague TV after the Paris win. "We just adapted to it. Coach basically told us: ‘Every game we have in the future, we should treat it like a final.’ We treated today like a final and we came out with the win in the end.”

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade forward Isaac Bonga spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat Paris Basketball in Round 23 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Isaac Bonga: 'We treated today like a final'

Partizan remains outside the postseason spots despite its Round 23 win, sitting in 11th place with a 12-11 record, but the standings are so tight that it wouldn’t take much to surge upwards. Either way, the mood is good inside the camp.

“We went out there and did what we wanted to do, which was get a win,” star guard [Carlik Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carlik-jones/013369/) said on EuroLeague TV on Wednesday night. “\[Paris is\] a good team, a fast-paced team, a hard-fought team, but we’re a tough team, too. We play fast, we defend. The fans were great tonight. Man, it was an incredible win for us.”

Importantly, several of the team’s players are now fully on the same page, with Carlik Jones and [Sterling Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sterling-brown/012720/) offering a thrilling 1-2 punch, and [Tyrique Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tyrique-jones/011981/) bringing a level of energy not seen since [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/) donned Partizan’s colors.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">AAAAAA🖤🤍🖤🤍<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKPartizan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKPartizan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/oMjEI9lcUF">pic.twitter.com/oMjEI9lcUF</a></p>&mdash; KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC/status/1882178908105416920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Which game is up next for Partizan, I hear you ask? A contest against the opponent that helped kickstart Partizan’s season back in Round 11 – Crvena Zvezda.

Curiously, Ioannis Sfairopoulos’s men have posted an 8-3 record since tasting defeat to Partizan in the previous Belgrade derby, so both teams come into this game feeling very good about themselves. Everything is pointing towards a very memorable occasion, and one that could have a big impact on the postseason picture.

The black-and-white half of Belgrade celebrated an important victory over Paris in Round 23

Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse survived a late Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana onslaught for a vital 87-82 win behind a career-high 22 points and 7 boards from Maxime Salash in a thrilling BKT EuroCup clash.
The backcourt pairing of Hugo Benitez and Xavier Castaneda were also instrumental 

Bourg leaned on Maxime Salash and backcourt duo to subdue Cedevita

[Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/jl-bourg-en-bresse/roster/bou/?season=2024-25) survived a late [Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/cedevita-olimpija-ljubljana/roster/lju/?season=2024-25) onslaught for [a vital 87-82 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/bourg-holds-on-for-big-win-over-cedevita-87-82/) behind a career-high 22 points and 7 boards from [Maxime Salash](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/maksim-salash/004525/) in a thrilling BKT EuroCup clash.

The backcourt pairing of [Hugo Benitez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/hugo-benitez/010449/) and [Xavier Castaneda](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/xavier-castaneda/013266/) were also instrumental in the success, as the guards scored 14 points apiece to complement Salash’s efforts.

The outcome kept Bourg in the playoff picture with two regular season rounds remaining, as the French team improved to 9-7 and stayed in contention for the runner-up spot which guarantees an automatic quarterfinal berth.

Cedevita, on the other hand, dropped to 10-6 and must now win both its remaining games to make sure of finishing second in Group B, behind runaway leader Valencia Basket which is assured of clinching the group.

Salash, who averages 10.8 points per game, shined throughout as he shot 8 of 11 from the floor and 4 of 5 from the foul line in 20 minutes on the court, providing the edge Bourg needed against a physical and athletic Cedevita outfit.

The 28-year-old from Belarus was unstoppable on offense while he also constituted a wall at the other end, managing a pair of steals too as Bourg ultimately prevailed on the back of ironclad defense in the second and third quarters.

Third-quarter offense was also vital, with the home team winning that period 30-17 and eventually holding on after Cedevita had launched a spirited late fightback which fell short.

“It was a tough game but we stayed solid throughout as we corrected some first-half mistakes and played better in the second,” a delighted Salash said in his postgame comments.

“The whole team performed today and it was more about defense than offense, but I am glad I scored some points. We have two very important games left in the fight for the playoff spots,” he added.

Coach Frederic Fauthoux was also pleased with the result ahead of the clutch games against Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem at home and Valencia away.

“We played great defense, especially on their in-form player [Brynton Lemar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/brynton-lemar/013261/), as we did a good job on him,” he said. “We struggled in the last 3 minutes of the game but we controlled the rebounds and it’s a great victory.”

Lemar was limited to 8 points as he shot 0 of 5 from downtown, with Cedevita making just 6 of 17 from deep against Bourg’s aggressive defense on the perimeter.

The Slovenian team is at home to Valencia in a Round 17 blockbuster before closing out its regular season campaign at Veolia Towers Hamburg.

The versatile forward posted a career-high 22 points to propel the French team to victory 

Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse v Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (2025-01-22T18:30:00.000Z)

ratiopharm Ulm-Buducnost VOLI Podgorica | Round 16 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup   

ratiopharm Ulm v Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (2025-01-22T18:00:00.000Z)

KK Partizan forward Isaac Bonga spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat Paris Basketball in Round 23 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

Umana Reyer Venice-Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem | Round 16 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup   

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade-Paris Basketball | RS Round 23 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Valencia routed Aris Midea Thessaloniki 106-65 to improve to 14-2 in Group B with all 12 players scoring at least 2 points and grabbing at least 1 rebound

Valencia reached 100-point mark for 10th time 

The [Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/valencia-basket/roster/pam/?season=2024-25) train just keeps rolling along as it reached the 100-point mark for the 10th time this season - with the Spanish side not offering up any special reaction to another blowout win.

[Valencia routed Aris Midea Thessaloniki 106-65](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/valencia-routs-aris-106-65-grabs-lead-for-no-1-overall-seed/) to improve to 14-2 in Group B with all 12 players scoring at least 2 points and grabbing at least 1 rebound.

“We are happy because we played a solid, regular game - not a big difference in our offense or defense in 40 minutes,” Valencia head coach Pedro Martinez said calmly after the game.

"That’s what we have to keep up - our identity, the intensity. We just have to stay focused and be humble every night,” said [Jean Montero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jean-montero/010042/), who tallied 16 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists for the four-time EuroCup champion.

Valencia’s finely-tuned offensive machine utterly dominated Aris, shooting 65.5% on two-pointers and 50.0% (15 of 30) on three-pointers and dishing out 26 assists. Valencia already came into the game ranked first in the EuroCup in [performance index rating](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/stats/key-stats-teams/?size=1000&misc=&seasonCode=U2024&category=Valuation&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&aggregate=perGame), scoring, offensive rebounds, assists and three-point percentage and third in two-point shooting.

While Valencia scored 100 or more points for the 10th time in 2024-25, the other 19 EuroCup teams have combined to achieve that feat 26 times. [ratiopharm Ulm](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/ratiopharm-ulm/roster/ulm/?season=2024-25) is the only other team with four 100-point scoring games while four teams have hit the century mark three times and six have not done it a single time in 2024-25.

Valencia’s victory combined with [Bahcesehir College Istanbul’s 84-77 loss at Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/hapoel-knocks-off-bahcesehir-84-77/) in Group A means the Spanish side takes the lead for the number one seed throughout the playoffs with a 14-2 record in Group B while Bahcesehir is 13-3.

Martinez however would have none of the talk about the top record, saying: “We don’t have to be worried about what other teams do. We just have to worry about what we can do. All we can do is try to win the next game. If we can win it doesn’t matter what the other teams do.”

The 19 other teams have combined for 26 games with 100+ points

Valencia Basket v Aris Midea Thessaloniki (2025-01-22T19:30:00.000Z)

Rasheed Sulaimon, McKinley Wright carried Buducnost on their shoulders at Ulm

Heading into the game against fellow BKT EuroCup playoff contender [ratiopharm Ulm](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/ratiopharm-ulm/roster/ulm/?season=2024-25), [Buducnost VOLI Podgorica](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/buducnost-voli-podgorica/roster/bud/?season=2024-25)'s players and coaching staff had flagged Wednesday’s clash at ratiopharm Arena as a must-win duel. Having beaten Ulm [105-100 in overtime back in Round 7](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/buducnost-wins-overtime-thriller-over-ulm-on-ferrells-three-pointer/), any victory would be enough for Buducnost to claim the head-to-head tiebreak advantage.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game, important for us and for the home team,” Buducnost head coach Andrej Zakelj said in the post-game press conference.

And when the going gets tough, the tough get going.

[Rasheed Sulaimon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/rasheed-sulaimon/011150/) and [McKinley Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mckinley-wright-iv/012606/) came to the fore when their team needed them most and inspired Buducnost to [an 82-85 road victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/buducnost-wins-thriller-at-ulm-82-85/) by posting season-highs in scoring. The two men netted 29 of Buducnost’s 51 points before the break and finished the game with a combined 45 points – more than half of their team’s output.

Sulaimon recorded a season-high 27 points, just 3 points shy from his career-high tally. He went 4-for-6 from inside the arc, 4-for-10 from deep and 7-for-8 from the free throw line. More importantly, he completed a crucial three-point play to put Buducnost back in front, 82-84, with 28 seconds to go. The visitors were leading for the majority of the game, but a second-half comeback saw Ulm secure an 82-79 cushion with 1 minute left on the clock.

Enter Wright, who made 2 of 2 from the charity stripe before setting up Sulaimon in transition for the aforementioned three-point play. Wright ended the game with 18 points, matching his season-high tally that was achieved in Buducnost’s home win over Ulm earlier in the season. The 26-year-old guard pulled off a complete display by posting 5 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals for a season-high PIR of 24.

This win saw Buducnost improve its record to 8-8 to remain in the playoff conversation. Zakelj’s side has now won four of its last five games and will look to build on their momentum with a potential victory over Joventut Badalona next week. To do so, Buducnost will lean again on Sulaimon and Wright following their outstanding performance at Ulm.

The two guards scored more than half of their team’s points in the 82-85 road win