EuroLeague top photos of the week

Look back at all the action from Rounds 12 of the regular season by checking out the best photos of the week! 

Top 10 photos of the week: Round 12

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv continued its dominant start to the Israeli League season with a convincing 70-93 road win over Elitzur Netanya on Saturday night

Hapoel cruises to another victory in the Israeli League

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv continued its dominant start to the Israeli League season with a convincing 70-93 road win over Elitzur Netanya on Saturday night. The victory kept Dimitris Itoudis’s squad unbeaten at 6–0 in domestic play as they look ahead to a EuroLeague showdown with Real Madrid on Tuesday.

Tyler Ennis led Hapoel with 17 points, Ish Wainright added 14 points and 5 rebounds, Jonathan Motley scored 13, and Itay Segev contributed 12 points and 9 boards. For Netanya, Semaj Christon had 17 points, Shaq Buchanan 14, and Otis Fraser 12 with 6 rebounds.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="iw" dir="rtl">שבוע טוב הפועל ♨️ <a href="https://t.co/extQPHA1Kd">pic.twitter.com/extQPHA1Kd</a></p>&mdash; Hapoel Tel Aviv BC (@HapoelTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC/status/1992333869350375765?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The opening quarter was competitive despite early turnovers by the hosts. Hapoel jumped ahead 5-10 after a Motley basket, but Netanya fought back with athletic plays to trail just 16-21after 10 minutes. The second quarter proved decisive. Following an early Netanya basket, Hapoel erupted on a 0-15 run led by Chris Jones, stretching the margin to double digits. Two three-pointers from Oz Blayzer and strong defense pushed the gap to 20 points. At halftime, the visitors led 29-46, with Jones and Bar Timor pacing the offense.

The third quarter maintained the status quo as Hapoel’s advantage grew. Motley and Ennis shone for the visitors, while Buchanan and Christon tried to keep Netanya afloat. A late three-pointer by Wainright capped the period at 47-70. The final quarter was largely garbage time. Netanya trimmed the deficit briefly with a 0-8 spurt, but Ennis halted the momentum, and Hapoel cruised to a 70-93 win.

After the game, Itoudis praised his team’s focus despite a grueling travel schedule: “We were serious, came with the right approach, and were the better team on the court.”

More Hapoel Tel Aviv news

Coach Itoudis's charges remain undefeated in the domestic competiton at 6-0

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens secured a hard-fought 65-78 victory over Mykonos Betsson on the road in the Greek League on Saturday. Kendrick Nunn led the Greens with 23 points and 6 assists

Panathinaikos overcomes Mykonos on the road in Greek League

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens secured a hard-fought 65-78 victory over Mykonos Betsson on the road in the Greek League on Saturday. Kendrick Nunn led the Greens with 23 points and 6 assists, helping his team stay on track despite early struggles.

Alexandros Samontourov added 13 points and 8 rebounds, TJ Shorts scored 12 and Kenneth Faried posted 10 points and 9 boards for the winners. Mykonos was led by Khalid Moore with 17 points, followed by Vassilis Kavvadas with 11 and Tyree Appleby with 10.

The hosts started well, racing to an 8–2 lead and closing the first quarter ahead 19–16. Mykonos extended its advantage to 30–20 midway through the second quarter. Panathinaikos responded with a 6–0 run and tied the game at 34–34. The teams went into the break level at 39–39.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Final Score ☘️<a href="https://twitter.com/aom_bc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@aom_bc</a> - <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/paobcaktor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#paobcaktor</a> 65-78<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeTheGreens?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeTheGreens</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Club1908?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Club1908</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StoiximanGBL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StoiximanGBL</a> <a href="https://t.co/8EVgabQ3Fz">pic.twitter.com/8EVgabQ3Fz</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr/status/1992264133002326128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Mykonos briefly held on, but Panathinaikos took its first lead at 41–43 early in the third quarter. The visitors finished the period strong, leading 51–58 after 30 minutes. In the final quarter, Panathinaikos weathered a 9–3 Mykonos run that cut the gap to 60–63, and then pulled away decisively. A late surge sealed the outcome at 65–78.

After the game, Panathinaikos head coach Ergin Ataman praised the atmosphere in Mykonos but admitted his team struggled to maintain focus after a EuroLeague clash: “It’s exciting to play here. The organization and passion are great. But it wasn’t easy to stay 100% concentrated. We missed many open shots – just 4-of-24 from three. Mykonos fought until the end, but we found a way.”

Ataman also noted injury concerns, including absences for Juancho Hernangomez and Cedi Osman, while expressing optimism about their return for Tuesday’s EuroLeague home game against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade.

More Panathinaikos news

Kendrick Nunn stepped up with 23 points and 6 assists in the win

A season-best performance in a high-scoring win allowed Theo Maledon of Real Madrid to earn MVP of the Round honors. The point guard had a PIR of 34, the highest of any player on a winning team in Round 12.

Round 12 MVP: Theo Maledon, Real Madrid

A season-best performance in a high-scoring win allowed [Theo Maledon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/theo-maledon/007027/) of Real Madrid to earn MVP of the Round honors. The point guard had a PIR of 34, the highest of any player on a winning team in Round 12.

Maledon led Real to a 100-99 home win over Zalgiris Kaunas, needing less than 22 minutes to get 25 points on 7-of-8 two-pointers and 11-of-11 free throws, in addition to adding 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals and 7 fouls drawn.

This round’s highest PIR, 39, belongs to Paris Basketball's [Justin Robinson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/justin-robinson/014008/), who scored 35 points, along with 4 assists, 2 steals, 2 rebounds and 10 fouls drawn, in a 98-84 loss against Olympiacos Piraeus.

[Sylvain Francisco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sylvain-francisco/007975/) of Zalgiris reached a PIR of 37 against Real. Francisco matched his personal-best scoring effort with 33 points on 3-of-6 two-pointers, 7-of-9 three-pointers and 6-of-6 free throws. He dished a career-high 11 assists, had 3 rebounds, 2 steals and drew 5 fouls.

Rounding out the list of Round 12’s best performers are [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens and [Sterling Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sterling-brown/012720/) of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, each with a 26 PIR. Brown netted 27 points with 3 rebounds and 3 assists in an 87-99 loss against Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, while Nunn had 22 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals in a 103-82 win over Dubai Basketball. 

### Individual highs: Justin Robinson, Paris, 35 points

Paris playmaker Justin Robinson led all scorers with 35 points in Round 12. His Paris teammate [Nadir Hifi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nadir-hifi/012640/) remains the EuroLeague's top scorer with 21.4 points per game.

[Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) of Real Madrid led all rebounders this round by pulling down 11 against Zalgiris. Olympiacos center [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) is the league’s top rebounder, averaging 8.2 boards.

Sylvain Francisco dished 11 assists, more than any other player in Round 12. Francisco is the EuroLeague’s leader in this category with 7.0 dimes per game.

[Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/) of AS Monaco collected 5 steals to lead all players in this round. Diallo tops the steals charts with 1.8 per game.

[Kenneth Faried](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kenneth-faried/011284/) of Panathinaikos led Round 12 in blocks with 4. Tavares ranks first this season with 2.0 blocks per game.

The two double-doubles in Round 12 were those by Francisco (33 points, 11 assists) and Tavares (12 points, 11 rebounds).

EuroLeague fans, we have our 12th winner in this season's EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge! Deividas Giedrys beat everyone else in Round 12 with his team gruzovykas, which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 233.95.

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Round 12 winner

EuroLeague fans, we have our 12th winner in this season's [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/)! Deividas Giedrys beat everyone else in Round 12 with his team gruzovykas, which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 233.95.

Deividas had the following lineup: Real Madrid's Theo Maledon as team captain, then his teammate Walter Tavares, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade's Codi Miller-McIntyre, Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv's Dan Oturu and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot of Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz as his starters. Ercan Osmani of Anadolu Efes Istanbul was his sixth man. Deividas's bench players were Ognjen Dobric of Crvena Zvezda, Quinn Ellis of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, Matthew Morgan of Virtus Bologna and Will Rayman of Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv. Baskonia play-caller Paolo Galbiati was Deividas's head coach.

The prize for finishing first in Round 12 is a VIP EuroLeague TV Subscription for the 2026-27 Season, and an automatic entry to a lottery to win two tickets to the 2027 Final Four.

Trades are now open for Round 13 of the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/). Remember, four trades are allowed before each round until the end of the regular season. You can either trade up to four players, or a head coach and three players.

The first game of Round 13, Dubai Basketball vs. Paris Basketball, is scheduled to tip off on Tuesday, November 25 at 17:00 CEST. This marks the next round's deadline.

Make new teams now or improve your existing ones and try to become our next round winner! To help with that, watch the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge podcast weekly on the [EuroLeague's YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@euroleague) and on all audio platforms.

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge offers weekly prizes to the top team manager. 

Olympiacos BC's second unit brought the energy and hustle from the bench against Paris Basketball, with Evan Fournier taking the mantle in the fourth quarter to provide the knockout blow.

Olympiacos's second unit, Evan Fournier combine to knock out Paris

The first quarter on Friday night was one to forget for [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/). [Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/) hit the ground running, with [Justin Robinson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/justin-robinson/014008/) firing on all cylinders by going 5 for 6 from deep – a club record for the most threes made by a player in one quarter.

Olympiacos’s big guns struggled to find their range as the French side took a 21-29 lead into the second quarter. The Reds needed to find a spark and that came from the bench, as the team’s second unit stepped up on both ends of the floor.

Four straight points by [Alec Peters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alec-peters/008829/) were followed by eight from [Tyson Ward](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tyson-ward/012610/) before [Kostas Papanikolaou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kostas-papanikolaou/001255/) hit a triple to bring Olympiacos within 37-38. Then, Peters, Ward and [Donta Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/donta-hall/011196/) netted four points apiece, with the hosts opening a 52-44 lead. In fact, Ward scored all 12 of his points in the second quarter, with Olympiacos’s bench outscoring the starters 37-21 in the first half.

The Greek side tightened up its defense as Ward, Hall and Papanikolaou provided the physicality. Having made the most of its hustle on the defensive end, it scored 18 points off turnovers and held Paris to 20 second-quarter points.

On the offensive end, Olympiacos netted a total of 37 points – the third-most scored by the team in a single quarter since 2007-08. It did so by circulating the ball well, finishing the first half with as many as 17 assists and taking a 58-49 advantage into halftime.

Olympiacos Piraeus-Paris Basketball | Round 12 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

“The physicality that we applied in the second quarter was very important to steal balls and find some confidence on the other side of the floor,” head coach Georgios Bartzokas noted at halftime.

Paris bounced back in the third quarter and went on a 1-10 run that brought the guests within 72-69. The hosts maintained a narrow lead heading into the fourth, before Robinson’s seventh triple of the game took his tally to a club-record 35 points, cutting the difference to 81-78.

Enter [Evan Fournier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/evan-fournier/013380/), who came off the bench and brought some much-needed intensity on both ends of the floor. The Frenchman started by creating open shots, finding [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/) for a triple. Then, he forced a Robinson turnover before Walkup drew an unsportsmanlike foul on the break.

The Olympiacos guard hit both free throws, with Fournier nailing his fourth three of the night on the next possession. On the other side of the floor, the former NBAer picked up another steal, hitting the floor in transition and netting a layup as Olympiacos went on a 10-0 surge to practically put the game to bed. Fournier ended the clash on a season-high 18 points, having gone 4 for 9 from beyond the arc.

“Evan was really better than the previous games, but we said it was a matter of time to find himself, just to get into his normal shape,” Bartzokas told EuroLeague TV after the game.

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With [Moustapha Fall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/moustapha-fall/008811/) sidelined through injury and [Tyler Dorsey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tyler-dorsey/009849/) red-hot in this first stretch of the season, Olympiacos is still figuring out how to operate under these new circumstances. Having grabbed a 98-86 win over Paris on home soil, the Greek side improved its record to 8-4.

Although they have yet to fully convince with their performances, Bartzokas's team currently sits second in the EuroLeague standings behind Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv, which they beat earlier this season.

“We have a different dynamic this year,” Fournier admitted after the game. “We are all trying to help the team the best way we can. We all have to fit in with different roles a little bit. It’s going to take some adjustment from all of us, but I think it all starts with the defense, the energy and the hustle. If you have these things, the offense is going to take care of itself.”

And that’s precisely what happened on Friday night. The second unit brought the energy and hustle from the bench, with Fournier taking the mantle in the fourth quarter to provide the knockout blow.

Game News

The Frenchman made two crucial steals in the fourth quarter and netted a season-high 18 points in the Reds' home victory 

Olympiacos Piraeus v Paris Basketball (2025-11-21T19:15:00.000Z)

Widely regarded for its fast offense, it was defense that made the difference for Valencia Basket against KK Crvena zvezda in Round 12.

Valencia shows another side of its game to defeat Crvena Zvezda

Much has been written about [Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/valencia-basket/pam/) and head coach Pedro Martinez's run-and-gun style, which has seen the team score 100 points or more three times this season. The recipe has been the same since Coach Martinez joined the team: playing with a lot of possessions and taking the first open shot his team gets, no matter how long is left on the clock.

What most people fail to see, however, is that Valencia is a top-class defensive team – one of the best in the EuroLeague – and only when its defense is on point does that fun-to-watch offense take a back seat.

On Friday, Valencia beat [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/red/) 76-73 at Roig Arena to improve to 7-5 in the standings. The Serbian outfit was held to a season-low score, with its previous low being the 79 points it recorded in a home victory over LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in Round 7. 

For Valencia, it was the fourth time in six games that it has held its opponents under 80 points. That streak includes high-scoring teams like Real Madrid, Dubai Basketball, and reigning champion Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul.

Valencia Basket-Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade | Round 12 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Valencia managed to protect the paint despite being outrebounded 31-44. Zvezda came into this game hitting 56.3% of its two-point shots, dishing 19.2 assists per night, and committing a dangerous number of turnovers (14.0) per game.

Against Valencia, coach Sasa Obradovic's team hit just 15-of-36 two-pointers (41.7% 2FG), recorded 16 assists, and committed as many as 19 turnovers. Seven of those turnovers came in the second quarter, allowing Valencia to build a 49-39 lead at the break. 

With the game on the line, [Nikola Kalinic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-kalinic/004866/) picked up his team's final turnover, which ended up sealing the outcome down the stretch.

Defense allowed Valencia to secure a win on a night when its shots were not falling. The hosts finished the game with 13 steals, tying their third-best mark in the competition. They previously had 15 steals in an 87-100 road win over Zalgiris on April 1, 2004, and 14 in an 82-56 victory over FC Bayern Munich on November 15, 2019.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">VAMOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSSS CAR EL SEGUNDO CLASIFICADO DE LA <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> en el <a href="https://twitter.com/RoigArena?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RoigArena</a> 🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡 <a href="https://t.co/cfXxJP6Ht3">pic.twitter.com/cfXxJP6Ht3</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1991990093423489143?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

"This is basketball. We made some not great decisions in the last minute and a half. But we fought, we rebounded better in the second half and it's an important win for us," Coach Martinez said after the game. 

"We played against a great team. They have great tactics with switching defenses. It's always hard and difficult to attack that, but finally the personality of the players and making winning decisions made the difference to win an important game."

[Brancou Badio](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/brancou-badio/007527/) and [Kameron Taylor](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kameron-taylor/011217/) both played key roles in the triumph. Taylor did a little bit of everything, getting 12 points, 6 rebounds, 5 fouls drawn, and a PIR of 17. He had a crucial basket off a spin move that gave Valencia a 75-71 lead with 1:03 remaining. Badio provided much-needed instant offense off the bench, scoring 16 points in as many minutes.

"We just found a way to win at the end. Hopefully we are only going up from here," Taylor said after the game. "I'm just trying to do whatever it takes to help my team win. That's it."

After four consecutive home victories, Valencia hosts FC Bayern Munich in Round 13 on Tuesday, November 25. Zvezda goes back home to face Olympiacos Piraeus on Wednesday, November 26.

Widely regarded for its fast offense, it was defense that made the difference for the Spanish side in Round 12

Valencia Basket v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2025-11-21T20:00:00.000Z)

Overcoming a slow start to get a home win is nothing new in the EuroLeague, and that’s the exact recipe Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz used on Friday night in beating FC Bayern Munich 95-73.

From ‘terrible’ to ‘great’, Baskonia wins after a 35-point swing

Overcoming a slow start to get a home win is nothing new in the EuroLeague, and that’s the exact recipe [Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/bas/) used on Friday night in beating [FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/mun/) 95-73.

However, turning a 13-point deficit into a 22-point win is a feat that requires an outstanding effort, which is what Baskonia got on this night.

“I am super proud how the team reacted,” Baskonia team captain [Tadas Sedekerskis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tadas-sedekerskis/007230/) said after the game.

The ‘reacted’ part relates to the first half. In particular, the clock at Buesa Arena was showing 2 minutes and 37 seconds left in the first quarter, and Bayern’s sharpshooter [Andreas Obst](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/andreas-obst/004508/) caught fire. He used a screen and quickly fired a shot that found nothing but the bottom of the net.

Not only that. Obst just strung together 8 consecutive points and Bayern was up 10-23, dominating on both ends of the floor and in full control of the game.

“The start of the game was terrible for us,” Sedekerskis said, while Baskonia head coach Paolo Galbiati said:

“In the first quarter, \[we were\] horrible. After that we started doing our things, moving the ball and create for our shooter.

“The key was that we changed our behavior on defense. After that we had an opportunity to run a little bit, find shooters, and attack their defense.”

Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz-FC Bayern Munich | Round 12 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

From that point on, a 13-point first-quarter deficit, Baskonia allowed just 50 points the rest of the night.

Baskonia won the game by 22 points despite only pulling down 3 offensive rebounds. However, just about everything else was in the hosts' favor.

For instance, Baskonia also allowed only 6 offensive boards, which says more when we know that Bayern only shot 50% from two and 27.6% behind the arc.

The team had eight scorers with 7 or more points, one of them being Sedekerskis, who had 11 points and 7 rebounds in 20:26 on the floor. Another one was [Markquis Nowell](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/markquis-nowell/014119/), who had 12 points and dished 8 assists in 19:44 on the floor.

The latter agreed with his coach, not only about the final three quarters, but in general.

“We changed our behavior, we changed our chemistry, we bonded with one another, and it showed today with the ball movement, with screening with one another, and it was a display of all the work we put in this week,” Nowell explained.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">¡UN MVP REPARTIDO! 🤝<br><br>Las actuaciones de tadas y Markquis para ser los azulgranas más valorados del duelo con 20 de valoración cada uno 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/vLhKN2mpFo">pic.twitter.com/vLhKN2mpFo</a></p>&mdash; Kosner Baskonia (@Baskonia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Baskonia/status/1991982877550997558?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Nowell's 8 assists were his personal best, and they helped Baskonia register its fourth consecutive home win. However, the team is 0-5 on the road.

“We’ve been playing really good at home, hopefully we can carry that on the road,” Nowell said. “Road wins are testament to tough teams.”

For Nowell and his teammates, the first chance for that will come on Tuesday when they face Zalgiris (7-5) in Kaunas.

Having trailed by double digits in the first half, the Spanish side dominated after the break

From ‘terrible’ to ‘great’: Baskonia downs Bayern after a 35-point swing

Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v FC Bayern Munich (2025-11-21T19:30:00.000Z)

Virtus Bologna ground out an ultimately comfortable 99-89 win over the visiting Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv in what was the Italian team’s last game in its temporary home, Paladozza Arena, where it has been playing since the beginning of the current campaign.

Virtus makes light of Maccabi as hosts shoot the first half lights out

[Virtus Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/vir/) ground out an ultimately comfortable 99-89 win over the visiting [Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/maccabi-rapyd-tel-aviv/tel/) in what was the Italian team’s last game in its temporary home, Paladozza Arena, where it has been playing since the beginning of the current campaign.

Last year's Italian League champion will move back to its refurbished Virtus Arena after the international break, and the hosts bid their makeshift home farewell with a solid performance in which [Carsen Edwards](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/carsen-edwards/011987/) stood out as he sank a game-high 26 points, 17 of which came in a rampant first half.

Edwards finished on 8 of 15 from downtown to underline his team’s impressive shooting day, as Virtus sank 17 shots from long range and 10 of them in the opening two quarters, when it carved out a crucial 56-45 lead.

[Derrick Alston](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/derrick-alston-jr--/014005/) also shined with 15 points and 7 boards, while [Matt Morgan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/matthew-morgan/012585/) poured 17 points as Virtus dished out 27 assists. 

Virtus Bologna-Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv | Round 12 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

“I am happy for the team as we did a lot of good things but I’ve got to finish the game better since I committed a few turnovers in the end and I’ve got to be better defensively,” Edwards said in his post-game comments. “Trying to get some wins on the road will be important but we’ll just keep chipping away and we’ll see.”

Virtus was in cruise control throughout the opening three quarters but let its foot off the gas in the fourth, as Maccabi closed the gap to just 6 points (90-84) before the hosts made sure there was to be no final twist.  

Virtus head coach Dusko Ivanovic stressed there was never any room for complacency in basketball, adding that his team now needs to prove its credentials on the road if it is to feature as postseason contenders.

“We now have to demonstrate that we are a serious team by playing good away as well as at home,” the Montenegrin tactician said, heaping some praise on Alston. “He played well tonight, just like he did in the las Italian championship game. I think we controlled tonight’s game all the time except in the last quarter, when we had four turnovers and made the situation complicated. Basketball is beautiful because you need to keep your focus for the entire 40 minutes,” he added.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Home 🟰 WIN ✨🤩 <a href="https://t.co/QoxIULKfJa">pic.twitter.com/QoxIULKfJa</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Bologna (@VirtusBo) <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusBo/status/1991992430237995280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Maccabi won the battle of the boards 39-35 after collecting a whopping 21 offensive rebounds but the Israeli outfit was unable to capitalize on its domination in the paint, having conceded a barrage of long-range baskets while shooting a modest 12-of-40 from downtown. 

[Marcio Santos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/marcio-santos/013289/) led Maccabi on 19 points while [Roman Sorkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/roman-sorkin/011219/) and [John DiBartolomeo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/john-dibartolomeo/007990/) netted 11 each, but Maccabi sorely missed [Lonnie Walker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/lonnie-walker-iv/013403/) and the ill [Jaylen Hoard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jaylen-hoard/006835/), neither of whom got off the bench.

“The things we’ve been suffering from since the beginning of the season came back again today,” said the visiting team’s Oded Kattash. “We need to be more consistent and it wasn’t our best shooting day. Virtus is a tough home team and you have to perform better to get the W. It was a high-tempo game and we failed to slow them down as they shared the ball extremely well.”  

The Italian side sank 10 three-pointers in the opening two quarters before maintaining cruise control in the second half

Virtus Bologna v Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (2025-11-21T19:30:00.000Z)