U-BT Cluj-Napoca has confirmed the signing of experienced center Deshawn Stephens.

Cluj brings in Deshawn Stephens

U-BT Cluj-Napoca has confirmed the signing of [Deshawn Stephens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/de-shawn-stephens/006618/), who returns to the BKT EuroCup after nine years away.

Stephens (2.03 meters, 34 years old) last featured in the EuroCup in the 2015-16 campaign, averaging 4.2 points and 3.0 rebounds in a backup role for Banvit, where he made five appearances.

Last season, the American center posted 6.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game across 14 Basketball Champions League fixtures for Promitheas Patras.

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In a career that has spanned 11 years to this point, Cluj will be Stephens's 17th club. 

He has suited up for the Hamamatsu Phoenix (2013-14) and Akita Northern Happinets (2014-15, 2016-17) in Japan, Banvit (2015-16) and Bandirma Kirmizi (2015-16) in Turkiye, Chalons-Reims (2015-16) in France, the South Bay Lakers (2016-17) in the United States, Cagliari (2017-18), Fortitudo Bologna (2019-20), Scafati (2019-20) and Sassari (2022-23) in Italy, Trotamundos de Carabobo (2018) in Venezuela, Maccabi Rishon LeZion (2018-19) and Hapoel Tel Aviv (2018-19) in Israel, the Bakken Bears (2020-21) in Denmark, Igokea (2021-22) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Promitheas (2023-24) in Greece.

More Cluj News

New U-BT Cluj-Napoca signing Deshawn Stephens in action for Dinamo Sassari in the 2022-23 Italian League season.

He will play in the EuroCup for the second time next season

Trefl Sopot put an experienced point guard in its backcourt for club's return to the BKT EuroCup by signing Tarik Phillip, the club announced. 

Trefl Sopot inks veteran playmaker Tarik Phillip

Trefl Sopot put an experienced point guard in its backcourt for club's return to the BKT EuroCup by signing [Tarik Phillip](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/tarik-phillip/009649/), the club announced. Phillip (1.90 meters, 31 years old) has spent the past two years with the London Lions, which he helped reach EuroCup semifinals last season.

During that London's run, Phillip started in 17 of his 20 appearances, averaging 9.0 points, 4.2 assists 3.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals. That was his third season in the EuroCup, after making his competition debut with Tofas Bursa in 2019-20, and played with Umana Reyer Venice in the first part of the 2021-22 season.

Phillip was also forced to miss the entire 2022-23 EuroCup campaign after suffering a knee injury in the preseason.

Phillip played college basketball in the United States with Independence Community College and West Virginia University, with his professional career beginning with Szolnoki Olajbanyasz of Hungary in the 2017-18. In addition to London, Tofas and Reyer, he has also played for CB Clavijo and San Pablo Burgos of Spain, Memphis of the G League and Hapoel Jerusalem of Israel. Phillip has also been a member of the Great Britain national team.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="pl" dir="ltr">Tarik Phillip nowym zawodnikiem Trefla Sopot! ✅ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/plkpl?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#plkpl</a> <br><br>W ostatnim sezonie Tarik był najlepszym podającym i przechwytującym London Lions, z którymi zdobył tytuł mistrzów Wielkiej Brytanii i puchar kraju oraz dotarł aż do półfinału EuroCup 🏀👏 <a href="https://t.co/avghl3ywDc">pic.twitter.com/avghl3ywDc</a></p>&mdash; MISTRZ POLSKI 2024 🏆 (@treflsopot) <a href="https://twitter.com/treflsopot/status/1824727977172595132?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

This will be Phillip's fourth different EuroCup club.

Entering its second consecutive season in the competition, Aris Midea Thessaloniki will be looking to improve on the last season's result when the team reached the postseason, but bowed out in the eighthfinals on the road against Prometey Slobozhanske.

Games to watch: Aris Midea Thessaloniki

[Aris](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/aris-thessaloniki/roster/ari/?season=2024-25) has a revamped roster, but has two main pieces still in place – head coach Ioannis Kastritis and team top scorer Vassilis Toliopoulos. That alone make Aris a team with high aspirations, but to reach its goals, Aris will have a tough task in Group B.

Here is our choice of what feel like team's games you don't want to miss:

### Round 2: Toliopoulos faces his favorite opponent

Last season Aris guard Toliopoulos had his best scoring game when [Turk Telekom Ankara](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/turk-telekom-ankara/roster/ttk/?season=2024-25) visited Thessaloniki, netting 22 points in a 68-66 victory. He also scored 20 points and dished a season-high 9 assists in Ankara, in a 10-point win. And guess who arrives to Thessaloniki for Aris's home opener. It will be telling to see in first game in front of its home fans how confident is Toliopoulos, one of EuroCup's top scorers last season. If he will performer, Aris can do a lot of damage.

Vassilis Toliopoulos of Aris Midea Thessaloniki averaged 14.4 points per game in the regular season.

Vassilis Toliopoulos regular-season highlights

### Round 7: Valencia comes to town

It is always a special EuroCup night when a four-time competition champion comes to town, and that will be the case for Aris in Round 7. Welcoming [Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/valencia-basket/roster/pam/?season=2024-25), a perennial EuroCup contender which is back to the competition in three years, will be the biggest test of the season for Aris. By early November, when this game will be taking place, both team will be rolling and it will give Aris all the answers where it is when it comes to faring with the best of them. With the fans behind them, it will be a fun Wednesday evening in Thessaloniki.

### Round 15: Big late-season test

Aris will have a luxury to play three of its last four regular season game on home floor, and the first of those fixtures will be against last season's runner-up [Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/jl-bourg-en-bresse/roster/bou/?season=2024-25). Last season Bourg won both of their head-to-head games, including blowing past Aris in Thessaloniki 68-76. Apart from this looking like a potential high-stake game, make sure that Aris players, the likes of Toliopoulos, Lefteris Bochoridis, who missed that game, or coach Ioannis Kastritis, will have that in mind when they welcome Bourg again.

Aris’s league-best defense wasn’t enough when the teams last met, as Bourg squeezed out a 72-65 victory, in which the versatile Zaccharie Risacher scored 16. The hosts long for more heroics from Roberto Gallinat, who's fresh from producing a buzzer-bearing game-winner against Buducnost.

Aris Midea Thessaloniki-Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse | Round 16 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup

Turk Telekom Ankara added to its roster a talented young guard Melih Tunca, who arrives on loan from a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague side Anadolu Efes Istanbul, both clubs announced Wednesday.

Turk Telekom gets Melih Tunca on loan from Efes

Turk Telekom Ankara added to its roster a talented guard [Melih Tunca](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/melih-tunca/012415/), who arrives on loan from a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague side Anadolu Efes Istanbul, both clubs announced Wednesday. 

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Melih Emre Tunca <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AnkaraBasketbolu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AnkaraBasketbolu</a> arenasında!🔥<br><br>Geçtiğimiz sezon Anadolu Efes forması giyen Melih Emre Tunca, yeni sezonda kiralık olarak takımımıza güç katacak. Ailemize hoş geldin Melih Emre Tunca 👏✍ <a href="https://t.co/bfjXqbNI5R">pic.twitter.com/bfjXqbNI5R</a></p>&mdash; Türk Telekom Basketbol (@TT_Basketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/TT_Basketbol/status/1823710362493182159?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

Tunca (1.95 meters, 18 years old) made three EuroLeague appearances last season, making his debut in Round 2 in a home game against Real Madrid. That opportunity was given to him by head coach Erdem Can, who is now on Turk Telekom's bench.

He played in 25 Turkish League games last season, posting 3.2 points, and he was the top scorer of the U19 Turkish championship, where he posted 27.9 points on average.

Tunca has been a regular member of all Turkish national teams in youth categories, and has won a bronze medal at the U19 World Cup in 2023. He is now set to make his BKT EuroCup debut.

The young guard moves to the Turkish capital

Umana Reyer Venice is entering its seventh season in the BKT EuroCup, which makes it somewhat of a veteran club in the competition nowadays.

Games to Watch: Umana Reyer Venice

[Umana Reyer Venice](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/umana-reyer-venice/roster/vnc/?season=2024-25) is entering its seventh season in the BKT EuroCup, which makes it somewhat of a veteran club in the competition nowadays.

Its first experience came in the 2015-16 campaign and Reyer has been in each of the last six EuroCup editions – it is one of just six teams to have done so. The Italian club has advanced from the regular season on three occasions, but Reyer missed the EuroCup Playoffs last season.

Here are some key dates for Reyer in its quest to return to the postseason.

### Round 2: A well-known trip

Reyer visits [Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/cedevita-olimpija-ljubljana/roster/lju/?season=2024-25) on October 1. It will be the seventh showdown between Reyer and Cedevita, and the first time that the Italian side has played against the same opponent that many times in European competition. Last season, Reyer beat Cedevita twice, rallying from a double-digit deficit in the final six minutes to grab a 95-87 home victory, before notching a 93-104 road win. Cedevita is coming off a very underwhelming season and this is its first home game of the season, so Reyer will be eager to spoil the party in the Slovenian capital.

Two of the league's lowest-scoring teams search for a boost at the expense of the other as Reyer take on Cedevita. Amadou Sow has grabbed multiple offensive boards in every game this season and he battles with the powerful Amadeo Tessitori, who has averaged 13.8 points for the Italian side thus far.

Umana Reyer Venice-Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana | Round 6 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup

### Round 13: The return of the king

In what should be a highly anticipated game, four-time EuroCup champion [Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/valencia-basket/roster/pam/?season=2024-25) visits Venice for the first time in over three years. It will be Valencia's third time heading to La Serenissima. In 2015, Valencia edged Reyer 58-62 at Palasport Taliercio in regular-season action. Both teams met again in Venice in 2021 and Valencia prevailed again, 67-81. Valencia is undefeated against Reyer, so the hosts should see that Round 13 game on January 2, 2025, as an opportunity to cause a shock. It would not only be a chance to finally beat Valencia, but it would see Reyer start 2025 with a notable win ahead of the final stretch of the regular season.

Watch the Game Highlights from Umana Reyer Venice vs. VALENCIA BASKET, 12/07/2021

Umana Reyer Venice vs. Valencia Basket highlights - 2021-22

### Round 17: Some pending issues

Reyer and [Turk Telekom Ankara](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/turk-telekom-ankara/roster/ttk/?season=2024-25) are expected to be playoff contenders this season, and their Round 17 game on January 29 in the Turkish capital could prove pivotal. It is also an opportunity for a couple of Reyer players to prove their value against one of their former teams. Tyler Ennis played for Turk Telekom for two seasons, leaving the team twice and seeing limited playing time (4.2 ppg., 1.0 apg.) in the 2021-22 EuroCup. Kyle Wiltjer also featured for Turk Telekom for two years, playing a leading role. Both Ennis and Wiltjer know what to expect in what could be a very important game.

The Italian side hopes to bounce back after missing the 2024 playoffs

Valencia Basket point guard Chris Jones has undergone surgery on a finger injury that will keep him out for the start of the 2024-25 EuroCup season.

Chris Jones undergoes surgery on finger injury

Valencia Basket will be without star point guard [Chris Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/chris-jones/010568/) at the beginning of the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup season after the American underwent surgery on a fractured finger on his right hand.

As Valencia confirmed in a statement on Tuesday, 'Jones will miss the entire preseason and the early part of the 2024-25 season. His evolution will mark the moment when he will be able to join practices with the rest of his teammates.'

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🏥7⃣ ¡Mucho ánimo, Chris!<br><br>Cas 👉 Chris Jones, intervenido con éxito en su mano derecha<a href="https://t.co/EqYCvyAXkn">https://t.co/EqYCvyAXkn</a><br><br>Val 👉 Chris Jones, intervingut amb èxit a la seua mà dreta<a href="https://t.co/G06VcGCzqL">https://t.co/G06VcGCzqL</a><br><br>Eng 👉 <a href="https://t.co/R3WEzk2Fe2">https://t.co/R3WEzk2Fe2</a> <a href="https://t.co/5YGi47mrur">pic.twitter.com/5YGi47mrur</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1823413105923174583?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Jones is heading into his third season as a Valencia player, having signed for the club in the summer of 2022. He averaged 13.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.1 steals in 28 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games in 2022-23, before posting 12.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals in 33 EuroLeague appearances last season.

The 31-year-old will play in the EuroCup for the first time in his career in 2024-25. He has spent the last four years in the EuroLeague, suiting up for Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in 2020-21 and LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in 2021-22 prior to joining Valencia.

Once he returns to action, it is expected that Jones will have a leading role in [new head coach Pedro Martinez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/valencia-brings-back-pedro-martinez-as-head-coach/)'s system as Valencia looks to win the EuroCup and return to the EuroLeague, where the Spanish side has played for the last two years.

More Valencia News

Chris Jones in action for Valencia Basket in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

He will not be available during preseason and the early part of the 2024-25 campaign

Chris Jones undergoes finger surgery, will miss start of EuroCup season

Here’s a look at some of the more exciting games to keep an eye on for ratiopharm Ulm this season. 

Games to watch: ratiopharm Ulm

Despite ratiopharm Ulm’s rich history in the EuroCup, it will face a number of teams for the first time ever this season: Trefl Sopot, Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius, Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul, Bahcesehir College Istanbul and Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv. Then there are teams that it has grown accustomed to facing in the late rounds of the competition. Here’s a look at some of the more exciting games to keep an eye on for Ulm this season.

### Round 2: Rekindling the Joventut rivalry

Over the past three seasons, Ulm and[ Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/joventut-badalona/roster/jov/?season=2024-25) have met twice in the EuroCup Eighthfinals. And on both occasions, the visiting team upset the host. In one of the biggest stunners ever in the EuroCup Playoffs, [Ulm upended top-seeded Joventut 73-79 in 2022](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/joventut-badalona-ratiopharm-ulm/U2021/181/) and then last season. Joventut marched into Germany and left with [a 79-88 triumph](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/ratiopharm-ulm-joventut-badalona/U2023/182/) behind a monster effort from Andres Feliz.

Even though both teams have undergone enough changes that the makeup of this clash will be quite different, the organizational memory of those playoff games will be in the air. The fact that it comes so early in the season also means that it will be a key test for both teams.

Two teams who stuttered towards the end of the regular season, both ending with 10-8 records, look to recover their form as Ulm faces Joventut. The Spanish side lost three straight to slide to fifth, while Ulm suffered three consecutive home losses to sow seeds of doubt ahead of this knockout showdown.

ratiopharm Ulm-Joventut Badalona | Eighthfinals Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup

### Round 12: Wolves mark the start of a key home stretch

The calendar has line dup nicely for Ulm fans for the end of 2024 and start of 2025. Beginning with a home date against [Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/wolves-vilnius/roster/wol/?season=2024-25) on December 18, Ulm plays three consecutive home games, which means no travel over Christmas. When it goes back on the road, the Round 16 game is at [Dolomiti Energia Trento](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dolomiti-energia-trento/roster/trn/?season=2024-25), which at les than 400 kilometers will be the shortest road trip of the regular season.

That lineup of games positions Ulm to make a nice little run, which regardless of where it stands at the midway point of the regular season, should push Coach Ty Harrelson’s charges up the table. But it all starts with the first game ever between Ulm and Wolves.

 

### Round 18: The regular-season finale

This game could carry a lot of meaning for both host Ulm and visiting [Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/roster/hta/?season=2024-25) in the race for the playoffs and seedings. It could also be a game with much meaning for Ulm’s point guard prospect Ben Saraf. The Israeli teenager chose the Ulm route to continue his development and by Round 18, both player and club hope that Saraf will have a big role for Ulm.

This game presents a matchup against one of the top teams in Israel, which will surely be of interest to Saraf. Moreover, facing off against Hapoel’s Noam Yaacov – players who could become the future backcourt on their national team – will create extra hype. It’s certainly a story to follow in the regular season’s final round.

More ratiopharm Ulm news

This season will mark Ulm’s 10th straight year in the EuroCup

Games to Watch: ratiopharm Ulm

Trefl Sopot has re-signed center Andy Van Vliet for the 2024-25 season

Trefl Sopot re-signs Belgian big man Andy Van Vliet

Trefl Sopot announced on Saturday that it has re-signed center Andy Van Vliet for the 2024-25 season. Van Vliet (2.13 meters, 29 years old) averaged 11.1 points per game on 57.5% two-point shooting and 5.2 rebounds in 45 Polish League games last season to help Trefl win the Polish League crown.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="pl" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/andyvanvliet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@andyvanvliet</a> zostaje! Belgijski podkoszowy, który wywalczył z drużyną złoty medal <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/plkpl?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#plkpl</a>, podpisał nową umowę z Treflem Sopot✍<br><br>W ostatnich rozgrywkach ligowych 29-latek średnio notował ponad 11 punktów i 5 zbiórek na mecz. To już szósty zawodnik z mistrzowskiej rotacji, który… <a href="https://t.co/z8A1sWjNnG">pic.twitter.com/z8A1sWjNnG</a></p>&mdash; MISTRZ POLSKI 2024 🏆 (@treflsopot) <a href="https://twitter.com/treflsopot/status/1821942996411048056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Van Vliet began his career with the Antwerp Giants in his native Belgium before heading to the United States where he played three seasons of college basketball at the University of Wisconsin and another at the College of William & Mary. At Wisconsin, he was a teammate of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul’s Nigel Hayes-Davis, AS Monaco’s Vitto Brown and Valencia Basket’s Ethan Happ. Van Vliet began his professional career in 2020 in Lithuania with Siauliai and then spent the next two seasons in Israel with Bnei Herzliya before coming to Sopot. He helped Herzliya win the 2022 Israeli Cup. This season will be his first in the EuroCup.

“I am very happy to be coming back to Sopot! After winning the championship, I feel a strong bond with the club and fans. I believe that we will be able to defend the title, although I know that the other teams in Poland have strengthened and will want to take it away from us. The competition in the league and EuroCup will be a great challenge that I can't wait for.” 

More Trefl Sopot news

The center helped the club to the Polish championship last season

2022-23 BKT EuroCup champions Dreamland Gran Canaria announced on Friday afternoon the addition of shooting guard Joe Thomasson for the next season. Thomasson (1.93 meters, 30 years old) arrives from Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, where he played 4 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games last season, averaging 1.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists. He joined Maccabi in February of 2024 and lifted an Israeli League title.

Gran Canaria announces Joe Thomasson at guard

2022-23 BKT EuroCup champions Dreamland Gran Canaria announced on Friday afternoon the addition of shooting guard [Joe Thomasson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/joe-thomasson/012095/) for the next season. Thomasson (1.93 meters, 30 years old) arrives from Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, where he played 4 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games last season, averaging 1.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists. He joined Maccabi in February of 2024 and lifted an Israeli League title.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">📝 El Dreamland Gran Canaria firma a Joe Thomasson.<br><br>▪ El escolta de Ohio refuerza el juego exterior del conjunto amarillo.<br><br>➡ <a href="https://t.co/J8hg0DzgAD">https://t.co/J8hg0DzgAD</a> <a href="https://t.co/6gKjXnmCJ8">pic.twitter.com/6gKjXnmCJ8</a></p>&mdash; Dreamland Gran Canaria (@GranCanariaCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/GranCanariaCB/status/1821858178696409276?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Thomasson has previous EuroCup experience, as he was a key player in Promitheas Patras during the 2022-23 campaign. That year he averaged 14.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.5 steals in 10 games. After graduating in college, Thomasson made his pro debut already in Europe with Dinamo Bucharest of Romania. Since then he has also played in Poland, Israel, Spain, Russia and Greece. He will now get back to Spain and his EuroCup return will be for a home game against Dolomiti Energia Trento on September 24. That day, Thomasson will also be re-united with a former teammate of his at Promitheas in 2002-23, also recently signed by Granca, [George Conditt](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/gran-canaria-bulks-up-with-george-conditt/).

Joe Thomasson Top Plays from 08/01/2022 to 08/09/2024

Joe Thomasson's top plays from 2022-23

More Gran Canaria news

The American shooting guard returns to the BKT EuroCup