Ben Saraf took a while to get going, but once he did he ended up having a crucial role in ratiopharm Ulm's Round 10 win over Trefl Sopot.

Trust helped Ben Saraf, Ulm pull out 'ugly' win

It might not have been pretty, but [ratiopharm Ulm](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/ratiopharm-ulm/ulm/) protected its home floor and after a subpar first half [beat visiting Trefl Sopot 83-69](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/ulm-muscles-its-way-to-victory-over-trefl-sopot-83-69/).

The key to the win was definitely Ulm's defense, which allowed 40 points in the first half but then picked up in intensity after the break and held the visitors to just 26 points until the last second of the second half, with Trefl scoring a buzzer-beating triple to end the game.

"Proud to get a win, even if it was a little bit ugly," admitted Ulm head coach Ty Harrelson. "I thought we played a fantastic defense in the second half."

His team's defense forced 21 turnovers in the game, including 7 apiece in each third and fourth quarters.

[Karim Jallow](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/karim-jallow/005422/) played his best game of the season with 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 assist, but it was [Ben Saraf](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/ben-saraf/011437/) who got Ulm's offense going.

Apart from being an 18-year-old leading the team, Saraf's performance was even more so impressive considering he was scoreless until there was 3:32 left in the third quarter. He was 0 for 8 on two-pointers until that point, and had no assists.

"I just kept playing my game," Saraf explained after the game. "Maybe in the beginning the shots did not go in, but I trust myself, and I am happy my coach and my teammates trust me to just keep doing what I do."

Saraf finished with 15 points on 7-for-17 two-point shooting, along with 3 assists and 2 steals.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">𝙈𝘼𝙉 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙈𝘼𝙏𝘾𝙃 𝘼𝙇𝙀𝙍𝙏 📣<br><br>Mit vollem Körpereinsatz hat Noa heute alles gegeben und ist verdient euer Man of the Match. 🏀<br><br>Verpasst Noa nicht bei unserem Weihnachtsspiel am 14.12. gegen Heidelberg 👉 <a href="https://t.co/ddyd2TdQB8">https://t.co/ddyd2TdQB8</a><br><br>📷 Florian Achberger <a href="https://t.co/RsSuKB8bWT">pic.twitter.com/RsSuKB8bWT</a></p>&mdash; ratiopharm ulm (@ratiopharmulm) <a href="https://twitter.com/ratiopharmulm/status/1864045335435165978?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

His contribution was all more important because just a minute after Saraf made his first shot, Ulm's other teenage star [Noa Essengue](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/noa-essengue/011391/) had to leave the game due to an injury after landing awkwardly and getting hit in his groin area. He had 14 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists in 21:50 minutes, and even finished the game as Ulm's most productive player.

The teenagers got the job once again, as Ulm now sits with a 6-4 record in Group A.

Game News

The German outfit came out on top against Trefl Sopot

ratiopharm Ulm v Trefl Sopot (2024-12-03T18:00:00.000Z)

KK Cedevita Olimpija put on a show as it beat U-BT Cluj-Napoca in Round 10 of the EuroCup season.

Cedevita Olimpija offense shined, dominated offense rebounds against Cluj

[Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/cedevita-olimpija-ljubljana/lju/) scored a season-high 103 points in an important win over [U-BT Cluj-Napoca](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/u-bt-cluj-napoca/clu/) as its offense seems to be coming into its own, thanks in large part to a big performance on the offensive glass.

Cedevita’s last two games have been its top scoring games this season and its [103-96 triumph against Cluj](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/cedevita-olimpija-wins-shootout-with-cluj-at-home-103-96/) gave the Balkan side a 6-4 record, including two victories over Cluj to own the tiebreaker.

“We knew it was a big game for us. We beat them in the first game so we knew they would come in and try to get revenge. We just knew we had to stay together, play hard, dig deep and find the energy we needed. And we got it done tonight,” said [Devin Robinson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/devin-robinson/012042/), who led the way with 25 points.

Cedevita, which had scored 95 points in Round 9, drained 40.0% of its three-pointers versus Cluj while grabbing 12 offensive rebounds – both being higher than its season averages.

Zvezdan Mitrovic’s team had been scoring 83.2 points per game – a big jump of 19.8 points above its average. The team also had been averaging just 31.1% on three-pointers – ranked 14th in the league. And Cedevita also did a good job on the glass with 12 offensive rebounds – 2.0 more than its average, which was 16th in the EuroCup.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="cs" dir="ltr">🐉 Z 🐉 M 🐉 A 🐉 G 🐉 A 🐉 <a href="https://t.co/LQXGT0ZuZG">pic.twitter.com/LQXGT0ZuZG</a></p>&mdash; Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (@KKCedOL) <a href="https://twitter.com/KKCedOL/status/1864044764728832227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Cedevita also did well against Cluj’s defensive rebounders, who had only allowed 10.4 offensive rebounds per game – good for seventh. But it shouldn’t be a major shock that Cedevita was on target from the outside, given that Cluj gives up 36.0% on three-pointers – ranked 16th in the league.

The offensive rebounds at the other end also played a major role. Cluj ranked seventh in offensive rebounds at 11.3 per game and Cedevita conceded 11.8 offensive boards a game – ranked 18th. But Mitrovic’s men did a strong job and gave up just 6 offensive rebounds.

Coach Mitrovic’s men outscored their average output by 19.8 points

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana v U-BT Cluj-Napoca (2024-12-03T17:30:00.000Z)

CB Gran Canaria was able to lean on Caleb Homesley, Mike Tobey and Nico Brussino as it beat Dolomiti Energia Trento 70-81 in Round 10.

Homesley, Tobey and Brussino showed they are a cut above at Trento

Just three [Dreamland Gran Canaria](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dreamland-gran-canaria/can/) players reached double digits in points at Dolomiti Energia Trento on Tuesday night, as [Caleb Homesley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/caleb-homesley/011251/), [Mike Tobey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mike-tobey/008966/) and [Nico Brussino](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/nicolas-brussino/008121/) ensured the Spanish team didn’t trip in a potential banana skin fixture.

Gran Canaria led by as many as 16 points in the third quarter – and again in the fourth – before [coming away with a 70-81 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/gran-canaria-comes-out-on-top-at-trento-70-81/), the side’s third in a row in the BKT EuroCup. Still a game back of the 8-1 Bahcesehir College Istanbul, the leader in Group A, which plays on Wednesday, Jaka Lakovic’s squad now have an 8-2 record and are reminding everybody of their talent.

Tobey was the one who got Gran Canaria going early, netting all 11 of his points in the first half, while Homesley had 13 of his 15 points in the second and third quarters. Brussino, meanwhile, did a bit of everything throughout, finishing with 10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🔥 Y tan tranquilo. Caleb completa otro gran partido y suma un nuevo MVP <a href="https://twitter.com/toyotacanarias?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ToyotaCanarias</a>:<br><br>✅ 15 puntos<br>✅ 3 rebotes<br>✅ 2 asistencias<br>✅ 19 de valoración <a href="https://t.co/5Ysb6qWJQS">pic.twitter.com/5Ysb6qWJQS</a></p>&mdash; Dreamland Gran Canaria (@GranCanariaCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/GranCanariaCB/status/1864055579997560998?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

There are still eight games remaining in the EuroCup regular season, but you would have to be a brave person to bet against Gran Canaria going far this season. Everything is building for a mammoth game in Istanbul against Bahcesehir in Round 12 on December 17, and it seems as though Coach Lakovic has his players fully understanding their roles.

In fact, 10 of the 12 players who featured against Trento on Tuesday night played 12:26 minutes or more, showing the depth of options that Gran Canaria has available and, most importantly, the team’s ability to keep its star players healthy for the decisive stretch of the season.

Even if it was Tobey, Homesley and Brussino who stood out most in Round 10, it could easily be three other players in Round 11. Gran Canaria was unable to retain its EuroCup title last year, but it is eyeing a second championship in three years, and it is certainly on the right track.

Dolomiti Energia Trento v Dreamland Gran Canaria (2024-12-03T19:00:00.000Z)

Dreamland Gran Canaria has improved to an 8-2 record in Group A after defeating Dolomiti Energia Trento 70-81 on the road in Round 10, with the hosts dropping to a 3-7 mark. Jaka Lakovic’s men led for the final 25:30 minutes of the contest to come out on top, having also beaten Paolo Galbiati’s squad 84-81 back in Round 1.

Caleb Homesley was Gran Canaria’s leading scorer on the night, finishing with 15 points, and he was joined in double figures by Mike Tobey on 11 and Nico Brussino on 10. Trento’s Jordan Ford ended up scoring a game-high 17 points, with Anthony Lamb netting 16, and Myles Cale had 12.

Game Videos

Tobey scored Gran Canaria’s first 4 points of the game, but Cale soon stepped up for the hosts by netting 7 points to make it 10-10. Lamb and Ford helped put Trento five points ahead, 15-10, but Homesley, Brussino and George Conditt helped tie things up at 17-17. However, Trento held a 22-19 lead at the end of the first quarter after a three by Toto Forray and a couple of free throws by Ford and Jordan Bayehe.

When Lamb went a perfect 3 for 3 from the line to start the second period, Trento led 25-19. Yet, 5 straight points by Tobey and a tip-in by John Shurna quickly saw Gran Canaria go 25-26 ahead. Quinn Ellis hit back to give the hosts a 27-26 edge, and Lamb’s three made it 30-29, but that would prove to be Trento’s last lead on the night. A 10-0 Gran Canaria run put the visitors in charge at 30-39, and they did enough to go into the halftime break with a 40-45 advantage.

Gran Canaria swelled the lead with an 11-0 run to start the third quarter, which made it a 40-56 ballgame and completely took the air out of the arena. There was a fightback by Trento after a timeout, with the hosts reducing the gap to eight points, 48-56, but Homesley stepped up to ensure it was 56-66 after 30 minutes.

Carlos Alocen netted the first six points of the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 16 points once more, 56-72, and Gran Canaria was rarely threatened from there on out. There was a three-pointer by Lamb followed by 4 points by Ford, which cut the gap to eight points, 70-78, but there were only 30 seconds left at that point. Joe Thomasson sealed the win in style for Gran Canaria by stealing the ball and racing away for a dunk to set the final 70-81 scoreline.

The Spanish side won both of its games against the Italian outfit this season

Gran Canaria comes out on top at Trento, 70-81

ratiopharm Ulm has now won back-to-back games in the EuroCup after beating Trefl Sopot 83-69 in Round 10.

Ulm muscles its way to victory over Trefl Sopot, 83-69

ratiopharm Ulm used a strong second half to register an 83-69 win over the winless Trefl Sopot on Tuesday night. This win improved Ulm to a 6-4 record in Group A, while Sopot is still bottom with 10 losses in as many games. 

Karim Jallow led Ulm with 16 points, and Ben Saraf scored all 15 of his points in the second half. Noa Essengue had 14 points and 7 rebounds before exiting with an injury in the third quarter, and Nelson Weidemann added 13 in a victory. Marcus Weathers had 16 for Sopot, Jakub Schenk netted 14, while Geofrey Groselle scored 11 and Aaron Best finished with 10.

Weidemann hit a pair of long-distance shots for Ulm to open the game, as the hosts kept in front despite Groselle scoring 8 points, all from close range, for Sopot. A layup from Jallow and a dunk from Essengue extended the margin to 15-8, but Nick Johnson nailed a long two and Andy Van Vliet a triple, before Schenk's 4 points tied it at 19-19 at the end of the first 10 minutes.

Weathers scored a pair of baskets at the start of the second to put Sopot ahead. Tobias Jensen had 5 points for the hosts, but Sopot found a way to get to the foul line often, and shot 6 of 6 to open a 25-31 margin. A triple from Justinian Jessup got Ulm's offense going, sparking an 8-2 run to tie the game. But Van Vliet nailed another three-pointer and Weathers a tough jumper, as the visitors took 38-40 into halftime.

The scoring slowed down in the third quarter as Ulm stepped up defensively. A three-point and triple by Jallow restored Ulm's lead, as the hosts went on a 12-2 run. Saraf opened his account with 3:32 left in the third, and after Van Vliet nailed another triple, Isaiah Roby and Saraf made sure the hosts held a 58-50 lead after 30 minutes.

Ulm continued with defensive intensity in the fourth and despite Schenk's crazy banker, Saraf hit a pair of jumpers that helped extend it to 67-57. Johnson had a three-pointer for the visitors and Weathers muscled his way inside, but Philipp Herkenhoff nailed a triple in between Saraf's jumpers to extend it to 76-64. Schenk kept Sopot's hope alive, but only briefly because Weidemann's three-pointer made it a 15-point affair, sealing the deal.

The German team has now chained two wins together in the EuroCup

KK Cedevita Olimpija secured its second win in succession in the EuroCup by defeating U-BT Cluj-Napoca 103-96 in Round 10.

Cedevita Olimpija wins shootout with Cluj at home, 103-96

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana started the second half of the regular season with an important 103-96 home victory over U-BT Cluj-Napoca for its second straight win in Group B. Cedevita fought off every challenge to sweep the season series with Cluj, having taken the road game 86-93 to hold the tiebreaker. 

Cedevita improved to 6-4 with Devin Robinson scoring 25 points, Brynton Lemar totaling 23 points and Devante Jones and Jaka Blazic both adding 15 points. Cluj had been in excellent form with five wins in the last six games, but now have a 5-5 record. Mareks Mejeris’s 17 points and Zavier Simpson scoring 16 points were not enough for the road team. 

Cluj started going inside to Zach Hankins early and the big man had six points in opening a 7-11 lead. Lemar answered with seven straight points to put the hosts ahead 14-11. Adam Mokoka came up with six points at the other end and Cluj went up 19-20. Cedevita led 24-23 after 10 minutes. 

The early part of the second quarter saw both teams drain three three-pointers – two each by Mihai Maciuca for Cluj and Blazic for the hosts, who trailed 33-34. There were 10 lead changes before Lemar’s third triple gave Cedevita a 43-39 cushion. And three Aleksej Nikolic free throws extended the margin to 46-40. The home side was up 50-46 at the break. 

Cedevita tallied the first six points of the second half to take the biggest lead of the game at 56-46, as Cluj failed to score for the first 3 minutes of the third quarter. Maciuca and Sasu Salin drained back to back triples at the other end and the deficit was four points. An 11-5 spurt made it a 10-point game again, and triples by Blazic and Martinas Geben pushed the advantage to 75-63 after three quarters. 

Cluj had the better start of the final frame with a 3-10 run to pull within five points. Robinson and Jones combined for 12 points to keep Cedevita ahead 90-82. A DJ Seeley three-pointer and Karel Guzman dunk brought Cluj back within 90-87, but Robinson punched back with a three-pointer and Cedevita made 10 of 10 free throws in the final 119 seconds to lock up the win. 

The Slovenian side sweeps season series with the Romanian outfit

Check out what the protagonists are saying ahead of Round 10 of the BKT EuroCup, and who might be missing in action.

Round 10: Pregame quotes and injury reports

## Tuesday, December 3

### Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana vs. U-BT Cluj-Napoca (18:30 CET)

**Zvezdan Mitrovic, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana head coach**

"Every game is important for us. Cluj is a strong opponent with a great reputation. They had a slower start to the season but have now found their rhythm and are on a winning streak. The team is well-coordinated. We surprised them in Romania in the first round of the competition. I expect a challenging game, especially since Cluj had time to prepare, as they didn’t play in their domestic league, unlike us. We returned to Ljubljana on Sunday from Čačak. We’re trying to prepare well for our opponents and ensure our players are informed about everything. Tuesday’s game will undoubtedly be tougher than the matches against Hamburg and Borac. We need to maintain a good rhythm and respond to all the challenges we’ll face on Tuesday. Our defensive play has definitely reached a higher level after the break. We build our offense from our defense, even if, like against Hamburg, our shooting percentage wasn’t great. On Tuesday, we’re facing players with experience at a higher level, so it will be a tough task. We’re certainly a bit more fatigued than our opponents, so our energy and freshness in defense will be crucial. We have a lot of work ahead of us."

**DJ Stewart, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana guard**

"We know this will be a tough game, and from the first meeting, we know the kind of game they like to play. We’ve watched videos of their games and created a plan for Tuesday, which we need to follow. We’ll need help from the stands. I invite all fans to join us and cheer us on. After the break, we’ve been playing with a lot of energy. Everyone rested well during the pause. Now we’re back in the gym, working hard, motivated, and determined to win."

**Mihai Silvasan, U-BT Cluj-Napoca head coach**

"We are ahead of another important game. We have the same record and they won against us in the first game. We want to bounce back, play well and win this one. We need to have the right mindset in order to get a victory. Everybody is healthy, we are full of energy and we are looking forward to playing there and winning the game!"

**Adam Mokoka, U-BT Cluj-Napoca guard**

"It will be an interesting game, tough for sure. We lost our first game at home against them, so we definitely need this one on the road. It will be a tough match up, they are athletic, they also got our former teammate Andrija Stipanovic. It will be a special feeling about this one, but we have to get the job done."

### ratiopharm Ulm vs. Trefl Sopot (19:00 CET)

**Andy Van Vliet, Trefl Sopot forward**

"They're obviously a really great team, doing well in the German League right now and doing well in the EuroCup. They got us last time. Hopefully we can go over there and get our first win of the season in the EuroCup. It would be big for us. It was a close game last time, so hopefully we can make it a close game again and tip it in our favor."

### Dolomiti Energia Trento vs. Dreamland Gran Canaria (20:00 CET)

**Jordan Bayehe, Dolomiti Energia Trento center**

"For me it will be a special game, because the first game against Gran Canaria was my first game in the EuroCup. On that occasion we had played very well, starting off strong, but then they were able to raise the level and, thanks to a few too many mistakes, we were unable to bring home the win. Gran Canaria is in a very good moment of form and, like us, played on Sunday; therefore, both teams will come to the game with intense rhythms. It will be a very complicated test, but the charge that the victory against Napoli gave us and the warmth of the Trentino crowd will be a fundamental boost to face such a strong and structured team."

## Wednesday, December 4

### Bahcesehir College Istanbul vs. Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius (17:00 CET)

**Alessandro Magro, Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius head coach** 

"We have to go there and try to compete physically. Bahcesehir is a team that can destroy the flow of the opponents, starting from the defensive side. They have qualities in the offensive players. We need to stay focused, stay together for 40 minutes and not give them the chance to have a run and break during the game. The most important thing from the start of the game is a proper physical and mental approach."

**Arnoldas Kulboka, Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius forward**

"It will be a very tough game. The Bahcesehir team plays good basketball both in the BKT EuroCup and the Turkish League. They have a great roster, with some players who could easily compete in the EuroLeague. We will try to bounce back after last week’s loss. In Istanbul, we need to play physically and communicate better on defense. We cannot lose focus throughout the entire game."

### 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys vs. Turk Telekom Ankara (18:00 CET)

\--

### Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv vs. Joventut Badalona (18:45 CET)

**Dimitris Itoudis, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv head coach**

"We’re facing an opponent that can play in various styles of basketball. They’re extremely well-connected, they have experienced players who are used to competing at the highest level in the EuroLeague, and recently, they managed to beat Real Madrid in the Spanish League. Overall, it's a very demanding game. We are in the process of finding our chemistry and automations in our offensive and defensive game. With all this said, we understand the importance of the game. We are going to fight until the end and compete at the highest level."

**Bar Timor, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv guard**

"We're heading into the game after an important win in the league, determined to keep the positive momentum going and kick off the second round of the EuroCup on the right track. Badalona is a tough opponent, but our focus is on ourselves and what we bring to the court."

**Dani Miret, Joventut Badalona head coach**

"In the last few weeks they have made a lot of moves. They have added Yam Madar, a EuroLeague-level point guard. They have Patrick Beverley, who we already know, and now we will find a totally different team, because a new coach like Itoudis has arrived. We must be prepared, play well in a game that will be very difficult. They are one of the teams that will be a very competitive project in the EuroCup, and we must go there and do better than in the last game in Europe."

**Injury report, Joventut:** Kaiser Gates, Miguel Allen and Michael Ruzic are out.

### Aris Midea Thessaloniki vs. Umana Reyer Venice (19:00 CET)

**Ioannis Kastritis, Aris Midea Thessaloniki head coach**

"It’s a very challenging game with high demands. Reyer seems to be finding their rhythm. \[Tyler\] Ennis is back, and we all know how important player he is for them. They are a very athletic team, especially at the '3' and inside. Given the absences we will have once again, it will certainly be a highly demanding game. We need to be ready to give more than 100%. In any case, we must be as competitive as possible in one-on-one situations, whether it’s individual defense or fighting for rebounds."

**Landers Nolley, Aris Midea Thessaloniki forward**

"We want to capitalize on the momentum we’ve built from the big game we played last Sunday. We could have responded either with a win or a loss, but fortunately, we came out victorious. Now, we aim to respond with another win tomorrow."

**Neven Spahija, Umana Reyer Venice head coach**

"It’s an important game for both teams. They have new players compared to the first leg. Playing in Greece, in front of those fans, is tough for anyone. It’s been a long time since I was last in Thessaloniki, but their support is always a key factor and will put us under great pressure. We must stay on our path, playing solid defense and maintaining pace on offense. This will be our third away game in six days; we’re a bit tired, but we’ve also worked on specific recovery strategies for the players. I believe we’ll continue to play good basketball, but winning there won’t depend solely on us. It will be tough, but as always, we’ll never give up."

**Carl Wheatle, Umana Reyer Venice guard**

"It will be a tough game for us, in a hostile environment and against a team that needs a win. We want to extend our positive momentum; we’re playing well and are highly motivated to win the game in Thessaloniki. Defense is our key and starting point: if we perform well individually and as a system, we’ll have a better chance of taking the win. On offense, we’ll need patience and ball movement to find our rhythm."

**Injury report, Aris:** Vassilis Toliopoulos and Lefteris Bochoridis are out for 3-5 weeks with first-degree strains in their calves.

**Injury report, Reyer:** Xavier Munford (knee) and Juan Manuel Fernandez (thigh) are out; Rodney McGruder (knee) is a game-time decision.

### Buducnost VOLI Podgorica vs. Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul (19:00 CET)

\--

### Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse vs. Veolia Towers Hamburg (19:30 CET)

**Frederic Fauthoux, Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse head coach**

"Hamburg is a team that likes to attack and is gaining strength in the competition, it won't be easy, but the objective is to seek victory at home."

**Brandon Paul, Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse guard**

"It’s a good team, they are talented and young. Winning against them will be difficult, it's up to us to put in the intensity to get this victory."

**Benka Barloschky, Veolia Towers Hamburg head coach**

"We saw spikes in the first half of the group stage, which were the games against Ankara and Thessaloniki. Good games at the start against Valencia and Bourg-en-Bresse, in which we showed that we can also pose a challenge to the best teams. But heavy defeats were also part of the picture. Across all the games, it's clear that if we play our basketball for 40 minutes with a full line-up, we're very competitive. That's exactly what we want for the second half of the season. Because I think we have the potential to attack again. We also want to give ourselves this outlook. We have goals that we want to achieve."

### Valencia Basket vs. Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem (20:45 CET)

**Pedro Martinez, Valencia Basket head coach**

"\[I expect a\] much harder on defense, on offense we are going to find more difficulties and surely tomorrow we will not play with the three-point shooting percentages we had the other day, or the number of shots we had the other day. I assume that it will be a game more in the mud, with a lower pace, we will not be able to run as much counterattack as the other day, because they will not let us. We have to be prepared for a game with fewer points, surely tomorrow the game will go in a different direction and we have to be prepared for the kind of game we will find. They have improved a lot, they are in a very good dynamic. They are a team that defends very well, very aggressive, they are a fantastic team in the back and then these two players, \[Jared\] Harper and \[Khadeen\] Carrington, are really difficult to defend”.

Valencia Basket v Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem (2024-12-04T19:45:00.000Z)

Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse v Veolia Towers Hamburg (2024-12-04T18:30:00.000Z)

Aris Midea Thessaloniki v Umana Reyer Venice (2024-12-04T18:00:00.000Z)

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica v Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul (2024-12-04T18:00:00.000Z)

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv v Joventut Badalona (2024-12-04T17:45:00.000Z)

7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys v Turk Telekom Ankara (2024-12-04T17:00:00.000Z)

Bahcesehir College Istanbul v Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius (2024-12-04T16:00:00.000Z)

In an extensive interview with Javier Gancedo of EuroCupBasketball.com, U-BT Cluj-Napoca star Zavier Simpson discussed how he believes he can keep excelling at both things and just be a better basketball player as his career continues. 

Zavier Simpson, Cluj: 'We are finally starting to click'

[U-BT Cluj-Napoca](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/u-bt-cluj-napoca/clu/) rallied from a 0-3 start in Group B to win five of its next six games and climb to 5-4 in the standings. Point guard [Zavier Simpson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/zavier-simpson/013302/) has been at the heart of its resurgence, excelling at both scoring and passing the basketball to help Cluj to a winning record at the midway point of the regular season. 

Simpson has averaged 18.1 points on strong shooting (57.7% 2FG, 41.7% 3FG, 82.7% FT), 3.9 rebounds, a league-leading 7.2 assists and a PIR of 21.6. Though he didn't have his best scoring night in Round 9 against Aris Midea Thessaloniki, Simpson recorded his first career double-double with 14 points and 10 assists. 

In an extensive interview with Javier Gancedo of [EuroCupBasketball.com](http://EuroCupBasketball.com), Simpson discussed that he believes he can keep excelling at both things and just be a better basketball player as his career continues. 

**Hello, Zavier. What a comeback! Cluj is 5-4 in the upper part of the standings. What was the key to winning that back-and-forth battle against Aris?** 

"Thank you. We got some stops late in the game and we just ran the transition, getting easy buckets. I felt like some guys, like Adam \[Mokoka\] came up pretty big by knocking down shots, making some plays and just being aggressive. Obviously, in the EuroCup, there are some ups and downs and teams are going to make runs. You may go back and forth like we were doing during the game as well, but just executing the game plan from the coaches and playing together is key, especially down the stretch. And I feel like that's what we did. I feel like now we are finally starting to click. I still feel like we have some room for improvement, but now I feel like we finally found continuity. It feels more in rhythm. 

"I believe in our last 9-10 games, we are 8-2, including our domestic league. So we just want to keep it rolling. We played against a good team, I liked it better than what the record shows. In the EuroCup, every game is important and now, we are over .500. That's the most we can ask for. We just want to take game by game, get better every single day in practice and just be able to play together."

"For the most part, we are rolling right now, which is all we can hope for."

**That was going to be my next question, you started the season with a 0-3 record. Was it bad luck because you played against strong teams right away, or did you guys need time to gel a little bit?** 

"I almost feel like it was a collaboration with a lot of things. We were unhealthy as a team and had just got DJ \[Seeley\] back who was here last year. Pat \[Richards\] was coming slowly off his injury. He wasn't always there. Zach \[Hankins\] was coming and was almost 100% from his injury. Obviously, the starting point guard myself is getting used to this EuroCup style, the atmospheres, things of that nature. So I'm not going to blame it on injuries because I felt like those games were also winnable, but also at the same time, \[Cedevita\] are a really good team, really good coaching staff, really good game plan, phenomenal organization. Valencia came from the EuroLeague so that obviously speaks for itself. And Bourg lost last year in the EuroCup Finals, which also again speaks for itself. So we played against two great organizations, two great teams with phenomenal players, and just with that collaboration, us to kind of get our chemistry with guys coming in, guys kind of like almost there health-wise, a new guy coming in, a new point guard... So I feel like it was a bunch of things. But at the same time, we don't want to tip our hat off to those teams that beat us. We don't want to disrespect them in any way, shape or form or try to say it's because of injuries or things of that nature. But they are really good teams and we were glad we were able to face them early so we were able to see where we were at. But yeah, I felt like we lost two tough games to those teams and kind of just felt like we bounced back but still got some improvements to do, still got some winning, some catching up to do. But for the most part, we are rolling right now, which is all we can hope for."

**Cluj is your first team in Europe, not just in the EuroCup. How much fun is it to play here in general and in the EuroCup in particular?**

"It's really fun. It kind of reminds me of the college basketball atmosphere, as far as just the prep: you have two, three, maybe four days of preparation for the next game. The fans are phenomenal, the energy, the atmosphere is pretty crazy, whether it's a home game or away game. So it's lit, I enjoy it a lot. Obviously, I'm still getting used to it, still adjusting slowly but surely. But for the most part, I'm enjoying myself. Just trying to embrace it every single day." 

**Patrick Richards has been there for a long time and is the team captain, playing point guard like you. How much of a mentor has he been for you?** 

"It's phenomenal having someone who has been there, who is a vet not just on the court, but also off the court, who is able to show me the way and help me out with things that I may know or things I may need help on. Being able to have a guy like him, being the captain of the team like I said is great. I'm very appreciative to be able to have that captain, be able to lead and guide me through ways that I'm still learning as I go."

"Trust me, you will definitely see more hook shots as we go."

**You were nicknamed "Captain Hook" in college for your ability to hit hook shots, something very rare to see in point guards. Truth is, we haven't seen many of those in the EuroCup. How come you are so good at hook shots?** 

"It comes from, I believe, my freshman or sophomore year in college. Our college did an open gym and it kind of felt natural, so I began just to work on it, and that's when it kind of developed. Then it became off the same foot, same hand. I became more creative with it as I progressed and got over to my career to make it a more efficient shot. I haven't done it much this year, but I am definitely taking some hook shots this year, for sure. Not as much as I was usually shooting. It's just still trying to get to my spots and pick and choose my spots and different things on the court. But trust me, you will definitely see more hook shots as we go."

**Over the years, you broke high school and college records in points and assists. What comes first for you, points, assists or it depends on the game flow?** 

"I feel like it depends on the game flow, but I feel like naturally, I'm more of a traditional point guard. And over the last year, maybe a year and a half, I kind of developed into a scoring role. I just felt like I've been working on my game so much. I do a lot perfecting my craft and just kind of studying different players to help my game that it just became easier. It's not like I haven't been scoring in past years, but I have always been a pass-first point guard and now, I continue to add more to my game. And on one part, I feel like what was missing from the past 4-5 years of my career was maybe just scoring the ball from different levels and different angles and different shots. And each year you constantly see me adding new things.

"Since my freshman year of college, I am constantly seeing my stats, improving attempts, improving percentages, improving efficiency from each year, so that's kind of what I've been focusing on, just trying to see what I can do to help my game be better. And I feel like scoring has opened up not just for myself, but also for other teammates because guys know I can pass and things of that nature, but which I still can be doing, which I still obviously do, but at the same time just looking to add more towards my game.

"I just want to be able to reach my potential, reach my peak and be the best basketball player that I can be. And if that leads sometimes to the defense forcing me to score the ball or forcing me to shoot or forcing me to do different things, I want to be able to go into those situations comfortable, because obviously if they are going to be games that you may be hot, you may have a phenomenal percentage from the free throw line, the three line, two-point field goal percentage as well. But then there are also going to be games where it just doesn't fall, not because you are incapable of doing it, just because that's just how it works sometimes. I have been shooting really good this year and having been efficient and in the game \[against Aris\], I didn't have so much of an efficient night for us maybe scoring the ball, but still being able to get in there and have 10 assists and being able to lead my team with defensive stops and having energy and making sure we get the dub, which is much more important. It's just something that you just have to realize with basketball, and just with life in general, that there are gonna be some good days. There are going to be some high days, some low days. Just got to be in there to find a way to stay consistent with your routine and just being able to get through it to the best of your ability."

**Let's talk about Cluj, then. We see 10,000 fans in the stands in every game. How cool is it to play in such an atmosphere?** 

"It's phenomenal. Our fans show up pretty much day in, day out. Just being able to go into an arena like that where you know your fans are going to be very supportive, they are going to be going crazy for you in the crowd and just cheering you on, it's always phenomenal. So I am very appreciative of our fans, shout out to the Cluj fans and hopefully they can continue to show up. Well, hopefully we can continue to win, continue to keep giving them a reason to come and support us. But for the most part, it's been phenomenal having a crowd, a fan base that we have."

**You have always been around basketball ever since you were a kid. How was your life growing up in Lima, Ohio?** 

"Basketball was very important. That's all I pretty much knew was basketball. My dad was a high school coach, freshman high school coach, JV coach, ABA coach, college coach at a small college in the area, varsity coach. My coach! He was my coach growing up since maybe fourth grade. So I was around it pretty much my whole life and kind of knew that the steps I'm taking now was going to be a part of my journey, and I'm just looking to continue to progress forward in the best way I can."

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**Now you will play the next three teams against those teams that beat you in the beginning of the season: Cedevita, Bourg and Valencia. How much are you looking forward to it now that the team is ready and playing much better than before?**

"I'm looking forward to it. Those are really good teams, but we want to just take it one game at a time. So we got Cedevita on Tuesday and we want to be able to just go into practice over the few days before we play them, making sure we are sharp, make sure we are going to the arena knowing that they beat us, but also knowing that we want to continue to build a consistent habits amongst our team, amongst ourselves so we are able to use those habits when it's time. But for the most part, just taking one day at a time, not getting too overly hyped up, excited or things of that nature and just being able to execute the game plan from the coaches and go out there and play hard, play smart, play together and hopefully that can lead to a win." 

**Still, there must be some bigger goals. Is that going to the playoffs and being more ambitious than before?** 

"That's definitely the goal. Anything I do, my goal is to be the last person standing, the last team on top, but obviously, it's going to come with some roadblocks and things of that nature in between. I definitely don't want to get ahead of myself and have high expectations, not just for myself, but also for the team this year. But at the same time, I don't want to get too ahead of myself. I want to continue to respect the game, respect the organization and players and coaches who have been here before me, and I'm just really trying to get some wins to put ourselves in the best position. And obviously when that time comes, hopefully we can be in the playoffs. And obviously, when you are in the playoffs, no team is going in there looking to not win the playoffs. So I guess we can just leave it at that."

More Zavier Simpson News

The first-year guard is enjoying a breakout season in the EuroCup

Fantasy expert Javier Gancedo offers his recommendations for Round 9 of the EuroCup Fantasy Challenge.

Fantasy tips, Round 10: A new start in many ways

Round 10 is a special one in the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup season. Other than a postponed game, every team has played against each and every opponent in their group, which means scouting reports will be better from now on and finding advantages will be more difficult. 

There are still some very interesting players in the EuroCup Fantasy Challenge. Here are my recommendations for this week.

Kyle Wiltjer, Noa Essengue, Jared Harper, Landers Nolley and Jean Montero are featured in this week's article.

EuroCup Fantasy tips: Round 10

### Jean Montero, Valencia Basket (11.6 credits) 

[Jean Montero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jean-montero/010042/) is the man of the moment, leading high-scoring Valencia lately. He comes off a tremendous performance against Bourg: 19 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists and a career-high PIR of 28. After being off-target from downtown at the start of the season, Montero buried 6 of 14 three-point shots in the last two games. If Montero keeps hitting long-distance shots, the sky is his limit. 

### Jared Harper, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem (15.5 credits) 

Montero may be the man of the moment in the EuroCup but [Jared Harper](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jared-harper/011970/) is the man of the season, leading the competition in scoring at 23.1 points per game, burying 47.1% three-pointers and 88.2% free throws (despite taking over 10 attempts per game). He is also sharing the ball (5.8 apg.), leading the EuroCup in PIR (29.2). Harper plays against Valencia, his former team, in Round 10. 

### Landers Nolley, Aris Midea Thessaloniki (9.4 credits) 

After missing a couple of games due to injury, [Landers Nolley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/landers-nolley/013249/) returned with a spectacular performance against Cluj, getting 22 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals and a PIR of 25 despite missing all six of his shots from beyond the arc. Nolley has proved to be able to score in many different ways and also contributes in a lot of aspects of the game. He's a very good option in fantasy. 

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### Noa Essengue, ratiopharm Ulm (9.4 credits) 

[Noa Essengue](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/noa-essengue/011391/) turns 18 this month and his numbers are amazing for a player his age. He is also shocking everyone with his versatility, quickness and jumping skills. Essengue averages 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 0.9 blocks and a PIR of 18.0 in less than 24 minutes per night. He had a PIR of 20 or higher in five games this season. At 9.4 credits, Essengue is a must-have player.

### Kyle Wiltjer, Umana Reyer Venice (11.3 credits) 

[Kyle Wiltjer](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/kyle-wiltjer/008052/) has been rock-solid in the last three games, averaging 18.7 points on 14-of-15 free throws, 4.0 fouls drawn and a PIR of 19.3. He stepped up against Lietkabelis, getting 22 points on 7-of-8 two-pointers and 8-of-9 free throws, 6 rebounds, 7 fouls drawn and a PIR of 24. Wiltjer is being more aggressive and it is showing in his stats. He's still cheap at just 11.3 credits. 

Fantasy expert Javier Gancedo offers his recommendations in this latest round of the EuroCup Fantasy Challenge