On the fastbreak, DJ Kennedy finds Ronald March for the alley-oop slam.

Magic Moment: Kennedy, March combine for the alley-oop!

 On the fastbreak, DJ Kennedy finds Ronald March for the alley-oop slam.

Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse v Prometey Slobozhanske (2024-03-12T18:30:00.000Z)

Ronald March rejects Jeremy Morgan with a reverse block.

 Magic Moment: March with the rejection! 

 Ronald March rejects Jeremy Morgan with a reverse block.

The Turkish side stunned Gran Canaria on the road in the EuroCup Eighthfinals

Besiktas sent a message by taking down the champs: ‘This is just the beginning’

For Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul head coach Dusan Alimpijevic, facing Dreamland Gran Canaria had not been a fun proposition in the past. 

The 37-year-old, who is in his first year as Besiktas boss, had previously gone 0-4 against the Spanish outfit – all with Frutti Extra Bursaspor – and that includes a tough 72-66 defeat in last season’s BKT EuroCup Eighthfinals. Gran Canaria would later go on to become the EuroCup champion.

On Wednesday night, though, Alimpijevic managed to exact some revenge as his Besiktas squad stunned Gran Canaria [by winning 78-80 at Gran Canaria Arena](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/game-center/2023-24/dreamland-gran-canaria-besiktas-emlakjet-istanbul/U2023/183/), thus securing its passage to the quarterfinals.

“It was time for me personally \[to win\] after losing to Gran Canaria four times in a row,” Alimpijevic said with a wry smile in the post-game press conference. “It’s a difficult trip, tough time spent in the airplane.”

These sides have been longing for form, with the Spaniards losing three of its last four EuroCup encounters, while the visitors concluded with three straight defeats. Besiktas are leaders in offensive rebounding with 13.3 ppg, while Gran Canaria ranks fourth-worst in protecting its backboard.

Dreamland Gran Canaria-Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul | Eighthfinals Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup

### Responding in the best way possible

Besiktas finished the regular season with many doubts hovering over the team following three successive defeats, which came against Paris Basketball, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv – the Turkish side’s opponent in the quarterfinals – and the London Lions. Yet, earlier in the campaign, Alimpijevic’s men became the first – and only – team to beat Paris, winning 63-68 in the French capital. It also recorded an eye-opening win at Joventut Badalona back in Round 1, 62-63.

As such, it was clear that Besiktas had the ability to turn its fortunes around, it was only a matter of whether it could do so in time. Well, unfortunately for Gran Canaria, the Turkish side stepped up at just the right time, particularly on defense.

Gran Canaria, meanwhile, also came into Wednesday’s fixture following three straight defeats at home in the EuroCup, but it had managed to beat Real Madrid and Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in the Spanish League.

“The key to the victory was definitely our character,” Alimpijevic said in the flash interview after the game. “Big-time win. To come here and win against Gran Canaria, who’d just won a game against Baskonia, a EuroLeague team, and six games before they also won against Real Madrid. 

“But we also watched their games \[where they lost\] against Valencia Basket, U-BT Cluj-Napoca and Turk Telekom Ankara and prepared very well for all the pluses and minuses of Gran Canaria.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">𝐄𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐥𝐲 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 🦅 <a href="https://t.co/JntGulh40a">pic.twitter.com/JntGulh40a</a></p>&mdash; Beşiktaş Emlakjet (@BJK_Basketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/BJK_Basketbol/status/1765511991710335166?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Doing it on both ends

Alimpijevic pulled off a tactical masterclass against Gran Canaria to upset the hosts. Besiktas’s defense may have forced the Spanish side to commit a season-high 21 turnovers, but its offense also stepped up in the second half. The Turkish side scored 44 points after the break, with as many as eight players ending the game with at least 8 points each. 

“I’m really proud of my team,” Alimpijevic added. “Every single player showed character and toughness. We showed that we were very well-prepared for this game and that we are dedicated to our obligations.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">🌟 Bugün, en kritik anlarda iş başındaydı. <br><br>𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐎 𝐒𝐈𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐂 😤 <a href="https://t.co/qFKCt5lY7D">pic.twitter.com/qFKCt5lY7D</a></p>&mdash; Beşiktaş Emlakjet (@BJK_Basketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/BJK_Basketbol/status/1765521425480192016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Mid-season signing Marko Simonovic produced a player-of-the-game outing at Gran Canaria Arena, where he almost recorded a double-double. The Besiktas center paired his 10 points with a season-high 9 rebounds, 5 of which on the offensive end, including one that led to a huge put-back to make it 75-80 with 11 seconds left on the clock. Add to that a season-high 3 steals and 1 block in what was a complete performance by the 24-year-old. 

“I feel amazing,” Simonovic commented after the game. “This win is so important for us. We played exactly the way we prepared the game to play. I think that this is just the beginning. Next Wednesday, we have a game against Hapoel, so we have to prepare for that game and play like \[we did\] tonight.”

A meticulous Alimpijevic will be assigned with the task of preparing his players for that quarterfinal clash next week against Hapoel, the league’s second-best offense (96.1 ppg.). On Wednesday night at least, his players sent a strong message by proving that they can beat any team on the road. It remains to be seen whether Hapoel will find a way to effectively break down one of the most solid defenses in the competition.

Dreamland Gran Canaria v Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul (2024-03-06T20:00:00.000Z)

Joventut Badalona playmaker Andres Feliz stepped up when needed most, posting a career performance in his team's 79-88 road win over ratiopharm Ulm in EuroCup Eighthfinals, earning his first career MVP of the Round honor.

Andres Feliz |  Eighthfinals MVP | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup   

ratiopharm Ulm v Joventut Badalona (2024-03-05T18:30:00.000Z)

Be sure to take a look at the best ten plays of the 2023 24 BKT EuroCup Eighthfinals! 

 Top 10 Plays | Eighthfinals | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup 

Be sure to take a look at the best ten plays of the 2023 24 BKT EuroCup Eighthfinals!

Top 10 Plays | Eighthfinals | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup

Grantham dunks with aplomb after a sublime assist by Morgan!

Magic Moment of the Night: Matt Morgan connects with Grantham! 

Dreamland Gran Canaria-Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul | Eighthfinals Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup   

These sides have been longing for form, with the Spaniards losing three of its last four EuroCup encounters, while the visitors concluded with three straight defeats. Besiktas are leaders in offensive rebounding with 13.3 ppg, while Gran Canaria ranks fourth-worst in protecting its backboard. 

Derek Needham drives to the basket but Lammers rejects him with force!

Magic Moment: Lammers rejects Needham! 

 Derek Needham drives to the basket but Lammers rejects him with force!

Simonovic opens his account with a powerful one-handed dunk!

 Magic Moment: Simonovic with a one-handed slam! 

Simonovic opens his account with a powerful one-handed dunk! 

2022-23's runner-up Turk Telekom rescued an awful start to the campaign by winning five of its last six games to finish 8-10, whlst the Lions ranked third in the league in scoring (90.3 points per game), partly thanks to the potency of guard Matthew Morgan, who averaged 20.2 over his last four outings.

London Lions-Turk Telekom Ankara | Eighthfinals Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup   

London Lions v Turk Telekom Ankara (2024-03-06T18:00:00.000Z)

 Magic Moment: Grantham dunks! 

 Grantham dunks with aplomb after a sublime assist by Morgan!

Both clubs should be high in confidence and are to battle for a quarterfinal berth as Prometey welcomes Aris. The hosts won three of its last four regular season games to finish with a 10-8 account, while Aris squeezed into the postseason by winning its last two games for a 9-9 finish.

Prometey Slobozhanske-Aris Midea Thessaloniki | Eighthfinals Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup   

 Both clubs should be high in confidence and are to battle for a quarterfinal berth as Prometey welcomes Aris. The hosts won three of its last four regular season games to finish with a 10-8 account, while Aris squeezed into the postseason by winning its last two games for a 9-9 finish.

Prometey Slobozhanske v Aris Midea Thessaloniki (2024-03-06T17:00:00.000Z)

 Isssuf Sannon drives and has his mind on the layup before Kris Bankston arrives to deny him

 Magic Moment: Rejected by Bankston! 

  Isssuf Sannon drives and has his mind on the layup before Kris Bankston arrives to deny him

Big man Ondrej Balvin deploys a spin move, absorbs contacts and finishes in style for the basket and the foul

Magic Moment: Balvin like a ballerina!

 Big man Ondrej Balvin deploys a spin move, absorbs contacts and finishes in style for the basket and the foul

 Ronald March comes from the weak side to deny Aris’s Toliopoulos

 Magic Moment: March’s magical block! 

 Ronald March comes from the weak side to deny Aris’s Toliopoulos 

Two teams who stuttered towards the end of the regular season, both ending with 10-8 records, look to recover their form as Ulm faces Joventut. The Spanish side lost three straight to slide to fifth, while Ulm suffered three consecutive home losses to sow seeds of doubt ahead of this knockout showdown.

ratiopharm Ulm-Joventut Badalona | Eighthfinals Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup   

Feliz Andres runs the floor and feeds Yannick Krrag who finishes the fast break with a huge two-handed slam!

 Magic Moment of the Night: Kraag completes a perfect fastbreak! 

With the game clock starting to wind down, Juan Nunez smartly tips on a pass to Trevion Williams for a dunk.

 Magic Moment: Nunez with the smart assist! 

 With the game clock starting to wind down, Juan Nunez smartly tips on a pass to Trevion Williams for a dunk.