This is what the protagonists had to say after the Round 13 showdown between Partizan NIS Belgrade and MoraBanc Andorra. 

Post-game quotes: Partizan vs. Andorra

### Partizan NIS Belgrade head coach Zeljko Obradovic:

“Before the game I said we had three excellent practices the last three days and we played how we played in the practices. The team was very focused. We believe in our starters. Defensively they gave us a good result. This atmosphere is nothing new for us. These people are amazing. Thanks to them. We have the best support throughout Europe.

“We beat a team that likes to play very good basketball. They were able to beat Real Madrid in Madrid. In a very easy game at home they beat Joventut. This is another reason to be satisfied with tonight. I believe we played very good. Congratulations to my players and all of the people who again and again give incredible support to the team.”

### MoraBanc Andorra head coach David Eudal:

“We expected this tough game tonight - this level of energy, this amazing crowd they have here. We knew we didn’t come with the best conditions but we fought until the end. I am very proud of the energy and level of my players. They fought. In the last 5 minutes, we were 10 points down, and at the end they broke the game open. Maybe the score doesn’t reflect the level of the game - how we competed. But we have to keep going and looking forward.”

Telling numbers: Cedevita breaks road records in Ulm

ratiopharm Ulm v Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (2022-02-09T18:30:00.000Z)

Yogi Ferrell - Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (photo Larry Langer - Ulm) - EC21

Reyer converted 24 of 35 two-point shots in the game. That 68.6% was the second-highest ever for Reyer in a EuroCup game. Five players had perfect shooting on twos: Jeff Brooks with 3 baskets, Michael Bramos and Austin Daye with 2 each and Victor Sanders and Michele Vitali with 1 apiece. Aside from Mitchell Watt, who was 6 of 10, no player made more than 3 twos or tried more than 5 two-point shots.  The only time Reyer ever shot better from two-point range came against JL Bourg-en-Bresse last season. Reyer was 23 of 33 that night (69.7%), thought it lost 76-86.

Nine different Reyer players collected rebounds in helping the team win the battle of the boards 26-33. Brooks was the lead man with 9 and Bramos added 6.  On the defensive end, Reyer held Buducnost to just 4 three-pointers and without a reliable threat from the perimeter from the hosts, Reyer could focus its efforts inside. Reyer made twice as many threes and its 32% shooting from downtown was much better than Buducnost’s 28.6%. When one team shoots better from the field and controls the glass, the victory is all but assured.  

Umana Reyer Venice led from start to finish in beating Buducnost VOLI Podgorica on the road Wednesday and its strong play inside made all the difference. 

Telling numbers: Great shooting, rebounding key Reyer

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica v Umana Reyer Venice (2022-02-09T18:00:00.000Z)

Mitchell Watt - Umana Reyer Venice (photo Buducnost) - EC21

Joventut took extremely good care of the ball, finishing the game with 29 assists. It was 1 shy of the club's record in the 7DAYS EuroCup; it had 30 against Guildford Heat on December 18, 2007, and not far away from the EuroCup record shared by Aykon TED Ankara Kolejliler and Khimki Moscow Region with 34 assists in respective games against Dinamo Banco di Sardegna Sassari and CEZ Basketball Nymburk in 2014. Guillem Vives was off-target in making just 1 of 7 three-pointers, but had 9 assists without turnovers to play a key role in this game. 

Turk Telekom finished the game with 19 assists and 16 turnovers. Joventut committed just 10 for a fantastic assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.9. It was the second-best mark in club history; Joventut dished 3 assists for every turnover earlier this season, in Round 5 against MoraBanc Andorra. Joventut shot the ball much better inside the arc and that was another big key to this game. The visitors buried 20 of 33 two-point shots (60.6% 2FG) and limited Turk Telekom to just 12-of-27 shooting inside the arc (44.4% 2FG).

Joventut Badalona became the first team to beat Turk Telekom Ankara in the Turkish capital. Here is how they did it. 

Telling numbers: Joventut comes close to its assist record

Turk Telekom Ankara v Joventut Badalona (2022-02-09T17:00:00.000Z)

Guillem Vives - Joventut Badalona (photo Turk Telekom) - EC21

Despite enjoying a 78-85 lead halfway through the last period, Cedevita needed to wait till crunch time to secure the outcome when Zoran Dragic punished his former team with back-to-back three-pointers. Cedevita overcome the 100-point border for the second consecutive game and third time this season to improve to 5-7, while Ulm dropped to 6-7 as its three-game winning streak came to an end. Dragic led the winners with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists for a PIR of 25 and Melvin Ejim posted 20 points and 8 boards. They both found great help from Jaka Blazic, Edo Muric, Zach Auguste and Yogi Ferrell, who contributed 15, 13, 11 and 10 points, respectively. Jaron Blossomgame led the way for Ulm with a career-high 29 points plus 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals to reach his personal best of 39 PIR. Semaj Christon also recorded best marks in points (28), and PIR (29). Philipp Herkenhoff added 13 points and Sindarius Thornwell had 12 in defeat.

Both teams took the court red hot in offense, but the visitors were the ones who displayed a better performance thanks to Dragic, who scored 8 of Cedevita’s first 15 points to put his team up 10-15. Blazic and Alen Omic joined in later to help the visitors climb ahead 14-20, right before the three-point rain from Ulm started. Blossomgame showed up first and hit twice from downtown and Christon and Thornwell followed to put Ulm in charge, 26-25. The hosts extended it to 30-25 behind consecutive buckets by Blossongame and Christon, and even though Cedevita tried to hold on from the line, Ulm led 34-28 after 10 minutes.

Jacob Pullen and Zach Auguste combined for 7 points once the game resumed to make it 36-35. Despite missing shots, Ulm kept finding points to prevent Cedevita from completing the comeback. Blossomgame, Christon, Nicolas Bretzel and Per Guenther took turns on offense to lead 44-37 midway through the second quarter. Ejim took over then, going for 9 points in a row, including a triple, that squared things at 46-46. The answer came in a blink of an eye, as Blossongame came up big to cap a perfect first half. First he flew high with a put-back slam and then added a long three to put Ulm up to 51-46. He later contributed an inside bucket to allow the hosts to head to the locker rooms leading 55-50.

Cedevita needed less than 2 minutes after the intermission to get back in charge, 55-56, behind back-to-back three-pointers by Edo Muric. The joy didn’t last for long for the visitors, though, as Christon netted a mid-range jumper and Herkenhoff contributed a three to switch the lead to Ulm’s hands once again, 60-56. Ferrell and Christon swapped three-point plays before Dragic reduced the margin to 63-61 with a fastbreak layup. Cedevita kept pushing with Ejim, who provided 6 points in just two offenses to turn the tables again, 65-67. Free throws by Dragic and Blazic, plus a late three by Pullen helped the visitors enter the last quarter leading 70-73.

Blazic opened fire after the break to extend the difference to 70-76. Ulm fired back, chaining together a couple of three-point plays that brought the home team within 78-79, but Cedevita didn’t tremble. Ferrell took over to score a tough layup first and then assist Muric to cap a 0-6 spark that carried the visitors to a safe place at 78-85. Despite Christon’s effort on offense, Ulm could not get closer until Blossomgame and Thornwell joined in to increase firepower. A technical foul called on Cedevita’s bench trimmed it to 89-90 with 4 minutes remaining but that was the closest Ulm could get. Blazic and Ferrell fueled the visitors first and opened the door for back-to-back three-pointers by Dragic that set an insurmountable 94-100 advantage entering the final minute.

In a high-scoring game that saw many lead changes, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana celebrated a road win by defeating ratiopharm Ulm 96-104 at ratiopharm Arena on Wednesday night. 

Cedevita outlasts Ulm in offensive showdown

This is what the protagonists had to say after the Round 13 showdown between ratiopharm Ulm and Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana. 

Post-game quotes: Ulm vs. Cedevita

### Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana head coach Jurica Golemac:

“For sure for the fans it was a great basketball game, almost 200 points. For the coach, is not so great, but there were great individual players on the court and they scored amazing shots. In the end, we were luckier, we scored some tough shots in the end, Ulm didn’t have so many bodies and energy and they went down in the last couple of minutes. We changed the team during the season and now every game is important, as we don’t have time to practice. Every game, we are trying to get better chemistry. The guys are believing in each other and that’s the most important.”

### ratiopharm Ulm head coach Jaka Lakovic: 

“It was a great game for the fans, I think. I believe that allowing 104 points is the key. We went today for who was going to score more points and this is not the way we want to play. This is not the way this team has to win. The key was defense, too many errors and, in the end, of course, with some guys out - and it’s not an excuse, in the end you come more tired and it’s more difficult to make shots, to make the right decisions and the win goes to Ljubljana. I think they played a good game and I want to congratulate them for that. We are proud of the guys, they are making extreme efforts to play the games, to be competitive. They are day in day out, and they know this, but at the same time, we want to win because the guys are winners. We want to push for wins, but today we couldn’t make it.” 

### Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljanba guard Zoran Dragic:

“It was a very tough game. We know that Ulm is playing great basketball and we just fought till the end. First half we let them score too much, easy baskets, and in the second half we played defense, we stuck together like a team, and we won. We have a great group of guys and we are just trying to play the best basketball we can. Now we feel each other and I hope we can be even better.”

Zoran Dragic - Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (photo Larry Langer - Ulm) - EC21

The victory gave Reyer a season sweep of Buducnost and improved its record to 6-5 in Group B. Michael Bramos and Mitchell Watt added 12 points apiece for Reyer, Austin Daye scored 10 and Jeff Brooks contributed 9 rebounds. Buducnost suffered its third home loss of the season in falling to 8-5. Willie Reed paced the home team with 15 points, Vlado Micov scored 14, and Petar Popovic, Justin Cobbs and Kendrick Perry added 10 points apiece.

Reyer took charge from the start with Michele Vitali and Theodore each sinking threes in a 0-10 run. Marko Jagodic-Kuridza’s put-back did little to change the momentum as baskets by Martynas Echodas, Stefano Tonut and Vitali made it 2-16. Reed showed some emotion for Buducnost after a slam, however, the margin reached 4-21 after another triple by Theodore and a layup by Brooks. D.J. Seeley and Edin Atic got Buducnost going and Perry added a triple for the hosts to make it 11-23. Baskets by Watt and Perry ended the first quarter at 13-25.

 

Daye opened the second-quarter scoring with a baseline jumper before Popovic bettered him with a reverse layup-and-one. A dunk by Watt and free throws by Sanders saw the visitors double-up Buducnost, 16-32. Watt extended the margin to 18. Zoran Nikolic dunked and Reed went to work inside, however, Reyer’s lead continued to grow with a three by Theodore. Sanders made it 23-43 from the foul line. Cobbs came to life for the hosts with his first points – 2 free throws and then a layup. Reyer scored the final 6 points of the half, including a Sanders slam off a Theodore steal just before the halftime buzzer, to make it 27-49 at the break.

Brooks scored the first basket of the second half before Buducnost responded through Jagodic-Kuridza and Cobbs. Echodas’s hustle helped Reyer keep the lead in the 20s. Micov accounted for 6 straight points, scoring from the line and in the paint, to trim the deficit. Jagodic-Kuridza added a free throw before Micov’s layup made it 44-57. After a timeout, Bramos and Micov traded threes. Perry took a steal in for a layup, but Watt made it 49-62 through three quarters.  

 

Perry and Popovic sandwiched threes around a basket by Watt to bring the deficit to single figures for the first time since the first quarter. Bramos finished a four-chance Reyer possession with a long jumper for a 57-68 lead. Popovic’s layup from a Jagodic-Kuridza steal gave the home crowd reasons to believe, but Daye struck from deep and from the elbow to make it 59-73 with 4 and a half minutes remaining. Bramos added a three as the hosts called timeout to regroup. Cobbs and Tonut traded shots to make it 63-78. Daye fouled out and Micov added a layup, but time was running out on Buducnost and Reyer held on for the victory.

Umana Reyer Venice scored the first 10 points of the game and never looked threatened in cruising past Buducnost VOLI Podgorica 72-82 in the Montenegrin capital on Wednesday. Jordan Theodore led the winners with 15 points. 

Reyer triumphs in Podgorica 

Jordan Theodore - Umana Reyer Venice (photo Buducnost) - EC21

This is what the protagonists had to say after the Round 13 showdown between Buducnost VOLI Podgorica and Umana Reyer Venice. 

Post-game quotes: Buducnost vs. Reyer

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

“It is a great victory because we won on the road. In the EuroCup, that’s never easy, especially against a great team like Buducnost. I that we controlled the rebounds. That was a key for our defense, which was solid for all 40 minutes.“

### Buducnost VOLI Podgorica head coach Aleksandar Dzikic:

“We were down in the first half too much. We had some moments, but we didn’t finish. Next game, we have to play a little bit better with more energy. I didn’t like the energy at the start.”

### Umana Reyer Venice forward Michael Bramos:

“It was a really important victory tonight. We had to match their energy because they have a great crowd, obviously they bring the team a lot of energy. I thought we won a lot of loose balls and rebounds and that helped us out tonight.”

Walter De Raffaele - Umana Reyer Venice (photo Buducnost) - EC21

Joventut, which already punched its ticket to the knock-out rounds, improved to 11-2 in the standings while handing Turk Telekom its first home loss this season. Turk Telekom dropped to 6-7. Simon Birgander, Brandon Paul and Joel Parra each scored 10 for Joventut. Jared Terrell led Turk Telekom with 17 points, Octavius Ellis added 13 and Aubrey Dawkins 10. Joventut led 47-52 after 30 minutes before Tomic and Guillem Vives combined for all the points in an 0-8 run that sealed the outcome, 61-73, with 2 minutes remaining. 

Tomic got Joventut going with a reverse layup and soon added a jumper and a jump hook for a 2-6 lead. Alex Perez stepped up with a driving layup and Octavius Ellis dunked to tie it at 6-6. Derek Willis found his first points and fed Tomic for a layup, restoring a 6-10 Joventut edge. Ellis and the unstoppable Tomic traded layups before Aubrey Dawkins struck from downtown to bring Turk Telekom within 11-12. Bassas answered from beyond the arc, but Can Ogut made it 14-15 after 10 minutes.

 

Geyik buried a three-pointer, which gave Turk Telekom its first lead, 17-16, early in the second quarter. Simon Birgander scored around the basket and Pau Ribas added a fastbreak layup for a 17-20 Joventut lead. Erdi Gulaslan and Jared Terrell each joined the three-point shootout but so did Parra and Paul to keep the visitors ahead, 23-29. Andres Feliz buried one from beyond the arc and Birgander matched Ogut's jumper with a dunk that prompted Turk Telekom to call timeout at 26-34. Paul bettered JaJuan Johnson's layup with a buzzer-beating triple that boosted Joventut's lead to 28-37 at halftime.

Gulaslan fired in one from downtown soon after the break as Joventut went scoreless for more than 3 minutes. Geyik and Paul exchanged three-pointers, then Tomic hit a jump-hook to give Joventut fresh air at 34-42. Willis silenced the crowd with a big dunk that made it a double-digit game, 34-44. Birgander soon added a tip-in, but Dawkins and Ellis brought Turk Telekom a bit closer, 39-46. Birgander kept pacing Joventut with a jump-hook, Pep Busquets added a reverse layup, and Tomic scored down low. Terrell responded with 9 quick points, including back-to-back triples, to keep Turk Telekom within 47-52 after 30 minutes.

Pau Ribas struck twice from beyond the arc early in the fourth quarter for the visitors before Johnson hit his trademark turnaround jumper and Anthony Clemmons added a three-point play to keep Turk Telekom as close as 52-58. Parra sank back-to-back three-pointers, however, forcing the hosts to call timeout at 55-64. Dawkins and Tomic traded baskets, then Ellis followed free throws with an alley-oop slam that gave Turk Telekom hope at 61-65. But Vives hit a critical three-pointer and Tomic followed a basket-plus-one with a jumper to seal the outcome, 61-73, with 2 minutes left, as the hosts never recovered.

Joventut Badalona grabbed its seventh consecutive win by downing Turk Telekom Ankara 69-78 in the Turkish capital on Wednesday. Ante Tomic led the winners with 19 points.

Joventut becomes first visitor to win in Ankara

Ante Tomic - Joventut Badalona (photo Turk Telekom) - EC21