Mam Jaiteh and Alpha Diallo were the two stars for AS Monaco Basket as it beat FC Barcelona in Game 2 of the EuroLeague Playoffs.

Perfect Jaiteh, Diallo showed 'beauty' of Monaco's team in Game 2

[AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/) is one win away from reaching its second EuroLeague Final Four after [a resounding 92-79 win over FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-blows-past-barcelona-92-79-to-take-2-0-series-lead/) in Game 2 of their best-of-five playoff series. The scoring load in this contest was taken by unlikely sources – [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/) and [Mam Jaiteh](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mam-jaiteh/002581/) – who finished with 21 and 20 points, respectively.

Diallo, known more for his defense, scored 15 of Monaco’s first 17 points. His scoring run in the first 7 minutes and 8 seconds of the game included a pair of three-pointers and a three-point play to put Monaco up 17-12, and the hosts never relinquished their lead.

"He set the tone for us tonight," [Jaron Blossomgame](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jaron-blossomgame/011231/) said at the post-game press conference. "He played incredible. He does a lot of great things tonight, offensively and defensively."

"I cannot judge Alpha’s impact by scoring," coach Vassilis Spanoulis explained, also at the post-game press conference. "If he scores, it’s ok, but if he does not score, he still has great games, like in Game 1. He took advantage of great creation by his teammates. He was everywhere, he was hustling, he had great energy. The most important to me, he played great defense on [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/) and [Jabari Parker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jabari-parker/012745/)."

Alpha Diallo and Mam Jaiteh go 16-for-16 on two-pointers for AS Monaco in Game 2 vs. Barcelona

Alpha Diallo and Mam Jaiteh go 16-for-16 on two-pointers

After Diallo’s scoring spurt to start the game, it was Jaiteh’s turn to dominate. The big man started with showing off soft touch around the rims in the first half, then proceeded in the third quarter to dunk his way to a career-high tying 20 points on 9-of-9 two-point shooting.

"When you have guards who create like this, and you are ready to go in the game and start from defense and rebounding… he found his rhythm," Spanoulis said.

"Mam Jaiteh was incredible. I am very happy for him," Blossomgame added about the center.

"I think that is the beauty of our team, in general. In Game 1 we had a trio of guys that gave us the lead and then in this game a different group of guys. We have a lot of guys who can do a lot of great things for us."

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">✨ 𝑴𝒂𝒎’𝒔 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕<br><br>Simply the toughest 😤<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatterS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatterS</a> <a href="https://t.co/jhsSHzTohl">pic.twitter.com/jhsSHzTohl</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1915873249956909115?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

With Diallo going perfect 7 for 7 on two-pointers, him and Jaiteh combined for 16 two-point attempts without a miss. A true rarity, especially in a playoff game.

Those made shots were also a product of good ball distribution by [Elie Okobo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elie-okobo/011212/) with 8 assists, [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) with 6, and [Matthew Strazel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/matthew-strazel/008099/) with 5 helpers.

Monaco finished with 28 assists, a club record.

The team from the Principality could hardly find a better night to set this single-game all-time record, as it helped them open a 2-0 series lead. And inch closer to a trip to Abu Dhabi.

Game News

The duo made 16 two-point shots on as many attempts during a convincing playoff win over Barcelona

AS Monaco v FC Barcelona (2025-04-25T17:00:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus took a 2-0 lead in its Turkish Airlines EuroLeague playoff series with Real Madrid by grabbing a hard-fought 77-71 victory in Game 2 on Friday night. 

Olympiacos outlasts Real Madrid, 77-71, for a 2-0 lead in the series

Olympiacos Piraeus took a 2-0 lead in its Turkish Airlines EuroLeague playoff series with Real Madrid by grabbing a hard-fought 77-71 victory in Game 2 on Friday night. The visitors hit the ground running and took a 15-25 lead into the second quarter, but the Reds outscored their opponents in each of the last three periods (23-13, 19-16, 20-17) to turn the game around and protect their home floor.

Sasha Vezenkov paced Olympiacos with 22 points and 7 rebounds, with Evan Fournier netting 17 and Nikola Milutinov recording 10 points. Mario Hezonja was the only Real Madrid player to record double digits in scoring by ending the game on 22 points, which he paired with a team-high 8 boards.

Game Videos

Hezonja and Walter Tavares got Real Madrid going with back-to-back buckets before triples from Facundo Campazzo and Alberto Abalde gave the visitors a 4-10 cushion. Then, Hezonja and Serge Ibaka scored inside, with Gabriel Deck connecting from deep and Dzanan Musa netting a layup to open a 10-23 lead. Vezenkov responded with 5 straight points, but Deck netted an off-balance buzzer-beating jumper to restore a 15-25 advantage.

Milutinov and Bruno Fernando traded scores inside before a couple of buckets from the former cut the difference to 24-29. Real Madrid answered with Usman Garuba hitting a three and Andres Feliz scoring in transition to restore a 24-34 lead. Yet, Olympiacos went on a 14-4 run fueled by Saben Lee to tie the game 38-38 at halftime.

The second half started with an exchange of blows before triples by Abalde and Hezonja put Real Madrid in front, 45-50. Fournier took over with 7 straight points before a corner triple by Luca Vildoza gave Olympiacos a 57-54 edge after another low-scoring quarter, where the two defenses suffocated the opposition offenses.

The Reds went on a 7-0 run to open the closing quarter, with Vezenkov adding 5 points to his tally to give his team a 10-point cushion. Real Madrid scored its first points of the fourth with 4:53 left on the clock, when Hezonja netted a layup in transition. Nigel Williams-Goss drilled a triple, but three straight buckets from Hezonja and a Campazzo layup made it a one-possession game, 67-64. Yet, Olympiacos fought back, as Alec Peters and Williams-Goss nailed back-to-back triples to restore a 73-64 lead, practically finishing the game off.

The Reds overcame Los Blancos to make the most of their home-court advantage

Olympiacos Piraeus v Real Madrid (2025-04-25T18:30:00.000Z)

AS Monaco Basket is now 2-0 ahead in its playoff series with FC Barcelona following a 92-79 victory, which means it is now one win away from reaching the 2025 EuroLeague Final Four.

Monaco blows past Barcelona, 92-79, to take 2-0 series lead

AS Monaco used another stellar offensive performance to take down FC Barcelona for the second time in 48 hours. This time, in Game 2 of their best-of-five playoff series, Monaco topped Barcelona 92-79 to take a 2-0 lead and needs just one more win to reach the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four.

Monaco took the lead for good midway through the first quarter behind Alpha Diallo who scored 15 of the hosts’ first 17 points, then Mam Jaiteh took over, who went 9 for 9 on two-pointers and in just 16 minutes in the game tied his career high with 20 points. Diallo finished with 21 points, Jordan Loyd scored 13, Matthew Strazel had 12 points and Elie Okobo posted 11 points and 8 assists in the win. Jabari Parker had 16 points for Barcelona, Kevin Punter netted 14 and Dario Brizuela had 11 in the loss.

Barcelona started with good energy. Tomas Satoransky and Parker each had five points, including a triple apiece, to keep the visitors ahead early. But on the other end it was Diallo, who scored all of Monaco's points to give the hosts a 12-10 lead, and his three-point play made it 17-12 after 7 minutes of play. Brizuela knocked down a three, and Punter nailed a mid-range jumper, but Okobo hit a mid-range jumper for Monaco which further increased the margin, 26-19, after 10 minutes.

Loyd’s tough triple made it a 10-point affair on the opening possession of the second quarter. Parker and Satoransky each hit a mid-range jumper to keep Barcelona in range, and Justin Anderson’s fast-break reverse dunk cut it to 29-25. Okobo nailed a three-pointer for the hosts, and so did Brizuela to cut it to 34-32. Monaco kept a decent distance thanks to a pair of tough baskets from Strazel, and with Jaiteh  displaying his soft touch around the baskets. Punter and Parker had answers on the other end, but Loyd’s corner triple made it 49-40 at halftime.

The teams traded blows after the break, with Diallo and Daniel Theis scoring for the hosts, while Willy Hernangomez and Joel Parra scored inside for Barcelona. Punter nailed a mid-range jumper, but a triple from James and a fast-break dunk from Diallo made it 60-46. Parker nailed a three-pointer, but Blossomgame had another dunk, Strazel and Loyd each had a three-pointer, then Jaiteh had back-to-back fastbreak dunks to open a 74-57 advantage. Parra nailed a triple, and Parker a short jumper, but Loyd and Jaiteh made sure Monaco held an 80-64 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Things slowed down, offensively, in the fourth quarter. Brizuela’s triple hinted there is a hope for Barcelona, but a driving dunk by Terry Tarpey opened an 86-67 lead. Hernangomez had 5 points, including a three-pointer, but Theis restored a 19-point lead. Barcelona was not giving up, with Punter sparking a 0-7 run, during which Alex Abrines hit a three-pointer, but Barcelona did not get closer than those 12 points.

The Roca Team is one win away from winning the series

KK Partizan has announced that Sterling Brown has signed a two-year extension, which will keep him at the club until the summer of 2027.

Sterling Brown pens two-year extension at Partizan

[Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/) has announced that [Sterling Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sterling-brown/012720/) has signed a two-year extension, which will keep him at the club until the summer of 2027.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr">✍🏽✌🏽<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://twitter.com/hashtag/ABALiga?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ABALiga</a> <a href="https://t.co/bdlbRWg6ba">pic.twitter.com/bdlbRWg6ba</a></p>&mdash; KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC/status/1915790641432334801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Brown joined Partizan during the last off-season and quickly became an important member of coach Zeljko Obradovic's team, averaging 12.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.8 steals and an 11.5 PIR in 34 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague appearances.

The 2024-25 campaign was Brown's second in the EuroLeague, having spent his rookie season with [ALBA Berlin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/alba-berlin/ber/) in 2023-24. 

More Partizan News

The shooting guard has prolonged his stay with the Serbian side

Game Center: Playoffs Game 2

## Friday, April 25, 2025

### [AS Monaco 92-79 FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/as-monaco-fc-barcelona/E2024/315/)

Monaco used another stellar offensive performance to take down Barcelona for the second time in 48 hours. This time, in Game 2 of their best-of-five playoff series, Monaco topped Barcelona 92-79 to take a 2-0 lead and needs just one more win to reach the 2025 EuroLeague Final Four. Monaco took the lead for good midway through the first quarter behind Alpha Diallo who scored 15 of the hosts’ first 17 points, then Mam Jaiteh took over, who went 9 for 9 on two-pointers and in just 16 minutes in the game tied his career high with 20 points. Diallo finished with 21 points, Jordan Loyd scored 13, Matthew Strazel had 12 points and Elie Okobo posted 11 points and 8 assists in the win. Jabari Parker had 16 points for Barcelona, Kevin Punter netted 14 and Dario Brizuela had 11 in the loss.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">𝘾𝙀𝙏𝙏𝙀 𝙀́𝙌𝙐𝙄𝙋𝙀 ❤️‍🔥🇲🇨<br><br>🌪 En mode ouragan, la <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> surclasse le Barça dans une ambiance de feu à Gaston Médecin ! 🔥 <br><br>📈 2-0 pour Monaco, la suite de la série se jouera à Barcelone 😤<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DagheMunegu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DagheMunegu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/a667EHxZ41">pic.twitter.com/a667EHxZ41</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1915847204301873565?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Olympiacos Piraeus 77-71 Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/olympiacos-piraeus-real-madrid/E2024/314/)

Olympiacos took a 2-0 lead in its EuroLeague playoff series with Real Madrid by grabbing a hard-fought 77-71 victory in Game 2 on Friday night. The visitors hit the ground running and took a 15-25 lead into the second quarter, but the Reds outscored their opponents in each of the last three periods (23-13, 19-16, 20-17) to turn the game around and protect their home floor. Sasha Vezenkov paced Olympiacos with 22 points and 7 rebounds, with Evan Fournier netting 17 and Nikola Milutinov recording 10 points. Mario Hezonja was the only Real Madrid player to record double digits in scoring by ending the game on 22 points, which he paired with a team-high 8 boards.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">FINAL 🏀 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> - Real M. 77-71 <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/OLYRMB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OLYRMB</a> <a href="https://t.co/AiJDQnydg6">pic.twitter.com/AiJDQnydg6</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1915866505994023267?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Thursday, April 24, 2025

### [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 89-72 Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul-paris-basketball/E2024/317/#boxscore)

Fenerbahce took another step forward towards reaching the 2025 EuroLeague Final Four in Abu Dhabi after thrashing Paris 89-72 in Game 2 of their best-of-five series on Thursday. Saras Jasikevicius's men now have a 2-0 lead against Paris and need just one more win to qualify to the next round. Paris is in a do-or-die situation and hosts Game 3 on Tuesday. Tarik Biberovic led the winners with a career-high 20 points. Nigel Hayes-Davis added 16, Marko Guduric had 13 while Wade Baldwin got 11 for Fenerbahce. TJ Shorts led Paris with 18 points. Nadir Hifi added 15 and Tyson Ward 10 for the guests.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Playoff serisinde 2-0 öne geçiyoruz! 💪<br><br>Bravo Takım! 👏<br><br>Maç Sonucu | Fenerbahçe Beko 🆚 Paris Basketball: 89-72<br><br>Skor dağılımımız: Biberovic 20, Hayes-Davis 16, Guduric 13, Baldwin 11, Hall 9, Melli 7, Colson 6, Pierre 5, McCollum 2. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://t.co/261L2ImgmC">pic.twitter.com/261L2ImgmC</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1915491918592540728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens 76-79 Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-anadolu-efes-istanbul/E2024/316/)

Efes levelled its playoff series against reigning champion Panathinaikos after an impressive 76-79 road win in Game 2, having wiped out a 15-point deficit after trailing for the vast majority of the matchup. Player of the game Shane Larkin paced Efes with a game-high 20 points, including 8 in a dramatic finish when Efes turned the game on its head and boosted its hopes of reaching the 2025 Final Four after missing out on the postseason twice in a row. Big man Vincent Poirier racked up 16 points and 10 boards for the visitors, Perry Dozier chipped in with 14 points while Dan Oturu posted 11 points and 4 boards. At the other end, former Efes prodigy Cedi Osman led Panathinaikos on 16 points while the regular season’s MVP Kendrick Nunn added 14 after enduring another tough night, having shot 6 of 17 from the floor and just 1 of 6 from downtown. Jerian Grant scored 11 points for the home team and Omer Yurtseven added 10, with the Greens committing 14 turnovers against just 17 assists.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">👊 İstanbul’a 1-1 eşitlikle dönüyoruz!<br>Panathinaikos Aktor 76 - 79 Anadolu Efes | Maç Sonucu<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenimYerimBuras%C4%B1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenimYerimBurası</a> <a href="https://t.co/VGIFbAwbsb">pic.twitter.com/VGIFbAwbsb</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1915503159499178346?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Fenerbahce went 2-0 ahead in its series with Paris on Thursday, while Efes stole Game 2 to tie its series with Panathinaikos

Game Center: Olympiacos, Monaco take 2-0 series leads with wins tonight

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Paris Basketball (2025-04-24T17:45:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-04-24T18:30:00.000Z)

Shane Larkin and PJ Dozier helped slow down and frustrate Kendrick Nunn in Game 2, as Anadolu Efes stole the win from the home of Panathinaikos BC.

Aggressive Efes defense knocked Kendrick Nunn off his stride

Reigning Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champs [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/) lost home-court advantage against [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/) after [a 76-79 defeat in Game 2](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/anadolu-efes-beats-panathinaikos-76-79-to-even-the-series/) levelled their quarterfinal playoff series ahead of next week’s doubleheader in the Turkish capital.

Having come from behind to grind out [an 87-83 win in Game 1](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-beats-efes-87-83-in-game-1/) in front of a raucous home crowd in Athens, Panathinaikos spilled a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter on Thursday night as Efes roared back to head home with a share of the spoils.

The visiting team’s pack leader [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/) shined in Game 2, particularly in the fourth quarter when he sank eight of his game-high 20 points in the home straight to silence the Greens in a jam-packed OAKA Arena, handing Efes the upper hand as the series moves to Istanbul.

In contrast, the regular season’s top scorer and MVP [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) had a torrid time as he struggled throughout the opening two games for Panathinaikos, shooting a combined 10 of 32 amid ironclad Efes defense on the former Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers guard.

Nunn, who led the Greek giant’s charge to last year’s EuroLeague title, was 4 of 16 from downtown over the two games as the visiting team’s guards gave him preciously little room to operate. In Game 1, big man [Juancho Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/juancho-hernangomez/012712/) stepped up with career highs of 20 points and 16 boards to lift Panathinaikos but there was no cavalry coming to the rescue in Game 2, as Larkin and [PJ Dozier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/perry-dozier-jr/012742/) did the fourth-quarter damage for rampant Efes.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">If Anadolu Efes Istanbul wins this series, Game 2 could go down as its Masterpiece on the Mediterranean👀<br><br>Reminiscent of one of the most famous boxing matches ever, 1974&#39;s Rumble in the Jungle win by Muhammad Ali, Efes outlasted Panathinaikos 76-79 in a thriller on Thursday… <a href="https://t.co/f23oJCe7bx">pic.twitter.com/f23oJCe7bx</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1915716384308314562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Moreover, the absence of injured center [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/) exposed cracks in the paint as Panathinaikos struggled to contain Efes’s big men, with [Vincent Poirier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vincent-poirier/004887/) having a field day by racking up 16 points and 10 boards while [Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/) chipped in with 11 points and 4 rebounds.

“They gave Nunn no open shots as they played good defense on the pick & roll while we played terrible defense on Larkin in the fourth quarter and gave him shots that he made,” the home team’s head coach Ergin Ataman told the postgame press conference.

“Efes deserved to win for their relentless hustle and the experience they put on the court in the last quarter. Nunn is a player who can score at any point in time. In the opening three quarters, he had 6 assists in the wake of aggressive defense on him, but in the last quarter he had none. At the other end, their bigs scored 27 points,” added the Turkish tactician, who lifted back-to-back titles with Efes in 2021 and 2022 before steering Panathinaikos to glory last year.

Larkin, who was instrumental in both Efes conquests under Ataman, acknowledged that the Turkish outfit needed to keep its feet on the ground and stay focused ahead of a rip-roaring pair of matchups in Istanbul, with home-court advantage shifting to his team’s favor.

“It was a challenging game but we stuck together as a team and showed character,” Larkin said. “We know that basketball is a game of runs but we were able to make some plays in the third quarter that got us back into it. Then we made some big plays in the end but we can’t be too happy about the win because we need to win two more in order to achieve our goal.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">🚨 GECEDEN SABAHA <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOLDOUT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOLDOUT</a> 🚨<br><br>😤 İnanıyor ve bir hedefin peşinden gidiyoruz. Her anın, her topun ne kadar değerli olduğunu biliyoruz. Biz burada senin desteğin ile yeniden tarih yazmak istiyoruz! <br><br>👊 Siz hazırsınız, biz hazırız! Mavilerin evinde heyecan başlasın.… <a href="https://t.co/9XOPIJT7VE">pic.twitter.com/9XOPIJT7VE</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1915698753052291459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

With a berth in the 2025 Final Four at stake, Efes head coach Luca Banchi was happy with the team’s reaction to the opening game’s loss as his men showed the mettle to bounce back in the face of adversity and force mighty Panathinaikos into submission. 

“It was an impressive fourth quarter comeback as the players stepped up on defense while on offense we gradually found our flow and shot quality that we had expected from the beginning,” the Italian tactician elaborated. <br>
“That’s easier said than done against such an aggressive and talent-packed team, though. I am proud of the way the team bounced back and we’ve achieved our primary goal of taking one win from the opening two games in Athens.”

The regular season’s top scorer and MVP endured a pair of torrid nights against the Turkish outfit 

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Game 2 of the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs.

Playoffs pregame quotes, Game 2

## Friday, April 25, 2025

### AS Monaco vs. FC Barcelona (19:00 CEST)

**Vassilis Spanoulis, AS Monaco head coach**

"We played a very good Game 1, especially defensively in the second half. That's the kind of defense I want to see against a team like Barcelona, which is very talented and among the best in Europe. We gave away some offensive rebounds, but we also managed to create shots in difficult situations. The series is still long; it's only 1-0. It's important to keep on playing good basketball."

**Elie Okobo, AS Monaco guard**

"It's the first time we've won a Game 1 after several playoff campaigns! We managed to protect our home-court advantage. Barcelona is a very good team, and we've prepared well for this series. They're going to make some adjustments, so we'll have to be ready for Game 2 and apply the same intensity. We had the right energy, on the court and on the bench, and we didn't get frustrated even when Barcelona was making runs. What about my game? I try to be very aggressive, create for myself and for others, read the game and make the right choices."

### Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Real Madrid (20:30 CEST)

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus head coach**

"Real Madrid is able to show up in the second game way better. They are a very talented team. They can play with bigger egos and intensity. My team’s biggest enemy is complacency. And that’s something that you usually pay for after the second game. It has happened in the past. As far as the game is concerned, I do not have much to say. Our approach will be more or less the same. We want to play well on defense, which, despite the fact that we faced some problems on offense, gave us a lead of 18 points. We have the same motivation we had in the first game, and if possible, more."

**Shaq McKissic, Olympiacos Piraeus guard**

"We have to stay as focused as we were in Game 1. That will be in our favor, I believe. It’s been a long time since we were all together and there were no injured players, and that gives us extra confidence. The fact that we all, the starters and the guys that come from the bench, are able to make the difference for the team is the key factor that gives us confidence."

**Chus Mateo, Real Madrid head coach**

"We're very clear that we have to always trust this team, and we have a lot of faith in what can still happen in these playoffs. We have a second game left at Olympiacos with a chance to regain home-court advantage, and we can't lose faith. On Wednesday, we didn't have the best possible performance. We didn't start the game well and didn't play the way we wanted. There are certainly many things to fix, and we're going to try to correct them. We have to make some moves, and we're going to do so."

**Gabriel Deck, Real Madrid forward**

"I think we have to improve the intensity with which we entered the Game 1. They gave it their all from the first minute, and after that, we had no chance of getting back into the game. By passing the ball better, always looking for the best attacking options, and defending with everything we have, we'll be able to compete better and fight for the win. We have to rest well and prepare for Friday's game based on the mistakes we made in Game 1, so we don't repeat them. We have to be a team for the full 40 minutes because that way we'll have a chance of leveling the series. Nothing is decided yet, we have to keep fighting."

## Thursday, April 24, 2025

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

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

"We're very happy to win in Game 1. We have to understand that Paris will come out with even more energy and with more desperation. We need to understand the things that we did well, the things that we didn't do so well. The keys to everything will be the same; try to match their energy on the rebounding and on the fast break, to hopefully continue improving as the series are going."

**Tarık Biberovic, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul forward**

"Second game of the playoff series. We know that our opponent is a very strong team, and they proved that yesterday. We know it’s going to be a tough series. We’ve only won one game; we want to reach our goal step by step. We’ll try to keep doing the things we did well yesterday and correct our mistakes."

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (20:30 CEST)

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

"We will approach to the second game with great determination. We are conscious to have a team with an incredible potential in front of us. But on the other hand, we already proved to have the ability to compete. Our job is to take care of details we can control, we can improve, and to use all the opportunities the court will offer to have a high level performance and try to get a win that would tie the series."

**Vincent Poirier, Anadolu Efes Istanbul center**

"In the second game of the series we have to be involved in the game as we did in the previous one. We have to make sure that we keep their transition game low and close up the offensive rebounds. It will be another game of 40 minutes. We showed we are able to compete against them. It’s on us to close the game when we have the possibility to do it.

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Game 2 of the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs

Playoffs pregame quotes, Game 2: 'Nothing is decided yet, we have to keep fighting'

Tarik Biberovic scored a career-high 20 points as Fenerbahçe Beko beat Paris Basketball 89-72 in Game 2 to go 2-0 up in their EuroLeague Playoffs series.

Fenerbahce's Tarik Biberovic came of age in Game 2

[Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) is one win away from reaching the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four following [its 89-72 triumph over Paris Basketball in Game 2](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-downs-paris-89-72-to-take-2-0-lead-in-series/) on Thursday night. Fenerbahce has a solid 2-0 lead in the series after [a record-breaking first-half performance](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-set-modern-playoff-record-in-blowout-game-2-win/) which allowed coach Sarunas Jasikevicius's team to control the game until the final buzzer.

Small forward [Tarik Biberovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tarik-biberovic/006961/) was at the center of it all, being unstoppable in the opening three quarters in what was arguably his best game in seven EuroLeague seasons.

Biberovic paced Fenerbahce since the very beginning of the game, hitting an early three-pointer and adding a jumper to help his team get a 29-20 lead after 10 minutes. He kept hitting everything he took before the break, reaching halftime with 12 points on 3-of-3 two-pointers and 2-of-2 three-pointers.

Tarik Biberovic had a career-high 20 points to lead Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul to a second playoff win over Paris Basketball.

Biberovic led Fenerbahce in Game 2

"We played well as a team. We were sharing the ball and there were a lot of opportunities for me," Biberovic told EuroLeague TV after the game. "From three, from mid-range, in the paint, from the free-throw line... It doesn't actually matter: as long as we play this team game, offensively and defensively, each and every one of us can shine."

After enjoying a 61-38 lead at halftime, Fenerbahce struggled in the third quarter, right after [Devon Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/devon-hall/011205/) gave his team its biggest lead of the night, 64-39. Fenerbahce was limited to just 8 points in the next six minutes but Biberovic had 7 of those: an off-balance shot, a pair of free throws, and a bomb from downtown. All that allowed Fenerbahce to hold a 76-57 lead after 30 minutes, enough to keep a safe margin for good.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Clark Kent? 🤔<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/Rb6O4etoaQ">pic.twitter.com/Rb6O4etoaQ</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1915504198982291710?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Biberovic finished the game with 20 points, a new career high, in his 114th game in the competition, beating his previous best of 18. He added 4 rebounds to amass a PIR of 21, matching his personal-best effort. 

On a night that saw three of Fenerbahce's big men ([Khem Birch](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/khem-birch/007182/), [Sertac Sanli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sertac-sanli/002968/) and [Jilson Bango](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jilson-bango/013696/)) go scoreless despite combining for 27 minutes, Fenerbahce got solid contributions from all perimeters players and two of its most experienced stars: [Nicolo Melli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nicolo-melli/002849/) had 7 points and 4 rebounds. [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/) finished the game with 16 points, 7 rebounds and a game-high PIR of 26.

"It's easy. I mean, it's 20 points! It's a shame I didn't score 20 points \[in a EuroLeague game\] until now," Biberovic joked after the game. "To be honest, it's only 2-0 and nothing is finished yet. We are going to Paris and know how they play over there. They are actually a very, very fast team and never gives up. We need to finish the job, that's our mentality, and each and every one of us is thinking the same way. We have to finish the job."

Fenerbahce has its first chance to advance to the 2025 Final Four in Game 3, played at Adidas Arena in the French capital on Tuesday, April 29.

The 24-year-old had a career-defining performance that should boost his confidence to new limits 


Anadolu Efes Istanbul bounced back superbly from a tough loss to Turkish Airlines EuroLeague holder Panathinaikos AKTOT Athens in Game 1, leveling the quarterfinal playoff series after a comeback 76-79 victory in Game 2

Larkin got one over former mentor Ataman as Efes ran riot 

[Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/?season=2024-25) bounced back superbly from a tough loss to Turkish Airlines EuroLeague holder [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/?season=2024-25) in Game 1, leveling the quarterfinal playoff series after a comeback [76-79 victory in Game 2](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/anadolu-efes-beats-panathinaikos-76-79-to-even-the-series/).

The fascinating matchup now moves to Istanbul, where Efes will head into another doubleheader brimming with confidence after defying the odds to get back on an even keel following an [87-83 reverse in Game 1](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-beats-efes-87-83-in-game-1/).

Having trailed by as many as 15 points on Thursday night, Efes turned the tide largely thanks to a majestic performance from stalwart [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/), who shined in the fourth quarter as the visitors roared back to silence the fervent home crowd in the OAKA Arena.

A Masterpiece on the Mediterranean

Larkin showed the makings of a champion who guided Efes to successive titles in 2021 and 2022 under present Panathinaikos coach Ergin Ataman, handing his former boss a painful defeat, which threatens to derail the Greek club’s title defense.

Larkin was lethal when the chips were down, nailing a lay-up, a clutch spot-up three and finally a pair of free throws to seal Efes’s epic comeback in a raucous atmosphere, with [P.J. Dozier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/perry-dozier-jr/012742/) also excelling down the stretch.

Humble as ever, Larkin played down the significance of his fourth-quarter heroics while crediting his teammates for a selfless and concerted effort, which forced the Greens into submission.

“We just had to stay together against this team of great players and coaches,” Larkin said in his postgame comments. “We have a young team but we had to stay poised as these fans here will try to get under your skin. When we are able to run our game we have a chance of beating anybody.”

Reflecting on the crunch triple that gave Efes a decisive 73-76 lead, Larkin said the contribution of each and every Efes player who stepped out on the court should be in the spotlight.

“It was a big play and a big shot and that’s what everybody is going to point to but it’s not what won the game,” he said. “All the energy plays that [Vince (Poirier)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/vincent-poirier/004887/) and [Derek Willis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/derek-willis/009664/) made, guys like [Erkan Ylimaz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/erkan-yilmaz/006372/) coming off the bench and giving us great minutes, those are the kinds of things that win games.  Now we have to refocus as they will try to get us in Istanbul.”

Poirier added: “In the second half, we shared the ball and played great defense, we were aggressive and unlike in Game 1, we had a strong finish. That’s the mentality we’ve got to bring to the next two games at home.”

<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 Panathinaikos Aktor karşılaşmamızın en iyisi Shane Larkin!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Larkinile%C4%B0yisin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Larkinileİyisin</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/uzgBgq5rqv">pic.twitter.com/uzgBgq5rqv</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1915522431013572643?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Efes head coach Luca Banchi acknowledged that his team looked sharper and more determined to come out on top than it did in the opening game, when Panathinaikos prevailed on the back of a fourth-quarter onslaught.

“We just tried to make our basketball simple and draw energy from our defense,” the Italian tactician said. “Both teams have players with the potential to win the game and in the end, we were pretty sharp and took the win to extend the series. We’re going to Istanbul in a good mood and with a good level of confidence,” he added.

Ataman was understandably unhappy with his team’s failure to seal the game in the fourth quarter, as victory would have given Panathinaikos a massive 2-0 lead ahead of the trip to Istanbul. His team now faces the daunting task of winning at least once in the Turkish capital to avoid elimination, but a stone-faced Ataman graciously praised his former protégé Larkin while criticizing his own outfit.

“We missed open shots and didn’t play good defense on Larkin in the fourth quarter while they hit some really tough shots,” he said. “Dozier and Larkin played great offense in the final period and it’s 1-1 now.”

The Turkish team’s playmaker showed the credentials of a double EuroLeague winner against the reigning champs 