Check out what the protagonists are saying ahead of Round 6 of the 2025-26 EuroCup season, and who might be missing in action.
Round 6: Pregame quotes and injury reports
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7 Mins read
Wednesday, November 5
U-BT Cluj-Napoca vs. Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (18:00 CET)
Mihai Silvasan, Cluj head coach
"We’re facing a team that has changed a lot, just like we have. They kept a few of their key players from last year, and I’m referring here to Nikolic, who is their main scorer, and Stewart, who is in his third year with the team, a complete player who helps them a lot. They also have some injury problems, and they’ve recently signed a new center who will most likely make his debut against us. I believe we are ready, we want to keep up our good performances, have the right mentality, and stay very focused on what we have to do, on our own game. We’re trying to improve the aspects of our play that have caused us issues so far, especially on defense. They average fewer rebounds and points than we do, but they are better when it comes to turnovers. I think one of the keys to the game will be taking care of the ball on offense and not allowing easy baskets on fast breaks."
Dusan Miletic, Cluj center
"Definitely a tough game, because we play against a physical and experienced team that has been in the EuroCup for many years. I think our advantage will be the home court, for sure, and I think we’ve gained some confidence after the last games, so we need to keep the momentum. It’s really important for us to play at home, especially in this atmosphere, with this amazing crowd, where the energy is different, so it’s really important to protect the home court."
Zvezdan Mitrovic, Cedevita Olimpija head coach
"Cluj is a very serious team, which they’ve been proving with their performances in both competitions. Going into the game, they are the favorites. They’re a team that averages 97 points per game in the EuroCup, which says a lot. That means our defense will have to be at a very high level. We’re definitely facing a tough challenge, as they have excellent and quick players on the perimeter, and transition is one of their main weapons. It’s going to take a lot of running, defense, and fighting for rebounds. We’ll see on Wednesday how well-prepared we are for all these tasks."
Umoja Gibson, Cedevita Olimpija guard
"We expect a very intense game. We know that Cluj has exceptional players on the perimeter, as well as very strong ones under the basket. We need to prepare well and control the pace of the game. It’s definitely going to be an exciting matchup, and we’ll be ready for the challenge."
Neptunas Kleipeda vs. BAXI Manresa (18:00 CET)
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Bahcesehir College Istanbul vs. Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem (18:00 CET)
Yonatan Alon, Jerusalem head coach
"We have a lot of respect for Bahcesehir and how they play. Their results so far show that they are the best team in the competition. We belive in ourselves and are going to give our best, all that we can, to win this game."
ratiopharm ulm vs. London Lions (19:00 CET)
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Aris Thessaloniki Betsson vs. Slask Wroclaw (19:00 CET)
Igor Milicic, Aris head coach
"Everyone will be ready for tomorrow except for Giouzelis. We also have a few other minor issues, but they should be resolved by the time of the game. Slask has played five games in EuroCup, mostly against teams that we have also faced. It definitely won’t be an easy game for us, but it will certainly be the most important game of the season so far. We’re not thinking about the next games, our focus is entirely on tomorrow’s match. For us, every game is the most important one as we try to change the image of the team. We are fully focused and determined to turn the situation around."
Lefteris Bochoridis, Aris guard
"Slask is a very good team, with a quite talented and quality group of players. We don’t have the luxury to distinguish between opponents or to underestimate any team. I believe it’s a good opportunity that we have a game again so soon, as it gives us the chance to step on the court and show a different picture."
Umana Reyer Venice vs. Veolia Towers Hamburg (20:00 CET)
Neven Spahija, Reyer head coach
"After the day off, we got back to work and I saw a lot of energy on the court. All the players are healthy and we have prepared well for the game against Hamburg. We are facing a team that hasn't had many wins so far, but they are very dangerous for that very reason. They play at a high pace, putting a lot of desire and intensity on the court, and they never give up. We will have to play serious basketball, with our energy and even more focus. We are ready. In the last game against Varese we won, but without playing our best basketball: we were heavily affected by the travel, but now the conditions are completely different."
Carl Wheatle, Reyer forward
"We have to play a tough game, a very important one for our standings, and we'll be doing it in front of our home crowd. It will probably be a hard-fought game. At this point in the season, all games are fundamental for us, especially in a week with so many back-to-back commitments. Playing at home is always important for us, so we will try to do our best to win. We want this victory both to find rhythm and consistency as a team, and, obviously, for the standings."
Reyer injury report: There are no injuries to report.
Tuesday, November 4
Turk Telekom Ankara vs. Panionios Cosmorama Travel Athens (17:00 CET)
Ilias Zouros, Panionios head coach
"It’s a difficult and demanding game. What we want is to show a competitive face and present a good team image, despite our absences and bad luck, against a very strong and quality opponent."
Nate Watson, Panionios center
"It’s a tough game against a very good team. We really want to get our first road win, and for that reason, we’re looking forward to the challenge."
Panionios injury report: George Papas, Michalis Lountzis and Tyler Wahl are ruled out.
Buducnost VOLI Podgorica vs. Besiktas GAIN Istanbul (19:00 CET)
Andrej Zakelj, Buducnost head coach
"We know who we’re up against — Besiktas is one of the favorites to win the EuroCup. Lately, they’ve been playing at a really high level: aggressive, fast, with great individual players, but also as a very well-connected team. It’s going to be a tough test for us, but also a great opportunity to show that we can compete at this level.We have a lot to improve if we want to be competitive, but we’re playing on our home court and we’ll do everything we can to surprise Besiktas. The key will be energy and fighting spirit — diving for every ball, playing tough, aggressive, and as a true team. With the support of our fans, I believe we can give our maximum and get the win."
Rasheed Sulaimon, Buducnost guard
"It’s a big game — two top-level teams going head-to-head. These are the kinds of games every basketball player loves to prepare for. I’m expecting, and I know we’ll have, a great crowd and an amazing atmosphere. We’ll do our best to make our fans proud, feed off their energy, and leave everything on the floor. It’s going to be a physical, high-intensity battle — two tough teams with rich histories, two great coaches, and high-level players. I believe the game will come down to the details: execution, focus, and toughness. The team that stays sharper, more physical, and more resilient will be the one that comes out on top."
Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse vs. NINERS Chemnitz (19:30 CET)
Frederic Fauthoux, Bourg head coach
"They are very highly ranked in the German League. They are a very aggressive team defensively, with a well-structured and very athletic style of play. It will therefore be a difficult game, but it's a game we absolutely must win at home."
Tre Mitchell, Bourg center
"We expect a very physical game. Chemnitz is probably one of the most physical teams in the German League, so they will inevitably impose their physical style of play."
Dolomiti Energia Trento vs. Lietkabelis Panevezys (20:00 CET)
Fabio Bongi, Trento assistant coach
"It will definitely be a tough game. Playing at home can help us, but we need to recover well after the effort we put in against Virtus Bologna. We are facing a team that has made organization, both offensively and defensively, one of its trademarks. They have very talented players like Flowers and Morris, quality in every position, and they are extremely physical with great size. One of the characteristics that has distinguished them for many seasons is their ability to play well together, moving the ball consistently and having clear ideas on defense as well. It will be a demanding test, but we know how crucial it will be to stay within our system, with everyone bringing their own brick to build a strong performance in front of our fans."
Matas Jogela, Trento forward
"Lietkabelis is a great team, and it’s never easy to face them because they have a lot of experience, they play smart basketball, and they’re very aggressive on defense. If we want to try to win, we need to impose our game, sharing the ball to create open shots. Being aggressive on both ends of the floor will be crucial. We know how important this game is: even though we’ve only played five games so far, every single one matters, especially at home, if we want to try to reach the playoffs."
