 Patras reaches playoffs with a 103-105 win in Hamburg 

Promitheas Patras booked a ticket for the playoffs from Group B as it defeated host Veolia Towers Hamburg by 103-105 on Tuesday. Promitheas lifted its record to 8-5 while Hamburg fell to 4-9. The game came in waves, as both teams got momentum that looked decisive, especially Promitheas, but nobody gave up and it all came down to the last shot.

Five players scored in double digits for the winners, led by Joe Thomasson with 19 points. Arnoldas Kulboka added 18, including the final free throw that secured the win. Dustin Hogue scored 17, including a decisive putback, his sixth basket without a miss, while Trevis Simpson had 16 and Nikos Gkikas 11. For the hosts, Yoeli Childs had another double-double performance of 26 points plus 10 rebounds. Anthony Polite added 19 points and Len Schoormann posted 14 behind 4-for-6 three-point shooting.

Anthony Polite had Hamburg going at the beginning with 5 points, but Round 12 MVP Kulboka drained consecutive threes to make it 16-16. The hosts took a 6-0 run, but Thomasson drove to put Promitheas ahead, 23-24. The first quarter ended with Hamburg ahead 26-24 after a three-point play by Polite. Despite its 6 turnovers, Patras kept trying to run under Gkikas, and soon the guests surged ahead 33-39 . Patras built a 38-48 advantage but Ziga Samar and Childs started working together to keep Hamburg alive despite Thomasson's efforts to prevent that. The visitors led 48-54 after two quarters.

Game News

Simpson started strong for the guests in the third quarter, but Polite caught fire soon and that gave Hamburg some much needed momentum. Schoormann hit a three to tie it 69-69 and then Samar copied him to keep it 74-74. A pair of threes by Simpson, the second beating the quarter buzzer, allowed Patras to stay ahead after 30 minutes, 78-81. Gkikas was keeping Patras in the driver's seat until Thomasson made it 88-95 with 5 straight points. Childs took control on the other end and he fed Seth Hinrichs for a suspenseful shot that made it 101-99. Gkikas and Samar traded baskets as the clock went down and it was a Hogue putback that made it 103-104 with 23 seconds to go. In the last long play, Hamburg had the winning shot but young Samar came up short and Kulboka put the win on ice with a final free throw for 103-105 that was worth a playoffs berth for the Greek team.

Game Videos

Promitheas reaches playoffs with a 103-105 win in Hamburg

Veolia Towers Hamburg v Promitheas Patras (2023-01-31T18:30:00.000Z)

### Ioannis Christopoulos, Patras head coach

"Congratulations to my players. They did a great job, not executing but adjusting. I think Hamburg played smart in offense, they shared the ball pretty well, they gave us trouble with rotations we let them shoot some open threes... We adjusted in the second half with the pick-and-roll defense and I think we made good choices at the end of the game." 

"It was an important win for us. We played poorly in defense and we allowed easy baskets, espacially at the beginning of the game. We allowed Hamburg to find rhythm in their offense. I think we did a good job on the pick-and-roll defense, we made our adjustments on the third quarter. In the fourth quarter you could tell it was also an important game for Hamburg, they needed the win. We expected it to be a tough one. All the guys deserve a lot of credit, we played good team basketball."

### Dustin Hogue, Patras player

"We won the game because we had some stops. It sounds kinda funny because we both had more than 100 points, but both teams came out scoring today, so it was about who was going to get that one stop at the end of the game that would make the difference between us. I adjusted to the team pretty quickly because of the group. My temmates trust me and they let me show my talent. They always pick me up after a miss to play better in the next possession, so we have a nice family here."

### Benka Barloschky, Hamburg head coach

"I like the fight in my team. We tried to learn from the Frankfurt game in which we lost control during the second half, we weren't really together as a team. Tonight we had a good team effort, we stuck together for the whole 40 minutes, and there were several moments when we could easily have broken apart and we didn't. I like that, I like our offensive execution. We played a good game on that front following the game plan. On defense... we need to stop teams to win basketball games."

"Spectacular game for the fans. Great game, with a lot of points, a lot of speed and nice offensive execution. I was happy with our offensive execution, I think we followed the game plan in offense. Not just because we scored over 100 points but I'd say that it was our best offensive game of the season so far. On defense we had too many individual mistakes, we got beat too much on the one-on-one. In the second quarter we tried to go for home run plays, the special play, the right play, we talked about this but in the end we allowed Patras to score easily too many times."

### Yoeli Childs, Hamburg player

"When you play against such talented teams, it's not big mistakes that decide a game. It's the little details. Miscommunication on a defensive switch. When the close-outs aren't perfect, talented teams like Patras still manage to convert the shots. We need to get better at paying attention to these details. Our coach is always honest with us and will expect us to focus on working on these adjustments tomorrow in practice.”

### Len Schoormann, Hamburg player

"I would say that we played well. But we still lack consistency. We had a lot of good phases, but still too many bad phases. Especially on defense we don't succeed in constantly stopping the opponent - especially in one-on-ones. If we improve that and also act as a team in defense, we can win games like this. We will continue to work on that tomorrow.”

Ioannis Christopoulos, Patras: 'We adjusted in the second half'

Brescia invades Bourg for 66-74 victory

Germani Brescia denied Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse an early playoff qualification with a masterful 66-74 road win on Tuesday in Group A. Brescia broke a two-game losing streak and raised its record to 6-7 while Bourg, which would have made the playoffs with a victory, fell to 8-5. Brescia also claimed the tiebreak between the two after Bourg won their first meeting by just 2 points. Kenny Gabriel nailed 4 three-pointers for 19 points to lead Brescia, while Amadeo Della Valle added 16, Aleksej Nikolic  and C.J. Massenberg 12 each. Jordan Floyd was Bourg's sole double-digit scorer with 12 points.

Triples from Nikolic and Gabriel around a pair of inside baskets by Tai Odiase let Brescia lead 10-12. Nikolic bettered Jordan Floyd's second three-pointer with his third for a 13-18 Brescia advantage. Alexandre Chassang and Pierre Pelos cut Bourg's deficit and Hugo Benitez hit a layup on the buzzer for Bourg to tie 20-20 after 10 minutes. Maxime Courby's triple gave Bourg a new lead, 23-22, but it remained a cat-and-mouse game, with Brescia pulling away and the hosts chasing. Della Valle and Gabriel filled a 2-9 run for a high Brescia lead until then of 28-36 but Isaiah Mike and Axel Julien changed the moment with triples and Bourg reeled it back to within 39-40 at halftime.

Gabriel's back-to-back three-pointers after the break kept Brescia up and he soon drilled his fourth shot from deep to make it 43-51. Nikolic fed Christian Burns for a dunk to match Brescia's high lead at 49-58, but on cue Bourg cut it to 53-58 on a layup by Pelos on the third-quarter buzzer. Franz Massenat's fastbreak finish and super-long triple suddenly had Bourg within 59-60 early in the fourth quarter. Della Valle calmed the visitors with a jumper and Massenburg kept it going with a triple at 59-65 with under 4 minutes left. Bourg was held to 4 free throws over more than 6 minutes, and when Della Valle fed Nikolic for a corner triple at 62-70 with 35 seconds left, the upset was complete.

Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse v Germani Brescia (2023-01-31T18:30:00.000Z)

 Kenny Gabriel, Brescia: 'I'm real proud of my team' 

### Alessandro Magro, Brescia head coach

"For sure, the key is to stay united. It was a moment when we struggled, we lost a lot of games in a row. But stay united, focus on what we can control, the toughness and the energy for 40 minutes, the loose balls. We were able to build shots, and fortunately tonight, to make shots. Starting from the defense, we were able to do a very decent job, even going over the moment in the game where we had probably too many turnovers and struggled a bit. But we kept being together and that's the key in this moment for us. I'm proud of my players. I'm a players coach. I want to be demanding to them, but I trust them. Everybody, even in the bad moments. the key was to stay together and work, and tonight we got a little joy for doing that."

### Kenny Gabriel, Brescia player

"It was tough. We had a long bus ride. We had dropped a couple of game, a five-game losing streak overall. We just wanted to come out here and fight. We've been down with injuries and stuff, and just fighting through everything. So today, we had nothing to lose. We just wanted to come out and play strong for 40 minutes, and if we win, we win lose we lose. But we wanted to go out with a dogfight. One of our goals is to just advance and get to the highest spot we can in the EuroCup, so ever game from here on out is going to be a dogfight. We wanted to start with the kind of energy we had today for 40 minutes, and we did that. I'm real proud of my team."

Kenny Gabriel, Brescia: 'I'm real proud of my team'

Turk Telekom Ankara fought off visiting, last-place Slask Wroclaw 76-63 on Tuesday night to book a place in the 7DAYS EuroCup Playoffs. A victory improved Turk Telekom's record to 9-4 to become the third team from Group B, after Gran Canaria and Paris Basketball, to punch a playoff ticket. Turk Telekom needed to fight hard for it, however, after it found itself trailing early in the fourth quarter before using a strong finish to register another victory.

Axel Bouteille led the way with 18 points and 6 rebounds. Tony Taylor scored 14, Jerian Grant had 11 points and 7 assists, while Berk Demir had 11 points and 7 rebounds in the win. Conor Morgan collected 17 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists for Slask, and Jakub Niziol netted 12 in a losing effort.

The hosts scored the first 8 points of the game, with Bouteille and Demir each knocking down a triple. Slask replied with a 7-0 run, fueled by Jeremiah Martin, but Turk Telekom did not allow another point for almost 5 minutes as another three-pointer from Demir, and one apiece from Taylor and Nathan Sestina, opened 19-9 after 10 minutes. Niziol and Artsiom Parakhouski got Slask going in the second quarter, fueling a 2-10 run. Bouteille's jumpers helped Turk Telekom keep the lead, and go up 32-24, but the visitors had a strong defensive finish to the half, allowing them to close the gap to within 34-32.

Morgan single-handedly put Slask up 36-39 early in the third, but back-to-back threes from Grant and Bouteille restored the hosts' advantage. A triple from Sestina opened up a 51-44 advantage, but Niziol knocked it down twice from long range on the other end, getting the visitors within 53-51 late in the third. Grant opened the fourth with two buckets to open 59-51 lead. Another 5 points from Morgan, and 5 from Michal Mindowicz, including a triple from each, kept Slask within 64-61. But the hosts did not allow another point for more than 4 minutes, while Taylor, Bouteille and Tyrique Jones put the game away.

Turk Telekom holds off Slask, secures playoffs

Turk Telekom Ankara v Slask Wroclaw (2023-01-31T17:00:00.000Z)

Hapoel Vegan Friendly Tel Aviv is both the hottest team and the scoring leader in its first-ever season in the 7DAYS EuroCup. Shining brightest for Hapoel is point guard [J’Covan Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/j-covan-brown/011991/). The 32-year-old, who is in his second season with the club, leads the EuroCup in assists with 7.5 per game and has already notched MVP of the Round honors twice. 

Hapoel has reeled off five consecutive wins, and a victory on Wednesday over Dolomiti Energia Trento would clinch its place in the playoffs, all of which made Brown an ideal subject as this week’s EuroCup interview. "When I’m on my A-Game, we're one hell of a team to beat. Even when I don’t have great nights, my energy will always be there and I can do other things to impact the game," he said. "I can’t let bad shooting nights interrupt what’s the most important thing, and that’s winning games."

**Congratulations on the win against Turk Telekom. When you were down by 9 points in the fourth quarter, and with all the momentum with them, where did you guys find the strength to turn the game around?**

"Thanks. We always knew that we would have the opportunity to make a run… the game of basketball is a game of runs. It’s about who has the last run. We knew that we had them. We just had to get the right stops and once we got the right stops, it was up from there. X \[Xavier Munford\] led the way. I think he scored all the points in the last three minutes if I’m not mistaken. It’s good to have him on our side. So, those last three minutes were all him on offense. On defense, you know they were making some tough shots. They were having a great night shooting the hell out of the basketball and they’re a great shooting team, but they missed at the wrong time; X was making them at the right time and that’s what we needed."

**What was the mindset going into the game, knowing that you were playing just 48 hours after beating Turkish Airlines EuroLeague side Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in the Israeli League and without three players out due to illness?** 

"Our mindset is the same for every game. It doesn’t matter who steps on the floor: 11 players, 12 players, eight, five players. We feel like we have enough in the locker room to get the job done once everybody is locked in. We knew that it was going to take a team effort from everybody, and Jaylen \[Hoard\] and X played unbelievably for us. That kept us in the game. Credit to them two for stepping up."

**You went viral with the traveling call in the game. What happened?** 

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">J&#39;Covan Brown forgot something😂 <a href=https://t.co/vVQ8ThYbd8>pic.twitter.com/vVQ8ThYbd8</a></p>&mdash; 7DAYS EuroCup (@EuroCup) <a href=https://twitter.com/EuroCup/status/1617968111545905154?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>January 24, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src=https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js charset="utf-8"></script>

"Hahaha. I had so many thoughts in my mind. I was trying to think of a play to call at the moment, the right play for X at the time. And I was looking at Coach thinking about something that Coach was telling me… I don’t know, I just had a bunch of things going through my mind. But it happened. I just laughed. And I knew when the ref called it, I just had to give him the ball because I knew I was in the wrong.

“When I got to my phone, all my boys back home, they were letting me have it. My former teammates were calling me, texting me, checking on me to make sure I’m all right. I enjoyed it. I didn’t take it the wrong way, because I knew I did something crazy and I knew that it was going to be viral."

**Let’s talk about the previous EuroCup game, a win over Paris Basketball. You were the MVP of the Round, tied the EuroCup assists record with 16 and were 2 rebounds shy of a triple-double. Did you know how close you were during the game?** 

"I knew about it for the last few minutes of the quarter."

**It looked like you were playing low on defense to grab those rebounds and looking to get that extra assist.** 

“I was, and that’s the bad thing about it, chasing stats, because once you start chasing it, I think it’s way more harder to get it. I was trying, but it seemed like they started taking the passes away from me. I couldn’t get any more rebounds. If they hadn’t told me anything and just left me in the game the whole fourth quarter, I would have 100% gotten it, easily. Once you start thinking about it, you stop being aggressive on offense. I feel like if I would have just continued to be aggressive, scoring the ball-wise, the passes would have been easier to get that next assist, or 2 or 3 more assists. My teammates knew that I needed 2 more rebounds, but you know, they’re gonna do their job by rebounding the basketball. So, you can’t really fault them."

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">What a performance 🥶<br><br>J&#39;Covan Brown put up a crazy double-double effort last night for <a href=https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>@HapoelTLVBC</a> matching the all-time assists record! <br><br>&#39;MVP of the Round&#39; I <a href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToGreatness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>#RoadToGreatness</a> <a href=https://t.co/XWRajLBFWk>pic.twitter.com/XWRajLBFWk</a></p>&mdash; 7DAYS EuroCup (@EuroCup) <a href=https://twitter.com/EuroCup/status/1616071401793789952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>January 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src=https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js charset="utf-8"></script>

**Hapoel seems to have so many weapons. As the point guard, how do you adjust your game to make sure the offense flows with all the different threats?**

"Just picking and choosing who to get going. I always tell Jordan \[McRae\] and X, just be aggressive with your touches, even if it’s from me, or a rebound or another teammate, just be aggressive with your touches. My job is to make sure that we also get Chief \[Onuaku\] going. He’s a big factor in our team and once he gets going, it’s really difficult to scout us and plan for us. As a point guard, you need to know these things. When to get guys in position to score or who’s the hot man at the moment… and at the same time, I have to be available to take my shots and be aggressive on offense and to make sure that everyone is rolling.

"Everything starts with me with this team. I’m the engine that makes everything go. When I’m on my A-Game, we're one hell of a team to beat. Even when I don’t have great nights, my energy will always be there and I can do other things to impact the game, like rebounding, passing, doing whatever, diving on the floor, taking charges. I can’t let bad shooting nights interrupt what’s the most important thing, and that’s winning games. So, I have to do other things when my shot’s not falling. Everything starts with me and I know that. All the pressure is on me to lead the guys. And it’s a great challenge. So far, I’ve been doing my job."

**Next, you travel to Italy to play Trento, seeking a sixth straight win. A win would already clinch a playoff sport. What are the keys to that game?** 

"Just being ourselves. We know that they’re gonna be a tough team at home, very physical. We just have to stick to our game plan and continue to be who we are as a team, as a unit, and trust in our ability to play within each other and walk out of there with a great road win. I think most of the time, we play our best basketball away. So, I think we have the tools to do it and it’s just the mindset and the will to want to do it when we get there. 

"I just feel like when times are tough for us, that’s when we show our character more. The three games that we’ve lost on the road, we were right there. I missed a game-winner \[at Gran Canaria\]. I think we went to overtime in Hamburg; we missed a shot at the wrong time and they came back and made it. We were right there. At home, we’re gonna take care of home. That’s the No. 1 key. Away, we’re stronger when we’re away, when our backs are against the wall and we get a big win. We find ways to do it."

**Now that you’ve played every team in your group, which teams and players have impressed you the most?** 

"All of them in the EuroCup, you know what I mean? It’s totally different. Everybody in the EuroCup is hungry. I really like Turk Telekom and their guards, \[Tony\] Taylor and \[Jerian\] Grant. And I like the guards from Paris, \[Juhann\] Begarin and \[Kyle\] Allman. I like those guys." 

J'Covan Brown highlights with Hapoel Tel Aviv 2022-23

**You played in four different countries before you first came to Israel, and now this is now your sixth straight season in Israel. What do you enjoy about life and basketball in Israel?** 

“The weather. The weather is perfect out here! I feel like I’m still in Texas. And the people out here are great. By far, the most easiest outgoing people to be around. And I enjoy that. That’s why I’ve made it my home."

**Hapoel has some of the best traveling support that we’ve ever seen in the EuroCup. What do those fans mean to you and the team?** 

"We know that we have by far the best fan base. These fans are not just traveling to London or Paris or Italy, they do it even when we’re out here playing in the Israeli League. Those fans are out there supporting us in wins, losses. Don’t matter what. They’re here every step of the way and \[they are\] what gives us the motivation to go out there and fight for them the way we fight for ourselves. To give them something, for the way they’re spending their money traveling, to give something back to them, and that’s a win."

**Finally, what do you and the team need to accomplish for this season to be considered a success?**

“Championships. We gotta win the EuroCup and we gotta get the Israeli championship. We gotta get one of them at least. If not, I feel like we failed as a unit. Especially as a point guard, as a leader, I failed."

J’Covan Brown, Hapoel: 'I’m the engine that makes everything go'

Do you know the story of a Slovenian guard who came up with Olimpija Ljubljana, moved to Real Madrid, and was hailed as of the top prospects of his generation? No, this is not about Luka Doncic, even if the path of Ziga Samar is similar.

Hot on the heels of Doncic, another player from Slovenia, two years younger than him, moved to Spain. He won the 2019 Adidas Next Generation Tournament and he is the next big thing out of the Balkan country. And while it's unfair for anyone to be compared to a generational talent like Doncic, Samar is already leaving his mark on the 7DAYS EuroCup, where he plays with Veolia Towers Hamburg on loan after signing last summer with traditional German power ALBA Berlin.

[MORE...](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1456594/ziga-samar-emerging-as-the-next-big-guard-from-slovenia/)

Ziga Samar emerging as the next big guard from Slovenia

Fantasy tips for Round 13: Stars and newcomers! 

ratiopharm Ulm v Frutti Extra Bursaspor (2023-02-01T18:30:00.000Z)

U-BT Cluj-Napoca v 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys (2023-01-31T17:30:00.000Z)

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana v Umana Reyer Venice (2023-02-01T19:00:00.000Z)

Dolomiti Energia Trento v Hapoel Vegan Friendly Tel Aviv (2023-02-01T19:00:00.000Z)

Gran Canaria v Paris Basketball (2023-02-01T20:00:00.000Z)

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica v London Lions (2023-02-01T18:00:00.000Z)

Prometey Slobozhanske v Joventut Badalona (2023-02-01T17:00:00.000Z)

Hello again! The good news is that we've made it to the EuroCup Playoffs already. Obviously, you want to make the playoffs, it is important, but I think in this format where 80% of the teams make the playoffs, we want to play at home. But the most important thing is to be playing our best basketball when it comes to playoff time. We clinched the playoff spot with a road win against London Lions. That was my first time in London, so that was a fun experience. And it seems like an organization that wants to and continues to grow, so I'm excited to see what direction they head in the next couple of years. I had some time to walk around, very briefly. I was able to see Buckingham Palace and Big Ben! 

"That was my first time in London, so that was a fun experience... I was able to see Buckingham Palace and Big Ben!"

Paris Basketball and London Lions were invited to play the EuroCup, and both teams have played better and better as the season has gone on, which I think is normal given that everything is new for them. I'm sure they have had to make adjustments. When it comes to London, I think adding Jordan Taylor and having a healthy Sam Dekker has helped that team and they have played better and better as of late. I think for organizations that are just starting, they are adjusting to everything and seem to be taking the right steps, but it is still very early for them as clubs, so I'm sure the more experience they gain, the more they will continue to learn and grow.

Of course, the goal is to finish first in our group. We have three more home games and play twice on the road. Obviously, it would be nice to be to finish first in our group but, I think it's most important is to be playing our best basketball during the playoffs. I think last year we were in a position where I believe we finished first in our group. We weren't playing our best basketball at that time and we lost. In this format, 80% of the teams make the playoffs and it's single elimination in the playoffs. So I think playing at home is nice, but it's most important to be playing your best basketball at the right time. 

2022-23 EuroCup highlights: John Shurna, Gran Canaria

At this point, we are just focusing on ourselves and trying to play, trying to improve as a team and play better basketball. We went through a tough point at the end of November and the month of December and we have played better the last couple of games, so hopefully, we can continue to build off that and continue to make steps in the right direction. Our next EuroCup game is against Hapoel in Tel Aviv. It should be fun. That's another team that's been playing really well as of late and has great fans traveling around with the team. I am looking forward to it. They seem to be getting more comfortable playing with each other and a lot of their players have stepped up and are playing well. 

I don't know if you know, but club legend Sitapha Savane is our new president. Taph is someone who you think of when you think of Gran Canaria, even prior to him becoming president of the club. You hear Taph's name and you have to admit, it's probably one of the first names, if not the first, you think of when you think of Gran Canaria basketball. So I think his passion and love for the club and the island has been great for us. He is someone who's always kept a close eye on Gran Canaria and really cares for this team, this club and this island. And he has been working very hard at his job, now as president of the club. Taph has been a leader most of his life, starting from going to the Naval Academy to all his teams. I think he's been one of the leaders on his team. Now, the role has changed from wearing a jersey to wearing a suit, but he's still a leader, and he's someone who cares a lot for this club. He wants to see it do well and works extremely hard to do what's best for the club. 

"It would be nice to be to finish first in our group but, I think it's most important is to be playing our best basketball during the playoffs."

So far, we've made it to the Copa del Rey tournament and are first in our EuroCup group. Every game is important in the Spanish league, too. If you are not playing your best basketball each night, it doesn't matter where you're standing. If you don't come out and play your best, you're going to lose. We have experienced it, so each game is important. And then in terms of the EuroCup, it does come down to playing good basketball come playoff time. We will play a derby against Tenerife in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals. It will be a tough test for us, but the Copa is a great event and it should be a great atmosphere, especially in a derby game. 

But first things first, we will try to beat Hapoel in Tel Aviv! Wish us luck!

Promitheas reaches playoffs with a 103-105 win in Hamburg

Ioannis Christopoulos, Patras: 'We adjusted in the second half'

Brescia invades Bourg for 66-74 victory

Kenny Gabriel, Brescia: 'I'm real proud of my team'

Turk Telekom holds off Slask, secures playoffs

J’Covan Brown, Hapoel: 'I’m the engine that makes everything go'

Ziga Samar emerging as the next big guard from Slovenia

Fantasy tips for Round 13: Stars and newcomers!

John Shurna, Gran Canaria: 'Each game is important'