ratiopharm Ulm, led by a double-double from Trevion Williams, wrapped up fourth spot in Group B by beating JL Bourg-en-Bresse in Round 18.

ratiopharm Ulm delivered when it mattered to clinch home-court advantage in the playoffs

ratiopharm Ulm looked destined for a road game in the first knockout round of the BKT EuroCup after losing five of their previous six games in the competition’s regular season.

However, [a Round 18 win at Group B pace-setter Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse, 81-85,](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/ec2324-rs18-report-bou-ulm/) secured a fourth-placed finish. As such, last year's German League champion will have home-court advantage when the EuroCup Playoffs start on March 5.

### Trevion Williams was impressive once again

Among a stack of players who stepped up to the plate at crunch time, 23-year-old center Trevion Williams stood out with 17 points and 11 rebounds in 23 minutes on the court, having displayed a vast array of skills at both ends.

Williams netted some tough shots down the stretch and racked up the boards tirelessly as Ulm held off a spirited Bourg comeback led by 18-year-old prodigy Zaccharie Risacher, the game’s top scorer with 20 points.

Bourg, who have already secured first place in the group, welcome an Ulm roster that could yet be overtaken by Aris for fourth place after suffering a 20-point defeat against the Greek team. A long-range shooting duel between two Tomas Klepeisz and Zaccharie Risacher could prove key to the result here.

Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse-ratiopharm Ulm | Round 18 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup

Williams stressed that Ulm’s intensity and die-hard spirit made the difference. “Our energy over the course of the whole game was amazing and it’s something we’ve got to build on,” he said in a flash post-game interview. “I am very proud of the guys and it wasn’t just a good game for me, it was a great game for the whole team."

Visiting coach Anton Gavel was delighted with the outcome but pointed out that his team nearly spilled an 18-point lead.  “Congrats to our players, they did a very good job to overcome the runs that Bourg had,” he commented. “We were up by double digits and this is where we have to improve. We’ve got to learn to manage these leads, but we are very happy to have clinched home court advantage in the playoffs.

“It’s been a huge lesson and an experience because we had an 8-3 record at a certain point in time and then lost four in a row, so we are a work in progress. Today we found a way and we’ve got to build on that.”

<center>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">Pacôme Dadiet 🔥🏀<br><br>Bereits in der ersten Halbzeit hatte der Forward nach knapp neun Minuten Spielzeit als zweitbester Schütze elf Punkte markiert. Gerade seine Kaltschnäuzigkeit zum Korb machten den Youngster auch an diesem Abend unverzichtbar im Offensivspiel der Ulmer. 👏 <a href="https://t.co/vd4sH0slhh">pic.twitter.com/vd4sH0slhh</a></p>&mdash; ratiopharm ulm (@ratiopharmulm) <a href="https://twitter.com/ratiopharmulm/status/1754969690990895241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### A frustrating loss for Bourg

The outcome meant the Bourg lost its unbeaten home record in the EuroCup and it was a worrying sign for the home team’s head coach Frederic Fauthoux, who cut an unhappy figure after the final buzzer.

Bourg had earlier clinched the group’s top spot and with it a bye in the first knockout round of the competition, but Fathoux struck a note of caution ahead of the quarterfinals. “For me, the last game is always the most important,” he said. “We didn’t play a good first half and I am not happy because we lacked intensity and didn’t play at a high level.”

More Ulm News

Pacome Dadiet of ratiopharm Ulm in possession against Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse in Round 18 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

The German side ended a poor run with a vital victory at Bourg as Trevion Williams shined.

Ulm delivered when it mattered to clinch home-court advantage in the playoffs

Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse v ratiopharm Ulm (2024-02-06T18:30:00.000Z)

Türk Telekom B.K. was led by Tyrone Wallace, James Palmer and Steven Enoch as it secured a crucial win at Slask Wroclaw in Round 18 of the 2023-24 EuroCup season.

Türk Telekom B.K. trio came to the fore with season on the line

Despite having already been eliminated from playoff contention, Slask Wroclaw started strong on Tuesday night against Turk Telekom Ankara. However, the Turkish side’s three musketeers – [Tyrone Wallace](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/tyrone-wallace/011925/), [James Palmer](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/james-palmer-jr-/011834/) and [Steven Enoch](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/steven-enoch/011239/) – came to the fore as the guests managed to [clinch an important 70-86 victory at Hala Orbita](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/turk-telekom-bk-beats-slask-wroclaw-70-86-to-keep-playoff-hopes-alive/) and keep their playoff hopes alive.

Wallace, who ranks fourth in the BKT EuroCup in scoring with 17.5 points per game, went 5-for-5 from behind the arc to take his tally to 15 points in less than 13 minutes. His last triple gave Turk Telekom a 33-36 edge with 7:14 remaining in the second quarter; the visitors never looked back from that point on, maintaining the lead until the final buzzer.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ro" dir="ltr">Maç sonucu: Śląsk Wrocław 70 - 86 Türk Telekom <a href="https://t.co/eqrA8muE98">pic.twitter.com/eqrA8muE98</a></p>&mdash; Türk Telekom Basketbol (@TT_Basketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/TT_Basketbol/status/1754969933648150879?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Turk Telekom’s stars had big performances

Yet, Wallace was not the only Turk Telekom player to stand out as Palmer combined his game-high 22 points with 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Wallace, Palmer and Enoch recorded PIRs of 27, 26 and 24, respectively, with the former completing a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds.

When it mattered most, the Turk Telekom trio rose up to the occasion by scoring 54 of Turk Telekom’s 86 points. “It was definitely a hard-fought win,” Palmer said in the flash interview after the game. “A much-needed win for us to try to qualify for the next round. We wanted to come here and take care of business on the road. Hopefully we can make it to the next round to continue doing what we are doing.”

Group B's last-placed Slask seek reprieve from a troublesome campaign and to ruin the playoff-ambitions of Turk Telekom, which most likely needs a victory to advance. The Polish side gained one of its two victories by triumphing in Ankara during November 2023 and the Turks may be wary of complacency.

Slask Wroclaw-Turk Telekom Ankara | Round 18 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup

### Playoff dreams

With its victory in Poland, Turk Telekom improved to an 8-10 record, but it needs results to go its way on Wednesday night in order to clinch its spot in the postseason. The Turkish side qualifies in sixth spot if Dolomiti Energia Trento loses at Aris Midea Thessaloniki or if Buducnost VOLI Podgorica beats Gran Canaria. However, the Turkish side will be eliminated in the event that Trento wins and Buducnost loses.

Should Turk Telekom find itself in the playoffs come the end of Wednesday’s action, it has proved that it has what it takes to cause problems for opposition defenses. In particular, opposition head coaches will be trembling at the prospect of how they can contain Turk Telekom’s offensive armory, spearheaded by Wallace, Palmer and Enoch.

More Turk Telekom News

Steven Enoch of Turk Telekom Ankara looks to score against Slask Wroclaw in Round 18 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

Wallace, Palmer and Enoch stepped up when it mattered most.

Turk Telekom trio came to the fore with season on the line

Slask Wroclaw v Turk Telekom Ankara (2024-02-06T19:00:00.000Z)

Marco Spissu and Amedeo Tessitori shined for Reyer Venezia as it defeated Hamburg Towers 83-90 in Round 18 of the 2023-24 EuroCup season.

Reyer Venezia’s Italian connection put on a show in Round 18

With Umana Reyer Venice aware that it couldn’t make the BKT EuroCup Playoffs, it would have been easy to down tools on the road at Veolia Towers Hamburg in Round 18. But, for [Marco Spissu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/spissu-marco/004381/) and [Amedeo Tessitori](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/amedeo-tessitori/003759/), they wanted to end the campaign in style.

Reyer ended up [coming away with an 83-90 victory in Hamburg](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/reyer-venezia-ends-its-eurocup-campaign-on-a-high-by-winning-in-hamburg-83-90/), with Spissu and Tessitori combining for 40 points on the night: 25 for the guard, 15 for the center. They both stepped up at different points of the game to ensure that Neven Spahija’s side finished the 2023-24 campaign with an 8-10 record.

A pair of clubs with only pride to play for complete their seasons as Hamburg host Reyer. Marco Spissu was the main man when the Italians beat Hamburg previously, combining 22 points and 9 assists, and he faces a good battle with the opposing backcourt leader Aljami Durham, who averages 11.4 ppg.

Veolia Towers Hamburg-Umana Reyer Venice | Round 18 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup

This season has been one of frustration for a Reyer team which surely had hopes of making a postseason run, but Spissu and Tessitori demonstrated in Round 18 – and not for the first time – that there is definitely something to build upon heading into next season.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="eu" dir="ltr">European 📸<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/finoallafine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#finoallafine</a> <a href="https://t.co/UdVYPKWaO0">pic.twitter.com/UdVYPKWaO0</a></p>&mdash; Reyer Venezia (@REYER1872) <a href="https://twitter.com/REYER1872/status/1754966516221493755?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

On Tuesday night, Tessitori set the tone for Reyer by scoring 6 points and dishing 1 assist as Reyer took an early 4-8 lead. The 29-year-old seemed to particularly enjoy his battle in the paint with Hamburg’s Aleksander Dziewa over the course of the game, even if Coach Spahija was only putting him in the game for a few minutes at a time.

With Hamburg having flipped the script and taken a 63-61 lead into the final period, Tessitori twice pulled Reyer level before Spissu showed that it was his time to shine. The Italian guard, who is 29 like Tessitori, erupted on the offensive end by netting 6 points in a row, 65-71, before scoring a further 7 points in the quarter to put the game beyond Hamburg’s reach, 75-87.

Amedeo Tessitori and Marco Spissu combined for 40 points as Umana Reyer Venice beat Veolia Towers Hamburg 83-90 in Round 18 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

Tessitori, Spissu impressed in Hamburg

By the final buzzer, Reyer had won 83-90 and it had both Tessitori and Spissu to thank. The victory may have counted for little, but perhaps this Round 18 showing was evidence that the Italian club should build around its Italian connection of Spissu and Tessistori as we look ahead to the 2024-25 season.

More Reyer News

Marco Spissu of Umana Reyer Venice, with Amedeo Tessitori in the background, during their team's win at Veolia Towers Hamburg in Round 18 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

Spissu and Tessitori were the Italian side’s two shining lights in Hamburg.

Reyer’s Italian connection put on a show in Round 18

Veolia Towers Hamburg v Umana Reyer Venice (2024-02-06T18:30:00.000Z)

### Group A

[Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/paris-basketball/roster/prs/?season=2023-24) (16-1) has clinched first place in Group A and secured home-court advantage for every playoff series it plays.

[Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/roster/hta/?season=2023-24) (11-5) will clinch second place and a place in the quarterfinals if it wins or if London Lions (12-5) lose. Hapoel will be third if it loses and London wins.

[London Lions](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/london-lions/roster/lli/?season=2023-24) (12-5) will finish second if it wins and Hapoel loses. Otherwise, London will be third.

[Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/joventut-badalona/roster/jov/?season=2023-24) (10-7) can place fourth in a number of scenarios. The most straightforward is if it beats Prometey. Joventut will also finish fourth if it loses in overtime or by 3 or fewer points in regulation; or if it loses by 4 or 5 points in regulation and Besiktas wins by any margin;  or if it loses by exactly 6 points in regulation and Besiktas wins by fewer than 30 points.

[Prometey Slobozhanske](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/prometey-slobozhanske/roster/pmt/?season=2023-24) (9-8) will be fourth if wins by more than 6 points; or if it wins by more than 3 points in regulation and Besiktas loses.

[Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/besiktas-istanbul/roster/bes/?season=2023-24) (9-8) can finish in fourth place if it wins by 30 or more points and Joventut loses by exactly 6 points in regulation.

### Group B

[Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/mincidelice-jl-bourg-en-bresse/roster/bou/?season=2023-24) (14-3) has clinched first place.

[U-BT Cluj-Napoca](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/u-bt-cluj-napoca/roster/clu/?season=2023-24) (13-4) will finish second and clinch a place in the quarterfinals if it beats 7-bet Lietkabelis Panevezys; or if Gran Canaria loses.

[Dreamland Gran Canaria](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/dreamland-gran-canaria/roster/can/?season=2023-24) (12-5) will be second if it wins and Cluj loses. Otherwise, it will be third.

[ratiopharm Ulm](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/ratiopharm-ulm/roster/ulm/?season=2023-24) (10-8) clinched fourth place with its victory on Tuesday.

[Aris Midea Thessaloniki](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/aris-thessaloniki/roster/ari/?season=2023-24) (8-9) qualified for the playoffs when Turk Telekom won on Tuesday. Aris will be fifth if it wins; or if it loses and Buducnost wins. Aris is sixth if it loses and Buducnost loses.

[Dolomiti Energia Trento](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/dolomiti-energia-trento/roster/trn/?season=2023-24) (7-10) qualifies and will be fifth if it wins and Buducnost loses. Trento is eliminated if it loses.

[Turk Telekom Ankara](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/turk-telekom-ankara/roster/ttk/?season=2023-24) (8-10) qualifies and will be sixth if Trento loses; or if Buducnost wins. Turk Telekom is eliminated if Trento wins and Buducnost loses.

[Buducnost VOLI Podgorica](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/buducnost-voli-podgorica/roster/bud/?season=2023-24) (7-10) was eliminated from playoff contention when Turk Telekom won on Tuesday.

The BKT EuroCup Regular Season comes to an end this week and by the end of the night on Wednesday, the playoff picture will be clear. Here is what could happen in Round 18.

Playoff possibilities for Round 18

7bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys v U-BT Cluj-Napoca (2024-02-07T17:00:00.000Z)

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica v Dreamland Gran Canaria (2024-02-07T18:00:00.000Z)

Aris Midea Thessaloniki v Dolomiti Energia Trento (2024-02-07T18:00:00.000Z)

London Lions v Wolves Vilnius (2024-02-07T19:30:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (2024-02-07T19:45:00.000Z)

Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul v Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (2024-02-07T18:00:00.000Z)

Prometey Slobozhanske v Joventut Badalona (2024-02-07T17:00:00.000Z)

German champion ratiopharm Ulm ground out an impressive 81-85 win at Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse in Round 18 of the BKT EuroCup regular season, securing a top-four finish in Group B and with it, home-court advantage in eighthfinals. 

Ulm holds off Bourg to clinch top-four finish

German champion ratiopharm Ulm ground out an impressive 81-85 win at Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse in Round 18 of the BKT EuroCup regular season, securing a top-four finish in Group B and with it, home-court advantage in eighthfinals. Bourg dropped to 14-4 while Ulm improved to 10-8. Bourg, which had earlier clinched the group’s top spot, lost its unbeaten home record after coming close to overhauling an 18-point deficit in a dramatic finish.

Trevion Williams, who sealed Ulm’s win with a pair of free throws in the dying seconds of the game, paced the visitors with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Pacome Dadiet added 15 points while Karim Jallow chipped in with 10 points and 5 rebounds for Ulm. At the other end, Zaccharie Risacher scored a game-high 20 points for Bourg, while Hugo Benitez netted 13 and Alex Julien amassed 10 for the home side which fell short against a disciplined visiting team.

Game Videos

Ulm grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck from the start and led throughout, having stunned Bourg with quick movement of the ball on offense coupled with energetic defense which saw the visitors race into a 17-27 lead at the end of the first quarter. The German team kept its momentum and held a 42-52 advantage at halftime.

Game News

The margin grew to 52-70 late in the third quarter before an 8-0 run by the home side slashed Bourg’s deficit to 60-70 heading into the final period. Risacher led Bourg’s charge in the fourth as the youngster mixed slam dunks with downtown shooting to get the hosts back on track. 

Battling Bourg looked like turning the contest on its head when it closed the gap to 80-81 in the final minute, with the passionate home crowd roaring on the French side. However, Ulm kept its nerve down the stretch and Williams made no mistake from the foul line late on, giving the German side a priceless victory.

ratiopharm Ulm pulled off a shock win at Bourg to secure home-court advantage in the playoffs.

Türk Telekom B.K. remains alive in the race to make the EuroCup Playoffs after beating Slask Wroclaw 70-86 in Round 18.

Türk Telekom B.K. beats Slask Wroclaw 70-86 to keep playoff hopes alive

Turk Telekom Ankara defeated Slask Wroclaw 70-86 on the road in Round 18 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season on Tuesday night, so now it needs results to go its way on Wednesday in order to clinch a playoff spot. Slask started strong, but the guests gained control of the game in the last three quarters and finished it off with a 0-10 run in the fourth. By coming out on top, Turk Telekom improved to an 8-10 record, while Slask dropped to 2-16.

James Palmer led all scorers with 22 points, Tyrone Wallace had 17 and Steven Enoch added 15, while Yigitcan Saybir and Jarrod Jones recorded 12 each. For Slask, Dusan Miletic paired his 20 points with 11 rebounds. Jakub Niziol scored 14 points and Hassani Gravett added 13.

A Palmer layup was followed by a Miletic dunk before Gravett and Enoch traded baskets in an early exchange of blows, 4-4. Marek Klassen registered 4 assists in the first 5 minutes and Miletic drilled a triple for an 11-6 Slask cushion. Then, the hosts went on a 5-0 run to extend their lead to 16-9, but Wallace netted one from deep and Palmer scored a reverse layup in transition to cut the difference to 2 points, 16-14. Wallace and Klassen swapped triples to make it 23-22, but a Saybir bucket from inside and a Palmer free throw allowed Turk Telekom to take a 26-27 lead into the second quarter.

Miletic netted a basket to take his tally to 11 points, but Wallace nailed back-to-back triples to give the guests a 28-33 cushion. Slask responded with a 5-0 surge, but Wallace scored his fifth three-pointer of the night to put Turk Telekom back in front, 33-36. A Niziol triple from distance was followed by a Jones basket before the latter knocked down a three-pointer to make it 38-43 for the visitors. The Turkish side extended its run to 0-12, with Jones and Enoch dominating in the paint to secure a 40-50 lead at halftime.

Enoch netted his sixth bucket of the night to open the third quarter before Gravett responded with a basket of his own, but a Palmer triple gave Turk Telekom a 42-55 cushion. Back-to-back makes from Miletic and Gravett were followed by a Palmer triple and a Saybir bucket, 46-60. Then, Jones rejected Miletic at one end and scored a basket at the other to maintain a double-digit lead, 52-65. Yet, the hosts ended the third quarter with a 5-0 run to trim the deficit to 57-65 heading into the fourth.

Mikolaj Adamczak and Palmer exchanged triples, before back-to-back baskets from Enoch and Ismail Cem Ulusoy extended Turk Telekom’s lead to 60-72. A couple of Palmer three-pointers, an Ulusoy layup and a Wallace basket in transition saw Turk Telekom grab a 65-84 cushion and practically put the game to bed with 3 minutes left on the clock.

Turk Telekom will clinch the last playoff spot in Group B if Dolomiti Energia Trento loses to Aris Midea Thessaloniki on Wednesday; or if Buducnost VOLI Podgorica beats Dreamland Gran Canaria on the same night. That said, the Turkish side will be eliminated if Trento wins and Buducnost loses.

Yigitcan Saybir of Turk Telekom Ankara scores against Slask Wroclaw in Round 18 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

The Turkish side needs results to go its way on Wednesday night in order to reach the postseason.

Turk Telekom beats Slask 70-86 to keep playoff hopes alive

Reyer Venezia defeated the Hamburg Towers 83-90 in Round 18 of the 2023-24 EuroCup Regular Season.

Reyer Venezia ends its EuroCup campaign on a high by winning in Hamburg, 83-90

Umana Reyer Venice ended its 2023-24 BKT EuroCup season with a win by beating Veolia Towers Hamburg 83-90 in Germany on Tuesday night. With this victory, Reyer improved its record to 8-10 while Hamburg finished the campaign with a 2-15 mark, having gone 0-9 at home.

Marco Spissu led the way for Reyer on offense by scoring a game-high 25 points, while teammate Amedeo Tessitori contributed on both ends with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals. Rayjon Tucker was the other Reyer player to reach double figures in scoring as he netted 10. Hamburg’s William Christmas was the team’s leading scorer with 22, followed by Aleksander Dziewa with 15 and Mark Hughes and Seth Hinrichs with 11 apiece.

Although Dziewa got Hamburg going by scoring its first 4 points to make it 4-1, a Tessitori-inspired Reyer soon hit back to take a 4-8 lead thanks to 6 points and 1 assist by the Italian center. Hamburg would make it 8-8, but 5 straight points by Casarin put Reyer up 8-13 before Tucker and Alex O'Connell held off a response by Christmas, 12-18. With the quarter winding down, a Lukas Meisner triple cut the gap to 1 point, 20-21, after 10 minutes.

O'Connell and V.J. King exchanged threes at the start of the second, 23-24, but Hamburg was then dealt a blow as Aljami Durham had to leave the game with an injury. Reyer's second unit, led by Max Heidegger, Aamir Simms and Giga Janelidze, continued to make life difficult for Hamburg, before Spissu began to put his fingerprints on the game, 31-39. Christmas continued to try to turn things around for Hamburg, but a Janelidze corner three and a Spissu mid-range jumper made it 35-46 at halftime.

Hamburg came out for the second half with an improved mindset and went on an 8-3 run, featuring a three-pointer apiece by Hughes and Dziewa, to trim the deficit to 6 points, 43-49. The wind seemed to be in the hosts' sails and, as had been the case all night, Christmas was at the center of everything good for Hamburg. After he stole the ball under Hamburg's basket, Niklas Krause scored off the glass following a ball fake to make it 51-52. Reyer responded through Tucker and Kyle Wiltjer, 51-56, but 5 straight points by Christmas tied the game for the first time since the first quarter, 56-56. When Krause hit from mid-range, Hamburg led 63-61 and took that lead into the final period.

At the start of the fourth, Tessitori and Camron Reece exchanged baskets, then the Reyer big man went 2-for-2 from the line, 65-65. After that, 6 points in a row by Spissu saw the visitors open a 65-71 advantage, and O'Connell struck from deep to open a 9-point gap, 65-74. There was a Hamburg response, but Spissu showed no sign of slowing down and scored a further 7 points to all but wrap up the win, 75-87. A couple of Christmas threes came in the closing stages, but Reyer already had the victory in the bag as it walked away with an 83-90 triumph.

Max Heidegger of Umana Reyer Venice is pursued by Seth Hinrichs of Veolia Towers Hamburg in Round 18 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup Regular Season.

Both teams came into Round 18 knowing they had been eliminated from playoff contention.

Reyer ends its EuroCup campaign on a high by winning in Hamburg, 83-90

Aris Midea Thesaloniki is set to battle for a spot in the playoffs on Wednesday without Roberto Gallinat, who suffered a fractured thumb on his left hand. He "will be out of action for at least two months", Aris said in a short statement.

Aris loses Gallinat to thumb injury

Aris Midea Thesaloniki is set to battle for a spot in the playoffs on Wednesday without Roberto Gallinat, who suffered a fractured thumb on his left hand. He "will be out of action for at least two months", Aris said in a short statement.

It is a big blow for Aris as Gallinat is one of team's only two players scoring in double digits this season. Starting in all 16 games, and playing 25:42 minutes, Gallinat has been posting 12.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists. His scoring average and minutes played are both second best on the team.

Aris still has to secure a place in the playoffs in Round 18, and it has a chance to do so on Wednesday when it hosts another Group B playoff hopeful, Dolomiti Energia Trento.

But Aris might enter the game as already qualified if Turk Telekom Ankara wins on Tuesday. In case Turk Telekom loses, Aris will need a win or a loss by 9 points in regulation to punch its playoff ticket.

Also, Aris will know ahead of its Round 18 clash if it has a chance to finish in fourth place, which will be true if ratiopharm Ulm loses on Tuesday.

If Aris does reach the playoffs, however, it will have to do without Gallinat who's estimated return is in early April. Aris would have to make at least EuroCup Semifinals to see Gallinat back in action.

The best-of-three semifinals are scheduled from Tuesday, March 26, until Wednesday, April 3. The BKT EuroCup Finals are to begin on Tuesday, April 9, and conclude with the crowning of a champion on Wednesday, April 17, if a third game is necessary.

 

 

Aris will be missing its second-best scorer in the regular season finale, and in the playoffs if Aris qualifies.

KK Buducnost VOLI Podgorica remains in the playoff hunt in Group B after a resounding 78-97 road victory last week at Dolomiti Energia Trento. It all comes down to Round 18, in which Buducnost has to hope for Turk Telekom Ankara to lose at Slask Wroclaw on Tuesday and then beat defending champion Dreamland Gran Canaria on Wednesday.

Yogi Ferrell, KK Buducnost: 'We have nothing to lose'

One of Buducnost's key players has been combo guard [Yogi Ferrell](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/yogi-ferrell/011281/), who has a fascinating story on and off the court. Born in Indiana, he was a Hoosiers star for four years and is in his third EuroCup season, averaging 15.6 points and 4.7 assists in 40 career games. Off the court, Yogi likes to play chess online and co-wrote a motivational book for children based on his journey. Ferrell is looking forward to the game against Gran Canaria, hoping Buducnost leaves it all on the floor. "We are going to go out there and give it 100% for 40 minutes, and we are just going to see what happens," Ferrell told Javier Gancedo of the official EuroCup website. "As long as we know that we went out there and we did our best, whatever the outcome will be, we will be happy with it."

**Hello, Yogi. Congratulations on beating Trento. How important was it not only to win this game, but to do it the way you did it, by a lot of points, to get advantages in possible ties?** 

"Thank you. It was very important for us to win that game to keep our playoff chances alive. It felt like we came out in the second half with a different mentality and that was just team defense. And we went out there and helped each other. And we know once we get our defense going, we know our offense is going to work out well for us."

**You started the season in China and stopped in Belgrade before joining Buducnost. Was it hard to adjust to a new situation?** 

"I wouldn't say it was too hard to come back over and play in the ABA \[Adriatic League\] and EuroCup. I had done it before for two seasons, so this is nothing new to me. They play a great way of basketball over here in Europe, so it's definitely fun to be back."

"Buducnost and those fans, they really care, and they have had a winning history."

**Like you said, this is your third season in the EuroCup. What do you like the most about the EuroCup? What's the best part about it?**

"The best part about EuroCup is really just traveling away and playing in different countries and just playing basketball. Playing against some of the best talents in Europe, so it's definitely just a lot of fun."

**You were born in Indiana. You were a Hoosier for four years. How do you compare the passion and the love for basketball in Indiana to what we have here in Europe?**

"Oh, I would say it's the same. I know my four years at Indiana, all of our games were almost sold out every single game. And my time in Indiana, those fans, they were amazing. They showed so much love and passion for the team. And that's really the same here in Europe. You go to a great organization like I am with now, Buducnost and those fans, they really care, and they have had a winning history. So they definitely want to come to all the games and cheer and try and keep on that winning mentality."

**Your last regular season game is against Gran Canaria. It is a must-win game for you. As a basketball player, you work all season for this type of game. Is it a challenge or extra pressure?** 

"I think all you can really do is embrace it. Whether it's a do or die, I feel like those opportunities, you have nothing to lose. So we are going to go out there and give it 100% for 40 minutes and we are just going to see what happens. As long as we know that we went out there and we did our best, whatever the outcome will be, we will be happy with it."

Yogi Ferrell joined Buducnost VOLI Podgorica midway through the 2023-24 season.

2023-24 EuroCup highlights: Yogi Ferrell, Buducnost VOLI Podgorica

**Do you still play chess online?**

"Oh, I do. I play chess pretty much every day on the [chess.com](http://chess.com) app, so I like to play it. Just ease my mind, you know? Good hobby. I got a couple of chess boards, just something fun to do. My nickname is [iBall11](https://www.chess.com/stats/overview/iball11), anyone who wants to play against me can send me a friend request."

**We saw your nickname is Yogi because of Yogi Bear, but what's the story behind it?**

"I used to eat a lot as a baby, so my mom named me Yogi, like Yogi Bear. So ever since I was three months old, I have been called Yogi. Pretty much everyone calls me Yogi. I'm known by Yogi everywhere, but my real name is actually Kevin and I'm a junior."

**You co-wrote a motivation book for children, Ten Toes Down. What did the idea come from and why did you choose that title?**

"The idea actually came from my father, and he thought it would be a great idea for us to write a children's book and just share my story. You know, share my story with growing up playing basketball, meeting friends along the way, and being a kid playing basketball so young. So it was actually his idea.

"You have to have fun with whatever you do, whether it's a downtime or a good time."

**I saw that in the book you talk about the sense of humor as being really important in basketball and in life, right?**

"Yeah, absolutely, man. You have to have fun with with whatever you do, whether it's a downtime or a good time. As long as you can find a way to have fun and still smile, I think that's the biggest thing."

**You have been in the EuroCup Playoffs before with Cedevita, in front of sellout crowds. Is that experience a motivation for you to make it back to the playoffs and try to go all the way?**

"Yeah, absolutely. I think that Stozice \[Arena\] was filled up like that. It hadn't been filled up like that in years. So being able to go there and play in front of that crowd was really, really cool. And it kind of reminded me of back in my days at Indiana, just how loud it was and how all the fans showed up. So I know the same thing will happen here at Buducnost. If we make the playoffs, I know the fans will definitely come. It would be the same environment."

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica remains in the playoff hunt in Group B after a resounding 78-97 road victory last week at Dolomiti Energia Trento. It all comes down to Round 18, in which Buducnost has to hope for Turk Telekom Ankara to lose at Slask Wroclaw on Tuesday and then beat defending champion Dreamland Gran Canaria on Wednesday.