Another outstanding performance in a winning effort allowed Sasha Vezenkov of Olympiacos Piraeus to earn Round 21 MVP honors and keep rewriting EuroLeague history. Vezenkov led Olympiacos to a 95-80 home victory over FC Bayern Munich with 25 points on 8-of-10 two-pointers, 2-of-2 three-pointers and 3-of-3 free throws, adding 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 5 fouls drawn for a PIR of 35, the highest in Round 21. 

Round 21 MVP: Sasha Vezenkov, Olympiacos Piraeus

Another outstanding performance in a winning effort allowed [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) of Olympiacos Piraeus to earn Round 21 MVP honors and keep rewriting EuroLeague history.

Vezenkov led Olympiacos to a 95-80 home victory over FC Bayern Munich with 25 points on 8-of-10 two-pointers, 2-of-2 three-pointers and 3-of-3 free throws, adding 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 5 fouls drawn for a PIR of 35, the highest in Round 21. It is the third MVP of the Round honor of the season for Vezenkov after achieving this award in Rounds 3 and 5. He is now second all-time in the MVP of the Round charts with 17 MVP of the Round awards, only trailing Shane Larkin of Anadolu Efes Istanbul (19) and ahead of Nando De Colo of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (16).

[Kenan Kamenjas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kenan-kamenjas/008325/) of Dubai Basketball reached a PIR of 34 in his team's 92-81 home win over Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul. In Round 21, Kamenjas starred by amassing 20 points and 15 rebounds, hitting 6-of-10 two-point shots and 8-of-8 free throws. He also had 1 assist and drew 5 fouls.

[Armoni Brooks](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/armoni-brooks/013384/) of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan reached a PIR of 31 in his team's 87-74 home win over Anadolu Efes Istanbul. Brooks had 31 points on 3-of-4 two-pointers, 7-of-12 three-pointers and 3-of-3 free throws, 8 rebounds and 3 fouls drawn.

[McKinley Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mckinley-wright-iv/012606/) of Dubai, with a PIR of 28, had the fourth-best index rating in Round 21. He posted 22 points on 9-of-11 two-pointers and 4-of-4 free throws, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 6 fouls drawn in his team’s victory against Fenerbahce.

[Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/) of Fenerbahce, [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) of Olympiacos and [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, each with a PIR of 26, complete the top individual performances in Round 21. Baldwin posted 21 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal and 7 drawn fouls in a loss against Dubai, Milutinov amassed 14 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 5 fouls drawn as Olympiacos beat Bayern, while Moneke had 18 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 5 fouls drawn in Zvezda’s 99-67 defeat at Zalgiris Kaunas.

### Individual highs: Kenan Kamenjas, Dubai, 15 rebounds

Armoni Brooks of Milan led all players in Round 21 with 31 points. Nadir Hifi of Paris Basketball remains the competition's top scorer with 20.4 points per game.

Kenan Kamenjas of Dubai Basketball was this round’s top rebounder with 15 boards. Nikola Milutinov of Olympiacos ranks first overall with 7.7 boards per night.

Mike James of AS Monaco dished 10 assists, more than any other player in Round 21. Sylvain Francisco of Zalgiris leads the overall standings with 7.0 assists per game.

As many as 12 different players had 3 steals this round. Alpha Diallo of Monaco is the 2025-26 EuroLeague steals leader with 1.7 per game.

Moses Wright of Zalgiris and Kai Jones of Efes each had a round-high 3 blocks. Walter Tavares of Real Madrid ranks first overall with 1.9 blocks per night.

There were two players who had a double-double in this round: Kamenjas (20 points, 15 rebounds) and James (14 points, 10 assists).

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul announced on Saturday morning that it will be without services of Bonzie Colson in upcoming weeks. Colson suffered a knee injury during Thursday's 92-81 road loss against Dubai Basketball, and the test confirmed a strain of the patellar tendon of the right knee, the club confirmed.

Fenerbahce's Bonzie Colson to miss time with knee injury

[Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/roster/ulk/) announced on Saturday morning that it will be without services of [Bonzie Colson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/bonzie-colson/009783/) in upcoming weeks. Colson suffered a knee injury during Thursday's [92-81 road loss](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/dubai-basketball-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2025/201/#boxscore) against Dubai Basketball, and the test confirmed a strain of the patellar tendon of the right knee, the club confirmed.

This type of injury usually has players sidelined from three to six weeks, which means Colson is likely to be back some time in February for the defending EuroLeague champions.

Colson has been averaging 9.2 points on 51.8% three-point shooting this season, and pulling down 3.1 rebounds. A loss in Dubai snapped Fenerbahce's four-game winning streak as the team now sits in fifth place with a 13-7 record.

Colson suffered an injury during Round 21 loss in Dubai

Overcoming some apparent tiredness, Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz defeated a stubborn LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne squad, 78-73, in Friday night action.

Baskonia bests ASVEL in team-first triumph

“We won against a tough team,” said Paolo Galbiati. “I am very happy and proud of the players.”

The [Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/bas/) head coach’s pride is hardly surprising. Overcoming some apparent tiredness, his team defeated a stubborn [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/) squad, 78-73, in Friday night action.

Both teams scrambled around for an advantage at the start of the game, with Baskonia eventually taking hold of the contest and boasting a 9-point advantage at halftime. However, the team talk Pierric Poupet gave at the break definitely landed, as his team came flying out of the gates, swarming Baskonia on defense and hurting them in transition to take a short-lived lead.

A tense, cagey fourth period played out, with neither side able to take the reins for a while. The game remained tied for an extended period, before Baskonia snatched the lead back with some crucial late buckets, securing the dub and improving its record to 8-13.

Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz-LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne | Round 21 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Former ASVEL man [Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/timothe-luwawu-cabarrot/012080/) shone for the hosts, scoring 21 points at a clip of 6-for-11 shooting from the field. He attributed the vibrant home crowd and strong team chemistry to the important win.

“I think the fans, the belief,” Luwawu-Cabarrot said. “We are a good group, we are cheering for each other, we love each other, we love to play with each other.”

Outside of TLC, the Spanish team really shared the offensive load. [Trent Forrest](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/trent-forrest/013367/) and [Kobi Simmons](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kobi-simmons/014152/) also finished in double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively, while every active player marked the scoring column in a true team display. [Eugene Omoruyi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/eugene-omoruyi/014207/) commanded the glass, logging 8 boards and 7 points of his own.

“We knew they were coming to play hard, like they always do,” Luwawu-Cabarrot shared. “They lost [Nando \[De Colo\]](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nando-de-colo/002100/) but they still have great talent and great players. We kind of lost it in the third quarter, but we stayed focused and got it back. Very glad we got this win.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">Omoruyi nuestro MVP del partido con 7 puntos y 15 de valoración 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/PX79bJoZdC">pic.twitter.com/PX79bJoZdC</a></p>&mdash; Kosner Baskonia (@Baskonia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Baskonia/status/2009747306665398512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

As mentioned, the presence of veteran De Colo was certainly missed by ASVEL. [His departure to Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul earlier this week](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nando-de-colos-return-provides-experience-and-excellence-for-fenerbahce/) left a hole in ASVEL's offense and leadership that they’ll have to work hard to fill. Much like its opponents, the French team remains winless on the road in this year’s contest, moving its record to 6-15.

Things don’t get much easier for Pierric Poupet’s men next week, as they prepare to face table-topping Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv in a tough matchup next Friday. Baskonia, on the other hand, will travel to Turkiye to face Anadolu Efes Istanbul just one day prior. 

Game News

Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot top scored for the winners

Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2026-01-09T19:30:00.000Z)

Sasha Vezenkov went on to score 10 consecutive field-goal attempts, finishing the game on a team-high 25 points. Having given Bayern nightmares again almost one year after netting a career-high 45 points in a 112-69 thrashing of the German side, Vezenkov led his team to a 95-80 victory – its ninth straight at home against this rival.

Unstoppable Sasha Vezenkov downs Bayern in first home victory of 2026

Halfway through the first quarter against [FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/mun/), [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) had yet to connect with the basket as a slow start saw the [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) forward miss both his first shots of the game.

The second was a floater that went short, with the guests leading 8-9. Yet, that would also be the last one he would fail to make on an extraordinary night at Peace and Friendship Stadium.

Vezenkov went on to score all his next 10 field-goal attempts, finishing the game on a team-high 25 points.

Having given Bayern nightmares again almost one year after netting a career-high 45 points in a 112-69 thrashing, Vezenkov led his team to a 95-80 victory – its ninth straight at home against the German giant.

Olympiacos Piraeus-FC Bayern Munich | Round 21 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Two straight victories under new head coach Svetislav Pesic helped Bayern enter the game with confidence, and it started strong in Piraeus by netting 47 first-half points as Olympiacos led by just two points at halftime.

After ending the first half on a game-high 14 points, Vezenkov caught fire with seven points in a space of three minutes in the third quarter to open a 65-54 lead. Yet, Bayern fought back and went on a 2-9 surge that brought them within 85-78 with 02:22 left on the clock.

Vezenkov came in to replace [Alec Peters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alec-peters/008829/), with the former finishing inside after a dish from [Kostas Papanikolaou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kostas-papanikolaou/001255/) to open a 10-2 run as Olympiacos killed the game off. Averaging 19.6 points over his last eight games, the Bulgaria international is pulling off another MVP-caliber season.

“We had three very demanding games on the road, we managed to win the two of them and we came back at home after so long and we had a must-win game in front of us,” Vezenkov told EuroLeague TV. “Bayern changed their coach, they had two wins in a row. We didn’t approach the game as we wanted in the first half. We received 47 points, but at the end of the day we took the W and we look forward.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">👏Sasha Vezenkov became Olympiacos’ all-time leader in EuroLeague PIR after the game against Bayern <br><br>A historic milestone that highlights his consistency, excellence and impact at the highest level of European basketball 🪄🔴⚪️ <a href="https://t.co/SVWichFqCh">pic.twitter.com/SVWichFqCh</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/2009738391227682883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The turning point came in the third quarter, with Olympiacos holding Bayern to just 14 points and opening a 70-61 lead heading into the fourth.

The hosts forced their opponent to commit as many as 21 turnovers, and the 10 steals they recorded allowed them to hit in transition with easy buckets. They also dominated the boards by outrebounding Bayern 35-23, with their 14 offensive rebounds leading to 29 second-chance points. Meanwhile, staying true to its philosophy, Olympiacos circulated the ball well in yet another game, ending the duel with 28 assists.

“It was very important for us to win this game,” head coach Georgios Bartzokas said in the post-game press conference. “And as you probably saw it wasn’t easy at all. We had to increase our intensity on defense in the second half because in the first we allowed 78% for twos and 46% for threes. There is no team in the EuroLeague without talent, without a game plan, without good coaching. The second half was way better for us defensively. We had lots of deflections, we forced them to make 21 turnovers and at the same time we had 28 assists.”

Having celebrated its first home victory of 2026, eighth-placed Olympiacos will look to go on a winning streak that would allow it to climb up the standings in pursuit of home-court advantage. And with Vezenkov being in such spectacular form, the Reds should have nothing to fear moving forward.

The Olympiacos forward bagged 25 points, having gone 10-for-12 from the field

Olympiacos Piraeus v FC Bayern Munich (2026-01-09T19:15:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona continued to be a bogey team for Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade as the Catalan giant coasted to an emphatic 88-70 home win, making it 13 in a row against the Serbian side and improving to 14-7 on the season while the visitors dropped to 6-15 following a sixth straight loss.

Toko Shengelia celebrates milestone as Barcelona dismantles Partizan

[FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/) continued to be a bogey team for [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/) as the Catalan giant coasted to an emphatic 88-70 home win, making it 13 in a row against the Serbian side and improving to 14-7 on the season while the visitors dropped to 6-15 following a sixth straight loss.

It was a perfect night for [Toko Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/), who was named player of the game after scoring 13 points to go with 2 boards and 3 assists. However, it was a sour return to the Palau Blaugrana for Joan Penarroya, who parted ways with Barcelona earlier this season and later took over as head coach at Partizan.

Barcelona endured a jittery start and trailed 13-20 at the end of the first quarter, struggling for the best part of the first half before a 17-0 run late in the second quarter and early in the third turned a 31-35 deficit into a 48-35 lead.

Barca never looked back and strolled home as [Willy Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/willy-hernangomez/003196/) racked up 16 points and 8 boards, shooting 7-of-8 shooting from the floor, while [Jan Vesely](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jan-vesely/000925/) underlined the home team’s dominance in the paint as he amassed 14 points having shot 7-of-9 from inside.

FC Barcelona-Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade | Round 21 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Asked if he was inspired by the milestone, Shengelia refused to speak about his own individual performance and focused on a collective effort which saw Barca keep its foot on the gas throughout the second half, giving Partizan no chance of forcing a late twist.

“It’s about the team,” Shengelia said in his postgame comments. “We’re doing a great job and like I said many times, we’re heading in the right direction but we still have so much room to improve. We’re fighting every day to be in the best possible position and we’re very happy with where we are in the standings.”

Hernangomez also looked the part as, after the first quarter, Barcelona’s ironclad defense forced a barrage of tough shots from Partizan, which finished on 21-of-40 from inside after netting 10-of-14 in the opening 10 minutes, having also committed 15 turnovers against just 13 assists.

The big man was frank about head coach’s Xavi Pascual’s impact on his displays since taking over from Penarroya, with Barcelona winning seven of its last nine to stay firmly in contention for a playoff spot.

“It was a difficult game from the beginning until the end but we got a very important win,” Hernangomez said. “Pascual has brought discipline, structure and joy to my game, all the things helping me improve as a player and become a better person. I work hard every day and do whatever it takes to help the team win. For me the most important thing is that I am really enjoying what I am doing.” 

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">THE 𝐌𝐀𝐍 OF THE 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄 🌟 <a href="https://t.co/kGlsYHmnUR">pic.twitter.com/kGlsYHmnUR</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/2009758330881998903?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Pascual, in his second stint with Barcelona after leading the Spanish outfit to the 2010 title during his first spell in charge (2008-2016), was prudent in assessing that his team was grinding out wins despite not firing on all cylinders at this stage of the season.

“We were better and a little bit more concentrated in the second half,” he said. “We controlled the rebounds a bit better and only had one turnover in the second half. We achieved a very important win despite not being brilliant. In general, we are solid both offensively and defensively.”

It was another disappointing outing for Penarroya, who is still winless with Partizan in the EuroLeague. It seems the Serbian club’s passionate fans will have little to cheer about for the remainder of the season as the 1992 champs remain rooted to the bottom of the standings.

Having said it was difficult to be optimistic after seeing Partizan mauled 87-112 by Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv on his coaching debut for the Serbian club, Penarroya’s words were vindicated in his fourth successive defeat at the helm as [Duane Washington](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/duane-washington/013370/) was a solitary beacon of light for Partizan with a game-high 20 points.

“In the third quarter we committed around five or six turnovers in a row and Barcelona punished us,” Penarroya said. “We need to control the bad moments because good teams take advantage.”

The Georgian forward shined in his 300th EuroLeague appearance as the hosts stretched their winning streak

FC Barcelona v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2026-01-09T19:30:00.000Z)

All is right in the world for EA7 Emporio Armani Milan right now, as the team came up with a thrilling comeback victory to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the club with Armoni Brooks shining bright. 

Armoni Brooks show, Milan’s refusal to lose give club a present for 90th anniversary

All is right in the world for [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/mil/) right now, as the team came up with a thrilling comeback victory to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the club with [Armoni Brooks](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/armoni-brooks/013384/) shining bright. 

Brooks drained 7 three-pointers in scoring a career-high 31 points, which allowed Milan to rally from 14 points down to collect an 87-74 victory over [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/) and complete a sweep of the double-round week. 

After giving up 49 points in the first half, Milan allowed just 8 points in the third quarter. Brooks put the game to bed with four three-pointers in a span of 2:43 minutes in the fourth quarter, sparking the Allianz Cloud crowd to serenade him with MVP chants.

“It’s beautiful to hear that. I’ve never gotten that in my life. So it’s a great feeling. I’m happy the team won more than anything,” said Brooks, who finished with 7-of-12 three-pointers as well as 8 rebounds for a career-high index rating of 32. 

“We were a little lackadaisical in the first half. We tried to clean up the defense and offensive rebounding in the second half. We stuck together and fought through a little bit of adversity. It feels good to come back and get this win.”  

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan-Anadolu Efes Istanbul | Round 21 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Milan’s two wins this week improves its record to 11-10, thanks to [Zach LeDay](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/zach-leday/008987/) adding 15 points, [Marko Guduric](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/marko-guduric/004004/) tallying 13 points and [Leandro Bolmaro](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/leandro-bolmaro/008985/) chipping in 12 points and 4 assists in his first game since Round 15. 

“The second half is the way we have to play. Great energy, great togetherness. And when you have a guy like Armoni, it’s much easier to play,” said Guduric. 

“Super happy, super proud of this team. After a slow start, down 11 after the first quarter, we bounced back with defense, with togetherness – an unbelievable will to win. Or refusal to lose, which is more important,” said Milan head coach Peppe Poeta.

“I am also super happy we kind of gave a gift for the 90th anniversary of Olimpia and its great history for the ownership and our fans. It’s a little gift for them. They support us all the time. And today they were a factor in the game.”

Efes had a great start to lead 2-13, and a three-pointer to start the second quarter pushed the cushion to 14 points at 16-30. The hosts were able to close within five points midway through the quarter but trailed 38-49 at the break. 

Milan came up with the perfect start to the second half with the first 12 points to claim the lead 50-49. That was the first of seven lead changes in the quarter, and Milan was up 62-57 after 30 minutes. 

Efes scored the first points in the final frame, but Brooks got red-hot with the three-point barrage in a 17-2 run to make it 79-61. Efes did manage to pull within seven points but could not finish the comeback.

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Efes dropped its fifth straight game for a 6-15 record despite recent addition [Saben Lee](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/saben-lee/013389/) leading the way with 19 points and [Nick Weiler-Babb](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nick-weiler-babb/010391/) amassing 12 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists.

“I think our first half was very complete – nothing special but very solid. The second half, we disappeared,” said Efes head coach Pablo Laso.

“We talked in the locker room that in the situation we are in – a lot of injuries, players in and out. We need to be stable. And from the first play of the second half we were not stable. We looked behind them all the time. They played with a lot of energy and they came back and had a great victory with Armoni Brooks having a great game.”

The sharpshooting guard hit 7 three-pointers and scored a career-high 31 points

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2026-01-09T19:30:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas showed its true potential and depth in Round 21, thrashing visiting Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 99-67 in front of an amazing crowd at Zalgirio Arena. Coach Tomas Masiulis got a solid contribution from most of his players, which led to an easier-than-expected victory.

Zalgiris's team-oriented offense seals the deal against Zvezda

[Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/zal/) showed its true potential and depth in Round 21, thrashing visiting [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/red/) 99-67 in front of an amazing crowd at Zalgirio Arena. Coach [Tomas Masiulis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/zal/masiulis-tomas) got a solid contribution from most of his players, which led to an easier-than-expected victory.

[Azuolas Tubelis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/azuolas-tubelis/008192/) was the first Zalgiris player to step up, hitting a corner three-pointer and adding a pair of free throws before a backdoor slam in a 13-3 opening run which made Zvezda call its first timeout.

When Tubelis cooled off, other players stepped up. [Maodo Lo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/maodo-lo/007032/) came off the bench to provide instant offense, [Moses Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/moses-wright/012878/) had two blocks in quick succession on [Ebuka Izundu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ebuka-izundu/014029/), and S[ylvain Francisco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sylvain-francisco/007975/) was simply all over the place, finding good shots everywhere and creating for others. At halftime, Francisco had 12 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and a PIR of 16. Zalgiris made half of its 14 shots from beyond the arc, while Zvezda also took 14 three-point shots, converting just one.

Zalgiris Kaunas-Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade | Round 21 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

"I'm happy with my performance individually, but I feel wonderful that we got a win. This is the most important tonight," Tubelis said after the game. "I think \[this win gives us\] more confidence because of the way we share the ball. Sometimes we don't and then we look kind of stupid on TV. Just to share the ball, just enjoy team basketball... everything is working when we share the ball."

After shooting well in the first quarter (54.5% 2FG, 75% 3FG), Zalgiris was less accurate in the next 10 minutes but pulled down 5 offensive rebounds in the second period. In short, Zalgiris led 47-28 at the break and was well on its way to add its 12th victory.

Far from being done, Zalgiris kept rolling after the break as a huge two-handed dunk by Wright made it a 24-pont game, 60-36. Zvezda eventually gave up early in the fourth quarter and all Zalgiris fans had plenty of time to celebrate one of the biggest wins of the season. Even Zalgiris legend [Arvydas Sabonis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/arvydas-sabonis/ayo/) was all smiles in the stands late in the game when his face was shown in the jumbotron.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Let’s talk about 𝐒𝐈𝐗 baby. 😉 <a href="https://t.co/INFWEQJ1sZ">pic.twitter.com/INFWEQJ1sZ</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/2009716952793509997?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Zalgiris's second unit worked to perfection, getting 55 points off the bench against Zvezda's 23. The guests finished the game with 4-of-26 three-pointers, 19 assists and 16 turnovers. Zalgiris did much better in all three categories, hitting 13-of-26 triples, getting 27 assists to match its season-high effort and limiting its turnovers to just 11.

In short, a good night in the office for Zalgiris and a great start to the weekend for its fans.

"After every loss in the EuroLeague, to be able to bounce back and win is huge. We protected our home court in one of our few home games this month, so this was huge for us," Lo said. "It always goes hand in hand: you play good defense, it translates to offense. You are able to run if you get stops and rebound."

Coach Masiulis's team had six players score in double digits in Round 21

Zalgiris Kaunas v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2026-01-09T18:00:00.000Z)

Aris Thessaloniki signs Kostas Antetokounmpo on loan from Olympiacos. The EuroLeague and NBA champion prepares for his first EuroCup experience and a bigger role in Thessaloniki. 

Kostas Antetokounmpo moves from Olympiacos to Aris

Aris Thessaloniki Betsson has secured the services of [Kostas Antetokounmpo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kostas-antetokounmpo/011221/) on loan from Olympiacos Piraeus for the remainder of the season. The move gives the Greek big man an opportunity to make his EuroCup debut and take on a more prominent role after limited minutes in Piraeus.

Antetokounmpo (2.08 meters, 28 years old) appeared in three EuroLeague games for Olympiacos this season, where he totaled 4 points and 3 rebounds in 16 minutes. He also contributed 2.5 points and 2.0 rebounds across 10 Greek League contests. He now joins an Aris squad aiming to strengthen its frontcourt for the second half of the EuroCup campaign.

<center><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DTSWQmvDA3G/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DTSWQmvDA3G/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; 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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DTSWQmvDA3G/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by ARIS B.C. 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A EuroLeague and NBA champion, Antetokounmpo signed a two-year deal with Olympiacos last summer after finishing the previous season with UCAM Murcia in Spain. He previously played for Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, with which he won the EuroLeague in 2024. Antetokounmpo lifted the NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. His career also includes stints with LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in France, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in Turkiye, and the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA.

The move makes Kostas the second Antetokounmpo to play for Aris this season; his younger brother Alex began the season with the club, but made only one official appearance before leaving. Now, Antetokounmpo brings size, athleticism, and experience to Aris as he embarks on his first EuroCup adventure.

More Aris news

The EuroLeague and NBA champion moves on loan to Aris, where he will make his EuroCup debut

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 21 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub: Round 21

## Friday, January 9

### Zalgiris Kaunas vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (19:00 CET)

**Tomas Masiulis, Zalgiris head coach**

"We’re facing an athletic opponent with a lot of talent. They’re not a very favorable matchup for us because they’re physical, have size, and play a lot of switching defense. It will be a very serious challenge. Everyone has ups and downs; over the course of a season that’s normal. Strong teams are starting to find their rhythm now, while maybe we were in better shape at the beginning of the season. We’re not missing much, but in recent games it’s been small details that have been lacking."

### Olympiacos Piraeus vs. FC Bayern Munich (20:15 CET)

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos head coach**

"Bayern are playing well. They have mainly changed their defensive philosophy under Coach Pesic. They put more pressure on the ball, even with players who are not used to doing that. They are tougher defensively. They have two big men, Gabriel and McCormack, who are good defenders. They are mobile players. In general, they are a team that shows a different image compared to what we are used to from Bayern. Of course, they also have offensive talent. They have good shooters, experienced players, and a very experienced coach at this level. They are coming off a win and have one day less to prepare for the game, but we have all accepted within the team that respecting the opponent—neither underestimating nor overestimating anyone—leads to good results. Not long ago, when we were leaving to play four away games, including the league, everyone said it was a mountain of a schedule. In the end, as it turned out, it wasn’t. However, things are not just as easy now that we are playing at home. It’s a difficult game and we must approach it as such."

**Monte Morris, Olympiacos guard**

"Bayern are a very good team. They are on a winning streak and are very dangerous. We need to stay focused and play our game. I really like it here. I like the food, the team, and the fans. The coach and my teammates have welcomed me warmly. I try to improve every day and learn the system day by day. I’m adjusting every day. I’ve been learning since the first day and continue to do so every day. I’ve only played a few EuroLeague games. We have many games ahead of us, and I’ll try to keep improving so I can help more."

**Svetislav Pesic, Bayern head coach**

"The game at Olympiacos doesn’t come at a good time, although a clash with this historic club is always a very big challenge. We’ve now won a few games in the Bundesliga and also in the EuroLeague, but we will be missing some players who are banged up. I hope others will seize their opportunity and give us fresh energy. Despite the problems and the great quality of Piraeus, we want to stay on our path."

Monte Morris: 'I try to improve every day and learn the system day by day'

### FC Barcelona vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (20:30 CET)

**Xavi Pascual, Barcelona head coach**

"Joan \[Penarroya\] was our coach, and first of all, I hope the Palau gives him a warm welcome. Beyond the challenges that coaches face — which are huge — sometimes things go well, sometimes they don’t, he’s a person… First, he’s a really good guy, and second, he gave absolutely everything to try to do the best possible with Barça. People may judge his work differently — better or worse — that’s their opinion, but he’s one of ours, and I hope the fans show him a lot of respect tomorrow. He’s also a very good coach, and it will be a very tough game. Partizan is a team that went through a lot of challenges with their coaching change. Slowly, they’re looking more solid — in Valencia they competed very well, in Monaco there was a moment where the game slipped away, but they were still in it. They have a very good team with talented players. There's the signing of \[Cam\] Payne, they now have two players who were very important at Barça, like \[Jabari\] Parker and \[Nick\] Calathes, a player who was key in Madrid, Bruno Fernando, a player who excelled in Malaga and was highly sought after, \[Dylan\] Osetkowski, a player coming from CSKA, \[Tonye\] Jekiri, who will bring a lot of experience and is a very good player. They also have players like \[Isaac\] Bonga, a champion of the last \[international\] championship, and others like \[Sterling\] Brown, \[Vanja\] Marinkovic — an excellent shooter — and \[Duane\] Washington, who every team in Europe was chasing after when he left the G League. In short, they have an extraordinary roster with a lot of individual talent, and it will be a very difficult game."

**Toko Shengelia, Barcelona forward**

"Maybe we’ve given people reason to say that, but I’d say our ceiling is still higher. We’ve played those games without Jan \[Vesely\], without Will \[Clyburn\], I’m not back at 100% yet, and logically we still have plenty of room to improve. But I’d say we’re on the right path, it’s positive, and we’re getting better every day. That’s the most important thing. It doesn’t matter where Partizan is in the standings, we have to protect our home court. Defense will be key because they have very talented players who can suddenly get hot and take control of the game. And once they gain that confidence, it becomes very difficult here. The key will be to start the game very focused and stay locked in for all 40 minutes. I think, logically, tactically it’s going to be a bit complicated \[coming up against Joan Penarroya\]. Maybe he knows us very well: our game, our character. But at the same time, that’s something we’ll take into account too, and we’ll definitely prepare the game with Xavi \[Pascual\], also preparing for him as an opponent. On an emotional level, we’re human. Joan was our coach not long ago, we have a lot of affection for him, and I think he also deserves for the Palau to welcome him with a lot of warmth and applause. From my side, I’ll definitely do that. He did everything he possibly could. We had moments we really enjoyed — not only during my month and a half here, but even before, when he had already been the coach at Barça for years. And from my side, I’ve told him this before and I’ll say it again now: I’m grateful for everything he’s done for this club and for me."

**Joan Penarroya, Partizan head coach**

"We’re facing another tough game after the matchup with Monaco. Barcelona is also a big club with a great atmosphere and over the past two months they’ve won a lot of games. Overall, it’s going to be a very demanding matchup, but we need to stay committed to our game plan and believe in ourselves. Even though Barcelona is playing well and has a lot of quality players, I think this is a good moment for us to continue building our character and growing as a team. We also need to perform much better than we did in the previous game, especially compared to how we played in the first half."

**Duane Washington, Partizan guard**

"We lost the last game against them on Clyburn’s half-court buzzer-beater, and we are well aware of what that game meant. We also know that this team used to be coached by our coach, Penarroya, which makes the matchup even more meaningful for us. Still, we are excited about this opportunity and we will give everything we have, play our game and do our best to win."

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (20:30 CET)

**Peppe Poeta, Milan head coach**

"It is a very important game for us, as always in the EuroLeague, but it comes on a very special day for our club and, before the eyes of our fans, we intend to play an intense and tough game. However, we fully understand that Efes is a team much better than what the record indicates so we will go there prepared to play a very difficult game."

**Pablo Laso, Efes head coach**

"To play against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan on the road is always difficult. They are very aggressive at home and come in with a lot of confidence after beating Panathinaikos on the road. This game is very important for us and will be a good test to show that we can be competitive against any team. The first thing I ask my team at every game is to be competitive and show what our players can contribute to the team. Every player has to be on the same page, knowing that we are facing a great team with talented players at every position."

**PJ Dozier, Efes guard**

"Much needed win for us. We are fighting for our season to turn around in the direction we want."

Peppe Poeta: 'Efes is a team much better than its record'

### Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (20:30 CET)

\--

## Thursday, January 8

### Dubai Basketball vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (17:00 CET)

**Jurica Golemac, Dubai head coach**

"We need to play 40 minutes very focused and concentrated. There's not much time to prepare. They're playing great of late, but we're playing at home. We need to get back to our rhythm, to our mindset, and only like this – with continuity of 40 minutes – can we match the team like they are in this moment."

**Dwayne Bacon, Dubai forward**

"I think we have to play together, move the ball, and play defense for four quarters. Right now we're just known as a first-half team that will fold in the second half, typically the third quarter. If we don't play the same way for 40 minutes, we won't win the game. They're hot right now, so it has to be consistent with us for 40 minutes. We have to be on the same page. Wade Baldwin is playing great, Talen Horton-Tucker is playing great. I saw yesterday Brandon Boston played great. He hasn't played in a while. Can't forget Bonzie Colson, Devon Hall. The list goes on. They have a full team. It's the reason why they won the championship last year. They took out a guy \[in Nigel Hayes-Davis\], but they probably added a guy that is right around the same talent but way younger. In their last 11, they're like 10-1 in the competition, so there's a reason why these guys are top of the league. A lot of these guys are veteran players, they know how to win in tough environments, and if we don't play for 40 minutes we don't have a chance."

**Sarunas Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce head coach**

"Dubai is a very physical team that they beat us in Istanbul. The size of the team is really impressive, the front line. The three positions are all extremely tall and physical. So this is the first thing we need to do. Prepare our offenses and know, understand how we can attack them."

**Talen Horton-Tucker, Fenerbahce guard**

"Tomorrow we know that we're playing against a physically bigger team, and they're pretty organized with having a good guard. There are a lot of assists. Being able to try to limit them as much as we can. Not fouled them and keep them off the line. Their easy attempts are something that we need to focus on and just continue to come out, play hard, rebound. Play physical. Just impose our will is the most important thing for us."

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Virtus Bologna (20:15 CET)

**Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos head coach**

"At this moment, we should not focus on creating drama. In the EuroLeague, everything happens. Just as we lost four games at Telekom Center Athens, we achieved big away wins this year in Madrid, against Fenerbahce, and in Kaunas. Yesterday, in the second half, everything fell apart. Everything went wrong, nothing worked. But this happens. That’s how sports are. Sometimes these results occur. It is not time to panic. We did not lose the title. We suffered a bad loss in a game that everyone thought would be easy for us. But this is the EuroLeague. Sometimes it doesn’t work the way you think. The team is the same. The same team that two weeks ago won in Fenerbahce and in Kaunas, and that beat Hapoel with a very good performance. It is not time to panic. All teams go through difficult periods. Now we focus on tomorrow’s game. It will be tough. It is a good team, with good guards. We must be ready for tomorrow. I want to say something more important in this situation. I know that some people lost their trust in the team, I heard it yesterday as well. Maybe they also lost trust in me. That is normal. We are talking about sports; the past belongs to the past, we look to the future. I want to say one thing. I trust my players and my team a lot. I want to put another important challenge on the table. As you know, I have one more guaranteed year on my contract with the team. However, if at the end of the season we have not won the EuroLeague or the Greek championship, I will leave Athens. That’s all."

**Cedi Osman, Panathinaikos forward**

"Obviously, defense is the key. They played two excellent games against Milan and Zalgiris. It will be a tough game tomorrow. We need to get back to winning and to the basketball we showed one to two weeks ago against Fenerbahce and Zalgiris. Obviously, we need to return to the basketball we know, and everything will be fine. We must stay focused for 40 minutes. In the first half, we played excellently; they scored only 30 points. Then our energy dropped, and we cannot allow that to happen. We are upset by these two losses, and we know how the fans feel."

**Dusko Ivanovic, Virtus head coach**

"Very difficult game in front of us, because Panathinaikos is a veery good team with a very good players. They lost last games at home so will be more difficult for us. But I think that they are in a good rhythm and we'll try to do our best to play a very serious game."

**Saliou Niang, Virtus forward**

"Another tough match awaits us. Panathinaikos will certainly be eager to win after a few matches that didn't go their way. Today, we tried to recover as much energy as possible to face tomorrow's challenge in the best possible way against a top-level team that always manages to take advantage of the support of its fans at home."

### Valencia Basket vs. AS Monaco (20:30 CET)

**Darius Thompson, Valencia guard**

"Every game in the EuroLeague really is a tough challenge, but the guys AS Monaco have are some of the best scorers in the league. So we've got to watch them and see what we can do to slow them down. Defense for sure will be key. Trying to do our best to limit their main guys and then for us just trying to play at our rhythm. Try to play as fast as we can. That's basketball in general; basketball is a game of runs. There's gonna be ups and downs, but for us is just staying together fighting as a team and hopefully at the end of the game we stayed together long enough and fought hard enough that we come out with the win. Having the fans with us gives us more energy; even they travel with us to Belgrade. They've been traveling with us everywhere and now we got a full fan base here with us. So we try to use that energy and make the best out of it."

**Vassilis Spanoulis, Monaco head coach**

"We know what to expect against Valencia, a team that is full of confidence and plays very fast. On our side, we feel that the team is sharing the ball very well, which is key for us. When we play together in this unselfish way, it also has an impact on our defense. We have to be humble and continue to work hard, and keep going in this direction as a team."

**Terry Tarpey, Monaco guard**

"Valencia play very fast, they have talent, they're not top of the table by chance. The season is still long, but we're also in a good position. Everyone knows their role and we're making progress towards our goals. The key will be to always defend well so we can adjust the transitions."

### Real Madrid vs. Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (20:45 CET)

**Sergio Scariolo, Real Madrid head coach**

"It's an unusual game in which we have to find all our resources, motivation, energy, and competitiveness within ourselves, because we won't have the support of our fans. We have to face a game against a talented team with scoring ability, great one-on-one play, and atypical players who can get in and out of the paint. They have a great ability to attack the offensive rebound and play at a very fast pace, so defensive transition will be very important. It is important that we are solid in controlling the defensive rebound."

**Mario Hezonja, Real Madrid forward**

"We're really looking forward to it after losing unexpectedly to them in the first round. The team played well against ASVEL, and we are on the right track, improving our game and racking up wins that we missed out on in the first round. Maccabi, at home, and then the next two games coming up are also very important for us to continue growing as a team and improving our position in the EuroLeague. We are two wins behind the leader, so it is very important to keep winning."

**Will Rayman, Maccabi forward**

"We've just got to get back to playing better team basketball, playing defense better, starting games better. I think that's the biggest thing: starting games better. We can't be down 15 points in the first quarter. We've got to get back to winning basketball, back to our winning ways and win another game in the EuroLeague."

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 21 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season

Pregame quotes, Round 21: 'I’m grateful for everything he’s done for this club and for me’

Real Madrid v Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (2026-01-08T19:45:00.000Z)

Valencia Basket v AS Monaco (2026-01-08T19:30:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Virtus Bologna (2026-01-08T19:15:00.000Z)

Dubai Basketball v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2026-01-08T16:00:00.000Z)