Promitheas Patras point guard Abdul Gaddy checks in before a crucial week for his team with the latest post on the EuroCupbasketball.com blog.

Abdul Gaddy, Promitheas: ‘We still have a chance’

For us, this is the most decisive part of the EuroCup season. We still have a chance, so we are focused on that. It's been a tough season. We lost some close ones, some games we wish we could have closed better. There was an adjustment to Coach Zouros. It's been tough, but I think that we are a team that wants to focus on the moment and right now we have an opportunity. So we want to focus on the next game at home against a really good Ulm team, very well-coached with great players. We beat them before, but we know that was a bad game for them. So we want to focus on each game and try to win each one if we can. We really have to stay in that moment because that's the only chance we have to make sure that we give ourselves an opportunity to make it. 

The break was actually good just to get everybody healthy. I was able to be here and get individual work. Our coach coached the Georgian national team, so he wasn't here, but he did come up with a great plan for us to do some individual skill work and improve so that we could be ready to go. But most of the guys were here and then some of our Greek guys with the national team, so they were getting good work there as well. So we should be prepared.

"We want to focus on each game and try to win each one if we can."

We have to make the most of our strengths. Our coach loves to play inside. It is a very old school style, but it is effective for us, we go inside a lot. We play out of our post and we do a lot of action out of that. And our two centers, Dario Hunt and Jerai Grant, are very, very unique and very talented players around the rim, ready to make a pass out of the post. They do a lot of things, so it's been really effective for us.

I am sure Nikolaos Rogkavopoulos surprised a lot of people, too. He has a ton of upside, has good size, good length. He can shoot it, is very confident, and he's improving each and every day. And one thing I really, really appreciate about him is that he loves the game of basketball. He doesn't let a lot of things deter him from that. He has a lot of passion. So he's willing to come in and work every day. So when you have that in a young guy, the sky's the limit for him. So he's a really good player for us and I know he's young and he has a long career ahead of him.

Abdul Gaddy Highlights

During the EuroCup break, I got to walk around Athens a little bit. I visited some of my good friends on other teams. So it was a good little break basketball-wise, just to be able to see the city and socialize a little bit. I am sure you know Okaro White, who plays for Panathinaikos. We know each other and played in Bologna together, so we were able to catch up. Steven Gray of Peristeri, too. We've known each other for a very long time, he is one of my closest friends. I was able to go around and see the Acropolis and eat some good food. I went to the Patras Castle to see some of the sights. It was really nice and I enjoyed it. 

But now, we are preparing for the game against Ulm. It's going to be tough. They've got good players. They have good playmakers, good big guys and athleticism. They are a really good team and they are very well coached. I played against their coach when I played in Germany, too, and they are very well-coached, they play hard. So we are going to have to be prepared. It's not going to be like our last game against them, so we have to come in and prepare for them. And Coach does a really good job of video and preparing and knowing their stuff. So we will be prepared. It's going to be about us coming in and playing really hard against him and hopefully being at home will help us. 

"It's always an adjustment and it's always intriguing to see how your style is compared to other teams."

Coach does a good job only focusing on whoever's in front of us, so we're really going to focus on Ulm now even though we play Cedevita two days later. And then once the Ulm game is over, we go to the next opponent. I know it's a short turnaround, but it's just too difficult to focus on another opponent when you have a tough one in front of you, so you only can focus on them because that's a win you have to get. We have to get this win first and then we can focus on the next. So that's kind of our focus right now, just Ulm. 

The EuroCup is really good. It's a very high level of basketball. It's a different style of play than the Greek League and there are so many good teams. That's the one thing that people respect about it. There are good teams and every time you play, there are no off nights or anything like that. It's like you're going to battle. Even if you're playing a team that doesn't have a great record, they are good. They may have lost by one or two points a couple of times and that's just how it is. I really respect the league, they run it really well. They have been very professional as far as handling all this stuff off the floor as well, too. So it's been an amazing experience. 

Another thing that I like is the different playing styles. That is pretty cool. And it's always an adjustment and it's always intriguing to see how your style is compared to other teams. When we play a team from Italy, it is different from playing a team from Germany or Spain. They all bring different aspects and you have to adjust and see whose style wins out. That's a great part about basketball, too. That's why it's so worldwide and it brings the world together.

I really hope we can reach the knock-out rounds. It is always a motivation to have those opportunities and to just to be able to play and get wins. When you play the game, you want to respect the game and as a competitor, you want to go out and win every game. We always have that extra motivation just to go out and prove ourselves each and every day and create more opportunities.

### Cedevita Olimpija head coach Jurica Golemac:

"Buducnost, who we know well, is coming to us in Stozice. We will definitely have to play good defense, above all we will have to raise the level of aggression if we want to parry our rivals. I invite all the fans to come and help us in these home games because we will definitely need help from the stands. We have to do our best on the home floor to record a new victory in the 7DAYS EuroCup, which would make it easier for us to continue the season."

### Cedevita Olimpija player Zach Auguste:

"In the past three games against Buducnost we didn't get the chance to beat them, so we have to come to this game locked in, determined and focused. We have to put a lot of focus on defense. Our offense will come, as we're a very talented team. We really have to focus on our defense and try to get the win."

Pre-game quotes: Olimpija vs. Buducnost

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana v Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (2022-03-08T19:30:00.000Z)

Jurica Golemac - Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (photo Larry Langer - Ulm) - EC21

### Partizan NIS Belgrade head coach Zeljko Obradovic:

"We have the experience of playing this way, a new game 48 hours after the previous one, and that is not something we gladly remember. We played an extraordinary game against Hamburg, and then 2 days later a game in ABA League very poorly. There was a lack of energy and that is what we will talk about with the players tonight at practice. Let's think about who are the ones who should start the gamr and give energy to play a good game again. Lietkabelis played very well against us in Belgrade. They are a team that has great three-point shooters, they play very smart in offense, they use that quality to be a shooting team. Except for Gagic, when he plays on the center, all other high players shoot for three. We need to decide that segment of the game, how we will defend their "pick and pop" game. That is something that is very important. "

### Partizan NIS Belgrade player Kevin Punter:

"We have an important game ahead of us and we don’t have time to be tired. We need to make sure we get an easy and important win. In comparison with the game against Lietkabelis in November, we are not a different team, but we are defintely different, so it’s going to be a different game and we will be much more aggressive than we were in the last couple of games. A key for the win will be sticking together, sticking to the game plan, staying focused all 40 minutes and play hard."

Pre-game quotes: Lietkabelis vs. Partizan

Lietkabelis Panevezys v Partizan NIS Belgrade (2022-03-08T17:00:00.000Z)

Zeljko Obradovic - Partizan NIS Belgrade (photo Dragana Stjepanovic - Partizan) - EC21

### Promitheas Patras head coach Ilias Zouros:

"The game against ratiopharm Ulm is a game where we need to be very concentrated and competitive since we come back to game action after the break of the National team windows and had a few absences from practice because of injuries and Covid cases. We will need to control the tempo of the game and come out to play with high level of energy."

### Promitheas Patras player Dimitris Agravanis:

"Our game plan is to keep fighting! We are still in the run to push for a qualifying spot. Every game is a final for us! Starting from the game against ratiopharm Ulm."

### ratiopharm Ulm head coach Jaka Lakovic:

"We will play against a strong opponent who plays very structured offense and knows what they want in each possession. They have a lot of quality in the front and backcourt, if we want to be successful, we will have to be solid defensively and build our confidence from there. It’s an important game for both teams, so we will do our best to win the game."

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

Pre-game quotes: Patras vs. Ulm

Promitheas Patras v ratiopharm Ulm (2022-03-08T17:30:00.000Z)

7DAYS EuroCup is back in action this week with a slate of 10 games spread from Tuesday through Thursday. 

Round 14 at a glance: The stretch run begins 

Three different teams have a chance to mathematically qualify for the eighthfinals in a week that will also see three regional clashes between teams that have already played each other three times this season.

## Group A

[Lietkabelis Panevezs vs. Partizan NIS Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/lietkabelis-panevezys-partizan-nis-belgrade/U2021/134/)

The Round 14 opener will see Partizan NIS Belgrade (9-4) pay a visit to Lietkabelis Panevezys (6-6). Partizan has lost its last three road games and now goes to Cido Arena where Lietkabelis has won four consecutive games, a run that includes wins over group leader Joventut Badalona as well as Boulogne Metropolitans 92. It will be a special night for Lietkabelis head coach Nenad Canak and star center Djordje Gagic, both of whom have worn the Partizan uniform – Canak also served as a head coach there.

[Slask Wroclaw vs. Dolomiti Energia Trento](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/slask-wroclaw-dolomiti-energia-trento/U2021/132/)

The two teams sitting at the bottom of the Group A standings will clash in the first game of Wednesday's slate when Slask Wroclaw (2-10) welcomes last-place Dolomiti Energia Trento (1-12). A loss would mean all but mathematic elimination from the playoff race for either team. Trento's only win of the season came in Round 5 when it pulled out an 81-77 overtime decision over Slask and it will hope to repeat the feat, albeit on the road where it is winless this season.

[MoraBanc Andorra vs. Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/morabanc-andorra-joventut-badalona/U2021/135/)

MoraBanc Andorra (7-6) will host Group A leader Joventut Badalona (11-2) in a clash of two Spanish League sides. Joventut won their Round 5 game 90-80, but Andorra won both of their domestic clashes, including a dominant 91-72 win a month ago at home behind 20 points from Oriol Pauli. Andorra can secure a playoff berth with a win and some help. On the other hand, a road win would secure Joventut – the team with the best record in the competition – home court in the first round of the playoffs and inch it closer to securing home-court advantage throughout the knockout stages.

[Boulogne Metropolitans 92 vs. Hamburg Towers](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/boulogne-metropolitans-92-hamburg-towers/U2021/133/)

Boulogne Metropolitans 92 (8-5) will put its four-game winning streak on the line when it hosts Hamburg Towers (5-7). Metropolitans have already booked its playoff spot, but a regular-season sweep against Hamburg would further solidify its position in an attempt to secure home-court advantage in the eighthfinals. Three of Hamburg's five wins have come away from home and the team has won two of its last three road games.

## Group B

[Promitheas Patras vs. ratiopharm Ulm](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/promitheas-patras-ratiopharm-ulm/U2021/138/)

Last-place Promitheas Patras (3-9) hosts ratiopharm Ulm (6-7) on Tuesday in dire need of a win. It will be the first of two games in three days for Promitheas, which does not have many more credits left to use sitting at the bottom of Group B, two wins behind the eighth-place team with six games to play. Ulm is a streaky team that wins or loses games in pairs. It has won or lost two in a row six times this season. It arrives for this one on a two-game losing streak and will try to avoid making it three in a row for the first time this season.

[Mincidelice JL Bourge en Bresse vs. Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/mincidelice-jl-bourg-en-bresse-valencia-basket/U2021/136/)

Mincidelice JL Bourge en Bresse (5-8) will continue its push for the playoffs when it hosts Valencia Basket (9-4) on Tuesday. Valencia can become the first team from Group B to qualify if it wins. Even if it loses, Valencia can qualify if Ulm and Bursaspor both lose this week. However, Bourg has won three of its last four games to climb up the standings and has been very successful at home where it won in four of its last five games and it will look to continue that trend.

[Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana vs. Buducnost VOLI Podgorica](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/cedevita-olimpija-ljubljana-buducnost-voli-podgorica/U2021/139/)

When Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (5-7) hosts its fellow Adriatic League side Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (8-5) in the Slovenian capital, it will be the first of the two games Cedevita will play in 48 hours. Cedevita will look for its first win against it is against its regional rival. Buducnost has defeated Cedevita three times already this season, including a 91-60 drubbing in Round 5. However, expect nothing like that in this one, especially since Buducnost has lost three of its last four while Cedevita is looking for its first three-game winning streak of the season.

[Umana Reyer Venice vs. Virtus Segafredo Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/umana-reyer-venice-virtus-segafredo-bologna/U2021/140/)

In the all-Italian League derby, Umana Reyer Venice (7-5) welcomes Virtus Segafredo Bologna (7-6). It is the fourth time these two meet this season and Virtus has won each of the previous three meetings so far, including a 90-84 decision in Round 5. Virtus will arrive in Venice as close as full strength it has been this season after the returns of Milos Teodosic and Kevin Hervey, but Reyer has arguably been the hottest team in the competition, a winner in five of its last six games, and each of the last three. On Wednesday night, Reyer will try to extend that run to four games with its first win over Virtus this season.

[Gran Canaria vs. Frutti Extra Bursaspor](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/gran-canaria-frutti-extra-bursaspor/U2021/137/)

Gran Canaria (9-4) intends to protect its home floor when Frutti Extra Bursaspor (4-8) comes to town. Gran Canaria knows it can qualify if it wins this game. However, when this game tips off on Wednesday night to close out Round 14, Gran Canaria might already be qualified; that happens if Ulm and Bourg both lose on Tuesday. Bursaspor, on the other hand, plans to be a tough cookie and build on its inspiring performance last Thursday, when led by season-high 37 points by Andrew Andrews, it took Segafredo Virtus Bologna down to the wire.

[Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana vs. Promitheas Patras](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/cedevita-olimpija-ljubljana-promitheas-patras/U2021/90/)

In a rescheduled Round 9 game, Cedevita hosts Promitheas on Thursday. With both teams on short rest, how they performed two days earlier will be very important for both sides. Cedevita will have the advantage of home court and not needing to travel between its two games, but it will need to show that extra energy against Promitheas, which is set to play every game until the end of the season with its back against the wall.

Balcerowski (2.16 meters, 21 years old) was the 2021 EuroCup Rising Star after posting 6.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.7 blocks as a reserve for Gran Canaria. He improved as the season went on and posted 10.5 points and 6.0 rebounds for a PIR of 13.5 in the EuroCup Semifinals. Balcerowski is a product of the Gran Canaria youth system, which he joined from his native Poland at age 14. He started the current season on loan with Mega Basket and was worth 8.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 19 minutes over 16 games in the Adriatic League.

Gran Canaria bolstered its frontline by bringing Aleksander Balcerowski back from loan. 

Gran Canaria brings Rising Star Balcerowski back from loan

aleksander-balcerowski-herbalife-gran-canaria-photo-metropolitans-olivier-dalmeida-ec20.jpg

Virtus Segafredo Bologna has added talent and experience for the stretch run of the 7DAYS EuroCup season by inking playmaker Daniel Hackett until 2024. Hackett was signed last Thursday and registered on Monday, roughly 36 hours ahead of the EuroCup signing deadline.

Virtus lands star guard Hackett

Hackett (1.96 meters, 34 years old) arrives from CSKA Moscow, where he averaged 8.5 points on 40.3% three-point shooting and 2.6 assists in 22 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games this season. He earned back-to-back EuroLeague MVP of the Round honors this season, getting performance index ratings of 26 in Round 20 and 38 in Round 21 in wins against Panathinaikos OPAP Athens and LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, respectively. He helped CSKA win the EuroLeague title in 2019 and reach the Final Four in 2021. Hackett also led CSKA to two VTB League titles in 2018 and 2021.

"I will put all my experience and commitment to repay this team's trust," Hackett said on Sunday. "I see that this club is bending over backward for its team, and you feel the desire to return to where Virtus deserves to be, at the highest European levels."

<CENTER> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">First day in the office 🤙🏼✔️<a href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/thisisVirtus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>#thisisVirtus</a> <a href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/thisisUs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>#thisisUs</a> <a href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/LBA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>#LBA</a> <a href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/TuttoUnAltroSport?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>#TuttoUnAltroSport</a> <a href=https://t.co/L7PPff2HOL>pic.twitter.com/L7PPff2HOL</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Segafredo Bologna (@Virtusbo) <a href=https://twitter.com/Virtusbo/status/1500580231568138242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>March 6, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src=https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js charset="utf-8"></script></center>

Hackett started his career with Benetton Treviso of his native Italy, and also played for Scavolini Pesaro, Montepaschi Siena and AX Armani Exchange Milan of Italy, Olympiacos Piraeus of Greece and Brose Bamberg of Germany. Hackett won back-to-back Italian League titles with Siena in 2013 and Milan in 2014, and also lifted the Greek League trophy with Olympiacos in 2016. He helped Olympiacos reach the EuroLeague Championship Game in 2017, too. 

Virtus Segafredo Bologna, with all its key players in place, seemed to be cruising towards victory against Frutti Extra Bursaspor on Thursday night in their rescheduled Round 10 game. But in the end, the team needed heroics from veteran swingman Kyle Weems to register the victory.

Jaiteh carried, Weems saved full-strength Virtus

It was a night where Milos Teodosic played his first EuroCup game of 2022 and Kevin Hervey his first since November 16.

Virtus overcame a slow start by scoring 37 second-quarter points to take control of the game, then used the dominance of Mam Jaiteh inside and a three-point shot apiece from Alessandro Pajola and Teodosic to open an 18-point lead, 77-59, with 3 minutes left in the third quarter.

Jaiteh looked unstoppable, shooting 9-for-9 in 16 minutes until then. Teodosic was well on his way to double-digit assists. Virtus seemed well on its way to a comfortable win.

"We did a very good job until we built up a good advantage of 18 points. Then, when we rested some players, we got into a slump," Virtus head coach said Sergio Scariolo after the game. "Then it was a really tough one."

Bursaspor scored the next 12 points behind guard Andrew Andrews, who was unstoppable the entire night. Andrews finished the night with 37 points. Thos were the most in the EuroCup this season and tied for the competition's best single-game scoring since March 2018.

Onuralp Bitim was the next to step up for the visitors, standing out in a 0-13 fourth-quarter run to put Bursaspor up 86-90 with 3:40 to go.

But then Weems stepped up by nailing a pair of triples, both on assists from Teodosic. The first put Virtus up 91-90 with 2:50 left and his next one gave Virtus the lead for good, 96-94 with 1:17 left. Weems then finished things off by picking up a loose ball after Jaiteh was stopped under the rim and beating the shot clock on a baseline floater with 30 seconds to go.

"We think we could have made it easier when we opened up the score in the third quarter," Jaiteh said after the game. "But we need to keep learning as a team, keep building and keep getting ready to reach our goal."

Virtus Segafredo Bologna, with all its key players in place, seemed to be cruising towards victory against Frutti Extra Bursaspor on Thursday night in their rescheduled Round 10 game. But in the end, the team needed heroics from veteran swingman Kyle Weems to register victory.

Jaiteh carried Weems saved Virtus against Bursaspor

Virtus will be happy with the performances of Teodosic, who dished 13 assists, and the return of Hervey, who had 8 points and 4 assists. Marco Belinelli and Isaia Cordinier, who also missed games this season, carried the team in the second quarter, while Jaiteh, a late-October addition, dominated inside. 

It was only the third game this season and the first since Round 4 that Virtus had all its players available, missing only Ekpe Udoh, who has been out since suffering a preseason knee injury.

Coach Scariolo and Virtus fans hope that this is only the first of many games for a full-strength Virtus, which will try in the last five regular season games to improve its position in Group B standings, where it currently sits in fifth place with 7-6 record.

Umana Reyer Venice v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2022-03-09T19:00:00.000Z)

Kyle Weems - Virtus Segafredo Bologna (photo Matteo Marchi - Virtus) - EC21

Here is where you can watch the Round 14 game between Slask Wroclaw  and Dolomiti Energia Trento.

TV Info, Slask vs. Trento

Balcans: SPORTKLUB 3

In-Flight Vision: IMG ARENA

Internet: [EUROLEAGUE.TV](http://EUROLEAGUE.TV)

Italy: SKY SPORT ACTION and ELEVEN SPORTS

Poland: POLSAT SPORT EXTRA

Russian Federation: OKKO SPORT

Slovenia: SPORT TV3

Spain: DAZN

Slask Wroclaw v Dolomiti Energia Trento (2022-03-09T17:45:00.000Z)