Veteran guard Andrew Albicy helped CB Gran Canaria recover from a tough situation on the road at Joventut, which allowed the side from the Canary Islands to improve to a 5-1 record in this year's EuroCup.

Andrew Albicy is still the heartbeat of Gran Canaria

Down 12 points (60-48) with 7:21 to go in the fourth quarter, Dreamland Gran Canaria looked like it was going to suffer its second loss of the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup season. On the road at Joventut Badalona, a team that knew Jaka Lakovic’s side inside out, Gran Canaria was not playing its best basketball and looked lost.

Fortunately for the 2023 EuroCup champion, it has a player like [Andrew Albicy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/andrew-albicy/003425/) in its ranks. The veteran guard showed his trademark hustle and energy when the chips were down, and it ended up having an inspiring impact on his teammates. His two-pointer cut the gap to 10 points (60-50), then he made 3 free throws before providing an assist for [Mike Tobey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mike-tobey/008966/), who cut the gap to 61-57.

Albicy dished another two assists in the fourth, both to [Caleb Homesley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/caleb-homesley/011251/), who first made it 65-62 and then 67-65 with a couple of three-pointers. Homesley’s mid-range basket with seven seconds to go forced overtime, with the score 67-67. [Gran Canaria would go on to win 76-78](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/nico-brussino-the-hero-as-gran-canaria-beats-joventut-in-ot-76-78/) on a three-pointer by [Nico Brussino](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/nicolas-brussino/008121/) with 8.1 seconds to go.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">CONFIANZA 🔝 <a href="https://t.co/Q38i4H6PFA">https://t.co/Q38i4H6PFA</a> <a href="https://t.co/P0tvHmtHsI">pic.twitter.com/P0tvHmtHsI</a></p>&mdash; Dreamland Gran Canaria (@GranCanariaCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/GranCanariaCB/status/1851393451482313201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

While Albicy did not play in overtime, he provided the spark for his teammates and kept Gran Canaria alive at a point when Joventut was looking to put the visitors away. The Frenchman, ranked second all-time in EuroCup assists and steals, sixth in PIR and 10th in appearances, was particularly happy with the energy his teammates showed in the fourth period.

“We know it’s difficult to win in Badalona,” he told EuroLeague TV afterward. “We just played our game in the second half, especially in the fourth quarter – we put more energy. We defended good, we had good baskets, and in overtime we made big shots. Congrats to everybody, but I think we can be better to secure the win \[earlier\].

“When the game is not finished, we still believe. It’s what we do, it’s why we came back. It shows the character of the team, so I’m very happy about that. But I think we can be better in a lot of spots. We are still building something and the season is long, so it’s good.”

Gran Canaria now has the best record in Group A with a 5-1 mark, with Coach Lakovic’s squad now on a two-game winning streak. Next up for the Spanish side, red-hot Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius – now on a three-game run of their own – will visit the Canary Islands and hope to make a statement. But if Albicy has anything to do with it, Gran Canaria will make things incredibly difficult for Alessandro Magro’s men.

Game News

The veteran French guard finished with 11 points, 2 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals in a win at Joventut

Joventut Badalona v Dreamland Gran Canaria (2024-10-29T19:30:00.000Z)

BC Wolves, led by head coach Alessandro Magro, are on a roll in the EuroCup, turning a 14-point deficit into a 24-point lead during its Round 6 game against Besiktas Istanbul.

Wolves on a 'great path' after 38-point swing in 16 minutes

Things did not look promising for Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius early in the second quarter when they found themselves 22-36 down against the visiting Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul. However, as it turned out, everything we witnessed on the Twinsbet Arena floor after that point moment was a totally different tale.

Wolves quickly erased the deficit, were up by five points by halftime (47-42), and eventually led by 24 points [en route to a 93-78 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/wolves-come-from-behind-to-sink-besiktas-93-78/), their third straight this season.

So, what changed?

"We changed pick and roll defense," Wolves head coach Alessandro Magro explained. "We tried to take away their three-point shots. We were really aggressive."

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With 7:12 left in the second quarter, Besiktas already made 10 triples on 14 attempts. However, after a timeout by Magro, the hosts forced Besiktas to shoot 0 for 5 the rest of the half, then 1 for 10 in the third quarter.

Meanwhile, Wolves' offense started rolling, first behind [Andrew Andrews](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/andrew-andrews/011248/), [Tre'Shawn Thurman](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/tre-shawn-thurman/012577/) and [Marek Blazevic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/marek-blazevic/008186/), then with [Anthony Cowan Jr.](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/anthony-cowan-jr/012003/) having his say.

"On offense, despite having too many turnovers, we were able to stay solid, play together," Magro said.

Over a 16-minute span, Wolves turned a 14-point deficit into a 76-52 lead. A 38-point margin.

"I really trust these guys, they are trusting what we are doing. That's the most important thing," Magro added, clearly unable to hide his satisfaction.

Game Videos

Still, not all was great. Obviously, the first 13 minutes of the game were not something Wolves would like to repeat. Then in the fourth quarter, the hosts allowed Besiktas to get within 11 points and have a possession to get even closer, as the offense stalled.

"We need to learn how to control our leads," Blazevic pointed out. "After three quarters we were up by more than 20 points, and then in the fourth we had some problems. We need still need to figure out some things, but we are on a great path."

After a 0-3 start, Wolves have averaged 92.7 points per game over the last three wins and have plenty to be happy about with one third of the regular season behind us.

They went to another gear to defeat Besiktas

Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius v Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul (2024-10-29T17:00:00.000Z)

Nico Brussino scored a three-pointer with 8.1 seconds left as CB Gran Canaria beat Joventut 76-78 in overtime in Round 6 of the 2024-25 EuroCup season.

Nico Brussino the hero as Gran Canaria beats Joventut in OT, 76-78

Dreamland Gran Canaria defeated fellow Spanish side Joventut Badalona 76-78 in overtime after Nico Brussino hit a clutch three-pointer with 8.1 seconds left in the extra period. With this victory, Gran Canaria now holds a 5-1 record while Joventut is 2-4 and has lost three straight in the BKT EuroCup.

Caleb Homesley was Gran Canaria's leading scorer with 14 points, followed by Mike Tobey with 12. Andrew Albicy and Brussino both netted 11 points, and John Shurna chipped in with 10. Joventut's Ante Tomic was the game's top scorer with 18 points. Kaiser Gates and Devin Dotson both had 13 points, with Artem Pustovyi scoring 12.

In what was a very hard-fought first quarter, the two teams traded blow after blow, with seven different players getting on the scoresheet before Ante Tomic moved to four points after tying the score at 8-8. George Conditt started to come to the fore for Gran Canaria, opening the quarter’s biggest margin at 10-14 and scoring the visitors’ last seven points to make it 17-17 after 10 minutes. Kaiser Gates was the second leading scorer in the first quarter, netting 5 points for Joventut.

Dani Miret’s side, boosted by a Spanish League win over Turkish Airlines EuroLeague side Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz last weekend, showed plenty of energy in the early stages of the second quarter. Adam Hanga acted as the sparkplug for Joventut, with the veteran netting a triple, Tomic scoring inside and Gates draining a three to make it a 29-21 ballgame, the largest lead of the night. Gran Canaria refused to roll over and fought back through Caleb Homesley, Andrew Albicy and Miquel Salvo to pull within one point, 34-33. Another score by Tomic and a three-pointer by Gates ensured Joventut led 39-33 at halftime.

Albicy’s four points prevented Joventut from pulling away in the first few minutes of the second half after buckets by Hanga and Devin Dotson made it 44-37, then a layup by Joe Thomassson and five straight points from Mike Tobey tied the game at 44-44. Joventut’s reliable trio on the night of Gates, Hanga and Tomic calmed things down again as the hosts led 50-46, then Pep Busquets’ three-pointer in the latter stages of the quarter ensured it was 53-48 entering the final period.

Joventut continued its momentum into the fourth as a fast-break dunk by Busquets was followed by a triple by Pau Ribas, opening a 10-point lead for the first time on the night, 58-48. Pustovyi made it a 12-point game, 60-48, before Albicy stopped the run with a floater, 60-50, with seven minutes to go. Gran Canaria started going to the line with regularity, forcing Joventut into the bonus. When Albicy found Tobey for a three-pointer, the deficit was cut to four points, 61-57. With 3:13 remaining, Tobey went 2 for 2, making it a one-possession ballgame, but Tomic showed his quality to score under the basket, 63-59.

A smart out-of-bounds play involving Dotson and Tomic led to the guard restoring a six-point lead, 65-59, with a layup, before Homesley’s corner three made things interesting again, 65-62. Pustovyi had a perfect trip to the line, but Joventut had a defensive breakdown, leading to a Homesley three-pointer, 67-65. Joventut used a touch pass by Tomic to find Pustovyi, who went to charity stripe, but he missed both. Homesley then tied the game with seven seconds remaining after scoring a mid-range jumper. Dotson’s three-point attempt before the buzzer was off the mark, meaning it was 67-67 after 40 minutes. On to overtime!

Tomic’s mid-range score got Joventut off the mark, but John Shurna’s corner triple put Gran Canaria back ahead, 69-70. With 2:48 to go, Tomic went 1 for 2 to tie the game at 70-70. Shurna stepped up again to give Gran Canaria a 70-72 edge, then Pustovyi converted a couple of free throws. Brussino made a three-pointer to put the visitors ahead again, 72-75, but Dotson’s triple tied things up again at 75-75. Tobey fouled out with his fifth foul with 45 seconds left, and Brussino scored what proved to be the game-winning basket with a three-pointer, 75-78. Tomic went 1 for 2 from the line with 1.2 seconds to go as Gran Canaria grabbed the win on Joventut’s court, 76-78.

In this all-Spanish clash, the visitors improved to 5-1 while the hosts dropped to 2-4

Veolia Towers Hamburg captured its first win of the season on Tuesday by defeating Turk Telekom Ankara 89-77 at Inselpark Arena. 

Hamburg races past Turk Telekom, 89-77, for first win this season

Veolia Towers Hamburg captured its first win of the season on Tuesday by defeating Turk Telekom Ankara 89-77 at Inselpark Arena. The victory snapped a 12-game losing streak for Hamburg dating back to last season and lifted its record in Group B to 1-5. Turk Telekom slipped to 3-3 on the season.

Osaro Rich led five Hamburg scorers in double figures with 16 points on 4-of-6 three-point shooting. Brae Ivey scored 15 points and dished 7 assists and Jaizec Lottie tallied 14 and 7. Big man Kur Kuath tallied 15 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks and Kenneth Ogbe added 13 points. The hosts set club records with 18 three-pointers and 15 steals. Braian Angola paced Turk Telekom with 21 points and 6 assists and Anthony Brown had 16 and 5.

Yoan Makoundou was calling the shots for Turk Telekom early with a pair of buckets, including a ferocious slam dunk. Kuath made an impact for the hosts and Ogbe drained a three-pointer. Jordan Barnett capped the 10-0 run with a free throw that made it 16-6. A Turk Telekom timeout and Angola free throws did little to change the momentum as Leif Moeller and Kuath extended the margin to 22-8. Ivey put Hamburg up by 15 before Berkan Durmaz’s triple made it 27-18 after 10 minutes.  

Despite another Kuath slam, Turk Telekom closed the gap to 7 with Angola’s 10th point. Rich restored a double-digit. Great defense, timely shooting and crisp passing kept Hamburg rolling with Rich’s layup giving the hosts a 40-24 cushion midway through the second quarter. Brown stepped up with 7 points in a 0-10 Turk Telekom run to close the gap. Angola made it a single-possession game with a three-pointer, but Ivey also connected from deep and the first half ended with the hosts ahead 43-39.

Barnett opened the second half with a shot from downtown and Rich added another to restore a double-figure advantage. More than 4 minutes had passed before Melih Tunca made a three for Turk Telekom’s first points of the third quarter. Lottie stepped up with a triple and an assist to Kuath as the difference swelled to 60-46. A three by Ogbe matched Hamburg’s largest lead from the first half and Durmaz’s dunk ended the quarter at 65-51.

Javon Bess dropped in a jumper but Ivey hit back with a three for the hosts. Turk Telekom threatened as Durmaz and Tunca closed the gap to 12. Back-to-back triples by Ogbe and Lottie gave Hamburg a comfortable 76-58 lead. A timeout helped the visitors, who responded with threes by Brown and Angola. Angola then scored 3 from the line, but time was running out for the visitors. Ogbe’s fourth three of the game made it 79-67 with 3:24 remaining. Makoundou came in fresh and scored 4 quick points, but Lottie’s layup with 1:55 to go all but secured the outcome.   

The hosts set club records for three-pointers and steals in the process

Veolia Towers Hamburg v Turk Telekom Ankara (2024-10-29T18:30:00.000Z)

BC Wolves notched their third straight win in the EuroCup by coming from down from 14 points to beat Besiktas Istanbul 93-78 in Round 6.

Wolves come from behind to sink Besiktas, 93-78

Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius rallied from a 14-point deficit and used a huge third quarter to beat the visiting Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul 93-78 on Tuesday night. Wolves registered their third straight win and first at home, which has seen them improve to 3-3 in Group A, the same record as Besiktas.

The visitors hit 7 triples in the first quarter and were 10 for 14 in the second as they led 22-36, but as soon as those threes stopped falling, Wolves erased the margin, took over the lead and then raced away to a 20-point lead in the third quarter.

Tre'Shawn Thurman had 19 points for Wolves and Marek Blazevic collected 16 points plus 10 rebounds in the win. Andrew Andrews scored 18, Anthony Cowan Jr. finished with 15 points, and Matas Jogela had 14 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Besiktas's Derek Needham and Conor Morgan scored 19 apiece, while Dustin Sleva had 11.

Both teams went with an up-tempo style early on. Needham and Morgan each hit a three-pointer in the opening five minutes, but the Wolves used six points from Marek Blazevic and a monster dunk from Matas Jogela to open a 10-7 lead. Kelan Martin ended Besiktas's drought with a corner triple as teams proceeded to trade leads. Garrison Brooks and Thurman, who scored 8 points, went to work inside for the hosts, while Dustin Selva netted two threes and Yigit Arslan one for Besiktas. Another corner triple from Martin helped the visitors to open 20-26 lead after 10 minutes.

The second quarter started with a triple from Needham, and he had a layup with 8:12 left in the half, the team's first two-pointer of the game. Another three from Needham and a second-chance basket from Sleva made it 22-36. But Wolves scored the next 10 points, with Blazevic scoring inside before Kristupas Zemaitis and Jogela hit back-to-back shots from the outside to cut it to 32-36. Sleva snapped a run with his third three-pointer and Martin had a three-point play, but three-pointers from Andrews and Thurman helped tie things at 42-42. A three-point play from Andrews put the hosts in front, and the same player scored again to make it 47-42 at halftime.

Needham opened the second half with a tough triple, but a three from Anthony Cowan and a nifty floater from Blazevic put Wolves up 56-45. Jogela added one basket inside and one from the outside, and Miniotas scored on a fast break to cap an 11-0 run and open a 67-47 margin. A long three from Andrews and a driving layup from Cowan extended the margin to 76-52, with the hosts taking a 78-56 lead into the fourth quarter.

The hosts' offense slowed down in the final 10 minutes, but Besiktas kept struggling offensively, too. A 0-14 run fueled by a triple apiece from Morgan and Needham cut it to 84-73, capped by a fast-break layup from Needham. But Cowan netted a long triple, and Jogela's put-back restored an 89-73 score, icing the game.

The Lithuanian side notched its third straight win

Besiktas Istanbul guard Derek Needham is determined to lead his club to EuroCup glory, with the 34-year-old having come close on several occasions in the past.

Derek Needham, Besiktas have some unfinished business to take care off

[Derek Needham](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/derek-needham/008945/) has been close multiple times before. Now he wants to finally reach the mountaintop.

“Winning the BKT EuroCup is the dream,” Needham tells Eurohoops. “That would be the kind of closure to the EuroCup runs we’ve been on.”

When he joined [Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/besiktas-fibabanka-istanbul/bes/) in 2023, Needham had established himself as one of the most prominent guards in the EuroCup. He was named to the competition’s All-EuroCup Second Team in 2022, having helped Bursaspor make a shock run to the EuroCup Final, and then took his talents to Istanbul and the Black Eagles.

“I’ve been to the final four two times now,” Needham adds. “Once, I made the final. Last year we were really close. To hold that trophy will mean everything. I won’t stop until I get it. I’ve been hunting for it.”

Read more [HERE](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1734810/derek-needham-and-besiktas-have-some-unfinished-business-to-take-care-off/).

More Besiktas News

The veteran guard has big expectations for his squad this season

The EuroCup's top rebounder Mfiondu Kabengele of Umana Reyer Venice sat down for a one-on-one interview with Javier Gancedo

Mfiondu Kabengele, Reyer: 'I'm definitely grateful to be out here'

Umana Reyer Venice has been battling injuries since the start of the season. The team is 2-3 in Group B and plays four of its next five games on the road. Its main pillar this far has been center Mfiondu Kabengele, who leads the 2024-25 EuroCup in rebounding with 10.2 per game and already has three double-doubles this season. He is also posting 13.6 points on 63.6% two-point shooting and 1.6 assists for a PIR of 22.0, which is fourth overall in the competition.

Kabengele's uncle was the late African basketball legend Dikembe Mutombo, who passed away recently. In this week's [EuroCupBasketball.com](http://EuroCupBasketball.com) interview with Javier Gancedo, Kabengele spoke about architecture, food, basketball and how to turn injuries into something positive for the team.

"I'm excited for other guys to really shine and perform because we are going to need it," Kabengele said. "I feel like every team is scouted, our top guys, and this is a good opportunity for other guys to step up, open the game for everybody."

**Congratulations on beating Hamburg. A great first half paved the way to the win. What allowed you to overcome injuries and get that important win?**

"Thanks. It was just a team effort. Guys had to step up and sacrifice even more. Sometimes it's not just about guys having to shoot more or do more. Some guys have to do less than what they are accustomed to because of the new guys coming in and their playing style. So I feel like guys did a good job of just being adaptable, adjusting to the injuries and just staying the course. Guys recognized we were not at full strength, so it's good to see the fight in some of the guys during the game."

"My favorite part [of Venice], other than the food, is definitely the architecture, seeing how the city is built on water"

**Rodney McGruder joined the backcourt and had a great game. How can he help you right away, given your injury circumstances?**

"Another ball handler. Another great defender, that's probably one of the main things. We have Tyler \[Ennis\] and JP \[Jordan Parks\], who are also great leaders on this team. Both are great defenders and Rodney can fill that role. He is a great on-ball defender and a good ball screen defender, as well as making good reads in the pick-and-roll. So obviously his shot is a given, but the things that I'm looking forward to that can help other guys the most is his ability to read ball screens, make plays off the dribble, and obviously, get defensive stops."

**This is your second season in Reyer. How do you like playing for such a historic team and the privilege of living near Venice?**

"It's been great! My agent at the time, when I was coming from Greece, we were looking at potential teams and I didn't know much about Reyer. I knew about Venice, but I didn't know much about the team, and he just told me about the coaching staff, the players there, and it sounded too good to be true. And now that I came here, I'm seeing it. Great coaching staff, great players, the city is fantastic, the fans are great, so I'm definitely grateful to be out here."

**Have you been to the old arena \[Misericordia di Venezia\]?**

"Yeah! We went there! We did a video promo there for our introduction for the games, and they had some pictures of what it looked like before. It's a museum now, so it was nice to see that. And just to visualize how players would get to the games and stuff, that was cool."

Umana Reyer Venice center Mfiondu Kabengle leads the 2024-25 EuroCup in rebounds at 10.2 per game. He is also averaging 13.6 points on 63.6% two-point shooting, 1.6 rebounds and a PIR of 22.0, ranking fourth overall.

2024-25 highlights: Mfioundu Kabengele, Reyer

**We mentioned Venice. Have you seen every corner already and tried the amazing local food?**

"For sure, the city is great. My favorite part, other than the food, is definitely the architecture, seeing how the city is built on water. I read about the way it was built. They put these stakes into the ground and packed it with mud and dirt to keep it solid. And then through that, it insulated it from the water from eroding. It's just high-tech architecture. And then obviously the food is amazing. Pasta, the seafood... so it's really, really, really nice. I really enjoy it."

**Back to basketball. You lead the EuroCup in rebounds and already have three double-doubles in five EuroCup games. You grabbed 21 in an Italian League game, too. What makes you such a great rebounder?**

"I would just say energy and heart. I'm not going to sit here and lie to you, be like, 'I watch all the film and see how guys shoot'. I just try to position myself and give myself a chance. It's all about giving myself a chance. If you stay in shape, you've got a chance to have energy in the fourth quarter. If you work on your jump shot, you will be able to make shots when you are tired. If you go hard in practice, you will be able to perform in games. You will always have a chance when you do certain things. So I feel like if I continue, if I keep working out, making sure I'm in shape, strong, mobile... I feel like all those things give me a chance, the best chance when the shot goes up. And obviously, the God-given abilities, my arm length, the motor, my heart, my size, those things definitely help a lot. So I feel like the accumulation of all those things is why I'm rebounding the way I am."

"The EuroCup does a good job of reminding me and others if I am who I say I am"

**This is your second EuroCup season. What do you like the most about it?**

"It's great. A lot of great imports, great domestic players. It's nice to get out of Italy sometimes and see other countries, see their fans and players and some things along the way. I have met players who I played against previously, and you get to ask them how their time is there in this city and this town and with this team, and you get their perspective and stuff like that. So it's really great. And the competition, I would say there's definitely more guys of my size and strength, so it's good. It's good to see where I stand sometimes... how I size up with these guys because sometimes you can get lost and think too much of yourself until you meet the real deal. And the EuroCup does a good job of reminding me and others if I am who I say I am, so it's been cool.

**You will play four of the next five games on the road. How much of a test is that for Reyer, and how good can it be for the team's chemistry if this tour is successful?**  

"It will be great. It will be a lot of confidence for the other guys because I know for a fact when all the other guys come back, it will be an adjustment period for all of us, and it's going to be important for guys to have those moments of confidence, those moments of production to reassure themselves when their name is called again and they get back to the flow of things, that they still have that ability. So I'm excited for other guys to really shine and perform because we are going to need it. I feel like every team is scouting our top guys and this is a good opportunity for other guys to step up, open the game for everybody. So I'm excited to see where these guys come from."

**You seem to be very comfortable playing for Coach Neven Spahija, one of the best EuroCup coaches of aall time What's the best thing about him as a coach?**

"He's cool, just always challenging guys, always making sure to bring guys back to the team concept. Every guy has high aspirations for themselves and for others and Coach does a good job of trying to bring it back to the team. So that's the one thing I really appreciate about him because sometimes you can get lost, even myself, I can get lost in my own success and think big of myself. But Coach does a good job of bringing me back and just telling me 'you know, this is all about us, us, us'. And that just relieves the pressure, the stress. He does a really good job of bringing everybody back to the team concept."

**Finally, you will face U-BT Cluj-Napoca in front of 10,000 fans next week. As a competitor, how do you like strong atmospheres like this? Does it make you play even better?**

"I always like those kinds of things because I always learn something new about myself and others. In practices, you can perform but there's no one there. But in road games, are you still able to make the same read or still have the same effort? Are you still to hit the same shots? So it's going to be very revealing. We are going to step up or fold, myself included. I'm excited to see what the game reveals about ourselves."

The EuroCup's top rebounder sat down for a one-on-one interview with Javier Gancedo

U-BT Cluj-Napoca playmaker Patrick Richard is set to be sidelined for four months due to a broken forearm


Cluj's Richard out for four months 

Richard got injured midway through its team's BKT EuroCup showdown against Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem. He left the game late in the first quarter. Richard immediately arrived at a hospital in Sofia, Bulgaria for a medical research, which confirmed a forearm fracture. He underwent surgery and is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season. In his sixth season with Cluj, Richard averaged 2.8 points and 1.8 assists in 4 EuroCup games. In order to show  support for the team's captain, all Cluj players are set to wear Richard’s warm-up T-shirt during the team presentation before this week's EuroCup game against Umana Reyer Venezia. 

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Several teams have leaned on pick-and-roll play as the engine of their offense this season in the BKT EuroCup.

Stats review: The EuroCup’s best at the pick-and-roll game

Round 5 of the BKT EuroCup featured an all-time offensive performance by Dreamland Gran Canaria as it exploded for a record 125 points in regulation to punish a shorthanded ratiopharm Ulm team.  While there is no shortage of superlatives to throw around about the performance Coach Jaka Lakovic’s team put together, their efficiency in the pick-and-roll stood out.

Generating 49 points over 36 possessions created out of ball screens – including 17 over eight possessions used by their roll men, Gran Canaria punished the defense repeatedly in the two-man game as it scored 1.41 points per possession in the half court overall.  Given a possession against a set defense has been worth around 0.94 points this season, Gran Canaria played almost exactly 50% more efficiently than average on its way to its fourth win of the season.

While that game was an extreme example, there are several teams who have been able to lean on pick-and-roll play as the engine of their offense through the early part of the season. The table above lists the teams who have found the most success in terms of points per possession created out of ball screens through Round 5.  For reference, the average pick-and-roll possession has been converted for 0.97 points per possession this season with the shots created for a team’s shooters and roll men proving more valuable than those used by ball handlers themselves.

Striking a balance there can be tricky, but in the early going, U-BT Cluj Napoca, Valencia Basket, and Bahcesehir College Istanbul have been able to set themselves apart from the rest of the field in what they have produced when they have played pick-and-roll.  That’s been especially notable for Valencia, which is one of 11 teams creating right around half of its scoring opportunities in the half-court with ball screens.

Cluj has gotten back on track in recent weeks after starting the season 0-3 against what may wind up being the top three teams in Group B by the end of the season.  The team's ability to generate quality looks with pick-and-rolls has been key to its strong start offensively against a grueling slate and Zavier Simpson has led that charge. In his first season in Europe, the true floor general is making the game easy for his teammates by creating almost 15 points per game with his passes out of pick-and-rolls.

His combination of vision and creativity shines when the game slows down and, despite his preference for getting teammates involved, he has been effective looking for his own shot too.  With Simpson leading the EuroCup in points created out of pick-and-rolls, Adam Mokoka, Patrick Richard, and Dennis Seeley have all been effective as secondary ball handlers to give Cluj something to build on offensively despite the tough start.

Jean Montero has been just as productive as Simpson on a per-minute basis and the 21-year-old is a big reason Valencia has leaned so heavily on pick-and-roll play this season.  With Brancou Badio and swingman Xabi Lopez-Arostegui finding some success looking for their own offense, Stefan Jovic providing a veteran presence with his passing, and Matt Costello proving to be by far the EuroCup’s most productive roll man early on, pick-and-roll play has contributed to Valencia’s dominant start to the season.

Unlike Cluj and Valencia, Bahcesehir College Istanbul spreads the ball around a bit more liberally with Jaleen Smith and CJ Massinburg splitting time on the ball and both Sehmus Hazer and Mateusz Ponitka both getting involved regularly off the bench as well.

Though each of these teams has scored the ball at a high level in pick-and-rolls, they have taken different paths to get there with Valencia getting their screeners involved most often, Bahcesehir’s ball handlers scoring at a tremendous rate looking for their own shots, and Cluj committing few turnovers despite their efforts to put pressure on the rim.

Umana Reyer Venice warrants mention for its efficiency as well with Gran Canaria jumping into this conversation based largely on last week’s outburst.  At this point, an effective EuroCup offense starts in pick-and-rolls and these teams have put themselves in a position to rank among the best overall with their efficiency in the early going.

Several teams have leaned on pick-and-roll play as the engine of their offense this season