Trademarks: The Cedevita Paradox II

Last season, Cedevita finished last in its EuroCup regular season group with a 3-15 record, registering the paradox of having the top-rated player in the competition, Yogi Ferrell, although the standings did not reflect that at all.

Nobody expected that things could get worse than that, but they did, creating an even bigger paradox this season.

Cedevita finally got its first win in the 2023-24 EuroCup last week on the road by 31 points against Veolia Hamburg Towers, establishing a club record with 114 points scored. Alas, that came long after the its season was already lost.  Combined with its five defeats to finish last season, Cedevita reached the second-worst losing streak in competition history, 20 games.

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Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana has had a bad season in the BKT EuroCup while being among the top four teams in its domestic league.

The Israeli team benefited from a healed roster to beat Joventut Badalona when the chips were down.

Hapoel Tel Aviv delivered at crunch time amid injuries and tough schedule

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv made a big step towards a top-two finish in Group A of the BTK EuroCup after a smooth team effort produced [an 85-91 win at Joventut Badalona in Round 17](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/joventut-badalona-hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/U2023/165/) of the regular season, with five players scoring in double digits.

Crucially, the return to action of J’Covan Brown and Jaylen Hoard helped Hapoel’s effort as the duo stepped up to the plate in the second half after they recovered from injuries in time for the clash.

Brown poured 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting from downtown and Hoard chipped in with 11, including a spectacular dunk which kept Hapoel in the driving seat in the wake of a Joventut fightback.

Hapoel carved out a 25-45 lead in the second quarter and extended it to 58-80 early in the fourth quarter, with Brown and Hoard taking over in the second half. They complemented the efforts of Will Cummings, the game’s top scorer with 19 points, as well as Xavier Munford, who netted 16 as Joventut cut the gap in the home stretch but fell short in its effort to turn the game around.

Head coach Danny Franco elaborated that it hasn’t been an easy ride for Hapoel this season, which has played EuroCup home games in Belgrade due to the conflict in Israel. The team was also ravaged by injuries, which made it difficult for Franco to count on a stable roster.

"We came out today with a lot of guys back from injuries and we arrived knowing we needed to produce a high quality performance against Spanish opposition," Franco told the post-game press conference. "My players came up big time and we really stepped up as a team. It’s a big win for us."

Will Cummings, Xavier Munford and 2 others Highlights vs. Joventut Badalona, 01/30/2024

Cummings, Munford, Hoard and Brown shined for Hapoel against Joventut

Hapoel play their last regular season game on the road at Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul, with the fixture moved to Ljubljana’s Stozice Arena on the recommendations of the Turkish and Israeli governments. A win would seal a runners-up finish in the group and with it a bye in the first knockout round of the postseason, meaning direct passage to the quarterfinals. Franco hoped for a fit roster amid a grueling schedule, which has taken its toll on Hapoel.

"We will now make an effort to finish second. We’ve done a good job for much of the regular season," said Franco. "We weren’t always at our best because of injuries and our schedule was such that two days a week we were flying back and forth and two or three days a week we were playing."

“We don’t have enough time to work together as a team but we will try to beat another very good side next week."

The Israeli team benefited from a healed roster to beat Joventut when the chips were down.

Hapoel delivered at crunch time amid injuries and tough schedule

Joventut Badalona v Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (2024-01-30T19:30:00.000Z)

Wolves Vilnius failed to reach the postseason in their maiden BKT EuroCup season but the Lithuanian club can still take a lot of positives from its venture into uncharted territory. Wolves produced a clinical performance in a 94-84 home win over Veolia Towers Hamburg, improving its record to 7-10 after the season’s last home game in the EuroCup. That will have boosted the team’s confidence ahead of the home stretch in domestic competition.

Wolves finished its home EuroCup campaign on a high note

Wolves Vilnius failed to reach the postseason in their maiden BKT EuroCup season but the Lithuanian club can still take a lot of positives from its venture into uncharted territory. Wolves produced a clinical performance in a 94-84 home win over Veolia Towers Hamburg, improving its record to 7-10 after the season’s last home game in the EuroCup. That will have boosted the team’s confidence ahead of the home stretch in domestic competition.

Founded in 2022, Vilnius is currently third in the Lithuanian league behind powerhouse Zalgiris and city rival Vilnius Ritas, with victory over Hamburg likely to provide an impetus to keep pushing for domestic glory after the final EuroCup visit to London next week.

Game Videos

Tre’Shawn Thurman, who stood out against Hamburg with 19 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists, was in no doubt after the game that Wolves will benefit down the stretch from beating the German side.

“We did a really good job with our defensive assignments, guarding those guys,” Thurman said after the game. “We had a good game plan and followed it. Very important momentum-wise for us, for the rest of the season. For the morale in the locker room, it is important get better each and every day.”

Wolves's new head coach Nedas Pacevicius emphasized that every win matters, despite a somewhat flawed second-half performance against a battling Hamburg side.

“We made some tough shots and had some good stops,” he commented. “We weren’t at our best in the second half but a win is a win and it means something to us because we didn’t win so many games in the EuroCup this season.”

Game News

Hamburg head coach Benka Barloschky was pleased with his team’s effort although the German side dropped to 2-15 ahead of its final game at home to Umana Reyer Venice.

“I think we played a very good game overall but we let it slide a little bit for 2 and a half minutes in the first half,” he pointed out. “It got away from us but I was very satisfied how we played in the second half. However, it’s very tough to overcome a 14-point deficit against a shot-making team like Vilnius, with players like Thurman and Jeffery Taylor in their ranks.”

With a 2-15 record in the EuroCup this season, Hamburg has long since been out of the playoff picture. However, there will be pride to play for against Reyer, as the German team has a 0-8 home record and will want to avoid losing all of its home games in the competition this season.

There will be no playoff joy for Vilnius but a sound performance against Hamburg bodes well for its domestic challenge.

Wolves Vilnius v Veolia Towers Hamburg (2024-01-30T17:00:00.000Z)

Umana Reyer Venice showed just how strong it can be with a near history-making third quarter in its 108-92 comeback win over Prometey Slobozhanske. 

Third-quarter turnaround carried Reyer past Prometey 108-92

Umana Reyer Venice showed just how strong it can be with a near history-making third quarter in its 108-92 comeback win over Prometey Slobozhanske. Reyer trailed 45-57 at halftime and then unleashed a 38-14 third quarter to lay the groundwork for a win in the team’s last home game in the EuroCup this season.

It was the second-most points scored in a third quarter in EuroCup history, topped only by the 41-18 frame bye Unicaja Malaga against EWE Baskets Oldenburg on December 10, 2019. The 108 points meanwhile set a new club single-game scoring record after the team had won 106-96 earlier this season against Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul in Round 14.

“I was very short at halftime. If you’re going to play defense maybe we have a chance. They scored 57 points in the first half and just 35 in the second half. So it was a different game. Also we did a little bit more offensively and that is the result,” said Reyer coach Neven Spahija.

The team’s stronger defense in the third quarter resulted in seven Prometey turnovers in the period. That came after the guests committed just 1 turnover in the first half and Prometey lost only one ball in the fourth quarter.

Reyer, which committed 15 turnovers, did quite a lot with those Prometey miscues as Prometey only had a 17-14 advantage in points off turnovers. Despite the great turnaround in the third quarter, Reyer did not grab a steal the entire game.

The victory was extra special for Kyle Wiltjer, who poured in 25 points in front of family. His father-in-law was spending his final day in Venice at the game after he and his wife had been visiting to help take care of Walter’s new baby, who is about 4 months old.

“I just wanted to give him a good game,” said Wiltjer. “My mother-in-law and him have been helping with the baby, so they are the real MVPs this last month. I had to have a special game for them.”

Reyer nearly set a competition record with 38 points in that stanza.

Umana Reyer Venice v Prometey Slobozhanske (2024-01-30T19:00:00.000Z)

7bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys took advantage of a major cushion in rebounding - especially at the offensive end - and three-pointers to beat Slask Wroclaw 91-75 and snap a four-game losing streak and thereby stay alive for the playoffs. 

Lietkabelis's three-pointers, offensive rebounds sparked win over Slask

7bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys took advantage of a major cushion in rebounding - especially at the offensive end - and three-pointers to beat Slask Wroclaw 91-75 and snap a four-game losing streak and thereby stay alive for the playoffs.

Lietkabelis won the rebound battle 37-22 and used a 12-4 difference in offensive rebounds to score 17 second-chance points compared to 6 for the guests. It was not a surprise that Lietkabelis enjoyed such an advantage on rebounds as Slask ranked 18th in offensive rebounds allowed with 12.0 per game and Lietkabelis conceded only 8.8 - the second-fewest in the competition.

Lietkabelis offensively was carried by three-pointers, knocking down 13 triples on 28 attempts for a 46.4% clip. Sixth of those three-pointers came in the fourth quarter. The Lithuanian side was ranked third in three-pointers at 39.8% coming into the game.

“Of course, it’s always easier to play when you make your shots. We survived our critical moments in the third quarter. We keep fighting. Those threes came from open shots - not lucky shots. But I think the defense was much better in the last quarter,” said Lietkabelis coach Nenad Canak, whose team took the final frame 28-6. 

“This game was important for us, the fans and the club especially.  A great win,” said Deividas Sirvydis, who paced Lietkabelis with 21 points including 3 three-pointers.

The hosts also shared the ball well with 23 assists. Lietkabelis did commit 15 turnovers, but that was actually better than its season average of 17.0 per game - the most turnovers committed by any team.

The strong display allowed the Lithuanian side to snap a four-game losing streak.

7bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys v Slask Wroclaw (2024-01-30T17:00:00.000Z)

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv snapped a three-game losing streak in the BTK EuroCup at just the right time to secure a top-four finish in Group A and emerge as the favorite to clinch the all-important runner-up spot, which would provide a direct quarterfinal berth.

Hapoel went back to defensive basics as it ended three-game skid

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv snapped a three-game losing streak in the BTK EuroCup at just the right time to secure a top-four finish in Group A and emerge as the favorite to clinch the all-important runner-up spot, which would provide a direct quarterfinal berth.

The 85-91 victory means that Hapoel will finish second with a match to spare if the London Lions lose at bottom team Cedevita Olimpija on Wednesday, otherwise, the Israeli side will likely need to beat Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul in Round 18.

Joventut now has it all to do if it is to snatch a top-four finish and hence home-court advantage in the playoffs, as the Spanish team faces a tough outing at Prometey Slobozhanske in the final regular season game.

Having conceded 100 points or more in their previous three games, Hapoel played aggressive defense from the start at Badalona and its commitment bore fruit as the visitors forced 21 turnovers from Joventut.

That opened up a barrage of fastbreaks and Hapoel’s quick transition came to the fore, with Will Cummings scoring time and again from quick drives to the basket. He racked up 19 points, 3 assists and as many steals, after which Cummings stressed that the change in attitude was pivotal for Hapoel’s crunch win.

“It was all about getting back to the basics and defending, as that was missing,” Cummings said. “We gave up 113 points in the previous game so we came here with the focus that we have to defend. We did a really good job on defense and we’ll try to keep that going forward,” he added.

Head coach Danny Franco relentlessly urged his men during timeouts to keep their feet on the gas throughout the fast-paced contest, knowing that Joventut is a side capable of making big comebacks on home court.

Franco acknowledged that Hapoel had run out of steam in the fourth quarter when Joventut slashed a 58-80 deficit, but heaped praise on his team for holding on.

“We played extremely well for a lot of minutes,” Franco commented. “We had a lot of guys coming back from injuries and we got a little tired in the end, but I give a lot of credit to my players and coaches. Everybody stepped up tonight defensively and now it’s on to the next one.”

Joventut head coach Carles Duran conceded that the hosts were below par and reiterated they faced a do-or-die game at Prometey in the quest to secure a top-four finish. “We missed an opportunity today, but Hapoel played very well and they were very aggressive. We were poor the first 30 minutes and now it all comes down to the last game.”

The visitors forced a barrage of turnovers from Joventut to get in the driver's seat for a runner-up finish.

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv secured at least a top-four finish in Group A of the BTK EuroCup with a game to spare and hence home-court advantage in the playoffs after a vital 85-91 win at Joventut Badalona.

Hapoel overpowers Joventut, 85-91, to clinch top-four finish

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv secured at least a top-four finish in Group A of the BTK EuroCup with a game to spare and hence home-court advantage in the playoffs after a vital 85-91 win at Joventut Badalona.

Hapoel will also be assured of the group’s runners-up spot, which would give the team a bye in the first knockout round of the competition and send it through to the quarterfinals, if the London Lions lose at Cedevita Olimpija on Wednesday.

If the Lions beat the group’s bottom team, they will be level with Hapoel on a 12-5 record and the tussle for second place will go down to the wire, with Hapoel facing Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul in Round 18 while the Lions are at home to Wolves Vilnius.

In Badalona, Will Cummings led a balanced Hapoel effort with 19 points, followed by Xavier Munford who netted 16. Desmine Wells and J’Covan Brown chipped in with 12 each and Jaylen Hoard added 11 for the visitors, who never looked back after they overturned an early 6-2 Joventut lead.

At the other end, Andres Feliz paced Joventut with 19 points, Shannon Evans scored 10, while Michael Ruzic and Tyler Calvin-Cook amassed 11 apiece for the hosts, who committed 21 turnovers against an aggressive Hapoel defense.

Powered by Cummings and thriving from quick movement of the ball on the offensive end, Hapoel fired on all cylinders in the first half as it carved out a 25-45 lead midway through the second quarter on the back of a 15-1 streak. The visitors shot 16-of-24 from two-point range and 5-of-8 from downtown in the opening two periods, having also come up with 6 steals while Joventut committed 12 turnovers.

The home team slashed its deficit to 42-57 at halftime but Hapoel again found another gear after the beak, pulling away to 58-80 early in the fourth quarter as Hoard and Brown took over from Cummings and Munford.

Joventut launched a comeback in the home stretch but Hapoel ultimately held on comfortably to complete the regular-season double over the Spanish side, having beaten them 103-99 at home in the reverse fixture.

The Israeli side is also on the cusp of a direct quarterfinal berth after an impressive display in Spain.

Paris Basketball thrashed Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul 72-95 in Group A in Round 17 on Tuesday. By doing so, Paris mathematically gained the home-court advantage in each playoff game or series it should take part in. 


Paris rounds perfect Regular Season 

Paris Basketball thrashed Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul 72-95 in Group A in Round 17 on Tuesday. By doing so, Paris clinched home-court advantage for every playoff series it takes part in. 

By beating Besiktas, Paris reached another goal that may have appeared unthinkable at the start of the season: beating each and every opponent in Group A. Besiktas was been the only team to beat Paris in the EuroCup this season, registering a 63-68 road victory in Round 8.

Its current 16-1 record allows Coach Tuomas Iisalo's team to play at home for the foreseeable future. Paris already clinched first place in Group A, getting the bye in the eighthfinals round and earning the right to wait for almost two months until its next big game, the single-game quarterfinals on March 26.

"We played a very solid 40 minutes. We had one tough stretch after a great start but we played physical, were disciplined and most of all, we were very solid," Coach Iisalo said after the game. "Lately, we have been up and down and it was great to see us have 40 minutes of consistent performance."

T.J. Shorts had 23 points and 6 assists in Paris Basketball's road victory over Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul.

Shorts leads Paris past Besiktas

Once again, playmaker T.J. Shorts displayed his credentials as a candidate to become the 2023-24 EuroCup MVP, leading his team with 23 points on red-hot shooting (75% 2FG, 75% 3FG, 100% FT), 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 7 fouls drawn for a PIR of 34, earning a chance to challenge for this fourth MVP of the Round honor this season. He has scored 20 points or more seven times this season.

"We knew it was going to be a tough game, Besiktas is a really good team and they've got a great fan base here. I am just proud that everybody stepped up and contributed to the win. It was a solid performance from us. There are still things that we can improve," Shorts said. "We know that going into the playoffs, there is a single-game elimination that we have to prepare for. There are a lot of things that we still need to clean up but I think that today, we took a step in the right direction. We will go back, look at the film and get ready for the next one."

Paris made 34 of 46 two-point shots. Its 73.9% two-point shooting percentage is the seventh-best mark in the EuroCup this season. Paris shot over 70.0% inside the arc for the fifth time this season. All other 19 EuroCup teams combined for seven times over 70.0%. Coach Iisalo and Shorts are taking their free-flowing, fun-to-watch offense to the EuroCup Playoffs!

Coach Tuomas Iisalo's team clinched the best record in the competition with its Round 17 win. 

Paris reigns as regular season's best team 

Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul v Paris Basketball (2024-01-30T17:00:00.000Z)

Umana Reyer Venice rallied from 13 points down to defeat Prometey Slobozhanske 108-92 thanks to a massive turnaround in the third quarter. 

Reyer rallies from 13 down to blow out Prometey in final home game 

Umana Reyer Venice rallied from 13 points down to defeat Prometey Slobozhanske 108-92 thanks to a massive turnaround in the third quarter. Despite being already eliminated from playoff contention, Reyer took the third quarter 38-14 to improve to 7-10 in Group A. The third-period tally was the most Reyer ever scored in a single quarter and the 108 marked a club record for an entire game.

Kyle Wiltjer was Reyer’s leading scorer with 25 points, Rayjon Tucker had 19 points, Amedeo Tessitori collected 18 points and 12 rebounds and Max Heidegger chipped in 18 points. Prometey had won three of the last games but lost to fall to 9-8 and missed a chance to jump to fifth place in the group. Ondrej Balvin poured in 15 points and Gian Clavell had 14 points in a losing effort.

Reyer led 5-2 and 7-5 before Tai Odiase scored 4 points in a 0-8 run as Prometey went ahead 7-13. Oleksandr Lypovyy and Issuf Sanon both hit three-pointers as the cushion grew to 16-28. The score was 18-28 after 10 minutes.

Jeff Brooks converted a three-point play and Wiltjer added a three-pointer to cut the game to 24-30. Brooks drained a three-pointer and the hosts were down just 29-33. Three Andrea De Nicolao free throws had the gap at 32-35. Odiase added 4 more points in a 0-8 surge as Prometey went ahead 32-43. Clavell free throws extended the cushion to 34-47. Illia Sydorov added 4 points for the guests down the stretch and Prometey led 45-57 at the intermission.

Reyer was down 50-61 when Tucker scored 9 points and Wiltjer had 7 points in a 25-7 run to lead 75-68. Lypovyy stopped the rot with a three-pointer but Tucker added 3 free throws and the cushion grew to 83-71 after 30 minutes.

Prometey cut the gap to 85-77, but Heidegger hit a three-pointer and delivered a great assist in pushing the margin to 94-81 with 5 minutes to go. Prometey could not get enough stops and Tessitori knocked down a three-pointer and Tucker converted a three-point play down the stretch.

The team from Venice set a club scoring record along the way. 