One after the other, Olympiacos Piraeus’s players step out from the locker room and into the corridor that leads to the tunnel. Sasha Vezenkov, the last to join, initiates a group embrace, with everybody shouting the team’s name before barking repeatedly as they make their way to the floor. For the Reds' players, this is more than a pre-game ritual. It’s the group philosophy, the way they approach basketball. And if there’s one player who epitomizes that mentality, it is Thomas Walkup.

Thomas Walkup lets the dogs out as Olympiacos’s defense suffocates Hapoel

One after the other, [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/)’s players step out from the locker room and into the corridor that leads to the tunnel. [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/), the last to join, initiates a group embrace, with everybody shouting the team’s name before barking repeatedly as they make their way to the floor.

For the Reds' players, this is more than a pre-game ritual. It’s the group philosophy, the way they approach basketball. And if there’s one player who epitomizes that mentality, it is [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/).

The Olympiacos guard missed a large part of the 2024-25 campaign due to a back injury before returning for the EuroLeague Playoffs. After barely missing a game in his first three seasons at the Reds, the 32-year-old struggled to rediscover his form and was effectively a non-factor for the Greek side at the Final Four.

Walkup recharged his batteries over the summer and returned to action as Olympiacos’s starting point guard in the first stretch of the season. Another injury sidelined him for three games, but he came back for the clash away at FC Bayern Munich, a night when the Reds held the German side to just 71 points.

Yet, what followed was [a home loss to AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/mike-james-everyday-guy-alpha-diallo-starred-for-monaco-in-piraeus/), which scored 92 points, raising concerns about Olympiacos’s defense earlier this week. Just two days later, the hosts regrouped to lock horns with the EuroLeague leader – a [Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/hapoel-ibi-tel-aviv/hta/) side that led the league in points scored with an average of 93.0 per game.

"Defensively, we are well below the level we want to be at, and the level we were at in previous years,” head coach Georgios Bartzokas stressed before Friday’s clash. “That requires good teamwork, but also self-sacrifice, determination, and doing all the little things that matter.”

Olympiacos Piraeus-Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv | Round 8 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Olympiacos needed to bring back the mindset that established them as one of the best defenses in the league over the last few years.

“\[The key was\] just getting back to it,” Walkup told EuroLeague TV after the game against Hapoel. “Getting back to who we are, getting back to what we do, having that dogginess that we haven’t had consistently. We’ve shown it in spurts, but tonight in the second half… the dogs are out, the dogs are barking.”

Olympiacos struggled on offense, but every player who stepped onto the floor was locked in on the other end. The dogs were out, with Walkup leading the pack.

After holding Hapoel to its second-lowest scoring tally of the season in a half (39), Olympiacos gave up just 4 points in the third quarter. In fact, that was the first time the Israeli side failed to reach double figures in points in a quarter, as well as the joint-lowest tally ever allowed by Olympiacos in the regular season.

What followed was an exchange of blows in the fourth quarter before Olympiacos took a 58-52 lead with 2:40 left on the clock. That’s when [Vasilije Micic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vasilije-micic/002580/) came to the fore, netting two straight triples to tie the game up. But his Serbia teammate [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) struck right back, giving the hosts a 60-58 lead with 39 seconds remaining.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">You don&#39;t mess with those guys! 😤<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/QGAYr0XRHF">pic.twitter.com/QGAYr0XRHF</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1984392281235902752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Having secured a narrow lead, Olympiacos needed its defense to deliver on the other end against a red-hot Micic. Up stepped Walkup, who forced a turnover from the Hapoel guard and celebrated frantically with his teammates.

The hosts regained the possession, but Micic made up for his mistake by getting a steal on [Alec Peters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alec-peters/008829/) following an inbound play. The Olympiacos forward fouled Micic, offering Hapoel another opportunity to escape with a victory. However, with 23 seconds remaining, Walkup successfully got into Micic’s path, drawing a charge to forcing the former EuroLeague MVP to commit an offensive foul.

“It was not just this play, but in general the defense,” Walkup told EuroLeague TV. “It’s been a while since we came out and played a pretty good defensive game. \[Hapoel\] is a really offensive-talented team, they play really well. To hold them to 50-something points today, it was a really good defensive effort by us.”

Vezenkov hit a couple of free throws on the other end and Olympiacos got back to winning ways. More importantly, the Greek side protected its home court, having already suffered two defeats at SEF in four games so far.

“We needed to get back to our basics on defense,” Bartzokas told EuroLeague TV. “They scored 4 points in the third quarter and 19 in the second half. This is the second-best offense in EuroLeague and the first team in the rankings. Holding them to 58 points is a big-time accomplishment.”

It’s no coincidence that Walkup’s first big game following his back injury was combined with Olympiacos’s best defensive outing this season. The veteran guard set the tone on defense and the rest of the pack followed into his footsteps. The Reds returned to their fundamentals, with Walkup setting the standard for the remainder of the season.

Game News

The Reds produced a defensive masterpiece against one of the EuroLeague's hottest teams

Olympiacos Piraeus v Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (2025-10-31T19:15:00.000Z)

The word “luck” came up time and again after FC Barcelona eked out an astonishing 76-78 victory from the jaws of defeat at Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, but there was more to it than just a roll of the dice as Will Clyburn struck a dagger into the hearts of the home team’s fans.

Barcelona continues to haunt Partizan as Will Clyburn sticks the knife in

The word “luck” came up time and again after [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/) eked out an astonishing 76-78 victory from the jaws of defeat at [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/), but there was more to it than just a roll of the dice as [Will Clyburn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/will-clyburn/004888/) struck a dagger into the hearts of the home team’s fans.

The 35-year-old forward, who joined Barca during the off-season from Virtus Segafredo Bologna, made his most telling contribution yet for the Catalan giant as he buried a deep three-pointer from just inside the opposition half to settle a rip-roaring contest inside Belgrade Arena.

With 32 seconds left on the clock and Barcelona’s final play of the game heading nowhere, Clyburn stepped back to give himself some space and unleashed a scorcher with [Tyrique Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tyrique-jones/011981/) in his face, hitting nothing but net to silence a fervent home crowd.

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade-FC Barcelona | Round 8 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

It was a fitting finale as Partizan’s top performer got undone by Barcelona’s trump card, with the visitors stretching their unbeaten run against Partizan to 12 games dating back to 2010. Disconsolate home fans left the gym in a hurry, but there was little or no gloating on Barcelona’s part after a heart-stopping climax.

“I am very happy because the team showed character,” said visiting head coach Joan Penarroya, visibly relieved as Barca improved to 5-3 while Partizan dropped to 3-5 after a third straight loss. “It was a 50-50 game, Will scored an amazing shot, and today we got lucky. We didn’t play well on offense in the first half as we had 9 turnovers, but we regained our focus in the second and played solid defense,” he added.

Clyburn’s heroics overshadowed the valiant effort of Barcelona’s big man [Toko Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/), who tormented his markers throughout and claimed the player of the game accolade with 24 points, 5 boards and as many assists. The Georgian was a handful in the paint offensively, with [Tomas Satoransky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tomas-satoransky/002939/) netting 11 points for the visiting team while former Partizan players [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/) and [Jan Vesely](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jan-vesely/000925/) added 10 each.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">WHAT. A. WIN. <a href="https://t.co/dIocG5ZMCa">pic.twitter.com/dIocG5ZMCa</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1984384020101415119?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Duane Washington](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/duane-washington/013370/) scored a team-high 21 points for Partizan while the ferocious Jones racked up 15 to go with 13 boards and 7 assists, falling just short of a triple-double as the hosts came agonizingly close to victory only to see it slip through their fingers.

Shengelia attributed the win to Barcelona’s willpower which came to the fore when the Spanish outfit needed it most, having fought back from a 10-point deficit to force the final twist. 

“It was a huge team win as we never gave up and we knew from the beginning the game was going to be so tough,” Shengelia said. “It’s always tough to come here and face this crowd as well as Coach Obradovic’s team. We still have a lot of room to improve but we’re heading in the right direction.”

Having dealt the killer blow, Clyburn acknowledged that the manner in which Barcelona ground out the win could provide for a massive stepping stone in what is shaping up to be a fiercely competitive EuroLeague season. 

“It was a game of runs, the atmosphere was crazy and I guess you could say we got lucky in the end with that shot but it just happens sometimes,” he said with a huge smile on his face. “It’s a long season, we want to get better with each game so hopefully we can build on this and continue to grow as a team.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🔥 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐊𝐄𝐓𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/bnG5HVTFHK">pic.twitter.com/bnG5HVTFHK</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1984395318717288737?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Surprisingly enough, coach Zeljko Obradovic gave no time on the floor to Partizan’s sharpshooting forward [Jabari Parker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jabari-parker/012745/) against his former club. Parker had sprained his finger on Sunday in a regional ABA league game but was declared fit after returning to practice on Monday, and Obradovic confirmed at the Barca post-game press conference that keeping Parker on the bench throughout was his decision.

With a grim look on his face, Obradovic lauded his men’s effort and blamed a couple of moments where lady luck turned its back on Partizan, as [Sterling Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sterling-brown/012720/)’s layup trickled out of the rim at one end while Clyburn’s long-range missile went in at the other.

“I can only congratulate my players for the effort but we just had no luck tonight, it was on Barcelona’s side. Congrats to them, they earned it. Clyburn drained an incredible shot, Tyrique was right in his face but it went in and there’s nothing we could do about it.”

The visitors ground out a most dramatic win thanks to an audacious late shot from downtown

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v FC Barcelona (2025-10-31T19:30:00.000Z)

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz has managed to bounce back from the club’s worst-ever start to a EuroLeague season with back-to-back victories in this double-round week. After an unprecedented 0–6 opening, Baskonia defeated Dubai Basketball 92–85 on Tuesday and followed up with an 86–75 win over Anadolu Efes Istanbul on Friday, closing October with a 2–6 record.

Depth delivers as Baskonia turns 0-6 start into a perfect week

[Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/bas/) has managed to bounce back from the club’s worst-ever start to a EuroLeague season with back-to-back victories in this double-round week. After an unprecedented 0–6 opening, Baskonia defeated Dubai Basketball 92–85 on Tuesday and followed up with an 86–75 win over [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/) on Friday, closing October with a 2–6 record.

Baskonia’s recent roster moves have paid off immediately. The addition of Kai Simmons and the return of [Rodions Kurucs](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/rodions-kurucs/005713/) from injury have given the team a deeper, more balanced rotation. That depth was on full display in Round 8 against Efes, where the second unit made the difference.

[Matteo Spagnolo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/matteo-spagnolo/008173/) earned MVP honors after coming off the bench to spark the team. He scored seven quick points that helped Baskonia build a double-digit lead, 22–11, by the end of the first quarter. Bench players contributed 16 of those 22 first-quarter points.

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz-Anadolu Efes Istanbul | Round 8 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

By the final buzzer, Baskonia’s reserves had combined for 68 of the team’s 86 total points – an impressive 79.1% of the offense. With [Hami Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/hamidou-diallo/014086/) limited by foul trouble, Spagnolo and [Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/timothe-luwawu-cabarrot/012080/) stepped up with big performances off the bench. Spagnolo finished with 19 points and a career-high PIR of 28, surpassing his previous best of 23 (with ALBA Berlin against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan on November 12, 2024).

“I feel good, obviously – second win in a row,” Spagnolo said after the game. “We played with a lot of energy, and we have to keep going this way. I try to stay ready when my team needs me. I practice every day for these games, so I felt ready, and thankfully, we won.”

Luwawu-Cabarrot was rock solid once again, leading Baskonia in scoring with 20 points – 17 of which came in the second half – ensuring his team maintained control throughout. 

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">DALE, MATTEO, DALE🥁<br><br>El sonido de la victoria 💪🏼 <a href="https://t.co/HyIDjaKbtc">pic.twitter.com/HyIDjaKbtc</a></p>&mdash; Baskonia (@Baskonia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Baskonia/status/1984380094819729580?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The French swingman has been one of the EuroLeague’s most consistent scorers this season, posting 16 or more points in all eight games so far, reaching 20 or more five times, and averaging 20.6 points while shooting 51.6% from three-point range (32-for-62). By comparison, in 26 games last season, he reached the 16-point mark only four times, averaging 10.0 points on 33.7% from beyond the arc.

“It’s an amazing feeling after this win,” Luwawu-Cabarrot said. “I’m glad we had a double week at home to build momentum and get the fans excited again. We started 0–6 — I know it’s tough to come and cheer when things aren’t going well – but we’ll give 100% every single day. Matteo was amazing, [Rafa \[Villar\]](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/rafa-villar/010035/) gave everything defensively, and [Mamadi \[Diakite\]](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mamadi-diakite/014027/) was unbelievable protecting the rim. Credit to the whole team.”

As Luwawu-Cabarrot noted, Mamadi Diakite was a defensive anchor, recording five blocks – just one shy of Baskonia’s club record of six, set by Will McDonald against Asseco Prokom on January 28, 2009.

After shaking off a rough start, Baskonia is getting healthier and stronger. With star guards [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/) and [Trent Forrest](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/trent-forrest/013367/) nearing their returns, the team will look to extend its winning streak to three when it hosts Virtus Bologna – led by club legend Dusko Ivanovic – in its next home game.

By adding new players and welcoming back key contributors from injury, Baskonia has become a more competitive team

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-10-31T19:30:00.000Z)

Two of the EuroLeague’s leading title contenders went to battle on Friday night with AS Monaco hosting Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, and a statement-making 92-84 victory for the home team – which led for the last 33 minutes and rarely looked like letting the game slip – also contained an historical footnote as Nikola Mirotic climbed above Juan Carlos Navarro into fifth place on the all-time EuroLeague scoring charts.

Nikola Mirotic enjoys milestone evening as Monaco claims another statement win

Two of the EuroLeague’s leading title contenders went to battle on Friday night with [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/) hosting [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/), and a statement-making 92-84 victory for the home team – which led for the last 33 minutes and rarely looked like letting the game slip – also contained an historical footnote as [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-mirotic/000796/) climbed above [Juan Carlos Navarro](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/navarro-juan-carlos/adi/) into fifth place on the all-time EuroLeague scoring charts.

The Monaco forward’s 9 points on the night took him to a career tally of 4,159, overtaking Barcelona legend Navarro (4,152) and now only trailing former Real Madrid teammate [Sergio Llull](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/llull-sergio/tgb/) (4,243), current coach [Vassilis Spanoulis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/spanoulis-vassilis/juo/) (4,455), [Nando De Colo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nando-de-colo/002100/) (4,938) and fellow Monaco star [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) (5,407).

AS Monaco-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | Round 8 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Mirotic has achieved many great things in basketball during his 17-year professional career, including the EuroLeague MVP award in 2021-22, a EuroBasket crown with Spain in 2015, an Olympic silver medal the following year and several domestic league and cup trophies.

But so far the biggest prize up for grabs in European basketball has continued to elude him: a EuroLeague crown.

He has come close on several occasions, including losses in title deciders for Real Madrid against Olympiacos Piraeus in 2013, and for FC Barcelona at the hands of Anadolu Efes Istanbul eight years later.

After a couple of seasons of failing to make the playoffs with EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, now Mirotic is back on the books on a genuine title contender following his summer move to last season’s beaten finalist Monaco – and at the age of 34, time is starting to run out for more opportunities to taste EuroLeague glory.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nikola Mirotic breaks into the 𝐀𝐥𝐥-𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝟓!<br><br>👏 Congrats, Niko! Keep thrilling us with your elite scoring! 🔥<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/2YKLaPqggr">pic.twitter.com/2YKLaPqggr</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1984324791634149874?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

So Friday’s victory was a milestone evening not really because Mirotic climbed a place in the all-time scoring charts, but more so because it completed a hugely impressive perfect double-round week for Monaco against two Greek heavyweights: [an 87-92 road triumph at Olympiacos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/mike-james-everyday-guy-alpha-diallo-starred-for-monaco-in-piraeus/) on Wednesday; a 92-84 home victory over Panathinaikos on Friday.

Not bad for three days of work, and a clear signal that Monaco is a major threat again this season.

That achievement was not lost on coach Vassilis Spanoulis, who admitted to [EuroLeague TV](http://EuroLeague.TV) that he was proud of his players after their perfect Greek Week. “We played two great games,” he said.

“We played 80 minutes, great games. We dominated today, we played very good basketball, unselfish, we shared the ball, 25 assists. Great defenses, stayed on the game plan, executed the game plan, concentration.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">✌️ Two out of two against Athens giants this week ✅️💯<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/po0vsoqgMM">pic.twitter.com/po0vsoqgMM</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1984359688998158797?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Backcourt leader James, however, was a little more circumspect, clearly acknowledging the reality that we are only one month through the regular season with six more to come.

“They’re a really good team, and we were trying to get some momentum and build off the win earlier in the week, so it’s good to come out here and play a good game,” James began, before cautioning: “We’ve got two wins now but you never know what will happen later in the season, so we’ll just try to build off it now and see what happens next week.”

That measured tone is understandable considering how much basketball is remaining, but Friday’s game demonstrated the awesome depth of Monaco’s roster as James – who had 13 points and 8 assists – and Mirotic (9 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block) were just two of the eight Monaco players to record a double-digit PIR.

[Elie Okobo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elie-okobo/011212/)’s drives to the basket, [Matthew Strazel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/matthew-strazel/008099/) and [Nemanja Nedovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nemanja-nedovic/000848/)’s three-point shooting, [Kevarrius Hayes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kevarrius-hayes/010390/)’s power in the paint along with [Jaron Blossomgame](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jaron-blossomgame/011231/) and [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/)’s versatility were also key aspects of the win.

And with talent like that by his side, maybe this will finally be Mirotic’s year.

The Monegasque had a perfect double-round week, winning at Olympiacos on Wednesday and at home to Panathinaikos on Friday

AS Monaco v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2025-10-31T18:00:00.000Z)

The action continues with Round 8 of the EuroLeague headlined by a battle between two of the last three champions. Check out the Game Center in order to see how the teams got on.

Game Center: Round 8

## Friday, October 31

### [AS Monaco 92-84 Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/as-monaco-panathinaikos-aktor-athens/E2025/77/)

Monaco powered past Panathinaikos with a 92-84 home victory on Friday night. A fast-paced first quarter ended with Monaco ahead 27-20, and that lead was 50-41 at halftime after Mike James scored 8 points in less than two minutes. Kendrick Nunn helped keep Panathinaikos in contention after the break, but Monaco always had enough offense to stay ahead and a 15-2 fourth quarter run ensured the hosts comfortably completed a perfect double-round week.

James orchestrated Monaco with 13 points and 8 assists, while Elie Okobo top scored with 15. Matthew Strazel netted 12 points, with Jaron Blossomgame and Nemanja Nedovic both adding 11 for the winning team. Nunn topped all scorers with 23 points, while Kostas Sloukas scored 14 and Juancho Hernangomez poured in 13. The teams are now tied at 5-3 for a share of third place.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">😤 Encore une victoire XXL pour la <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a>, cette fois face au Panathinaïkos à la maison ❤️‍🔥<br><br>Deux sur deux pour cette double week de feu en Euroleague ! 🔥💯<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/8UUDqZFW4T">pic.twitter.com/8UUDqZFW4T</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1984350467460325398?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Olympiacos Piraeus 62-58 Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/olympiacos-piraeus-hapoel-ibi-tel-aviv/E2025/79/)

Olympiacos got back to winning ways by edging past Hapoel 62-58 on Friday night at the Peace and Friendship Stadium. The visitors started strong, but an 11-0 run fueled by Tyler Dorsey gave the Reds an early 16-10 lead. The two defenses neutralized the oppositions' weapons, with the hosts holding Hapoel to just 4 points in the third quarter. Then, Thomas Walkup made some crucial defensive plays in crunch time to clinch the victory. Olympiacos improved its record to 5-3, with Hapoel dropping to 6-2 after suffering its first road loss.

Sasha Vezenkov netted 14 points, abd Nikola Milutinov completed a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds. Antonio Blakeney bagged 13 points, all of which were scored in the first half.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">FINAL 🏀 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> - Hapoel Tel Aviv 62-58 (40&#39;) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</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/OLYHTA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OLYHTA</a> <a href="https://t.co/HFseBCBWIi">pic.twitter.com/HFseBCBWIi</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1984367964985139694?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 76-78 FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade-fc-barcelona/E2025/80/)

Barcelona eked out a thrilling 76-78 win at Partizan and stretched its streak to 12 successive wins over the Serbian side as Tornike Shengelia racked up 24 points, 5 boards and 5 assists. Will Clyburn sank 14 points including a heart-stopping 3-pointer in the home straight, Tomas Satoransky scored 11 while Kevin Punter and Jan Vesely chipped in with 10 apiece. At the other end, Tyrique Jones amassed 15 points, 13 boards and 7 assists while Duane Washington netted a team-high 21 points for Partizan, which slipped to its third successive defeat.

It was a balanced start to the game but Barcelona was able to pull away to 10-18 on the back of a 4-15 run, generated by 4 three-pointers from 6 attempts as the visitors caught fire. The hosts then tightened up their defense and hit back with a 7-0 run, giving Barca a slender 17-18 lead at the end the first quarter. Partizan’s whirlwind streak continued in the second quarter and galvanized by big man Bruno Fernando, the home team completed a 17-0 run to forge a 27-18 advantage amid wild cheers from its fans before Barcelona regained some composure. The game of runs continued as Barcelona went 2-11 to tie the score, 29-29. An explosive first half ended with Partizan gaining the upper had again as the hosts hit some tough shots from downtown to lead 41-33 at the interval. Again, Barcelona struck with a 0-9 streak to draw level, 45-45, but Partizan refused to roll over and the hosts managed to stay in the driving seat (52-49) with 3 minutes left in the third quarter, as the matchup developed into a bruising and physical battle. However, Barcelona showed its resilience and made some tough long-range shots to nose in front 56-58 ahead of the final 10 minutes. Powered by the hardworking Tyrique Jones, Partizan engineered a 67-62 advantage midway through the fourth but Shengelia continued to torment the hosts from all over and Barcelona soon closed in to set up a dramatic finish. Ultimately, Will Clyburn beat the shot clock with audacious effort from way downtown to give Barcelona the lead and seal a memorable win.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">ICE COLD WILL🧊<br><br>What a three to claim the win for <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FCBbasket</a> 😱<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MotorolaMagicMoment?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MotorolaMagicMoment</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Moto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Moto</a> <a href="https://t.co/fVGYGMHwrb">pic.twitter.com/fVGYGMHwrb</a></p>&mdash; EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1984375741350625605?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 86-75 Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz-anadolu-efes-istanbul/E2025/78/)

Baskonia grabbed its second consecutive victory by downing Efes 86-75 at home in Round 8 on Friday. Baskonia improved to 2-6 in the standings while Efes dropped to 3-5. Efes's last lead came at 4-6, as Baskonia built a double-digit lead, 22-11, at the end of the first quarter and went on to control the game until the final buzzer.

Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot led the winners with 19 points and 6 assists. Matteo Spagnolo added 19 and 6 assists, Rodions Kurucs had 11 while Mamadi Diakite got 5 blocks, a new EuroLeague season high, for Baskonia. Shane Larkin led Efes with 23 points against his former team. Nick Weiler-Babb added 16 while Rolands Smits had 10 for the guests.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">LA VICTORIA SE QUEDA EN CASA!!!!💪<br><br>Sumamos una más en <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> <br>Goazen!!!!! <a href="https://t.co/BUDJr0JOZw">pic.twitter.com/BUDJr0JOZw</a></p>&mdash; Baskonia (@Baskonia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Baskonia/status/1984375969474589004?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Thursday, October 30

### [Zalgiris Kaunas 96-59 LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/zalgiris-kaunas-ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/E2025/76/)

Zalgiris Kaunas tied a club record for its largest margin of victory in a 37-point blowout of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne on Thursday night at Zalgirio Arena. The Lithuanian giants were never in trouble, building a double-digit lead after one quarter and growing it night long.

All 11 players in uniform scored for Zalgiris, which was led by Sylvain Francisco with 15 points and 7 assists and Moses Wright with 14 points on perfect shooting and 7 rebounds. Teenager Kajus Mikalauskas added 5 points in his EuroLeague debut as Zalgiris improved to 6-2 on the season. Glynn Watson scored 14 to lead ASVEL, which lost star guard Nando De Colo to a leg injury in the second quarter. ASVEL’s record slipped to 2-6.  

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Closing EuroLeague double week the right way. A true horror night for ASVEL at Zalgirio Arena. 😈<br><br>(Presented by: Go3) <a href="https://t.co/0fIsGhYK7S">pic.twitter.com/0fIsGhYK7S</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1983983883155862002?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv 92-99 Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/maccabi-rapyd-tel-aviv-crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/E2025/73/)

Crvena Zvezda notched its sixth successive win and improved to 6-2 after a high-octane 92-99 road defeat of Maccabi in a see-saw encounter that kept fans on the edge of their seats throughout. Codi Miller-McIntyre paced Zvezda on 23 points and 11 assists, Chima Moneke racked up 16 points and 8 boards while Ebuka Izundu added 15 points to go with 7 rebounds. At the other end. Jaylen Hoard scored 20 points while Lonnie Walker added 18 for Maccabi, which dropped to 2-6.

A frantic and fast-paced start to the game saw Zvezda hit its first 4 three-pointers from as many attempts to take a 15-27 lead as Miller-McIntyre was red-hot from the floor, netting 11 points in the first quarter. The Serbian team, roared on by a loud contingent of fans at Aleksandar Nikolic Hall, held on for a 26-33 advantage after the opening 10 minutes. The pace was just as unrelenting in the second quarter, with Hoard and Brisset keeping Maccabi afloat while Zvezda relied on smooth teamwork to carve out a 48-58 halftime lead.

Maccabi beefed up its defense in the third quarter and closed in to 61-65 midway through before Zvezda regained its composure. The visitors entered the final 10 minutes ahead 71-77. Maccabi nosed ahead with a 10-1 run early in the fourth quarter as Zvezda’s offense was ground to a screeching halt, but the Serbian outfit then thrived on some big buckets from Izundu ahead of the home straight. Zvezda had more in the tank in a tight finish, with Izundu coming up big as he netted 11 fourth-quarter points to make the difference.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">WIN NUMBER 6️⃣ | IN A ROW 😤<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://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/sportmts?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sportmts</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ormsu48rkq">pic.twitter.com/Ormsu48rkq</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1984008555461243343?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


### [FC Bayern Munich 86-70 Virtus Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/fc-bayern-munich-virtus-bologna/E2025/72/)

FC Bayern Munich earned a convincing 86-70 win on Thursday at SAP Garden, despite a gutsy fight from Virtus Bologna. It was clear that part of Bayern’s defensive game plan was to keep the ball out of its former point guard Carsen Edwards's hands, which they did for most of the first half. However, the point guard pulled his team back into the game in the second, with a couple of impressive jumpers. The momentum shift didn’t last long however and Munich took hold of the contest soon after.

Debutant Spencer Dinwiddie began to take command on offense near the end of the third, putting himself into isolation plays. Despite some pushback from Virtus, the host eventually took complete control of the contest down the stretch. 

Sharpshooting Andreas Obst led the Bavarians in scoring with 21, helped by his 11-point run in the final 5 minutes. A scoring burst from Justinian Jessup and consistent offensive output from Johannes Voigtmann also bolstered Bayern’s chances, while Isiaha Mike topped off a great week with another impressive performance, adding 4 rebounds and 2 assists to a 17-point scoring performance. Alen Smailagic led Virtus with 17 points and Edwards finished with 16, though he shot just 7-for-19 from the field. The win moved Gordon Herbert’s team to 3-3 for their EuroLeague campaign, while Virtus fell to 4-4. 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Big win! A perfect EuroLeague week for us! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BAYVIR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BAYVIR</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FCBB</a> | Photo: Pahnke <a href="https://t.co/zkgPog04n1">pic.twitter.com/zkgPog04n1</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/1984013154473668927?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Valencia Basket 80-78 Dubai Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/valencia-basket-dubai-basketball/E2025/75/)

In a thriller that came down to the last shot, Valencia Basket registered its third consecutive victory by edging Dubai Basketball 80-78 at Roig Arena in Round 8 on Thursday. Valencia improved to 5-3 in the regular season standings while Dubai dropped to 3-5. All five Dubai losses have come on the road.

Kameron Taylor led the winners with 19 points and 6 rebounds. Omari Moore added 15, including the go-ahead basket with 21.6 seconds remaining, while Brancou Badio had 12 points for Valencia. Boogie Ellis paced Dubai with 18 points in his EuroLeague debut. Filip Petrusev added 17 while Dwayne Bacon had 10 for the visitors, who were outrebounded 40-34. Once Moore gave Valencia an 80-78 lead, Bacon and David Bertans each missed a shot from beyond the arc in the final seconds off the game, allowing Valencia fans to celebrate a hard-fought victory.  

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">VAMOOOOOOOOOOOS 🧡<br><br>¡Tenemos la quinta! 😍<br>¡Sigue la semana fantástica!<br><br>🏆 J8 <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a><br>🟠 <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@valenciabasket</a> 80<br>⚪<a href="https://twitter.com/dubaibasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dubaibasket</a> 78<br>🤝 <a href="https://twitter.com/Pinturas_Isaval?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Pinturas_Isaval</a> <br><br>Y el domingo... ¡DOBLETE! 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/f8wQRZKfzX">pic.twitter.com/f8wQRZKfzX</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1984009953854812247?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


### [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 86-77 Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/ea7-emporio-armani-milan-paris-basketball/E2025/71/)

In a game that seemed set for a blowout after the first 25 minutes, Milan ended up coming away with an 86-77 win over Paris on Thursday night. The swarming Milan defense held Paris star Nadir Hifi to just 2 points on 1-for-10 shooting in the first half, which allowed the Little Red Shoes to boast a 20-point lead at the interval (47-27). 

Although Hifi started to heat up in the third quarter, Milan maintained a healthy advantage as Armoni Brooks started to come to the fore. After 30 minutes, Milan was up by 14. Hifi kept charging in the fourth and helped Paris make it a 10-point game with just over 3 minutes remaining, but a combination of Brooks, Quinn Ellis and Devin Booker managed to get Coach Ettore Messina’s side over the line. 

Booker scored a team-high 13 points for Milan, followed by Brooks with 12, and Shavon Shields and Nico Mannion with 10 apiece. Pippo Ricci finished the night with 9 points and 10 rebounds, while Ellis had 7 points and 8 rebounds. For Paris, Hifi netted a game-high 24 points, with Justin Robinson and Sebastian Herrera pouring in 11 points each.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It is a win 86-77 ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/9lxqRjL01t">pic.twitter.com/9lxqRjL01t</a></p>&mdash; Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936/status/1984009024975827050?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Real Madrid 84-58 Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/real-madrid-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2025/74/)

Real Madrid got back to winning ways by thrashing Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 84-58 on Thursday night at Movistar Arena. After losing three road games in a row, *Los Blancos* hit the ground running with a 17-2 surge and took a 49-22 lead into the second half. Having held Fenerbahce to just 35 points after three quarters, Real Madrid opened a 30-point lead to finish the game off. The hosts improved their record to 4-4, with the Turkish side dropping to 3-5.

Theo Maledon paced Real Madrid with 15 points followed by Trey Lyles, who netted 14, and Walter Tavares with 13 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks. Fenerbahce guard Wade Baldwin scored a team-high 14 points and Talen Horton-Tucker added 10 in defeat. 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">🏁 FP: <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RMBaloncesto</a> 84 - 58 <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBBasketbol</a> <a href="https://t.co/gItYt7DkWx">pic.twitter.com/gItYt7DkWx</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1984014518364827944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

This season's third double-round week is now officially in the books

Game Center: Clyburn tricks Partizan; treats for Baskonia, Oly, Monaco on Halloween night

Real Madrid v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2025-10-30T20:00:00.000Z)

Valencia Basket v Dubai Basketball (2025-10-30T19:30:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich v Virtus Bologna (2025-10-30T19:30:00.000Z)

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v Paris Basketball (2025-10-30T19:30:00.000Z)

Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2025-10-30T19:05:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2025-10-30T18:00:00.000Z)

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 8 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub: Round 8

## Friday, October 31

### AS Monaco vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (19:00 CET)

**Mike James, Monaco guard**

"It was a very good game against Olympiacos. We played very well together, which is how we need to play to win again on Friday. I hope we can put in the same kind of performance."

**Alpha Diallo, Monaco forward**

"As soon as the game against Olympiacos ended, we started thinking about this game against Pana, and we're determined to be just as ready. The win against Olympiacos was very exciting, but we have another big game to win in front of our fans."

**Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos head coach**

"Monaco is a very good team. Actually, they are very similar to last year's roster that they played the final of the EuroLeague with. I watched the game against Olympiacos, the had a great game, especially Mike James. He played great, together with Alpha Diallo. It will be a tough game. There is a balance between the two rosters. It's the same strategy, too. We need to play smart without turnovers, and the defense will be important because they have extremely good offensive players."

**Konstantinos Mitoglou, Panathinaikos forward**

"We saw that AS Monaco got a huge road win yesterday. You can never relax in any EuroLeague game. Our goal is clear — we’re going there with one thing in mind: to win. It’s going to be a very tough game, they’re a very good team with great depth and quality players. The conditions in Monaco are always different, every season is different. I think AS Monaco has more experience this year, and there are higher expectations. Of course, they remember that we’ve won there twice in recent years, but that doesn’t mean anything. It’s a completely new and different season, so I expect a totally different game."

### Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (20:15 CET)

**Georgos Bartzokas, Olympiacos head coach**

"Defensively, we are well below the level we want to be at, and the level we were at in previous years. That requires good teamwork, but also self-sacrifice, determination, and doing all the little things that matter. Right now, we’re not doing those things consistently – only in certain stretches of the game. And of course, if the game turns against us, like it did yesterday, due to the opponent’s quality and many other factors, we lose.

“Now we’re facing the best offense in the league. They average 93 points per game and rank first in many statistical categories. They have isolation plays and get scoring from their pick-and-roll handlers. Obviously, we need to make a defensive step up, both individually and as a team. \[Against Monaco\], we shot 18% from three-point range, executing in a disorganized way and playing too freely, yet we still scored 88 points. In games like that, in order to score, you have to start from the defensive end. That’s where you gain confidence, speed, and rhythm. Since talent is abundant in EuroLeague teams, if the opponent feels comfortable, you pay for it. That’s what happened \[against Monaco\]. It’s our job to fix it and to convince the players that this is something we must do consistently."

**Tyson Ward, Olympiacos forward**

"It’s not a matter of tactics, but of physicality, and how long we can sustain it at a high level. We have to start well and keep that pressure throughout the game. We need to start strong; toughness is the most important thing."

**Dimitris Itoudis, Hapoel head coach**

"We’re playing against a Final Four team – a team with tremendous experience that has consistently proven its ability to play great basketball and achieve results over the years. It’s another challenge for us in this double week, facing a team that has maintained a very well-structured game under Bartzokas throughout all these years. As I said, for us, it’s another challenge we gladly accept – to go and play in Piraeus, in a hot atmosphere. We like those kinds of challenges."

**Antonio Blakeney, Hapoel guard**

"Olympiacos is a great team, so this will be a big challenge for us. We must come to compete and hustle on both sides of the court."

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

**Zeljko Obradovic, Partizan head coach**

"We had a morning practice in Sofia to give the players a chance to rest once we get back to Belgrade. We had a lot of good moments yesterday, but in the end, we lost, so we tried to respond the right way. Now we’re playing against Barcelona, a team that’s had an extra day to rest, which definitely makes a difference. Still, I don’t think we should focus on that, we need to concentrate on what defines us when we play well: our fight, our energy, and the support from our fans. I want to call on our fans to stay united and come to the game to help the team. Let’s bring back that well-known atmosphere that has been our trademark for so many years."

**Bruno Fernando, Partizan center**

"I feel good, I’m excited. I’m really looking forward to being in the arena and feeling the atmosphere. It’s going to be a tough game, obviously, we’re facing a strong opponent, but I’m excited for us to go out there, execute on both ends of the court, and get the win."

**Joan Penarroya, Barcelona head coach**

"Players like to play in this kind of environment. When you play on a court with this great atmosphere that the Serbian teams create, and Partizan in particular, the player is already connected from the beginning. We know that playing on this court is very difficult, against an opponent that comes off two losses in which he has not competed as he was competing until now, without a player that is also very important for them like Carlik Jones. We will see if \[Nick\]Calathes is available or not, Bruno Fernando already played yesterday \[Wednesday\]. It is a team with a lot of individual talent, with Sterling Brown and Washington, who are hitting many three-point shots, with Bonga, who is a bit of a do-it-all player. And little to say about Jabari \[Parker\] and the quality he has. Well, it is a very dangerous team, and I am sure that tomorrow they will want to take a step forward, and we know that we have to play a very serious game in Belgrade if we want to make the most out it. In this EuroLeague, if you look at the rosters, there are a lot of squads that can fight to be in the Final Four, and Partizan is one of them. Partizan has a very important roster, a very high level roster, but like many of the rosters in this Euroleague. The competition has taken a very important step forwards, and we are talking about the fact that most of the teams can win any game, and you can see it in the competition. Partizan has a talented team but had some losses and signed Fernando and Calathes, who are not just any players. We know that in this EuroLeague, it is very difficult to win any game, but we can win any game. So the idea is to play a solid game and to compete in the best possible way."

**Kevin Punter, Barcelona guard**

"Everybody knows I was there previously, before here. So, for me, it's like home. I won a title there, so I have a special connection with the people. It's going to be exciting. We have to stay focused, that's the biggest thing. If you haven't experienced it, you just got to experience it. There's nothing that I can say or prepare you for, so just be focused and be locked in just be ready to compete. Obradovic's team is always going to be ready to compete and fight and play hard and have fun. I can't wait. It's going to be fun. I love Jabari \[Parker\], that's my brother. Obviously, he was here with us. I have been speaking to Jabari throughout the season a little bit, just checking on him, making sure he's alright."

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (20:30 CET)

**Igor Kokoskov, Efes head coach**

"Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz is a young and a talented team. They were also unfortunate to have some injuries early in the season. But they are playing good basketball and had a good home win against Dubai Basketball. We will take this game very serious. A tough schedule is in front of us, so we need to be absolutely focused on this game..."

**Nick Weiler-Babb, Efes guard**

"The second game of a double week is always tough. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz played well last game and we have to be focused from the jump ball until the end. It will be a hard-fought game and we want to finish this road trip the right way with a win."

## Thursday, October 30

### Zalgiris Kaunas vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (19:00 CET)

\--

### Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (20:05 CET)

**Oded Kattash, Maccabi head coach**

"Crvena Zvezda is a team in excellent momentum, with their consecutive wins. They’re playing with a lot of confidence right now, especially with a stretch of home games that helped them build that momentum. They’re a very aggressive team, one that attacks the offensive rebounds. We’ll need to come out aggressive and control the boards — that’s something very important for us."

**Sasa Obradovic, Crvena Zvezda head coach**

"This team knows how to play collectively, the players have been there for several years and they understand each other very well, so they have continuity of unity, which is a threat. They will be even better over time, we are in a specific situation, we know what an away win means, it would be a big win. We are in a situation where we need the integration of injured players and new players, but all of that can also disrupt us."

**Stefan Miljenovic, Crvena Zvezda guard**

"A dangerous and difficult team. It's a strange feeling that we are playing in Pionir as guests. We will also have the support of our fans. We have to stop their individuals, the biggest threat is certainly Lonnie Walker."

### FC Bayern Munich vs. Virtus Bologna (20:30 CET)

**Gordon Herbert, Bayern head coach**

"It's the same scenario as last season; back then, they also came to us after a loss in Kaunas. We have to keep that in mind. Bologna has enough quality to bounce back—they’ve already claimed big wins over Panathinaikos, Monaco, and even Real. Our really strong performance against Real won’t mean much if we can’t repeat it against Bologna. Carsen Edwards had a great year for this club. It’s good to see him back at SAP Garden on Thursday. The plan is for Spencer \[Dinwiddie\] to play on Thursday. But we’ll only make the final decision shortly before the game, once we know how things stand with him and the team."

**Dusko Ivanovic, Virtus head coach**

"In the game against Zalgiris, the way we started and the way we finished the game is absolutely not what we want. We need to improve on many things, but especially on this aspect, and tomorrow we will have another opportunity to do so. We will play against a team that beat Real Madrid here at home in the last EuroLeague round: they are an excellent team, they play well, and we will have to do our best to redeem ourselves."

**Alessandro Pajola, Virtus guard**

"We're approaching this game with the desire to redeem ourselves after the Kaunas match: we'll need to approach the game much better, trying to limit turnovers and playing as a team in offense. Bayern are coming off a home win against Real Madrid, so we'll also need to be good at managing an electric atmosphere after their last game."

### Valencia Basket vs. Dubai Basketball (20:30 CET)

**Darius Thompson, Valencia guard**

"This is a difficult season for all teams. No one is really safe against anyone. You go out there every night and try to do your best and see how far you can go each day. Because anyone can beat anyone or be beaten by anyone. So you don't really look at each opponent thinking they're better or worse than another team. You just go out there and give it your best shot. We got the win last night and we'll try to do the same on Thursday."

**Nate Reuvers, Valencia forward**

"In this competition, every game is really tough; there are no easy games. It's great to have the fans here at home; they give us energy. We're up against a very talented team. We have to do what we can to play our style, play our way. If we can do that, we'll have a chance to win. They have good inside players, so we have to give it our best again tomorrow and try to get the win. I feel really good so far. It's the same system as last season. So I feel like I'm continuing to develop and improve every year. And I'm also feeling more comfortable with the team. I think we have a great team this year. And confidence is key."

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan vs. Paris Basketball (20:30 CET)

**Ettore Messina, Milan head coach**

"Paris Basketball is a team with great athleticism and speed, playing at the highest tempo in the EuroLeague, a team that tries to elevate the number of possessions. Taking care of the defensive transition and, above all, of the great energy that they have attacking the offensive board, with all five players, will be crucial to win this game, along with continuing to move the ball quickly on offense, balancing shots from inside and outside the right way."

### Real Madrid vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (21:00 CET)

**Sergio Scariolo, Real Madrid head coach**

"We're facing a very demanding doubleheader. The first thing we've worked on is recovering from yesterday's game, especially mentally. Now we're facing the Euroleague champions, a team of the highest quality, physically imposing, with great physical strength and a lot of scoring talent. We have to be able to turn the page, take the court with determination, and, above all, maintain that determination throughout the game with the help of our fans, who have always supported us in our home games and have always left happy with their team's victory."

**Walter Tavares, Real Madrid center**

"Fenerbahçe is a very difficult opponent as they are the reigning EuroLeague champions. They are a well-established, experienced team that knows how to win. Real Madrid vs. Fenerbahçe is a classic, a very exciting game, but also a very difficult one, and we are going to try to do what we are doing well, which is to protect our home court with our fans. We have to be ready at all times because it will be a 40-minute game. If we play one or two bad quarters, it will be very difficult to win because Fenerbahçe is a team that knows how to manage the pace, and it will be very tough for us. We have to be in the game for the full 40 minutes."

**Sarunas Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce head coach**

"Well, first of all, in Madrid, we want to see the reaction from us. We want to see a better defensive performance. Madrid will come after the loss very motivated, and we need to match that intensity and really focus on many post-up situations for their frontcourt players and the creation of Campazzo."

**Nicolo Melli, Fenerbahce forward**

"It's going to be, for sure, a very tough game. We're both coming from a loss. Playing against Real Madrid is always a special game. It's, I would say, already a must-win game. I think it's going to be tough. We need to recover energy after this tough game and try our best to win the game."

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 8 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season

Pregame quotes, Round 8: 'I love Jabari Parker, that's my brother'

Stay up to date with the latest information provided by the EuroLeague clubs ahead of Round 7 of the 2025-26 season.

Injury report: Round 7

Follow all the latest injury information for registered players in the 2025-26 EuroLeague Regular Season, as reported by the clubs, and get your [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/home?_ga=2.101462721.1199459303.1696273873-903329349.1669636775) teams up to date!

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Rodrigue Beaubois, Georgios Papagiannis and Vincent Poirier are ruled out for Efes's game at Baskonia on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- [Georgios Papagiannis is expected to miss eight months](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/efes-ercan-osmani-out-three-weeks-georgios-papagiannis-to-miss-eight-months/) following ACL surgery, the club confirmed on October 18.
- Vincent Poirier is out for [4-6 months after knee surgery](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/efes-timetable-for-poiriers-return-set-at-4-6-months/).

### AS Monaco

Monaco has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Panathinaikos on Friday.

- Yoan Makoundou missed Monaco's first seven games, but he has returned to training.

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

Baskonia has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Efes on Friday.

- [Trent Forrest (hamstring) and Markus Howard (finger) are sidelined for 'several weeks'](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/baskonia-trent-forrest-markus-howard-sidelined-for-several-weeks/), the club announced on October 17.

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade

Jordan Nwora is doubtful while Devonte' Graham, Tyson Carter, Jasiel Rivero, Isaiah Canaan and Joel Bolomboy are all ruled out for Crvena Zvezda's game at Maccabi on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- [New signing Jared Butler](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/jared-butler-is-belgrade-bound-after-signing-with-crvena-zvezda/) has been registered and is in line to make his debut in Round 8.
- Jordan Nwora did not play in Round 7, but the club is [doing everything possible to get him ready for Round 8](https://x.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1983176287544848784).
- Devonte' Graham has been unavailable so far this season due to a bone bruise, but [he has received clearance to rejoin first-team training](https://x.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1983176287544848784). He will be available to Coach Obradovic as soon as he recovers from a cold and high fever.
- Tyson Carter has been [diagnosed with pulmonary embolism](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/zvezdas-tyson-carter-facing-extended-absence-with-pulmonary-embolism/) and faces a lengthy absence.
- Jasiel Rivero hurt his foot in Round 1 and is expected to be sidelined for several months.
- Isaiah Canaan [suffered an ACL injury](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/crvena-zvezda-loses-isaiah-canaan-to-acl-injury/) and is out long term.
- Joel Bolomboy is out long term.

### Dubai Basketball

Dubai has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Valencia on Thursday.

- New signing [Boogie Ellis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/dubai-basketball-seals-move-for-boogie-ellis/) was on the game-day roster in Rounds 6 and 7, but did not make his debut.
- Nemanja Dangubic has not featured since Round 4.
- Kenan Kamenjas has not featured since Round 5.
- Dzanan Musa and Aleksa Avramovic have sustained minor knee injuries and will be re-evaluated in the coming weeks, the club announced two weekends' ago.
- Nate Mason has sustained a cervical disc injury and will continue to be monitored over the coming weeks, the club announced.
- Summer signing Mam Jaiteh suffered an Achilles injury and will be sidelined for the remainder of the season.

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan

Zach LeDay, Lorenzo Brown, Josh Nebo and Ousmane Diop are all ruled out for Milan's game against Paris on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Ousmane Diop last played in Round 5.

- Lorenzo Brown last played in Round 4 due to a calf injury.

- Zach LeDay last played in Round 3.

- [Josh Nebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/milan-josh-nebo-out-for-three-weeks/) last played in Round 2 due to a thigh injury.

### FC Barcelona

Nico Laprovittola and Juan Nunez are ruled out for Barcelona's game at Partizan on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- [Nico Laprovittola last played in Round 2](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/barcelonas-nico-laprovittola-sidelined-with-a-thigh-injury/) due to a left thigh adductor injury he suffered against Panathinaikos.
- [Juan Nunez is out ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/barcelona-guard-juan-nunez-to-miss-6-months/)due to a knee injury. He expected to be sidelined until April.

### FC Bayern Munich

Bayern has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Virtus on Thursday.

- [New signing Spencer Dinwiddie](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bayern-brings-nba-veteran-spencer-dinwiddie-aboard/) has been registered and is in line to make his debut in Round 8.
- Niels Giffey, who played the first six games of the season, missed Round 7.
- Johannes Voigtmann made his first appearance of the season in Round 7, having recovered from a knee injury that required surgery.
- [Rokas Jokubaitis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bayerns-rokas-jokubaitis-suffers-knee-injury/) will be sidelined until the spring following knee surgery.
- Elias Harris has yet to return to action following a knee injury suffered in June.
- Aleksa Radanov (coach's decision) did not suit up for the first seven rounds.

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

Brandon Boston and Arturs Zagars are ruled out for Fenerbahce's game at Real Madrid on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Brandon Boston (sprained ankle) last played in Round 2, when he got injured against Zalgiris. He is currently in his recovery process.
- [Arturs Zagars is dealing with a hamstring issue](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-arturs-zagars-dealing-with-hamstring-issue/), the club confirmed on October 18.

### Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv

Hapoel has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Olympiacos on Friday.

- [Yam Madar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/hapoels-yam-madar-goes-under-the-knife/) has not played this season after undergoing an appendectomy, and now will undergo a knee procedure and will miss a month of action, according to coach Dimitris Itoudis.

- [Bruno Caboclo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/hapoel-bruno-caboclo-undergoes-back-surgery/) is recovering from back surgery. There is no timetable for his recovery.

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

ASVEL has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Zalgiris on Thursday.

- [Edwin Jackson](https://www.leprogres.fr/sport/2025/10/20/asvel-plus-de-peur-que-de-mal-pour-edwin-jackson) last played in Round 5.
- Thomas Heurtel missed the first seven rounds.
- Shaquille Harrison last played in Round 2.

### Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv

Maccabi has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Crvena Zvezda on Thursday.

- Maccabi had no injuries to report in Round 7.
- Uros Trifunovic has not played since Round 1.
- Gur Lavi made his season debut in Round 4 but did not feature in Rounds 5 or 6.

### Olympiacos Piraeus

Keenan Evans and Moustapha Fall are ruled out for Olympiacos's game against Hapoel on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- Keenan Evans has not played so far this season due to a knee injury, but he has started training on an individual basis.
- [Moustapha Fall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-center-moustapha-fall-suffers-knee-injury/) could miss the entire season after suffering a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee during the Greek League finals in June.

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens

Nikos Rogkavopoulos and Panagiotis Kalaitzakis are questionable while Richaun Holmes, Mathias Lessort and Alexandros Samodurov are ruled out for Panathinaikos's game at Monaco on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- [Richaun Holmes suffered a torn medial collateral ligament](https://x.com/Paobcgr/status/1983302468785319949) in his right knee in Round 7. Coach Ataman said that he would be out for over a month.
- Nikos Rogkavopoulos was unavailable in Round 7.
- Mathias Lessort is expected to be out until at least November, according to statements made by coach Ergin Ataman.
- Alexandros Samodurov suffered a fracture in the middle finger of his right hand, the club confirmed.

### Paris Basketball

Paris has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Milan on Thursday.

- Jeremy Morgan missed Round 7.
- [Lamar Stevens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/paris-duo-lamar-stevens-sebastian-herrera-out-for-weeks/) has not featured for Paris so far this season.

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade

Nick Calathes has been added to Partizan's roster, while the injury list remains the same with Carlik Jones, Shake Milton and Mario Nakic all out for the game against Barcelona on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- Nick Calathes has been registered and has practiced with the team.
- [Carlik Jones is believed to have broken a bone in his foot](https://www.mozzartsport.com/kosarka/vesti/kraj-godine-za-karlika-dzonsa/526090) and, according to reports, could be out for the next three months. He last played in Round 5.
- [Shake Milton](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/shake-milton-to-miss-partizans-double-round-trip-to-spain/) (ankle) last played in Round 3.
- Mario Nakic is expected to be sidelined for a while due to a knee problem.

### Real Madrid

Real Madrid has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Fenerbahce on Thursday.

- Andres Feliz last played in Round 5.
- Gabriele Procida has not played in the first seven rounds this season, but he has made three appearances in the Spanish League, including this past weekend.

### Valencia Basket

Valencia has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Dubai on Thursday.

- [New signing Braxton Key](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/valencia-strengthens-frontcourt-with-braxton-key/) has not yet been registered.
- [Sergio De Larrea missed Round 7](https://x.com/valenciabasket/status/1983193214376132876) due to minor discomfort.
- Yankuba Sima has not played so far this season.

### Virtus Bologna

Abramo Canka remains Virtus's only absentee for its game at Bayern on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Abramo Canka has not played so far this season.

### Zalgiris Kaunas

Zalgiris has not yet sent an injury report for its game against ASVEL on Thursday.

- [Nigel Williams-Goss suffered a hamstring injury](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nigel-williams-goss-sidelined-with-hamstring-injury/) in Round 6. He is out for the foreseeable future.
- Dovydas Giedraitis is increasing his workload [after wrist surgery](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/dovydas-giedraitis-to-miss-start-of-2025-26-season/), but he is still some weeks away from playing.

Stay up to date with the latest information provided by the EuroLeague clubs

Injury report, Round 8: Calathes registered, Rogkavopoulos questionable, Beaubois out

Having established a comfortable lead, Real Madrid didn’t take its foot off the gas against Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, grabbing a morale-boosting 84-58 win. 

Real Madrid reasserts defensive discipline to crush Fenerbahce

Contested shots, blocks, deflections, hustle plays on both ends and relentless effort from start to finish – [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/) was desperate to get back to winning ways and it did so through its defense. Having struggled to rediscover their form away from home, *Los Blancos* came into Thursday's clash against [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) on the back of three straight road losses.

In its bid to turn the page, Real Madrid needed a solid start to the game, defensive solidity and consistency throughout. And Sergio Scariolo’s players ticked all the boxes.

The game started with a rain of triples, as [Facundo Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) drilled two before [Trey Lyles](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/trey-lyles/014117/) and [Alberto Abalde](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alberto-abalde/003733/) nailed one each to open a 17-2 lead just 3 and a half minutes into the game. Having taken a 25-16 advantage after 10 minutes, the hosts held the reigning EuroLeague champion to just 6 points in the second quarter.

Real Madrid-Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul | Round 8 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

[Theo Maledon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/theo-maledon/007027/) came off the bench to score 9 straight points, as Real Madrid went on a 20-2 spurt to end the second period, securing a 49-22 cushion at halftime by forcing the visitors to go 9-for-41 from the field.

“I think we started really strong, especially on the defensive end,” Maledon told EuroLeague TV. “Everybody really set the tempo there and it was good for us. I think it's got to be our DNA moving forward, relying on defense to get going.”

The Spanish side was aware that the opening stages of the second half might be as important as the start to the game. Real Madrid didn’t rest on its laurels and made sure that there was no way back into the duel for Fenerbahce. In fact, *Los Blancos* held their rivals to just 35 points, holding the visitors to their second-lowest scoring tally ever after three quarters.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">✌ Doble MVP vs <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBBasketbol</a> <br>👉 <a href="https://twitter.com/waltertavares22?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@waltertavares22</a> <br>👉 <a href="https://twitter.com/Theo_Maledon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Theo_Maledon</a> <a href="https://t.co/kJUPjLHBMK">pic.twitter.com/kJUPjLHBMK</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1984026017804255436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“We were consistent throughout the 40 minutes tonight, \[but\] especially I liked how we played the third quarter,” Coach Scariolo said in his post-game EuroLeague TV interview. “We had a fantastic first half, but we didn’t let them come back into the game. Against a super high-level team like Fenerbahce, if you show them some blood, they will take it.”

Having established a comfortable lead, Real Madrid didn’t take its foot off the gas, grabbing a morale-boosting 84-58 win. It did so by remaining consistent on both ends of the floor throughout the game – something of high importance according to [Edy Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/).

“When we start the game like this, we've got to keep up with the same energy from the first to the last second,” the Real Madrid center told EuroLeague TV. “I think that in those couple of losses we had away, we had one or two bad quarters that cost us the game.”

After squandering a 16-point lead at Bayern Munich on Tuesday, Real Madrid ended the double-round week on a high note. More importantly, the Spanish team went back to factory settings by reacquainting themselves with the defensive resilience they aim to establish as a guiding principle under Coach Scariolo.

The team's defensive approach in Thursday’s win lays the foundation of what Real Madrid hopes to showcase this season. And with *El Clásico* coming up next week, they couldn't ask for better timing.

'Los Blancos' looked solid on defense from the off in blowout win over the reigning champions

Playing uptempo, making the most of fast-break situations, and swarming the opposition on defense, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan looked like it was Paris Basketball in disguise in the first half on Thursday night.

Milan gives Paris a taste of its own medicine, holds off late Hifi push

Playing uptempo, making the most of fast-break situations, and swarming the opposition on defense, [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/mil/) looked like it was [Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/) in disguise in the first half on Thursday night.

Leading by 20 points at the break and having held Paris to just 27 points, the fewest it had ever scored in the first half of a EuroLeague game, Milan was flying. Even more so given that its 57 first-half points were the third most it had ever scored after 20 minutes, too.

“Holding a team like Paris to 27 points, it’s impressive for us,” Milan guard [Nico Mannion](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/niccolo-mannion/011064/) told EuroLeague TV at halftime. “It’s a 20-point game now, but we have to do the same thing in the second half because with how fast they play, how many possessions and how many threes they shoot, they could make a run. We’ve just got to stay disciplined, keep talking and playing hard.”

Of the 27 points that Paris had mustered to that point, just 2 belonged to star player [Nadir Hifi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nadir-hifi/012640/). After a frustrating night in Round 7, which saw the 23-year-old make 2-of-16 field goals in [a loss to Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/shane-larkin-leads-from-the-front-to-inspire-efes-past-paris/), his luck didn’t show any sign of changing through the first 20 minutes at the Forum as he went 1 for 10 from the field. A reaction was expected after the interval – and so it proved.

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan-Paris Basketball | Round 8 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Hifi, who seemed insistent on trying to find his rhythm by attempting three-pointers in the latter stages of the first half, started going to the rim and was finding some joy. But with such a big deficit to overturn, it was in the final stages of the third quarter where the Frenchman really started to show off his repertoire.

Having ended the period with a layup and then a perfectly swished three-pointer, Hifi had rediscovered his touch and had cut the difference to just 14 points (67-53) entering the final frame. He was determined to lead Paris’s improbable comeback and cut the gap to single digits early in the fourth with another smooth-as-silk three followed by a three-point play (67-59), but [Shavon Shields](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shavon-shields/007831/), [Devin Booker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/devin-booker/007056/) and [Marko Guduric](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/marko-guduric/004004/) joined forces to calm things down again (78-61).

“I think the team played an excellent first half,” coach Ettore Messina said in the post-game press conference. “In the second half, we had a moment where we were tired between the end of the third and the beginning of the fourth, and that was the only moment I think where were not disciplined in doing what we needed to do to beat them.

“The defense was very good for 40 minutes. In the crucial moment, when they came closer, we had the discipline to put the ball in the hands of the players who needed to have the ball, and they delivered with some big plays.”

Paris and Hifi refused to go away in the remaining 5 minutes, yet Milan leaned on its experience to maintain a double-digit gap right until the final seconds, when [Justin Robinson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/justin-robinson/014008/) split free throws to fix the final score at 86-77.

For Milan, this performance – particularly in the first half, when it gave Paris a taste of its own medicine – was the perfect remedy after dropping its last two and going 1-5 over its last six coming into Round 8. The key will be to build on this victory when it travels to face Efes next Friday.

“We’ve played a one-possession game almost every single game \[this season\], so I’m happy one went our way this time,” Shields joked in his post-game interview.

“We needed that one,” Booker added. “Our spirits were a little down from the previous losses, so we knew we needed to come out aggressive – and we did that from the beginning. We knew how important this win was, so we had to give it everything we had – and we did that.”

Paris, meanwhile, will be keen to forget this double-round week in a hurry. Next Thursday the side from the French capital welcomes FC Bayern Munich in the first of a three-game homestand, so coach Francesco Tabellini and his players will fancy their chances of getting back in the winning column once again.

After back-to-back defeats, the Little Red Shoes got back to winning ways in Round 8