This is what the protagonists had to say after the Round 13 showdown between Turk Telekom Ankara and Joventut Badalona. 

Post-game quotes: Turk Telekom vs. Joventut

### Joventut Badalona head coach Carles Duran:

"A good victory against a difficult team. I think we started well on defense in the first quarter but missed more open shots. I think that in the second quarter, the team played better on offense and defense. In the third quarter, I think we played with less energy, but in the last quarter, I think the team finished well and played well. If not, it is very difficult to win here in Ankara."

### Turk Telekom head coach Henrik Rodl:

"We had 11 turnovers in the first half, so 5 in the second is not so bad. I think we played against one of the best teams in the EuroCup. I wouldn't be surprised if they win the whole thing in the end. I think our team gave a great effort in the second half. We came back within 4-5 but they always had a good answer and made some big shots. Hats off to them, but I am also very proud of my guys, who fought hard."

Slask adds another Trice to backcourt

### [Turk Telekom Ankara 69-78 Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/turk-telekom-ankara-joventut-badalona/U2021/121/)

Joventut grabbed its seventh consecutive win by downing Turk Telekom 69-78 in the Turkish capital on Wednesday. Ante Tomic led the winners with 19 points. The victory improved Joventut's record to 11-2 and protected its lead atop the standings in Group A. Turk Telekom slipped to 6-7 despite a season-high 17 points from Jared Terrell.

### [Partizan NIS Belgrade 95-70 MoraBanc Andorra](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/partizan-nis-belgrade-morabanc-andorra/U2021/122/)

Partizan booked its spot in the knock-out stage by blasting Andorra 95-70 at home. The win lifted Partizan to sole possession of second place in Group A with a 9-4 record. After losing its previous two games, Partizan pulled away for good with a 12-0 fourth-quarter run. Zach LeDay paced the winners with 20 points and Mathias Lessort collected 18 points and 12 rebounds.

### [Buducnost VOLI Podgorica 72-82 Umana Reyer Venice](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/buducnost-voli-podgorica-umana-reyer-venice/U2021/127/)

Reyer scored the first 10 points of the game and never looked threatened in cruising past Buducnost 72-82 in the Montenegrin capital on Wednesday. Jordan Theodore led the winners with 15 points. The victory gave Reyer a season sweep of Buducnost and improved its record to 6-5 in Group B. Buducnost suffered its third home loss of the season in falling to 8-5.

### [ratiopharm Ulm 96-104 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/ratiopharm-ulm-cedevita-olimpija-ljubljana/U2021/128/)

Cedevita scored in triple figures for the second straight week in defeating Ulm 96-104. Zoran Dragic and Melvin Ejim scored 20 points apiece to lead Cedevita to its third road win of the season and a 5-7 record, which took it closer to the middle of the pack in Group B. Jaron Blossomgame shined with 29 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals in defeat for Ulm, which saw its three-game winning streak snapped in falling to 6-7.

### [Valencia Basket 83-77 Virtus Segafredo Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/valencia-basket-virtus-segafredo-bologna/U2021/126/)

In a thriller between EuroCup giants, Valencia took a step towards finishing in a good position in Group B by downing Virtus Segafredo Bologna 83-77 at La Fonteta on Wednesday. Valencia matched group leader Gran Canaria with 9 wins and moved three victories ahead of Virtus. Klemen Prepelic paced the winners with 19 points.

Game Night: Partizan powers its way to knock-out stage!

Partizan NIS Belgrade celebrates 2 (photo Dragana Stjepanovic - Partizan) - EC21

Andrew Andrews had his finest game yet for Frutti Extra Bursaspor on Tuesday to lead it to a critical win over Promitheas Patras, a direct opponent to reach the knock-out rounds from Group B.

Andrews came up big for Bursaspor

Tuesday's game was Bursaspor's second without former leading scorer Allerik Freeman, who left the club to join CSKA Moscow. The team has been making the necessary adjustments, which included some players needing to take a step forwards on offense with increased roles. Andrews, a part-time starter until now, exceeded all expectations in stepping into Freeman's shoes and leading Bursaspor to an 87-76 home victory that may prove decisive in the battle to reach the next round.

Until now, Andrews averaged 4.1 points on poor shooting percentages (17.4% 2FG, 17.6% 3FG) and he had only reached double digits in scoring once with 10 points against Gran Canaria in Round 5. Andrews shattered his best scoring mark in the competition by leading Bursaspor with 24 points on 5-of-10 three-shooting. He added 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 8 fouls drawn for a PIR of 22, also a personal best. Feeling comfortable alongside playmaker Derek Needham, Andrews already had 15 points at halftime and added 9 more in the third quarter, setting the basis for an epic victory.

Frutti Extra Bursaspor v Promitheas Patras (2022-02-08T17:00:00.000Z)

Andrew Andrews - Frutti Extra Bursapor - EC 21

For the first time in the history of the Crossover with Joe Arlauckas, the guest is a player from the 7DAYS EuroCup! Kevin Punter is starring for Partizan NIS Belgrade this season as it mounts a challenge to get back to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague one year after he helped a rebuilding AX Armani Exchange Milan make its long-awaited return to the EuroLeague Final Four.  

Arlauckas founded a kindred spirit in Punter and revealed the many things they have in common throughout the podcast. They both hail from New York, though different parts of the state. They know many of the same people, played for some of the same clubs and both played for Punter's current head coach, Zeljko Obradovic.

There was never a doubt about Punter's basketball talent growing up, but he still had to overcome many obstacles to find his way to a professional career. Academic struggles derailed his college plans and almost caused him to give up the game. He was forced to completely retool his jump shot in college and missed the second half of his senior season with a broken foot. When his first contract to play in Europe was offered, another problem arose.

\[17:00\] 

"I didn't even have a passport! The team gave us 48 hours to sign the deal. I don't even have a passport!" Punter recalled. "At this point, I had to report in like two and a half weeks, I don't have a passport. I had to tell my agent, 'I don't even have a passport, so I can't go. I don't know what to tell you.' Finally, we ended up getting a passport expedited, signed the deal and that started a whole 'nother chapter of my life."

Punter played in Greece, Belgium, Poland and Italy before he got the chance to play in the EuroLeague for the first time with Olympiacos Piraeus in 2019. He started on opening night and played a team-high 31 minutes, but Coach David Blatt soon resigned due to health issues and Punter's role on the team began to diminish. It became one of the toughest points of his career.  

\[32:20\]

"I was taken out of the lineup for whatever reason and slowly the minutes just dropped and dropped. They signed two more players and you know how that goes. Coaches have different visions of things and it's just the business of basketball," Punter explained. "I kind of lost myself in that, trying to figure out how I could play more, figuring out who I was. Once again, you start thinking about… the rumors are, 'He's not a EuroLeague player because now this happened'… It's the outside noise. That was a tough couple of months."

His former coach at AEK Athens, Dragan Sakota, brought Punter to Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade midway through the season and there he proved he was a player for the highest levels. He averaged 15.9 points on 48.3% three-point shooting in 12 EuroLeague games with Zvezda, which caught the attention of Coach Ettore Messina, who wanted Punter as part of his rebuilt squad at AX Armani Exchange Milan alongside established stars such as Kyle Hines, Luigi Datome and Malcolm Delaney, all of whom the club signed in the summer of 2020. 

\[39:40\]

"It was really dope, man, because I watched some of these guys play. So to come into that, it was humbling for me," Punter said. "The biggest thing for me that year was, I don't want to say keep up, but apply pressure just like those guys apply pressure. They've been doing it for years. I'm young coming up, I haven't really done anything up until this, so I'm asking people every day. I'm working hard every day. And I'm just gonna bring it every day. That was kind of my mentality." 

Punter fit right in and assumed a starting role on one of the best teams in the league. He led Milan in scoring with 14.3 points per game in helping it reach the Final Four, where he poured in a game-high 23 points against FC Barcelona in the semifinals. But after one season in the fashion capital, Punter sought new motivation and found it with one of Europe's storied teams. 

\[52:15\]

"I always need something to motivate me. I've been motivated for the last six years. That's kind of how I like to build each season. So one thing I asked \[Coach Obradovic\] was ‘What is your plan? Where do you see this team?'" Punter explained. "Once he said, 'Get back to EuroLeague. And we're trying to do it now, like right, right now,' that was all I needed to hear. Obviously, with him being the coach he was, I didn't need to know no more." 

With a one-hour format of exclusive one-on-one interviews, The Crossover with Joe Arlauckas goes well beyond the playing court with each podcast to delve into the life experiences that have made his guests protagonists and legends of the EuroLeague. The Crossover debuted in 2018 and has featured such current stars as Mario Hezonja, Vasilije Micic and Walter Tavares, coaching greats such as Dimitris Itoudis, Andrea Trinchieri, Pablo Laso and Zeljko Obradovic, and legends like Theo Papaloukas, Nikola Vujcic and Mike Batiste, among others.

The Crossover with Joe Arlauckas is available on Youtube, [iTunes](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-crossover-with-joe-arlauckas/id1440034922), [Audioboom](https://audioboom.com/channel/the-crossover-with-joe-arlauckas), [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/6T1SYvGSpzyrYZpG9z2wjR), [Deezer](https://www.deezer.com/fr/show/65962), [RadioPublic](https://radiopublic.com/the-crossover-with-joe-arlauckas-6NkdjJ), [Google Podcasts](https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hdWRpb2Jvb20uY29tL2NoYW5uZWxzLzQ4ODM3OTkucnNz?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwiYzr_b78XtAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAQ), [TuneIn](https://tunein.com/podcasts/Sports--Recreation-Podcasts/The-Crossover-with-Joe-Arlauckas-p1174586/), [Stitcher](https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-crossover-with-joe-arlauckas), [CastBox](https://castbox.fm/channel/The-Crossover-with-Joe-Arlauckas-id1467328?country=gb), [iVoox](https://www.ivoox.com/podcast-the-crossover-with-joe-arlauckas_sq_f1629856_1.html) and other platforms.

7DAYS EuroCup scoring ace dishes with Joe Arlauckas

Partizan's Kevin Punter visits The Crossover

Trento was Cummings's first stop in Europe, though he only played four games there. "It is always good to come here," Cummings said after the game. "I was only here for two weeks, but it is still part of my basketball journey. Some of the guys and staff are still here and it is good to see good people that helped me transition from America to Europe. It is always good."

After getting his start with Trento, Cummings went on to play for teams in Greece, Turkey, Germany, Russia and now France. He won the 2018 7DAYS EuroCup trophy with Darussafaka Istanbul. This time, Cummings returned as Metropolitans' undeniable floor general and proved it on the court.

Cummings led Metropolitans to an 80-86 victory that pushed his team ever closer to the next round. He finished the game with 21 points on 7-of-12 two-point shooting and 7-of-7 from the free-throw line. Cummings added 3 rebounds, 7 assists - with just 2 turnovers - and 6 fouls drawn for a PIR of 26. He stepped up big when his team needed him most, too. Trento led 75-74 with less than 4 minutes left when Cummings connected with Vince Hunter twice, first for a three-point play and then for a layup. Cummings soon took over with an off-balance three-point play that sealed the outcome, 77-84, making the difference for Metropolitans once again.

Boulogne Metropolitans 92 playmaker Will Cummings briefly played for Dolomiti Energia Trento in the 2016-17 campaign, but he made sure everyone remembered him after an outstanding performance at BLM Group Arena in Round 13. 

Cummings made the difference in his return to Trento

Dolomiti Energia Trento v Boulogne Metropolitans 92 (2022-02-08T19:00:00.000Z)

Will Cummings - Boulogne Metropolitans 92 (photo Trento) - EC21

Several 7DAYS EuroCup teams have proved to be so powerful at home that it’s hard for even the strongest favorites to compete in their arenas. Such is the case of Turk Telekom, one of four EuroCup teams to have won all their home games as of Round 12.

[MORE...](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1305988/standings-details-illuminate-turk-telekoms-fortunes/)

Turk Telekom uses its headstart into the first quarter and homecourt advantage to remain perfect at home and stay in competition for the EuroCup playoffs.

Trademarks: Standings details illuminate Turk Telekom’s fortunes

Anthony Clemmons - Turk Telekom Ankara (photo Turk Telekom) - EC21

It was a back-and-forth battle in which Trento shot the ball much better from beyond the arc. Trento buried 10 of 21 three-pointers (47.6% 3FG) and Metropolitans only made 6 of 17 shots from downtown (35.3% 3FG). Trento allowed its opponents to pull down just 5 offensive rebounds and took 10 boards under Metropolitans' rim. The visitors, however, missed less inside the arc and that translated into a victory.

Metropolitans made 26 of 45 two-point shots (57.8% 2FG) and was perfect from the foul line, converting all 16 of its free-throw attempts. Its main stars, Will Cummings and Vince Hunter, combined for 36 points on 14-of-22 two-point shooting (63.6% 2FG) and 8-of-8 on free throws. The visitors protected their paint well, as Trento only made 19 of 43 two-pointers (44.2%). Metropolitans also shared the ball better, finishing the game with 18 points and 13 turnovers. Trento had fewer turnovers, 12, but only had 11 assists. That allowed Metropolitans to compile a team PIR of 101 while Trento was limited to 78.

Boulogne Metropolitans 92 took a decisive step towards qualifying to the next round from Group A by downing end-of-the-table Dolomiti Energia Trento 80-86 on the road. 

Telling numbers: Metropolitans dominates the paint

Vince Hunter - Boulogne Metropolitans 92 (photo Trento) - EC21

These two teams ranked ninth and 10th, respectively, before this Round 13 game. Promitheas did a lot of good things, making 10 of 23 three-pointers (43.5% 3FG), getting 19 assists and 4 blocked shots. Bursaspor, however, made fewer mistakes, dominating the boards and organizing its offense through an outstanding Derek Needham, who played a big role in crunch time, making sure the hosts recorded a good-as-gold victory.

Bursaspor outrebounded Promitheas 35-29, including 13 offensive boards and only allowing its opponents to get 6. It shot the ball much better inside the arc, too. Bursaspor made 22 of 36 two-pointers (61.1% of its attempts) and Promitheas only scored 14 of 29 shots (48.3% 2FG). Turnovers played a big role in this game, too, as Bursaspor only had 11 and Promitheas committed 16. Needham played a major role, finishing the game with 14 points, 8 assists and just 1 turnover. He had a three-pointer and his eighth assist in a final 7-0 run that sealed the outcome.

Frutti Extra Bursaspor improved its chances to reach the knock-out round by downing Promitheas Patras 87-76 at home in Group A. 

Telling numbers: Bursaspor wins it under the boards

Derek Needham - Frutti Extra Bursaspor (photo Bursaspor) - EC21-RS13