The matchup between Partizan NIS Belgrade big man Alen Smailagic and his MoraBanc Andorra counterpart Moussa Diagne is one to watch. 

Major matchup: Smailagic, Partizan vs. Diagne, Andorra

Alen Smailagic has been a part-time starter for Partizan NIS Belgrade this season, averaging 8.6 points and 5.0 rebounds in 12 games so far this season. A good athlete with great quickness and determination, Smailagic had 7 points and 4 rebounds in Round 4 against MoraBanc Andorra and faces a big challenge against a very physical opponent who is finally finding his form. 

Major matchup: Dudzinski, Bursaspor vs. Agravanis, Promitheas 

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

Dimitris Agravanis - Promitheas Patras - EC21

Hunter, an All-EuroCup selection last season with Virtus Segafredo Bologna, has been a stable force in the middle for Metropolitans in his first season with the club. He is second in the EuroCup with 8.0 rebounds per game and has also been averaging 13.6 points, 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks for a PIR of 18.9, which is eighth in the competition. Hunter has four double-doubles so far this season, including 11 points and 13 rebounds the last time he faced Trento and 10 points and 11 boards last week against Slask Wroclaw.

Williams posted his second double-double of the season last week with 15 points and 10 rebounds in just 23 minutes against Lietkabelis Panevezys. He was 2 rebounds short of another against Metropolitans in Round 4 when he also scored 16 points and blocked 2 shots. Williams has averaged 10.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.0 block for the season. These two athletic centers should make for an interesting matchup in the paint.

Both Dolomiti Energia Trento and Boulogne Metropolitans 92 have depth and talent o the frontline. The matchup between Vince Hunter and Johnathan Williams could be of particular interest.

Major matchup: Hunter, Metropolitans vs. Williams, Trento 

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

Cobbs, 30, is flourishing in his third season with Buducnost. This season he is third in the league in average PIR (20.8 per game), second in steals (1.8 spg.), seventh in scoring (17.2 ppg.) and his 4.6 assists per game are 11th in the EuroCup. He is shooting 48.0% from downtown, too. Cobbs is coming off his worst game of the season; he was held to single digits for the first time all season last week when he had 8 points, 4 assists and 3 turnovers in Buducnost’s victory over Virtus Segafredo Bologna. He will be eager to bounce back against Reyer.

Theodore debuted for Reyer last week and played a big role with 13 points, 5 assists and 1 turnover in a victory over ratiopharm Ulm. A EuroCup finalist last season with UNICS Kazan, the 32-year-old’s experience helped him make an instant impact with Reyer and his role should only grow from week to week. The showdown between these two veteran point guards could end up being critical, especially if this game comes down to the wire.

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica point guard Justin Cobbs has been one of the top point guards in the EuroCup this season, but it is exactly for matchups like these that Umana Reyer Venice signed Jordan Theodore.

Major matchup: Cobbs, Buducnost vs. Theodore, Reyer

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

Blossomgame, 28, has shined in his maiden EuroCup campaign with 14.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.0 steal per game for an average performance index rating of 19.2. He is 16th in the competition in scoring, third in rebounds and seventh in PIR. Blossomgame has not shown any signs of slowing down either with 19.0 points, 10.0 boards and a PIR of 21.5 in his last two games. Despite standing 1.98 meters, Blossomgame can clearly hold his own in the paint and is also a threat from the outside (17 for 49 on three-pointers, 34.7%).

Muric, 30, is playing his sixth season in the EuroCup and it has been one of his finest. He has been worth 11.6 points with incredible shooting numbers: 70.3% on two-pointers and 40.4% on threes. He has also contributed 5.8 rebounds and 1.0 steal for an average PIR of 14.0. His rebounding numbers have soared recently; after taking in 3.1 rebounds in the first eight games of the season, Muric has collected 10.3 over the past three games. He had one of his best games of the season against Ulm in Round 8 with 21 points, 8 rebounds and 2 steals for a career-high PIR of 22. However, Blossomgame was even better with 26 points, 11 boards and 3 blocks for a PIR of 35 to win MVP honors for Round 4. Their duel this time will likely have a major impact on the game.

Both ratiopharm Ulm and Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana rely on their undersized small forwards to play fast basketball with small lineups, making the head-to-head matchup between Jaron Blossomgame and Edo Muric one to watch.

Major matchup: Blossomgame, Ulm vs. Muric, Cedevita

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

Edo Muric - Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana - EC21

### Buducnost VOLI Podgorica head coach Aleksandar Dzikic:

"Our opponents are one of the few clubs in Europe fully understanding the importance of continuity and stability. Their core players are playing together for four or five years; their coach is there more than 10 years; and their results in that period deserve the greatest respect. They have an experienced team, they added a point guard with very good results in his career, and their plans for the rest of the season are clear. On the other hand, we can play in front of our fans again, and we hope they will come to support us. We want their help because we will play against a team who can use various formations, a team with some very good shooters, with a few all-round players, with different zone and match-up zone options."

### Buducnost VOLI Podgorica player Kendrick Perry:

"We are in a good rhythm the last couple of weeks. We got some new pieces, so so our opponents, so we will see how it will go. We got our fans back in the gym, that is always a good thing. At the end of the day, we have to be aggressive, to come out with the right mindset, and to be ready to execute for 40 minutes."

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

"We've got much respect for the Buducnost organization and for Coach Dzikic. We will face one of the most talented teams of the whole competition, which also added a great player like Kendrick Perry. Buducnost has a complete roster and so it will be another tough game in this competition. It’s going to be important to have great physical impact and limit their ability to crash the boards and run the floor. Overall, the key will be to contain their one-on-one talent."

### Umana Reyer Venice player Michele Vitali:

"It’s going to be a difficult and tough game, as all are in the EuroCup. They came off a very good win in Bologna and they are talented. We need to be prepared to play a great away game, limiting their strengths, starting from defense, taking energy to offense, moving the ball to create open shots."

Here are some interesting insights from the game protagonists themselves.

Pre-game quotes: Buducnost vs. Venice

Michele Vitali - Umana Reyer Venice - EC21

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica guard Petar Popovic joined the club in 2016 and has been a mainstay ever since. The 25-year is enjoying his finest season to date and hoping to lead Buducnost on a historic run. Although he is not related to the Petar Popovic who won the 7DAYS EuroCup title with Joventut Badalona in 2008, this Popovic wants to be the latest player with that name to lift the EuroCup trophy. Follow his blog to learn more from Petar about Buducnost and its run in the competition all season long! 

Petar Popovic: 'For me, Buducnost feels like home'

Hello, EuroCup fans! This is Petar Popovic, you can call me "Pop". First of all, I am not related to the other Petar Popovic who played in the competition and won it with Joventut. My family is all from Montenegro, so we are not related. There were two Marko Popovics, one of them in Buducnost, but basically, I'm not related to any of them. I know Marko Popovic, the one who played for Buducnost, very well through the national team. We are a small country and we know each other here very well. And about the other Marko Popovic, who also won the EuroCup, I don't know him. He's a bit older than me. I know who he is, of course. I watched a lot of games and respect him a lot, but I never had a chance to meet him in person. 

We had a good week in the EuroCup, beating Virtus in Bologna. It feels great. Lately, at the end of December, we had some injuries and some COVID problems, so after that, we struggled a little bit. We had like three, let's say, not very good games for us. It was Bursaport at home, Ulm at home and Valencia at the road. We struggled a little bit, so this win means a lot to us. We are going to keep it for our confidence and. I had COVID and before that, I had an injury, so every game is important for me to try to get back in rhythm. It felt pretty, pretty nice to take that win and also for me, to have a decent game.

"I enjoy it here, it is my sixth year with the club."

I hit several three-pointers and also made some three-point plays. It is not so usual for me that most of my points came that way. I think that until this game, I made a total of 3 three-pointers and I hit 5 against Virtus. My teammates got me in a good situation, they found me on the court and I was able to make the shots and I feel happy about it. 

In the last couple of seasons, our club managed to organize a couple of charter flights in the EuroCup, like in this trip. So it is a little bit tricky to come in the morning, practice and then leave right after the game but you know, from Montenegro, we usually don't have good flight connections. So if I had to choose between fighting charter on a game day or taking regular flights, I would choose a charter flight. We showed in our last game that it helps and we love it. Usually, we fly either to Belgrade and then we connect further, or we fly to Istanbul and connect from there. So usually, most of the games, we connect two or three flights and basically lose a day on travel, so the charter was a nice option. 

As I said, I am Montenegrin and playing for Buducnost feels nice. I'm at home, basically. I live 30 minutes from here in a small city. It's the old royal capital of Montenegro, is called Cetinje. It feels nice to be close to my family, to my friends. When we have the day off, I can always go and visit them and spend some time with them. It is also an honor for me to represent Buducnost in the ABA League and the EuroCup. I enjoy it here, it is my sixth year with the club, so I am close with the people in it, the management. So for me, it really feels like home. 

Now that we have played 12 games, I have to say that I like the new EuroCup format. I like it very much. There is not that pressure of finishing the competition by the end of December. We have a lot of games. I think that this season shows that maybe this format could live up in the next years. The games are pretty interesting. I think that both groups have given us a lot of good games, interesting games. As I said, I like it and I'm looking forward to the continuation of the groups and also, after that, the knockout phase!

"When we are at our best, we can compete with every team."

I think that we have seen plenty of good teams. I watched the game between Joventut and Partizan, and I think it was a great game. Both teams showed high-quality basketball. Also from our group, we played Valencia two weeks ago and they showed their strength. They didn't have a full roster the first time we played against them and are a very good team. I am mostly following our group and Gran Canaria is also a great team, but I think that our team has more to show in upcoming games. It is going to be pretty interesting until the end. 

Our next opponent is Reyer. They have a pretty good team and reinforced with two well-known guys in European basketball, Jordan Theodore and Jordan Morgan. Personally, I think they have a very good team. They also have Austin Daye, who has been there for many years and is one of the best power forwards in Europe. But we are playing at home and luckily, they changed the COVID rules in our country, so we will have some fans in the gym. We are really looking forward to that game and to having a good game. I hope we are going to win and celebrate it with our fans, who we missed in the last month, or month and a half. 

We still have to play regular-season games. These games that we are playing at home, I think it wouldn't be so good for us if we lose them. But thinking too far ahead is never a good idea. We are thinking about Reyer. We want to take that victory and after that, to go on the national break with that win and after that, we will see. We are two months away from the end of this chapter, so we have to go step by step and give our best in every game. When we are at our best, we can compete with every team and show some good basketball!

Petar Popovic - Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (photo Buducnost) - EC21

Here comes Round 13 with less action than initially planned because of COVID-19. Three games (Hamburg Towers vs. Lietkabelis Panevezys, Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar vs. Slask Wroclaw, and Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse vs. Gran Canaria) have been suspended due to either local legislation imposing quarantine measures on the team or one of the squads not having the minimum eight players on the Authorization List fit to play. Remember, if a game is postponed, it still counts for the EuroCup Fantasy Challenge. All players and head coaches get their average scores even if they are injured. 

Fantasy tips: Good choices all around 

That leaves us with some opportunities in the EuroCup Fantasy Challenge market, as all managers can know what score certain players will get. For instance, you can bring back Johnathan Motley of Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar, who has been sidelined for several weeks, spend 15.2 credits and get 25.8 fantasy points. Looks like a wise move indeed. It is just an example of the opportunities you can get if you decide to play it safe. Strategy is and has always been important in fantasy games and EuroCup Fantasy Challenge is no exception.

We have decided to go all-in and recommend five players who should be on the court in Round 13. Here are our recommendations for Round 13: 

**Mathias Lessort, Partizan NIS Belgrade (12.5 credits) -** Lessort joined Partizan a month ago and is playing like he was born in Belgrade and grew up in the black-and-white courts at Kalemegdan. Over the last three games, Lessort has averaged 18.7 points on 20-of-28 two-point shooting (71.4% 2FG), 7.3 rebounds, 7.7 fouls drawn and a PIR of 26.7. Stellar numbers for a EuroCup champion. 

**Jaron Blossomgame, ratiopharm Ulm (13.4 credits) -** Arguably the man of the moment in the competition right now. Blossomgame is having a great season and has posted a PIR of 17 or higher in Ulm's last five games, during which he's averaged 15.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and a PIR of 21.4. His price may be a bit high, but his fantasy value is off-the-charts at this time of the season. 

**Yogi Ferrell, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (12.5 credits) -** Ferrell got off to a wild start (24 points, 11 assists, 38 PIR in his first game in Round 6), slowed down a little bit and is back to his best level. In the last couple of games, Ferrell has averaged 21.5 points on great shooting percentages (88.9% 2FG, 60.0% 3FG, 90.0% FT), 3.0 assists and a PIR of 26.0. Outstanding! 

**Derek Willis, Joventut Badalona (11.4 credits) -** Vladimir Brodziansky is out indefinitely and even though he is expected to be back, Willis should be Joventut's first option at power forward in the meantime. He is fast, athletic and doing very well lately, averaging 15.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and a PIR of 21.5 over the last two games. Joventut keeps using its bench depth to the fullest. 

**Dimitris Agravanis, Promitheas Patras (8.4 credits) -** A cheaper option that you can use as an early starter, as Promitheas plays on Tuesday. Agravanis has been playing well lately; he had 22 points and a PIR of 24 in Round 8 against Valencia and collected 17 points, 8 rebounds and a PIR of 24 against Bourg in Round 10. Right now, he is playing a leading role.

Derek Willis - Joventut Badalona - (photo David Grau - Joventut) EC21

### Valencia's frontcourt can be critical 

Valencia Basket arrives at this game with a full roster for the first time this season with Victor Claver now back in action. Valencia should use its frontcourt power to stop Mam Jaiteh, as Coach Joan Peñarroya has a lot of options at center: Mike Tobey, Bojan Dubljevic and Jasiel Rivero. Valencia ranks second in two-point shooting (57.7% 2FG) but has struggled from downtown, ranking 14th at 35.5% despite taking many three-point attempts (28.9, 2nd overall). Finding good looks for three-point specialists Klemen Prepelic and Xabi Lopez-Arostegui should improve those numbers. 

### Virtus looks for versatility 

Virtus Segafredo Bologna has been without Milos Teodosic in recent games. Alessandro Pajola and Nico Mannion have been sharing the point guard duties. Both of them must be aggressive, looking to prevent San Van Rossom and Neno Dimitrijevic from dominating the game tempo. Virtus relies on its versatile forwards Kyle Weems and Amar Alibegovic to generate advantages against Jaime Pradilla and Rivero at the power forward position. Virtus leads the competition in assists (22.5 apg.) but is fourth in turnovers (14.3 per game), so being focused on offense could be the key to winning at La Fonteta. 

Keys to victory: Valencia vs. Virtus 

Valencia Basket v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2022-02-09T19:45:00.000Z)