The promising guard will be out for 4 months with a broken foot.

Aris loses Georgios Fillios for season

Aris Midea Thessaloniki announced on Tuesday that promising guard [Georgios Fillios](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/georgios-fillios/012616/) will miss four months with a broken right foot. The 22-year-old has been diagnosed with a fractured fifth metatarsal, which will sideline him for four months. Aris will face Prometey Slobozhanske in the single-game EuroCup Eighthfinals on Wednesday, March 6.

A native of Thessaloniki, this is Fillios’s second season with Aris and his first in the EuroCup, He averaged 0.8 points, 1.1 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 0.7 steals in 8:39 minutes off the bench in nine games this season. His defense and hustle led to Fillios cracking the rotation and playing at least 11 minutes in five games between Rounds 6 and 11.

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After a long road to get there, big man Silvio De Sousa is leaving a mark with Aris. 

Aris's De Sousa is leaving his mark

Don’t be surprised if you see a smile on the face of [Silvio De Sousa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/silvio-de-sousa/012702/). The big man from Aris Midea Thessaloniki loves being able to play the game after a topsy-turvy college basketball career.

The 25-year-old De Sousa is a big reason the club reached the BKT EuroCup playoffs. He has averaged 7.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals in his first season in the competition. 

“The competition has been great, exactly what I expected: Competitive and a very high quality and level of basketball,” said de Sousa.

He is spending his second season in Europe after debuting with Chorale de Roanne Basket in France last year. 

“I think even though it has been tough adjusting to the Greek league, it’s basketball and I am doing the best I can for my team,” said De Sousa, who averaged 8.9 points and 4.9 rebounds for Roanne last season.

Silvio De Sousa's best plays, 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season

Silvio De Sousa's best plays 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season

The season before that the big man was playing for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He blossomed there, averaging 11.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in helping the college reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016. 

It was a fresh start after a turbulent time at the University of Kansas. A highly sought-after recruit out of high school, De Sousa's name was dragged into an NCAA corruption case that ultimately caused him to miss the entire 2018-19 season. After he returned, De Sousa was suspended for an on-court incident in January 2020 for the rest of the collegiate season.  He then elected to sit out the entire 2020-21 season. 

De Sousa came to Kansas in 2017 with high expectations after having already debuted the summer before with the Angola senior national team in Olympic qualifiers at just 17 years of age. He also helped Angola win the titles at the FIBA U16 African Championship 2013 and FIBA U18 African Championship 2016 in addition to playing at the U17 Basketball World Cup 2014 and Basketball World Cup 2017. 

“The biggest challenge would be having confidence in the work I put in during those two years that I missed the game. I think adjusting my mental aspect between basketball and life itself has been the hardest part of it all,” De Sousa said. 

After being found not guilty in August 2021 of the early 2020 case, De Sousa sought a fresh start by transferring to Chattanooga. 

“Chattanooga was a lovely place for me. Especially as a basketball player, when I think about a fresh start, Chattanooga was the best place to start from. The love, the support and the unforgettable experience and memories I have made there, no greater feeling. Loved it,” he recalled.

Last season, De Sousa went through a good learning experience as well with Roanne. With eight games left in the season, the team was in the playoff zone in eighth place but then grabbed just one win in the last eight games to finish two games behind the final playoff position.

“The biggest thing I learned from France was really just the maturity of the game, and take things more seriously when it comes to basketball and your team,” he said. 

In addition to his move from France to Greece, this summer had two major highlights. First, he got married to his long-time girlfriend Morgan in Kansas. 

“My wife has been my biggest supporter and inspiration for me on and off court. My maturity wouldn’t be at its peak without her,” he said.

Later in the summer, he played for Angola at the Basketball World Cup - returning to the national team for the first time since 2017.

<center>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Don Quixote would lose his battle against this windmill, no doubt 😤<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIBAWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIBAWC</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinForAngola?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WinForAngola</a> 🇦🇴 <a href="https://t.co/ksvPPFP5tX">pic.twitter.com/ksvPPFP5tX</a></p>&mdash; FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 🏆 (@FIBAWC) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIBAWC/status/1696480157828338078?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“It was a great feeling playing for my country, Angola, the most excited I have been to play the game since I started playing because my family, mom, wife and sisters got to finally watch me play in person for the first time in the biggest stage there is. A feeling I will never forget and which I will always be grateful for,” said De Sousa, who averaged 11.6 points and 6.8 rebounds at the World Cup. 

Despite being only 25 years old, De Sousa was one of the leaders of the young Angolan team. And he helped the country qualify for this summer’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament. 

“The biggest takeaway from that experience was the experience itself, and how important it is to have a great relationship with your team in order to achieve bigger things in this game,” he said.

The summer also saw De Sousa get back home to Angola for the first time since 2018 - when he was just 20. 

“It is always a great feeling and pleasure to go back home. I missed my family, I missed the food my mom makes and just the warm welcoming feeling from everything about my home country,” he recalled.

All in all, things are just going great for Silvio De Sousa.

There were several EuroLeague and EuroCup players who stepped up in the continental qualifiers in FIBA play.

Continental qualifiers roundup: EuroLeague, EuroCup players came to the fore

### EuroBasket Qualifiers

### Finland 89-85 Denmark

[Mikael Jantunen](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/mikael-jantunen/012613/) of Paris Basketball starred with a team-high 19 points in Finland’s triumph. Virtus Segafredo Bologna’s [Iffe Lundberg](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/iffe-lundberg/010781/) had a game-high 26 points for Denmark, while ratiopharm Ulm youngster [Tobias Jensen](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/tobias-jensen/010726/) had 5 points and 5 rebounds in the loss.

### Georgia 63-76 Serbia

Serbia had four Turkish Airlines EuroLeague players reach double figures in points in its win at Georgia: [Marko Guduric](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/marko-guduric/004004/) of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul with 16, [Vanja Marinkovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vanja-marinkovic/004761/) of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz with 15, [Aleksa Avramovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/aleksa-avramovic/003983/) of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade with 12 and [Filip Petrusev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/filip-petrusev/011194/) of Olympiacos Piraeus with 11. Virtus star [Toko Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/) netted 19 as Georgia lost, with Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv’s [Joe Thomasson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/joe-thomasson/012095/) adding 13.

### Poland 71-96 North Macedonia

Dreamland Gran Canaria’s [Ethan Happ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/ethan-happ/009864/) played an important role in North Macedonia’s win, scoring 19 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, dishing 5 assists and making 5 steals. [Aleksander Balcerowski](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/aleksander-balcerowski/007553/) of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens recorded 7 points and 3 rebounds in defeat for Poland.

### Estonia 65-59 Lithuania

[Maik Kotsar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/maik-kotsar/004603/) of Baskonia impressed with an 11-point, 13-rebound double-double as Estonia secured its first-ever win against Lithuania. Zalgiris Kaunas duo [Edgaras Ulanovas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/edgaras-ulanovas/002329/) and [Tomas Dimsa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tomas-dimsa/003211/) scored 16 and 14 points, respectively, for the visitors.

### Bosnia and Herzegovina 64-74 France

France had three EuroLeague players hit double figures in points in its win: Real Madrid duo [Guerschon Yabusele](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/guerschon-yabusele/010357/) and [Vincent Poirier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vincent-poirier/004887/) with 16 and 13 points, respectively, and AS Monaco’s [Matthew Strazel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/matthew-strazel/008099/) with 11. Yabusele had 9 rebounds and Poirier 8, too. Real’s [Dzanan Musa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dzanan-musa/006540/) netted 15 points and Buducnost VOLI Podgorica’s [Kenan Kamenjas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/kenan-kamenjas/008325/) had 14 for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

### Netherlands 72-74 Greece

[Vassilis Toliopoulos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/vassilis-toliopoulos/004292/) of Aris Midea Thessaloniki inspired Greece with game highs of 26 points and 8 assists. Panathinaikos’s [Dimitris Moraitis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dimitris-moraitis/006544/) contributed 14 points, too. [Yannick Kraag](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/yannick-kraag/010161/) of Joventut Badalona finished with 10 points in the loss for the Netherlands.

### Croatia 92-63 Cyprus

Gran Canaria’s [Roko Prkacin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/roko-prkacin/007644/) had a 24-point, 10-rebound double-double for Croatia, and Real Madrid’s [Mario Hezonja](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mario-hezonja/003108/) also recorded a double-double with 22 points and 10 boards.  

### Czech Republic 90-82 Great Britain

[Tomas Satoransky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tomas-satoransky/002939/) of FC Barcelona led the Czech Republic with a 21-point, 10-assist double-double.

### AmeriCup Qualifiers

### Cuba 81-67 USA

Maccabi’s [Jasiel Rivero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jasiel-rivero/011214/) had 11 points and 9 rebounds as Cuba beat the United States for the first-ever time in the AmeriCup.

### Chile 79-77 Argentina

[Sebastian Herrera](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/sebastian-herrera/012611/) of Paris finished with 8 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists for Chile in its triumph over Argentina. The Albiceleste had Real Madrid duo [Gabriel Deck](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/gabriel-deck/009005/) and [Facundo Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) score 20 and 16 points, respectively, while FC Bayern Munich’s [Leandro Bolmaro](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/leandro-bolmaro/008985/) netted 12 and Gran Canaria’s [Nicolas Brussino](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/nicolas-brussino/008121/) had 11.

There were several individuals who had key roles in victories

Sertac Sanli and Tarik Biberovic led Turkiye to a buzzer-beating win over Iceland. 

Continental qualifiers roundup: Fenerbahce players shine

Sunday’s FIBA EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers opened with a thriller in Istanbul, where a pair of Fenerbahce Beko players carried host Turkiye to a 76-75 victory over Iceland. Center Sertac Sanli did the heavy lifting with 10 fourth-quarter points, but that was not enough to get Turkiye over the finish line. With the game in the balance, Tarik Biberovic canned the game-winner.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="in" dir="ltr">TARIK BIBEROVIC WINS IT FOR TURKIYE 🇹🇷<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroBasket</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TissotBuzzerBeater?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TissotBuzzerBeater</a> <a href="https://t.co/EheQt12otR">pic.twitter.com/EheQt12otR</a></p>&mdash; FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket/status/1761767131585130503?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Sanli dominated in the paint to the tune of 20 points and 12 rebounds for Turkiye, while Biberovic finished with 11 points. Ercan Osmani of Anadolu Efes Istanbul contributed 14 points and 5 boards to the winning effort. ALBA Berlin guard Martin Hermannsson led Iceland with 15 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists before fouling out.

Andrejs Grazulis of Dolomiti Energia Trento was Latvia’s main man in its 64-52 victory over Slovakia. He finished with 18 points and 9 rebounds. Joventut Badalona big man Vladimir Brodziansky scored 9 for Slovakia in defeat.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Latvia goes 2-0 in this <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroBasket</a> Qualifiers Window with a home win against Slovakia! 📢 <a href="https://t.co/yaumFdVQSi">pic.twitter.com/yaumFdVQSi</a></p>&mdash; FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket/status/1761797822116958526?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Marko Simonovic of Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul starred for Montenegro in its 95-70 victory over Sweden with 16 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. He led all players with a PIR of 26 and a +/- of +22.  

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz playmaker Codi Miller-McIntyre led Bulgaria to an upset win over reigning FIBA Basketball World Cup winner Germany with 23 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. He scored 12 fourth-quarter points and assisted on 8 more as Bulgaria outscored the Germans 28-17 in the final stanza to win 67-62.

Barcelona big man Oscar da Silva led Germany with 15 points and 12 rebounds, Jonas Mattisseck added 11 points and his ALBA Berlin teammate Malte Delow scored 10.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">“Mr. Clutch” leads Bulgaria 🇧🇬 to a shocking win against the World Champs 🇩🇪 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroBasket</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MakeYourMark?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MakeYourMark</a> <a href="https://t.co/B3bqNT2lBG">pic.twitter.com/B3bqNT2lBG</a></p>&mdash; FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket/status/1761813291867750468?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Mike Tobey of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade went for 20 points and 12 rebounds to lift Slovenia to an 88-79 win over Israel. He led all players with a PIR of 27. Yam Madar of Fenerbahce led Israel with 19 points and 6 assists.

In AfroBasket 2025 qualifying action, Alex Poythress carried Cote D’Ivoire to a 79-76 victory over Egypt with 20 points and 9 rebounds. He scored 9 points in the fourth quarter alone to ensure his country won. And Shannon Evans of Joventut Badalona scored a game-high 29 points for Guinea, but that was not enough as they fell at home 74-80 to Kenya.

Marko Simonovic of Besiktas, Andrejs Grazulis of Trento and  Shannon Evans of Joventut were among the EuroCup players who shined on Sunday. (PHOTO: FIBA)

Continental qualifiers roundup: EuroCup stars rocked on Sunday

Dozens of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and BKT EuroCup players took the floor on four different continents on Friday, and were in main roles as they were trying to help their national teams get to a good start in the qualifiers, each with a goal of reaching final tournament.

Continental qualifiers roundup: Nelson's double-double led Great Britain

Dozens of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and BKT EuroCup players took the floor on four different continents on Friday, and were in main roles as they were trying to help their national teams get to a good start in the qualifiers, each with a goal of reaching final tournament.

### EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers

In Group E, France with eight players coming from EuroLeague clubs, downed Croatia that featured three EuroLeague players. France protected its home court in Brest, winning 73-61 as [Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/timothe-luwawu-cabarrot/012080/) of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne paced the winners with 15 points. [Matthew Strazel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/matthew-strazel/008099/) of AS Monaco scored 12, [Guerschon Yabusele](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/guerschon-yabusele/010357/) of Real Madrid had 11 points and 5 rebounds, while [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/) of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens had 10 points for France. One the other end, Real's [Mario Hezonja](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mario-hezonja/003108/) had 22 points leading Croatia, while [Jaleen Smith](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jaleen-smith/011192/) of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade added 13 in defeat.

In the other game of Group E, Bosnia and Herzegovina cruised to a 66-99 road win against Cyprus. Real's [Dzanan Musa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dzanan-musa/006540/) scored 16 of his 26 points in the first half, and also had 8 assists and 5 rebounds for the night. Buducnost VOLI Podgorica center [Kenan Kamenjas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/kenan-kamenjas/008325/) collected 13 points and 10 rebounds in a victory.

In Group F, Greece with its nine EuroLeague players downed Czech Republic 72-64 in Piraeus. [Konstantinos Mitoglou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/konstantinos-mitoglou/007866/) of Panathinaikos led Greece with 22 points and 7 rebounds, while Olympiacos Piraeus duo of [Kostas Papanikolaou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kostas-papanikolaou/001255/) and [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/) each scored 16. Walkup flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 8 assists and 8 rebounds, and Papanikolaou also grabbing 8 rebounds as EuroLeague Legend Vassilis Spanoulis made his debut in a role of Greece national team head coach. for the visitors, [Ondrej Balvin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/ondrej-balvin/002644/) of EuroCup side Prometey Slobozhanske had a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds, while FC Barcelona's [Tomas Satoransky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tomas-satoransky/002939/) collected 9 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in a loss.

In that same group, Great Britain held off the Netherlands 98-94 as London Lions point guard [Luke Nelson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/luke-nelson/004773/) orchestrated British offense with 12 assists, while also scoring 14 points. Joventut's [Yannick Kraag](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/yannick-kraag/010161/) had 11 points in defeat.

In Group G, Serbia rallied to beat Finland 77-61. [Luka Mitrovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/luka-mitrovic/002553/) of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade led the way with 19 points and 9 rebounds, while Partizan's [Aleksa Avramovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/aleksa-avramovic/003983/) had 18 points. Olympiacos center [Filip Petrusev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/filip-petrusev/011194/) collected 8 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists in a victory. [Mikael Jantunen](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/mikael-jantunen/012613/) of EuroCup Playoff top seed Paris Basketball led all Finland's scorers with 11 points. In the other game of this group, [Denmark beat Georgia 75-69](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/iffe-lundberg-set-denmark-on-path-to-history/).

In Friday's only Group H game, Estonia went on the road to beat North Macedonia 69-74. [Maik Kotsar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/maik-kotsar/004603/) of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz had 16 points in a victory. For the hosts, Dreaamland Gran Canaria big man [Ethan Happ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/ethan-happ/009864/) collected 18 points and 10 rebounds. In the first game of this group, [Lithuania beat Poland on Thursday](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/eurobasket-qualifiers-roundup-euroleague-players-star-in-big-wins/).

### AmeriCup 2025 qualifiers

Argentina held off Chile 90-78 to start off its Group A campaign. [Nicolas Brussino](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/nicolas-brussino/008121/), of last year's BKT EuroCup champion Dreamland Gran Canaria, led the way with 19 points. Real Madrid's [Gabriel Deck](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/gabriel-deck/009005/) and [Facundo Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) dominated, as Deck had a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds while Campazzo had 15 points and 8 assists. FC Bayern Munich guard [Leandro Bolmaro](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/leandro-bolmaro/008985/) had 7 points in a victory.

In Group D, United States beat Cuba 100-79, and the visitors had Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv center [Jasiel Rivero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jasiel-rivero/011214/) collect 16 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds in a loss.

### AfroBasket 2025 qualifiers

Friday marked the start of the AfroBasket qualifiers. Cote d'Ivore opened Group C action with a 77-69 win over Madagascar in which [Alex Poythress](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alex-poythress/009960/) of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan dominated with 26 points, making 10 of 12 two-point shots, with 7 rebounds and 4 assists.

Joventut Badalona's [Shannon Evans](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/shannon-evans/010677/) played all 40 minutes and had 26 points and 6 rebounds in Guinea's 76-70 road loss against Angola in Group E.

For the second night in a row, EuroLeague and EuroCup stars shined bright for their national teams. (PHOTO: Carol Moir/FIBA)

Predict how each stage of the postseason will go, with prizes up for grabs!

Take part in the EuroCup Bracket Challenge!

The BKT EuroCup Playoffs are set to get underway on March 5, so now is the perfect time for fans to fill out their postseason brackets. Not only can you challenge the community as you look to come out on top, but there are several prizes on offer, too.

And don’t worry, it’s very easy to play. The first thing you need to do is go to the [EuroCup Bracket Challenge](https://bracket.euroleague.net/en/v2/eurocup) and create a EuroLeague ID if you don't have one already.

From there, you will have to fill out your bracket by choosing which team will win each playoff series: eighthfinals, quarterfinals, semifinals and finals, all the way through to the crowning of a champion. The final score in the championship game – assuming you choose the right winner – will serve as a tiebreaker, as will the Finals MVP.

You will get 10 points for each eighthfinals winner, 15 in the quarterfinals, 20 in the semifinals and 50 if you guess the 2023-24 EuroCup champion! You'll get 25 extra points if you guess the exact point difference in the best-of-three finals, and 25 more for the Finals MVP.

Once the bracket is complete, click on the "Submit" button and you will be in the game!

The [EuroCup Bracket Challenge](https://bracket.euroleague.net/en/v2/eurocup) is now open! To be eligible for great prizes, make sure to submit your bracket before Tuesday, March 5 at 19:29 CET, just one minute before the playoffs officially get underway.

### The prizes

There are great prizes up for grabs! The grand prize winner will get four tickets for any BKT EuroCup game he/she/they chooses during the 2023-24 regular season! The owner of the second-best bracket will get a EuroLeague TV season pass for the 2024-25 season. And the owner of the third-best bracket will receive an official Spalding EuroCup basketball.

Simply register to play, fill out the bracket and compete for great prizes in the [EuroCup Bracket Challenge](https://bracket.euroleague.net/en/v2/eurocup)!

Besiktas's head coach and point guard are now enjoying their third season together. 

Gambling on each other has helped Needham, Alimpijevic succeed

Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul’s success this season has relied heavily on how the team responds to both head coach Dusan Alimpijevic and point guard [Derek Needham](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/derek-needham/008945/). The duo are working in unison to help the Turkish team get back on the European map. And it’s a coach-point guard relationship that goes back to a gamble both made three off-seasons ago.

In 2021, Needham had been coming off his second season with Montenegro club Mornar Bar, where he averaged 7.7 points and 5.1 assists in the EuroCup while also helping the club reach the second group stage. He also guided Mornar to the semifinals of the ABA Adriatic League before losing to domestic rivals Buducnost VOLI Podgorica. 

Alimpijevic, in 2021, was about his start his second season with Frutti Extra Bursaspor - the 2020-21 campaign being the club’s second in Turkiye’s first flight after earning promotion in 2019. 

Bursaspor had just missed the playoffs in the Turkish League, finishing ninth; and was just one victory from advancing to the Top 16 in its first appearance in the EuroCup.

When looking for a point guard for 2021-22, Alimpijevic remembered the 2017-18 season in which he was head coach at Crvena Zvezda Belgrade. He recalled the five games Zvezda played against Mornar Bar - and how Derek Needham gave him fits.

Derek Needham's best plays 2023-24 BKT EuroCup regular season

Derek Needham's best plays from the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup regular season

The then 27-year-old playmaker averaged 17.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 5.6 fouls drawn in those games. Two of them came in the Adriatic League regular season and the other three came in the semifinals, where Mornar Bar scored an 88-84 Game 2 victory behind 28 points and 5 assists from Needham, who also went for 15 points and 10 assists in their second regular-season meeting.

“Coach Alimpijevic and I knew each other from our time battling in the ABA league,” Needham said. “We talked before coming to Bursa how this move would be a big gamble for both of us but could potentially change both our careers if done right.”

And things certainly went right for Alimpijevic and Needham in 2021-22 with Bursaspor. The team snuck into the EuroCup playoffs as a 7 seed and then reeled off a trio of magical road victories: beating Partizan Belgrade, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana and MoraBanc Andorra to reach the EuroCup final, where they lost to Virtus Segafredo Bologna.

“My favorite memory with Frutti Extra has to be the finals run we went on. We had a great group of guys and won some really tough road games,” said Needham, who was named to the All-EuroCup First Team for the season while Alimpijevic was crowned as Coach of the Year.

Bursaspor also reached the Turkish League playoffs for the first time as the eighth seed and took one game from Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul before bowing out 2-1 in the first-round series.

Season two together in Bursaspor did not go quite as well - also because the club could not keep some of the key parts of the success from the previous year. 

Bursaspor finished the EuroCup regular season eighth in its group and then was bounced by eventual champion Gran Canaria in the eighthfinals. 

In the Turkish League, the club ranked fifth after the regular season but was then swept 2-0 in the quarterfinals by Pinar Karsiyaka. 

This off-season, the coach and point guard both decided to move from Bursaspor to Besiktas. 

“Reaching the EuroCup Playoffs was a big goal for us this season. We wanted to establish Besiktas back on the European market,” Needham said.

“We talked before coming to Bursa how this move would be a big gamble for both of us but could potentially change both our careers if done right.”

The 33-year-old Needham said he has a really good relationship with Alimpijevic.

“We both see the game in the same manner. It was exciting to see we can both start with a new club and keep some familiarity with each other. He is big on having a point guard that thinks like him,” Needham said.

The American veteran is impressed with his coach of the last two-plus seasons: “He is an amazing coach with a brilliant mind for the game. He really takes care of his craft along with the assistant coaches. His attention to detail in film and practice really sets him apart from the coaches of his age group. I believe he will be back in EuroLeague very soon,” Needham said.

Alimpijevic coached Zvezda to a 11-19 record in the EuroLeague in 2017-18 but he was fired after the season as the club lost in the Adriatic League finals to Buducnost to miss out on qualifying for the EuroLeague in 2018-19.

Needham said the fact that Alimpijevic is just 4 years older than him has no impact on their relationship.

“I understand we are close in age, but I respect his craft and ability to lead. We have a strong bond because of our talks and success we have shared together through the last two years and are continually having this season. There is so much respect there that our age closeness doesn't matter,” Needham said.

“It is rare to see a player stay with a coach for a long time. So I'm very appreciative of our relationship after all this time.”

And that relationship is a big reason Besiktas has reached the EuroCup Playoffs in its first season in the competition since 2015-16. After placing sixth in Group A with a 9-9 record, Besiktas will visit reigning champion Dreamland Gran Canaria in their single-game eighthfinal on Wednesday, March 6.

Two of the youngest and most fun-to-watch teams in the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup meet for the first time this season in the do-or-die eighthfinals when Joventut Badalona (10-8) visits ratiopharm Ulm (10-8). The winner will travel to the French capital to face Paris Basketball (17-1) in the quarterfinals.

Eighthfinals breakdown: Ulm vs. Joventut

Two of the youngest and most fun-to-watch teams in the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup meet for the first time this season in the do-or-die eighthfinals when [Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/joventut-badalona/roster/jov/?season=2023-24) (10-8) visits [ratiopharm Ulm](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/ratiopharm-ulm/roster/ulm/?season=2023-24) (10-8). The winner will travel to the French capital to face Paris Basketball (17-1) in the quarterfinals.

### Joventut: trying the hard way

Joventut has advanced past the group stage for the fourth consecutive season. It won the EuroCup in 2008 when it thrashed Akasvayu Girona 54-79 in the final in Turin, Italy. [Pau Ribas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/pau-ribas/jug/) was with the team back then and has a chance to win a third EuroCup crown, 16 years later. If he does, he will become the second player to lift the EuroCup trophy three times, joining Rafa Martinez. Joventut made it to the semifinals last season and previously reached this stage in the first-ever EuroCup season in 2003, but lost against Gran Canaria and Krka Novo Mesto, respectively.

The Lions triumphed in the reverse fixture behind 21 points from Gabe Olaseni, who grabbed his fifth double-double of the season in a victory over Hapoel. They host a Joventut outfit aiming to secure a playoff berth by grabbing a seventh straight success via the talents of veteran big man Ante Tomic.

London Lions-Joventut Badalona | Round 15 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup

This time, Joventut will not have the home-court advantage in its single-game elimination showdown against Ulm. It suffered three home losses this season in the first seven rounds, against Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul, London Lions and Paris Basketball, but a six-game winning streak between Rounds 10 and 15 allowed Joventut to be in the driver's seat and seal its playoff ticket early. Joventut, however, enters the eighthfinals on a three-game losing streak and was 7-1 against non-playoff teams in Group A, but just 3-7 against teams that are still alive in the competition.

### Ulm: remembering 2022

In one of the biggest upsets in competition history, Ulm downed Joventut 73-79 in the 2022 EuroCup eighthfinals. Joventut came into the game with a 12-4 record and was 9-0 at home that season. Semaj Christon and Jaron Blossomgame each scored 21 points to lead Ulm. It was the teams' first-ever meeting. Last season, Joventut beat Ulm twice in regular season action, 54-68 at Ratiopharm Arena and 82-76 at Palau Olimpic De Badalona. Those 54 points were Ulm's lowest score ever in its 11 EuroCup seasons. These teams meet again in the eighthfinals, but the roles are reversed and Ulm has the home-court advantage.

Watch the Game Highlights from Joventut Badalona vs. ratiopharm Ulm, 04/19/2022

Joventut Badalona vs ratiopharm Ulm  | Highlights | Eightfinals

Ulm has not been particularly good at home this season, where it has gone 5-4, but has been extremely efficient in close games. Ulm has played four overtime games and won them all, downing Slask Wroclaw 108-103 at home, Buducnost VOLI Podgorica 80-84 on the road, defending champion Dreamland Gran Canaria 103-99 at home and Aris Midea Thessaloniki 88-99 on the road. In all four games, however, its opponent was the last time to score in regulation or had a chance to win it before overtime. Ulm has been resilient and that experience of winning so many close games may be helpful against Joventut.

### Loads of young talent

Both teams have several Rising Star-eligible talents ready to showcase their skills in a high-pressure game. [Juan Nunez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/juan-nunez/010106/) has had an outstanding season, averaging 10.4 points and a PIR of 15.1 while ranking third in assists (5.8 apg.) and fifth in steals (1.9 spg.). He had back-to-back double-doubles against Buducnost and Aris, getting 6 rebounds in each game, too. Forward [Pacome Dadiet](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/pacome-dadiet/011457/) has also been strong for Ulm, coming off the bench to average 6.4 points and 1.6 rebounds in 18 games. [Noa Essengue](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/noa-essengue/011391/) and [Tobias Jensen](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/tobias-jensen/010726/) have made the most of their playing time, averaging 2.7 and 3.2 points, respectively.

ratiopharm Ulm youngsters Noa Essengue, Tobias Jensen, Juan Nuñez and Pacome Dadiet are making the most of the significant playing time there are seeing in the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup.

Ulm's young stars step up

Joventut has a reputation for producing young talents and giving them playing time at a young age. [Yannick Kraag](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/yannick-kraag/010161/) has averaged 6.0 points on excellent shooting (73.2% 2FG, 55.6% 3FG) and 3.5 assists in 16 games as a part-time starter. [Michael Ruzic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/michael-ruzic/012349/) has scored in double digits four times, averaging 6.5 points on 70.0% two-point shooting and 48.1% three-point shooting in 14 games. [Miguel Allen](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/miguel-allen/010166/) (3.2 ppg., 2.5 rpg.) helped the team early in the season and big man [Ruben Prey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/ruben-prey/010708/) (2.5 ppg., 2.5 rpg.) offered a much-needed helping hand when Joventut's frontcourt was limited due to injuries and departures. [Jordi Rodriguez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/jordi-rodriguez/010709/) (2.5 ppg.) has seen playing time in 10 games, too.

### Star matchup at center

Two of the best big men in the competition are set to go against each other. The fact there they are very different makes this matchup even more exciting. [Ante Tomic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/ante-tomic/002507/) is one of the best and most experienced centers in European basketball and, at age 37, is still going strong, averaging 9.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and a PIR of 11.6 in around 21 minutes per night. His legendary post skills, highlighted by a deadly jump hook, high basketball IQ and outstanding court vision make him a nightmare matchup. If the game comes down to details, Tomic will make sure to have the ball in his hands in the final minutes.

Ante Tomic of Joventut Badalona is averaging 9.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and a PIR of 11.6 in around 21 minutes per night.

Ante Tomic: Joventut's pass-first center

[Trevion Williams](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/trevion-lamon-williams-/012604/) is having a fantastic EuroCup rookie season. At age 23, Williams is posting numbers rarely seen before for a player his age. He leads the EuroCup in rebounds (10.9 rpg.), ranks 12th in assists (4.4 apg.) despite being a center and is second in PIR (21.9), only trailing Paris star guard T.J. Shorts (22.6 PIR). Williams is the key to Ulm's free-flowing offense due to his ability to find an open teammate or attack the rim either in transition or in pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop situations. How each team plays against the opponent's star center should be one of the biggest keys to this exciting eighthfinals showdown!

Eighthfinals breakdown: ratiopharm Ulm vs. Joventut Badalona

ratiopharm Ulm v Joventut Badalona (2024-03-05T18:30:00.000Z)

Some of the same strategies the big man employs on a chessboard have come in handy on the basketball hardwoods across Europe.

Gran Canarias's Ethan Happ uses lessons from chess to put opponents in checkmate

[Ethan Happ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/ethan-happ/009864/) is one of the most versatile low-post players in the BKT EuroCup with an all-around scoring attack and great passing skills. One of the reasons the Dreamland Gran Canaria center is so effective is the lessons he learned from playing chess.

Happ has made strong contributions to the reigning EuroCup champion, averaging 9.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.7 steals (eighth best in the regular season) in 18:31 minutes per game. He finished the regular season particularly strong, averaging 13.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.8 steals for a PIR of 19.3 over his last four games.

The 27-year-old American is an avid reader who also enjoys playing chess when he has extra time.

"I enjoy chess because it's an easy way to do something competitive,” Happ said. 

The 2.08-meter big man said chess has helped him keep opponents on the hardwood guessing.

“Every chess game is different, no matter how many you play. And similarly to basketball, you have to predict what your opponent is thinking as well as misleading them with what you may be thinking,” he added.

Ethan Happ highlights_17080256.mp4

Happ joined Gran Canaria this off-season after debuting last season in the Spanish League with Breogan Lugo. The city in northwestern Spain in the state of Galicia is also the home to Pablo Lopez, one of the top youth players in the world in speed chess. 

Happ last season was surprised by a social media post made by the Brogan club and was able to face the then 17-year-old Lopez. 

“Pablo beat me in both games that were filmed as well as the three that weren’t,” Happ revealed. “It was really incredible to watch him re-do a game move for move from memory that we had just played to show where my error occurred. After playing him I ramped up my time on [Chess.com](http://Chess.com), but still won't come close to Pablo's level.”

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">😎 ¿Qué puede esperar un base en cuerpo de pívot, amante del ajedrez y con un club de 📚 cuando le citan a una &#39;entrevista con acb&#39;?<br><br>Seguro que lo que no imaginaba era que iba a enfrentarse a una de los 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗱𝗼𝘀 más duras de su vida...<a href=https://twitter.com/EthanHapp22?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>@EthanHapp22</a>, un jugador DIFERENTE <a href=https://t.co/TA6yhKZiIC>pic.twitter.com/TA6yhKZiIC</a></p>&mdash; #CopaACB (@ACBCOM) <a href=https://twitter.com/ACBCOM/status/1606333825860210700?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>December 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src=https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js charset="utf-8"></script>

Happ said it will take some time before he tries to face Lopez again.

“We have each other's contact information but I still need more time before I'm ready to get beat again. I went to the local chess club in Lugo and that was challenging enough,” said Happ, who has not looked for a chess club in Las Palmas. 

Besides reading and chess, Happ is also trying to spend free time on the beach in Gran Canaria. 

“I try and get to the beach as much as possible. It's calming to be outside in nature but especially on the sand. From the time COVID locked down the country, I started reading more than ever trying to spend all the newfound free time wisely, and it has stuck,” he said.

All those off-court activities also help Happ focus on the big task at hand on the court - winning the EuroCup. 

“My reasons for picking Gran Canaria were many but really came down to wanting to play on a higher level team, looking to compete for a championship,” he said.

And Happ knows it will not be easy.

“It will be difficult for the team to repeat the championship as it is in any sport. We have the right coaches and players to get it done but a bit of luck is involved in the playoffs as well so time will tell where we end the EuroCup season. Part of my reason for joining Gran Canaria was the possibility to compete for a championship. It would be my first and obviously, it would feel very rewarding.”

Happ hopes those lessons he’s learned from chess will give him that little extra advantage.