Round 4: Pregame quotes and injury reports

Check out what the protagonists are saying ahead of Round 4 of the 2025-26 EuroCup season, and who might be missing in action.

Tuesday, October 21

Neptunas Klaipeda vs. Veolia Towers Hamburg (18:00 CEST)

Benka Barloschky, Hamburg head coach

"For the first time in a long time, we were able to train on consecutive days. We worked hard to regain a certain degree of looseness and confidence. That was very important after the defeats. Klaipeda is a good team. Lithuanian teams are known for their physicality and basketball IQ. Basketball is more than just a sport in Lithuania, and you can see that in the way they play. Harrison Cleary has developed steadily over the last few years and has gone his own way. Even back then, he was very confident and determined, so I'm not surprised. I'm looking forward to seeing him again. I still associate him with our last playoff appearance in the EuroCup."

Zacharie Perrin, Hamburg center

"I played my first EuroCup games – it's definitely a very high level and I felt a completely different intensity. As a player, I love it because it spurs me on to improve faster, as I play against really good players every week. It will be important for us to keep our opponents' scoring as low as possible. To do that, we need to control one-on-one situations better, secure more rebounds, and minimize our turnovers. I think those three things are the key to our first win."

Kenneth Ogbe, Hamburg forward

"We're glad we had time to work on a few things and be in Hamburg. It was important for us to have a few days of training to prepare for the next games and improve. Against Klaipeda, it will be important to stay focused and disciplined. When we stick to the game plan and do the things we've been working on in training, we're good. We need to keep those phases going for as long and as consistently as possible. Then we'll be successful."

ratiopharm ulm vs. Besiktas GAIN Istanbul (19:00 CEST)

Ty Harrelson, Ulm head coach

"Besiktas is a good yardstick for us. Even though many of their fans will want to show up again, we want to show that the arena belongs to us. We have to stay focused throughout the entire game and execute our game plan. Sunday's defeat is forgotten, we're concentrating on tomorrow."

Aris Thessaloniki Betsson vs. BAXI Manresa (19:00 CEST)

Bogdan Karaicic, Aris head coach

“Manresa plays fast basketball. We need to be physically strong and ready to match their speed and quick tempo. Manresa is a new team. Some of their players are playing together for the first time and are trying to build something. They have athletes who are competing in the EuroCup for the first time and they need time to adjust. I don’t think we have any issues with our mentality, we’ll give our best effort. If that’s enough, we’ll take the win — if not, we’ll keep working hard, both in the next game and in practice.”

Arnoldas Kulboka, Aris forward

“It’s a good opportunity for us to bounce back and get the win at home. I’ve played in Spain and I know them very well. I was teammates with some of the guys who now play for Manresa. They’re a typical Spanish team — they have a solid playing system. They’ve been performing well since the beginning of the season and they have a very capable coach. I believe we need to focus more on our own game because we have an excellent team. We have potential, but we need to use it in the right way.”

Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem vs. Slask Wroclaw (20:00 CEST)

Wednesday, October 22

U-BT Cluj-Napoca vs. Umana Reyer Venice (18:00 CEST)

Mihai Silvasan, Cluj head coach

"Venice has always been a very competitive team. This year, they’re quite physical and pretty fast. So far, after the first three EuroCup games, they’re the team with the most points scored in transition. We want to be ready and match their level of physicality. I know we have the potential to do that, and we actually want to be even more aggressive than they are. Our job is to play solid defense, grab rebounds — since that’s an area where we’ve struggled a bit so far — and make the most of our strengths, like scoring easy points in transition and playing at a fast pace."

Iverson Molinar, Cluj guard

"It feels great to be back home. I missed the last EuroCup game, but now I’m back on track. The team is really motivated to get the win tomorrow. We’re at home again for the second game, so we’re definitely excited and ready to give everything to get that victory. The first home game in Cluj was incredible, and I’m expecting the fans to come out and support us once again. The energy they bring is amazing and it really helps us a lot."

Neven Spahija, Reyer head coach

"We are facing a high-level team that continues to grow year after year in the European landscape. They started the EuroCup season with two unexpected losses, and this will make them even more determined: we expect an opponent who is prepared and focused one hundred percent. We are coming off a week where we played high-quality basketball. We want to continue on this path, maintaining the same attitude and the same style of play. It will be an intense, high-level game."

Chris Horton, Reyer guard

"It's a crucial game for us. We head into it following last week's home victory and we want to see if we can continue to build upon that foundation. To bring home the win, I think it will be vital to carefully manage every possession, keep turnovers low, be aggressive on the boards, and play solid team defense."

Reyer's injury report: Coach Spahija can call upon his entire roster.

Bahcesehir College Istanbul vs. Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (18:00 CEST)

Zvezdan Mitrovic, Cedevita head coach

"We are facing an extremely demanding game. Bahcesehir has shown so far this season that they are the best team in the competition. I won’t go too much into their budget or the players wearing their jersey – that’s already well known. For us, this game will be an important test to see how we respond to a higher level of basketball. Bahcesehir is averaging 99 points per game in the EuroCup, and they are also performing excellently in the Turkish league, where they remain unbeaten as well. Unfortunately, once again we won’t be at full strength – Luka Brajkovic was injured again in the game against Zadar, and Nikos Chougkaz remains sidelined. That worries me, because with a shortened rotation, it’s very difficult to play a series of such demanding games. We’re traveling to Istanbul with no pressure, free-minded, and with the desire to play a good game."

Joseph Girard, Cedevita guard

"A tough game is ahead of us. We know that our opponent also has three wins after three games. Bahcesehir has quality players and remains unbeaten this season. It will definitely be a challenging matchup, but we’ve already played similar games, so we’ll try to prepare as best as possible and deliver a strong performance. In our last two home games, we had a solid game plan, which we successfully executed on the court, and we were supported by a great number of fans in the arena – that gave us extra energy. With their support, it’s definitely easier to play and to win. We’ll need that throughout the entire season."

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica vs. Panionios Athens (19:00 CEST)

Andrej Zakelj, Buducnost head coach

"Panionios is coming to us after a game against Olympiacos, where they were even for three quarters, which shows they’re a quality team. They’ve shown a good reaction, and we expect a tough matchup.<br> For us, this is a very important game, and we can’t run away from responsibility. We need to show fewer ups and downs, more consistency, especially on defense. We have to fight for every ball, play aggressively, and do everything we can to make sure the win stays at home."

Fletcher McGee, Buducnost guard

"We know this is an important game in the EuroCup. We already have two losses, so we have to protect our home court. We know they’re a good team, so over the next couple of days we’ll focus on scouting and preparing ourselves the right way. Greek teams are known for playing hard and fighting for every possession, so we expect a tough game. But if we come out focused and ready to battle, I believe we can get the win."

Chris Chougkaz, Panionios head coach

"We are in a period of restarting the team. After a few practices and one game against Olympiacos, we have another tough game against Buducnost. This should be an extra motivation for us to improve at such a difficult level, as well as in a competition where our participation is important. And since we are participating, we must do everything we can to be competitive."

George Papas, Panionios guard

"This game is a big opportunity for us, as a team, to be together and try to jump-start our new season. It's a good opportunity for us to find more chemistry that we didn't know that we had and just continue to work and walk out of here with a win."

NINERS Chemnitz vs. London Lions (19:00 CEST)

Tautvydas Sabonis, London Lions head coach

"Very tough team. Very defense-oriented, they create a lot of chaos with their defense. They like to run, like to be disruptive. Very guard-driven with good big men; we have to be prepared. One game is one game, it doesn’t change anything. We have to be grounded, ready to work do what we have to do, be disciplined and take it game by game. Energy, energy, energy. Physicality, being tough, being mentally tough, being ready to play in a hostile environment, absorb every hit and bounce back."

Tarik Phillip, London Lions guard

"It’s gonna be a dogfight. We’re hungry for more wins."

London Lions' injury report: Ovie Soko, Shavar Reynolds Jr, Ryan Mikesell

Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse vs. Lietkabelis Panevezys (19:30 CEST)

Frederic Fauthoux, Bourg head coach

"This is a team we face every year and with a different style of playing. They defend well and also knows how to apply pressure. So we'll have to impose our rhythm, our speed, and our athleticism to surprise them, especially on the offensive side. We'll try to do everything we can to keep this great run going."

Will McDowell-White, Bourg guard

"Lietkabelis is a talented and very tough team that can win in many different ways. We have been playing well so far and looking to continue that, especially defensively."

Dolomiti Energia Trento vs. Turk Telekom Ankara (20:00 CEST)

Fabio Bongi, Trento assistant coach

"We face Turk Telekom in what will be a very challenging game against a very strong team, accustomed to a well-defined playing system: very aggressive on offense and defense, and capable of making the most of their physicality. We will have to defend with intensity and win the rebound battle in order to impose our rhythm, trying to run as much as possible. Their most important players are definitely [Jaleen] Smith and [Kyle] Allman, who hold the reins of the team, while in the frontcourt they can count on great quality with [Kris] Bankston, an excellent rim protector, and [Marko] Simonovic, a player of great offensive talent."

Selom Mawugbe, Trento center

"Turk Telekom Ankara is a top-level team that plays very well and is, in my opinion, one of the best in our group. We will have to prepare for this challenge very carefully, working hard to ensure we are ready both mentally and physically. We are coming off a good performance in the league, but we want to get back to winning ways in the EuroCup after our lackluster performance in London. I am sure that the team will be able to bounce back and be ready for this important game."