Anadolu Efes Istanbul strengthened its guard rotation by signing Saben Lee, who arrives from Olympiacos Piraeus

Saben Lee leaves Reds, links up with Efes 

[Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/) strengthened its guard rotation by signing [Saben Lee](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/saben-lee/013389/), who arrives from [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/), the club announced on Monday. The deal is for the remainder of the season. Lee (1.88 meters, 26 years old) brings EuroLeague experience from the past two seasons with Olympiacos and a stint with [Maccabi Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/maccabi-rapyd-tel-aviv/tel/).

Lee appeared in 11 EuroLeague games this season for Olympiacos, averaging 3.4 points and 1.4 assists in 11:24 minutes per game while shooting 36.4% from three-point range. In his first season with the Reds, he played 13 games and posted 4.5 points and 2.0 assists over 16:17 minutes per contest.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">✍️ Saben Lee ile 2025-26 sezonu sonuna kadar sözleşme imzaladık! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Welcome?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Welcome</a> Saben! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenimYerimBuras%C4%B1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenimYerimBurası</a> <a href="https://t.co/OFVClFNyc4">pic.twitter.com/OFVClFNyc4</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/2005616771911524456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Before joining Olympiacos in February 2025, Lee started the season in Turkiye with Manisa Basket and later played for Maccabi, where he averaged 12.0 points and 2.5 assists in eight EuroLeague appearances. He was among the Turkish League leaders in scoring and assists with Manisa and had a standout Basketball Champions League campaign, highlighted by a 43-point performance that tied the competition’s single-game scoring record.

Lee began his professional career in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons and also played for the Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns, totaling 134 games with averages of 5.2 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists. He also spent time in the G League with Motor City Cruise, Delaware Blue Coats and Raptors 905 after playing college basketball at Vanderbilt University.

More Anadolu Efes news

After stops in Israel and Greece, Lee returns to the Turkish capital aiming to make an impact for Efes

The last four games of the calendar year will be played on Tuesday night 

At a glance: Closing out 2025 before the Greek derby ignites 2026

We reach the midway point of the EuroLeague Regular Season as Round 19 – spread over four days – is headlined by the passion of the Greek derby. Here’s your rundown of all the games as we jump from 2025 into 2026.

## Tuesday, December 30, 2025

#### [Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv vs. Zalgiris Kaunas (20:05 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/hapoel-ibi-tel-aviv-zalgiris-kaunas/E2025/182/)

Hapoel’s (13-5) first game back in Tel Aviv will see the league leader welcome dangerous Zalgiris (10-8). With Vasilije Micic injured, Hapoel needs fit-again Yam Madar to take more of the playmaking responsibility as he faces Nigel Williams-Goss, who is taking an increasingly important role for Zalgiris after averaging 5.8 assists in the last four games. A pair of in-form big men will battle in the paint as Dan Oturu (16 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocked shots in last week’s win over Bayern) goes up against Moses Wright, who's averaged 19.5 points and 6 rebounds in the last two games. Hapoel ranks second in two-point shooting efficiency (59.5%), so Zalgiris will need more of its dominating defense, which has allowed just 82.1 points per night (second best in the league).

#### [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. Paris Basketball (20:15 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne-paris-basketball/E2025/183/)

The French derby will see ASVEL (5-13) and Paris (6-12) attempt to end 2025 on a high by continuing their upward trajectories. The home team will hope that center Bastien Vautier can maintain the breakout form that saw him named Round 18’s MVP, but Paris also has a big man coming off his best game of the season after Momo Faye played a key role in overcoming Zvezda last time out – a game that saw Paris finally snap a six-game losing sequence. A key backcourt battle of EuroLeague rookies will see ASVEL sniper Glynn Watson (13.6 points per game) attempt to outshine visiting Justin Robinson (15.8 ppg). These are the league’s least accurate two-point shooting teams (51.7% vs 50.4%), so finding efficiency inside the paint could be decisive.

#### [Valencia Basket vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (20:30 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/valencia-basket-partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/E2025/184/)

Valencia (12-6) is aiming to maintain at least a share of second place by overcoming a Partizan team (6-12) desperately needing improvement. The Serbian team has shipped 109 and 112 points in its last two games, so new Coach Joan Penarroya will focus on defensive improvement to slow down a Valencia team that ranks fourth in the league in scoring (89.6 points per game) and has won seven straight at home. Specifically, Valencia leads the league in three-pointers converted (12.4 per game), so Partizan simply must tighten up a league-worst defense in that category. The hosts will rely on creativity from Jean Montero, who paired 16 points and 4 assists in last week’s win over Baskonia, while Partizan needs newcomer Cam Payne to keep on firing after netting 15 points on his debut.

#### [FC Barcelona vs. AS Monaco (20:30 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/fc-barcelona-as-monaco/E2025/181/)

Tuesday’s final game delivers a big battle between title candidates as Barcelona (12-6) welcomes Monaco (11-7). Barca is looking to extend a four-game winning streak at home, but that won’t be easy against a Monaco team that has reached triple figures in the last two games, led by sharpshooting Elie Okobo (18 and 22 points in those games). Another big threat to the hosts is former star Nikola Mirotic, who will look for dominance inside the paint against fit-again Jan Vesely. This is a rematch of last season’s playoffs series, which went to the final shot before Monaco prevailed 3-2, and red-hot Kevin Punter (at least 20 points in four games straight) will be extra motivated for revenge after missing the decisive shot on the final buzzer in Game 5.

## Friday, January 2, 2026

#### [Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (18:00 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/anadolu-efes-istanbul-crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/E2025/185/)

Two teams targeting a return to winning ways meet in Istanbul as Efes (6-12) hosts Zvezda (10-8). The Serbian team has not won on the road since October, and must tighten up defensively after allowing 102 points in defeat at Paris last week. Efes also suffered defensively in a Round 18 defeat at ASVEL, but playmaker Nick Weiler-Babb gained confidence with his best game of the season (20 points and 8 assists). He faces a tough defensive task against Jared Butler, who poured in 31 points last time out, while another key piece for Zvezda, Chima Moneke, got back to his best by recording a double-double (17 points, 10 rebounds). To counter him, Efes needs a big night from Ercan Osmani, who has struggled to replicate his strong early-season form in recent weeks.

#### [Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (20:00 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/kosner-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2025/186/)

Something has to give as Baskonia (6-12) seeks a seventh straight home win against Fenerbahce (11-6), which has won three straight on the road. The Spanish team has a new weapon in the paint after Eugene Omuruyi announced his EuroLeague arrival with 17 points in last week’s loss at Valencia, which saw sharpshooters Marcus Howard and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot fall below their usual standards by combining to shoot for 3-of-14 from long range. Keeping them quiet will be a priority for Fener’s league-best defense, while the scoring responsibility at the other end will again lie with Wade Baldwin, who has recorded six consecutive double-digit scoring nights. These two teams boast the league’s best interior defenses (50.3% vs 48.8% of two-pointers allowed), and Fenerbahce will rely on the hustle of Khem Birch to make life difficult for the hosts.

#### [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (20:15 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-olympiacos-piraeus/E2025/188/)

All the drama and intensity of the Greek derby will be on display as Panathinaikos (12-6) welcomes Olympiacos (10-7). The Greens will hope to recover from a recent flu outbreak as it attempts to end a nine-game EuroLeague losing sequence against its eternal rival, which warmed up for the short trip to Athens by overcoming Virtus behind another powerhouse performance from Nikola Milutinov (13 points, 9 rebounds). He faces a must-watch battle in the paint with Kenneth Faried and Richaun Holmes. Another key matchup will see visiting defensive ace Thomas Walkup attempt to contain reigning MVP Kendrick Nunn (21.9 points over the last seven games), while the Greens will also look for a lift from fit-again Cedi Osman, who drained 5-of-6 triples to inspire a tough victory at Zalgiris last week.

#### [Virtus Bologna vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (20:30 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/virtus-bologna-ea7-emporio-armani-milan/E2025/190/)

The round’s third domestic derby will see Italian bragging rights on the line as Virtus (8-10) welcomes Milan (9-9). The hosts will look to recover their usual home form after losing two straight in Bologna, and need leading scorer Carsen Edwards to recover from an injury sustained in last week’s loss to Olympiacos. Milan is looking to bounce back from a flat Round 18 performance in Dubai, and should have former Virtus playmaker Nico Mannion back in action after a nose problem. The visitors are the league’s most accurate team from long range (39.3%), so hopes that the likes of Zach LeDay (12.1 points per game on 42.2% from deep) can shine against a Virtus that ranks fourth in two-point conversion (57.1%) and will look for physical dominance through the energy of do-it-all Saliou Niang.

#### [Real Madrid vs. Dubai Basketball (20:45 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/real-madrid-dubai-basketball/E2025/189/)

In-form Dubai (9-9) will look to keep on climbing towards the top 10 as it visits a Real team (10-8) clinging onto those places. A remarkable performance from Facu Campazzo (28 points, 10 assists) wasn’t enough to prevent defeat for *Los Blancos* at Monaco last week, and the hosts needs to regain control of the paint after allowing 17 offensive rebounds in that game – a key matchup will see Mfiondu Kabengele go toe to toe with Walter Tavares. Dubai has won four of the last six, and will confront Campazzo with the red-hot McKinley Wright, who's averaged 19 points and 9.8 assists in the last five games. The visitors will hope to call upon Aleksa Avramovic and Boogie Ellis after injury, while Real will wait to see if Trey Lyles can overcome a neck problem.

#### [FC Bayern Munich vs. Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (21:00 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/fc-bayern-munich-maccabi-rapyd-tel-aviv/E2025/187/)

New Bayern (5-13) coach Svetislav Pesic is hoping to gain his first win by ending reborn Maccabi’s (8-10) five-game winning streak. The home team could be without backcourt star Spencer Dinwiddie for personal reasons, which could give Lonnie Walker more opportunity to extend his stellar form after averaging 20 points during the winning run. Bayern’s nine-game losing sequence is largely explained by an impotent offense, which trails the league in scoring (77.5 points per game), while Maccabi is firing on all cylinders after blazing 112 points past Partizan last week. That included 17 points from in-form forward Roman Sorkin, who will attempt to set the tempo for his team by outperforming Bayern leader Vladimir Lucic.

FC Bayern Munich v Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (2026-01-02T20:00:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v Dubai Basketball (2026-01-02T19:45:00.000Z)

Virtus Bologna v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2026-01-02T19:30:00.000Z)

Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2026-01-02T19:00:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Olympiacos Piraeus (2026-01-02T19:15:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2026-01-02T17:00:00.000Z)

Valencia Basket v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2025-12-30T19:30:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona v AS Monaco (2025-12-30T19:30:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v Paris Basketball (2025-12-30T19:15:00.000Z)

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv v Zalgiris Kaunas (2025-12-30T19:05:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul’s defensive dominance has propelled it back into title contention, forcing low-quality shots at a historic rate and leading the EuroLeague in points allowed per possession

Stats review: Fenerbahce’s defensive masterclass keeps EuroLeague tight

The mid-point of the EuroLeague Regular Season is on the horizon, but easy wins remain hard to come by as just two victories separate second and 10th place in the standings. Round 18 featured several close games, but [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul’s 1-point triumph](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/devon-hall-wade-baldwin-come-to-the-rescue-as-fenerbahce-leans-on-grit-and-defense-to-topple-in-form-barcelona/) over FC Barcelona at Ulker Sports and Event Hall was the nail-biter of the night as both teams led for stretches of the second half.

The low-scoring affair saw the hosts come out with a 72-71 victory in a defensive showcase as neither team was able to establish much of a rhythm on the offensive end. While that’s far from the norm in the EuroLeague these days, that has been the standard for Fenerbahce all season as it has climbed the standings thanks to its ability to get stops.

Ranking only 18th in offensive efficiency so far this season, no team has been more consistent on the defensive end than the reigning champions.  Leading all teams by a sizeable margin, allowing only 0.94 points per possession — easily the top mark since the league’s post-pandemic offensive resurgence — Sarunas Jasikevicius’s team has made things difficult for opposing offenses.

What that means has varied among the EuroLeague's top defenses in recent history. While some teams have been disruptive, taking risks to force turnovers, others have done an especially good job defending pick-and-rolls, while still others have excelled with their shot defense. There’s a lot of variability among the latter group as, before even diving into the misses and makes, some teams do an excellent job at getting to spots early to take away shots inside, and others do a particularly good job chasing opposing shooters off the arc.

Fenerbahce’s defense this season fits an interesting mold from that perspective. Its success is built not on the good shots it takes away, but the volume of bad shots it forces. The table above lists this season’s top defenses in terms of the percentage of low-quality shots they force.  Quality, in this case, is measured in Synergy Shot Quality, a metric that calculates the expected value of any given shot attempt based on a data-driven model that considers all the advanced tracking data Synergy Sports has collected on every field goal attempted in EuroLeague games over the last decade.

What makes this Fenerbahce defense so special is how often it induces low-value looks from the field and then how well it defends them. Not only does it rank second in the percentage of low-SSQ shots they face, but it also allows the fewest points per shot on those attempts in the EuroLeague. Fenerbahce forced a season-high 17 low-quality shots against Barcelona, repeatedly causing opposing players to shoot off the dribble late in the clock or to settle for two-point push shots, staying disciplined away from the ball. 

As good as the offensive basketball is across the league right now, defenses at the EuroLeague level remain very complex. A great deal of nuance goes into how teams try to get stops and that has been most apparent and nothing short of critical to Fenerbahce’s recent stretch of eight wins in nine games as its title defense is back on track following a 3-5 start.

The reigning champs are rewriting the script with elite shot-quality suppression, fueling an eight-win surge in a season where margins remain razor-thin

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

EuroLeague top photos of the week

Look back at all the action from Round 18 of the regular season by checking out the best photos of the week! 

Top 10 photos of the week: Round 18

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv produced one of the most dominant displays in club history on Saturday night, demolishing Hapoel Holon 114–60 at Toto Arena in Round 11 of the Israeli League

Historic night in Holon as Hapoel dominated in Israeli League

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv produced one of the most dominant displays in club history on Saturday night, demolishing Hapoel Holon 114–60 at Toto Arena in Round 11 of the Israeli League. The result continued Hapoel’s perfect start to the season under Coach Dimitris Itoudis as it improved to 10-0.

Seven Hapoel players scored in double figures in a stunning show of depth and balance. Tyler Ennis led the way with 16 points and 5 assists, followed by Yam Madar and Guy Palatin with 13 each, while Tai Odiase and Jonathan Motley added 12 apiece. Team captain Tomer Ginat posted a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds), and Bar Timor scored 11. For Holon, Jordan McRae netted 12 points as the home side was outplayed in nearly every facet of the game.

From the opening tip, it was clear where this one was heading. Hapoel stormed to a 0-11 lead behind early dominance from Odiase before Madar and Motley joined the scoring from the bench. By the end of the first period, the visitors held a commanding 32–10 advantage, leaving the stunned Holon crowd in disbelief. The onslaught continued in the second quarter as Hapoel went into the break leading 27-62, its biggest halftime advantage of the season.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="iw" dir="rtl">הפועל.<br>10 מתוך 10 ‼️ <a href="https://t.co/LcId5pdDGW">pic.twitter.com/LcId5pdDGW</a></p>&mdash; Hapoel Tel Aviv BC (@HapoelTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC/status/2005017883903164581?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The visitors showed no mercy after halftime. Ennis and Ginat opened the third quarter in style, pushing the lead over 40, and within minutes, the margin ballooned past 50. Holon managed only brief scoring bursts from McRae and Damion Rosser, and trailed 47-92 after 30 minutes. The final quarter was pure formality: Hapoel broke the 100-point barrier and cruised to the historic 54-point victory as Itoudis emptied his bench and allowed younger players to close it out.

After the game, Itoudis praised his players’ professionalism: “We respected the opponent and ourselves. We played with full focus from start to finish.” The win marked Hapoel’s largest-ever margin over Holon, breaking a 58-year-old record from 1967, and the team's first 10–0 league start since 1965–66 — the last time it won the championship.

Now, attention turns to Tuesday’s EuroLeague clash with Zalgiris Kaunas at Menora Mivtachim Arena — Hapoel’s first-ever home EuroLeague game — before facing Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem next weekend in a marquee domestic matchup.

More Hapoel news

Coach Itoudis’s side delivers a record-breaking performance to stay perfect in the domestic league

A career night in a thrilling double-overtime win has seen LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne big man Bastien Vautier secure MVP honors for Round 18 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season. Vautier’s career-high 31 PIR was more than double his previous-best mark (14 PIR in Round 1), and it came after netting a career-high 28 points, the most of any ASVEL player in a game this season, in a 103-99 double-overtime triumph against Anadolu Efes Istanbul. He reached those 28 points after shooting 10 for 13 on two-pointers and 8 for 12 from the free-throw line. Vautier, in his rookie EuroLeague season, also had 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals and 8 fouls drawn.

Round 18 MVP: Bastien Vautier, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

A career night in a thrilling double-overtime win has seen LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne big man [Bastien Vautier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/bastien-vautier/014014/) secure MVP honors for Round 18 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season.

Vautier’s career-high 31 PIR was more than double his previous-best mark (14 PIR in Round 1), and it came after netting a career-high 28 points, the most of any ASVEL player in a game this season, in a 103-99 double-overtime triumph against Anadolu Efes Istanbul. He reached those 28 points after shooting 10 for 13 on two-pointers and 8 for 12 from the free-throw line. Vautier, in his rookie EuroLeague season, also had 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals and 8 fouls drawn.

The highest PIR in this round belonged to Real Madrid’s [Facundo Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/), who had a season-high 41 PIR in his team’s 100-95 defeat at AS Monaco. Campazzo had 24 of his 28 points in the second half, including 14 in the final 99 seconds of the game, as he made 3-of-5 two-pointers, 6-of-7 three-pointers and 4-of-4 free throws. The Argentine also posted 5 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals and 6 fouls drawn.

Dubai Basketball’s [McKinley Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mckinley-wright-iv/012606/) and Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade’s [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) both had the third-best index rating in Round 18 with a PIR of 30. Wright finished with 19 points on 5-of-8 two-pointers and 9-of-10 free throws, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals and 8 fouls drawn as Dubai beat EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 99-92. Moneke, meanwhile, amassed 17 points on 5-of-6 two-pointers, 1-of-2 triples and 4-of-4 free throws, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 4 fouls drawn in Crvena Zvezda’s 102-92 loss at Paris Basketball.

Rounding out the list of top performers in Round 18 is Crvena Zvezda’s [Jared Butler](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jared-butler/014163/), who poured in a career-high 31 points – including 22 in the fourth quarter, the second most in a quarter in EuroLeague history – after making 4-of-8 two-pointers, 6-of-8 three-pointers and 5-of-5 free throws in his team’s defeat to Paris. He also had 1 rebound, 4 assists, 2 steals and 5 fouls drawn.

### Individual highs: Jared Butler, Crvena Zvezda, 31 points

Zvezda’s Jared Butler led all players in Round 18 with 31 points. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot of Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz is the league scoring leader with 19.7 points per game.

Walter Tavares of Real Madrid collected 11 rebounds, more than any other player this week. Chima Moneke is the new rebounding leader with 7.6 rebounds per game.

Campazzo and Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens guard TJ Shorts each dished 10 assists, the most this round. McKinley Wright is the new league leader, averaging 7.0 assists.

ASVEL’s Mbaye Ndiaye had 4 steals, the best in Round 18. Alpha Diallo of AS Monaco tops the steals charts with 1.7 per game.

Ndiaye also led all players in this round with 3 blocks. Tavares is the league’s best shot blocker, averaging 1.9 blocks.

There were four double-doubles in Round 18: Campazzo (28 points, 10 assists) Shorts (15 points, 10 assists), Tavares (21 points, 11 rebounds), Moneke (17 points, 10 rebounds).

EuroLeague fans, we have our 18th winner in this season's EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge! George Michos beat everyone else in Round 18 with his team δυσκολοι, which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 247.85.

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Round 18 winner

EuroLeague fans, we have our 18th winner in this season's [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/)! George Michos beat everyone else in Round 18 with his team δυσκολοι, which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 247.85.

George had the following lineup: McKinley Wright of Dubai Basketball as team captain, Roman Sorkin of Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv, Kameron Taylor of Valencia Basket, Bastien Vautier of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne and Facundo Campazzo of Real Madrid as his starters. Nikola Milutinov of Olympiacos Piraeus was his sixth man. George's bench players were FC Bayern Munich's Justinian Jessup, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade's Codi Miller-McIntyre, Alexandros Samodurov of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens and Monte Morris of Olympiacos. Maccabi play-caller Oded Kattash was George's head coach.

The prize for finishing first in Round 18 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 19 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 19, Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv vs. Zalgiris Kaunas, is scheduled to tip off on Tuesday, December 30 at 20:05 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. 

There was a lot of good, and there was a worrying fourth quarter, but Olympiacos Piraeus did what only one team so far this season has done: come out of Bologna victorious.

Olympiacos stays on winning track ahead of Greek derby

There was a lot of good, and there was a worrying fourth quarter, but [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) did what only one team so far this season has done: come out of Bologna victorious.

The Reds held off Virtus in the fourth quarter for a 94-97 win, its second straight, causing the Italian side to suffer just its second home loss of the season. Meanwhile, Olympiacos improved to 10-7 ahead of the Greek derby in Athens next Friday.

The fourth quarter – which Virtus won 34-20, almost erasing a 20-point deficit – can certainly be a point of discussion as it nearly ruined an Olympiacos performance through the first three quarters that was truly impressive.

“I think we are coming into our normal shape,” head coach Georgios Bartzokas said after the game. “Playing together, sharing the ball, finding the open men.”

Virtus Bologna-Olympiacos Piraeus | Round 18 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

The Reds were up 60-77 going into the final quarter, despite having twice as many turnovers at the point.

That was all thanks to their dominance on the glass, where the visitors had a 40 to 19 advantage, and 14 to 6 on the offensive rebounds. Also, Olympiacos shot the ball extremely well in the first 30 minutes, making 14-of-21 two-pointers (66.7%) and 10-of-22 from behind the arc (45.6%). Most of those shots were great looks.

Potentially, the greatest news came from the performance of [Evan Fournier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/evan-fournier/013380/). The star guard had his best game of the season, netting 21 points on 7-of-10 three-point shooting.

“That feels pretty good, for sure,” Fournier joked in a EuroLeague TV interview after the game. “I had a good meal for Christmas, and that is the reason why.”

Kidding aside, this was the second consecutive games in which Fournier finished with a season-high 21 points. His 7 triples are his EuroLeague career best. And it turned out, Olympiacos needed each one of them.

Olympiacos pulled away in the third quarter. [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) had a three-point play, Fournier knocked a triple from way downtown, his fifth on the night, then [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) strung together 6 points dominating in the paint.

The lead jumped to 53-69, and soon after Olympiacos held a 20-point lead, 57-77, late in the third quarter.

“We were able to grow a big lead, but we got too comfortable, had too many turnovers,” Fournier said.

The hosts rallied despite [Carsen Edwards](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/carsen-edwards/011987/) sitting out the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. And with [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/) fouling out, Olympiacos had no solutions for the Virtus backcourt of [Matt Morgan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/matthew-morgan/012585/), [Luca Vildoza](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/luca-vildoza/007947/) and veteran [Daniel Hackett](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/daniel-hackett/001844/). Minute by minute, the lead melted.

“The fourth quarter was really difficult for us,” Bartzokas admitted. “Being in the bonus so early, we could not play good defense and they made some very difficult shots. We turned the ball over a lot of time. Some of our turnover were really silly.

“But we managed to win this game. It is a very important win here, I really appreciate it.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bwinMVP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#bwinMVP</a> Nikola Milutinov 🔥| <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIROLY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIROLY</a><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://t.co/E5ETVzdskB">pic.twitter.com/E5ETVzdskB</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/2004673782636581360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Milutinov had a tip-in on his fifth offensive rebound to make it 84-90, Fournier hit his seventh three with 1:22 to go, giving Olympiacos an 88-93 cushion, then [Tyler Dorsey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tyler-dorsey/009849/) made a tough mid-range jumper with 20.2 seconds left to push the score to 92-95 as the Reds prevailed.

“There were a lot of key moments,” Fournier said. “The biggest moment was probably Tyler’s two-pointer because it allowed to break their momentum. But we made a lot of plays, a lot of guys stepped up.”

Dorsey finished with 21 points, Vezenkov scored 16, Milutinov had 13 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists, and [Alec Peters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alec-peters/008829/) also scored 13.

In addition to making 14 three-pointers, pulling out a win on a tough away court will certainly help the Reds go into next week’s Greek derby with plenty of confidence.

Game News

The Reds almost surrendered a 20-point third-quarter advantage against Virtus in Bologna, but came up with big plays late in the game

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

It’s been quite a year for AS Monaco. After reaching its first EuroLeague Championship Game last May, Vassilis Spanoulis’s squad is determined to take the final step this season – and Friday night’s 100-95 win over Real Madrid served as a strong statement.

Monaco closes out 2025 with win over Real Madrid

It’s been quite a year for [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/). After reaching its first EuroLeague Championship Game last May, Vassilis Spanoulis’s squad is determined to take the final step this season – and Friday night’s 100-95 win over [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/) served as a strong statement.

Despite hitting triple digits for the fourth time in its past five home games, Monaco left the floor feeling it still had another gear to reach. Spanoulis agreed. His team totaled just 17 assists – its fourth-lowest mark of the season – and surrendered 95 points, the third-most it has allowed in this campaign.

“We can play better defense, but they made some crazy shots,” Spanoulis told EuroLeague TV. “We could share the ball better, but overall I’m satisfied. Congratulations to my players.”

AS Monaco-Real Madrid | Round 18 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Notably, Monaco won this one through effort and grit. [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) looked poised to dominate the paint early, scoring 15 points and grabbing 7 rebounds – 5 offensive – in the first quarter alone. But Monaco responded on the glass, pulling down a season-high 17 offensive rebounds, led by [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/)’s 5 and 2 apiece from [Kevarrius Hayes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kevarrius-hayes/010390/), [Jaron Blossomgame](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jaron-blossomgame/011231/) and [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/).

Monaco finished with 40 rebounds overall, tied for its second-highest total of the season. Curiously, it marked just the third time Monaco has reached that number this year – and the second game in a row, after collecting a season-best 41 rebounds [in a 103-77 win over FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-clears-minds-to-end-skid-beats-bayern-with-defense/).

“Against Real Madrid, \[despite\] their size, we controlled the rebounds,” Spanoulis said. “We had 17 offensive rebounds. We were there. We had effort.”

That effort didn’t come at the expense of offense. [Elie Okobo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/elie-okobo/011212/) was a steady threat with 22 points, while James scored 15 despite playing a less ball-dominant role than usual. [Matthew Strazel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/matthew-strazel/008099/) and [Nemanja Nedovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nemanja-nedovic/000848/) added 12 points apiece. Monaco’s four guards combined for 61 points, production any EuroLeague team would welcome from its backcourt.

“It was an amazing game,” Okobo said in his post-game comments. “Right after Christmas, being able to celebrate in front of our fans with a very important win against Madrid, that was special. Everybody was involved, everybody played with energy, and we got the W. That’s what matters most.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">✍️ Nikola keeps making history<br><br>He has become 4th on the <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> all-time scoring list 👏 Congrats !<br><br>1⃣ Mike James - 5577<br>2⃣ Nando de Colo - 5009<br>3⃣ Vassilis Spanoulis - 4455<br>4⃣ Nikola Mirotić - 4267<br>5⃣ Sergio Llull - 4257<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DagheMunegu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DagheMunegu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/YJgL7oLyaY">pic.twitter.com/YJgL7oLyaY</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/2004660736409436634?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Before a brief stumble that included back-to-back losses to Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, Monaco’s offense had been humming. What should please Spanoulis most is that his team continues to score in bunches, even when execution isn’t perfect.

Still, the finish was tense. Leading 95-81 with 1:50 remaining, Monaco watched as Real Madrid guard [Facundo Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) erupted for 14 points in a frantic 91-second stretch, pulling *Los Blancos* within four at 99-95 with eight seconds left. It was too little, too late, but it followed another warning sign after the teams entered the fourth quarter tied at 70.

Monaco steadied itself behind [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-mirotic/000796/), who knocked down back-to-back three-pointers midway through the fourth and finished with 10 points. The performance also carried historical weight, as Mirotic passed [Sergio Llull](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/llull-sergio/tgb/) into fourth place on the EuroLeague’s all-time scoring list with 4,267 career points.

“We wanted to finish strong at home in the last game of 2025 here,” Strazel said. “I think we did a good job. We stayed locked in for 40 minutes and found a way to get the win. I’m proud of us.”

As Monaco looks ahead, it hopes 2026 will be the year it finally lifts the EuroLeague trophy – something James and Mirotic are still chasing. Whether that happens remains to be seen, but performances like this show Monaco can win in multiple ways, a reality that should put the rest of the EuroLeague on notice.

The backcourt carried the scoring load in a 100–95 victory

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