Name: Joventut Badalona-Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv | Round 1 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
Channel: Euroleague Basketball

Dreamland Gran Canaria started the EuroCup season with an 84-81 victory over Dolomiti Energia Trento at the Gran Canaria Arena on Tuesday night. The visitors got off to a solid start and took a 45-49 lead into the second half, but the hosts tightened up their defense after the break and clinched the win.

Mike Tobey led his team with 20 points and 8 rebounds and Carlos Alocen netted 11 points. Trento guard Jordan Ford led all scorers with 32 points, finishing the game shooting 11-for-11 from inside the arc and 3-for-4 on three-pointers. Jordan Bayehe paired his 11 points with 4 rebounds.

Game Videos

Tobey scored all of Gran Canaria’s first four buckets, but Quinn Ellis, Saliou Niang and Selom Mawugbe opened their accounts from inside, with Anthony Lamb hitting 2 of 2 from the line to make it 8-8. A triple from Nicolas Brussino and 4 points from John Shurna gave the hosts a 15-10 cushion midway through the first quarter. Then, Caleb Homesley scored his first points in the EuroCup for Gran Canaria before setting up Alocen on the break for a 21-15 lead. Trento bounced back, with Saliou Niang completing a three-point play and Andrea Pecchia netting a bucket that trimmed the deficit to 23-22 heading into the second quarter.

An Alocen triple and baskets from Homesley and Pierre Pelos allowed Gran Canaria to grab a 32-27 lead, but a couple of Ford buckets from inside brought Trento within 32-31. The guests took the lead, 34-36, courtesy of two more Ford baskets and a three-pointer from Myles Cale. Andrew Albicy responded with a triple, but Ford took his tally to 16 points by drilling a layup and completing a three-point play to put Trento back ahead 37-41. The game turned into an up-tempo affair in the last 2 minutes of the first half, with Shurna and Toto Forray exchanging triples before Tobey completed a three-point play of his own, as Trento secured a 45-49 cushion at the break.

Game News

Gran Canaria hit the ground running in the second half and went on a 5-0 run, thanks to buckets from Joe Thomasson and Brussino, to get back in front, 50-49. A Mawugbe two-pointer was the only basket Trento scored in the first 5 minutes of the third quarter, but Gran Canaria was trailing 50-51, as it didn’t manage to make the most of the visitors’ scoring drought. A Ford triple was followed by baskets from Homesley, George Conditt and Alocen, with the hosts regaining the lead, 60-56, heading into the closing quarter.

Ford opened the fourth quarter with a layup before Bayehe and Pelos exchanged triples, 63-61. Alocen responded to a Ford midrange jumper with a layup, but a Bayehe slam and a Cale bucket gave Trento a 65-69 cushion. But the hosts reacted, with Tobey completing a three-point play and Shurna making 2 of 2 from the charity stripe to restore a 70-69 lead. Then, Shurna nailed a buzzer-beating triple from the corner and Thomasson drilled one of his own to give Gran Canaria a 78-71 cushion with 2 minutes to go. Trento responded, with Lamb netting one from beyond the arc and Ford scoring two tough baskets from inside to cut the difference to 80-78 with 50 seconds remaining. Yet, Tobey netted his eighth bucket of the night before Thomasson hit 2 free throws to put the game to bed.

Jordan Ford scored 32 points in his EuroCup debut in a losing effort

Gran Canaria edges Trento, 84-81, behind mighty Mike Tobey

Dreamland Gran Canaria v Dolomiti Energia Trento (2024-09-24T19:00:00.000Z)

Joventut Badalona-Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv | Round 1 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup  

Joventut Badalona v Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (2024-09-24T18:30:00.000Z)

 Jaizec Lottie feeds Zsombor Maronka, who posterizes Bourg’s Jean-Marc Pansa.

Magic Moment of the Night: Maronka posterizes Pansa!  

Jaizec Lottie feeds Zsombor Maronka, who posterizes Bourg’s Jean-Marc Pansa.

Magic Moment of the Night: Maronka posterizes Pansa!

Veolia Towers Hamburg v Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse (2024-09-24T17:30:00.000Z)

Joventut Badalona erased a 10-point second-quarter deficit before outlasting Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv 78-75 in the team’s season-opener at Palau Olimpic de Badalona on Tuesday night. 

The hosts' big men all stood out as center Ante Tomic posted 17 points on near-perfect shooting and 12 rebounds for a personal-best PIR of 32. Kaiser Gates scored 16 points on 4-of-7 three-point shooting in his EuroCup debut and Artem Pustovyi contributed 11 points and 5 boards off the bench. Devin Dotson orchestrated the attack with 11 points and 6 assists.

For Hapoel, Patrick Beverley delivered 14 points, 6 assists and 3 steals, Bruno Caboclo tallied 14 points and 4 steals and Johnathan Motley tallied 11 points and 6 rebounds before leaving the game late with an injury.

Hapoel pounded the ball inside early to maximize its size advantage, but Joventut took advantage of 3 Hapoel turnovers to move in front 11-4 on a three-pointer by Gates. Pustovyi's slam and bonus free throw extended the margin to 16-5. Motley revived Hapoel with 5 straight points, Beverley and Guy Palatin got involved with steals and assists and Caboclo scored 7 in a 0-16 charge that made it 16-21 after 10 minutes.

Tomic ended the Joventut drought only to see Beverly and Palatin drain back-to-back threes. Palatin gave Hapoel its first double-digit lead, 20-30, with a free throw after an offensive rebound. Gates and Tomic led the Joventut comeback with the latter making a pair of threes in a 12-2 run that tied the game, 32-32. Caboclo’s jumper in the lane briefly put Hapoel on top. Kassius Robertson’s first points came from a tough three-pointer that evened things at halftime, 37-37.

Joventut grabbed a slim lead at the onset of the second half, but Hapoel remained hot on its tail. Beverley took a seat after drawing a charge and his replacement, Palatin, put the visitors in front with a three-pointer. Adam Hanga matched him to tie the score, 51-51. Free throws by Pustovyi gave Joventut a 57-55 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Tomic scored the first 2 baskets of the fourth quarter to increase Joventut’s lead to 6 points. Marcus Foster drilled a deep three and Tomer Ginat added a layup to bring Hapoel within 63-62. Gates drained his fourth three of the game on one end, rejected Caboclo at the other and then Beverley was called for an unsportsmanlike foul on Guillen Vives, after which Joventut’s lead was 5. Pustovyi made it 70-64 with 4 minutes remaining. Beverley landed a triple, but Motley had to be helped off the floor with 2 minutes left after an apparent leg injury. Beverley added another three to make it 75-73. Hanga responded with a floater with 41.7 seconds remaining and Joventut held on.  

The veteran center had his finest ever game in the competition to spark his team on opening night

Ante Tomic stars as Joventut holds off Hapoel, 78-75 

It was a long time coming for Jean-Marc Pansa, but the Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse big man shined in his first appearance in the BKT EuroCup in nearly five years. 

Bourg’s Pansa shines in first EuroCup game since December 2019

It was a long time coming for [Jean-Marc Pansa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/jean-marc-pansa/009552/), but the Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse big man shined in his first appearance in the BKT EuroCup in nearly five years. 

Pansa connected on 7 of 10 shots and both of his free throws in scoring 16 points to go with 2 rebounds for a performance index rating of 13 in Bourg’s season-opening 80-100 victory at Veolia Towers Hamburg.

Pansa was a big reason why Bourg jumped ahead by 20 points in the first 13 minutes as he poured in 12 points already - 4 points more than his previous career high of 8 against Darussafaka Istanbul in November 2019.

Jean-Marc Pansa shined in Hamburg

Pansa’s performance was all the more impressive considering the 27-year-old spent the past four full seasons in France’s ProB second division, where he averaged 11.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.2 blocks last season in helping Boulazac Basket Dordogne reach the finals. 

Pansa made the jump back to the French top league over the summer, penning a two-year deal with Bourg. That meant the 2.09-meter big man would be returning to the EuroCup. The native of French Guiana in the West Indies averaged 2.4 points and 1.3 rebounds in 10 games for Nanterre 92 in the 2019-20 season. He totaled 24 points for that season - and he notched 16 against Hamburg. 

Pansa’s most recent game came in December 2019 against Germani Brescia. 

That came after Pansa played with Nanterre when it won the FIBA Europe Cup in 2016-17 and then appeared in the Basketball Champions League the next two seasons. But Pansa decided to move down to the second division in France to take his next step of development. 

Pansa’s strong 2023-24 season resulted in Bourg giving him a chance and he used that opportunity in Round 1, giving the club’s fans reasons to hope for more big games this season. 

He was one of the star performers in Hamburg on opening night

What a pass by Robertson and what a slam by Pustovyi!

Magic Moment: Pustovyi hammers it home!

 What a pass by Robertson and what a slam by Pustovyi!

Ford connects with Bayehe who skies for the dunk!

Magic Moment: Bayehe with an impressive alley-oop slam! 

 Ford connects with Bayehe who skies for the dunk!

Veolia Towers Hamburg-Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse | Round 1 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup   

Turk Telekom Ankara made a winning start to the BKT EuroCup season, scraping a 72-66 home victory over 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys, giving Coach Erden Can a perfect homecoming. Can, who steered Turk Telekom to the 2023 EuroCup final, took over for a second stint at the club after a brief spell at Anadolu Efes Istanbul last season. He was able to breathe a sigh of relief after Kyle Alexander inspired Turk Telkom with 11 points and 9 rebounds.

Anthony Brown also propelled the hosts with 11 points to go with as many boards, while big man Yoan Makoundou posted 12 points and 4 rebounds to underlie a cohesive team effort. At the other end, Georgios Kalaitzakis, Oleksandr Kovliar and Vytkenis Lipkevicius netted 12 points each while Marko Pecarski amassed 10 points and 8 rebounds for battling Lietkabelis.

Can was pleased with the outcome although he conceded that his team would have to improve in all departments if it is to replicate the kind of form that saw the club reach the 2023 final.

“We talked about it before the game, they always play tough and consistent basketball,” Can said after the game. “The first game of the season is always difficult, we made too many easy mistakes but at the end of the day a win is a win."

Alexander, who joined Turk Telekom from Hapoel Tel Aviv during the offseason, concurred that grit and determination saw the team get across the finish line.

“I am grateful that we’ve got our first team win,” he said. “It wasn’t pretty, but we stepped up in the second half and took on the challenge with good rebounding.”

The contest got off to a spectacular start with Alexander racing through the paint for a slam-dunk in the opening possession, but it soon turned into a rugged and physical contest, with both sides struggling from long range in the wake of aggressive defense at both ends of the floor.

Alexander racked up 7 points in the first quarter as the home team opened up a 22-17 lead and Turk Telekom appeared set for some plain sailing as the advantage soared to 28-17 early in the second. However, Kovliar hauled Lietkabelis back into the game with a four-point play and the visitors engineered a 6-17 run to nose ahead 33-34, before Turk Telekom scored to take a slender 35-34 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Lietkabelis turned the tide again and led 35-39 early in the third but Turk Telekom showed its resilience as Brown hit a tough turnaround jumper to give the home team a 54-48 advantage heading into the final quarter.

The visitors threatened to force the final twist when a 2-8 run saw Turk Telekom’s lead slashed to 68-66, but Lietkabelis misfired from beyond the three-point arc at crunch time while Brown sealed the contest with the final 4 points of the game. 

With both sides below par from downtown, as Turk Telekom made 3 of 16 while Lietkabelis hit 5 of 24, it was the home team’s dominance in the paint that made the difference. The Turkish side racked up 46 boards to the visiting team’s 37, having forced Lietkabelis to take a barrage of tough shots when the chips were down.

The Turkish side led for most of the contest but had to fend off a spirited late fightback by its Lithuanian rival 

Turk Telekom grinds out tough home win over Lietkabelis, 72-66

Turk Telekom Ankara v 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys (2024-09-24T16:30:00.000Z)

Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse faced little opposition to open the season with a historic 80-100 victory at Veolia Towers Hamburg in Group B. Last season's runner-up, Bourg scored a club-record 64 points in the first half while forcing Hamburg into 23 turnovers for a 24-13 advantage in points off turnovers.

Adrian Nelson scored 18 points to lead Bourg while Jean-Marc Panda had 16 points, Xavier Castadena picked up 12 points and 5 assists and Hugo Benitez chipped in 9 points and 6 assists. Hamburg started the season with a loss again after dropping its first six games in 2023-24. Keondre Kennedy paced the German side with 17 points and Kenneth Ogbe added 15 points in the loss.

Bourg started the game at the Inselpark Arena on fire with the first 11 points and Castadena drained 3 triples for a 2-14 lead. Jaizec Lottie converted 2 layups for the hosts to get within 11-18, but Bourg’s offense just kept rolling as Pansa scored 6 points and the French side made two more threes in a 5-17 finish as the first quarter ended 16-35.

Kennedy poured in 8 points as Hamburg tried to stay in the game but Pansa moved to 12 points and the Bourg cushion grew to 24-45. Osaro Rich’s strong run for Hamburg made it 33-49, but the host’s defense continued to falter in allowing three more triples and Bourg led 40-64 at the break. It was a new club record for Bourg for the most points in a half, topping the 57 points the club scored five times, most recently in the second half against Lietkabelis in Round 15 last season. 

Hamburg managed to trim the gap to 50-70 before Bourg increased the margin back to 25. Zsombor Maronka sandwiched three-pointers around a Kennedy triple and Hamburg was within 61-77. The guests responded with the next 5 points and led 61-82 after 30 minutes. Bourg tallied the first 4 points of the fourth quarter as the advantage grew to 25 points and Hamburg was not able to get closer than 18 points the rest of the way. 

The visitors dominated from the start to open the season in style

Bourg gives Hamburg no chance in road win, 80-100

Homesley gets the steal and finds Carlos Alocen with a no-look pass on the break!


Magic Moment: Caleb Homesley showtime! 

Homesley gets the steal and finds Carlos Alocen with a no-look pass on the break!
 

Turk Telekom Ankara-7bet Lietkabelis Panevezys | Round 1 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup   

Maksim Salash goes up looking for the dunk but Cameron Reece swats him at the rim.


Magic Moment: Cameron Reece swats Salash at the rim!

 Maksim Salash goes up looking for the dunk but Cameron Reece swats him at the rim.


 Magic Moment: Zsombor Maronka with the massive dunk! 

Varnas leaves his markers for dead with a lightening baseline move and dunks with some aplomb!

Magic Moment: Varnas rocks the rim with a reverse dunk!

 Varnas leaves his markers for dead with a lightening baseline move and dunks with some aplomb!

Alexander rocks the rim with a flying move through the paint after a fine pass from Akpinar!

Magic Moment: Alexander with a spectacular dunk! 

 Alexander rocks the rim with a flying move through the paint after a fine pass from Akpinar!

The opening round of the 2024-25 EuroCup season is upon us, with drama set to be aplenty.

At a glance: Round 1 is here!

It’s time for action! Twenty teams are gunning for glory as the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup gets underway this week, with new signings and returning stars aiming to secure opening night victories. And you can watch every game live on [EuroLeagueTV](https://www.euroleague.tv/home). Here’s your overview of the action.

## Wednesday, September 25

### [U-BT Cluj-Napoca 86-93 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/u-bt-cluj-napoca-cedevita-olimpija-ljubljana/U2024/8/)

Cedevita made 14 three-pointers, including a pair in the final minute of the game, to beat Cluj 86-93 on Wednesday. Cedevita overcame a 12-0 fourth-quarter spurt by the home team, and after being down 78-71, used a 2-9 run to catch up, before scoring the final 8 points of the night to register a win in which it had five scorers in double figures. Devin Robinson had 20 points and Brynton Lemar scored 18 for the wnners. Zavier Simpson had 16 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds for Cluj. 

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Final 📊:<br><br>➡ Robinson 20 points<br>➡ Lemar 18 points<br>➡ Jones 15 points / 7 assists<br>➡ Nikolić 14 points<br>➡ Stewart 13 points<br>➡ Blažič 5 points<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ZmajevaDruzina?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ZmajevaDruzina</a> <a href="https://t.co/PuQNHqgk7F">pic.twitter.com/PuQNHqgk7F</a></p>&mdash; Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana - English (@KKCedOL_EN) <a href="https://twitter.com/KKCedOL_EN/status/1839005584563253435?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius 69-80 Bahcesehir College Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/wolves-twinsbet-vilnius-bahcesehir-college-istanbul/U2024/3/)

In the first-ever meeting between these two teams, Bahcesehir pulled out a convincing road win over Wolves on Wednesday night. Despite trailing 26-23 at the end of the first quarter, the visitors adjusted their defense to give up only 17 points in the second period and just 13 in each of the third and fourth quarters. Axel Bouteille paced the winners with 17 points - with 13 of them coming after the intermission. Anthony Cowan led all scorers with 20 points plus 4 assists in defeat.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">💪 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞, 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐧!<br><br>BKT EuroCup | A Grubu 1. Maç | Maç Sonucu | Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius 69 - 80 Bahçeşehir Koleji<br><br>• Axel Bouteille: 17 sayı, 7 ribaund, 3 asist<br>• Tai Odiase: 14 sayı, 5 ribaund<br>• Tyler Cavanaugh: 13 sayı, 2 ribaund, 1 asist<br>• ⁠CJ… <a href="https://t.co/a3v00wY4Uy">pic.twitter.com/a3v00wY4Uy</a></p>&mdash; Bahçeşehir Koleji Spor Kulübü (@BKBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/BKBasketbol/status/1839002362041487447?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem 64-80 Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/hapoel-bank-yahav-jerusalem-valencia-basket/U2024/6/)

Four-time BKT EuroCup winner Valencia made an impressive comeback to the competition by grabbing a 64-80 victory against Hapoel Jerusalem at Samokov Arena in Bulgaria on Wednesday. The visitors were in control of the duel from the off and imposed their game on Jerusalem, which struggled on offense due to Valencia’s defensive prowess. Matthew Costello paced Valencia with 16 points and Semi Ojeleye scored 12. Former Valencia guard Jared Harper led all scorers with 27 points in defeat.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🧡 YEAAAAAH<br><br>¡Tenemos la primera en el debut ante un rival de alto nivel en Bulgaria! 💪<br><br>🏆 J1 <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a><br>🔴 <a href="https://twitter.com/JerusalemBasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JerusalemBasket</a> 64<br>🟠 <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@valenciabasket</a> 80<br>🤝🏻 Vitaldin Sport <a href="https://t.co/7on7FtI8aT">pic.twitter.com/7on7FtI8aT</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1839020062058979788?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Besitkas Fibabank Istanbul 94-76 Buducnost VOLI Podgorica](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/besiktas-fibabanka-istanbul-buducnost-voli-podgorica/U2024/4/)

Besiktas cruised to a comprehensive 94-76 home win over Buducnost to make a perfect start in Group A after Derek Needham rolled back the years. The 33-year-old guard racked up a game-high 18 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds after he came off the bench to run the show in front of a vocal home crowd who roared on Besiktas throughout. At the other end, Rasheed Sulaimon and McKinley Wright led Buducnost with 13 points each.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">BKT EuroCup&#39;ta sezona galibiyetle başlıyoruz. 😎 <br><br>Beşiktaş Fibabanka 94-76 Buducnost VOLI | Maç Sonucu <br><br>🦅 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Be%C5%9Fikta%C5%9FFibabanka?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BeşiktaşFibabanka</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Potan%C4%B1nKartallar%C4%B1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PotanınKartalları</a> <a href="https://t.co/fTMRCbyfA6">pic.twitter.com/fTMRCbyfA6</a></p>&mdash; Beşiktaş Fibabanka (@BJK_Basketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/BJK_Basketbol/status/1839017072212455790?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Trefl Sopot 93-96 ratiopharm Ulm](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/trefl-sopot-ratiopharm-ulm/U2024/1/)

Ulm fought off a valiant effort from Trefl to snatch a 93-96 overtime victory on the road as Justinian Jessup hit the game-winning three-pointer with 2.0 seconds left. Ulm rallied from 12 points down to ruin Trefl’s first EuroCup game since 2012. Jessup scored a team-high 20 points while Noa Essengue had 18 points and fellow teenager Ben Saraf collected 17 points and 10 assists. Jakub Schenk drained 5 three-pointers for 22 points and Geoffrey Groselle collected 11 points and 10 rebounds in the Group A encounter. 

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">Auftaktsieg im Eurocup 🚀❤️‍🔥<br>Wir kämpfen bis zur letzten Minute und belohnen uns nach der Overtime auch international mit dem ersten Sieg.<br><br>𝗧𝗢𝗣𝗦𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗘𝗥:<br>Justinian Jessup | 20 PKT, 6 REB, 1 STL<br>Noa Essengue | 18 PKT, 6 REB, 2 AST<br>Ben Saraf | 17 PKT, 10 AST, 3 STL <a href="https://t.co/JJfqwiz43s">pic.twitter.com/JJfqwiz43s</a></p>&mdash; ratiopharm ulm (@ratiopharmulm) <a href="https://twitter.com/ratiopharmulm/status/1839027461193085245?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Umana Reyer Venice 95-75 Aris Midea Thessaloniki](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/umana-reyer-venice-aris-midea-thessaloniki/U2024/9/)

Reyer enjoyed a strong start to the season by downing Aris 95-75 at Palasport Taliercio in Group B. Jordan Parks led the winners with 17 points and Tyler Ennis tallied 12 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists for Reyer. Landers Nolley led Aris with 14 points in the loss.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Season opener win for <a href="https://twitter.com/REYER1872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@REYER1872</a>!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToGreatness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToGreatness</a> <a href="https://t.co/XiKQqRKMhK">pic.twitter.com/XiKQqRKMhK</a></p>&mdash; BKT EuroCup (@EuroCup) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup/status/1839035238548115620?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Tuesday, September 24

### [Turk Telekom Ankara 72-66 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/turk-telekom-ankara-7bet-lietkabelis-panevezys/U2024/10/)

Turk Telekom made a winning start to the season, scraping a 72-66 home victory over Lietkabelis. Kyle Alexander inspired Turk Telkom with 11 points and 9 rebounds and Anthony Brown also propelled the hosts with 11 points to go with as many boards. At the other end, Georgios Kalaitzakis, Oleksandr Kovliar and Vytkenis Lipkevicius netted 12 points each.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Yeni sezona galibiyetle merhaba! 🤍💙<br><br>Maç sonucu: Türk Telekom 72- 66 Lietkabelis<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://t.co/pHvXez1kLq">pic.twitter.com/pHvXez1kLq</a></p>&mdash; Türk Telekom Basketbol (@TT_Basketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/TT_Basketbol/status/1838650241199018229?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Veolia Towers Hamburg 80-100 Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/veolia-towers-hamburg-cosea-jl-bourg-en-bresse/U2024/7/)

Bourg faced little opposition in its road opener to the season with a historic 80-100 victory at Hamburg in Group B. Last season's runner-up, Bourg scored a club record 64 points in the first half while forcing Hamburg into 23 turnovers for a 24-13 advantage in points off turnovers. Adrian Nelson scored 18 points to lead Bourg while Jean-Marc Panda had 16 points. Keondre Kennedy paced the German side with 17 points.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">VICTOIRE ! ✅<a href="https://twitter.com/hamburgtowers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hamburgtowers</a> 80 🆚 100 COSEA JL Bourg <br><br>Nos Rouges et Blancs démarrent fort en EuroCup avec une première victoire au compteur ! 🔥 Parfait pour bien lancer cette aventure européenne💪🔴⚪<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeRedy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeRedy</a>｜<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToGreatness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToGreatness</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/UqOpjTabRW">pic.twitter.com/UqOpjTabRW</a></p>&mdash; JL Bourg Basket (@JLBourgBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/JLBourgBasket/status/1838664954624311446?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Joventut Badalona 78-75 Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/joventut-badalona-hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/U2024/2/)

Joventut erased a 10-point second-quarter deficit before outlasting Hapoel in the team’s season-opener at Palau Olimpic de Badalona on Tuesday night. The hosts' big men all stood out as center Ante Tomic posted 17 points on near-perfect shooting and 12 rebounds for a personal-best PIR of 32. Kaiser Gates scored 16 points on 4-of-7 three-point shooting in his EuroCup debut and Artem Pustovyi contributed 11 points and 5 boards off the bench. For Hapoel, Patrick Beverley delivered 14 points, 6 assists and 3 steals.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">Finaaaaaaaaaaaaal, la primera victòria a Europa ✔️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Badalona%C3%89sFutur?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BadalonaÉsFutur</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZE4bQZu05f">pic.twitter.com/ZE4bQZu05f</a></p>&mdash; Club Joventut Badalona (@Penya1930) <a href="https://twitter.com/Penya1930/status/1838678433858986488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Dreamland Gran Canaria 84-81 Dolomiti Energia Trento](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2024-25/dreamland-gran-canaria-dolomiti-energia-trento/U2024/5/#boxscore)

Gran Canaria started the season with a victory over Trento at Gran Canaria Arena on Tuesday. The visitors got off to a solid start and took a 45-49 lead into the second half, but the hosts tightened up their defense after the break and clinched the win. Mike Tobey led his team with 20 points and 8 rebounds and Carlos Alocen netted 11 points. Trento guard Jordan Ford led all scorers with 32 points, finishing the game shooting 11-for-11 from inside the arc and 3-for-4 on three-pointers.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🏀 Final:<br><br>🐥 Dreamland Gran Canaria 84<br>⚫ Dolomiti Energia Trento 81<br><br>🔥 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VamosGranca?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VamosGranca</a> <a href="https://t.co/kL4AbirnEE">pic.twitter.com/kL4AbirnEE</a></p>&mdash; Dreamland Gran Canaria (@GranCanariaCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/GranCanariaCB/status/1838682067225243957?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Plenty of thrills and spills are to be expected during the 2024-25 EuroCup season

Game Center: Wednesday road wins for Valencia, Ulm, Cedevita, Bahcesehir

Umana Reyer Venice v Aris Midea Thessaloniki (2024-09-25T18:00:00.000Z)

Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem v Valencia Basket (2024-09-25T17:00:00.000Z)

Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul v Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (2024-09-25T17:00:00.000Z)

Trefl Sopot v ratiopharm Ulm (2024-09-25T17:00:00.000Z)

U-BT Cluj-Napoca v Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (2024-09-25T16:00:00.000Z)

Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius v Bahcesehir College Istanbul (2024-09-25T16:00:00.000Z)

Round 1: Pre-game quotes and injury reports

## Tuesday's games

### Veolia Towers Hamburg vs. Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse

**Benka Barloschky, Veolia Towers Hamburg head coach:**

"After Sunday's \[German League\] game, we don't have much time to prepare for the EuroCup opener. We, the coaches, have scouted accordingly and are looking at what we can do in the short time available. We will concentrate on the essentials and give the team everything they need for the game."

**Hamburg injury report:** Jared Grey out (broken arm), Niklas Wimberg out (broken leg)

**Freddy Fauthoux, Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse head coach:**

"We gained confidence in pre-season by facing ratiopharm Ulm. We prepared and trained accordingly to start the competition in the best possible way."

Frederic Fauthoux head coach of Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse

**Brandon Paul, Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse guard:**

"We put ourselves in a great position during pre-season to have a successful EuroCup season this year. Now, it’s time to play JL Bourg basketball and I have no doubt that we are ready for the challenges ahead - starting against a good team in Hamburg."

### Joventut Badalona vs. Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv

**Dani Miret, Joventut Badalona head coach:**

"The key is to go game by game, day by day. Each rival will demand a lot from us and we must have our identity to dominate matches with our strengths and be more consistent. We must be a team that is solid defensively, push from the defense and increase the rate of scoring points, which gives us confidence after being strong defensively."

**Ante Tomic, Joventut Badalona center:**

"Every team wants and can enter the playoffs. It is a good start to see \[where we are\] against Hapoel and at home, where we hope to play a good game. Playing well at home is always important and winning home games gives you confidence, because if you win them all you have a lot more chances to enter the playoffs."

**Stefanos Dedas, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv head coach:**

"The EuroCup starts for us on Tuesday against a historical team, in a tough place, Badalona. We have a huge respect for our opponent, but our target is to go all the way, and for sure it is important to start with a good result to satisfy our fans and to set a tone early in the competition, to show we are here to do good things this season. We have confidence and we prepared very well to show our abilities. I think we will be ready to fight until the last moment to register our first win, which would give us a boost for the continuation of the season."

**Tomer Ginat, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv forward:**

"We are very excited to open the European season with a tough game in Badalona. We will come to fight for every ball and come away with the victory. We are all united and focused to make our fans happy."

Tomer Ginat and Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv open their EuroCup season in Badalona

### Dreamland Gran Canaria vs. Dolomiti Energia Trento

**Paolo Galbiati, Dolomiti Energia Trento head coach:**

"We are playing against a very important team in the EuroCup. Gran Canaria has a long history of success, with many playoff appearances and, just two years ago, they won the competition. They made several changes during the summer, but kept a solid core of players who have been there for several years, such as Shurna, Albicy and Brussino. They also added top-level players, many of them coming from the Euroleague, such as Alocen, Tobey and Thomasson, as well as Homesley and Conditt, who already know the competition well. It is a team built to win and we want to give our all to have our say. Starting our European adventure at the Gran Canaria Arena is really exciting."

**Andrea Pecchia, Dolomiti Energia Trento guard:**

"I am very excited and I can't wait to get started. I am a rookie in this competition and I can't wait to test myself against such strong teams, which aspire to the EuroLeague. In my opinion, it will be fun, there will certainly be difficult moments but with the group that is being created we can do something great. Gran Canaria is a very strong team, last year I saw the game that Trento won by 22 points in Las Palmas and they will certainly have a grudge and will give their all. It will be nice and stimulating to play this game and it will be a good test."

## Wednesday's games

### U-BT Cluj-Napoca vs. Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana

**Zvezdan Mitrovic, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana head coach:**

"The teams in both groups in BKT EuroCup are definitely on a higher level than in the previous season. We'll be able to see a team that came from the EuroLeague, and on the other hand, teams that have significantly increased their budgets. In our group, we can find the former EuroLeague team Valencia, as well as our future opponents Cluj, last season’s finalist Bourg, the strong Hapoel, but I don't want to list every team individually. The consensus, not just mine, is that the EuroCup is much stronger this season than in the last. Our main goal is to fight for a playoff spot, and that goal should motivate us to perform as well as possible and play at a high level since we're not the clear favorites against any opponent in the group. We need to play well, as a team. During preparations, we had both good and bad periods, and building the team is a long process. Cluj is a serious team, a club where Dusko Vujosevic laid some foundations, and the current coach has been with the team for many years. The club added quality players in certain positions compared to last season. This will be the first time in my career that I’ll play against our opponents, but it's clear we're talking about a serious project that is improving season by season. We'll try to prepare for the game as best as possible, but the favorite role for Wednesday's match undoubtedly belongs to Cluj. EuroCup is a strong competition. I’ve played in it before with ASVEL, where we reached the quarterfinals, and with Monaco, with whom we won the title. After the EuroLeague, EuroCup is definitely the second strongest basketball competition in Europe, which is evident from the level of organization and the teams that compete in it. I’m happy to return to the competition. We have a challenging schedule ahead of us. What's most important to me is that we are prepared and that we approach each game bravely, just like we did in the Tivoli tournament, where we faced EuroLeague teams. We’re motivated to put on the best performance possible. The schedule might not favor us at the start of the season, but in the end, that doesn’t matter, as you can start the season poorly and improve as it progresses, and vice versa."

Zvezdan Mitrovic, now on the bench of Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana

**Brynton Lemar, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana guard:**

"Every team that competes in the BKT EuroCup is good, and each game presents a strong challenge. I want us to step onto the court ready to fight in every match. I don’t have all the answers, and I can't predict that we'll finish the season undefeated. But we will definitely give our best, be competitive, and strive to improve with every game, while doing everything we can to win as many games as possible. We’re excited that the season is starting, and at the same time, we’re hungry and eager to prove ourselves as a team. It’s still early, but we’re definitely hungry to make our mark in the EuroCup. Cluj is a very good team. Our opponents have slightly revamped their lineup with some new players. I expect us to give our all for all 40 minutes and show a different face than in the \[ABA League\] match against FMP. We need to be more aggressive and focused. I expect a good game where we’ll give everything we have, and hopefully, the result at the end of the game will be in our favor."

### Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius vs. Bahcesehir College Istanbul

**Alessandro Magro, Wolves Twinbet Vilnius head coach:**

"We are excited to start this new EuroCup season. We have our first EuroCup game against a very solid team, full of experienced players at this level. For sure, Bahcesehir will play for a spot in the playoff. They have a very good coach and very talented players. I am really happy to see C.J. Massinburg and Tai Odiase again. I coached them in Brescia, and I have great memories that I shared with them. For our EuroCup season, we want to try to compete. Our goal is to try to overcome the group and go to the playoffs. It will be a fight every time, at home and on the road because the group is very competitive. But we are confident that we are in the right way to try to compete every night, starting with the upcoming game."

**Regimantas Miniotas, Wolves Twinbet Vilnius forward:**

"This year, the EuroCup competition is very tough, with many good teams. A tough fight for a place in the playoffs awaits us. The Bahcesehir team did a good job on the roster this summer, it has high-level players and a great coach. Like us, their season has just begun, so it’s still too early to evaluate them. In the first game, we will need to be fully focused and execute the coaches' game plan. If we do that, I believe we can start the EuroCup on a good note. We are happy that we’ve started the season with a win in the domestic championship. We hope for the same start in the EuroCup."

**Dejan Radonjic, Bahcesehir College Istanbul head coach:**

"We are going to play our first official game of the season against a very good team and organization. They have a new coach and a new approach on what to do on defense and also on offense. We worked really hard and practiced well during the pre-season. First game of the season is always unpredictable, you never know what is going to happen. We have to execute our game plan, play hard on both ends of the floor and start the EuroCup with a performance that makes our fans proud."

**Tyler Cavanaugh, Bahcesehir College Istanbul forward:**

"We are excited for the new EuroCup season to finally get started. Really excited for the team and the players that we have and eager to see how we match up with the teams in the EuroCup. Wolves will be a very good first test for us. They have a lot of experienced players, and we know it is going to be a tough environment to play in, as all Lithuanian basketball arenas are. Really excited to see how far we can go, and it all starts on Wednesday night.

### Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem vs. Valencia Basket

**Yonatan Alon, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem head coach**:

"We are excited to return to the EuroCup and start the season. We couldn't ask for a tougher opponent for the first game than Valencia, a club we highly respect with an excellent team and almost no weaknesses. We have great faith in our team and are determined to make our fans proud, some of whom will travel to support us in Bulgaria while most will be cheering from afar. We are confident that it will be a very tough game, but we have one goal and one goal only – to win."

**Yovel Zoosman, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem forward:**

"After a long and intense preparation period, we are happy to start the season. The entire team worked very hard to reach the best condition for the first game of the EuroCup. We will face an opponent that everyone knows belongs in the EuroLeague, but we are here to prove our worth and want to start our European campaign with a statement."

**Jerusalem injury report:** Nimrod Levi out (ankle injury), Khadeen Carrington out (personal matters)

**Pedro Martinez, Valencia Basket head coach:**

"The rival is good, it is one of the contenders. I think there are six or seven teams that are likely to win the competition, and \[Hapoel Jerusalem\] is one of them. It is a team that I like the way they play, the truth is, they have players who can score a lot of points, physical players, they have a very aggressive defense. Let's say that if what we wanted was to have an 'easier' start, well no, that is not the case. We are playing against a good team and it will be very difficult to win, but we will try to see if we play a good game and if we can win. If we start with a win, it would be very good for the future of the competition. If we lose, obviously, it will not break anything, but it will not be a good news."

### Besitkas Fibabank Istanbul vs. Buducnost VOLI Podgorica

**Dusan Alimpijevic, Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul head coach:**

"Buducnost is a very respectable team. They have a very good roster, we know they are aiming for the top spot in both the EuroCup and the ABA League. They have very important names in their roster. Buducnost played an ABA League game last week. This creates an advantage for them. It will be the first official game of the season for us. I believe my team is preparing for the game in the best possible way and is waiting for the game. It will be very important for our fans to create the atmosphere they created last season once again, because we created an atmosphere in our arena that the whole of Europe talked about. As long as our fans are with us, everything is possible. I'm calling all our fans to again come to the gym and support us."

**Yigit Arslan, Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul guard:**

"It is a very important game for us. We will play a dangerous team in our group at home in line with our goals. We have not yet played our best game, hopefully we will reach this level with the official games. It will not be easy to reach or even surpass last year’s success. We need the support of our fans this season as well. From the first game, we must show the EuroCup organization and our rivals that Besiktas wants to play at the top as a team and its fans. We want to start this difficult competition with a victory. Hopefully, we will make a good start to the season on Wednesday night."

Yigit Arslan - Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul

**Andrej Zakelj, Buducnost VOLI Podgorica head coach:**

"We’re glad that we’ve reached this point with a fully healthy squad for the first game. That’s definitely a positive, and we need to approach the game with a positive mindset. We’ve had a good stretch behind us, but now everything resets. Now is when it counts. We know Besiktas well. They’re a strong team with good individual players, and they play fast, aggressive basketball. We’re expecting a tough atmosphere and a solid team that knows their assignments and how to attack their opponent. We’ll prepare accordingly. We’re aware of their weaknesses, and we’ll try to exploit them. I’m hopeful for a positive result."

**Juwan Morgan, Buducnost VOLI Podgorica forward:**

"We played great as a team in first game of the season \[in the ABA League\]. We defended well. The first quarter was a little rocky, but I think that just came with the nerves of being the first game. Overall, I think we just played as one and everybody contributed. If we come out and do the same thing in game versus Besiktas, I don't see anything different happening. I think we just come out, be ready, play defense and box out and we'll get the win.

### Trefl Sopot vs. ratiopharm Ulm

**Andy Van Vliet, Trefl Sopot forward:**

"I am vey excited. For me, it's the first season playing in the EuroCup, and for the team it's first season in a while playing in the EuroCup. I think the first game will be very exciting, a lot of emotions. We obviously want to put Sopot on the map, to the best of our abilities. Hopefully, the game will be exciting and the fans will be there. Ulm is a very good team, they have a lot of very talented players. It will be a great test for us. It will be a tough game, tough battle, but hopefully we can come on top and get a win."

### Umana Reyer Venice vs. Aris Midea Thessaloniki

**Neven Spahija, Umana Reyer Venice head coach:**

"I'm very excited about the upcoming season. We had some missing players during the preseason but now we are almost completed, missing only one player in the rotation. The team is growing every day and I hope we will continue to play the same level of defense we are showing lately. I'm sure our shooting percentage will be higher soon. Aris changed a lot, but we know the way they play. We saw a couple of their games, it is always a difficult team to play against. For the first time we play a home game and I hope the fans are going to come to support us and that we try to win this game together."

**Tyler Ennis, Umana Reyer Venice guard:**

"Obviously we want to come out and show the work we have put in. It's the first game, we still have something to work on, like other teams do, but we want to play with energy and play our game. I'm happy to play again in the EuroCup, I played few games in the past. It's a great competition across the board with a lot of great teams. We want to go out and test our talent and our team against the best." 

**Reyer injury report**: Juan Fernandez out (muscle strain in the thigh), Kyle Wiltjer game-time decision (recovering from muscle strain in the pelvis).

**Ioannis Kastritis, Aris Midea Thessaloniki head coach:**

"We begin our season in BKT EuroCup on the road against Reyer Venice. It will be a very tough and difficult game for us, as our opponent has a deep squad with great quality and experience. At the same time, all the injuries that we had to deal with, didn’t allow us to get prepared in the way that we wanted during our preseason period. In any case, we need to be ready to give our best self. We have to take care of our defensive transition and defensive rebound, as Reyer likes to run a lot and scores many points out of second chances. These are two key factors of the game in my opinion. I would like to wish best of health for all the teams and the athletes and enjoy a great season in BKT EuroCup."

**Vassilis Toliopoulos, Aris Midea Thessaloniki guard:**

"This is the first official game of the season for us and we anticipated this moment. We had a successful run in last season’s BKT EuroCup and we are eager for the upcoming challenge. We know that now we will not be a surprise for the other teams, so we have to be even more thirsty and effective, to have a good season. Reyer Venice is a very good team and knowing our problems, having the absence of some key players, we have to give our 100% to reach our goal."

Check out what the protagonists are saying ahead of the BKT EuroCup season tip off.