There has been a rise in post-up usage and efficiency in the EuroCup this season led by Umana Reyer Venice

Stats review: Which teams are using post play to their advantage

Round 13 of the BKT EuroCup saw [Umana Reyer Venice](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/umana-reyer-venice/roster/vnc/?season=2024-25) hand previously undefeated Valencia Basket its second straight loss to rise back into the playoff picture following some early-season struggles. One source of momentum for Reyer over the last month and a half and a contributing factor to their hard-fought victory has been their ability to play through the post.

It is no secret that modern offenses have pivoted away from post play — while only 1 of 20 teams created less than five possessions per game playing out of post-ups during the 2016-17 season, half the league has fallen under that mark this year. The driving factor in that decline has been obvious in previous seasons as teams scored just 0.86 points per post-up possession in the three years leading up to this one, making it a real challenge to justify throwing the ball inside with teams attempting and making more three-pointers.

This season has seen a renaissance on the block as teams have scored 0.97 points per post-up possession — a massive jump from recent seasons and a little higher than the league average for overall offensive efficiency. That number doesn’t even include passes out of the post, which tend to be quality looks. There’s no specific offensive approach driving the change either, both teams with the personnel to play through the post consistently and those doing so in specific instances have found significantly more success doing so to this point this year. Field goal percentages are up, turnovers are down — there are multiple factors at play.

All of that circles back to Reyer, which has nearly doubled its post usage in the stretch following its sluggish start and ascended to lead all teams in points created through post ups as the table above suggests. That covers not only the points scored in back-to-the-basket situations but those created by passes out of back-to-the-basket situations as well. 

Perhaps the least surprising team on this list is [Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/joventut-badalona/roster/jov/?season=2024-25), which has been the most consistently balanced offense in the EuroCup over the last decade. The presence of veteran [Ante Tomic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/ante-tomic/002507/) has bolstered the efficiency of those efforts in recent years and he and [Artem Pustovyi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/artem-pustovyi/004834/) have both shot over 51% on the block to rank second and first in individual post scoring, respectively, this season. 

Reyer is the only other team on this list to rival the efficiency of Joventut’s one-on-one scorers though several teams like [U-BT Cluj Napoca](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/u-bt-cluj-napoca/roster/clu/?season=2024-25) and [ratiopharm Ulm](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/ratiopharm-ulm/roster/ulm/?season=2024-25) have been in the same tier on a much smaller volume of chances. [Kyle Wiltjer](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/kyle-wiltjer/008052/) has been very effective using his touch inside while [Aamir Simms](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/aamir-simms/011928/) has been a consistent weapon and [Mfiondu Kabengele](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mfiondu-kabengele/012796/) has punished certain matchups as well. 

[Trefl Sopot](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/trefl-sopot/roster/tso/?season=2024-25) falls in the middle of the road in one-on-one efficiency but has been extremely effective passing out of the post with its shooters and finishers consistently paying off the efforts of [Geoffrey Groselle](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/geoffrey-groselle/013296/) and [Marcus Weathers](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marcus-weathers/013297/). 

[Tyler Cavanaugh](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tyler-cavanaugh/009601/) and [Tai Odiase](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tai-odiase/011823/) give [Bahcesehir College Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/bahcesehir-college-istanbul/roster/bah/?season=2024-25) quality play on the interior while [Nikola Tanaskovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/nikola-tanaskovic/005637/) has been the most effective of several interior options for [Buducnost VOLI Podgorica](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/buducnost-voli-podgorica/roster/bud/?season=2024-25). Though many of the teams above rely on no fewer than two back-to-the-basket weapons for balance, the notable absence from this list, [Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/roster/hta/?season=2024-25), relies almost exclusively on [Johnathan Motley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/johnathan-motley/011157/). Motley leads the EuroCup scoring or creating over 6 points per game out of the post and that has accounted for close to three-quarters of the team’s post-production when he’s been active. 

Post play may never regain the real estate it held in professional basketball even a decade ago, but it has made a notable comeback in the EuroCup this season and that’s a trend worth keeping an eye on moving forward.

Look back at all the action in Round 13 of the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup season by checking out the best photos of the week! 

Top 10 photos from Round 13

Look back at all the action from Round 13 of the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup season by checking out the best photos of the week! 

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana added depth in the paint by signing forward Danilo Tasic until the end of the season, the club announced on Saturday. 

Cedevita adds big man Tasic to frontcourt


Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana added depth in the paint by signing forward [Danilo Tasic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/sr/ngt/players/danilo-tasic/002555/) until the end of the season, the club announced on Saturday. Tasic (2.07 meters, 31 years old) arrives from FMP Zeleznik of Serbia, where he averaged 13.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists in the ABA League actions. He also had 13.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in the Basketball Champions League.

Tasic has started his career with Konstantin in his Serbian hometown of Nis. He then went on to play with the Romanian clubs Dinamo Bucuresti, CSO Voluntari and Pitesti, AEK Larnaca in Cyprus, Stal Ostrow in Poland, Levski in Bulgaria, SC Derby in Montenegro, and last season he played with Borac Cacak, back in Serbia. Now, he will have an opportunity to make his BKT EuroCup debut this coming week when Cedevita hosts Aris Midea Thessaloniki.

Another great performance in big victory has earned Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem guard Jarad Harper MVP of the Round honor, his fourth of the season.

Round 13 MVP: Jared Harper, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem

Another great performance in big victory has earned Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem guard [Jared Harper](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/harper-jared/011970/) MVP of the Round honor, his fourth of the season.

Harper paces Jerusalem to a come-from-behind 90-85 win over Aris Thessaloniki with 29 points, making 2 of 3 two-pointers, 3 of 5 threes and 16 of 17 free throws. Harper also had 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 blocks, while drawing 10 fouls. It all accumulated to PIR of 38, the highest of all players in Round 13.

Right behind Harper was [Anthony Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/brown-anthony/009025/) of Turk Telekom Ankara who had 37 PIR in his team's 98-89 win over Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse. Brown made 4 of 6 two-pointers and 8 of 9 triples, while also collecting 5 rebounds, 4 assists and a block. [Marek Mejeris](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mareks-mejeris/005714/) of U-BT Cluj-Napoca had a PIR of 27 in a 104-83 win over Veolia Towers Hamburg, as he finished the game with 14 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 1 block. Next best PIR, 25, belongs to another Turk Telekom player, [Olivier Hanlan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/olivier-hanlan/006598/), who had 23 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds and 9 drawn fouls. Four players had a PIR of 22 this round: Cluj's [Adam Mokoka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/adam-mokoka/012698/) and [De'Shawn Stephens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/de-shawn-stephens/006618/), Hamburg's [Kur Kuath](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/kuath-kur/013313/) and ratiopharm Ulm's [Thomas Klepeisz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/thomas-klepeisz/010582/).

### Individual highs: Anthony Brown, Turk Telekom, 32 points

Anthony Brown led all scorers with 32 points. Jared Harper is EuroCup's top scorer with 23.3 per game.

[Selom Mawugbe](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/selom-mawugbe/013271/) of Dolomiti Energia Trento had 11 rebounds, the most in Round 13. [Mfiondu Kabengele](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/kabengele-mfiondu/012796/) of Umana Reyer Venice averages EuroCup-high 9.5 rebounds.

[Nick Johnson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/nick-johnson/007426/) of Trefl Soopt dished 10 assists, more than any player this round. [Zavier Simpson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/simpson-zavier/013302/) of Cluj is the assists leader with 7.2 per game. Jerusalem's Tarik Phillip tops the steals charts with 2.1 per contest.

As many as 12 different players picked up 3 steals in Round 13.

[Kyle Alexander](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/alexander-kyle/011973/) of Turk Telekom had a round-high 3 blocks. Alexander is the leading shot blocker with 2.0 per game.

[Darral Willis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/darral-willis/profile/010397/) of Aris is the only player with a double-double, having collected 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Harper tied his second-highest PIR of the season.

Congratulations to John Drosakis, our 13th winner in the 2024-25 EuroCup Fantasy Challenge! John's team, 'Arianna per sempre', posted a score of 223.46.

EuroCup Fantasy Challenge: Round 13 winner

Congratulations to John Drosakis, our 13th winner in the 2024-25 [EuroCup Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/)! John's team, 'Arianna per  sempre', posted a score of 223.46.

John had the following starting lineup: Jared Harper of Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem as team captain, then Ante Tomic of Joventut Badalona, Anthony Brown of Turk Telekom Ankara, Noa Essengue of ratiopharm Ulm and Yam Madar of Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv. Bynton Lemar of Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana was his sixth man.

John team's head coach was U-BT Cluj-Napoca play-caller Mihai Silvasan, while the four bench players were Kur Kuath of Veolia Towers Hamburg, Maxime Courby of Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse, Jaroslav Zyskowski of Trefl Sopot and Cluj's Adam Mokoka.

The prize for finishing first in Round 13 is a free subscription to Euroleague TV for the 2025-26 season, so congratulations, John!

The leader in the overall standings remains Milos Mihajlovic and his squad, 'BallIsLife', which has a total of 2,258.85 points after the first 13 rounds. Trades are now open for Round 14. Remember, four trades are allowed before each round until the end of the regular season.

Make new teams now or improve your existing ones and try to become EuroCup Fantasy Challenge's next winner!

EuroCup Fantasy Challenge offers weekly prizes to the top team manager, so get in the game and go for the gold!

Bahcesehir College Istanbul showed character, fought back and responded in the most emphatic way to win a battle of runs at Dolomiti Energia Trento on Friday night, a win that sealed the Turkish side's place in the BKT EuroCup Playoffs.

‘Composed’ Bahcesehir prevailed in battle of runs to secure playoff berth

Surrendering a 16-point lead and seeing your opponent secure a seven-point cushion midway through the fourth quarter in a tight clash could deal a blow to morale to any team. Yet, [Bahcesehir College Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/bahcesehir-college-istanbul/bah/) showed character, fought back and responded in the most emphatic way to win [a battle of runs at Dolomiti Energia Trento](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/late-run-allows-bahcesehir-to-beat-trento-69-73-and-advance-to-playoffs/) on Friday night, a win that sealed the Turkish side's place in the BKT EuroCup Playoffs.

Bahcesehir hit the ground running and took an early 4-20 lead, but Trento responded with a 10-4 surge that cut the difference to 10 points heading into the second quarter. The hosts tightened up their defense and held the Group A leader to just 14 points in each of the next two quarters, gradually chomping down their advantage. The guests led by 35-43 a couple of minutes into the third, but a 13-2 run saw Trento take its first lead of the game with just over 13 minutes remaining.

The Italian outfit maintained that edge in the closing quarter, when [Jordan Ford](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jordan-ford/013270/) took over by netting 8 straight points to open a 67-60 lead halfway through the fourth. Yet, that wasn’t meant to be the last big run of the contest, as Bahcesehir responded with a 2-13 surge of its own fueled by [Jaleen Smith](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jaleen-smith/011192/) to seal a narrow 69-73 victory.

Smith netted a total of 15 points, 5 of which came in the last 4 minutes, with [Tai Odiase](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tai-odiase/011823/) recording the same scoring tally, which he paired with 6 rebounds. The Bahcesehir center stressed after the game that it was his team’s mentality on both ends in the closing stages that allowed them to turn the game around and escape with the win. 

“It was a game of runs,” Odiase noted. “\[Trento\] are a really good team. We know what they’ve done against big teams in our league. So, we just had to stay composed and down the stretch we did that and we got the win.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">💎 İşte galibiyetin 𝐌𝐕𝐏’si! <br><br>🔑 Dolomiti Energia Trento galibiyetimizde anahtar rol oynayan oyuncumuz; 15 sayı, 6 ribaund, 2 asist, 21 verimlilik puanı performansıyla Tai Odiase oluyor!<br><br>❤️💙 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FlyHighTogether?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FlyHighTogether</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/ASK19Ax0EP">pic.twitter.com/ASK19Ax0EP</a></p>&mdash; Bahçeşehir Koleji Spor Kulübü (@BKBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/BKBasketbol/status/1875289898187681816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Bahcesehir remains top of the BKT EuroCup Group A after opening 2025 with its 11th win this season. Coming up next is a home clash against [Buducnost VOLI Podgorica](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/buducnost-voli-podgorica/bud/) next week, when an equally composed Bahcesehir could extend its perfect home record to an 8-0.

Game News

A 2-13 late surge allowed the guests to clinch their 11th win this season

Dolomiti Energia Trento v Bahcesehir College Istanbul (2025-01-03T19:00:00.000Z)

Alessandro Magro was a happy man after his BC Wolves team survived a massive back-and-forth battle with Joventut Badalona. That is because the head coach finally had his full roster available for the Round 13 battle.

Alessandro Magro excited to finally have full Wolves roster available

[Alessandro Magro](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/wolves-twinsbet-vilnius/wol/magro-alessandro/?season=U2024) was a happy man after his [Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/wolves-twinsbet-vilnius/wol/) team survived a massive back-and-forth battle with [Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/joventut-badalona/jov/). That is because the head coach finally had his full roster available for the Round 13 battle.

There were 30 lead changes in the first three quarters before Wolves finally pulled away for [a 91-80 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/wolves-survive-back-and-forth-down-joventut-91-80-at-home/) for a 7-6 record in the fight for the playoffs.

“We had good energy. The last couple of games in the domestic league and EuroCup we didn’t start with great energy and gave up a lot of points. Today the defense was better. It wasn’t perfect but it was better. But our energy, chemistry and having our teammates’ backs was the key,” said [Kristupas Zemaitis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/kristupas-zemaitis/005516/), who led the way with 17 points.

Zemaitis had his best game of the season as he had totaled a combined 18 points in his last five EurpCup games. He was one of six Wolves players to score in double figures.

“We are for sure happy about the result of this game. It is for sure an important win. I was happy to finally have the complete roster to play,” said Magro.

Lithuanian international [Arnoldas Kulboka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/arnoldas-kulboka/006180/) has now played five straight games – scoring 9, 12 and 10 points in his last three contests and getting a bit more playing time each game. [Jeffery Taylor](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jeffery-taylor/006546/) returned to the court for the first time since Round 9 and also had 10 points.

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Magro is excited to see what Kulboka can do for his team this season.

“I watch him every day and every game and every day he’s getting better and better. He’s strong enough to manage the load. He’s taking care of his knee. He’s not rushing too much. But he is able to play more minutes on the court each game,” the coach said.

“This is the kind of roster that I would like to see – picking the best lineups, offensively and defensively according to what we need in that moment,” Magro said. “We had six players in double digits, we had seven players who played more than 20 minutes but nobody played more than 25. This is the system I would like to rely on. I would like to thank my players because they knew the value of this game and they gave everything.”

And now Coach Magro has everything he had hoped for at the start of the season.

The Lithuanian side has withstood injuries to key players and now is showing what it can do

Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius v Joventut Badalona (2025-01-03T17:00:00.000Z)

U-BT Cluj-Napoca showed just how good it can play as it rolled past Veolia Towers Hamburg 104-83 with a real team performance offensively, which also saw star guard Zavier Simpson finish the game scoreless.

Cluj rolls past Hamburg with star Zavier Simpson going scoreless

[U-BT Cluj-Napoca](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/u-bt-cluj-napoca/clu/) showed just how good it can play as it [rolled past Veolia Towers Hamburg 104-83](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/cluj-crushes-hamburg-104-83-for-fifth-straight-home-win/) with a real team performance offensively, which also saw star guard [Zavier Simpson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/zavier-simpson/013302/) finish the game scoreless.

Simpson missed his only 6 shots in the game but still dished out 7 assists and added 3 rebounds and 2 steals as Cluj shared the ball very well. All told, the Romanian powerhouse dished out 28 assists while shooting 12 of 22 on three-pointers for a blistering 54.5%. That was much higher than Cluj’s three-point shooting coming into the game – 32.8% for 11th in the league.

“Tonight, we played great team basketball,” said Cluj coach [Mihai Silvasan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/u-bt-cluj-napoca/clu/silvasan-mihai/?season=U2024), whose team had five players score in double figures.

[Adam Mokoka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/adam-mokoka/012698/) had 19 points, [Gediminas Orelik](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/gediminas-orelik/002012/) tallied 18 points, [De’Shawn Stephens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/de-shawn-stephens/006618/) 16, [DJ Seeley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/dennis-seeley/004862/) 15 and [Mareks Mejeris](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mareks-mejeris/005714/) added 14 points. Simpson, for his part, came into the game ranked third in average PIR at 21.0 and scoring average at 18.2 points per game.

The defensive performant was definitely more to Silvasan’s liking after the team had given up more than 100 points in two of its last three games. Coming into the game, Cluj had been ranked 18th in points allowed at 89.9 per game.

“We were a little afraid of this game. Hamburg is not that bad of a team as the score shows. They had some good results this season, but we passed this game,” said Silvasan, whose team lost its last domestic league game after Christmas.

“For me, this game is already history. I am already focusing on the next game against Hapoel Jerusalem. It’s a home game and if we want to be in a playoffs spot we need to fight and try to win it.”

There are a lot of positives for Silvasan and his team to take from this game moving forward.

The Romanian side had five players score in double figures

Cluj rolled past Hamburg with star Zavier Simpson going scoreless 

U-BT Cluj-Napoca v Veolia Towers Hamburg (2025-01-03T17:00:00.000Z)

Bahcesehir College Istanbul opened 2025 with a hard-fought 69-73 victory at Dolomiti Energia Trento on Friday night. The visitors led by as many as 16 (4-20) early in the game, but Trento bounced back and took its first lead in the third quarter (48-45). The Italians grabbed a 67-60 cushion midway through the fourth, but Bahcesehir responded with a late 2-13 surge to finish the game off. Bahcesehir remains top of Group A with an 11-2 record, while Trento dropped to 4-9.

Late run allows Bahcesehir to beat Trento, 69-73

Bahcesehir College Istanbul opened 2025 with a hard-fought 69-73 victory at Dolomiti Energia Trento on Friday night. The visitors led by as many as 16 (4-20) early in the game, but Trento bounced back and took its first lead in the third quarter (48-45). The Italians grabbed a 67-60 cushion midway through the fourth, but Bahcesehir responded with a late 2-13 surge to finish the game off. Bahcesehir remains top of Group A with an 11-2 record, while Trento dropped to 4-9. With this triumph, Bahcesehir has joined Valencia Basket in qualifying for the BKT EuroCup Playoffs.

Jaleen Smith and Tai Odiase paced Bahcesehir with 15 points each and Tyler Cavanaugh paired his 10 points with 8 rebounds. For Trento, Jordan Ford led all scorers with 19 points, Anthony Lamb scored 15 and Myles Cale netted 12.

Game Videos

Cavanaugh opened the scoring with a dunk before two triples from Jaleen Smith and a three-point play from Odiase gave Bahcesehir a 2-11 lead. Andrea Pecchia and Axel Bouteille traded baskets, with Sehmus Hazer scoring off the glass for a double-figure cushion, 4-15. Toto Forray came off the bench to reach A. J. Slaughter in third place on the all-time EuroCup charts with 143 games played. The Trento captain scored inside after a triple from Mateusz Ponitka, but Saliou Niang responded with one of his own and Cale completed a three-point play that cut the difference to 12-20. Lamb extended Trento’s run to 10-0 with a midrange jumper, but Cavanaugh ended it by making 2 of 2 from the line before another couple of free throws from Ponitka restored a 14-24 lead heading into the second quarter.

Lamb netted a triple before setting up Cale for an open basket that trimmed the deficit to 19-25. Yet, Bouteille responded with two unanswered baskets inside, bringing Bahcesehir’s advantage back to double digits. Pecchia and Ford scored inside, but Marko Simonovic sank a corner triple and Smith nailed a jumper to make it 23-34. A Cale bucket was followed by a triple from Forray before a three-point-play from Ford allowed Trento to cut the deficit to 31-38 at halftime.

Pecchia opened the third quarter with a layup before a jumper from Lamb brought Trento within 35-40. Cavanaugh netted from beyond the arc, but a Cale bucket and a triple from Lamb cut the deficit to 40-43. Odiase took his tally to 11 points with a slam, but Niang responded with back-to-back baskets and Ford drilled a three for Trento’s first lead of the night, 48-45. An exchange of blows from the line was followed by a three-pointer from Cale and a layup from Lamb, who opened a 56-48 lead. Yet, Simonovic scored inside and Hazer nailed two free throws that trimmed the difference to 56-52 heading into the closing quarter.

Haltali and Smith netted inside to tie it, but Lamb knocked down a three to put Trento back ahead, 59-56. Then, Ford took over by adding 8 points to his tally, allowing Trento to open a 67-60 lead. Smith responded with a three-point play before a triple from Cavanaugh slashed the deficit to 67-66. Selom Mawugbe and Odiase traded scores inside before Smith netted off the glass to put Bahcesehir back in front, 69-70, with 1:28 minutes remaining. The visitors tightened up their defense and Hazer made 3 of 4 from the line to seal the victory.

The Group A leader opened the new calendar year with a win at Il T Quotidiano Arena