Name: EuroLeague & Friends returns with a special in-person episode
Channel: Euroleague Basketball

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 4 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub: Round 4

## Wednesday, October 15

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (20:15 CEST)

**Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos head coach**

"We start the double-round week with one home-court game, but we must put all of our effort to get the victory. \[Kendrick Nunn\] feels good today. He took part in the practice, so we hope he will not have any pain in his knee \[Wednesday\] morning in the shootaround practice. If everything is okay, he will be in the roster. We need to win the game, so rotation is the second part of our job. Rotation will be important during the season. Kendrick Nunn had a problem on Sunday in the derby and TJ Shorts played with more responsibility. It will be a long season, many games, so I'm not planning to use 12 players every game. The most important thing is to win the game."

**Konstantinos Mitoglou, Panathinaikos forward**

"We know that the schedule is demanding. We are professional players; we have to follow it. We need to adapt both how we train as players and how we rest — that’s part of our job. Another home game during a EuroLeague double-week. We really want the win and to be ready. ASVEL is a very good and athletic team — and I would say, a dangerous one. We don’t have much room for mistakes. Together with our fans, we must secure the victory."

### Virtus Bologna vs. AS Monaco (20:30 CEST)

**Dusko Ivanovic, Virtus head coach**

"I think Monaco is one of the best teams in the EuroLeague. They are a very smart and experienced team that knows how to manage an excellent one-on-one and pick-and-roll system in many situations. They have also players like Mike James, Nikola Mirotic and Elie Okobo on the roster, who have a lot of points in their hands and an excellent game rhythm."

**Nicola Akele, Virtus forward**

"Monaco is a strong team that has managed to strengthen itself even more this summer compared to last season. We should try to take advantage of our home court and play our best basketball. We are still growing and we want to make our mark in the EuroLeague as well. We need to give 100%, trying to dictate our pace for the whole 40 minutes and managing to control everything we can control, such as limiting the many scoring threats they have in their team."

**Vassilis Spanoulis, Monaco head coach**

"The \[French League\] victory in Paris is very beneficial for us, a big battle with a lot of emotions. We want to win as much as possible this season, regardless of the emotions and challenges. The team is playing better and better, with good training sessions that are translating into games. We need to continue sharing the ball in attack and step up our defense, while being more consistent and steady throughout the game."

**Kevarrius Hayes, Monaco center**

"From a personal point of view, I'm still adapting to the team, I want to contribute even more. The group is very pleasant, it's easy to fit in. Real bonds are being formed. I still need to adapt to their style of play, their way of seeing the court and the movement of the ball. Virtus didn't start the year as they would have hoped, so they'll want to put on a big game against us. I expect a lot of energy and intensity, so we'll have to rise to that level of commitment, which we've already shown this season."

### Valencia Basket vs. Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (20:30 CEST)

**Dimitris Itoudis, Hapoel head coach**

"We’re facing a team that plays at a very high pace, plays fast, energetic basketball. They’ve strengthened their roster and they have many quality players. They remain one of the best three-point shooting teams in the league, but their real strength lies in their speed, athleticism, and intensity on the court. To compete at this level, we’ll need to match their energy and tempo."

### Real Madrid vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (20:45 CEST)

**Sergio Scariolo, Real Madrid head coach**

"We have to be able to respond well from a physical and mental standpoint against a team that will surely be well-prepared to face us, as all teams coached by Zeljko Obradovic. Most Partizan players have a lot of talent and athleticism, good scoring skills and a great frontcourt player as Tyrique Jones, as well as point guards who can attack the rim. Sterling Brown is playing his best basketball ever and Jabari Parker, a player we know well, is a great scorer. Partizan is a team full of experienced, quality players. On the other hand, we are aware that we want to increase our winning streak in the EuroLeague, play a quality game, be able to compete and get the win. We are aware that in order to beat Partizan, we have to play the best we can play at this time of the season."

**Chuma Okeke, Real Madrid**

"Partizan is a very aggressive team that likes to run, so we have to be smart on offense and handle the ball well because they feed off our turnovers. It is a team that is also very aggressive on rebounds, and one of the keys to get the result we want is to rebound well. We are going day by day and keep improving our team chemistry, the way we communicate on the court. I believe that little by little, things will go the way we want. We are wining at home and want to keep that winning streak, defending our home court in the best way possible."

**Zeljko Obradovic, Partizan head coach**

"We had the chance to watch the Spanish League game between Baskonia and Real. First up for us is Real Madrid, a team that loves to run in transition, but also looks to create advantages in the low post. That’s just one key part of their game. Of course, they also rely heavily on pick-and-roll situations with \[Walter\] Tavares, who’s really dominant there, and they have a lot of sets designed for their shooters. Another thing that stands out with them is their zone press and zone defense. We’re preparing for all of that, and we’ll keep working on those details even after we arrive in Madrid."

**Carlik Jones, Partizan guard**

"We need to stay consistent with all the details for the full 40 minutes. In our last two games, I think we managed to do that for maybe 30 out of 40. We gave the other teams too many chances to get back into the game and take the lead. Now we’re going up against a really good team from Madrid, so we’ve got to be locked in the entire time. The small details can really hurt us if we lose focus, so that’s the biggest thing for us, to stay consistent and sharp throughout the whole game. We’ve been playing well, sharing the ball, defending the right way, and if we keep that up for all 40 minutes, I believe we’ll get the win."

### Paris Basketball vs. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (20:45 CEST)

\--

## Tuesday, October 14

### Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv vs. FC Barcelona (19:00 CEST)

**Oded Kattash, Maccabi head coach**

"We’re heading into a very special week, facing two good and talented teams, each a bit different. We’re in our own process; no doubt these are important experiences for us. We’re coming into it in relatively good shape. Hopefully, we’ll see home games at the arena this season. From a sporting standpoint, I think this is a return to normality. There’s a natural process of a team coming together, and I believe the win gave us a boost of energy and, most importantly, confidence. We need to stay on track, keep practicing the right way, because I think the good practices are what led to the improvement in our performance. We have to stay focused. We’ve had some good games, and we had a strong one against Hapoel Tel Aviv, a very talented team on the level of Barcelona and Olympiacos, so this win can definitely give us confidence."

**Marcio Santos, Maccabi center**

"We’re facing a double week, and there’s still room for us to improve – both defensively and offensively. I think it’s going to be a good game. Barcelona is always a strong team; it’ll be a battle, as always. We want to win both games. We need to know how to control the tempo of the game. We were trailing and couldn’t execute what we wanted, but we never stopped playing. We kept fighting, defended the right way, and worked hard for the win, and that’s the key to victory."

**Jimmy Clark, Maccabi guard**

"I feel like we’re entering this EuroLeague double week with positive momentum after two good wins — one of them in the EuroLeague, which was also our first victory in the competition. We’re coming in with good energy, and as long as we stay active and keep building our team chemistry, we’ll be fine. We need to dictate the tempo and establish our team identity, something we already started to see in the previous game."

**Joan Penarroya, Barcelona head coach**

"We play against a great team with great individual skills and a lot of one-on-one players, and that ability to attack the rim is surely the most important thing to stop. We have to try to control the rhythm as much as possible, try the game not to go crazy. We played two games in 48 hours and this is the third one, so we have to be mentally strong, trying to make the most out of our good moments we have in the game and control the bad ones. They have a lot of new players and also come off a win against Hapoel in the Israeli derby. Most of their players are really athletic, especially the foreign players. Their local players add criteria and deep range, like Tamir Blatt, John DiBartolomeo and Roman Sorkin."

**Myles Cale, Barcelona forward**

"We are coming off a tough loss \[in the Spanish League\] and I feel like this team is built for like a bounce back and I think we're have a good week going into this week. We got three tough road games and I think this week is gonna just be a test of what we're gonna be this season and I believe in my team and I feel like can come out with some good wins this week. Maccabi is a very good team, talented in all positions, have very good guards,  have very good big men. We just gotta listen to our coaches and prepare the correct way. I feel like it's gonna be a very competitive game. Every game in this league is very important,s o we're gonna get prepared for it and we'll be ready for them. The first EuroLeague games were great. Played in Greece at Panathinaikos, great atmosphere.  Played at home versus Valencia. First home game, great atmosphere. And I'm looking forward to a good year with this club and a good career. And I can't wait. I love the EuroLeague so far."

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. Dubai Basketball (19:45 CEST)

**Sarunas Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce head coach**

"Dubai is a very well coached and physical team. They can have all kinds of lineups, playing with traditional lineups, \[Filip\] Petrusev being at the 5 makes them very mobile. The guards are very big, and have the ability to have a very physical team and we need to respond to that. For us it is extremely important to win the rebounding battle."

**Mikael Jantunen, Fenerbahce forward**

"It’s a big challenge. We've got to pick up from and improve from the last game, and we know they're a better team than the team we played in pre-season, so of course there are some familiar faces. But I think it starts with our own game and we have to do our own things on a very high level if we want to be able to win. So I think it's a great chance to play in front of our amazing fans and I can't wait to play in front of them again."

**Jurica Golemac, Dubai head coach**

"Generally, we need to do the basic things better. They are the best team, the reigning champions. The team that has been together for 2-3 years, they didn't change a lot of players. We're going to need to be physical, we're going to need to do the basic things better. Running back, closing the defensive rebound, trying to push the ball to get as many easy baskets as we can. There is not too much time to prepare, but generally we need to hustle more. We need to be much, much more aggressive, much, much more physical. And to have continuity in the game, not like in the last two road games."

**Mfioundu Kabengele, Dubai center**

"We need to rebound, defend, and make extra efforts. A game like this with a lot of energy, against the reigning champions, it's going to be crucial for us to have the right spirit to compete and dominate. You know, if we come in there thinking that we're just trying to hang in there, we'll get crushed. So it's important that we have a lot of self-confidence that we can do our best and control the game."

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. Zalgiris Kaunas (20:00 CEST)

**Sasa Obradovic, Crvena Zvezda head coach**

"Zalgiris plays the best basketball right now. Not what you see on the scoreboard, but because of the way how they play. Expressed team spirit, on and off the court. That team played together, and the addition of \[Nigel\] Williams-Goss or \[Moses\] Wright had no problem adapting. They are playing great. It should be known that this is, after all, a long competition. Bad things have happened to us so far, I hope we can quickly put the players at the service of the team."

**Donatas Motiejunas, Crvena Zvezda center**

"Zalgiris is currently playing probably the best basketball in the EuroLeague. During the season, several teams play phenomenally at some point, and Zalgiris is doing it right now. And beating them will be extremely difficult. We had two days with the coach. We talked, we trained hard. But \[this game\] should not be a matter of tactics. If we go out on the floor like we did against Fenerbahce - with our bodies ready, to protect each other, if we have that energy - and keep that level, we have a good chance to win."

### Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (20:15 CEST)

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos head coach**

"Efes is a team that doesn’t allow any form of relaxation. To beat them, we'll have to ‘bleed’. They have very creative guards like \[Shane\] Larkin and \[Jordan\] Loyd. \[Rodrigue\] Beaubois and \[PJ\] Dozier are also back. Their guards are very dangerous in these kinds of games; they create situations on their own. They’re also excellent in after-timeout plays. Coach Kokoskov has great offensive ideas. To beat them, we need to be tough and hit our key defensive goals. This is our third game in just a few days. Compared to Efes, who had an easier game and earlier in the week, we’re at a disadvantage. But we’re playing at home. We need strong support from our fans because this is an important game for us, especially at a time when we’re dealing with injuries, mainly in the backcourt. It’s crucial that we get through this stretch without any further losses."

**Alec Peters, Olympiacos forward**

"All thoughts are now on Efes. It’s still early in the season and we’re trying to find our rhythm. Like every team, we have to do the job from the start. Thinking about yesterday’s game (the league derby win against Panathinaikos) would be a mistake going into tomorrow. The focus is fully on what we need to do."

**Igor Kokoskov, Efes head coach**

"Even with the fact that Olympiacos is missing its some perimeter players, winning the Greek derby against Panathinaikos gives them confidence. Piraeus is a tough place to play. We need to play this game with a high level of focus and intensity. We need to play our game for 40 minutes to win this game. We need to show perseverance, one thing that we were missing in our last two EuroLeague games."

**Ercan Osmani, Efes forward**

"We’re heading into another double-game week in the EuroLeague with a tough road game against Olympiacos. Unfortunately, we lost our last two EuroLeague games, but our goal is to finish the regular season as high as possible in the standings. To do that, we need to collect as many wins as we can. Olympiacos is a team that we know very well and one of the strongest teams in the league. Games on the road against them are always tough fights. We must be very well focused for 40 minutes and remain calm regardless of the score. I believe that if we stick to our game plan, we can come out of this game with a win."

### FC Bayern Munich vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (20:30 CEST)

**Gordie Herbert, Bayern head coach**

"We have to defend better as a team and play better together than we did against Zalgiris if we want to have a chance against this individual quality.”

**Vladimir Lucic, Bayern forward**

“We don't have much time to prepare and are in a delicate situation with the new team and the injuries. But that's the reality and we just have to stick together now.”

**Ettore Messina, Milan head coach**

"Bayern is a team capable of playing good, up-tempo basketball with a great scorer like Andreas Obst who can definitely change the outlook of any game with his shooting. Despite struggling to cope with some injuries, they are still a deep team. As in any EuroLeague road game, intensity, rebounding and shot selection will be the crucial factors for us, especially being limited among the bigs rotation."

**Devin Booker, Milan center**

"It is a very challenging game for us, especially because we will miss a couple of key guys. As a result, it will be a very tough road game in Munich and intensity, aggressiveness right from the beginning and for the entire game will be absolutely required to win it."

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 4 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season

Pregame quotes, Round 4: 'Monaco is one of the best teams in the EuroLeague'

Real Madrid v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2025-10-15T18:45:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2025-10-15T18:45:00.000Z)

Virtus Bologna v AS Monaco (2025-10-15T18:30:00.000Z)

Valencia Basket v Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (2025-10-15T18:30:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2025-10-15T18:15:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2025-10-14T18:30:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-10-14T18:15:00.000Z)

Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv v FC Barcelona (2025-10-14T17:00:00.000Z)

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Zalgiris Kaunas (2025-10-14T18:00:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Dubai Basketball (2025-10-14T17:45:00.000Z)

Dubai Basketball has announced that head coach Jurica Golemac will remain with the team until the end of the 2027-28 season, having penned a two-year extension at the club.

Jurica Golemac extends contract at Dubai until 2028

[Dubai Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/dubai-basketball/dub/) has announced that head coach [Jurica Golemac](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/dubai-basketball/dub/golemac-jurica/) will remain with the team until the end of the 2027-28 season, having penned a two-year extension at the club.

Golemac has so far guided Dubai to a 2-2 record in the club's first-ever campaign in the EuroLeague. His contract extension was announced by GM Dejan Kamenjasevic in the locker room after Dubai [beat defending champion Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul by 24 points](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/dubai-humbles-the-defending-champs-and-shows-it-a-team-to-be-feared/) on the road in Round 4.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Two more years of belief. Two more years of building. Coach Jurica is staying till 2028! 📝🔥 <a href="https://t.co/BbqVrPDfdw">pic.twitter.com/BbqVrPDfdw</a></p>&mdash; Dubai Basketball (@dubaibasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/dubaibasket/status/1978378180273574156?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Golemac took charge of Dubai in the summer of 2024 and oversaw the club's debut season in the ABA League. He previously coached Sixt Primorska (2017-20), Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (2020-23) and Hapoel Eliat (2023-24).

More Dubai Basketball News

The Slovenian head coach is leading the UAE-based team in its debut EuroLeague season

For the first time ever, Deniz Aksoy, Vasiliki Karamouza, Giulia Cicchine, and Aleksandra Radivojevic came together in the EuroLeague studio in Barcelona to kick off the new season with an in-person recording.

EuroLeague & Friends returns with a special in-person episode

For the first time ever, Deniz Aksoy, Vasiliki Karamouza, Giulia Cicchine, and Aleksandra Radivojevic came together in the EuroLeague studio in Barcelona to kick off the new season with an in-person recording.

Hosted by a dynamic group of international contributors, *EuroLeague & Friends* dives into all things EuroLeague on and off the court. From game breakdowns to behind-the-scenes stories, the podcast blends insight with plenty of fun.

In this season’s premiere episode, Deniz, Aleksandra, Giulia, and Vasiliki chat about the hottest topics in basketball, including the start of the EuroLeague season and standout players so far.

Highlights from the episode include:

- Nadir Hifi spotted in the crowd at the Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan game
- LeBron James weighing in on the NBA potentially shifting to 10-minute quarters
- Wade Baldwin and Mike James delivering jaw-dropping poster dunks in Round 1
- A debate on the greatest Euro-stepper in EuroLeague history
- A fun "what if" scenario: Arvydas Sabonis vs. Walter Tavares in today’s EuroLeague
- The potential impact of Miikka Muurinen - aka Slim Jesus - both on and off the court

Don’t miss this exciting season opener - it’s packed with energy, insight, and plenty of laughs!

EuroLeague & Friends is back - and this time, it’s personal!

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul-Dubai Basketball | Round 4 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Sasa Obradovic couldn’t have asked for a more gratifying second debut as the head coach of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade with the Serbian team romping to an 88-79 win over visiting Zalgiris Kaunas, its first in the last six meetings against the Lithuanian giants.

Sweet homecoming for Sasa Obradovic as Crvena Zvezda hits top gear to break Zalgiris jinx 

Sasa Obradovic couldn’t have asked for a more gratifying second debut as the head coach of [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/red/) with the Serbian team romping to an 88-79 win over visiting [Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/zal/), its first in the last six meetings against the Lithuanian giants.

Obradovic, who briefly coached Zvezda in 2020 before a successful four-year stint at AS Monaco, made a perfect start to a second spell in charge of the Belgrade outfit as his men saved their best for last in a rip-roaring contest.

Trailing 57-58 at the end of the third quarter, Zvezda leaned on the versatile [Jordan Nwora](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jordan-nwora/013363/) as the 27-year-old American delivered an electrifying performance garnished with a game-high 24 points to go with 7 boards, 5 steals 3 assists and 2 monstrous blocks.

Nwora, who joined Zvezda from Anadolu Efes Istanbul during the offseason, poured 14 points in the fourth quarter as Zvezda threw its fervent fans into raptures and notched a second successive big win, also its first of the season on home court.

The outcome condemned Zalgiris to its first EuroLeague loss of the season after three straight wins, as the visitors simply had nothing left in the tank against a shorthanded Zvezda, which was missing a bunch of high-profile performers sidelined by injuries.

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade-Zalgiris Kaunas | Round 4 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Speaking to reporters courtside and at the post-game press conference, a delighted Obradovic said the only way was up for Zvezda after he was given a rising ovation by jubilant home fans.

“I told the guys at halftime it would take defense to win this game and that’s what we did. We didn’t always play the smartest offense, but we found a way and that’s the most important thing,” said the 56-year-old tactician, a lethal perimeter shooter back in the day for Zvezda and a bunch of European clubs.

“It’s a bit messy at the moment with all the injuries we’ve had so we are relying on individual quality and today Nwora was amazing. It’s always going to be a different player who steps up to the plate but it’s the team spirit that matters.”

Obradovic hailed his team’s collective effort, in which forward [Donatas Motiejunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/donatas-motiejunas/lcz/) – on a three-month loan at Zvezda from Monaco - also stood out as he and the hardworking [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) poured 13 points apiece for the home team.

“You can sense the team spirit is making this outfit more than just a sum of its parts and I can only see us improving as time goes by,” said Obradovic. “It’s a time-consuming process, but I am confident we’ll get there with the support of the best fans in the world.

“It’s a very special emotion to be back here and apart from the fans, it’s also great to have Moteijunas here to help me adapt as he was always a telling factor in the locker room in our time together at Monaco.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ru" dir="ltr">ЗВЕЗДА ❤️🤍<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kkcz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kkcz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreTheTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreTheTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/D9i1KOFYy2">pic.twitter.com/D9i1KOFYy2</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1978200542808621089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Moteijunas himself was delighted to be back in the thick of the action after a difficult period at Monaco recently, where he was almost glued to the bench under Obradovic’s successor, Vassilis Spanoulis.

Having also shined in Zvezda’s shock 81-86 win at champs Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in the previous round when he netted 13 points, Moteijunas left no room for doubt just how much he had craved for an opportunity to showcase his ability.  

“It was up and down, but the important thing is that we showed a lot of character today as we kept fighting and stayed together to get our first home win,” said the Lithuanian with a big smile on his face.

“Six months on the bench reminds you how important basketball is to you and throughout my career, I’ve always given my heart and soul to the club that I play for. That’s what I will try to do here too,” added the 35-year-old from Kaunas, who started his illustrious career at Zalgiris.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="sr" dir="ltr">То тешко може да се схвати… ❤️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kkcz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kkcz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreTheTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreTheTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/jEF5L7ytE5">pic.twitter.com/jEF5L7ytE5</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1978213253890113898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Deservedly, the plaudits and due credit went to player of the game Nwora who amassed a personal best PIR of 34 after hitting top gear in the fourth quarter to finish on his second-highest career tally of 24 points, having set a record of 27 in an 82-92 home loss to EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in Round 1.

Fast emerging as a team leader thanks to relentless work at both ends of the court, Nwora stayed admirably humble in his postgame comments.

 “We just leaned on each other, especially on the defensive end,” he said. “They made a little run, we’ve been there before and tonight we were able to win.”

“My coach and my teammates made it easier for me to perform as they’re a great bunch of guys and it makes my job a lot easier when I’m out there on the court. It was a crazy atmosphere and it was great to have the fans get behind us like that.”

Game News

The home team gave its new head coach a perfect start with a majestic performance as Jordan Nwora shined 

Sweet homecoming for Sasa Obradovic as Zvezda breaks Zalgiris jinx 

"Not the most beautiful game to watch, you know, but I would choose an ugly game and win it," FC Bayern Munich forward Vladimir Lucic confessed after his team escaped with a 64-53 victory over EA7 Emporio Armani Milan on Tuesday night.

Bayern leaned on rebounding, defense to drop Milan

"Not the most beautiful game to watch, you know, but I would choose an ugly game and win it," [FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/mun/) forward [Vladimir Lucic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vladimir-lucic/001288/) confessed after his team escaped with a 64-53 victory over [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/mil/) on Tuesday night.

Very few could dispute Lucic’s words after watching a game in which neither team shot over 50% on two-pointers nor 25% from beyond the arc.

But in that low-scoring, low-efficiency, and highly defensive setting, Bayern managed to grow throughout the game thanks to steady work – not particularly flashy, but extremely effective.

At halftime, the hosts were trailing 28-33, having given up 11 rebounds on their own rim and allowed 9 second-chance points. A basket by [Leandro Bolmaro](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/leandro-bolmaro/008985/) shortly after the break gave Milan its largest lead, 28-35, turning on the red lights for a German side that had suffered a heavy and painful loss against Zalgiris in its last home game.

FC Bayern Munich-EA7 Emporio Armani Milan | Round 4 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

However, as Gordon Herbert pointed out at halftime, his team’s defense was not bad, although turnovers and weakness on the defensive boards prevented them from taking control of the game. Additionally, [Shavon Shields](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shavon-shields/007831/) and, especially, [Devin Booker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/devin-booker/007056/) had been a nightmare up to that point, scoring 9 points apiece and using their physicality to dominate their defenders.

Bayern’s greatest virtue was not hanging their heads, using rotations to keep a high physical level, and improving their rebounding performance. In the second half, the home team only conceded 3 offensive rebounds, committed just 3 turnovers, and held Shields and Booker to a combined total of only 3 points.

"I’m really proud of the guys," Coach Herbert said. "We were down by 6 or 7 in the third quarter, and I think the guys showed resilience and really stuck it in there defensively. Then we got, you know, our offense kind of got going a little bit more. In the second half we cleaned up our defense and rebounding, and for me, that was the biggest takeaway."

He also acknowledged during the press conference that being able to effectively use 11 players despite the injuries - [Stefan Jovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/stefan-jovic/004863/), [Johannes Voigtmann](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/johannes-voigtmann/007201/), [Elias Harris](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elias-harris/005460/) and [Rokas Jokubaitis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/rokas-jokubaitis/007519/) were sidelined - was one of the keys to explaining the victory.

<center>
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"I would also like to talk about [Leon Kratzer](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/leon-kratzer/004512/), for example," he detailed. "He didn't play for the first 25 minutes, but came in and had an outstanding performance. In 4 minutes for us he had plus 9... Guys came off the bench, ready to play, which was huge… We can play 10 sometimes, 11, just the way the game goes sometimes."

Thanks to holding Milan to a slow offensive output, Bayern only had to wait for a brief burst of accuracy from beyond the arc to take control of the game. Two three-pointers, one from [Andreas Obst](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/andreas-obst/004508/) and another from [Kamar Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kamar-baldwin/012597/) – half of all the home team's triples in the entire game – during a short three-minute span sparked a 14-2 run that put Bayern ahead, 42-37, midway through the third quarter.

From that point on, Milan gradually felt more and more suffocated, losing confidence as even open shots failed to go in, and with its two key players, Shields and Booker, unable to find any support. In his press conference, Messina even described his team's offense from then on as “disorganized”.

So, Bayern were able to run, score on the fast break, and seal the victory with relative ease thanks to Lucic’s free throws and a final three-pointer from Obst in the last minute.

"In the second half, we secured the rebounds, we could run. We could play our offense, had more flow, more rhythm, and I think there was a key today. It was not the nicest game, but I think it was really working on defense, getting rebounds and playing tough and physical," Obst summarized.

Down 7 in the third quarter, the home team clamped down and turned the game around

Veolia Towers Hamburg-Bahcesehir College Istanbul | Round 3 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroCup

Veolia Towers Hamburg v Bahcesehir College Istanbul (2025-10-14T17:30:00.000Z)

It was a tale of two halves at Inselpark Arena on Tuesday night, when Bahcesehir College Istanbul fought back to overcome Veolia Towers Hamburg 85-106. The win took the visitors to 3-0 in BKT EuroCup while the lowly Hamburg fell to 0-3.

Bahcesehir recovers from early struggles in Hamburg to improve perfect record

It was a tale of two halves at Inselpark Arena on Tuesday night, when [Bahcesehir College Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/bahcesehir-college-istanbul/bah/) fought back to overcome [Veolia Towers Hamburg](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/veolia-towers-hamburg/ham/) 85-106. The win took the visitors to 3-0 in BKT EuroCup while the lowly Hamburg fell to 0-3.

After an incredibly cagey start to the contest, eventually both teams settled in and went back-and-forth throughout the first half. Hamburg fouled its way into trouble early on, meaning Bahcesehir kept itself in the contest from the free-throw line. By the time the teams broke for halftime, the hosts were head by three points (45-42), partly due to a 7% three-point shooting performance from Bahcesehir throughout the half.

It was clear as the third quarter began that Marko Barac’s team had reset, and they came back swinging. [Malachi Flynn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/malachi-flynn/013908/) went into takeover mode, capitalizing on Hamburg’s foul trouble and punishing the hosts further at the line. Flynn, [who recently shared his aspirations of EuroCup glory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/malachi-flynn-seeks-eurocup-championship-thats-what-were-all-here-for/), opened up a double-digit lead for the road team and after that there was no way back for the Towers, who struggled mightily with turnovers.

“The way we entered the second half was different to the first, we showed much more energy defensively and in rebounding,” Barac said. “Obviously, we have a lot of quality and when we play with this kind of energy we are on a good way.” 

The energy shift was certainly apparent. The Turkish team scored 60 points in the second half to secure the win. Capitalizing on the German side’s carelessness, Bahcesehir recorded 27 points off turnovers and as a result, 17 fast-break points throughout. [Caleb Homesley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/caleb-homesley/011251/) joined Flynn in scoring 21, but also logged 3 boards and 4 assists. [Tyler Cavanaugh](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tyler-cavanaugh/009601/) led the way, however, putting in a tremendously versatile performance that results in a 16, 7 & 5 stat line.

“Any time you win on the road in EuroCup it’s huge,” Cavanagh said. “This Hamburg team is much better than their record, they play fast, they’re very aggressive and score a lot of points. We weren’t very focused defensively in the first half, but we were able to pick that up in the second half, it was a good second 20 minutes for us.

“The coaches always preach fast-break points and points off turnovers. We have a lot of guys on defense that create deflections, are aggressive on the ball and we were able to turn that into points tonight.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">🔥 THAT’S ANOTHER DUB!<br><br>BKT EuroCup | 3. Hafta | Maç Sonucu<br>🏀 Veolia Towers Hamburg 85 – 106 Bahçeşehir Kolej<br><br>• Caleb Homesley: 21 sayı, 3 ribaund, 4 asist<br>• Malachi Flynn: 21 sayı, 3 ribaund, 2 asist<br>• Tyler Cavanaugh: 16 sayı, 7 ribaund, 5 asist <br>• Trevion Williams:11… <a href="https://t.co/T41lKIVGuR">pic.twitter.com/T41lKIVGuR</a></p>&mdash; Bahçeşehir Koleji Spor Kulübü (@BKBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/BKBasketbol/status/1978184092945362982?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The result was tough on Hamburg, which wouldn’t go down without a fight but ultimately couldn’t handle the rejuvenated Bahcesehir in the second half. Head coach Benka Barloschsky was proud of how his team fought in the first two quarters, but thought the third was when his men lost control of the contest.

“In the third quarter, Istanbul started to punish us with technical elements, we tried to adjust and we did, but we couldn’t keep up the scoring on the other side,” Barloschsky shared. “We couldn’t generate the same looks that we could before, Istanbul was scoring too easily and they didn’t allow us to run the same way.”

Hamburg remains winless after three rounds and will face Neptunas Klaipeda next week. Bahcesehir, meanwhile, will hope to continue its perfect start to the season when it hosts Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">💎 İşte galibiyetin 𝐌𝐕𝐏’si! <br><br>🔑 Veolia Towers Hamburg galibiyetimizde anahtar rol oynayan oyuncumuz; 16 sayı, 7 ribaund, 5 asist, 26 verimlilik puanı performansıyla Tyler Cavanaugh oluyor!<br><br>❤️💙 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CatchYourDreams?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CatchYourDreams</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/mVlSKTwxzn">pic.twitter.com/mVlSKTwxzn</a></p>&mdash; Bahçeşehir Koleji Spor Kulübü (@BKBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/BKBasketbol/status/1978185864409706877?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

It wasn't all smooth sailing for Marko Barac’s men, yet they still did enough to get the win

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana-Aris Thessaloniki Betsson | Round 3 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroCup

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana v Aris Thessaloniki Betsson (2025-10-14T16:30:00.000Z)

Turk Telekom Ankara-Buducnost VOLI Podgorica | Round 3 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroCup

Turk Telekom Ankara v Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (2025-10-14T16:00:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus-Anadolu Efes Istanbul | Round 4 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv-FC Barcelona | Round 4 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

In a battle of undefeated teams, Cedevita shut down Aris with an 80-59 win to improve to 3-0

Cedevita sends defensive statement in 80-59 victory over Aris

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana bagged an important early victory atop Group A of the BKT EuroCup in beating Aris Thessaloniki Betsson at home with a strong defensive statement.

In a battle of undefeated teams, Cedevita shut down Aris with an 80-59 win to improve to 3-0. While even Cedevita head coach Zvezdan Mitrovic said the final result was a bit deceiving in terms of how tight the game felt, he loved the second number of the scoreline.

“They were a team who scored an average of 90 points (91.5) through two games and today they had 59. That was really good,” said the coach. "Maybe the difference was bigger than it should have been, but this is the reward for our great defensive effort.”

Aris shot over 60 percent on two-pointers and over 35% on three-pointers in both of its first two games. But Bogdan Karaicic’s team connected on only 44 and 33%, respectively in the Slovenian capital. And after launching 50 three-pointers in the first two games, Aris attempted only 12 against Cedevita, making four of them. Many of those came as Aris tried to come back from a 16-point third-quarter deficit.

Cedevita got a big break early in the second half when Aris’s star guard Bryce Jones picked up his third and fourth fouls within 42 seconds of the first minute of the third quarter. Jones ended up not coming back until 8 minutes left in the game and couldn’t turn the game around before fouling out. Jones finished with 6 points, 1 rebound and 3 assists in less than 20 minutes - well below his averages of 21 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists coming into the game.

Mitrovic, meanwhile, has to be happy about his team coming through with DJ Stewart having another pedestrian game of 9 points and 7 rebounds - down from the 27-point, 8-rebound and 5-assist outburst in Round 2.

Umoja Gibson looked for some time as if he would set a new personal scoring mark with 19 points early in the third quarter. But he remained on those 19 points the rest of the game. Aleksej Nikolic was reported to have health issues, but he fought through them with 15 points.

But Cedevita got a boost off the bench from their sharpshooter Joseph Girard, who hit 4 three-pointers for 16 points - 2 fewer than his total output from the first two games.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="sl" dir="ltr">Kapetan <a href="https://twitter.com/JakaBlazic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JakaBlazic</a> je napredoval ⬆️ za eno mesto na večni lestvici strelcev v <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a>!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ZmajevaDruzina?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ZmajevaDruzina</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToGreatness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToGreatness</a> <a href="https://t.co/IVI0TU7zqB">pic.twitter.com/IVI0TU7zqB</a></p>&mdash; Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (@KKCedOL) <a href="https://twitter.com/KKCedOL/status/1978179931050770823?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Even 35-year-old veteran Jaka Blazic gave some strong production with 6 points and 5 assists in 16 minutes, which saw him move past Jamar Smith and into fifth place on the EuroCup's all-time scoring charts with 1,399 career points. Blazic had only collected 6 points and 1 assist so far this campaign.

Put it all together and Cedevita is really happy to have grabbed this victory. It’s a statement that the Slovenian side can win with defense too - having conceded only 69 points in a Round 1 home win over BAXI Manresa.

“It was very big, very big. We had a chance to go 3-0 in the EuroCup. It’s a wonderful feeling. I am excited about it,” said Gibson.

Another reason why it is big is because of the aforementioned final score. A 21-point victory could go a long way in securing Cedevita a better spot in the final rankings after the Regular Season if the team could get into a tie with Aris.

Sure, that is a long road from now, but the first stones in the road are being laid.

Cedevita has given up just 64 points per game in its two home wins

Mfiondu Kabengele was one of many stars on the night for Dubai Basketball as it went on the road to Fenerbahce Beko and came away with a stunning 69-93 victory, a result that has sent shockwaves around the EuroLeague.

Dubai humbles the defending champs and shows it is a team to be feared

Last week, it looked like [Dubai Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/dubai-basketball/dub/) had got a dose of reality.

After back-to-back heavy defeats, having lost 86-67 at Olympiacos Piraeus last Friday night after 103-81 at AS Monaco seven days prior, the EuroLeague debutant’s opening-round win at home to Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade already felt a long time ago. That made a Round 4 trip to face [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) – the defending EuroLeague champion – all the more daunting.

Add in the fact that Dubai was without star signing [Dzanan Musa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dzanan-musa/006540/) and it looked like a near-impossible mission, even if Fenerbahce was having some problems of its own.

The result? An absolute beatdown – with Dubai doing the beating. Led by first-year center [Mfiondu Kabengele](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mfiondu-kabengele/012796/), the UAE-based side stunned Fenerbahce by triumphing 69-93 on the road, having led by 32 points with just two minutes to go. It really was some spectacle, one that showed the potential of this Dubai side and also the cracks that exist at Fenerbahce.

“They were really focused today. An extremely good reaction after two bad defeats on the road,” said coach Jurica Golemac. “We came here with nothing to lose. The motivation was really high – you’re playing against the current European champion. Through the 40 minutes, I cannot think of one mistake that we did.

“Everybody was focused, everybody helped each other, and we didn’t let them get their rhythm, which is the most important when playing on the road. It’s just one win, of course. We need to be satisfied, but for the future we need to keep going and keep growing.”

From the midway point of the first quarter onwards, it was relatively plain sailing for Dubai. Kabengele was rolling inside, [Klemen Prepelic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/klemen-prepelic/002661/) and [McKinley Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mckinley-wright-iv/012606/) were distributing the rock, and [Dwayne Bacon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dwayne-bacon/011286/) and [Filip Petrusev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/filip-petrusev/011194/) kept finding ways to score. At halftime, the 31-46 scoreline was an accurate representation of how the game had gone to that point.

Interestingly, Dubai held Fenerbahce to a season-low 11-point second quarter and its second-lowest first-half tally, just a few days on from the champs’ 30-point first half against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade. Unlike last Friday night, however, Saras Jasikevicius’s men were unable to turn things around after the break.

<center>
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Coach Golemac’s squad looked so confident in Istanbul and at ease that it was reminiscent of last season’s Paris Basketball side, which had a no-fear approach whenever it went out onto the floor. Even without Musa, or fellow summer addition [Aleksa Avramovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/aleksa-avramovic/003983/), Dubai was able to comfortably stay ahead against Fenerbahce and even build on its first-half display, opening a 20-point and then 30-point gap in the third and fourth quarters.

“It’s a stepping stone,” Kabengele said after the game. “I recognize that it’s a long season. I know for a fact that when Fenerbahce comes to us, they’re going to be even more hungry, so I’m confident. We have another game against Barcelona \[on Thursday\], so we’ll enjoy today.

“But if we soak in this success, we’ll have a lot of trouble going forward through the season. My goal, after this win, is to build off this. Watch more film, replicate these good habits going forward, and hopefully it continues on with the guys coming back healthy.”

It’s only Round 4, but Dubai is 2-2 and has just notched its first-ever EuroLeague road win. The key will now be to build on this triumph, having set a new benchmark with its stunning performance at the home of the champs.

Jurica Golemac’s men grabbed a 24-point victory at Fenerbahce in Round 4

It is only mid-October and we’ve still got 34 regular season games remaining, but considering the levels of intensity and drama on display, you could be forgiven for thinking that Tuesday’s heavyweight matchup between Olympiacos Piraeus and Anadolu Efes Istanbul was in the middle of a playoff series.

Efes edges Olympiacos in thriller

It is only mid-October and we’ve still got 34 regular season games remaining, but considering the levels of intensity and drama on display, you could be forgiven for thinking that Tuesday’s heavyweight matchup between [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) and [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/) was in the middle of a playoff series.

This was a game of many mini-games, starting with a first period that soon became a showcase of long-range shooting. [Tyler Dorsey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tyler-dorsey/009849/), [Alec Peters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alec-peters/008829/) and [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/) took the starring roles by netting multiple triples in a combined total of 11 first quarter converted three-pointers on just 15 attempts, with the period ending 25-28 in Efes’s favor thanks to a 2-16 run.

That ridiculous level of long-range accuracy could obviously not be maintained, but the tempo and the excitement didn’t drop as the game continued with a series of momentum swings. Even though Efes briefly led by double-digits in the second quarter, the Reds soon fought back and there were no less than 11 lead changes in the first half, which finally finished with a 51-48 Olympiacos lead.

Predictably, the interval gave coaches Georgios Bartzokas and Igor Kokoskov the opportunity to emphasize defensive duties, and the pace of scoring subsequently dramatically dropped.

With the outcome on the line heading into the fourth quarter, Efes mounted a 0-9 run and kept Olympiacos scoreless for more than five minutes to take the lead. But that was not the end of the back and forth, as the home team responded with a 6-0 run to turn around the scoreboard once again.

After all that, we entered the final 150 seconds with the teams tied up, 74-74. [Donta Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/donta-hall/011196/)’s explosive dunk was bettered by [Isaia Cordinier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/isaia-cordinier/009549/)’s corner three, before [Frank Nkilitina](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/frank-ntilikina/006591/) delivered lead change number 17 with a driving layup. However, then Cordinier coolly scored again, 78-79 with 30 seconds left, and Larkin’s free throws sealed the deal to give Efes a memorable victory.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">📢 <a href="https://twitter.com/Migros_Turkiye?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Migros_Turkiye</a> ile Olympiacos karşılaşmamızın en iyisi Cole Swider!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Swiderile%C4%B0yisin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Swiderileİyisin</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenimYerimBuras%C4%B1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenimYerimBurası</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MigrosHepimize%C4%B0yiGelecek?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MigrosHepimizeİyiGelecek</a> <a href="https://t.co/mJN1qV0BDE">pic.twitter.com/mJN1qV0BDE</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1978194499630166227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Adding to all that drama there were also individual storylines, including Olympiacos legend [Kostas Papanikolaou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kostas-papanikolaou/001255/) becoming only the fifth player to reach the milestone of 400 EuroLeague appearances.

Elsewhere, Efes summer signings [Cole Swider](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/cole-swider/014025/) and [Kai Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kai-jones/014102/) truly announced their respective arrivals in the league. Swider’s three-point shooting was particularly notable as the former Toronto Raptor netted 4 of his 7 three-point attempts, finishing with a game-high 20 points in just 15 minutes on the floor. Jones made his mark closer to the rim, beating the first and third quarter buzzers with fierce dunks on his way to 6 points, 7 rebounds and a blocked shot.

On the other side, recent Red recruit [Tyson Ward](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tyson-ward/012610/) showed just how much he can contribute to his new team by combining 13 points, a career-high 7 assists and 5 rebounds.

Superstars [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) and Shane Larkin, meanwhile, both endured mixed evenings: 12 points but no three-pointers for the Reds’ star, who also missed a last-ditch attempt to force overtime; for Larkin, 16 points but nine missed two-pointers and 4 turnovers.

So many talking points, so many twists and turns, but ultimately only one winner. But a big thank you to both sets of players: Olympiacos, Efes… that was a lot of fun.

Newcomers Cole Swider, Kai Jones had their best games yet for the winners

Donta Hall raises the roof with a detonating dunk