Round 24 MVP: Kevin Punter, FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona star [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/) was a force to be reckoned with in Round 24, showcasing the level of performance that saw him earn January MVP honors as he took home the MVP of the Round with a PIR of 34, the highest of any player in this round and the second-best index rating of his career.

Punter led Barcelona to a 91-98 road victory over LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne with 31 points on 7-of-8 two-pointers, 4-of-6 three-pointers and 5-of-7 free throws. He added 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 5 fouls drawn. The 32-year-old secured MVP of the Round honors for the fifth time in this career and the second time this season, having previously amassed a PIR of 40 in Round 17 after inspiring Barcelona to a historic 134-124 triple-overtime win over Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz.

[Filip Petrusev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/filip-petrusev/011194/) of Dubai Basketball reached a PIR of 33 in his team's 79-99 road victory over Paris Basketball. He finished the game with 21 points on 8-of-8 two-pointers, 1-of-2 three-pointers and 2-of-2 free throws, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 3 fouls drawn.

[Momo Diouf](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mouhamet-diouf/013374/) of Virtus Bologna amassed a PIR of 31 despite his team's 93-102 home loss against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade. Diouf had a career-high 21 points on 10-of-13 two-pointers, in addition to hitting his only free-throw attempt, while he added 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 5 fouls drawn.

[Shavon Shields](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shavon-shields/007831/) of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan had the fourth-best index rating in Round 24 with a PIR of 29, which came in his team’s 82-86 defeat to Zalgiris Kaunas. The Milan forward posted a season-high 27 points on 5-of-6 two-point attempts, 3-of-7 triples and 8-of-8 free throws, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 7 fouls drawn.

Completing the top individual performances from this round are [Facundo Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) of Real Madrid and [Toko Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/) of Barcelona, each with a PIR of 28. Campazzo amassed 17 points, 1 rebound, 10 assists, 2 steals and 4 fouls drawn as Real Madrid beat AS Monaco 90-78, while Shengelia recorded 22 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 6 fouls drawn in Barcelona’s win at ASVEL.

### Individual highs: Jared Rhoden, Paris Basketball, 6 steals

Punter led all scorers this round with 31 points. Panathiniakos AKTOR Athens guard Kendrick Nunn is the new EuroLeague scoring leader with 19.42 points per game, followed by Sasha Vezenkov of Olympiacos Piraeus with 19.39.

Juancho Hernangomez of Panathiniakos was this round’s top rebounder with 13 boards. Olympiacos's Nikola Milutinov is the top rebounder this season with 7.7 per game.

Codi Miller-McIntyre of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade had 12 assists, the most in Round 24. Miller-McIntyre is now tied with Zalgiris Kaunas guard Sylvain Francisco for the league lead with 6.8 assists per game.

Jared Rhoden of Paris had a round-high 6 steals, more than any other player this season. Alpha Diallo of AS Monaco remains atop the steals charts, averaging 1.6 steals.

Tyrique Jones led all players in this round with 3 blocks. Walter Tavares of Real Madrid is the EuroLeague’s top shot blocker, averaging 1.9 blocks this season.

There were five double-doubles in Round 24: Crvena Zvezda’s Miller-McIntyre (10 points, 12 assists) and Ebuka Izundu (12 points, 10 rebounds), Real Madrid’s Facundo Campazzo (17 points, 10 assists) and Tavares (13 points, 10 rebounds), and Milan’s Josh Nebo (12 points, 11 rebounds).

The EuroLeague MVP for December keeps delivering in January

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade had a historic triumph on Friday night in Munich, but it came with a major injury blow as team captain Vanja Marinkovic suffered a ruptured Achilles. In a 104-101 come-from-behind overtime win over the EuroLeague leader Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv, Marinkovic suffered the injury on the final play of regulation.

Partizan’s Vanja Marinkovic out long-term with Achilles injury

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade had a historic triumph on Friday night in Munich, but it came with a major injury blow as team captain [Vanja Marinkovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vanja-marinkovic/004761/) suffered a ruptured Achilles.

In a [104-101 come-from-behind overtime win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/valiant-partizan-storms-back-to-overturn-27-point-deficit-beat-hapoel-in-ot/) over the EuroLeague leader Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv, Marinkovic suffered the injury on the final play of regulation.

“The initial test in Munich confirmed an Achilles rupture that will require a lengthy absence”, says in a club statement on Saturday morning. “Upon returning to Belgrade, Marinkovic will undergo an MRI and then the decision will be made how the injury will be treated.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Kapiten Partizana Mozzart Bet Vanja Marinković, doživeo je povredu ahilove tetive u završnici sinoćne utakmice protiv Hapoela. Pregled i ultrazvuk u Minhenu, pokazali su da se radi o rupturi koja iziskuje duži oporavak. <br><br>Vanja će po dolasku u Beograd obaviti i pregled magnetnom… <a href="https://t.co/Zgs4LIlDhD">pic.twitter.com/Zgs4LIlDhD</a></p>&mdash; KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC/status/2014964657178489172?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

A veteran sharpshooter in his seventh EuroLeague season, Marinkovic has been averaging 5.9 points this campaign, during which he already missed five games due to different medical reasons. Against Hapoel, a game in which Partizan made a second largest comeback in EuroLeague history, overcoming a 27-point deficit, Marinkovic had one of his best performances of the season, scoring 12 points on 4-for-8 three-point shooting.

It was second straight win for Partizan, which helped the team escape the bottom of the standings as it holds an 8-16 record. Partizan has been without its star point guard Carlik Jones since Round 6, and has recently lost Shake Milton due to broken hand. Now it will have to continue without its team captain, too.

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade-Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv | Round 24 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

More Partizan News

The 29-year old shooting forward is out for the season

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (2026-01-23T19:30:00.000Z)

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Round 24 winner

EuroLeague fans, we have our 24th winner in this season's [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/)! Huseyin Erturk beat everyone else in Round 24 with his team KerametGucu, which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 242.80.

Huseyin had the following lineup: Filip Petrusev of Dubai Basketball as team captain, then FC Barcelona duo of Kevin Punter and Tornike Shengelia, Saben Lee of Anadolu Efes Istanbul and Mouhamet Diouf of Virtus Bologna as his other starters. Juancho Hernangomez of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens was his sixth man. Huseyin's bench players were Tarik Biberovic of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, Nick Calathes of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, Jaime Pradilla of Valencia Basket and Iffe Lundberg of Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv. Fenerbahce play-caller Sarunas Jasikevicius was Huseyin's head coach.

The prize for finishing first in Round 24 is a VIP EuroLeague TV Subscription for the 2026-27 Season, and an automatic entry to a lottery to win two tickets to the 2027 Final Four.

Trades are now open for Round 25 of the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/), and the number of trades is unlimited.

The first game of Round 25, Paris Basketball vs. Real Madrid, is scheduled to tip off on Tuesday, January 27 at 21:00 CET. This marks the next round's deadline.

Make new teams now or improve your existing ones and try to become our next round winner! To help with that, watch the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge podcast weekly on the [EuroLeague's YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@euroleague) and on all audio platforms.

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge offers weekly prizes to the top team manager. 

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade fans will be forgiven for arriving late into Munich’s beer halls on Friday night after a dramatic finale at the city’s BMW Park, where the Serbian team enjoyed a memorable 104-101 overtime win against Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv.

Valiant Partizan storms back to overturn 27-point deficit, beat Hapoel in OT

[Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/) fans will be forgiven for arriving late into Munich’s beer halls on Friday night after a dramatic finale at the city’s BMW Park, where the Serbian team enjoyed a memorable 104-101 overtime win against [Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/hapoel-ibi-tel-aviv/hta/).

Partizan improved to 8-16 while Hapoel dropped to 16-7, with the Israeli side staying top of the EuroLeague standings by the skin of its teeth, level with Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and ahead of Spanish duo Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, who are both on 16-8.

Against all odds, Partizan wiped out a 37-64 third-quarter deficit, the joint second-biggest comeback in the competition’s history. Joan Penarroya's men roared back in the second half and forced the additional five minutes thanks to a monster block from big man [Bruno Fernando](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/bruno-fernando/013667/), one of the team’s many heroes on an epic night.

With the clock ticking, Fernando leapt sky-high to swat away a [Chris Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/chris-jones/010568/) layup and keep the score tied, 88-88, heading into overtime. In the extra session, [Sterling Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sterling-brown/012720/) overcame a recent slump to sink 8 of his 13 points as Partizan held its nerve in a dramatic finish.

Playing as hosts in Munich as the team’s favorite Belgrade Arena venue is busy hosting the men’s European Water Polo Championship, Partizan ground out its second successive win in the Bavarian city in two days, after [beating FC Bayern Munich 63-67 on Wednesday](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/payne-ignites-partizan-in-munich-as-calathes-steers-team-out-of-7-game-slide/).

The Serbian fans, a mixture of expats and die-hard ultras who made the trip from Serbia, stayed in Munich for an extra couple of days and witnessed one of the most awe-inspiring fightbacks in the history of their club, which is going through a rough patch marked by seven straight losses prior to beating Bayern.

For two and a half quarters Partizan looked second best against rampant Hapoel, whose big men [Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/) and [Johnathan Motley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/johnathan-motley/011157/) bossed the paint while [Vasilije Micic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vasilije-micic/002580/) and Chris Jones toyed with their markers in the backcourt, engineering a seemingly unassailable 27-point lead.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">POBEDA!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKPartizan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKPartizan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/FHuJ0Vw10A">pic.twitter.com/FHuJ0Vw10A</a></p>&mdash; KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC/status/2014822858367627297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

However, role player [Arijan Lakic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/arijan-lakic/007736/) came off the bench – out of nowhere, in fact – to inspire a stunning comeback as he registered his EuroLeague career highs of 15 points, 8 rebounds and a PIR of 24. Captain [Vanja Marinkovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vanja-marinkovic/004761/), who suffered what looked like a hamstring injury late in regulation, followed in his footsteps with 12 points, and Fernando racked up 14 to go with 7 boards, all of them complementing the effort of livewire guard [Cam Payne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/cameron-payne/014213/), who sank a team-high 19 points.

The evening plaudits duly went to Lakic, though, whose energy and fighting spirit catapulted Partizan from a lethargic first-half performance that saw Hapoel run riot to take a 35-56 lead at the interval.

“We fought until the end as this is the kind of belief we have to bring on to the court, the bench and the locker room every game,” Lakic said in his postgame comments. “We have to continue like this, especially on defense as second half defense won us the game. I am so grateful for having these fans with us, as they cheer us on even when we are losing by 20 or 30. We were at home in Munich today but I can’t wait to go back to the Arena and play in front of 20,000 people.” 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="is" dir="ltr">HVALA GROBARI!🖤🤍<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKPartizan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKPartizan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/HIpT0wqE1f">pic.twitter.com/HIpT0wqE1f</a></p>&mdash; KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC/status/2014827278895644950?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The ferocity and guile of Partizan’s spirit was also personified by Fernando, who let out a primal scream when he vanquished Jones with 0.1 seconds left on the clock, his block originally ruled as goaltending before the decision was changed after an official review. Partizan head coach Joan Penarroya was then ejected early in overtime for a second technical foul, but his absence only seemed to galvanize Partizan in carving out a 97-92 advantage. The Serbian side then stayed focused and held on in the wake of one last push by Hapoel.

“Emotions were high because there was a lot at stake for us,” Fernando said. “Our fans found a way to come here and support us in a home away from home, while we were able to find some energy and some juice and put up a fight in the second half.

“It’s been a rough few weeks for us, but we had to find a way to smile and be happy, to come here and put a smile on people’s faces by playing basketball. It’s bigger than us, it’s the whole country of Serbia, and we just need to stay patient when things are not going so well for us.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Good night.🖤<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKPartizan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKPartizan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/r2YvSrHxPJ">pic.twitter.com/r2YvSrHxPJ</a></p>&mdash; KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC/status/2014835504638840968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Hapoel head coach Dimitris Itoudis will no doubt see the outcome as a missed opportunity to keep some distance from the chasing pack. Oturu led the Israeli side on 24 points, Micic scored 19 and Jones chipped in with 16, while [Antonio Blakeney](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/antonio-blakeney/013402/) and Motley sank 13 and 11, respectively. However, the rest of the crew added preciously little to the effort as Hapoel lost the battle of the boards 37-32 and committed 17 turnovers, while allowing Partizan to record 23 assists and 13 steals.

“Congratulations to Partizan, they kept believing even when we were up by 25 or so,” Itoudis said. “We made a lot of mistakes on the rotation, we over-helped when we shouldn’t have done and we failed to stick to the plan of not giving them too many open threes. It leaves a bitter taste because we were playing a pretty good game for about 27 minutes, but a lot of credit goes to Partizan. It wasn’t enough as you’ve got to stay consistent for 40 minutes. We have no right to crack because this is what the EuroLeague is like.”

Game News

The Serbian team won against the odds on the back of some heroic individual performances 

No game is easy in the EuroLeague, and LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne proved exactly that against FC Barcelona on Friday night. However, what the hosts couldn’t handle was the impact of league legends Kevin Punter and Toko Shengelia, who stepped up after the break to help their team clinch a 91-98 victory at the Astroballe.

Shengelia, Punter take matters into their hands to down ASVEL

No game is easy in the EuroLeague, and [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/) proved exactly that against [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/) on Friday night. However, what the hosts couldn’t handle was the impact of league legends [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/) and [Toko Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/), who stepped up after the break to help their team clinch a 91-98 victory at the Astroballe.

Heading into Friday’s clash on the back of two straight road losses, the Catalan side was looking to grab a victory that would allow it to complete a perfect double-round week. And Barcelona did just that, but it struggled against a relentless ASVEL.

Despite coming into the clash on the back of four straight losses following [Nando De Colo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nando-de-colo/002100/)’s midseason departure to reigning champion Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, the hosts hit the ground running with [Glynn Watson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/glynn-watson/014013/) spearheading their offense.

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne-FC Barcelona | Round 24 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

The ASVEL guard pulled off an extraordinary outing in the first half, ending the first quarter on 10 points. He added seven more points to his tally in the second quarter, having gone 7-for-9 from the field, as ASVEL took a 49-47 edge at halftime.

Enter Shengelia, who recorded eight straight points, two drawn fouls, an assist, a steal in the first three and a half minutes of the third quarter. He singlehandedly fought back in a trade of blows that saw him tie the game up at 57-57. 

And then it was Punter’s turn to do his thing, with the Barcelona guard drilling three triples and a one inside the arc for 11 straight points that gave the visitors a 60-68 lead.

But ASVEL hadn't said its last word, with [Mbaye Ndiaye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mbaye-ndiaye/012731/) scoring inside to bring his team within 76-78 in the opening stages of the fourth quarter. Punter and Shengelia came to the fore again by combining for 16 of Barcelona’s last 20 points as the guests put the game to bed down the stretch.

The latter went 7-for-9 from the field and 7-for-7 from the charity stripe, posting 22 points to go with 5 rebounds and 3 assists.

“It’s a very important win for us,” Shengelia told EuroLeague TV. “We had many ups and downs during the game, but we kept fighting. It was one of those days, we didn’t start well, especially physically in defense. We had to change this mentality in the second half which we did a little bit.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">Segona 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨̀𝐫𝐢𝐚 de la setmana i segon 𝐌𝐕𝐏 de la setmana 👑 <a href="https://t.co/jaTWRdNLVO">pic.twitter.com/jaTWRdNLVO</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/2014828092431192144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Having gone 7-for-8 from inside the arc, 4-for-6 from deep and 5-for-7 from the free-throw line, Punter ended the game on 31 points. The 32-year-old guard bounced back from adversity, following a poor outing that saw him score just 3 points in the derby loss against Real Madrid, by scoring a total of 51 points this week.

“He’s playing excellent,” Barcelona head coach Xavi Pascual said in the postgame press conference. “He’s one of the key players at Barcelona. We are lucky to have him on our team. He always approaches the game with really good concentration.”

Having improved its record to 16-8, Barcelona travels to Greece next week for a colossal clash against an in-form Olympiacos Piraeus, which it beat 98-85 back in mid-December.

With Punter and Shengelia performing at such a high level, however, Pascual will be quietly confident of securing a statement victory at Peace and Friendship Stadium.

The Barcelona veterans combined for 53 of their team’s 98 points in a road victory

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v FC Barcelona (2026-01-23T19:45:00.000Z)

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade has been unstoppable of late, and it continued its upturn in form at Virtus Arena on Friday night.

Crvena Zvezda sets multiple club records in Bologna

[Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/red/) has been unstoppable of late, and it continued its upturn in form at Virtus Arena on Friday night.

By downing [Virtus Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/vir/) 93-102, Zvezda grabbed its third consecutive win, all of them on the road, and it scored 100 points or more in all three games. All of a sudden, Zvezda has a 14-10 record despite its many injuries and has a three-win gap over Virtus, which ranks 11th at 11-13. 

Before this three-game winning streak, Zvezda had scored 100 points or more just six times in 339 games, so coach Sasa Obradovic had plenty of reasons to be happy.

"I think we are in a great moment, playing great basketball. We deserve all the road wins we had. We have to keep the same focus and energy for each game," Coach Obradovic said. "We go \[back\] home and I am really happy with the whole team, with everybody's contribution. It is a great thing."

Virtus Bologna-Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade | Round 24 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Zvezda set several club records and season-high marks in Bologna. It scored 82 points in the opening three quarters, a new club record; its previous record was the 80 points it netted through three periods in a 90-78 home win over Khimki Moscow Region on October 31, 2019. 

The Serbian side also finished the game with 16 three-point makes and 31 assists, new season highs and close to the club's all-time records in the competition. Zvezda dished a club-record 34 assists in an 101-77 home win over FC Bayern Munich on November 29, 2014, while its three-point record remains the 17 drained against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne on October 5, 2023.

The biggest key to the game was the way Zvezda was able to diversify its offense, finding new go-to guys along the way ever since [Jordan Nwora](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jordan-nwora/013363/) provided the fireworks with three consecutive three-pointers in the opening two minutes. Nwora was one of seven Zvezda players to score in double digits. It was a first for the club in its EuroLeague history, having seven players each scoring 10 points or more. [Jared Butler](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jared-butler/014163/) ending up leading the way with 16 points.

"I think it's important for us, if we are going to be a great team, to win on the road. And we have been doing that. We have just shown more character, more belief in ourselves, and it's been good," Butler said after the game. "I think every game is important at this point. We have got to keep going every game, one game at a time."

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ru" dir="ltr">Бравооооо Звездооо!<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://t.co/XQkV0KA2ZA">https://t.co/XQkV0KA2ZA</a> <a href="https://t.co/CWJnM3O7zN">pic.twitter.com/CWJnM3O7zN</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/2014826336431247380?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Nwora added 15, [Nikola Kalinic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-kalinic/004866/) and [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) got 13 apiece, [Ebuka Izundu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ebuka-izundu/014029/) had 12, [Semi Ojeleye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/semi-ojeleye/011982/) chipped in with 11 and [Codi Miller-McIntyre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/codi-miller-mcintyre/009048/) netted 10. Miller-McIntyre added 12 assists for a rare double-double with no turnovers, becoming the 12th player to reach at least 12 assists with no turnovers in EuroLeague history. Nick Weiler-Babb is the only player to do so multiple times (three), and the list includes stars like Nikos Zisis, Tyus Edney, Facu Campazzo, Vasilije Micic, Kostas Sloukas, Mike James and his current Zvezda teammate Yago dos Santos, among others.

"I think we did a great job on the road, sticking together, really locking in on defense. We got to do a better job, but I'm proud of the way we fought this week," Miller-McIntyre said. "They have a really great team, great players and a great coach, but our team was able to stay focused and do what we needed to do to win the game. We just have to continue to fight. At the end of the day, that's all we can do. We got to do it every possession, every game, every week. And we'll see where we end up at the end of the season."

Zvezda will play six of its next seven games at home, starting against Dubai Basketball on Friday, January 30. That same day and after back-to-back home losses, Virtus faces AS Monaco on the road. 

Coach Sasa Obradovic's team finished a perfect double-round week in style

Virtus Bologna v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2026-01-23T19:30:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul kept its foot on the gas Friday night, climbing to sole possession of second place in the standings after running past visiting Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, 84–71.

Talen Horton-Tucker, Fenerbahce continue to climb, plow through Baskonia

[Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) kept its foot on the gas Friday night, climbing to sole possession of second place in the standings after running past visiting [Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/bas/), 84–71.

The reigning champions remained red-hot, proving that a road loss against Dubai Basketball two weeks ago was just a hiccup. The team is on another winning streak, this time with three in a row. Prior to this, Fenerbahce was on a six-game winning streak in November and early December, before following it with four consecutive wins in late December and early January.

Overall, the team has won 13 of its last 15 games.

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul-Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | Round 24 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Friday’s final score speaks very little about the game, which was a back-and-forth affair in the first quarter, and Baskonia trailed by just one point at 42-41 early in the third. But that’s when Fenerbahce stepped up on both ends of the floor.

The defending champs went on a 13-0 run, courtesy of 7 points by [Nando De Colo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nando-de-colo/002100/) and 6 from [Talen Horton-Tucker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/talen-horton-tucker/014124/). Then [Tarik Biberovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tarik-biberovic/006961/) and [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/) joined the fun, and the margin was 69-50 after three quarters, then 81-53 early in the fourth.

Over that span of more than 13 minutes, Fenerbahce scored 39 points while its league-best scoring defense allowed just 12.

“The way \[coach Sarunas Jasikevicius\] is on us, you would not think we are the best defensive team in the EuroLeague,” said Horton-Tucker, who paced Fenerbahce once again with 21 points and 8 rebounds.

“I feel all good team need that, and the way he continues to hold us accountable, hold us to a high standard is super-important if you want to win the championship.” 

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BOSS. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/Rgw11GocVX">pic.twitter.com/Rgw11GocVX</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/2014796746468012127?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Living up to the billing, Jasikevicius was quick to point out things that could not satisfy him.

“We played a game where we were giving up incredible amount of cheap points, and we had 20 turnovers”, he said, before finding the positives.

“To have 20 turnovers in a EuroLeague game and win comfortably, I hope that is showing our potential.

“The second part of the season, everything is so important. We need to get better at details. It is much better to get better at details when you are watching a video after a win, in a positive way.” 

The Lithuanian play-caller who guided Fenerbahce to the EuroLeague crown last season, and has led FC Barcelona and Zalgiris Kauans to Final Fours in the past, certainly knows the recipe, and it lines up exactly with what Horton-Tucker is striving for, too:

“\[The goal\] is to get to the top,” he said. “They won everything last year, so I want to be a part of something like that, too. That is my ultimate goal.”

A 13-minute stretch in the second half saw the defending champs pull away

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2026-01-23T17:45:00.000Z)

Real Madrid announced Friday that Theo Maledon suffered an adductor injury during his team's Round 24 win over AS Monaco Thursday night.

Theo Maledon sidelined with adductor injury

[Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/) announced Friday that [Theo Maledon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/theo-maledon/007027/) suffered an adductor injury during [his team's Round 24 win over AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/facundo-campazzo-leads-real-madrid-past-monaco-for-sixth-straight-win/) Thursday night.

Maledon played just one minute and 11 seconds in the first quarter, but was unable to continue. Coach Sergio Scariolo confirmed afterward that he had picked up an injury. The length of his absence has not been disclosed, however.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">Parte médico de Maledon.</p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/2014699892619231491?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"Following medical tests conducted today by Real Madrid’s medical staff, Theo Maledon has been diagnosed with a right adductor muscle injury. His status will be evaluated on an ongoing basis," the club confirmed in a statement.

In his first season at Real Madrid, the 24-year-old has averaged 10.7 points, 1.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 21 EuroLeague appearances.

More Real Madrid

The Real Madrid guard will miss some time

Olympiacos BC has bolstered its options at the guard spot by signing Cory Joseph, who has penned a deal until the end of the 2025-26 season.

Olympiacos signs Cory Joseph

[Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) has bolstered its options at the guard spot by signing Cory Joseph, who has penned a deal until the end of the 2026-27 season.

Joseph (1.88 meters, 34 years old) most recently played for the Orlando Magic, averaging 3.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists in a reduced role across 50 games in the NBA last season.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="el" dir="ltr">✍️🏾Η ΚΑΕ ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΟΣ ανακοινώνει την απόκτηση του Cory Joseph. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a><a href="https://t.co/wf6mOWdcIY">https://t.co/wf6mOWdcIY</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/2014755272569307627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

A 2014 NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs, Joseph has played a total of 866 regular-season games and made 87 playoff appearances in his 14-season NBA career. His career averages stand at 6.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.

Joseph, who was drafted with the 29th overall pick by the Spurs in the 2011 NBA Draft, spent the first four years of his professional career with San Antonio (2011-15) before going on to play for the Toronto Raptors (2015-17), Indiana Pacers (2017-19), Sacramento Kings (2019-21), Detroit Pistons (2021-23), Golden State Warriors (2023-24), and the Pacers (2024-25).

The Canadian guard has been a teammate of several EuroLeague players during his time in the NBA, including Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv's [TJ Leaf](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tj-leaf/014012/) (113 games), Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz's [Hamidou Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/hamidou-diallo/014086/) (100 games), Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens's [Richaun Holmes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/richaun-holmes/014011/) (84 games), LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne's [Nando De Colo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nando-de-colo/002100/) (56 games), Real Madrid's [Trey Lyles](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/trey-lyles/014117/) (43 games) and Olympiacos Piraeus's [Saben Lee](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/saben-lee/013389/) (41 games).

More Olympiacos News

Coach Georgios Bartzokas has another guard at his disposal

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 24 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub: Round 24

## Friday, January 23

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (18:45 CET)

**Sarunas Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce head coach**

"We need to start the game good defensively. Last time we played Baskonia, they were scoring at ease against us. Need to pay extra attention to Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and try to play our game."

**Onuralp Bitim, Fenerbahce guard**

"After the important win we picked up in Bologna, we are now fully focused on the Baskonia game. Our goal is to complete the double-game week without any losses. By improving our defensive and offensive efficiency, we want to win with the support of our fans."

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (20:30 CET)

**Joan Penarroya, Partizan head coach**

"We’re facing another tough game against a team that’s currently at the top of the EuroLeague standings. It will be important for us to get another win in Munich, but we’ll need to play with far fewer ups and downs compared to some of our previous games. I expect a different kind of game than the one against Bayern, so we have to be ready for that. If we play as a team and stay active on both ends of the court, we’ll give ourselves a better chance in the upcoming matchup."

**Arijan Lakić, Partizan guard**

"We have to stay sharp because Hapoel is a very good team that plays together for all 40 minutes. We need to keep the same level of focus we had in the last game and avoid any drop in concentration, because they’re the kind of team that can take advantage of every moment and turn the game around."

**Dimitris Itoudis, Hapoel head coach**

"Partizan won here against Bayern and didn’t have to travel. On our side, we have some minor and major injuries and a few issues to solve. But we’re coming into the game with motivation and focus for this very demanding challenge."

**Johnathan Motley, Hapoel center**

"They’re a good team. I know they’re going through a lot right now, but they have a lot of talent. We watched film, prepared well, and we’re ready to go out there and get the win."

### Virtus Bologna vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (20:30 CET)

**Dusko Ivanovic, Virtus head coach**

"It will be another difficult game, especially after the battle against Fenerbahce. Crvena Zvezda is a team that aims to make the playoffs, a physical and smart team: they have many players who can play one-on-one situations and in transition. We will have to fight once again, knowing that energy will be needed to achieve win."

**Derrick Alston Jr, Virtus forward**

"Crvena Zvezda is a talented team, a difficult team to face, especially away from home where they are achieving good results. It will certainly be tough, but we can count once again on the support of our fans to get back to winning ways and do our best."

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. FC Barcelona (20:45 CET)

**Xavi Pascual, Barcelona head coach**

\[ASVEL\] is a very physical, very dynamic team. They run the floor extremely well and are very athletic in everything they do. Physically, they’re very strong in one-on-one situations. They made things very difficult for us here. They’re one of those teams where the standings are a bit misleading — I think they’re actually doing a really good job. I’m sure it’s going to be a tough game. A big EuroLeague game over there, and they’ll definitely give everything they have to try to win, so we’re going to have to play well. \[Will\] Clyburn is close to returning with the team, not yet, but he’s close."

**Willy Hernangomez, Barcelona center**

"We’re aware that the standings are extremely tight, that every game is fundamental for us. Our mindset is simply to fight for every game and to approach the next game at ASVEL with maximum ambition, to try to get another win and keep adding to our total, which is our goal and the path we need to follow. Without a doubt, defense has to be our solid foundation in every game, every day. We have to work, help each other, and try to follow the game plan from minute 0 to minute 40, and above all be very solid. Help each other, stick to the plan. Against ASVEL, it’s going to be a tough game, and we’ll definitely have to play with a lot of focus and execute the game plan really well. Offensively, things will come because we have the talent — but defensively, we can’t afford to fail."

## Thursday, January 22

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (18:30 CET)

**Pablo Laso, Efes head coach**

"Olympiacos is a solid and historic team in the EuroLeague. They have played at a high level for many years and feature very important players. \[Evan\] Fournier and \[Sasha\] Vezenkov are probably their best scorers, but their roster is full of quality, players like \[Tyler\] Dorsey, \[Thomas\] Walkup, \[Alec\] Peters and \[Nikola\] Milutinov can all step up. We’re talking about a team with great talent at every position. As I always say, so much depends on us. This should be a game of proudness – understanding that we’re facing a great team but also trying to bring out the best in ourselves. Playing at home, building our confidence is very important knowing that victories help to restore it. But at the same time, we must play well and continue working to improve every day."

**Rolands Smits, Efes forward**

"The game against Olympiacos will be hard. They are very experienced and talented team. We are ready for that, we need to stay together, give our maximum and win the game."

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos head coach**

"We don’t expect anything other than a tough game. Efes is a talented team with a good coach. They haven’t been doing well in the EuroLeague, but they always play for their pride. I believe at some point they will react. I hope it doesn’t happen tomorrow against us."

**Thomas Walkup, Olympiacos guard**

"Efes is a competitive team. They played well last night and it will be a demanding game for both sides. The most important thing will be to bring physicality to our defense."

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

**Oded Kattash, Maccabi head coach**

"We’re coming off a game that I’m not sure how to define. We lost it in the second quarter. We came in with a clear game plan, which we hoped would be executed better. There were lineups that were less solid defensively, and that affected the way we played offensively. When we played the right way, we showed that we can compete even against a quality team like Olympiacos. \[Thursday night\] is a different story. We’ll need to see whether Kendrick Nunn will play or not."

**Jeff Dowtin, Maccabi guard**

"This is a huge opportunity for us to bounce back after the loss. We’re expecting a big crowd, and we’ll play aggressively. It’s always great to get back into rhythm, staying healthy is important, and I’m slowly getting back to myself. Yesterday’s performance was another step in that direction. Chemistry is extremely important for us."

**Marcio Santos, Maccabi center**

"We need to bring more energy. We have to give our best to win. We need to be better defensively, communicate more, fight harder on the boards, and stay more focused. It’s always amazing to play against these big teams at home, especially compared to away games. It gives you more energy and a better chance to compete. I try to change the game a bit, and sometimes that gets me into foul trouble, but that comes from wanting to bring a lot of energy."

**Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos head coach**

"Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv is a team with great offensive capacity, as was also evident in their most recent game they won in Tel Aviv against Zalgiris Kaunas. They are a team that averages 94 points in the games they win. They also scored 93 points last night in Piraeus, so the key to the game will be defense and controlling the tempo on offense with fewer turnovers."

**Panagiotis Kalaitzakis, Panathinaikos guard**

"I believe we turned the page \[Tuesday night\]. We are going to Tel Aviv with a different mentality; it has one of the hottest arenas of the last 15 years. We will go there to win the game. The ‘key’ is always defense—we may not have shown it in recent games. If we allow them to run, it will be a very difficult night. It’s an away game, and we have to stop them."

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan vs. Zalgiris Kaunas (20:30 CET)

**Peppe Poeta, Milan head coach**

"From now on, all EuroLeague games will be important and crucial to staying in contention for the postseason. Zalgiris is a team with great organization and the ability to play together. It will be crucial for us to establish our physicality right from the start, using our bodies to prevent Zalgiris from gaining rhythm and flow. Our fans will give us an extra push to achieve this goal."

**Tomas Masiulis, Zalgiris head coach**

"We’re facing a very serious opponent. They definitely have a lot of talent and plenty of experienced players at every position. We need to be fully prepared and know exactly what we’re supposed to do on the court. We started that game well (when the teams faced off in Round 5, when Milan won 78-89). Arnas Butkevicius shot the ball very well from long range. But our problem is that when we get a lead, we start thinking more about offense instead of defense. I think we’re handling those situations better now. We want to maintain our defense for all 40 minutes and not start playing one-on-one on offense when there’s still plenty of time left and things aren’t going our way."

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

**Svetislav Pesic, Bayern head coach**

"Valencia may not be in first place at the moment, but for me they are the best team in Europe, and have been since the start of the season. They are well-rehearsed and have developed great self-confidence. Valencia shows what can be achieved in basketball with continuity, both in terms of the coach and the team. It will be a very difficult, interesting game, for which we hope to be able to recover well in the short time available."

**Pedro Martinez, Valencia head coach**

"\[Playing against Bayern\] is going to be very difficult. We're going into it with very little training, or no training at all, because traveling sometimes makes it difficult to train. But if we want to be a special team, which is very difficult to achieve, you have to adapt to these kinds of situations. Rest, recover mentally very quickly for the next game, compete. When you lose, don't look for excuses, don't complain about travel or games. We are trying to make this part of our daily lives. If we want to be a special team, we have to be able to recover in a matter of hours, which not all teams can do. If you look at many teams' results, when they win, they struggle in the next game because it's hard to prepare. But our challenge, if we want to be special, is that we have to achieve this. And that's not going to be easy on Thursday."

**Jaime Pradilla, Valencia forward**

"Even though they lost \[Tuesday night\], they have been strong at home lately. They recently beat Panathinaikos there. Since the change of coach, they have a better defense. We know that it's a difficult court and that it will be very difficult for us if we want to get the win."

### Real Madrid vs. AS Monaco (20:45 CET)

**Sergio Scariolo, Real Madrid head coach**

"Today, Monaco is one of the two or three most difficult teams to face in the EuroLeague, and I don't think it's a question of momentum or form. It's a question of real strength. They are the runners-up, who have even improved their roster and, for very specific reasons, have been at the top of the standings since the beginning. Monaco is demonstrating a very strong level of consistency. They have a large number of great ball handlers, players who don't need much structure to create a shot. In addition, they have a good group of very versatile inside players, people who can shoot and go to the basket. Their defensive level is very high. They are the team that forces the most turnovers and scores the most points. They have an apparently short rotation which, if they stay healthy, is ideal for making the team work well. I think Vassilis Spanoulis has added something of his own in this regard: chemistry. For us, Monaco is one of the biggest obstacles on the road ahead, and we hope to be up to the task, which will be a very high bar, in order to compete and try to win."

**Facundo Campazzo, Real Madrid guard**

"I think we're on a good run, we're coming off a very good game, but we have to keep pushing ourselves, especially in terms of our defense, which is what's giving us a good feeling and what we can control best. Monaco has a lot of offensive power in all positions, a lot of one-on-one play, a lot of ability to make difficult shots, a lot of scorers... They're a team that always demands 100% from you, both physically and mentally, which is why tomorrow's game is such a challenge for us. We want to see if we can maintain this positive feeling, and to do that we'll try to set the pace of the game, be solid in defense, and run the court fast in attack."

**Vassilis Spanoulis, Monaco head coach**

"Our streak has come to an end, but that's not the end of the world. We didn't deserve to win on Tuesday, but I still saw players with character. We'll have to build on that to bounce back against Real Madrid. We know what to expect against a team that has been in good form since they lost here in Monaco."

### Paris Basketball vs. Dubai Basketball (21:00 CET)

**Jurica Golemac, Dubai head coach**

"\[They have\] crazy intensity. Their pace is the quickest in the EuroLeague. We know how they play, so we need to be smarter, we need to run faster and run with them, take good shots and no turnovers, because they punish every mistake."

**Mfiondu Kabengele, Dubai center**

"We've got to be physical, set the tone and get the energy plays. Limit turnovers, box out and rebound, and get out in transition. We need to set the tone of the game, especially on the road. Playing at their pace, they're one of the best at it. If we don't do that, we'll be in trouble. So being physical, making it difficult, slowing them down, and crashing the offensive glass, which limits their transition buckets, would be a good formula for the victory."

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 24 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season

Pregame quotes, Round 24: 'It will be important for us to get another win'

Real Madrid v AS Monaco (2026-01-22T19:45:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v Dubai Basketball (2026-01-22T20:00:00.000Z)

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v Zalgiris Kaunas (2026-01-22T19:30:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich v Valencia Basket (2026-01-22T19:30:00.000Z)

Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2026-01-22T19:05:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Olympiacos Piraeus (2026-01-22T17:30:00.000Z)

Numerous players have left a special mark on the EuroLeague so far, and now the focus shifts to centers, specifically five of them who, through their play and performances, have outshone their peers and defined this edition of the competition.

Top 5 centers in the EuroLeague: The dominance of Milutinov, veterans, and some new faces

Twenty-three full rounds of the EuroLeague, Europe’s strongest basketball competition, have been completed. Some teams have made their case for direct playoff qualification, some have underperformed and will likely not continue in the competition, while for many others, a tough battle lies ahead to secure one of the top 10 spots.

Additionally, numerous players have left a special mark on the EuroLeague so far, and now the focus shifts to centers, specifically five of them who, through their play and performances, have outshone their peers and defined this edition of the competition.

Read more [HERE](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1923099/top-5-centers-in-the-euroleague-the-dominance-of-milutinov-veterans-and-some-new-faces/).

We are well into the second half of the season, and it’s time to take a look at which centers have shaped the course of the EuroLeague campaign so far

Check out how the teams performed in Round 24 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season.

Game Center: Round 24

## Friday, January 23

### [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 84-71 Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul-kosner-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/E2025/237/)

Fenerbahce cruised to a third straight win, and its 13th in its last 15 games, after using a huge second half to beat the visiting Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 84-71 on Friday night. The victory improved Fenerbahce a joint league-best 16-7 record, while Baskonia dropped to 8-16. The visitors were trailing by a single point early in the third quarter, but Nando De Colo and Talen Horton-Tucker orchestrated a 13-0 to pull away for good. Another 12-0 run bridging the third and fourth quarters broke the 20-point margin and the lead was as big as 28 points before Fenerbahce eased up towards the end.

Horton-Tucker starred with 21 points and 8 rebounds, Tarik Biberovic netted 12, while De Colo and Wade Baldwin scored 11 apiece. Eugene Omoruyi collected 14 points and 6 rebounds for Baskonia, with Kobi Simmons adding 13 in the loss.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Çift maç haftasını 2️⃣’de 2️⃣ ile tamamlıyoruz! 💪<br><br>Tebrikler Fenerbahçe Beko! 👏<br><br>Maç Sonucu | Fenerbahçe Beko 🆚 Kosner Baskonia: 84-71<br><br>Skor dağılımımız: Horton-Tucker 21, Biberovic 12, De Colo 11, Baldwin 11, Hall 10, Melli 5, Onuralp 5, Melih 3, Jantunen 2, Birch 2, Metecan 2.… <a href="https://t.co/UbTSgBexXj">pic.twitter.com/UbTSgBexXj</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/2014786056168657260?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 104-101 Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade-hapoel-ibi-tel-aviv/E2025/239/)

Partizan celebrated an epic overtime win against EuroLeague leader Hapoel after wiping out a 27-point third-quarter deficit, the joint-second biggest comeback in the competition’s history, as Sterling Brown netted 8 of his 13 points in the additional five minutes. Partizan improved to 8-16 after a second straight win following seven successive losses while Hapoel, which had won four of its previous five, dropped to 16-7.

In the opening half, Hapoel blew away Partizan which hosted the game in Munich, as Dan Oturu and Johnathan Motley bossed the paint while Vasilije Micic and Chris Jones dominated the backcourt, forging a 35-56 lead at the interval.

Partizan looked dead and buried when Hapoel romped ahead 37-64 early in the third but the home team, galvanized by droves of fans who stayed behind in Munich after Wednesday’s 63-67 win over Bayern, came storming back to force overtime. Brown finally showed up in crunch time as he sank a pair of layups followed by clutch free throws which traced the path to victory.

Cam Payne paced Partizan on 19 points and role player Arijan Lakic came off the bench to score 15, as Bruno Fernando racked up 14 points and 7 boards while Vanja Marinkovic, who suffered an injured at the end of regulation, delivered 12. Oturu led Hapoel and all scorers on 24 points as Micic netted 19, while Chris Jones scored 16 and Antonio Blakeney chipped in with 13.

### [Virtus Bologna 93-102 Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/virtus-bologna-crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/E2025/240/)

Crvena Zvezda grabbed its third consecutive road victory by downing Virtus 93-102 in Round 24 on Friday. Zvezda improved to 14-10 in the standings and has a 2-0 record against Virtus, which dropped to 11-13. Sasa Obradovic's side broke the 100-point mark for the third consecutive game, breaking a club record for most points scored after three quarters with 82.

Jared Butler led seven Zvezda players in double digits with 16 points. Jordan Nwora added 15, Nikola Kalinic and Chima Moneke each had 13, Ebuka Izundu got 12, Semi Ojeleye 11 and Codi Miller-McIntyre 10 for Zvezda. Miller-McIntyre added 12 assists for a double-double. Momo Diouf led Virtus with 21 points, a new career-high. Derrick Alston Jr. added 18, Carsen Edwards 16 and Matt Morgan 14. Zvezda led 52-57 at halftime, boosted its margin to 68-82 after 30 minutes and did not find much trouble to seal the win long before the final buzzer. 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Third straight road win ✅✅✅<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://t.co/E4zCM9khe1">pic.twitter.com/E4zCM9khe1</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/2014813169064050933?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 91-98 FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne-fc-barcelona/E2025/238/)

Barcelona completed a perfect double-round week by beating ASVEL 91-98 at the Astroballe on Friday night. An entertaining back-and-forth first half saw ASVEL take a 42-37 lead at halftime behind an impressive Glynn Watson, who netted 17 points before the break. Barcelona bounced back in the second half, with Kevin Punter and Toko Shengelia leading the charge to pull away midway through the fourth.

Punter led all scorers with 31 points and Shengelia netted 22 for Barcelona. Watson ended the game on 23 points, with Braian Angola pairing his 16 points with 5 assists on his EuroLeague debut. The visitors improved their record to 16-8 by recording their first win in three road games, while ASVEL suffered its fifth straight defeat, dropping to 6-18. 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Triomf d&#39;ofici a Villeurbanne 👏 <a href="https://t.co/MZUhVgq5KD">pic.twitter.com/MZUhVgq5KD</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/2014814880985928109?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Thursday, January 22

### [Anadolu Efes Istanbul 68-74 Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/anadolu-efes-istanbul-olympiacos-piraeus/E2025/231/)

Olympiacos stretched its winning streak to four games by beating Efes 68-74 in front of a sold-out crowd at Turkcell Basketball Development Center in Istanbul. Fresh off a home victory over Maccabi on Tuesday, Olympiacos opened the game with a 0-8 run before pulling away in the second quarter for a 31-48 lead at halftime.

The hosts bounced back, tightened up their defense and held the guests to just 10 points in the third quarter before 5 straight points from former Olympiacos guard Saben Lee brought Efes within 61-63 midway through the fourth. The Reds fought back and went on a 0-8 run to practically put the game to bed.

Having grabbed its first victory at Efes since 2017, Olympiacos improved its record to 15-8. Meanwhile, the Turkish side suffered its eighth straight defeat, dropping to 6-18. Sasha Vezenkov led all scorers with 19 points, while Tyler Dorsey and Evan Fournier had 11 each, with Thomas Walkup recording 9 assists. PJ Dozier paced his team with 16 points and Lee bagged 13.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">FINAL 🏀 Anadolu Efes - <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> 68-74 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EFSOLY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EFSOLY</a> <a href="https://t.co/Va5UCE83DZ">pic.twitter.com/Va5UCE83DZ</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/2014420045305094457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv 75-71 Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/maccabi-rapyd-tel-aviv-panathinaikos-aktor-athens/E2025/233/)

Maccabi outlasted Panathinaikos 75-71 in a tight contest at Menora Mivtachim Arena. Jerian Grant scored 5 points in a 0-7 start for the Greens, but three quick scores from Roman Sorkin gave Maccabi its first lead, 15-14. Vassilis Toliopoulos led Panathinaikos back in front, 20-21, at the end of the first. The same back-and-forth pattern continued in the second quarter with neither team taking control, and Maccabi led at the break, 42-39. 

Baskets were evenly traded in the third period, which ended with the visitors ahead, 59-60. Although Maccabi went ahead with a 6-0 run it remained very tight and Panathinaikos had late shots to win it, but they were all missed and the hosts held on.

Iffe Lundberg paced the host with 16 points, with Tamir Blatt netting 5 triples for his 15 points, and Sorkin paired 13 points with 8 rebounds. TJ Shorts orchestrated Panathinaikos’s offense with 13 points and 7 assists, while Grant led the visitors in scoring with 14. Nikos Rogkavopulos scored 13, and Richaun Holmes added 11. Maccabi improves to 10-14 and is now 3-0 at Menora Mivtachim Arena, while Panathinaikos drops to 14-10.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Stranger things have happened in Tel Aviv 😉 <a href="https://t.co/QjqKiRQ0w7">pic.twitter.com/QjqKiRQ0w7</a></p>&mdash; Maccabi Tel Aviv BC (@MaccabiTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabiTLVBC/status/2014446050682061100?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 82-86 Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/ea7-emporio-armani-milan-zalgiris-kaunas/E2025/236/)

Zalgiris grinded out an 82-86 win at Milan after trailing for much of the contest and playing catch-up against the home team to string together two successive wins for the first time since early November. It was also a fourth straight victory for Zalgiris at Milan. Sylvain Francisco emerged as the visiting team’s hero after racking up 25 points and 6 assists, outshining home favorite Shavon Shields who amassed 27 points, 5 boards and 4 assists.

Milan produced a 14-2 run in the third quarter which turned a 6-pont deficit into a 62-56 lead, but Zalgiris hit back in crunch time as the visitors sank clutch three-pointers to wipe out a 74-70 deficit and turn it into a 76-80 advantage, with Maodo Lo sinking 2 of those shots from downtown.

Lo added 17 points for Zalgiris, Arnas Butkevicius chipped in with 11 while big man Moses Wright amassed 10 and 6 boards as Zalgiris improved to 14-10. Josh Nebo and Marko Guduric sank 12 points apiece for Milan, the latter also collecting 11 boards, while Zach LeDay scored 10 points for the home team, which dropped to 11-13.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">And that’s how a PERFETTO double-week looks like. 😉<br><br>(Presented by: GO3) <a href="https://t.co/o43zyGher0">pic.twitter.com/o43zyGher0</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/2014454955134816327?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [FC Bayern Munich 93-89 Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/fc-bayern-munich-valencia-basket/E2025/232/)

In a fun-to-watch, run-and-gun showdown, Bayern returned to winning ways by downing Valencia 93-89 at SAP Garden. Bayern improved to 9-15 in the standings while Valencia dropped to 15-9. Two days after registering a 63-67 home loss against Partizan, Bayern scored over 90 points for the fourth time this season.

Vladimir Lucic led the winners with 19 points on 10-of-10 free-throw shooting. Justinian Jessup added 16 off the bench, Isiaha Mike scored 14 and Andreas Obst and Neno Dimitrijevic each had 12 for Bayern, which kept a safe lead throughout the first half to seal the outcome minutes before the final buzzer. Kameron Taylor paced Valencia with 20 points. Jean Montero netted 13, Nate Reuvers 12 and Brancou Badio 10 for the visitors, who registered their third loss in the last four games.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">FINAL SCORE: We get the BIG W at home! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FCBB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeBallTogether?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeBallTogether</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BAYVBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BAYVBC</a> | Photo: Kolb <a href="https://t.co/Xxrx9lKita">pic.twitter.com/Xxrx9lKita</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/2014454349846507636?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


### [Real Madrid 90-78 AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/real-madrid-as-monaco/E2025/235/)

Real Madrid notched its sixth win in a row after holding off a late Monaco fightback to triumph 90-78. Facundo Campazzo was the architect of the victory, causing problems for Monaco all night long and finishing with a 17-point, 10-assist double-double. An added bonus for Real Madrid is that its 12-point win means it now has the tie-break advantage over Monaco, which downed *Los Blancos* by 5 in Round 18. This was not a good week for Monaco, though, as it followed up its home loss to Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade by losing in Madrid.

Trey Lyles joined Campazzo in double figures in scoring with 20 points, in addition to pulling down 7 rebounds. Edy Tavares had a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double, Mario Hezonja netted 12 points, and Usman Garuba poured in 11. Mike James led Monaco in scoring with 19 points, followed by Nikola Mirotic with 15, and Matthew Strazel and Daniel Theis with 12 apiece.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">🏁 FP: <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RMBaloncesto</a> 90 - 78 <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ASMonaco_Basket</a> <a href="https://t.co/UawcSCQvJU">pic.twitter.com/UawcSCQvJU</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/2014454361078804573?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Paris Basketball 79-99 Dubai Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/paris-basketball-dubai-basketball/E2025/234/)

Dubai comfortably overwhelmed Paris, leaving Adidas Arena with a 79-99 victory. In just the second official meeting between the teams, Jurica Golemac’s team raced out to a convincing lead in the opening minutes and refused the surrender it throughout. The hosts snapped a two-game losing streak to move to 11-13 and give them a lifeline in the race for playoff basketball, while Paris falls to 7-16.

Dubai spread the offensive load tremendously, with five players scoring in double figures. Center Filip Petrusev put on the headline performance with 21 points and 9 rebounds. Mfiondu Kabengele also made a significant impact, recording 17 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks. Dzanan Musa, in his second game back from a lengthy injury layoff, added 13 points in 15 minutes. Jared Rhoden led the way for Paris with 19 points and Justin Robinson tallied 13 points and 5 assists. 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">A dominant performance in Paris! 🔥🔥🔥 <a href="https://t.co/nuU9ztlJdy">pic.twitter.com/nuU9ztlJdy</a></p>&mdash; Dubai Basketball (@dubaibasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/dubaibasket/status/2014455967543423102?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Six games are in the books from Thursday night

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Game Center: Partizan downs Hapoel in OT thriller; wins for Fener, Zvezda, Barça

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