Veolia Hamburg Towers took care of the business on home floor, beating Aris Midea Thessaloniki 93-69 on Tuesday. Before this victory, Hamburg had never beaten anyone on home floor by more than 21 points.

'Ready to play' Hamburg had a record home win

[Veolia Hamburg Towers](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/veolia-hamburg-towers/roster/ham/?season=2024-25) took care of business at home, beating [Aris Midea Thessaloniki ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/aris-midea-thessaloniki/roster/ari/)[93-69 on Tuesday](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/hamburg-runs-past-aris-93-69/). The visitors, playing without [Eleftherios Bochoridis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/eleftherios-bochoridis/003240/) and [Trey Woodbury](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/trey-woodbury/013251/) for various reasons, were hardly a match for Hamburg, which registered its biggest home win since joining the competition in the 2021-22 season.

Hamburg had never beaten anyone on home floor by more than 21 points, which was the margin of victory, 90-69, against Dolomiti Energia Trento in March 2022. This win ranks behind only Hamburg's 64-100 triumph at Slask Wroclaw in January 2023.

In this one, Hamburg established dominance on the glass, outrebounding Aris 45-29, including grabbing twice as many offensive boards (18) as the visitors (9).

Hamburg also had six players score 9 or more points, and four players dish 3 or more assists.

Game Videos

The main force behind it all was big man [Kur Kuath](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/kur-kuath/013313/), who scored only 6 points, but had a team season-high 12 rebounds, including 5 offensive boards, dishing 5 assists and blocking a club record 5 shots.

"We came out with energy and followed the game plan we had", Kuath said, adding that the team finally being healthy and available was one of the keys for this game, for the games to come. "Having all the guys back gives us more energy and more confidence. Knowing we can go all out for the minutes we do play. Every guy came in ready to play."

After the upcoming November break, Hamburg goes on the road to face Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana and Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse. If they keep up with this level of performances, Kuath and co. will be a tough out for any team on any floor.

Game News

Kur Kuath shined bright for the German side on the night

Veolia Towers Hamburg v Aris Midea Thessaloniki (2024-11-12T18:30:00.000Z)

Valencia remains perfect, blows out Cedevita 109-80

Valencia Basket used a strong second half to run past Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana 109-80 on Tuesday night in the team's first home game since the horrific floods that hit the area two weeks ago. Valencia improved to 7-0 record atop Group B, while Cedevita lost its third straight, dropping to 4-4 on the season.

The key in the victory was the third quarter in which Valencia outscored Cedevita 31-10. Valencia had seven scorers in double figures, with Josep Puerto leading the way with 15. Xabi Lopez-Arostegui scored 14 points, Mathew Costello collected 13 points and 7 rebounds, Semi Ojeleye had 13 points plus 6 rebounds, and Nate Reuvers 12 points and 7 rebounds. Brancou Baio and Jean Montero each scored 11 in the victory. Devin Robinson netted 16 points for the visitors, Devante Jones 14, Aleksej Nikolic had 13 and Rok Radovic 11 points in defeat.

Reuvers had a pair of baskets early, but a three-pointer from Jaka Blazic and a three-point play from Nikolic put the visitors in front 9-10. More baskets from Nikolic and Blazic opened an 11-16 lead, but Chis Jones had 5 points in his first action this season and a triple from Jaime Pradilla made it 21-18 after 10 minutes.

Cedevita scored the first 7 points on the second quarter with a three-point play from Robinson making it 21-25. But Montero and Ojeleye each nailed a triple and Ojeleye went coast-to-coast to restore a Valencia lead, 29-27. Robinson had another three-point play for the visitors, but Costello and Sergio De Larrea each made a triple before downtown shots from Puerto and Montero gave the hosts their first double-digit lead, 51-41. Robinson threw down a highlight-reel dunk and Nikolic another triple, helping Cedevita cut into the deficit and make it 57-50 at halftime.

Valencia stormed out of the gate in the second half with a 7-0 run in just 63 seconds, with Badio hitting a jumper and a triple and Costello adding a fastbreak dunk. Nikolic completed a three-pointer for the visitors, but it was all Valencia after that with Costello sinking another three before another 7-0 run sparked by Reuvers and capped by Puerto's three-pointer made it 74-55. After a timeout, Reuvers had another basket and a blocked shot, while back-to-back triples from Puerto and Lopez-Arostegui fueled an 8-0 run and helped extend it to 88-60 after 30 minutes.

Things slowed down in the fourth for Valencia, but the margin remained. Davante Jones had a three-pointer that cut it to 92-68, but the hosts replied with a 10-0 run, which featured three-pointers from Costello and Montero. The margin was as big as 107-72 in the final minutes as Valencia celebrated a big win.

The hosts set a club record for scoring in the win

Valencia remains perfect with blowout of Cedevita, 109-80

Valencia Basket v Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (2024-11-12T19:30:00.000Z)

Hamburg runs past Aris, 93-69

Veolia Hamburg Towers led from start to finish en route to registering their second win of the season, downing the depleted Aris Midea Thessaloniki 93-69 on Tuesday night. Both teams now hold 2-6 records in Group B. Hamburg had a 10-point lead already in the first quarter and extended it to 47-26 in the second. Aris never got closer than 12 points the rest of the way. 

Brae Ivey paced Hamburg with 15 points, Keondre Kennedy netted 14, while Zsombor Maronka and Kenneth Ogbe scored 12 apiece. Kur Kuath had 6 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 blocks in the winning effort. Vassilis Toliopoulos netted 31 points on 6-for-18 three-point shooting and D'Moi Hodge bagged 15 in a losing effort.

Hamburg got it going right out of the gates with big dunks from Kuath and Jordan Barnett, the latter also adding a three-point play to make it 9-2. Ivey followed with 5 points, including a triple that opened a 14-4 lead. Joshua Roberts scored in traffic for the visitors and Toliopoulos scored 6 points before the end of the quarter, but not before baskets from Maronka and Osaro Rich secured Hamburg's 24-14 lead after 10 minutes.

Hodge had a fastbreak layup and the visitors' first three-pointer to keep the margin at 31-21, but Patrick Heckmann's steal and layup sparked a 7-0 run, capped by Jaizec Lottie, making it 38-21. Vasillis Kazamias and Kennedy traded triples, and Maronka's basket broke the 20-point margin, 47-26. Toliopoulos had a triple and a three-point play to cut to 51-33, and after Kennedy nailed another three for the hosts, a thee from Hodge made it 54-38 at halftime.

Baskets were few and far between to start the second half, with a triple from Ivey and a tip-in from Aris's James Banks the only field goals in the first 3 minutes. Hodge and Maronka traded three-pointers and Aris was not going away as Emmanouil Chatzidakis had a three-point play and Toliopoulos a triple that cut it to 64-49, but Maronka and Kennedy nailed back-to-back triples to open a 70-49 margin. Hodge had another three-pointer, his fourth, and Toliopoulos knocked down his third and fourth, cutting it to 72-59 after 30 minutes.

Hamburg had a strong start to the fourth quarter. A runner from Osaro Rich, a triple from Ivey, and Kuath's fifth blocked shot all fueled a 7-0 run, capped by a driving layup from Ogbe, for a 79-59 margin. But Toliopoulos scored the next 8 points - a pair of triples with a floater in between - that got Aris within 81-69. However, Aris did not score the rest of the way, the final 5:57 of the contest, as Hamburg finished the game on an 11-0 run.

The German side thoroughly impressed on its home floor

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv showed its strength by registering a 29-point road victory over Trefl Sopot thanks to a fantastic showing by Marcus Foster. 

Marcus Foster's second quarter laid foundation for Hapoel win

[Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/roster/hta/?season=2024-25) showed its strength by registering a [29-point road victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/hapoel-cruises-past-trefl-to-keep-pace-with-group-a-leaders/) over [Trefl Sopot](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/trefl-sopot/roster/tso/?season=2024-25) thanks to a fantastic showing by [Marcus Foster](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marcus-foster/010386/). Hapoel was never really challenged in a 64-93 win in Poland that allowed the Israeli club to stay close to the leaders in Group A. 

“We have confidence in what we are doing. The guys showed character today. They proved a lot. To win a game like this by 30 points on the road, it is not easy,” said Hapoel head coach [Stefanos Dedas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/hta/dedas-stefanos/?season=U2024). 

Hapoel took control for the first time in the second quarter in building a 15-point advantage. Foster was a major part of that. 

The 29-year-old had nailed a triple in the first quarter and then hit 2 three-pointers early in the second quarter. Foster, who is making his EuroCup debut this season, added a putback after an offensive rebound, another triple and a running layup as Hapoel went from up 4 points to up 15.

Marcus Foster's big second quarter in Poland

“For me, it was just about staying ready. Credit to my teammates for just finding me in positions I know how to score in,” said Foster, who poured in 23 points against [Buducnost VOLI Podgorica](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/buducnost-voli-podgorica/roster/bud/?season=2024-25) in [Round 6](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/hapoel-shows-no-mercy-to-beat-buducnost-92-72/). “Defensively I got it done and helped push us to this win.”

Foster was scoreless in the third quarter and then came out with 4 quick points in the opening moments of the final frame in pushing the lead to 21 points and end any doubts.

Foster has really stepped up after a slow start to the season. He averaged 8.8 points in the first four games and now has tallied 19.3 points in the last four games as Hapoel knows it can rely on the American guard to get points quickly.

The guard scored 13 of his game-high 21 points in the second stanza

Trefl Sopot v Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (2024-11-12T18:00:00.000Z)

Wolves continue winning run, edge Trento 88-83

Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius registered their fifth consecutive victory, beating visiting Dolomiti Energia Trento 88-83 on Tuesday night. The win improved Wolves' record to 5-3 in Group A, while Trento dropped to 3-5, remaining winless in our road games.

Andrew Andrews scored 21 of his 23 points in the second half, including making 6 three-point shots. Four of his triples came in a 19-5 run bridging the third and fourth quarters, which turned a 53-59 deficit into a 72-64 lead, and the hosts never trailed again. 

Tra'Shawn Thurman scored 14 of his 18 points in the first half and he pulled down 8 rebounds. Marek Blazevic had 14 points and Matas Jogela collected 10 points and 12 rebounds in the victory. Eigirdas Zukauskas scored 21 for Trento, Jordan Ford had 17 points, Quinn Ellis scored 14 and Myles Cale 12 in defeat.

The wolves grabbed an early lead behind 6 points from Blazevic to open a 10-3 edge, but the visitors replied. Trento's first three baskets were all three-pointers, a pair from Cale and one from Zukauskas and the latter also made a turnaround jumper to tie things up at 13-13. Wolves restored a slim lead thanks to Blazevic scoring another one inside and Thurman hitting a three-pointer. Toto Forray and Ford took it to the rim for Trento, but Thurman's half-court buzzer-beater made it 25-21 after 10 minutes.

Forray's floater helped Trento to another tie, 25-25, but Thurman scored 6 points, including a big two-handed dunk, to make it 31-27. However, Ellis drove for a dunk and then nailed a triple before a second-chance three from Zukauskas gave Trento its first lead 36-37. A transition triple from Cale, his third, extended the margin to 38-42 midway through the second quarter. Zukauskas made back-to-back triples and then added a pair of foul shots in his personal 0-8 run to make it 40-51 before Jogela finished the quarter with a pair of short-range baskets to get within 44-51 at halftime.

A triple from Jeffrey Taylor opened the second half and a 7-0 run that evened things at 51-51. But Ellis and Ford scored all the visitors' points in a 2-8 run to get Trento back in front, 53-59. But Andrews hit his first triple, followed by a pair of baskets from Thurman. A dunk by Jogela and another three-pointer from Andrews got Wolves back in front, making it 66-64 after three-quarters.

Andrews opened the fourth quarter with back-to-back three-point shots to lead 72-64 after 90 seconds. Lamb and Ford scored for Trento and a three-point play from Zukauskas cut it to 74-73. But a three-pointer from Andrews and a basket high off the glass from Jogela made it 79-73. Anthony Lamb took it to the rim with exactly 2:00 left, but Anthony Cowan answered with a jumper and a corner triple from Andrews with 1:11 left made it 84-77. Cale's second-chance three 30 seconds later gave the visitors hope, but Andrews nailed a jumper with 17 seconds to go and the hosts prevailed.

Andrew Andrews came to the fore late in the game to give the Lithuanian side the victory

Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius v Dolomiti Energia Trento (2024-11-12T17:00:00.000Z)

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv avoided a slip-up in its fight to keep pace with the top teams of Group A with a comfortable 64-93 victory at winless Trefl Sopot. 

Hapoel cruises past Trefl to keep pace with Group A leaders

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv avoided a slip-up in its fight to keep pace with the top teams of Group A with a comfortable 64-93 victory at winless Trefl Sopot. The visitors pulled away for the first time in earnest in the second quarter and never let Trefl challenge. That moved Hapoel to 5-3 after having lost two of its last three games.

Marcus Foster led the way with 21 points and 8 rebounds while Tomer Ginat scored 14 points, Antonio Blakeney had 12, Patrick Beverley 11 and Bruno Caboclo chipped in 10 points. Trefl continues to wait for its first victory at 0-8 despite Jakub Schenk scoring 17 points. 

The first part of the opening quarter was back-and-forth with five lead changes as Tarik Phillip scored 6 points for Trefl and Ginat had 4 points as Hapoel led 8-11. The visitors scored 6 straight points to extend the advantage to 12-19 and led 16-22 after 10 minutes.

Two Foster triples and a putback pushed the Hapoel cushion to 22-34. Foster added another triple and driving layup to move to 13 points in the quarter and a 29-44 lead. Trefl was down 32-45 at the break. 

After Hapoel scored the first points of the second half to re-establish a 15-point lead, Trefl buried 2 three-pointers to make it 38-47. Five points from Blakeney helped Hapoel increase the margin to 44-60. It was 46-63 after a Beverley three-pointer and 50-67 after 30 minutes.

Hapoel did not let up early on in the fourth quarter with Foster getting back on the scorer’s sheet after 0 points in the third period to make it 52-73. Trefl did manage 5 straight points, but Joe Ragland drilled a triple to quickly stop the momentum and the home side did not get closer than 16 points the rest of the way. 

Joventut Badalona has completed the signing of Sam Dekker on a deal until December 18.

Joventut signs Sam Dekker on short-term deal

[Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/joventut-badalona/jov/) has announced the signing of [Sam Dekker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/sam-dekker/009672/) on a short-term deal that runs until December 18, 2024. 

Dekker (2.06 meters, 30 years old) spent the last two seasons playing in the BKT EuroCup for the London Lions, guiding the team to the playoffs in their first-ever campaign in the competition before helping them reach the EuroCup Semifinals last year.

With Kaiser Gates, Michael Ruzic and Miguel Allen all injured, Dekker's arrival is a welcome boost for Joventut.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">💥 Sam Dekker reforça el joc interior de la Penya<br><br>📝 El Joventut i l’aler pivot nord-americà han arribat a un acord per un mes<br><br>🔗 La notícia: <a href="https://t.co/NbRdskrvW2">https://t.co/NbRdskrvW2</a><br><br>😀 Benvingut a Badalona, <a href="https://twitter.com/dekker?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dekker</a>!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Badalona%C3%89sFutur?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BadalonaÉsFutur</a> <a href="https://t.co/9EKyfZ9ZJP">pic.twitter.com/9EKyfZ9ZJP</a></p>&mdash; Club Joventut Badalona (@Penya1930) <a href="https://twitter.com/Penya1930/status/1856384095334367588?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The American forward impressed so much in his first year with London that he earned a spot in the 2022-23 All-EuroCup Second Team. Last season he averaged 11.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists across 11 EuroCup games in what was an injury-hit campaign for him personally, while his first year with the Lions saw him post 18.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.2 steals in 16 EuroCup appearances.

In the English capital, Dekker was also named the 2022-23 British Basketball League MVP and helped the team win back-to-back league championships, as well as the 2022-23 BBL Cup.

Dekker started his professional career with the Houston Rockets, which drafted him with the 18th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. He remained with Houston for two years, then played for the Los Angeles Clippers (2017-18), Cleveland Cavaliers (2018-19) and Washington Wizards (2018-19) before heading to Europe. He briefly returned to the NBA with the Toronto Raptors (2021-22).

On the old continent, he has suited up for Lokomotiv Kuban (2019-20), Turk Telekom Ankara (2020-21), Bahcesehir College Istanbul (2021-22) and London (2022-24). He will now play in Spain for the first time in his career with Joventut.

More Joventut News

His arrival will help cover the Spanish side's injury problems

Ante Tomic remains one of the smartest big men in European basketball, and the Joventut Badalona is putting up MVP-like numbers so far in this year's EuroCup.

MVP favorite at 38? Ante Tomic is showing no signs of slowing down

If [Ante Tomic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/ante-tomic/002507/) and fine wine have one thing in common, it's that they get better with age.

Tomic has already well established his status as one of the best big men in Europe this century, both from his time in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and also the BKT EuroCup. And now, just a few months before turning 38 years old, the [Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/joventut-badalona/jov/) center is playing some of the best basketball in his career.

After seven regular-season games, Tomic is without a doubt one of the best players in the EuroCup, registering MVP numbers like few others and making an early case to be one of the favorites to win the award.

A starter in every game he's played so far, Tomic averages 14.9 points, a league-high tying 9.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and a PIR of 24.1 over just 25:29 minutes. The numbers are impressive enough and become even more spectacular when compared to the other players in the EuroCup and to himself, since we’re talking about career highs in both points and rebounds.

As Tomic himself admits, the most notable improvement comes in rebounding, where he is posting almost double the 5.6 boards he averaged last season. "I feel good, healthy and eager to play," Tomic tells Eurohoops. "There is a lot of talk about it being my best version, but what I see is that the biggest difference is in rebounding. The points don't matter so much, a game with a few more or less points... it doesn't matter so much. In the EuroCup above all, I have seen a big difference in rebounding. I am playing well, I am happy, but I don't see it as something so special that it is talked about so much."

Read more [HERE](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1741268/mvp-favorite-at-38-ante-tomic-is-showing-no-signs-of-slowing-down/).

Despite Joventut's struggles, the Croatian big man is showing that he still has plenty left in the tank

Lietkabelis center Marko Pecarski spoke with Euroleague.net's Javier Gancedo to discuss his first season back in the EuroCup.

Marko Pecarski: 'It is great to have such a big role in a EuroCup team'

It’s fair to say that [Marko Pecarski](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/marko-pecarski/005656/) has been a pleasant surprise in the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup season.

Playing for [7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/7bet-lietkabelis-panevezys/lkb/), which started the season 0-4 before bouncing back with wins against the previously undefeated Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse and Veolia Towers Hamburg, the 24-year-old Serbian big man is showing what he can do on his return to the competition by posting 12.5 points on 73.8% two-pointers, 7.2 rebounds and a PIR of 16.7. He previously represented Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in the EuroCup between 2017 and 2019.

Pecarski has reunited with Lietkabelis boss Nenad Canak, one of the first head coaches of his career, and the son of Miroslav Pecarski, a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion in 1996 with Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, has big hopes for what remains of this EuroCup season.

During an interview with [Euroleague.net](http://Euroleague.net)’s Javier Gancedo, Pecarski explains how his passion for basketball has grown the higher he has gone in his career and how he is finding his return to the EuroCup, among other topics.

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**Hello, Marko. First things first, congratulations on beating Hamburg. It was your second consecutive win after a 0-4 start. What allowed you to play better and to start winning in the EuroCup?**

"Thank you. Yes, we didn't start the EuroCup season with good results, it didn't start very well. We have a lot of young players that hadn’t played at this level and we needed some time to get together, to get to know each other. We played against some tough opponents, very experienced, and we needed some time to learn and adapt to the competition and everything. But the most important thing is that we are growing as a team. We are feeling it, and there are some results. It is still early, but just to see our progress gives us a lot of positive energy to keep going forward."

**You haven't featured in the EuroCup in five years, but you are playing really well right now, in a new team and a new country. What allowed you to adjust so well from the very beginning of the season?**

"Well, I played at Partizan five years ago, but I was very young. I didn't have an opportunity to really play. I think I adapted pretty well because last season I played in the Turkish League, which is a very competitive league with great teams and great players, and I played as a foreigner for the first time in my career. I think that was the season where I grew and after that season, I felt like I was prepared for whatever is coming. Wherever I go, I'm ready to compete, and I will have that self-confidence. Of course, every beginning, wherever you go, is not easy when you are changing your environment. But this club is a great organization, with great people, and that is something that helped me adapt pretty quickly. I'm just looking forward to continuing."

Your game against Bourg was almost perfect. You had a PIR of 34, no missed shots, just one turnover, just one foul. Was that the kind of performance that you always dreamed about?

"During the game, I wasn't aware of that because when you play, you are just thinking about the game. You are in the moment and in the end, it was a very close game. It was very tense until the end and when we won, I realized and I saw that my stats were perfect. Like you said, it was like a perfect scenario: you get a big win against an undefeated team, I played a great game and helped my team win! There is no better feeling as a player. This is why you play and this is what motivates you, what keeps you going."

**Your father Miroslav Pecarski was also a professional player and a EuroLeague champion with Panathinaikos. How much of a mentor has he been to you?**

"It is a big thing to have somebody in your family, especially your father, that has been through everything that you have to go through, that has experience in all kinds of situations in which you are like, that knows what I'm facing in my career. And since I was young, I always looked for his advice. And since I started playing basketball, it has been a very, very good thing for me. I think when you have that opportunity, it is a big advantage as you are growing to become a pro."

"Nenad [Canak] coached me with I was a kid, and I always had a very good relationship with him."

**You, your father and Lietkabelis head coach Nenad Canak played for Partizan in the past. Is playing for Coach Canak one of the reasons you joined your current team?**

"Yes, it was one of the biggest reasons why I came here. Like I said a few questions before, this is a great organization that has competed well in the EuroCup for years, and is also very competitive in the Lithuanian League. Nenad \[Canak\] coached me with I was a kid, and I always had a very good relationship with him. And when he called me this summer, it was the perfect scenario for me, to play a high-level competition for a club that I trust. I would say that my relationship with him was a big reason for me to come here."

Marko Pecarski is back to the BKT EuroCup after five years.

2024-25 EuroCup highlights: Mario Pecarski, Lietkabelis

**Your father also played at center, even if your playing styles are different. Did you play against each other? Does he still give you advice?**

"Well, we didn't play a lot, and like you said, he was a big guy like me but basketball back then was much different than today. I play like at power forward. He was a 4-5, but back then a big guy was a big guy; they were not outside threats back then, at that time. Still, he was a big guy playing at the highest level, at the level I am trying to achieve."

"The EuroCup is very strong and very competitive this year."

**Five years without playing in the EuroCup is a long time. Now you're 24 – the last time you played in the competition, you were 19. How different is the EuroCup now, and how fun is it to have a bigger role?**

"Like I said, back then I was pretty young and didn't get that much playing time, so I didn't get a real feeling of experiencing this level of competition. Also, I was very young and inexperienced, so I couldn't get a clear picture, but I think the EuroCup is very strong and very competitive this year. I think it is the biggest quality of the competition in the EuroCup for years. As for me, it is a great thing to have such a big role in a EuroCup team and play every week against some big players and some big clubs. I like to compete and that is the most important thing, and the higher level you play, the bigger passion for it you have. I feel that the competition is great, I am playing and having a big role, so I feel really good after that. I can't wait for every game!"

**You seem to enjoy traveling a lot, posting many pictures of all of your trips on social media. Well, you travel a lot in the EuroCup. Even if they are business trips, do you find time to see cities when you are on the road?**

"Well, like you said, these are usually short trips but when I go somewhere, I try to see what I can. I like to see new countries, new cities in which I am playing, to experience new stuff. Last week, we were in Spain, in Valencia, and a big tragedy happened there. We were there for two days without playing any game. What happened there was very sad. But to answer your question, the most important thing in every trip is preparing for the game, that is what I try to focus on as much as I can. But if I get a chance, I always like to see new places."

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<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C7hl3iOtyRU/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C7hl3iOtyRU/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; 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transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C7hl3iOtyRU/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Marko Pecarski (@marko_pecarski)</a></p></div></blockquote>
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**That was going to be my next question: the trip to Valencia. The game was postponed for obvious reasons. How difficult were those hours in Valencia, knowing that a lot of people were going through such hard times?**

"What happened was very sad. When we arrived in Spain, we were in downtown Valencia and it was not bad in there – it rained downtown and that was it. But when we heard and then we checked and when we saw the news, we were shocked, and it was just logical to immediately postpone the game because of how many people died. Like I said, it was a very sad thing and all of our players are with those who were affected. We hope to come back soon and play the game in a different environment."

**Your next game is in Romania against U-BT Cluj-Napoca, backed by 10,000 people in the stands. How much are you looking forward to it?**

"I have never played in Romania or against Cluj. I watched games on TV about the atmosphere there. Andrija Stipanovic, who played there for years, is my teammate now, so I heard from him how much passion they have for the game and how much people love that club, and how big of a thing their games are. So I can have a picture in my head, but I am looking forward to playing there, competing and experiencing a new EuroCup game."

The Lietkabelis big man has been one of the star players in the competition this season