### London Lions head coach Ryan Schmidt:

"I’m really proud of our guys. It’s a resilient win for us. Obviously, it wasn’t pretty. We really struggled scoring the ball; we missed a lot of shots that we normally would hit, but I think we buckled down defensively, especially in the fourth quarter.  We’re just trying to stack wins right now and continue to build. I’m really proud of our effort."

### Promitheas Patras assistant coach Charalampis Markopoulos:

"I think we didn’t start the game properly. In the second half, we made a great effort defensively, we controlled the tempo in the third quarter. But in the fourth quarter, despite the fact that we had some good selections, we didn’t score the baskets and as a result, we received the baskets on our defensive end."

Game News

### London Lions center Kosta Koufos:

"It’s great to be above .500 right now. I gotta give credit to our opponent, they played hard tonight. They played very well. I’m glad we came out with a win. We still have a lot of work to do. The guys who came off the bench gave us a lift tonight and that was the biggest thing."

Game Videos

Coach Schmidt, London: 'I'm really proud of our effort'

Promitheas Patras v London Lions (2022-12-06T17:30:00.000Z)

Alpha Kaba has recorded a double-double in each of Buducnost VOLI Podgorica's last four games. He leads the EuroCup in rebounding (11.3 ppg.), and also averages 14.5 points on 66.1% shooting, 1.2 blocks and a PIR of 21.8, which is third in the competition. He has corralled 68 rebounds and is on track to set a competition record for most boards in a EuroCup season

Alpha Kaba, Buducnost: 'We can do amazing things this season'

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica is this season's 7DAYS EuroCup road warrior. It is one of four teams, along with Paris Basketball, Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse and Turk Telekom Ankara, to start the season with a 3-0 road record. Its frontcourt pillar has been center Alpha Kaba, who has recorded a double-double in each of the team's last four games. He leads the EuroCup in rebounding (11.3 ppg.), and also averages 14.5 points on 66.1% shooting, 1.2 blocks and a PIR of 21.8, which is third in the competition. He has corralled 68 rebounds and is on track to set a competition record for most boards in a EuroCup season, which Vladimir Golubovic holds at 202 in the 2013-14 season with Aykon TED Ankara Kolejliler. Kaba said he believes that the EuroCup's competitiveness is what sets the competition apart from others, as he said in this [EuroCupBasketball.com](http://EuroCupBasketball.com) interview. "What I like about the EuroCup is that it doesn't matter which team you play for, there's always great, great intensity. Every game is like do-or-die," Kaba said. "Everybody wants to go get the trophy." 

**Alpha, congratulations on the team's last win in Tel Aviv and your great start to the season. Did you expect Buducnost to do so well right away, especially on the road?** 

 "Honestly, I was expecting even more because we should have won more games and because I think we were missing the chemistry in our team earlier. And that's why maybe we lost those games. But for me, yes, I was expecting even more, but I'm still happy that now we finally found our chemistry and things are going pretty well. So yes, I think we can do amazing things this season."  

**Right now, Buducnost has the best defensive numbers in the competition. Has defense been your focus since the start?**  

"We wanted to be a strong defensive team and we are still trying to improve because we're still missing some stuff sometimes. I will just say that we are not at the level we can be defensively yet, but we are still doing pretty well. So yeah, our coach has really insisted on defense since the preseason. So that's how we want to win games and not just to wait on the offensive side."

Buducnost

I need to be the best rebounder. For me, that's the mindset I have every single season."

**Your rebounds average this season is one of the EuroCup's highest all-time. What's the secret to being such a great rebounder?** 

"Rebounding has always been a part of me. I'm just trying, anytime I can, to go to get the rebound, offensively and defensively. That's one of my best qualities since I started playing basketball. And so I know that every single season, I just need to keep this quality in me and don't let it just go. So every season, for me, I need to be the best rebounder. For me, that's the mindset I have every single season. It's just about that, just being willing to go for the rebound every single time. That's the mindset I'm trying to have. Every time there was a shot, I'm just trying to go get the rebound, you know? And of course, I have some athletic quality, but I'm not just taking rebounds because of that. If you want to have the rebound, you just need to think of it and go get the ball." 

**Against Hapoel, you had your fourth consecutive double-double. In recent years, your numbers are better and better on offense, too. Is that experience or an evolution in your game?** 

"I think it's coming with experience and also with confidence. You know, lately, I've been doing well. I'm just coming off a \[Turkish League\] MVP season last year, so this also helps a lot, having this confidence, even though I can say I always had confidence in myself. So yes, it's just coming from experience, too. Every time I'm trying to improve, improve and every single game, I'm just telling myself, 'You need to do better.'"

**This is your fourth EuroCup season after playing with ASVEL and Nanterre. What do you like the most about this competition?** 

 "What I like about the EuroCup is that it doesn't matter which team you play for, there's always great, great intensity. Every game is like do-or-die. Every game is intense, you feel it in the game, and that's what I really like about this competition. Everybody wants to go get the trophy and I really like it. I don't know, in any competition, you feel some type of intensity, but yes, EuroCup games are maybe even more intense for me. It is a feeling you have when you are on the court."

Alpha Kaba of Buducnost VOLI Podgorica is the EuroCup's best rebounder at 11.3 boards per night.

2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup highlights: Alpha Kaba, Buducnost

 **Is there any team that has impressed you so far or any player that has stood out?**

 "There are always some very good players. I have been following the games and there are a lot of quality players. One of the players I am following is AJ Slaughter, who I played with when I was in ASVEL. He is doing pretty good with Gran Canaria. There are good players in this league and every single game, every single team we're playing against, we always have great matchups. So that's also one of the things I like in the EuroCup." 

**How about Ismael Kamagate of Paris Basketball? I am sure you know him better than most...**

"Kamagate is a really impressive player. He is young and talented, and he's improving every single season, doing better in the French domestic league also because I have been following the league and yes, he is a good player. He had a good game when I played against him and we lost that game, unfortunately. But yes, he is a really good player and I think he's going to be a great player in the future." 

**For a big guy who finishes alley-oops, point guards are always important. How do you like playing with Trae Bell-Haynes and Petar Popovic?** 

 "Oh, I love it. I love it because both of them are really good players. They can pass the ball and do a lot of things on the court and they bring a lot of intensity, offensively and defensively. They are the type of players you really need to have on your team, so I'm really glad to have them by my side. And yes, they are really helping us in a lot of things." 

There are many good teams in this competition. I think that... we can contend to win the trophy.'

**In early February, Buducnost plays in Paris, just a two-hour ride from Blois, your hometown. How much are you looking forward to that game? Will you bring family and friends?**

 "Oh, yeah, that's for sure. You know, I'm really waiting for this game, playing back home. It's going to be a really good feeling. And, of course, as you say, it's like two hours from my place so I'm going to have some of my family coming, some of my friends. And yes, it's going to be a nice game, playing back in your country is always something you really appreciate. So I'm really waiting for this moment."  

**Looking around the competition, which teams do you see as the main candidates to fight for the EuroCup title?** 

"I would say us first, because I really trust in our team and I think we can really do great things this season. And then I was talking about Slaughter playing with Gran Canaria, and that can be a good, good contender, too. They have been playing great and also Bourg en Bresse are playing good. I don't know, there are many good teams in this competition. I think that, in this EuroCup, we can surprise, or we can contend to win the trophy or get to the final."

**What would you consider a good season for you, personally, and for Buducnost?** 

"For me, as I say, we can challenge to go to the final. So I think we need to focus on every single game to reach this goal. And for me, that is what I expect. And then personally, I am just trying to, of course, help my team to go this way. I still try to do what I have been doing lately, and try to help my team win games day by day."

### Buducnost VOLI Podgorica head caoch Vladimir Jovanovic:

"All previous matches in the Eurocup have shown that there is no clear favorite and that every team can win, regardless of the name of the rival. Trento comes to Podgorica in a good mood, having achieved two victories in the Italian championship and they won against Gran Canaria in the EuroCup. It is certain that they will do their best to achieve another victory in a row. So far, we have played better away from home than at our court. I hope and believe that the moment has come to present a good game in front of our fans, to be at a high level in both directions, because that is the basic prerequisite to reach the goal, which is victory."

### Buducnost VOLI Podgorica center Alpha Kaba:

"I think we just need to keep the same intensity we have put in every EuroCup game. It’s all about the energy, and intensity and we are playing at home, so we have to take advantage of it, which we didn’t during the season. And the most important thing is to bring energy to the game."

Coach Jovanovic, Buducnost: 'The goal is victory'

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica v Dolomiti Energia Trento (2022-12-07T18:30:00.000Z)

### Slask Wroclaw guard Justin Bibbs: 

"This will be my first home game after recovering from a really serious injury. I am very happy to be back on court and very excited to play in front of our fans again. Especially since this will be a EuroCup game against a really good team. We will do our best to beat Paris Basketball and get our first win."

Bibbs, Wroclaw: 'I am very happy to be back'

Slask Wroclaw v Paris Basketball (2022-12-07T19:00:00.000Z)

EuroCup Fantasy Challenge tips: Fast risers!

Round 7 is here and, as always, it is another opportunity to improve your team and have better chances to win prizes in the EuroCup Fantasy Challenge, powered by Ardu Prime. As always, three trades are allowed before each round and you can also trade your head coach. Based on what happened in recent rounds, here are our Fantasy Challenge recommendations this week:

[Yago Dos Santos, ratiopharm Ulm](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/yago-dos-santos/012044/) **(10.2 credits)** – One of the many pleasant surprises in the EuroCup this season. Dos Santos comes off a stellar performance against Prometey: 26 points, 10 assists, 8 fouls drawn and a PIR of 39. It looks like it is only a matter of time before he has another monster game like this. Buy him now! 

[Gyorgy Goloman, 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/gyorgy-goloman/011932/)**(8.6 credits) –** Goloman had a great game against Cedevita in Round 6, going for 23 points, 4 rebounds and a PIR of 29, which was more than in his previous five games combined (26 PIR). His off-the-charts shooting percentages (72.2% 2FG, 45.5% 3FG) make him an interesting option at center. 

[Jerian Grant, Turk Telekom Ankara](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/jerian-grant/011204/) **(11.7 credits)** – First, Turk Telekom Ankara is on a five-game winning streak. Second, Grant has been sensational lately, getting 18 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and a PIR of 28 against Promitheas in Round 5. His team faces difficult Gran Canaria and Grant should be ready for a big game. 

[Amar Gegic, Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/amar-gegic/004466/) **(9.9 credits) –** Gegic has been playing well all season, averaging 12.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and a PIR of 12.6. He arguably had his best game of the EuroCup season in Round 5, getting 18 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and a PIR of 27 against Veolia Hamburg Towers. Gegic is only getting better and better. 

[Caleb Agada, Prometey Slobozhanske](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/caleb-agada/011944/) **(11.8 credits) –** Gian Clavell and D.J. Stephens often get noticed, but Agada has been doing an excellent job lately. In the last three EuroCup games, Agada has averaged 18.3 points, 4.3 fouls drawn and a PIR of 18.0, all in less than 19 minutes on the floor. With extra playing time, the sky is the limit.

Yago Dos Santos, Gyorgy Goloman, Amar Gegic, Jerian Grant and Caleb Agada are featured in this week's article.

EuroCup Fantasy tips: Regular Season Round 7

 Kenny Gabriel, Brescia: 'The key for us is to protect the paint' 

### Germani Brescia head coach Alessandro Magro 

"We will face a very talented team that is playing very good, especially at home. They won three EuroCup games at home thanks to their size and talent. They are very organized and aggressive on defense, so we will face a tough defense. We have to move and share the ball on offense to find the best shot possible. On the other side, they are a sizeable team. They can play post-up, they are able to attack using ball screens, so we must be very sharp on ball-screen defense to limit their offense, and we have to prevent and fight on post-ups to try to compete on the road."

### Germani Brescia player Kenny Gabriel

"I think the game is going to be a good one, definitely a good one for us. They have a lot of size, a lot of big bodies. I think the key for us is to protect the paint and get out on their shooters, and then get out and run the transition and just play the way we've been playing these last couple of games. Just stay solid and make sure that we communicate on defense."

Kenny Gabriel, Brescia: 'The key for us is to protect the paint' 

7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys v Germani Brescia (2022-12-07T17:00:00.000Z)

 Carles Duran, Joventut: 'It's a dangerous rival' 

### Joventut Badalona head coach Carles Duran:

"We're coming off a home loss and we have to try to return to adding wins to stay high in the standings. This is a difficult trip to play an opponent whose style of play could be tough on us. They play with a short rotation but those who play have important roles. Patrick Richard is playing very well either at point guard or shooting guard and Leo Meindl is very important for them. What's more, they have players with EuroLeague and EuroCup experience like Nemanja Gordic. It's a dangerous rival."

### U-BT Cluj-Napoca head coach Mihai Silvasan:

"We will face a team that is the favorite to win the 7DAYS EuroCup. They have an amazing tradition and they played many years in the Euroleague. Badalona makes it to the Spanish playoffs every season, but they are a team we want to play against. We hope to have a good game and even win. Our guys are really motivated, we trained well and we are optimistic."

### U-BT Cluj-Napoca guard Nemanja Gordic:

"I believe we will play against one of the top teams in the 7DAYS EuroCup. They play really good basketball and they have experienced players. Badalona has had the same coach for years, which is an advantage. It will be a challenge for us, but we will give our best."

Carles Duran, Joventut: 'It's a dangerous rival'

U-BT Cluj-Napoca v Joventut Badalona (2022-12-07T17:30:00.000Z)

Joventut Badalona big man Simon Birgander will miss some upcoming games after undergoing surgery to repair a broken finger on his right hand.

Joventut loses Birgander to injury

Joventut Badalona big man [Simon Birgander](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/simon-birgander/009682/) will miss some upcoming games after undergoing surgery to repair a broken finger on his right hand. Birgander, 25, suffered the injury in a Spanish League game on Saturday. In six 7DAYS EuroCup appearances this season, he is averaging 7.0 points and 5.7 rebounds in 21 minutes per game. His top performance of the season came in Round 5, when he had 11 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high 5 blocks in leading Joventut to a 54-68 road win at ratiopharm Ulm.

### Umana Reyer Venice head coach Walter De Raffaele:

"In my opinion, Bursaspor is the team that plays the most intense and incisive basketball in the entire EuroCup. Great pace and 86 points per game tell a lot about the effectiveness of their fastbreak and three-point shooting. They were finalists last season. Point guard Needham and guards Clemmons and Bitim are each on the court for over 30 minutes and are able to create a shots in few seconds. Besides these go-to-guys with great offensive talent, a key player for them is Dudzinski, a power forward who plays in the frontcourt and backcourt with the same efficiency and is also an excellent defender and rebounder. We'll need a game of high concentration on the opponent's individual characteristics and intensity for 40 minutes to try to match their competitive spirit."

 

 

### Umana Reyer Venice forward Jordan Parks:

"This is a very important part of our season. We have to work on bouncing back. I think we showed a moment of that in the Brescia game. A strong point for really good teams is being able to play on the road and take advantage at home and we haven’t done that well. I think this back-to-back so quick is gonna tell us a lot about ourselves."

 

Coach De Raffaele, Reyer: 'We need intensity for 40 minutes'

Umana Reyer Venice v Frutti Extra Bursaspor (2022-12-06T19:00:00.000Z)