Valencia Basket will head imperiously into 2026 after a seventh win in the last eight EuroLeague games took the Spanish outfit to the top of the EuroLeague standings on a 13-6 record, courtesy of an ultimately emphatic 86-73 home win over Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade.

Valencia keeps rolling to go top with gritty home win over Partizan

[Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/valencia-basket/pam/) will head imperiously into 2026 after a seventh win in the last eight EuroLeague games took the Spanish outfit to the top of the EuroLeague standings on a 13-6 record, courtesy of an ultimately emphatic 86-73 home win over [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/).

It was another gritty and physical display by Valencia, which erased an early 6-17 deficit and dominated the fourth quarter, as [Darius Thompson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/darius-thompson/011078/) (17 points) and [Nate Reuvers](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nathan-reuvers/012738/) (14) came up big in crunch time to engineer a final 17-5 run which took the hosts across the finish line.

[Brancou Badio](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/brancou-badio/007527/) chipped in with 14 points, [Jean Montero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jean-montero/010042/) added 13 while [Jaime Pradilla](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jaime-pradilla/010393/) racked up 11 and 7 boards to underline a smooth team effort, as Valencia overcame a mediocre shooting night thanks to steely defense which limited Partizan to 9-of-27 from long range. The home team also dominated offensive rebounds 14-7 and had 9 steals as Valencia hustled tirelessly at both ends of the court, forcing a barrage of tough shots from the visitors.  

Valencia Basket-Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade | Round 19 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Partizan led for much of the first half and stayed on an even keel in the third quarter, but Valencia took the lead for good after Thompson hit a deep three to give the hosts a 65-63 lead. The Serbian side closed in to 69-68 early in the fourth but its offense then came to a screeching halt as Valencia closed out the contest with a 17-5 run which had the home fans in raptures after the final buzzer.

“We hoped that at some point they’d break and it happened in the last five minutes,” Thompson said in his postgame comments. “We’ll just take it one game at a time and not look to far ahead and we’ll see what happens at the end of the season.”

The outcome was a fitting reward for head coach Pedro Martinez, whose relentless Valencia team has stunned the EuroLeague with torrid pace and physical defense which saw the outfit steamroll through the first half of the regular season and hit the pinnacle. 

“It was a very tough game, one of the toughest of the season so far and we have to be very happy as well as recover for the next game,” said Martinez. “This is an incredible competition with a lot of great teams and we are doing well at the moment, but two or three defeats could send us sliding into mid-table. We have to be ready and keep practicing,” he added.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">VAMOOOOOOOOOOOS 🧡<br><br>¡¡Cerramos 2025 y una TREMENDA primera vuelta en EuroLeague con 13 victoriasssss!! 🔥<br><br>🏆 J19 <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a><br>🟠 <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@valenciabasket</a> 86<br>⚫ <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PartizanBC</a> 73<br>🤝 Vitaldin<br><br>Mañana lo haremos de nuevo pero por si acaso... BON ANY, FAMILIA!! 🧡 <a href="https://t.co/duAoKjLudH">pic.twitter.com/duAoKjLudH</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/2006115737300013102?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Following last week’s 87-112 home drubbing by Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv, it was another tough outing and a second successive defeat for Partizan’s new head coach Joan Penarroya, as well as the club’s fourth in a row, which sent the team reeling into a 6-13 record. Penarroya conceded that his team paid the price for poor shooting from downtown.

“We competed very well in a difficult game for us but to win in Valencia we needed better percentages from the three-point line and we missed a lot of those shots,” he said. “Congratulations to Valencia for the win and for an amazing season. We only scored 10 points in the fourth quarter and that sums it up. Our situation is not good, but we improved from the last game we played.”

Game News

The hosts wiped out an 11-point first quarter deficit to prevail on the back of ironclad defense

Valencia Basket v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2025-12-30T19:30:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas spoiled Hapoel Tel Aviv’s EuroLeague homecoming with a dominant defensive display and a 93-80 road win. After trailing early, Zalgiris locked down defensively in the middle quarters and controlled the boards to secure its fourth road victory of the season.


Zalgiris ‘outhustles’ Hapoel in commanding road outing

Tuesday night was a special one for [Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/hapoel-ibi-tel-aviv/hta/), which returned to Menora Mivtachim Arena for its first-ever EuroLeague game in the city. Fans packed the stands and, in their bid to push their team to what would have been a historic victory, they created a festive atmosphere that provided the hosts with a boost of energy in the opening stages.

Yet, [Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/zal/) had different ideas.

Heading into the clash following an 85-92 home loss to Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, the Lithuanian side was aware that a victory away at the league leader would be the ideal manner to get back to winning ways.

Energized by the crowd, Hapoel dominated in the first quarter and took a 25-18 lead into the second. However, a slow start to the game was followed by back-to-back quarters in which Zalgiris’s defense asphyxiated one of the best offenses in the competition. The visitors held Hapoel to 15 points in the second and just 13 in the third, securing a 53-63 cushion heading into the fourth.

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv-Zalgiris Kaunas | Round 19 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

“I think we played pretty good defense in the second and third quarter towards a lot of what we decided before the game,” Zalgiris head coach Tomas Masiulis told EuroLeague TV. “Some shots that we gave, they did score, but I think that defense was the key.”

With [Vasilije Micic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vasilije-micic/002580/) sidelined through injury, Hapoel leaned on the team's top scorer [Elijah Bryant](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elijah-bryant/009846/), but Zalgiris was having none of this. The 30-year-old guard may have ended the game on 14 points, but he managed to score just 5 in the first three quarters.

“[\[Ish\] Wainright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ish-wainright/013284/) scored 3 three-point shots, [\[Johnathan\] Motley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/johnathan-motley/011157/) scored 2 three-point shots, so this was my risk,” Masiulis stressed in the post-game press conference. “If they are scoring, that means that somebody else is not scoring. One of our ideas was to risk shots from them but not to allow their main player, Elijah, to feel the game.”

<center>
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Masiulis’s plan worked to perfection, as Bryant was a non-factor for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, [Moses Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/moses-wright/012878/) provided the spark on the other end with back-to-back dunks in the third, as a 2-13 run allowed the visitors to establish a double-digit lead.

[Nigel Williams-Goss](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-williams-goss/007982/) made some clutch buckets, netting 10 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter. Following his poorest outing of the season in the game against Panathinaikos, [Sylvain Francisco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sylvain-francisco/007975/) was instrumental with 8 assists, while [Azuolas Tubelis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/azuolas-tubelis/008192/) set the tone by grabbing a team-high 8 rebounds.

In fact, Zalgiris outrebounded Hapoel 21-40, forcing head coach Dimitris Itoudis to admit that the visitors “outhustled” his team. Yet according to Williams-Goss, his team’s consistency is what led to the 80-93 triumph.

“Just playing for 40 minutes,” he told EuroLeague TV. “There’s been a lot of times this year where we played really well for 20 minutes, 25 minutes and then we left 15 minutes to get away. So, our challenge was putting those full 40 minutes together and we did that against a really good team today. So I’m super proud of the win.”

Having celebrated its fourth road victory this term, Zalgiris is scheduled to open the upcoming double-round week with a game away at Virtus Bologna. And with its confidence sky-high after a commanding display in Tel Aviv, Masiulis’s players will look to open 2026 with another bang.

The visitors bounced back from a slow start to ruin Hapoel’s return party

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv v Zalgiris Kaunas (2025-12-30T19:05:00.000Z)

Kevin Punter earns EuroLeague MVP of December after leading all scorers with 24.4 points per game and delivering a historic 43-point performance in Barcelona’s triple-overtime win over Baskonia.
Punter led all EuroLeague players in December with 24.4 points per game, shooting 55.1% on two-pointers, 46.9% from three-point range, and 92.0% at the foul line. He averaged 3.0 triples made, 3.4 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while ranking fifth in PIR (23.0) and fifth in average plus/minus (+9.8). 

Kevin Punter powers his way to EuroLeague MVP of December honors

[Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/)’s spectacular scoring and clutch play have earned him the Euroleague Basketball MVP of the Month for December presented by Motorola. The [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/) guard was the catalyst for his team’s 4-1 record during the month, combining efficiency, leadership, and one unforgettable performance.

Punter led all EuroLeague players in December with 24.4 points per game, shooting 55.1% on two-pointers, 46.9% from three-point range, and 92.0% at the foul line. He averaged 3.0 triples made, 3.4 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while ranking fifth in PIR (23.0) and fifth in average plus/minus (+9.8). Logging more than 32 minutes per contest, he was one of just seven players to average at least 30 minutes for the month.

"The stat of putting in the work every day, that nobody don’t see, that’s the biggest thing that sticks out to me," Punter told Olivia Harlan Dekker on the EuroLeague & Friends: MVP Talk podcast. "When you hit those numbers, you always just go back to what kind of work am I putting in every day."

His signature outing came in Round 17, when Punter authored a historic night in Barcelona’s triple-overtime thriller against Baskonia. He scored 43 points – becoming just the ninth player this century to surpass the 40-point mark in a EuroLeague game – and set a club record with 12 two-point field goals. Twenty-three of those points – alongside countless highlights – came in the 3 overtime periods to keep Barcelona alive and then wrest away the win. Punter finished 4-of-7 from deep and a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line, adding 2 steals and posting a PIR of 40 to claim MVP of the Round honors.

"In the moment, when it’s so many overtimes, at least for me, you lose track of what overtime is it again, or what happened in what overtime," Punter said about the night when he scored 43 points, the fourth most in modern EuroLeague history.

He also explained what helped him drop more than half of those in three extra sessions: "It’s understanding it’s a long, long game. Your time is gonna come at some point. And keeping your mind in the game, keeping the aggressive mindset."

Punter’s consistency was evident throughout December. He opened the month with 14 points and 6 assists in a win at Crvena Zvezda, followed by 24 points in just 25 minutes against Olympiacos. He added 21 points and 4 assists in Paris and closed the month with 20 points and 2 steals in a hard-fought loss at Fenerbahce.

The MVP of the Month award is now in its 20th season. The winner is named by Euroleague Basketball based on his and his team’s performance during the month in question. The December award was based on the games played between Rounds 14 and 18. The cut-off point was Round 18 as Round 19 comes to a conclusion in January.

This is Punter’s second MVP of the Month award; his first also came with Barcelona in October 2024. He now joins Juan Carlos Navarro, Ante Tomic, and Nikola Mirotic as the only players to win multiple MVP of the Month honors with the club.

Barcelona’s strong December run has solidified its position among the league’s elite, and Punter’s scoring brilliance will remain central to its push as the regular season heads into its second half.

A month of brilliance capped by a 43-point explosion secures Punter’s second MVP of the Month award



Javier Gancedo shares his recommendations for the coming week in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge.

Fantasy tips, Round 19: Javier Gancedo is back in the hot seat

The first half of the 2025-26 EuroLeague Regular Season comes to an end this week. Since we had unlimited trades last week, I thought it would be best to stay away from superstars of choice and instead, I will offer a few suggestions on players who are not that expensive to play alongside the big names in the game. But before all that, let's review Geoff Gillingham's recommendations last week.

Geoff recommended McKinley Wright of Dubai Basketball. Not a very risky choice as pretty much everyone had him, but he delivered with 33.0 fantasy points and earned 1.0 credits, so that's a big win. Luca Vildoza of Virtus Bologna had 21.0 points and earned 0.4 credits, so well done, Geoff! Joel Parra of FC Barcelona did not have his best game against Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, getting 3.0 points and losing 0.3 credits. It was an interesting choice without Toko Shengelia and Will Clyburn, but it just didn't work.

Jaylen Hoard of Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv had 15.4 points and kept his value. I will call it a tie, because when you spend 15.1 credits in a player, you want him to do better than 15.4. Finally, Richaun Holmes of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens had -2.7 fantasy points and lost 0.6 credits. Bad call. So it's two wins, two losses and one tie for Geoff.

Let's see how I do this week. Here we go:

Nick Weiler-Babb, Nigel Williams-Goss, Talen Horton-Tucker, Matt Costello and Cedi Osman are featured in this week's article. 

EuroLeague Fantasy tips: Round 19 

### Matt Costello, Valencia Basket (10.2 credits)

Kameron Taylor is everyone's player of choice in Valencia, so I am offering an alternative. [Matt Costello](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/matthew-costello/010444/) played well against Baskonia last week, getting 18 points and 6 rebounds for a PIR of 22. He's had PIRs of 19 or higher in three of the last four games. He should keep it going at home against Partizan.

### Talen Horton-Tucker, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (11.5 credits)

One of the best newcomers this season, [Talen Horton-Tucker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/talen-horton-tucker/014124/) has been playing better and better as the season has progressed. Over the last four games, Horton-Tucker has averaged 21.3 points on 30 of 45 two-pointer shooting (66.7% 2FG), 4.0 rebounds and 6.0 fouls drawn for a PIR of 20.8. At just 11.5 credits, Horton-Tucker is a steal.

Matt Costello has had a PIR of 19 or higher in three of the last four games.

### Cedi Osman, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (12.7 credits)

The Greek Derby is coming and, as always, it is time for the most experienced players to step up. [Cedi Osman](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/cedi-osman/004088/) has averaged 19.5 points and a PIR of 23.0 over the last two games, in which he has made all 6 of his two-point shots and 7 of 11 three-pointers. Osman has a reputation for doing well in big games, so this is a good chance for him.

### Nick Weiler-Babb, Anadolu Efes Istanbul (11.9 credits)

[Nick Weiler-Babb](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nick-weiler-babb/010391/) has been playing much better since Coach Pablo Laso joined the team. In the last three games, Weiler-Babb has averaged 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 8.8 assists with just 1.0 turnover per game for an average PIR of 21.7. If he keeps passing the ball with such efficiency, his value should keep skyrocketing.

### Nigel Williams-Goss, Zalgiris Kaunas (10.3 credits)

It didn't take [Nigel Williams-Goss](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nigel-williams-goss/007982/) much time to bounce back from an injury and start playing great again. Over the last four games, Williams-Goss has averaged 14.5 points, 5.8 assists and a PIR of 18.0. All eyes are on Sylvain Francisco, but quietly, as usual, Williams-Goss is getting great numbers night in, night out.

More EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge News

Javier Gancedo shares his recommendations for the coming week in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge

Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2026-01-02T19:00:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Olympiacos Piraeus (2026-01-02T19:15:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2026-01-02T17:00:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul strengthened its guard rotation by signing Saben Lee, who arrives from Olympiacos Piraeus

Saben Lee leaves Reds, links up with Efes 

[Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/) strengthened its guard rotation by signing [Saben Lee](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/saben-lee/013389/), who arrives from [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/), the club announced on Monday. The deal is for the remainder of the season. Lee (1.88 meters, 26 years old) brings EuroLeague experience from the past two seasons with Olympiacos and a stint with [Maccabi Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/maccabi-rapyd-tel-aviv/tel/).

Lee appeared in 11 EuroLeague games this season for Olympiacos, averaging 3.4 points and 1.4 assists in 11:24 minutes per game while shooting 36.4% from three-point range. In his first season with the Reds, he played 13 games and posted 4.5 points and 2.0 assists over 16:17 minutes per contest.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">✍️ Saben Lee ile 2025-26 sezonu sonuna kadar sözleşme imzaladık! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Welcome?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Welcome</a> Saben! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenimYerimBuras%C4%B1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenimYerimBurası</a> <a href="https://t.co/OFVClFNyc4">pic.twitter.com/OFVClFNyc4</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/2005616771911524456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Before joining Olympiacos in February 2025, Lee started the season in Turkiye with Manisa Basket and later played for Maccabi, where he averaged 12.0 points and 2.5 assists in eight EuroLeague appearances. He was among the Turkish League leaders in scoring and assists with Manisa and had a standout Basketball Champions League campaign, highlighted by a 43-point performance that tied the competition’s single-game scoring record.

Lee began his professional career in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons and also played for the Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns, totaling 134 games with averages of 5.2 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists. He also spent time in the G League with Motor City Cruise, Delaware Blue Coats and Raptors 905 after playing college basketball at Vanderbilt University.

More Anadolu Efes news

After stops in Israel and Greece, Lee returns to the Turkish capital aiming to make an impact for Efes

The last four games of the calendar year will be played on Tuesday night 

At a glance: Closing out 2025 before the Greek derby ignites 2026

We reach the midway point of the EuroLeague Regular Season as Round 19 – spread over four days – is headlined by the passion of the Greek derby. Here’s your rundown of all the games as we jump from 2025 into 2026.

## Tuesday, December 30, 2025

#### [Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv vs. Zalgiris Kaunas (20:05 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/hapoel-ibi-tel-aviv-zalgiris-kaunas/E2025/182/)

Hapoel’s (13-5) first game back in Tel Aviv will see the league leader welcome dangerous Zalgiris (10-8). With Vasilije Micic injured, Hapoel needs fit-again Yam Madar to take more of the playmaking responsibility as he faces Nigel Williams-Goss, who is taking an increasingly important role for Zalgiris after averaging 5.8 assists in the last four games. A pair of in-form big men will battle in the paint as Dan Oturu (16 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocked shots in last week’s win over Bayern) goes up against Moses Wright, who's averaged 19.5 points and 6 rebounds in the last two games. Hapoel ranks second in two-point shooting efficiency (59.5%), so Zalgiris will need more of its dominating defense, which has allowed just 82.1 points per night (second best in the league).

#### [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. Paris Basketball (20:15 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne-paris-basketball/E2025/183/)

The French derby will see ASVEL (5-13) and Paris (6-12) attempt to end 2025 on a high by continuing their upward trajectories. The home team will hope that center Bastien Vautier can maintain the breakout form that saw him named Round 18’s MVP, but Paris also has a big man coming off his best game of the season after Momo Faye played a key role in overcoming Zvezda last time out – a game that saw Paris finally snap a six-game losing sequence. A key backcourt battle of EuroLeague rookies will see ASVEL sniper Glynn Watson (13.6 points per game) attempt to outshine visiting Justin Robinson (15.8 ppg). These are the league’s least accurate two-point shooting teams (51.7% vs 50.4%), so finding efficiency inside the paint could be decisive.

#### [Valencia Basket vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (20:30 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/valencia-basket-partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/E2025/184/)

Valencia (12-6) is aiming to maintain at least a share of second place by overcoming a Partizan team (6-12) desperately needing improvement. The Serbian team has shipped 109 and 112 points in its last two games, so new Coach Joan Penarroya will focus on defensive improvement to slow down a Valencia team that ranks fourth in the league in scoring (89.6 points per game) and has won seven straight at home. Specifically, Valencia leads the league in three-pointers converted (12.4 per game), so Partizan simply must tighten up a league-worst defense in that category. The hosts will rely on creativity from Jean Montero, who paired 16 points and 4 assists in last week’s win over Baskonia, while Partizan needs newcomer Cam Payne to keep on firing after netting 15 points on his debut.

#### [FC Barcelona vs. AS Monaco (20:30 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/fc-barcelona-as-monaco/E2025/181/)

Tuesday’s final game delivers a big battle between title candidates as Barcelona (12-6) welcomes Monaco (11-7). Barca is looking to extend a four-game winning streak at home, but that won’t be easy against a Monaco team that has reached triple figures in the last two games, led by sharpshooting Elie Okobo (18 and 22 points in those games). Another big threat to the hosts is former star Nikola Mirotic, who will look for dominance inside the paint against fit-again Jan Vesely. This is a rematch of last season’s playoffs series, which went to the final shot before Monaco prevailed 3-2, and red-hot Kevin Punter (at least 20 points in four games straight) will be extra motivated for revenge after missing the decisive shot on the final buzzer in Game 5.

## Friday, January 2, 2026

#### [Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (18:00 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/anadolu-efes-istanbul-crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/E2025/185/)

Two teams targeting a return to winning ways meet in Istanbul as Efes (6-12) hosts Zvezda (10-8). The Serbian team has not won on the road since October, and must tighten up defensively after allowing 102 points in defeat at Paris last week. Efes also suffered defensively in a Round 18 defeat at ASVEL, but playmaker Nick Weiler-Babb gained confidence with his best game of the season (20 points and 8 assists). He faces a tough defensive task against Jared Butler, who poured in 31 points last time out, while another key piece for Zvezda, Chima Moneke, got back to his best by recording a double-double (17 points, 10 rebounds). To counter him, Efes needs a big night from Ercan Osmani, who has struggled to replicate his strong early-season form in recent weeks.

#### [Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (20:00 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/kosner-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2025/186/)

Something has to give as Baskonia (6-12) seeks a seventh straight home win against Fenerbahce (11-6), which has won three straight on the road. The Spanish team has a new weapon in the paint after Eugene Omuruyi announced his EuroLeague arrival with 17 points in last week’s loss at Valencia, which saw sharpshooters Marcus Howard and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot fall below their usual standards by combining to shoot for 3-of-14 from long range. Keeping them quiet will be a priority for Fener’s league-best defense, while the scoring responsibility at the other end will again lie with Wade Baldwin, who has recorded six consecutive double-digit scoring nights. These two teams boast the league’s best interior defenses (50.3% vs 48.8% of two-pointers allowed), and Fenerbahce will rely on the hustle of Khem Birch to make life difficult for the hosts.

#### [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (20:15 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-olympiacos-piraeus/E2025/188/)

All the drama and intensity of the Greek derby will be on display as Panathinaikos (12-6) welcomes Olympiacos (10-7). The Greens will hope to recover from a recent flu outbreak as it attempts to end a nine-game EuroLeague losing sequence against its eternal rival, which warmed up for the short trip to Athens by overcoming Virtus behind another powerhouse performance from Nikola Milutinov (13 points, 9 rebounds). He faces a must-watch battle in the paint with Kenneth Faried and Richaun Holmes. Another key matchup will see visiting defensive ace Thomas Walkup attempt to contain reigning MVP Kendrick Nunn (21.9 points over the last seven games), while the Greens will also look for a lift from fit-again Cedi Osman, who drained 5-of-6 triples to inspire a tough victory at Zalgiris last week.

#### [Virtus Bologna vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (20:30 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/virtus-bologna-ea7-emporio-armani-milan/E2025/190/)

The round’s third domestic derby will see Italian bragging rights on the line as Virtus (8-10) welcomes Milan (9-9). The hosts will look to recover their usual home form after losing two straight in Bologna, and need leading scorer Carsen Edwards to recover from an injury sustained in last week’s loss to Olympiacos. Milan is looking to bounce back from a flat Round 18 performance in Dubai, and should have former Virtus playmaker Nico Mannion back in action after a nose problem. The visitors are the league’s most accurate team from long range (39.3%), so hopes that the likes of Zach LeDay (12.1 points per game on 42.2% from deep) can shine against a Virtus that ranks fourth in two-point conversion (57.1%) and will look for physical dominance through the energy of do-it-all Saliou Niang.

#### [Real Madrid vs. Dubai Basketball (20:45 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/real-madrid-dubai-basketball/E2025/189/)

In-form Dubai (9-9) will look to keep on climbing towards the top 10 as it visits a Real team (10-8) clinging onto those places. A remarkable performance from Facu Campazzo (28 points, 10 assists) wasn’t enough to prevent defeat for *Los Blancos* at Monaco last week, and the hosts needs to regain control of the paint after allowing 17 offensive rebounds in that game – a key matchup will see Mfiondu Kabengele go toe to toe with Walter Tavares. Dubai has won four of the last six, and will confront Campazzo with the red-hot McKinley Wright, who's averaged 19 points and 9.8 assists in the last five games. The visitors will hope to call upon Aleksa Avramovic and Boogie Ellis after injury, while Real will wait to see if Trey Lyles can overcome a neck problem.

#### [FC Bayern Munich vs. Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (21:00 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/fc-bayern-munich-maccabi-rapyd-tel-aviv/E2025/187/)

New Bayern (5-13) coach Svetislav Pesic is hoping to gain his first win by ending reborn Maccabi’s (8-10) five-game winning streak. The home team could be without backcourt star Spencer Dinwiddie for personal reasons, which could give Lonnie Walker more opportunity to extend his stellar form after averaging 20 points during the winning run. Bayern’s nine-game losing sequence is largely explained by an impotent offense, which trails the league in scoring (77.5 points per game), while Maccabi is firing on all cylinders after blazing 112 points past Partizan last week. That included 17 points from in-form forward Roman Sorkin, who will attempt to set the tempo for his team by outperforming Bayern leader Vladimir Lucic.

FC Bayern Munich v Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (2026-01-02T20:00:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v Dubai Basketball (2026-01-02T19:45:00.000Z)

Virtus Bologna v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2026-01-02T19:30:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona v AS Monaco (2025-12-30T19:30:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v Paris Basketball (2025-12-30T19:15:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul’s defensive dominance has propelled it back into title contention, forcing low-quality shots at a historic rate and leading the EuroLeague in points allowed per possession

Stats review: Fenerbahce’s defensive masterclass keeps EuroLeague tight

The mid-point of the EuroLeague Regular Season is on the horizon, but easy wins remain hard to come by as just two victories separate second and 10th place in the standings. Round 18 featured several close games, but [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul’s 1-point triumph](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/devon-hall-wade-baldwin-come-to-the-rescue-as-fenerbahce-leans-on-grit-and-defense-to-topple-in-form-barcelona/) over FC Barcelona at Ulker Sports and Event Hall was the nail-biter of the night as both teams led for stretches of the second half.

The low-scoring affair saw the hosts come out with a 72-71 victory in a defensive showcase as neither team was able to establish much of a rhythm on the offensive end. While that’s far from the norm in the EuroLeague these days, that has been the standard for Fenerbahce all season as it has climbed the standings thanks to its ability to get stops.

Ranking only 18th in offensive efficiency so far this season, no team has been more consistent on the defensive end than the reigning champions.  Leading all teams by a sizeable margin, allowing only 0.94 points per possession — easily the top mark since the league’s post-pandemic offensive resurgence — Sarunas Jasikevicius’s team has made things difficult for opposing offenses.

What that means has varied among the EuroLeague's top defenses in recent history. While some teams have been disruptive, taking risks to force turnovers, others have done an especially good job defending pick-and-rolls, while still others have excelled with their shot defense. There’s a lot of variability among the latter group as, before even diving into the misses and makes, some teams do an excellent job at getting to spots early to take away shots inside, and others do a particularly good job chasing opposing shooters off the arc.

Fenerbahce’s defense this season fits an interesting mold from that perspective. Its success is built not on the good shots it takes away, but the volume of bad shots it forces. The table above lists this season’s top defenses in terms of the percentage of low-quality shots they force.  Quality, in this case, is measured in Synergy Shot Quality, a metric that calculates the expected value of any given shot attempt based on a data-driven model that considers all the advanced tracking data Synergy Sports has collected on every field goal attempted in EuroLeague games over the last decade.

What makes this Fenerbahce defense so special is how often it induces low-value looks from the field and then how well it defends them. Not only does it rank second in the percentage of low-SSQ shots they face, but it also allows the fewest points per shot on those attempts in the EuroLeague. Fenerbahce forced a season-high 17 low-quality shots against Barcelona, repeatedly causing opposing players to shoot off the dribble late in the clock or to settle for two-point push shots, staying disciplined away from the ball. 

As good as the offensive basketball is across the league right now, defenses at the EuroLeague level remain very complex. A great deal of nuance goes into how teams try to get stops and that has been most apparent and nothing short of critical to Fenerbahce’s recent stretch of eight wins in nine games as its title defense is back on track following a 3-5 start.

The reigning champs are rewriting the script with elite shot-quality suppression, fueling an eight-win surge in a season where margins remain razor-thin

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v FC Barcelona (2025-12-23T17:45:00.000Z)

EuroLeague top photos of the week

Look back at all the action from Round 18 of the regular season by checking out the best photos of the week! 

Top 10 photos of the week: Round 18

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv produced one of the most dominant displays in club history on Saturday night, demolishing Hapoel Holon 114–60 at Toto Arena in Round 11 of the Israeli League

Historic night in Holon as Hapoel dominated in Israeli League

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv produced one of the most dominant displays in club history on Saturday night, demolishing Hapoel Holon 114–60 at Toto Arena in Round 11 of the Israeli League. The result continued Hapoel’s perfect start to the season under Coach Dimitris Itoudis as it improved to 10-0.

Seven Hapoel players scored in double figures in a stunning show of depth and balance. Tyler Ennis led the way with 16 points and 5 assists, followed by Yam Madar and Guy Palatin with 13 each, while Tai Odiase and Jonathan Motley added 12 apiece. Team captain Tomer Ginat posted a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds), and Bar Timor scored 11. For Holon, Jordan McRae netted 12 points as the home side was outplayed in nearly every facet of the game.

From the opening tip, it was clear where this one was heading. Hapoel stormed to a 0-11 lead behind early dominance from Odiase before Madar and Motley joined the scoring from the bench. By the end of the first period, the visitors held a commanding 32–10 advantage, leaving the stunned Holon crowd in disbelief. The onslaught continued in the second quarter as Hapoel went into the break leading 27-62, its biggest halftime advantage of the season.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="iw" dir="rtl">הפועל.<br>10 מתוך 10 ‼️ <a href="https://t.co/LcId5pdDGW">pic.twitter.com/LcId5pdDGW</a></p>&mdash; Hapoel Tel Aviv BC (@HapoelTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC/status/2005017883903164581?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The visitors showed no mercy after halftime. Ennis and Ginat opened the third quarter in style, pushing the lead over 40, and within minutes, the margin ballooned past 50. Holon managed only brief scoring bursts from McRae and Damion Rosser, and trailed 47-92 after 30 minutes. The final quarter was pure formality: Hapoel broke the 100-point barrier and cruised to the historic 54-point victory as Itoudis emptied his bench and allowed younger players to close it out.

After the game, Itoudis praised his players’ professionalism: “We respected the opponent and ourselves. We played with full focus from start to finish.” The win marked Hapoel’s largest-ever margin over Holon, breaking a 58-year-old record from 1967, and the team's first 10–0 league start since 1965–66 — the last time it won the championship.

Now, attention turns to Tuesday’s EuroLeague clash with Zalgiris Kaunas at Menora Mivtachim Arena — Hapoel’s first-ever home EuroLeague game — before facing Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem next weekend in a marquee domestic matchup.

More Hapoel news

Coach Itoudis’s side delivers a record-breaking performance to stay perfect in the domestic league