The center came to the fore when it mattered most in Reyer's first road victory
Kabengele dominated in closing stages to inspire Reyer comeback
Article
3 Mins read
Turning around a game where you’ve been trailing for more than 39 minutes must be incredibly satisfying. Doing so with your center netting his first-ever triple in the BKT EuroCup in the closing stages of regulation to help force overtime is simply extraordinary.
7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys took the lead from the off against Umana Reyer Venice and held on to it up until crunch time. With 1:17 left on the clock, Mfiondu Tshimanga Kabengele didn’t hesitate – he pulled up from beyond the arc and netted a three-pointer to tie the duel 84-84.
“Not surprised. I can shoot,” Kabengele said after the game. “I’m comfortable with my shooting. I just play a role on this team. Me shooting threes compared to [Davide] Moretti or Carl [Wheatle] or Kyle [Wiltjer] doesn’t help the team, so I know my role and I pick my spots when I need to. When it’s time to shoot, I’ll shoot, but I trust those guys to make those plays. I’m the better rebounder, better roller, better facilitator of the pick-and-roll. It’s just my job to pick the right time and I thought that was the right time to shoot that shot.”
Game Videos
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7-bet Lietkabelis-Umana Reyer Venice | Round 9 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
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Kabengele dunks off a Simms alley-oop pass! Magic Moment
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Marko Guduric: 'Since 2019, we hadn't won here!'
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Colson stops Mitchell! Motorola Magic Moment
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Zagars's acrobatic layup! Motorola Magic Moment
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Umana Reyer Venice-Turk Telekom Ankara | Round 8 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
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A vicious alley-oop from Kabengele! Magic Moment
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U-BT Cluj-Napoca-7-bet Lietkabelis Panevezys | Round 8 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
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Parks stops Zoosman! Magic Moment
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Stipanovic sends Varnas dunking! Magic Moment
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U-BT Cluj-Napoca-Umana Reyer Venice | Round 6 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
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Fine dunk by Kabengele! Magic Moment
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/40572331-6726-4801-9074-e5ad02f0cd6e.jpg?crop=1206%3A678%3Anowe%3A88%3A83]()
Great dunk by Kabengele! Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/72f2b185-13f0-4b1d-8fee-686f5c95f331.jpg]()
Umana Reyer Venice-Veolia Towers Hamburg | Round 5 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
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Pecarski’s monster block to on Castaneda! Magic Moment
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Stipanovic dunks in front of Pansa! Magic Moment
- 00:14
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Stipanovic with a brilliant behind-the-back assist! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/_F4D3JtmDtE/maxresdefault.jpg]()
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Umana Reyer Venice-Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse | Round 3 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
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![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/6ba5eccf-1ec0-465c-aeda-df5dac6e8a6b.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A123%3A108]()
Kabengele has no mercy! Magic Moment
- 03:38
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Kabengele with the circus shot! Magic Moment
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/e5194a57-89d3-4bf8-acc2-5cb0cb5f7562.png?crop=750%3A422%3Anowe%3A0%3A94]()
Vasiliauskas dunks in traffic! Magic Moment
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- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/2d9a8676-ccf7-487b-914f-5c103b14d12f.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A53%3A38]()
Magic Moment: Kabengele finishes tough alley-oop!
- 03:37
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/10/01/cxpngXDG3wAgFmhp5ASl4HDWhDyeeh7N-1727808815227.jpg]()
7-bet Lietkabelis Panevezys-Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem | Round 2 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
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![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/90929047-a06a-4908-b66f-3992ebdd5a6c.png?crop=750%3A422%3Anowe%3A0%3A102]()
Magic Moment: Simms puts it back!
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/449befd0-a2a1-47e9-a7df-86c170244f6a.png?crop=750%3A422%3Anowe%3A0%3A79]()
Magic Moment: Parks's alley-oop dunk!
- 03:39
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/0c511e35-bbb2-4eaf-a03b-e7c6f35ff6c7.jpg]()
Turk Telekom Ankara-7bet Lietkabelis Panevezys | Round 1 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/e52542a4-fd1d-4ddd-b355-d60dcc2358ec.jpg]()
Magic Moment: Varnas rocks the rim with a reverse dunk!
- 00:59
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/02/08/gbVZnJSPFfqzUT6zGJItdweHTaRfuGY4-1707376951275.jpg]()
Marco Spissu | Round 18 MVP | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:20
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2023-24 BKT EuroCup | Magic Moment of the Night: Maldunas dunks on the break!
- 03:51
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/02/07/ZiFPm9hTKUCp0DsaVeioXo3DkvSPG9Zj-1707334000314.jpg]()
7-Bet Lietkabelis Panevezys-U-BT Cluj-Napoca | Round 18 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/fd072cb8-c0a3-47d4-841f-903ca5a60196.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A71%3A79]()
Magic Moment: Maldunas dunks on transition!
- 03:42
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/02/06/HmnBlvkiSoCKaRXiLtYXq8ARY1eELBEv-1707252410955.jpg]()
Veolia Towers Hamburg-Umana Reyer Venice | Round 18 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/6330d25f-e94a-47b4-b9be-c6a90df9a8d8.jpg?crop=1649%3A928%3Anowe%3A1193%3A176]()
Magic Moment: The circus has come to town in Hamburg!
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/888cbfa0-8ecd-44e0-b6a4-c3ff2f84f309.jpg?crop=811%3A456%3Anowe%3A454%3A6]()
Magic Moment: Tessitori threads the needle for a Tucker score!
- 03:38
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/01/30/GoeUyBFL3rDVWTiIKWvyO9oPqEqoIM1R-1706649999038.jpg]()
Umana Reyer Venice-Prometey Slobozhanske | Round 17 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:18
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/98439f8d-834d-456c-82f1-e2b6ba734886.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A80%3A33]()
Magic Moment: Heidegger goes no-look to Tessitori
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/9a1955e1-fb8b-4c45-b40b-39c21ebf5bde.jpg?crop=1161%3A654%3Anowe%3A77%3A41]()
Magic Moment: Tucker punishes the rim
- 03:43
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/01/30/18tX48cO7YpG6cctJDQ9tZu6Fwze31Ni-1706642403077.jpg]()
7-bet Lietkabelis Panevezys-Slask Wroclaw | Round 17 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 03:52
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/01/24/4onC9qqXwVpzyDn65UY2d0S1KMWdx7F4-1706131458146.jpg]()
Umana Reyer Venice-Wolves Vilnius | Round 16 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:17
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/8e1bc1bf-755f-421c-8a64-97196b5ec3d9.jpg?crop=1000%3A562%3Anowe%3A1340%3A97]()
Magic Moment: Casarin flashes behind the back
- 03:39
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/01/24/tHrKK44UEajehSDQYmdBQTGcJLhRHXaG-1706124234264.jpg]()
Turk Telekom Ankara-7-Bet Lietkabelis Panevezys | Round 16 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
Kabengele scored 9 of his career-high 21 points in the last 5 minutes of regulation, including the aforementioned triple that turned the tide in Reyer’s favor. Despite a certain blow in morale, Lietkabelis held firm and took a 90-88 lead through Marko Pecarski in overtime. Then, Reyer guard Tyler Ennis missed from inside in what could have been a turning point for the hosts, but Kabengele stepped up again, collected the offensive rebound, drew the foul and tied it at 90-90. What followed was a 0-10 run for the visitors to seal the comeback victory. Kabengele paired his 21 points with 11 rebounds for a game-high PIR of 27 to inspire Reyer’s first road victory of the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup campaign.
“We didn’t give up for 40 minutes,” head coach Neven Spahija said in the post-game press conference. “We believed, we trusted each other and at the end of the game we found the best chemistry.”
Having improved its record to 4-5, Reyer has managed to stay in the playoff picture. Next week, the Italian side will travel to Greece, where they’ll face Aris Midea Thessaloniki in their bid to extend their winning streak to three games. And for another game, Reyer will be able to lean on difference-maker Kabengele to lead the way on the court.