Dreamland Gran Canaria romped into the BKT EuroCup Finals with a dramatic 72-76 win at Bahcesehir College Istanbul in Game 3 to win their semifinal series 2-1.

Gran Canaria beats Bahcesehir 72-76 to reach the finals 

Dreamland Gran Canaria romped into the BKT EuroCup Finals with a dramatic 72-76 win at Bahcesehir College Istanbul in Game 3 to win their semifinal series 2-1. 

It will be the third time Granca has reached the EuroCup finals, having won the competition in 2023 and finished as the runner-up in 2015. Caleb Homesley paced Gran Canaria on 19 points and the versatile guard hit a clutch three late in the game that gave the visiting team the lead for good.

Mike Tobey chipped in with 11 points and Nicolas Brussino added 10 for the Spanish team, which sank 12 three-pointers from 29 attempts in a rugged contest with physical defense dominating proceedings. At the other end, Jaleen Smith led Bahcesehir with a game-high 22 points but missed some shots when the chips were down, including a tough floater on his team’s final possession.

Sehmus Hazer scored 13 points and Tai Odiase netted 11 for Bahcesehir, which suffered its first home defeat of the season after 11 successive wins as the Turkish team went 7 of 20 from downtown and committed 10 turnovers in the second half.

Game Videos

The first half produced an evenly balanced clash with Granca having slightly the upper hand as Bahcesehir missed its first 8 shots from deep. The visitors took advantage to open up a 23-30 lead in the second quarter, having nosed ahead 18-19 at the end of the first.

Bahcesehir was clinical from close to the basket tough, hitting 13 of 20 from inside and 10 of 12 from the foul line in the first half to lead 42-41 at the interval as the home team also took good care of the ball, having dished out 13 assists against only 2 turnovers.

The hosts were also helped by 5 offensive boards while Gran Canaria stayed in touch on the back of 5 three-pointers from 14 attempts. The Spanish side’s long-range artillery continued to do the damage early in the third quarter as Andrew Albicy knocked down a couple of shots.

Game News

Homesley followed in the Frenchman’s footsteps to give the visitors a 45-50 lead and it was a tit-for-tat battle for the remainder of the third period, as Gran Canaria carried a 57-60 advantage into the final 10 minutes of a captivating contest.

Gran Canaria kept chipping away and held a 65-70 lead on the back of a pair of threes from Pierre Pelos, but Bahcesehir looked the more likely winner after Smith hit a spot-up triple to give the hosts a 71-70 lead in the home straight.

However, Homesley emerged as Gran Canaria’s hero as he sank a tough triple on the Spanish team’s next possession to force the final twist, as the visitors held their nerves from the foul line down the stretch and danced in delight at the end of a strength-sapping encounter.

The Spanish side staged an upset to clinch the semifinal series with a gritty road win 

Bahcesehir College Istanbul v Dreamland Gran Canaria (2025-04-02T17:00:00.000Z)

It's Valencia Basket. It's the BKT EuroCup. It's a decisive game at La Fonteta. Valencia clicks all the boxes to reach its eighth EuroCup Finals.

Why Valencia can win Game 3

It's Valencia Basket. It's the BKT EuroCup. It's a decisive game at La Fonteta. Valencia clicks all the boxes to reach its eighth EuroCup Finals.

There is some good news for Valencia, as [Semi Ojeleye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/semi-ojeleye/011982/) has bounced back from illness- He scored 18 points over 25 minutes in a Spanish League game over the weekend. [Sergio De Larrea](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/sergio-de-larrea/010750/) is also back in action, giving Valencia an even deeper backcourt rotation. So Valencia now has a deeper team and one of its top scorers is back in full force.

Until now, Ojeleye has played less than 10 minutes in the series. He has not scored and has a PIR of -2. By comparison, Ojeleye averaged 12.8 points on 42.9% three-point shooting for a PIR of 10.6 in regular season action. Valencia missed his physicality, versatility and leadership and now that he is fully recovered, Coach [Pedro Martinez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/valencia-basket/pam/martinez-pedro?season=U2024) has new ways to look for mismatches, as well as counting on a player who is always ready to take (and make) big shots down the stretch.

Semi Ojeleye averaged 12.8 points on 42.9% three-pointers and a PIR of 10.6 in regular season action.

2024-25 EuroCup Regular Season highlights: Semi Ojeleye, Valencia

It won't be easy, of course. Hapoel evened the series with a 96-91 victory in Game 2 behind an outstanding [Johnathan Motley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/johnathan-motley/011157/), who managed to stay out of foul trouble and play almost 35 minutes. He had 26 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists for a PIR of 32. Valencia succeeded in getting Motley into foul trouble in Game 1, limiting him to just 12 points and 2 rebounds in less than 27 minutes. In that sense, [Matt Costello](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/matthew-costello/010444/), [Nate Reuvers](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/nathan-reuvers/012738/) and [Amida Brimah](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/amida-brimah/012075/) should be ready to be physical against him.

It only looks like a matter of time before Valencia is more consistent from beyond the arc. Valencia led the EuroCup by shooting 39.0% on three-pointers in the regular season and downed 40.5% from beyond the arc in the quarterfinals against U-BT Cluj-Napoca. It is struggling from beyond the arc against Hapoel at just 26.4% while Coach [Dimitris Itoudis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/hta/itoudis-dimitris?season=U2024)'s team is soaring (40.4% 3FG in the series, 34.6% in regular season action). This weekend, Valencia downed 15 of 34 three-pointers (44.1% 3FG) in a Spanish League win. Playing at home, Valencia should feel more comfortable from downtown.

That leads us to Valencia's biggest advantage in this game: playing at La Fonteta. If Valencia loses, it will be the last EuroCup game ever played in one of the competition's most iconic arenas. La Fonteta and the Spiroudome in Charleroi, Belgium have been home to four EuroCup Finals apiece. With a win, la Fonteta would host its fifth and last EuroCup Finals after previously doing so in 2003, 2014, 2017 and 2019.

In short, Valencia has the home-court advantage, Ojeleye is back at his usual level and there are clear guidelines on how to win the game: secure the defensive boards to run the floor as much as possible, limit Motley and [Yam Madar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/yam-madar/011052/), putting them in foul trouble if possible and above all, feeling confident because a sea of people wearing orange will be there to support them and help them reach the Finals. It should be a great game to close one of the best series in competition history. Don't miss it!

Javier Gancedo analyzes Game 3 of the semifinals and why he believes Valencia should reach the EuroCup Finals

Valencia Basket v Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (2025-04-02T18:30:00.000Z)

With all due respect to the two semifinalists on the other side of the bracket, there is a feeling among many that the favorite to win the BKT EuroCup this season will be the team that wins on Wednesday night at La Fonteta. And more than anything else, what Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv needs to knock out Valencia Basket is a full, healthy roster.

Why Hapoel can win Game 3

With all due respect to the two semifinalists on the other side of the bracket, there is a feeling among many that the favorite to win the BKT EuroCup this season will be the team that wins on Wednesday night at La Fonteta. And more than anything else, what [Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/hta/?season=2024-25) needs to knock out Valencia Basket is a full, healthy roster.

Thus far, Hapoel has managed to match up with Valencia nicely despite being depleted. Hapoel led at halftime in Game 1 before faltering in the third quarter and never trailed in Game 2. In the eight quarters played thus far, Hapoel has won four, Valencia two and two finished in ties.

Coach [Dimitris Itoudis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/hta/itoudis-dimitris?season=U2024)'s side has done all of that despite being without the injured [Joe Ragland](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/joe-ragland/005181/) and with [Bruno Caboclo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/bruno-caboclo/012096/) missing Game 1 and playing less than 5 minutes in Game 2. And now there are questions surrounding several other players for Game 3, including star guard [Yam Madar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/yam-madar/011052/).

According to reports from Israel, Madar aggravated a knee injury in Game 2 and – instead of remaining with his teammates in Bulgaria over the weekend – flew home for treatment. It may not be clear if he can play in the series decider until shortly before the game. Meanwhile, key reserves [Bar Timor](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/bar-timor/004846/) and [Marcus Bingham](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marcus-bingham/013506/) have missed practices due to illness.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We’re ready 👹 <a href="https://t.co/EoQ6MKeJt2">pic.twitter.com/EoQ6MKeJt2</a></p>&mdash; Hapoel Tel Aviv BC (@HapoelTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC/status/1907154040141787210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

None of these absences are a small matter. And combined they can be crippling. Madar has been the standout of the series thus far, averaging 20.5 points on outstanding shooting plus 6.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game.

To hope to survive with a chance to win if Madar is limited or cannot play, Hapoel will need Ragland and Timor. Ragland ranks third in the EuroCup this season in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.6) and Timor is one of the most experienced players on the roster. Without them, the only natural playmaker on the Hapoel roster is 20-year-old Noam Yaacov.

[Johnathan Motley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/johnathan-motley/011157/) was a big reason Hapoel won Game 2 with 26 points and 8 rebounds and perhaps even more will be needed if he does not have Caboclo and Bingham behind him. It's important to remember that Caboclo was a EuroLeague starter just last season and an All-EuroCup selection two seasons ago.

The fact that injuries have hit Hapoel at specifically two of the spots where Valencia is deepest and strongest is even more of a concern.

On the court, Hapoel has done much of what it needed to win the series. It has slowed the pace and held Valencia to subpar three-point shooting (26.4%). But if it is without the key players mentioned above, Hapoel would need Herculean efforts from the likes of Motley, [Marcus Foster](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marcus-foster/010386/), [Tomer Ginat](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tomer-ginat/010550/), [Ish Wainright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/ishmail-carzell-wainright/013284/) and [Antonio Blakeney](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/antonio-blakeney/013402/) to prevail in Game 3.

Could the absences of key players derail Hapoel’s season?

Check out what the protagonists are saying ahead of Game 3 of the BKT EuroCup Semifinals.

Semifinals, Game 3: Pregame quotes

## Wednesday, April 2: Game 3

### Bahcesehir College Istanbul vs. Dreamland Gran Canaria (18:00 CET)

**John Shurna, Dreamland Gran Canaria forward**

"It's a final, right? So it's an exciting game. We're gonna try our best to get some rest, but we're expecting the best version of their team and we have to bring our best too. We've had two physical battles, so now each team has defended home court and now it all comes down to Game 3. I think rebounding, matching their physicality, they're a very physical team. Trying to limit their second opportunities and making sure we limit our turnovers as well and try to run in transition a bit too. It's a lot of games in a few days. We have to leave it all on the line and I'm sure it'll be great game with both teams bringing their best. When we're focused, we've shown that we can compete with anyone. It's a great opportunity for us and hopefully we can bring our best energy."

John Shurna: "When we're focused, we've shown that we can compete with anyone"

### Valencia Basket vs. Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (20:30 CET)

**Pedro Martinez, Valencia Basket head coach**

"We are not nervous as we approach the game. We know we earned the right to be here. It has been a long season, we went through all sorts of moments and earned the right to play Game 3 at home, the tie-breaker. We want to play the best game possible and play good basketball, with very good defense, rebounding really well and taking care of all small details taking place in the series, since it is our third game against them in a week. We have to adjust to what they propose because they will make their own adjustments. For me, it is a 50-50 game. I ask Valencia Basket fans to help their team and give us the energy that we need to win a very important game against a great opponent with great players, a team that plays really good basketball. All of our energy has to be focused on that. We have physical issues but all of my players and everyone else thinks of this game as a final, so my players will give everything they have. We don't want to make loud statements or complain. All 13 professional players are available and tomorrow, we will decide who to leave out."

**Dimitris Itoudis, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv head coach**

"We're coming over here in Valencia knowing that it's a tied series, so that's the final game. We know the difficulties we have to face, but we're determined, decisive to compete. \[Madar and Ragland\] will try to practice and we will evaluate their situation on the court \[before the game\]. Details are important for sure, a lot of details I think from both sides. Both teams have a lot of strategy to put on. We add some things, they add some things defensively, offensively. We pretty much add things also during the game. They add things during the game as well. They make certain adjustments, we certain adjustments. So I hope it's gonna be a very attractive for the fans as well. Not only the fans that they're gonna fill the gym, but also but also the audience that they're gonna watch it through the internet or TV."

**Ish Wainright, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv forward**

"We feel like we are extremely prepared. I'm pretty sure they're gonna come out swinging hard. And I mean, we're excited, our fans are excited, this is the time where we can make history and this is probably the biggest game of our season so far, so. Much respect to them. And I know they're gonna be prepared also. So we're excited and ready to go to war. It's gonna be a dogfight from the beginning."

Ish Wainright: "It's gonna be a dogfight from the beginning"

Check out what the protagonists are saying ahead of Game 3 of the BKT EuroCup Semifinals

Javier Gancedo explains what Gran Canaria needs to do well in order to return to the EuroCup Finals

Why Gran Canaria will win Game 3

Experience matters in do-or-die games. When it comes to [Dreamland Gran Canaria](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dreamland-gran-canaria/can/?season=2024-25), it has more EuroCup experience than the other three other semifinalists combined.

Gran Canaria features seven EuroCup champions on its roster, not counting head coach Jaka Lakovic. [Miquel Salvo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/miquel-salvo/005005/), [Andrew Albicy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/andrew-albicy/003425/), [John Shurna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/john-shurna/006588/), [Nico Brussino](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/nicolas-brussino/008121/) and [Jovan Kljajic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jovan-kljajic/007560/) lifted the trophy with Gran Canaria barely two years ago. [Mike Tobey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mike-tobey/008966/) helped Valencia Basket win the EuroCup in 2019 and [Mendy Ngouama](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mehdy-ngouama/009556/) did so with Paris Basketball last season.

After watching both games, you get the feeling that Gran Canaria is only getting better and better. [In Game 2](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/gran-canaria-still-alive-after-69-68-win-over-bahcesehir-thanks-to-homesley-heroics/), Gran Canaria had an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.5 and made 20 of 32 two-pointers (62.5% 2FG). [Bahcesehir College Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/bahcesehir-college-istanbul/bah/?season=2024-25) struggled to score inside the arc, making just 13 of 30 two-pointers (43.3% 2FG) and committing just as many assists as turnovers, 12 each.

It could be argued that Bahcesehir had a [dominant Game 1](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/bahcesehir-overpowers-gran-canaria-74-66-in-game-1-of-semifinals/) in which it held a double-digit lead for a long time. Gran Canaria had a major blackout after getting an early 10-15 lead. Bahcesehir outscored Gran Canaria 24-6 over the next 9 minutes. In that span, Coach Lakovic's team made just 3 of 13 field goals (23.1%) and committed 5 turnovers. It is very unlikely that an experienced team like Gran Canaria will underperform that way again.

Dreamland Gran Canaria edged Bahcesehir College Istanbul 69-68 to tie the best-of-three semifinal playoff series.

Gran Canaria highlights: Semifinals, Game 2

On the other hand, Bahcesehir has no EuroCup champions and some of its best players have not had great experiences in the higher stages of the competition. [Axel Bouteille](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/axel-bouteille/003840/) was with Turk Telekom Ankara when it lost the EuroCup Finals in Gran Canaria. [Marko Simonovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marko-simonovic/012711/) lost Game 3 of the semifinals with Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul against Cosea JL Bourg en Bresse last season. [Mateusz Ponitka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mateusz-ponitka/004172/) lost Game 3 of the 2019 quarterfinals with Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar against UNICS Kazan.

[Caleb Homesley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/caleb-homesley/011251/) kept Gran Canaria in the series with a wild, game-winning three-point play in the final seconds of Game 2. Being so close to losing it all should be positive for Gran Canaria, which returned home and gained even more momentum with another close win in Spanish League action. Albicy's buzzer-beating layup lifted his team to a 91-89 home victory over Unicaja Malaga.

Gran Canaria should see this game as a golden chance to reach the EuroCup Finals for the third time in club history. This group of players knows what it takes to win together and has been victorious in a lot of close games: it won all of its last five EuroCup games decided by 5 points or loss. Expect Gran Canaria to be highly competitive in this exciting, decisive showdown.

Why Gran Canaria can win Game 3

Geoff Gillingham explains why he can envisage Bahcesehir College beating CB Gran Canaria and making the EuroCup Finals.

Why Bahcesehir College can win Game 3

Home-court advantage, baby. There's a reason why topping the group mattered so much during the regular season, and [Bahcesehir College Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/bahcesehir-college-istanbul/bah/) is about to reap the full rewards.

In a decisive Game 3, a game that determines whether Bahcesehir's European journey continues or comes to an end, it's the little things that count: the players sleeping in their own bed; a familiar routine at the arena; knowing the best spots on the floor to get shots up; and being able to receive the support of the home crowd.

No team in the BKT EuroCup has enjoyed playing at home as much as Bahcesehir. The Turkish team is 11-0 at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall this season and it has already beaten Dreamland Gran Canaria twice there – once in the regular season and then in Game 1. It's only natural that it extends that run to 12-0 (and 3-0 versus Gran Canaria) on Wednesday night.

It will be a battle, though. Bahcesehir ranks first in team defense (74.3 PPG) and Gran Canaria is second (76.2 PPG), so defense will be the name of the game. Still, it has plenty of talented players who can make their mark on the offensive end of the floor, with big man [Marko Simonovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marko-simonovic/012711/) averaging a team-high 15.0 PPG in the series so far.

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Plenty of the Bahcesehir players who had off nights in Game 2 will be able to rely on home comforts this time around. [Jaleen Smith](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jaleen-smith/011192/), [Sehmus Hazer](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/sehmus-hazer/011201/), Simonovic, [Tai Odiase](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tai-odiase/011823/), [Tyler Cavanaugh](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tyler-cavanaugh/009601/) and [Axel Bouteille](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/axel-bouteille/003840/) all scored fewer points in Game 2 than they did in Game 1, but one positive for coach Dejan Radonjic was that [Mateusz Ponitka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mateusz-ponitka/004172/) and [Furkan Korkmaz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/furkan-korkmaz/005763/) did the opposite. The hope will be that they do even better back in Istanbul, as their experience and talent will be needed in Game 3.

Even then, Gran Canaria needed a miracle three-point play by [Caleb Homesley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/caleb-homesley/011251/) to even be in this position. Otherwise, we would have been talking about a sweep. All four games between these two clubs this season have been won by the home team, which puts the wind in the hosts' favor in this one.

Bahcesehir is just one win away from a EuroCup Finals matchup against either Valencia Basket or Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv. Heading into Game 3, it just needs to stay calm and keep doing what it has been doing all season, then the result it wants will almost certainly arrive.

Geoff Gillingham explains why he can envisage the Turkish side making the EuroCup Finals

Why Bahcesehir can win Game 3

Geoff Gillingham steps in for Fantasy Challenge guru Javier Gancedo to offer his recommendations for Game 3 of the 2025 EuroCup Semifinals.

EuroCup Fantasy tips for Game 3, semifinals: Four players to consider

The two series in the BKT EuroCup Semifinals are tied at 1-1, so Wednesday night will determine which teams make it to the EuroCup Finals. As such, [EuroCup Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/11) managers have to figure out which players they want to call upon in Game 3.

This week, I am covering for Fantasy Challenge guru Javier Gancedo, and my goal is to select four players – one from each team – but not including [Javier’s five picks from before the semifinals got underway](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/javier-gancedos-fantasy-tips-for-the-eurocup-semifinals/). The players Javier chose were: Jean Montero and Matt Costello of Valencia Basket, Marcus Foster of Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv, Axel Bouteille of Bahcesehir College Istanbul, and Mike Tobey of Dreamland Gran Canaria.

To make this more interesting, I am not going to pick the most picked players on any of the four semifinalist teams, too, so that rules out Johnathan Motley, Semi Ojeleye, Jaleen Smith and Nico Brussino. Without further ado, here are my four recommended picks for the two Game 3s on Wednesday night.

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### Marko Simonovic, Bahcesehir College Istanbul (10.0 points)

Back on Bahcesehir’s home floor in Istanbul, I’m expecting Marko Simonovic to have a performance like the one we saw in Game 1. That night, he posted 20 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals for a 29 PIR, but in Game 2 – on the road in Gran Canaria – he was held to 10 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist and a 9 PIR. Simonovic has what it takes to dominate against Gran Canaria’s bigs, and I think he’ll have a telling impact on what happens in Game 3.

### Caleb Homesley, Dreamland Gran Canaria (9.9 points)

Call me crazy, but Caleb Homesley is ready for a breakout game. Gran Canaria’s leading scorer this season netted 9 and 6 points, respectively, in Games 1 and 2, and only finished with a PIR of 6 and 3 in those contests, yet he was the hero in Game 2 as his three-point play with 1.1 seconds to go levelled the series at 1-1. Now heading back to Istanbul, I think Homesley could be a good wildcard selection for any Fantasy Challenge managers worth taking the risk… it could pay off big time.

### Chris Jones, Valencia Basket (13.6 points)

Experience is key in Game 3 situations, and Chris Jones is definitely ready for the moment. He had a good performance in Game 1, finishing with 13 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal and zero turnovers for a 19 PIR, but Hapoel did a good job of keeping him under wraps in Game 2, limiting him to 8 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and a 4 PIR. But this is Game 3 and Valencia is back at La Fonteta, so Jones is ready to lead his team to the EuroCup Finals.

### Antonio Blakeney, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (11.4 points)

Shooters gotta shoot. For Antonio Blakeney, staying involved in the offense and going to the line were two main differences between his performance in Game 1, when he had 10 points, 1 rebound, 1 block and a 5 PIR, and Game 2, when he amassed 22 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and a 20 PIR. Blakeney didn’t shoot a free throw in Game 1 but went 9 for 10 in Game 2, and his ability to catch fire will be a huge weapon for Hapoel as it looks to reach the EuroCup Finals. If Hapoel is to succeed in Game 3, it’ll need Blakeney to step up again, making him a good option in the Fantasy Challenge.

Geoff Gillingham steps in for Fantasy Challenge guru Javier Gancedo to offer his recommendations

Everything is to play for between Gran Canaria and Bahcesehir College, which will battle in Game 3 for a place in the EuroCup Finals.

Gran Canaria will be ready for another intense battle at Bahcesehir in Game 3

[Dreamland Gran Canaria](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dreamland-gran-canaria/can/) has extended its BKT EuroCup season for at least one more game and now has set up a winner-take-all Game 3 with Bahcesehir College Istanbul – a matchup which the Spanish side expects to be another battle. 

Gran Canaria evened the semifinal series 1-1 with [a 69-68 home victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/gran-canaria-still-alive-after-69-68-win-over-bahcesehir-thanks-to-homesley-heroics/) in a showdown of the best two defenses in the EuroCup. That came after [Bahcesehir took Game 1 at home, 74-66](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/bahcesehir-overpowers-gran-canaria-74-66-in-game-1-of-semifinals/). 

So far, all four games between the two teams this season have been won by the home team. Gran Canaria prevailed 66-63 in early October while Bahcesehir registered a 73-65 home win in December as the two teams were together in Group A. 

And the 2023 EuroCup champion Gran Canaria is expecting a similar contest in Game 3 on Wednesday in Istanbul. 

“It was a difficult game, just like the other three games with Bahcesehir because it is a great team. We are happy that we stayed alive in the series. Now we are going for the final game in Istanbul. We’ll be ready,” Gran Canaria head coach Jaka Lakovic said after the Game 2 win. 

And looking ahead to the third game, the play-caller added: “It will be the same type of game. Very physical and hopefully we can get our (shooting) percentages better and win the defensive rebounding like today.”

Protecting the defensive glass was a massive problem in Game 1 for Gran Canaria, which allowed 20 Bahcesehir offensive rebounds that resulted in 16 second-chance points. Bahcesehir managed just 7 offensive rebounds in the second game.  

“We fought hard. We deserve a third game,” said Gran Canaria big man [Mike Tobey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mike-tobey/008966/). “We know that the job is not finished. We need to go to Türkiye with the mentality that we want to win. We are very excited. It’s always cool to win a game like that. But the guys are locked in. They know we have one more game if we want to go to the finals.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">aún superando los últimos cinco segundos de anoche… 😮‍💨 <a href="https://t.co/qaZI0fknrD">pic.twitter.com/qaZI0fknrD</a></p>&mdash; Dreamland Gran Canaria (@GranCanariaCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/GranCanariaCB/status/1905966873616777704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Tobey knows what it takes to win the EuroCup. He helped Valencia Basket win the championship in 2019. And he is expecting it to be a tough fight in Game 3.

“We know it’s going to be another physical game. Do or die, so both sides will be giving it everything they got. Kind of like today – a super physical game. We’re really excited.”

Tobey scored 11 points in the Game 2 win and another strong performance by him and the team around the basket will be key. Gran Canaria made 62.5% on two-pointers in Game 2, which was much higher than the 51.3% that Bahcesehir had been allowing heading into Friday night, the second-lowest percentage in the competition.

Everything is set for the winner-take-all contest in Istanbul on Wednesday

Dreamland Gran Canaria v Bahcesehir College Istanbul (2025-03-28T20:00:00.000Z)

Both Hapoel Tel Aviv and Valencia Basket will have learned valuable lessons from Game 2 as they head into Game 3 next Wednesday.

Game 2 showed what Hapoel Tel Aviv, Valencia need to address in Game 3

After two games, there’s nothing to separate [Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/valencia-basket/pam/) and [Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/hta/) in 2025 BKT EuroCup Semifinals. The series is tied 1-1 and after Wednesday night, one of the clubs will find itself in the finals.

Looking ahead to Game 3 at La Fonteta, both sides will have learned plenty of lessons from Games 1 and 2. Friday night’s battle in Samokov, Bulgaria, certainly will have given Pedro Martinez and Dimitris Itoudis plenty to think about.

Itoudis was the happier of the two coaches after seeing his team come away with [a 96-91 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/hapoel-tel-aviv-forces-game-3-with-96-91-win-over-valencia/), a victory that kept Hapoel’s season alive. There were excellent performances by [Johnathan Motley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/johnathan-motley/011157/) (21 points, 8 rebounds), [Yam Madar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/yam-madar/011052/) (21 points, 9 assists) and [Antonio Blakeney](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/antonio-blakeney/013402/) (22 points), who combined for 69 of their team’s points on the night, while [Tomer Ginat](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tomer-ginat/010550/) was another who came close to a double-double with 12 points and 8 boards.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;I just wanted to come out, shoot my shots and go down swinging!&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/Moneymot5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Moneymot5</a> 🗣️<br><br>Johnathan Motley delivered a big time performance for <a href="https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HapoelTLVBC</a> to force Game 3 in the Semifinals! <br><br>26 PTS | 8 REB | 32 PIR<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToGreatness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToGreatness</a> <a href="https://t.co/h6xpjb3Epf">pic.twitter.com/h6xpjb3Epf</a></p>&mdash; BKT EuroCup (@EuroCup) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup/status/1905713819206496729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Yet, it wasn’t a headache-free night for the Greek play-caller. Hapoel led for the final 28:36 minutes of the contest and was up by a game-high 17 points (74-57) five and a half minutes into the third period having outscored Valencia 20-9 in the quarter. But then Hapoel took its foot off the gas and almost paid the consequences.

In those final 4:30 minutes of the third frame, Valencia poured in 14 points and held Hapoel to just 2, making it 76-71 heading into the fourth. Suddenly, Valencia’s tails were up and it looked like a nervy finish was on the cards.

Madar and Blakeney made sure that was not the case, though, by coming up with some huge buckets in the first 7 minutes, then Ginat’s three-pointer with 2:21 to go extended Hapoel’s lead to 96-85, which would prove to be unassailable.

That lapse in concentration, or whatever you want to call it, in the latter stages of the third quarter could have been costly for Hapoel, but it found a way to keep the series alive. Still, Coach Itoudis will be drumming home the point that a similar thing happened in Game 1, with his team leading 36-46 late in the second quarter before going on to [lose 91-82](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/valencia-outlasts-hapoel-at-home-91-82/). In Game 3, Hapoel will need to be focused for the entire 40 minutes; not 39, not 38, and definitely not 35.

Valencia, however, had some positive things to take away from Friday’s game, despite losing. Big men [Matt Costello](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/matthew-costello/010444/) (21 points) and [Nate Reuvers](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/nathan-reuvers/012738/) (13) both put up decent numbers again, the second game in a row they have got into double figures, and veteran playmaker [Stefan Jovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/stefan-jovic/004863/) made a positive impact off the bench (11 points, 5 assists).

But more needs to be demanded of Valencia’s usual go-to scorers. [Jean Montero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jean-montero/010042/), who scored 24 points in Game 1, was held to 10 in Game 2. Perhaps aware it wasn’t his night, he became more of a playmaker by dishing 9 assists. At halftime, Montero, [Chris Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/chris-jones/010568/) and [Brancou Badio](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/brancou-badio/007527/) had 2 points between them.

Much of Valencia’s scoring comes from Montero and Jones, yet they sat on 4 points apiece after 30 minutes. They are two of the best guards in the EuroCup and, even if Hapoel played good defense on them in Game 2, Valencia needs them to shine. A similarly slow start for Montero and Jones in Game 3 could provide Hapoel with a ton of confidence.

Overall, Coach Martinez will like his chances of advancing to the EuroCup Finals – and of Montero and Jones bouncing back – as his squad will have the La Fonteta crowd roaring them on, but it’d take a brave person to predict who advances from this series. Either way, it’s going to be a lot of fun to see which team prevails, so make sure to tune in to EuroLeague TV on Wednesday night (20:30 CET) to find out.

The two teams meet for a do-or-die showdown in the series decider on Wednesday

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv v Valencia Basket (2025-03-28T17:30:00.000Z)