Rasheed Sulaimon, McKinley Wright carried Buducnost on their shoulders at Ulm

Heading into the game against fellow BKT EuroCup playoff contender [ratiopharm Ulm](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/ratiopharm-ulm/roster/ulm/?season=2024-25), [Buducnost VOLI Podgorica](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/buducnost-voli-podgorica/roster/bud/?season=2024-25)'s players and coaching staff had flagged Wednesday’s clash at ratiopharm Arena as a must-win duel. Having beaten Ulm [105-100 in overtime back in Round 7](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/buducnost-wins-overtime-thriller-over-ulm-on-ferrells-three-pointer/), any victory would be enough for Buducnost to claim the head-to-head tiebreak advantage.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game, important for us and for the home team,” Buducnost head coach Andrej Zakelj said in the post-game press conference.

And when the going gets tough, the tough get going.

[Rasheed Sulaimon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/rasheed-sulaimon/011150/) and [McKinley Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mckinley-wright-iv/012606/) came to the fore when their team needed them most and inspired Buducnost to [an 82-85 road victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/buducnost-wins-thriller-at-ulm-82-85/) by posting season-highs in scoring. The two men netted 29 of Buducnost’s 51 points before the break and finished the game with a combined 45 points – more than half of their team’s output.

Game Videos

Sulaimon recorded a season-high 27 points, just 3 points shy from his career-high tally. He went 4-for-6 from inside the arc, 4-for-10 from deep and 7-for-8 from the free throw line. More importantly, he completed a crucial three-point play to put Buducnost back in front, 82-84, with 28 seconds to go. The visitors were leading for the majority of the game, but a second-half comeback saw Ulm secure an 82-79 cushion with 1 minute left on the clock.

Enter Wright, who made 2 of 2 from the charity stripe before setting up Sulaimon in transition for the aforementioned three-point play. Wright ended the game with 18 points, matching his season-high tally that was achieved in Buducnost’s home win over Ulm earlier in the season. The 26-year-old guard pulled off a complete display by posting 5 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals for a season-high PIR of 24.

This win saw Buducnost improve its record to 8-8 to remain in the playoff conversation. Zakelj’s side has now won four of its last five games and will look to build on their momentum with a potential victory over Joventut Badalona next week. To do so, Buducnost will lean again on Sulaimon and Wright following their outstanding performance at Ulm.

Game News

The two guards scored more than half of their team’s points in the 82-85 road win

ratiopharm Ulm v Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (2025-01-22T18:00:00.000Z)

In a thriller that came down to the final shot, Umana Reyer Venice improved its chances to reach the BKT EuroCup playoffs in Group B by edging Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem 76-75 at home in Round 16 on Wednesday.

Mfiondu Kabengele lifts Reyer past Jerusalem, 76-75! 

In a thriller that came down to the final shot, Umana Reyer Venice improved its chances to reach the playoffs in Group B by edging Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem 76-75 at home in Round 16 on Wednesday.

Reyer and Jerusalem are now 9-7 in Group B along with three other teams: Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse, U-BT Cluj-Napoca and Turk Telekom Ankara. Mfiondu Kabengele led the winners with 16 points and a game-saving block down the stretch. Carl Wheatle added 13 points while Tyler Ennis had 12 for Reyer. Khadeen Carrington led Jerusalem with 21 points and Jared Harper added 17.

Gabriel Chachasvili got Jerusalem going with a three-pointer. Kabengele answered from downtown before Jared Harper's fatsbreak layup gave the visitors a 3-5 lead. Carl Wheatle banked in a close shot and Jordan Parks added a tip-in that put Reyer ahead, 7-5. Ennis beat the shot clock with a triple and Xavier Munford also joined the three-point shootout to boost the hosts' margin to 13-7. Harper stepped up with a driving layup and Carrington erased Munford's jumper with a close basket. Carrington scored again and got help from Derek Ogbeide and Tarik Phillip to tie the game at 17-17 after 10 minutes.

 

Carrington remained on fire early in the second quarter and Jeremy Morgan's three-point play gave Jerusalem a 17-22 lead after a 0-11 run. Reyer found a go-to guy in Alessandro Lever, who had a put-back layup, a fastbreak basket and a dunk off a steal in an 8-0 run that made it 25-22. Simms matched Justin Smith's put-back slam with an off-balance jumper. Parks hit a running jumper and Carrington answered with a reverse layup before Harper tied it at 29-29. Kabengele stepped up for Reyer with a pair of free throws, a put-back layup and a dunk to put his team ahead, 37-35. Yovel Zoosman scored in penetration before Kyle Wiltjer gave Reyer a 38-37 edge at halftime.

Ennis buried a long three-pointer soon after the break and Wheatle added a layup off a steal for a 43-38 Reyer lead. After Zoosman struck from beyond the arc, Kabengele answered with a put-back layup and Carrington's big basket in transition drew Jerusalem within 45-43. Ogbeide's reverse layup got the visitors even closer. Carrington took over with a coast-to-coast dunk and Ogbeide matched Kabengele's slam with a tip-in for a 50-51 Jerusalem lead. After Kabengele bettered Chris Johnson's power basket with a three-point play, Rodney McGruder added an acrobatic basket-plus-foul of his own only to see Harper tie it again, 58-58. Juan Fernandez struck from downtown for a 61-58 Reyer lead after 30 minutes.

Smith scored around the basket early in the fourth quarter. McGruder made a close shot and added a fastbreak layup, which prompted Jerusalem to call timeout at 65-60. Carrington struck from downtown and Smith followed a fastbreak slam with a put-back layup to give the visitors a 66-67 lead with over 6 minutes left. Wheatle stepped up with a backdoor layup and Ennis Euro-stepped his way away from the defense, giving Reyer a 70-68 lead. Harper silenced the crowd with an off-balance three-point play, Wheatle dunked and Ennis made it 74-71 with 2:24 left. Phillip sank a corner triple and added a free throw for a 74-75 Jerusalem lead. Wiltjer downed foul shots and Jerusalem called timeout with 22.8 seconds remaining. Kabengele ignited the crowd with a game-saving block on Harper which allowed Reyer to get a good-as-gold win, as Carrington missed a mid-range shot at the buzzer.

The star center made a game-saving block with 3 seconds left


Mfiondu Kabengele lifts Reyer past Jerusalem, 76-75

Umana Reyer Venice v Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem (2025-01-22T19:45:00.000Z)

Valencia Basket took the inside track for the number one overall seed in the BKT EuroCup as it dominated Aris Midea Thessaloniki 106-65 at home for a third straight win

Valencia routs Aris, 106-65, grabs lead for No. 1 overall seed

Valencia Basket took the inside track for the number one overall seed in the BKT EuroCup as it dominated Aris Midea Thessaloniki 106-65 at home for a third straight win. Valencia already led by 26 points in the first half and cruised to a 14-2 record in Group B - moving one victory ahead of Group A leader Bahcesehir College Istanbul. Valencia hit the century mark on the scoreboard for the 10th time this season.

Nate Sestina nailed 6 of 10 three-pointers for 18 points to lead the way for Valencia with Jean Montero adding 16 points and 7 assists, Xabi Lopez-Arostegui scoring 12 points, Semi Ojeleye having 11 and Stefan Jovic dishing 9 assists. Aris dropped its fourth straight game for a 3-13 record and just one victory in the last 10 games. Vassilis Toliopoulos tallied 15 points as Aris’s top scorer.

Aris stayed with Valencia in the first 3 minutes and even led 5-7. But Valencia raced away with a 12-0 run for a 17-7 lead. Four points from Montero had Valencia ahead 25-12 and the score was 28-16 after 10 minutes.

Valencia needed nearly 2 minutes to score in the second quarter and Aris pulled with 28-18. But Sestina drained 2 three-pointers for the hosts and it was 38-24 when Josep Puerto and Sergio De Larrea both made triples in a 12-0 surge for a 50-24 advantage. The home side led 55-33 at the break.

Aris trailed 57-37 early in the second half and watched Valencia make 4 three-pointers - including back-to-back triples from Ojeleye - in a 17-6 run for a 74-43 cushion. Aris was able to score a bit more consistently but could not really make a dent in the deficit and was down 82-51 after 30 minutes.

Aris held Valencia scoreless for nearly 2 minutes to start the fourth quarter and pulled within 82-55. Valencia delivered the final knockout punch with the next 12 points and it was 94-55 with 5 minutes left in the game.

All 12 players scored for Valencia, which reached 100 points for 10th time 

Valencia Basket v Aris Midea Thessaloniki (2025-01-22T19:30:00.000Z)

Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse took a big step towards booking a playoff berth in the BKT EuroCup after a hard-fought 87-82 home win in Round 16 over Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana in Group B 

Bourg holds on for big win over Cedevita, 87-82

Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse took a big step towards booking a playoff berth in the BKT EuroCup after a hard-fought 87-82 home win over Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana in Group B, improving to 9-7 while the Slovenian side dropped to 10-6.

With two rounds to go in the regular season, the home straight appears set for a dramatic climax as six teams are in contention for the runner-up spot behind leader Valencia Basket, which has secured pole position and hence an automatic quarterfinal berth.

Maxime Salash paced Bourg on 22 points and 7 boards after a valiant effort, while Hugo Benitez and Xavier Castaneda scored 14 apiece for the home side, which weathered a late Cedevita storm after the visitors had slashed a 72-53 deficit with a 0-13 run.

Devin Robinson netted a team-high 17 points for Cedevita, DJ Stewart added 13 and Devante Jones chipped in with 10. Crucially, Bourg sank 11 three-pointers to Cedevita’s 6, as the visitors also made a modest 12 of 18 free throws while the hosts were 18 of 22 from the foul line.

Cedevita turned an early 5-2 deficit into a 13-18 lead but Bourg hit back with an 8-0 run late in the first quarter and nosed ahead 22-20 at the end of the opening period. Salash did not miss a shot in the first half as he racked up 12 points and 5 boards by the interval, keeping Bourg in the driving seat as the French team took a 38-36 advantage into the locker room at the interval.

The third quarter brought the best in Bourg as the home side romped away into a 68-53 lead ahead of the final 10 minutes, with Salash dominating the paint at both ends while Benitez and Castaneda pulled the strings in the backcourt, forcing Cedevita on to the back foot. 

The visitors looked out for the count after falling behind 72-53 early in the fourth, but they then had their best spell of the matchup by closing the gap to 72-66. Several minutes later, Bourg’s lead was 77-71 and the home team then prevented a nervy finish with a 6-0 run which effectively sealed the game as a contest.

Cedevita kept fighting but eventually ran out of time to force the final twist, as Bourg was able to run the clock down and hold on for what could turn out to be a priceless win.

The French team nearly blew a massive lead but regained its composure in crunch time 

Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse v Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (2025-01-22T18:30:00.000Z)

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica kept its BKT EuroCup Playoffs hopes alive by edging ratiopharm Ulm 82-85 in Round 16 of the BKT EuroCup

Buducnost wins thriller at Ulm, 82-85

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica kept its BKT EuroCup Playoffs hopes alive by edging ratiopharm Ulm 82-85 on Wednesday evening. The hosts started strong, but Buducnost led for most of the game before a comeback saw Ulm take a narrow lead in the closing stages. Yet, Buducnost tightened up its defense in crunch time and clinched the road victory. The visitors claimed the head-to-head tiebreak advantage over Ulm and improved their record to 8-8, with Ulm dropping to 9-7.

Rasheed Sulaimon led all scorers with a season-high 27 points. McKinley Wright netted 18 and Kenan Kamenjas chipped in with 12 points. Noa Essengue paced Ulm with 19 points and 7 rebounds. Ben Saraf recorded 14 and 5 assists, with Alfonso Plummer netting 10 in a losing effort.

Marcio Santos opened the scoring with a triple before 6 straight points from Karim Jallow gave Ulm a 9-4 cushion. Wright and Sulaimon scored inside, with the latter completing a three-point play to tie it up, 9-9. Buckets by Kamenjas and Juwan Morgan gave Buducnost its first lead of the game, 12-17. Andrija Slavkovic’s three-point play was followed by a triple from Fletcher Magee, who extended Buducnost’s run to 1-14 for a 13-23 lead. Yogi Ferrell netted a layup and Nikola Tanaskovic opened his account from the free-throw line, with the visitors securing a 16-27 cushion after 10 minutes.

Saraf took over with 7 points to start the second quarter, trimming the deficit to 25-31. The game turned into a back-and-forth affair, as Essengue converted a three-point play as a response to Ferrell’s triple before Jallow and Alen Omic traded buckets, 30-36. But Sulaimon drilled one from deep and Wright scored 7 straight points to restore a 34-46 cushion. A Sulaimon three was followed by a layup from Kamenjas and a jumper by Wright to make it 36-53. Justinian Jessup and Nelson Weidemann netted inside, but Sulaimon hit again from deep, allowing Buducnost to maintain a 41-56 cushion at halftime.

The hosts opened the third quarter with a 12-2 run inspired by Saraf and slashed the deficit to 52-58. Sulaimon ended Ulm’s momentum with his fourth triple of the evening before Kamenjas and Slavkovic scored inside, establishing a 55-65 lead. Plummer scored 5 consecutive points on the other end, but Sulaimon responded with an off-balance jumper, 60-69. Isaiah Roby drained a three and Essengue added 5 points to his tally to bring Ulm within 68-71 heading into the closing quarter.

Essengue opened the fourth with a powerful slam, which was the only field goal scored by either team in the first 3 and a half minutes before a Roby dunk made it 72-73. Sulaimon scored inside, but Plummer and Jessup drilled back-to-back triples to put Ulm ahead, 78-77, with 4 minutes remaining. Then, Saraf and Essengue made a couple of free throws each to maintain an 82-79 lead with 1 minute left on the clock. But Wright made 2 of 2 from the charity stripe and Sulaimon completed a three-point play to put Buducnost back in front, 82-84. Jessup didn’t manage to hit the midrange jumper on the other end, with Sulaimon sealing the outcome from the line.

The visitors claimed the head-to-head tiebreak advantage over their fellow playoff contender

Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul held off a stiff challenge from Trefl Sopot before pulling away late for an 87-72 victory on Wednesday night at Besiktas Fibabanka Sports Complex in Round 16 of the BKT EuroCup

Besiktas climbs to fourth place with 87-72 triumph over Trefl

Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul held off a stiff challenge from Trefl Sopot before pulling away late for an 87-72 victory on Wednesday night at Besiktas Fibabanka Sports Complex. The result lifted Besiktas into fourth place in Group A with a 9-7 record, while last-place Trefl fell to 1-15.

Jonah Mathews led five Besiktas scorers in double figures with 21 points. Kyle Allman netted 17 points, Uros Plavsic and Yigit Arslan netted 12 each and Dustin Sleva had 11. Geoffrey Groselle paced Trefl with 16 points, Aaron Best and Jakub Schenk scored 15 apiece and Nahiem Alleyne 14.

Mathews scored the first points of the game with a mid-range jumper, but it was Trefl that impressed the most in the early going, opening a 4-8 lead after baskets by Best, Mikolaj Witlinski and Jaroslaw Zyskowski. Mathews kept charging Besiktas, however, and scored 8 points in an 11-2 run to make it 15-10. Allman and Arslan helped swell the lead to double digits at 22-11, and Arslan’s three from the EuroCup logo to end the quarter boosted the hosts’ advantage to 27-15.

Wins have not accompanied Trefl this season but its fighting spirit has never been in doubt, as it showed in the second quarter. Best’s triple was followed by three free throws by Bartosz Jankowski, which reduced the gap to six points (27-21). Although Besiktas restored its double-digit lead at 31-21 and 33-23, Trefl responded through Best, Darious Moten, Groselle and Schenk to pull within one point at 33-32. Alleyne’s three-point play ended up giving Trefl its first lead since early in the first period, 36-39, but Allman scored 7 points in the final 2:42 minutes as Besiktas took a 49-39 lead into the break.

Plavsic scored twice while the Besiktas defense held the visitors scoreless in the first few minutes of the second half to extend the lead. Alleyne connected from deep and Best scored twice as Trefl went on a 0-8 run to get within 53-48. Alleyne twice made it a 3-point game before Schenk stepped up with an acrobatic layup and free throws to give Trefl a 57-58 lead. Besiktas scored the next 6 points, with Arslan knocking down a three, which caused Trefl to call timeout. Jumpers by Needham and Schenk left the scoreboard at 65-60 after three quarters.

Jumpers by Conor Morgan and Needham stretched the Besiktas lead early in the fourth quarter only to see Alleyne and Schenk respond from close range. Groselle made it 69-66. Besiktas bounced back through 5 points from Mathews. Groselle and Mathews traded shots with a turnaround jumper by the latter making it 78-70. Arslan’s fourth triple of the night restored a double-digit margin. Plavsic’s alley-oop slam all but sealed the outcome as Besiktas completed an 11-0 run to complete the victory.

Jonah Mathews led five Besiktas scorers in double figures with 21 points

Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul v Trefl Sopot (2025-01-22T17:00:00.000Z)

Wolves' Marek Blazevic, Andrew Andrews made up for limited output from Cowan, Thurman

[Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/wolves-vilnius/roster/wol/?season=2024-25) shrugged off poor shooting nights by its top two scorers and still came up with enough offense to beat one of the best defenses in the BKT EuroCup and remain a master of its own destiny.

Wolves received a combined 10 points from [Anthony Cowan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/anthony-cowan-jr/012003/) and [Tre’Shawn Thurman](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tre-shawn-thurman/012577/) but produced [an impressive 88-76 victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/wolves-upset-gran-canaria-88-76-in-important-victory-in-playoff-race/) over [Dreamland Gran Canaria](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/dreamland-gran-canaria/roster/can/?season=2024-25) for an 8-8 record in Group A.

Cowan averaged 16.9 points coming into the home game and scored a season-low 7 points while Thurman had just 3 points - 10.7 points below his average. Cowan helped in other ways with 10 assists and 3 steals and Thurman picked up 5 rebounds.

“Everybody has to understand and accept that if you want to be part of a great team, it doesn’t matter how many minutes you play, it doesn’t matter how many points you score, it only matters that you show up offensively and defensively to help the team win the way we prepared the game,” Wolves head coach Alessandro Magro said.

“\[Cowan\] is the type of player who can score 6 out of 8 three-pointers. It can happen that you have a bad night shooting, but you see the will that he had - to play with the others, to create, to help and facilitate the short-roll passes. The defense, the important steal.”

Marek Blazevic shined with 27 points against Gran Canaria

Wolves still managed to score 88 points against Gran Canaria, which ranked second in defensive index rating and opponents scoring and allowed the fewest assists.

A major reason for that was [Marek Blazevic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marek-blazevic/008186/), who blew away his previous career high with 27 points - 11 more than his previous best. The 23-year-old big man, who averaged 8.5 points coming into the game, also contributed 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and 8 fouls drawn, which resulted in 13 of 13 free throws.

“We came prepared. We know that Gran Canaria is probably one of the best teams in EuroCup. They have a great history of winning this competition. So it brings more energy for us and more motivation,” Blazevic said.

“He was ready,” Magro said of Blazevic. “Everything he did was pretty solid.  I’m really happy for him and his journey. He is growing game by game, being more consistent, more solid at both sides.”

The other major offensive weapon was [Andrew Andrews](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/andrew-andrews/011248/), who quickly forgot his nightmare showing from last week as he missed all 10 of his field goal attempts in scoring 4 points against Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul. Andrews buried 3 three-pointers and converted all 10 of his free throw attempts for 25 points against Gran Canaria to make up the difference.

“This was one of the best games we had so far. We are alive and we showed ourselves that we can really compete,” Magro said.

But the road is still long for Wolves.

“It was the first of three finals. Fortunately we won the first one and now we have to go to Italy \[against Dolomiti Energia Trento\] and play the second one and then Buducnost for the last. We are masters of our own destiny,” the coach said.

Wolves still master of its own destiny after sweeping Gran Canaria 

Wolves' Blazevic, Andrews made up for limited output from Cowan, Thurman 

Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius v Dreamland Gran Canaria (2025-01-22T17:00:00.000Z)

Johnathan Motley of Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv showcased his passing skills in Round 16 


Johnathan Motley showcased Hapoel's potential

[Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/roster/hta/?season=2024-25) showcased its full power in [an 84-77 victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/hapoel-knocks-off-bahcesehir-84-77/) over [Bahcesehir College Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/bahcesehir-college-istanbul/roster/bah/?season=2024-25), in which several players stepped up and its defense stopped some of the visitors' pillars.

[Johnathan Motley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/johnathan-motley/011157/) had an outstanding all-around performance, finishing the game with 19 points and a career-high 7 assists. He scored 8 of those points in the first quarter and kept sharing the ball well throughout the game, finding [Marcus Foster](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marcus-foster/010386/) and [Tomet Ginat](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tomer-ginat/010550/) around the baskets. Motley enhanced their performances with his passing skills. Ginat had 13 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists while Foster added 17 points. Those two players combined to make 12 two-point shots without a miss.

All of them allowed Hapoel to finish the game with 22 assists and just 7 turnovers, in what was one of the biggest keys to this game. Hapoel shot the ball with better shooting percentages, making 21 of 37 two-pointers (56.3% 2FG) and 9 of 19 from downtown (47.4% 3FG). Bahcesehir was less accurate from all distances (47.5% 2FG, 42.1% 3FG). 

Johnathan Motley had 7 assists against Bahcesehir College Istanbul

Motley sets career-high in assists

Stopping some of Bahcesehir's main players was also really important in Hapoel's 10th win of the season. [Axel Bouteille](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/axel-bouteille/003840/) was held scoreless for the first time in 82 games. Bouteille had not been without points in a EuroCup game since November 27, 2013, when he played less than 2 minutes for Elan Chalon-sur-Saone in [a 73-83 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2013-14/ewe-baskets-oldenburg-elan-chalon-sur-saone/U2013/149/#boxscore) against EWE Baskets Oldneburg. 

[Jaleen Smith](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jaleen-smith/011192/), who averaged a PIR of 35.5 in the last two games, had a PIR of 10 against Hapoel. [Tai Odiase](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tai-odiase/011823/) had 15 points or more in the previous five games and was limited to 10 at Samokov Arena.

After the game, Motley highlighted his team's change of mentality after the break.

"We wanted to go make sure we fix the mistakes we made in the first half, giving guys the shots that we didn't want to give up. So we did a better job of that. Good defense, they only scored 77 points. And I think we scored like 50 points \[46\] in the second half so our offense picked up, too," Motley said. 

"I just try to do whatever it takes to help my team win. I try to be an extra extension of the coach, play extra playmaker out there from the big spot. 

"We wanted to be able to finish games. We finished the game pretty good getting the plays we wanted, the shots we wanted. So we wanted to do a better job of that."

The Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv center displayed his passing skills in Round 16 


Johnathan Motley showcased Hapoel's potential 

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv v Bahcesehir College Istanbul (2025-01-22T17:45:00.000Z)

Coach Dimitris Itoudis's team beat the Group A leaders.


Hapoel knocks off Bahcesehir, 84-77! 

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv sent a message that echoed all around the competition by beating Bahcesehir College Istanbul 84-77 in Samokov, Bulgaria, in Round 16 on Wednesday. Hapoel improved to 10-6 in Group A while Bahcesehir dropped to 13-3, as it saw its four-game winning streak come to an end. Both teams had already qualified to the playoffs before this game.

Johnathan Motley led the winners with 19 points and 7 assists. Marcus Foster added 17 points, Yam Madar scored 16 and Tomer Ginat tallied 13 points and 7 rebounds for Hapoel. Furkan Korkmaz and Jaleen Smith paced Bahcesehir with 13 points apiece. Smith also delivered 7 assists. Furkan Haltali added 12, Kenan Sipahi 11 and Tai Odiase 10 for the visitors.

Patrick Beverley got Hapoel going with a three-pointer. Smith answered with a jumper before he fed Tyler Cavanaugh for a triple and a 3-5 Bahcesehir lead. Ginat scored down low before Odiase and Motley traded dunks for a 7-7 tie. Smith bettered Motley's jumper with a bomb from downtown for a 9-10 score. Motley kept pacing Hapoel with a jumper and a layup, then Ginat struck from beyond the arc to boost the hosts' lead to 16-12. Foster followed a driving layup with a baseline jumper, but Sipahi and Sehmus Hazer each scored in penetration to bring Bahcesehir within 20-17 after 10 minutes.

Bruno Caboblo buried a corner triple early in the second quarter. Korkmaz found his first points and Haltali dunked, getting help from Smith and Hazer to tie it at 24-24. Smith hit a mid-range jumper to complete Bahcesehir's comeback, 25-26. Motley tried to change things with a layup that Korkmaz bettered with a bomb from downtown. Ish Wainright answered from beyond the arc and Yam Madar added foul shots, but Odiase kept Bahcesehir in charge, 32-33. Marko Simonovic dunked off a steal, then Foster matched that with a layup. Madar and Wainright put Hapoel back ahead, 38-35, at halftime.

Cavanaugh and Motley exchanged free throws soon after the break and Madar struck from downtown, which prompted Bahcesehir to call a timeout at 43-37. Madar insisted from three-point range to cap an 8-0 run. Haltali stepped up for the visitors with consecutive layups. Cavanaugh and a red-hot Madar traded three-pointers before Foster buried a jumper that gave Hapoel a 53-44 lead. Haltali scored again and Sipahi erased Foster's high-arcing floater with a jumper that made it 55-48. Ginat took over with a put-back layup that Sipahi matched with a jumper. Motley dunked and Haltali's layup fixed the score at 60-53 after 30 minutes.

Ginat scored around the basket but Korkmaz did better with a three-pointer in transition. Foster stepped up with a dunk and Beverley bettered Haltali's slam with a bomb from downtown for a 67-58 Hapoel lead. After Korkmaz insisted from beyond the arc, Motley found Foster for a baseline slam before scoring around the basket. After Korkmaz and Madar traded layups, Ginat made it 75-63. Hazer and Sipahi each struck from downtown to give Bahcesehir hope at 77-69, with 4 minutes left. Foster joined the three-point shootout and Ginat added a reverse layup that sealed the outcome, 82-71, as Bahcesehir did not recover.

Coach Dimitris Itoudis's team beat the Group A leaders and moved into a tie for second place in the group
