Dylan Ennis and AJ Slaughter were the key contributors as Gran Canaria nipped host ratiopharm Ulm 93-94 on Tuesday, combining for 23 second-half points, including the latter’s game-winning shot with 19 second left.

Next-day note: Slaughter, Ennis boosted Gran Canaria in Ulm

Ulm seemed to be in a very good position to win its Round 15 home game in the 7 DAYS EuroCup against Gran Canaria. The German hosts were ahead 88-83 with less than 4 minutes to play and 93-90 entering the final minute. But Gran Canaria reacted in style both times thanks to the backcourt duo of Ennis and Slaughter, who first combined for 7 points in a row that brought their team back in charge, 89-90. Later, right before Artem Pustovyi made it a one-point game, 93-92, within the last minute, Slaughter hit a big basket coming off the dribble with 19 seconds remaining that proved decisive once Semaj Christon of Ulm missed the last shot on the following possession.

Dylan Ennis, Aj Slaughter Highlights vs. ratiopharm Ulm, 03/15/2022

Dylan Ennis Aj Slaughter Highlights vs ratiopharm Ulm

In the end, Slaughter and Ennis finished as Gran Canaria’s top scorers with 15 and 18 points, respectively, but 23 of them came in the second half. Ennis scored 11 in the last 12 minutes of the game, while Slaughter had 12 in the second half.  Both proved too much to handle for Ulm and, as its head coach Jaka Lakovic acknowledged: “The game in the end was decided by the offensive talent of their two guards.”

Slaughter, Ennis boosted Gran Canaria in Ulm

Dylan Ennis - Gran Canaria (photo Larry Langer - Ulm) - EC21-RS15

ratiopharm Ulm v Gran Canaria (2022-03-15T18:30:00.000Z)

Once Joventut Badalona managed to get its perimeter players going on offense, it cruised to a Round 15 home win against Lietkabelis Panevezys. 

Joventut's backcourt steps up after the break

Joventut struggled to control the game rhythm in the first half, as Lietkabelis had managed to stop almost its entire backcourt. The hosts led 36-32 at halftime with big men Ante Tomic, Vladimir Brodziansky and Derek Willis combining for 24 points. Brandon Paul had buried a couple of triples to reach 6 points. The only other backcourt contributors were Albert Ventura and Pep Busquets, who combined for 3 points.

Once Joventut Badalona managed to get its perimeter players going on offense, it cruised to a Round 15 home win against Lietkabelis Panevezys.

Backcourt gives Joventut a boost

Holland made fast friends in his home debut with Bursaspor

Holland had a relatively quiet fight half with 4 points in 10:07 on the floor and Bursaspor trailed by 9 at halftime. When he was called upon to enter the game 3 and a half minutes into the second half, the lead had grown and when Pierre Pelos scored on the ensuing possession, Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse led 48-64 and it looked like the visitors were about to run away with the game. 

And then Holland took over.  He scored three-pointers on three of his team’s next four possessions to give the fans and his teammates hope. Even as Pelos tried to match him shot for shot, Bursaspor had grabbed the momentum and once the Bourg shots stopped falling, the hosts went on a 15-2 to storm back and tie the game at 72-72 by the end of the third quarter. 

Holland started that run with a triple, fed Metin Turen for a layup and scored another basket inside himself before forcing a turnover in the final seconds of the half that allowed Onuralp Bitim to tie it.

Holland has magical second half against Bourg

After exploding for 14 points in the third quarter, Holland made his big contributions in the second half on defense. With Bursaspor up by 1 midway through the quarter, he drew a charge from Bourg star Rasheed Sulaimon. Down the stretch, he sealed the win by grabbing the rebound after Bitim blocked a shot from Sulaimon and making 2 free throws. And then he drew another offensive foul, this time from C.J. Harris, on Bourg’s final possession. 

He finished the game with 20 points on 5-of-8 three-point shooting, 6 rebounds and 1 assist for a performance index rating of 24. It was his highest PIR in a EuroCup game since January 2014 when he recorded 27 for Gravelines Dunkerque. 

What made Holland’s game extra special was that he has only been a Bursa for a few days and this was only his second game – and first at home - since joining the club. And he made sure to let everyone in Bursa, from his teammates to the fans, just what he felt after the game. 

“All my teammates, I can’t thank them enough. This is like my fourth day here. I appreciate them for helping me out. It was just a good win for all of us and hopefully, we keep it going,” Holland said. “The energy \[from the fans\] was crazy. I can't thank the fans enough. They energized us in the third quarter, brought us back and I appreciate them.”

If the relationship between Holland, Bursaspor and their fans continues to blossom, it could be a love story in the making. They get their next chance to shine together on Friday when Bursaspor hosts Umana Reyer Venice in a makeup game from Round 11.

John Holland - Frutti Extra Bursaspor (photo Gran Canaria) - EC21

Frutti Extra Bursaspor v Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse (2022-03-15T17:00:00.000Z)

### Slask Wroclaw head coach Andrej Urlep:

"Unfortunately, our team lacked some energy in the last league game and you could see how much it cost us. We lost the fight on the boards and how they "killed" us in rebounds was simply a disaster. At the decisive moment, when we returned to the game in the fourth quarter, we still had a chance to catch the rivals. However, they got away again thanks to the offensive rebounds, which were the main reason for the defeat that day." 

### Slask Wroclaw player Lukasz Kolenda:

"As a team, we do not pay attention to who won how many games, whether in the league or in EuroCup. We focus on ourselves and first of all, we want the team to look good on the pitch. I remember very well our first game against Hamburg as it was our first win in this competition. It is certainly a strong team that is fighting both in the German league and in EuroCup. However, we are going to Germany to secure our promotion to the play-off phase, and even to be able to fight for the seventh place in our group." 

Here are some insightful comments about the game from the protagonists themselves.

Pre-game quotes: Hamburg vs. Slask

Hamburg Towers v Slask Wroclaw (2022-03-16T18:30:00.000Z)

Andrej Urlep - Slask Wroclaw (photo Wojciech Cebula - Slask) - EC21

### Buducnost VOLI Podgorica head oach Aleksandar Dzikic:

"We want to open the playoffs with a home game, it is not the same if we play (or not) in our gym, packed with fans supporting us, giving us that extra energy every team wants and need. In order to do that, we need to win next two home games. Our next opponent made significant changes, signed experienced players with experience of playing at a high level. We beat them in our first game, but we cannot afford any type of relaxed approach. They have a very experienced coach, very experienced players, and they have no pressure. That's most dangerous type of opponent, and we are aware of it. We are calling our fans to come and help us."

### Buducnost VOLI Podgorica player Marko Jagodic-Kuridza:

"We easily won in the first game, but I don’t expect the same game. First of all, because we are entering the match after a negative streak and three defeats. We have to show a reaction, to win this game at home. We will do our best - we are all healthy and we hope to win in Moraca."

Promitheas Patras head coach Ilias Zouros:

"Budocnoct is a very good team with a lot of depth in their roster. We will need to play hard and stay concentrated during all 40 minutes of the game."

Pre-game quotes: Buducnost vs. Patras

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica v Promitheas Patras (2022-03-16T18:00:00.000Z)

Aleksandar Dzikic - Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (photo Buducnost) - EC21

### Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana head coach Jurica Golemac:

"Virtus Segafredo Bologna is certainly one of the biggest favorites for the final victory in the 7DAYS EuroCup. Recently, they brought two more players to their ranks, who were, in my opinion, the best players in CSKA. We are definitely facing a challenging match and a great challenge. We want to compete with our opponents, but we will have to do our best. We’re going to have to play physically, we need to run well and not lose balls at the same time, and at the same time we need to close out well to get in a position to make them nervous and maybe surprise."

###  Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana player Jaka Blazic:

"We are facing a match against the favorite team to win the 7DAYS EuroCup title, especially if we look at all the reinforcements that have been brought to the ranks of Virtus recently. Our competitors have two players in each playing position, who are among the best in Europe. We can only beat Virtus if our opponents feel uncomfortable, and we can achieve that with physical play in defense. In attack, we have to play focused and patient if we want to get the desired result in the end."

Pre-game quotes: Virtus vs. Olimpija

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (2022-03-16T19:30:00.000Z)

Jurica Golemac - Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (photo Ales Ferves - Cedevita) - EC21

Joventut Badalona had a great defensive effort against Lietkabelis Panevezys in Round 15 in setting a club record. 

Telling numbers: Joventut's defense seals the deal 

Joventut registered a 65-50 victory over Lietkabelis at Palau Olimpic de Badalona on Tuesday Those 50 points marked the fewest Joventut has ever allowed in a EuroCup game. It had previously allowed 51 points in a road victory against another Lithuanian club, Siauliai, on January 22, 2008. Joventut won that game by 38 points and went on to lift its only EuroCup trophy at the end of the season. It was also Lietkabelis's lowest tally in a EuroCup game. Lietkabelis had previously scored 57 points twice - against AS Monaco in 2020 and FC Bayern Munich in 2017.

Joventut limited Lietkabelis to low shooting percentages - 35.7% inside the arc, a new all-time low for Coach Nenad Canak's team, and 19.2% from downtown. The hosts won the battle of the boards by a big margin, 44-32, including 31 defensive boards. Lietkabelis only grabbed 8 offensive rebounds, so only 20.5% of all those missed shots returned to the visitors' hands. All that allowed Joventut to limit Lietkabelis to a PIR of 43, tying its worst mark in the EuroCup. It also registered a team PIR of 43 in a 61-76 loss against Virtus Segafredo Bologna last season.

Vladimir Brodziansky - Joventut Badalona - (photo David Grau - Joventut) EC21-RS15

Joventut Badalona took another step towards clinching first place in Group A by downing Lietkabelis Panevezys 65-50 at home on Tuesday. 

Tomic lifts Joventut over Lietkabelis, 65-50 

Joventut remained undefeated at home and improved to 12-3 in the standings while dropping Lietkabelis to 7-7. Ante Tomic led the winners with 14 points, Brandon Paul added 12 and Vladimir Brodziansky had 11 for Joventut. Djordje Gagic scored 12 and Kaspars Berzins added 8 for Lietkabelis. The hosts led 36-32 at halftime and then improved their defense after the break to put the game away with time to spare.

Gediminas Orelik got Lietkabelis going with a three-pointer. Brodziansky stepped up early for Joventut and Paul struck from downtown for a 7-3 lead. Simon Birgander scored in the low post and Pep Busquets soon boosted the margin to 10-3. Gagic rescued Lietkabelis with a three-point play and got help from Orelik and Dovydas Giedraitis to bring the visitors within 13-10. Willis and Berzins each struck from downtown before Tomic scored down low for an 18-13 Joventut lead. Willis insisted from beyond the arc and Tomic beat the first-quarter buzzer with a tip-in that gave the hosts a 24-15 margin after 10 minutes.

 

Gagic followed a power layup with a jumper early in the second quarter, igniting a 6-0 run that Kristupas Zemaitis capped with a six-meter shot. Tomic rescued Joventut with a jump hook that Tadas Vaiciunas bettered with a triple. Brodziansky kept pushing the hosts, but Berzins banked in a jump hook and Lipkevicius found his first points to bring the visitors within 31-30. Paul took over with a bomb from downtown and Willis matched Zemaitis's jumper with a wild put-back slam for a 36-32 Joventut lead at halftime.

Tomic buried a jump hook soon after the break and Andres Feliz scored in penetration to give Joventut a 40-32 lead. Ribas matched Gagic's jump hook with a mid-range jumper and soon added a three-pointer that made it a double-digit game, 45-34. Paul went coast-to-coast to collect a three-point play and buried one from beyond the arc that broke the game open, 51-34. Lipkevicius tried to change things for the visitors and Berzins added a three-pointer to keep his team within 53-39. Brodziansky answered from downtown and Birgander dunked for a 58-39 Joventut lead after three quarters.

 

Gagic scored around the basket early in the fourth quarter and Giedraitis added a three-pointer that caused Joventut to call timeout at 58-44. Zemaitis sank a mid-range jumper in an 0-8 run that Gagic capped with a free throw for a 58-47 Lietkabelis deficit. Tomic stepped up for the hosts to restore a 62-48 margin with less than 4 minutes left. Little changed after that, as Joventut kept excelling on defense and Ribas buried a catch-and-shoot three-pointer that sealed the outcome, 65-48, in the next-to-last minute.

Ante Tomic - Joventut Badalona - (photo David Grau - Joventut) EC21-RS15

This is what the protagonists had to say after the Round 15 showdown between Joventut Badalona and Lietkabelis Panevezys.

Post-game quotes: Joventut vs. Lietkabelis

### Joventut Badalona head coach Carles Duran:

"It was a good victory with good defense against a strong team. We controlled the rhythm in the first quarter, but didn't control it in the second quarter for different reasons - turnovers, losing rebounds and above all, that Lietkabelis went to the foul line a lot, and that prevented us from getting the rhythm we like to have. The key was that we played better in the third quarter. Above all, we were very good on defense, and that gave us the chance to score easier points. In the fourth quarter, we didn't hit shots and took bad decisions on offense and that made the game slower. We had a good start and broke the game in the third quarter because our defense had better quality and then on offense, we passed the ball better.

"I think we played really good defense in the second half. I don't know if the game was very spectacular, but I think it is a good victory for us. We have to think \[about\] the next game; I want to think about Paris \[Boulogne Metropolitans 92\] and not about the standings. The most important is the next game."

### Lietkabelis Panevezys head coach Nenad Canak:

"It was a very bad second half for us. We scored just 18 points and with that kind of game, for sure, we couldn't do better than we showed today. We controlled Joventut defensively but had a very bad percentage in our shots. We didn't deserve a better result than this result. Congratulations to Joventut"

### Joventut Badalona forward Vladimir Brodziansky:

"We did great on defense and played good on offense. I think we played hard and showed what we can do. It is a really important victory for us. We are really happy - the crowd was here to help us and we are happy. We are trying to stay undefeated at home. The crowd always helps us and that's great."

Carles Duran- Joventut Badalona - (photo David Grau - Joventut) EC21-RS15