A festive slate of fixtures in Round 18 of the regular season is headlined by the reigning champ hosting the current co-leader, along with lots more exciting meetings in the race for the playoffs. Don’t miss your overview of the upcoming games.

At a glance: A festive slate packed with thrilling matchups

A festive slate of fixtures in Round 18 of the regular season is headlined by the reigning champ hosting the current co-leader, along with lots more exciting meetings in the race for the playoffs. Don’t miss your overview of the upcoming games.

## Tuesday, December 23

### Dubai Basketball vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (17:00 CET)

The round begins with a key matchup between direct rivals in the middle of the standings as Dubai (8-9) welcomes Milan (9-8). Dubai boosted its confidence with a hard-fought win at Efes last time out, and is led by arguably the league’s hottest player with guard McKinley Wright recording an average PIR of 35.0 in the last three games. Milan is aiming to bounce back from a defeat to Fenerbahce and will look to contain Wright through the energy of Quinn Ellis, while Shavon Shields will look to recover his usual accuracy after going 3-of-14 from the field in last week’s loss. On that note, Dubai is currently ranked last in the league in three-point shooting (31.7%), despite veteran shooter Davis Bertans finding form with six triples in the last two games.

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. FC Barcelona (18:45 CET)

Co-leader Barcelona (12-5) will look to make it five wins in a row by overcoming reigning champ Fenerbahce (10-6) and former coach Saras Jasikevicius. After somehow surviving last week’s record-breaking triple overtime thriller against Baskonia, Barca will hope that Kevin Punter can continue the sharpshooting which saw him net 43 points in that game. The visiting team will have to cope without injured Will Clyburn, while former Fener big man Jan Vesely faces a fitness battle to take part. Fenerbahce will be led by a red-hot Talen Horton-Tucker, who has averaged 23.0 points in the last three games and now faces a great matchup with Punter. The hosts will also look for Tarik Biberovic to continue his upturn in form, after netting seven triples in the last two games.

### Zalgiris Kaunas vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (19:00 CET)

An all-green affair will see Zalgiris (10-7) attempt to climb into the top six at the expense of inconsistent Panathinaikos (11-6). Zalgiris got its home form back on track by blitzing Partizan last time out, and big man Moses Wright will relish the opportunity to continue his strong form after recording 17 points and 6 rebounds in that win. He faces a bruising battle with Panathinaikos star Kenneth Faried after his 8 points and 11 rebounds helped defeat Hapoel in Round 11. The backcourt features an all-star showdown between the league’s leading distributor Sylvain Francisco (6.9 assists per game) and third-highest scorer Kendrick Nunn (19.1 points per night). Zalgiris boasts the second-best defense in the league (81.5 points allowed), and can also count on a crackling atmosphere for this crucial matchup.

### FC Bayern Munich vs. Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (19:30 CET)

After finally ending a seven-game road odyssey, Bayern (5-12) will hope for home comforts as it welcomes co-leader Hapoel (12-5). The German team won no games on its extended road trip, leading to the departure of coach Gordie Herbert on Saturday. Bayern needs to improve defensively after allowing 103 points against Monaco last week, but it does have a shooter in fine form with Spencer Dinwiddie netting at least 10 points in eight straight games. Hapoel is looking to bounce back from last week’s defeat at Panathinaikos and will hope for another strong performance from guard Tyler Ennis, who took advantage of extended playing time by netting 16 points with four triples. The visitors rank second in two-point shooting accuracy (59.4%), so Bayern will need strong interior defense as it begins its new coaching era.

### Valencia Basket vs. Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (20:00 CET)

Valencia (11-6) will attempt to get back on the winning track against hungry Baskonia (6-11). The visiting team is still looking for its first road win after last week’s triple-overtime heartache at Barcelona, and will cross their fingers that key scorers Timote Luwawu-Cabarrot and Markus Howard will recover from injuries sustained in that game. Valencia’s five-game winning run was ended by a narrow defeat at Maccabi last week, but the Taronjas boast the EuroLeague’s best home record (7-1) and will look for in-form big man Matt Costello to deliver another strong performance against his former club. He is part of a Valencia unit which ranks second in the league in offensive rebounding (13.6 per game), and Braxton Key is another physical presence waiting to unsettle Baskonia after grabbing 4 offensive boards last time out.

### Paris Basketball vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (20:45 CET)

Paris (5-12) will attempt to turn around its recent freefall against a Zvezda team (10-7) fighting hard to stay in the playoff places. The French team will need to recover its morale after a fourth-quarter collapse led to last week’s loss at Real, but knows it can rely on another scoring alternative to Nadir Hifi following a great start from new signing Jared Rhoden, who netted 19 points in Madrid. Zvezda last’s game saw the Serbian team show great spirit – helped by a double-double from chief orchestrator Codi Miller-McIntyre (21 points, 10 assists) – to edge out Virtus and snap a three-game losing streak. But that game took place in Belgrade and Zvezda has desperately struggled on its travels, losing four straight, and knows it will need maximum intensity to survive Paris’s whirlwind style.

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (20:45 CET)

Two teams struggling in the lower reaches of the standings are looking for a boost with ASVEL (4-13) hosting Efes (6-11). Pablo Laso’s honeymoon as Efes coach was cut short by last week’s home loss to Dubai, although the performance of do-it-all Nick Weiler-Babb (12 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds) suggests that he might be starting to find top form. ASVEL will hope that at least one of its key trio of Nando De Colo, Armel Traore and Zac Seljaas will recover from injury, and it needs big man Mbaye Ndiaye to stay strong in the paint after averaging 5.3 rebounds in the last three games. This is a meeting between the league’s lowest and third-lowest scorers (77.0 and 80.4 points per game respectively), pointing towards a tight and defensively dominated encounter.

## Friday, December 26

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (18:00 CET)

Partizan’s (6-11) troubled season faces its latest test with a visit from a Maccabi team (7-10) flying up the standings after four straight wins. The Israeli team’s latest success saw recent signing Iffe Lundberg exert his growing influence with 12 points and 7 assists, and he’ll be keen to shine once more against his former team. Partizan fans will be impatient to see a big improvement from their team’s 41-point loss at Zalgiris on Friday, with particular improvement needed in the long-range shooting department after netting only five triples in that loss. Partizan ranks last in the league in rebounding (31.4 per game) and faces a Maccabi which excels in crashing the glass (12.5 offensive boards per night), so denying the likes of Jaylen Hoard will be a point of emphasis for the hosts.

### AS Monaco vs. Real Madrid (19:30 CET)

Two ambitious teams currently locked in a tie for sixth place go head-to-head as Monaco (10-7) welcomes Real Madrid (10-7). Monaco showed its collective potential as seven different players scored in double digits as a two-game losing streak was snapped against Bayern on Friday, with Alpha Diallo once again proving his all-round value by combining 12 points with 7 rebounds and 7 assists. Real Madrid is increasingly leaning on the talents of Theo Maledon, who scored 21 points – including a history-making one millionth EuroLeague point – to inspire Round 11’s comeback win over Paris. But *Los Blancos*, who rank first in defensive rebounding (26.3 per night) need to sharpen up defensively as they prepare to face a Roca Team which leads the league in both assists (20.8) and turnovers (10.4).

### Virtus Bologna vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (20:30 CET)

The round concludes with another clash of direct rivals as Virtus (8-9) looks to start another home winning streak against Olympiacos (9-7). Get ready for a bombardment from two of the league’s most prolific three-point shooters, with Carsen Edwards (2.7 triples per night) hoping to outscore Reds marksman Tyler Dorsey (2.8 per game). Dorsey’s 22 points were accompanied by 21 from fellow long-ball expert Evan Fournier as Olympiacos shrugged off poor previous form to ease past ASVEL last week, and the Greek giant will now look to embark upon a long winning run as the regular season’s midway point approaches. Doing that against a Virtus team which has the third-best defense in the competition – 82.2 points per game – will not be easy.

Andy West previews the upcoming round of fixtures in the EuroLeague campaign

Virtus Bologna v Olympiacos Piraeus (2025-12-26T19:30:00.000Z)

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (2025-12-26T17:00:00.000Z)

AS Monaco v Real Madrid (2025-12-26T18:30:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2025-12-23T19:45:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-12-23T19:45:00.000Z)

Valencia Basket v Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2025-12-23T19:00:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich v Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (2025-12-23T18:30:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2025-12-23T18:00:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v FC Barcelona (2025-12-23T17:45:00.000Z)

Dubai Basketball v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2025-12-23T16:00:00.000Z)

It took 55 minutes of game action, but the EuroLeague single-game combined points record fell last Friday night as FC Barcelona survived three overtimes to beat Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 134-124 at Palau Blaugrana. The game was doubly significant as the victory pulled the hosts equal with Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv atop the standings with 12 victories while entering the records book almost two years after the previous single-game record was set in a quadruple-overtime affair in January 2024.

Stats review: Barcelona, Kevin Punter went to new heights on a record-breaking night

It took 55 minutes of game action, but the EuroLeague single-game combined points record fell last Friday night as [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/) survived three overtimes to beat [Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/bas/) 134-124 at Palau Blaugrana. The game was doubly significant as the victory pulled the hosts equal with Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv atop the standings with 12 victories while entering the records book almost two years after the previous single-game record was set in a quadruple-overtime affair in January 2024.

It was also an offensive clinic as the teams combined to create 104 points out of pick and rolls, shoot a combined 46% from three and 85% at the line, and average 1.14 points per possession – way ahead of the top efficiency mark for a team in a single season on record. This was offensive basketball at its finest in a Round 17 game in late December. While the contest featured elite execution and shot-making overall, there were several particularly notable accomplishments on both sides to make the league’s first three-overtime finish special.

Playing nearly 45 minutes to lead both sides, [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/)’s 43-point effort was perhaps not all that surprising – that’s a long work day for one of the most dangerous shot-makers in the EuroLeague over the last handful of years. However, the fact that he scored 43 points while attempting only 19 shots and turning the ball over only once puts his performance among the most efficient volume scoring games in EuroLeague history. That’s no small feat at this point in the league’s history, before even mentioning his heroics to keep Barcelona alive at the end of the second overtime.

Barcelona needed every one of his baskets to take down Baskonia as they put together the gutsiest performance of their season on the road. Getting outscored 18-0 in transition, they had to earn every point against a set defense but were able to keep pace nonetheless. With [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/) enjoying his most explosive scoring output in over a year before leaving the game with an injury, Baskonia found an encouraging rhythm away from Buesa Arena, where they have notched all six of their wins this season.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">TRIPLE OT - ABSOLUTE CINEMA 😳<br><br>The highest scoring game in EuroLeague history ✅ <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FCBbasket</a> vs <a href="https://twitter.com/Baskonia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Baskonia</a> thriller last night was one of the WILDEST games ever 🔥<br><br>From <a href="https://twitter.com/markushoward11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@markushoward11</a> 11/11 FG in regulation to <a href="https://twitter.com/KPJunior_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KPJunior_</a> OT takeover… <br><br>This is EuroLeague basketball. <a href="https://t.co/C7rgZRoFPr">pic.twitter.com/C7rgZRoFPr</a></p>&mdash; EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/2002385186764255426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Overall, this game was a masterclass in pick and roll play with both sides producing quality looks for their ball handlers, roll men, cutters, and shooters consistently. Howard set the tone for Baskonia with both his scoring and passing, with [Trent Forrest](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/trent-forrest/013367/) using his ability to get downhill to create steadily for others. For Barcelona, the scoring of Punter and [Tomas Satoransky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tomas-satoransky/002939/) helped them chip away at an early deficit while [Nico Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nicolas-laprovittola/006435/) did a lot of the playmaking to get everyone else involved.   

The play that led to records falling in this game epitomizes the efficiency and parity driving the drama in the EuroLeague at the moment. Nights like that are inevitable in the current climate as there are no easy wins at this stage, and every game really does matter.

Sportradar's Matt Kamalsky reflects on last Friday's memorable triple-overtime classic at Palau Blaugrana

FC Barcelona v Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2025-12-19T19:30:00.000Z)

EuroLeague top photos of the week

Look back at all the action from Rounds 16 and 17 of the regular season by checking out the best photos of the week! 

Top 10 photos of the week: Round 16 and 17

FC Bayern Munich announced on Saturday it is parting ways with head coach Gordie Herbert with immediate effect.

Bayern, coach Gordon Herbert part ways

[FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/mun/) announced on Saturday it is parting ways with head coach Gordie Herbert with immediate effect.

“The 66-year-old Canadian and the German champions mutually agreed to end their cooperation early after a constructive discussion on Saturday”, the club explained in the official announcement on its website, adding that both parties agreed that the decision was made “in the best interests of the team and the club.”

Bayern is currently on an eight-game losing streak, but has played its last seven games on the road. The team sits in 19th place with a 5-12 record.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🇬🇧📰Coach Gordon Herbert to leave Bayern Basketball: <a href="https://t.co/xAylkwCq6O">https://t.co/xAylkwCq6O</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/2002404124130775222?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Herbert joined Bayern just after the 2024 Summer Olympics, having left his head-coaching post with the German national team. In three years in that position, Herbert led Germany to a gold medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup and a bronze medal at EuroBasket 2022.

Last season, under Herbert’s guidance, Bayern came within a win of the EuroLeague Playoffs, losing in the second round of the Play-In Showdown on the road at Real Madrid. Last season, playing under Herbert, Nick Weiler-Babb was chosen as the EuroLeague Best Defender, while Carsen Edwards finished the season second in scoring, as he averaged 20.4 points.

But over the summer, Weiler-Babb joined Efes, Edwards went to Virtus while star big man Devin Booker departed to joined EA7 Emporio Armani Milan. Meanwhile, Johannes Voigtmann and Justus Hollatz came back injured from the EuroBasket, while Kamar Baldwin suffered an injury in November and is still missing in action.

Bayern also announced that the team will be led by the current assistant coaching staff, but that it “hopes to clarify the succession plan by Tuesday evening’s next EuroLeague home game at \[home\] against league leaders Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv."

Bayern is the sixth team to change a coach this season, following Efes, Milan, Barcelona and the Belgrade duo of Crvena Zvezda and Partizan.

This is the sixth coaching change this season in the EuroLeague

An epic performance on a record-breaking night saw FC Barcelona’s Kevin Punter post a PIR of 40, snatching MVP of the Round honors for the first time since joining the club and the fourth time in his career.

On a night when Barcelona set a new EuroLeague scoring record in a 134-124 triple-overtime win over Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, Punter netted 43 points, becoming just the ninth player this century to score more than 40 points in a EuroLeague game.

Round 17 MVP: Kevin Punter, FC Barcelona

An epic performance on a record-breaking night saw FC Barcelona’s [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/) post a PIR of 40, snatching MVP of the Round honors for the first time since joining the club and the fourth time in his career.

On a night when Barcelona set a new EuroLeague scoring record in a 134-124 triple-overtime win over Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, Punter netted 43 points, becoming just the ninth player this century to score more than 40 points in a EuroLeague game. Logging 44 minutes and 59 seconds, he set a club record by making 12 two-point field goals on 19 attempts. He also went 4-of-7 from three-point range and a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line, while adding 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.

Two players finished Round 17 with a PIR of 35: Baskonia’s [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/) and Dubai Basketball’s [McKinley Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mckinley-wright-iv/012606/). Howard shined with 33 points on 6-of-8 shooting from two-point range and 6-of-7 from beyond the arc, along with 6 assists, in Baskonia’s loss to Barcelona. Wright, meanwhile, recorded 17 points, 15 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals in Dubai’s come-from-behind 76-80 road win over Anadolu Efes Istanbul.

The next-best PIR of the round, 32, belonged to Barcelona’s [Tomas Satoransky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tomas-satoransky/002939/), who finished the triple-overtime thriller with 23 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Rounding out the top performers is Olympiacos Piraeus forward [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/), who posted a PIR of 28 behind 17 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in a 107-84 win over LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne.

### Individual highs: McKinley Wright, Dubai, 15 assists

Punter led all scorers with 43 points in this round. Baskonia’s [Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/timothe-luwawu-cabarrot/012080/) is the new scoring leader with 20.1 points per game.

Two players had a round-best 11 rebounds: [Kenneth Faried](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kenneth-faried/011284/) of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens and [Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/) of Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv. [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) of Olympiacos remains the league rebounding leader with 7.5 boards per game.

Dubai’s McKinley Wright dished a EuroLeague season-high 15 assists. Wright and Zalgiris guard [Sylvain Francisco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sylvain-francisco/007975/) are the EuroLeague co-leaders in this category, each averaging 6.9 assists per game.

Real Madrid’s [Facundo Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) led all players in Round 17 with 4 steals. [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/) of AS Monaco tops the steals charts, averaging 1.7 per game.

Real Madrid’s [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) had 4 blocks, more than any other player in this round. Tavares improved his season-best average to 2.1 rejections per contest.

There were two double-doubles in Round 17: McKinley Wright with 17 points and 15 assists, and [Codi Miller-McIntyre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/codi-miller-mcintyre/009048/) of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade with 21 points and 10 assists.

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Round 17 winner

EuroLeague fans, we have our 17th winner in this season's [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/)! Fotis Kondylopoulos beat everyone else in Round 17 with his team fotaras theoulis, which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 254.90.

Fotis had the following lineup: Sasha Vezenkov of Olympiacos Piraeus as team captain, Walter Tavares of Real Madrid, Kameron Taylor of Valencia Basket, McKinley Wright of Dubai Basketball and Iffe Lundberg of Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv as his starters. Kevin Punter of FC Barcelona was his sixth man. Fotis's bench players were Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens duo of Panagiotis Kalaitzakis and Alexandros Samodurov, Virtus Bologna's Momo Diouf and Olympiacos's Tyler Dorsey. Olympiacos play-caller Georgios Bartzokas was Fotis's head coach.

The prize for finishing first in Round 17 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 18 of the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/), and the number of trades is unlimited.

The first game of Round 18, Dubai Basketball vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, is scheduled to tip off on Tuesday, December 23 at 17:00 CET. 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. 

Breaking a frustrating losing streak, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade narrowly defeated Virtus Bologna on Friday night in an incredibly tense and entertaining matchup at Belgrade Arena. After 19 total lead changes, the Serbian team were able to snatch the 90-89 victory in the final seconds.

Zvezda shows steel to secure slim win and snap streak against Virtus

“We showed character in a very difficult situation, with many chemistry problems,” said Sara Obradovic after arguably [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/red/)'s most important win since he joined back in October.

Breaking a frustrating losing streak, his team narrowly defeated [Virtus Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/vir/) on Friday night in an incredibly tense and entertaining matchup at Belgrade Arena. After 19 total lead changes, the Serbian team were able to snatch the 90-89 victory in the final seconds.

Having lost its last three games, Zvezda needed a reaction and they found it, despite some stiff resistance from their Italian opponents. Obradovic expected nothing less than a fight from Dusko Ivanovic’s men, but expressed his relief to have secured the crucial W.

“We all knew how hard Bologna is and that we didn’t have good momentum after the last few games, so to break the losing streak was essential for us,” Obradovic stated.

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade-Virtus Bologna | Round 17 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

The teams went back and forth for the majority of the opening period, until Zvezda pulled away to open up a notable advantage. Virtus then increased the effort and tied the ball game, before stealing a lead just before halftime. A shooting barrage then pushed the visitors further ahead, but Zvezda pushed back to tie the contest.

Virtus consistently edged ahead for most of the fourth quarter, led by its star guard duo of [Carsen Edwards](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carsen-edwards/011987/) and [Luca Vildoza](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/luca-vildoza/007947/), but both teams made major shots in the closing minute to exchange leads. Ultimately, the final blow was landed when [Jared Butler](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jared-butler/014163/) found himself open for a scrappy layup as Obradovic’s men earned the slim victory.

[Codi Miller-McIntyre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/codi-miller-mcintyre/009048/) was in inspired form for the hosts, adding 10 assists and 4 boards to his 21-point scoring performance, hitting 9 of his 14 shot attempts. [Jordan Nwora](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jordan-nwora/013363/) recorded 20 points and 3 rebounds. [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) and [Semi Ojeleye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/semi-ojeleye/011982/) also reached double figures in scoring on their way to victory.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ru" dir="ltr">ТИМ ❤️🤍<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kkcz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kkcz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreTheTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreTheTeam</a> <a href="https://t.co/k00fXotmBc">pic.twitter.com/k00fXotmBc</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/2002171663404978521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

As fans have come to expect, Edwards was a standout for Virtus, leading the way with 29 points and hitting clutch shots to keep his team in the game. However, his flame-throwing antics weren’t enough to get the job done. A key statistic for Virtus to reflect on will be turnovers. The Italian side committed 17 to Zvezda's 10,** doing a disservice to the major, gutsy plays they were able to make throughout.

Coach Ivanovic shared his thoughts after the game, simply putting the loss down to one factor.

“In the second half, we needed better defense," he claimed.

The result moves Zvezda to 10-7 in its EuroLeague campaign. Ivanovic’s men slide to 8-9, but they will have a chance to bounce back against Paris Basketball next Tuesday. Virtus will face Olympiacos Piraeus on in a week's time.

Game News

Following three successive defeats, the Serbian side got back on track in Round 17

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Virtus Bologna (2025-12-19T19:45:00.000Z)

A three-game losing skid had dealt a major blow to Olympiacos Piraeus’s morale heading into Friday’s clash against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne. The Reds had failed to find their spark, losing four of their last five games and struggling to produce their trademark basketball on the floor during that stretch.

Olympiacos bounces back from adversity versus ASVEL, looking to build ‘habits’

A three-game losing skid had dealt a major blow to [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/)’s morale heading into Friday’s clash against [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/). The Reds had failed to find their spark, losing four of their last five games and struggling to produce their trademark basketball on the floor during that stretch.

Each EuroLeague campaign might be a marathon, but the mid-season mark is approaching and teams are called to gear up in their bid to start the new calendar year with fresh energy. Meanwhile, as [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) stressed after the 107-84 thrashing of ASVEL, his team is looking to build habits that will allow them to grow into the season.

And Friday’s outing in front of their fans was a first big step in that direction.

Olympiacos Piraeus-LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne | Round 17 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Olympiacos was solid from start to finish on both ends of the floor, with its top scorers leading the charge on offense and the whole team putting in extra effort on the other end.

[Tyler Dorsey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tyler-dorsey/009849/) nailed 4 triples to end the game on 22 points, but more importantly, he found his open teammates off the dribble and contributed a season-high 6 assists. Vezenkov pulled off another complete display by scoring 17 points to go with his 5 rebounds and 4 assists – his highest mark of the season.

[Evan Fournier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/evan-fournier/013380/), who has been up and down this season, went 7 for 9 from the field and 5 for 6 from the line to register a season-high 21 points. His compatriot, [Frank Ntilikina](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/frank-ntilikina/006591/), also reached double figures in scoring by netting 11 points, his best tally as an Olympiacos player.

The hosts managed 25 assists, with head coach Georgios Bartzokas praising his players’ offensive performance against ASVEL.

“We were really efficient offensively, sharing the ball and scoring 63 points in the second half with a lot of assists,” he said in the post-game press conference. “We are looking forward now to develop our game and look better every day.”

As for the defensive side of the floor, Olympiacos forced its opponent into 16 turnovers and grabbed 9 steals, with six players getting at least one each.

“Honestly, it just feels good to get the win, get some positive vibes around here,” Dorsey told EuroLeague TV after the game. “Hopefully, this starts something for us. We have to turn it up a notch on everything. Hopefully this is the right step into the rest of this month. That’s what we have to find: getting back to having fun and getting back to winning games.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Let’s go for the next one ✊🏽<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OLYASV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OLYASV</a> <a href="https://t.co/BtMNgDgaRV">pic.twitter.com/BtMNgDgaRV</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/2002135332855406902?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The foundation is there, with Olympiacos being one of the most consistent teams over the last few years. But as Vezenkov admitted, what’s currently missing is chemistry, something that players and coaching have been working on in this first stretch of the season.

“We have to build chemistry,” the Olympiacos forward said when speaking with EuroLeague TV. “It’s December, I know it’s early in the season, but winning is a habit and fighting is a habit. We have to fight and win. We have to find it, we have to work hard. We’re looking positively forward.”

Having lost three in a row away from home, the Reds will look to get back to winning ways on the road as they face Virtus Bologna next week.

In a highly-competitive EuroLeague, every win matters. But what matters most for Olympiacos right now is to build those habits that will turn them into an undisputed contender as the season unfolds.

The Reds got back to winning ways by pulling off a dominant outing in Round 17

Olympiacos Piraeus v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2025-12-19T19:15:00.000Z)

Multiple EuroLeague scoring records were broken on Friday night during the frenetic triple-overtime showdown between FC Barcelona and Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Barcelona sets scoring record, Punter joins exclusive club on epic Friday night

Multiple EuroLeague scoring records were broken on Friday night during the frenetic triple-overtime showdown between [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/) and [Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/bas/).

The clash between the two Spanish rivals at Palau Blaugrana will go down in the EuroLeague record books as the highest scoring game in competition history, and the night Barcelona broke the EuroLeague's all-time scoring record.

And all of that just 24 hours after [Theo Maledon of Real Madrid scored the 1,000,000th point](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/euroleague-celebrates-1000000th-point-in-competition-history/) in competition history.

FC Barcelona-Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | Round 17 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

No team has ever scored more points in a EuroLeague game than Barcelona’s 134, breaking the record of 130 which Real Madrid set nearly two years ago.

The combined 258 points in Barcelona’s 134-124 triple-overtime triumph are the most scored by two teams in a EuroLeague game, surpassing the mark of 256 from January 6, 2024, when [Real Madrid defeated Anadolu Efes Istanbul 130-126 after four overtimes.](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/real-madrid-anadolu-efes-istanbul/E2023/170/#boxscore)

This clash, which was the 6,368th game in competition history, marks the first time a EuroLeague contest finished after triple overtime, and just the second time that a game went past two overtimes.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">KP - KING PUNTER 👑<br><br>43 PTS | 12/19 2FG | 4/7 3FG | 7/7 FT | 40 PIR<a href="https://twitter.com/KPJunior_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KPJunior_</a> is just DIFFERENT 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/lliuIYYdBM">pic.twitter.com/lliuIYYdBM</a></p>&mdash; EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/2002150010859803030?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Barcelona hero [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/) finished with a career-high 43 points, which is the fourth most in the modern EuroLeague era, becoming just the ninth man to score more than 40 points in a single game. Punter’s heroics included 23 points after the end of the fourth quarter, including a driving layup with 0.1 seconds left in the second overtime session to tie the game at 122-122 and eventually allow history to be rewritten.

Among other marks, Punter also broke Barcelona's club record with 12 two-point shots made, while the *Blaugrana* broke a club record for total team PIR (152).

Baskonia, meanwhile, also broke its club scoring record with 124 points, which is the fifth-best mark all-time, only below Barcelona (134) in this game, Real (130) and Efes (126) from their quadruple-overtime contest, and [AS Monaco, which scored 125 points earlier in December](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-does-it-again-euroleague-history-made-against-paris/).

The Round 17 showdown between Barcelona and Baskonia ended a historic EuroLeague week in style