Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 21 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub: Round 21

## Wednesday, January 15

### Zalgiris Kaunas vs. Virtus Segafredo Bologna (19:00 CET)

**Andrea Trinchieri, Zalgiris Kaunas head coach**

"Another team that is very hot. Virtus is playing very well with a lot of energy, winning games at home and on the road, and of course we are not in the best moment. We need to think one game at a time, we need to focus on our performance, improving our game offensively and defensively. We just need to regroup, to man up, and to try to find new chemistry with all of these players \[who have been dealing with\] injuries. To be honest, it's a complicated moment for the team, for the coaches, and having this kind of schedule doesn't help because we are playing all the best teams, or the hottest teams at the moment. I believe that if we are able to match Virtus's energy, it will help us a lot. It will give us a very good opportunity to have a good performance."

**Dusko Ivanovic, Virtus Segafredo Bologna head coach**

"Zalgiris is a really good team, especially when they play at home: they play hard, with very good defense. They need a win, so do we, so we will have to fight until the end."

**Matt Morgan, Virtus Segafredo Bologna guard**

"Zalgiris is a really good team and plays in a great atmosphere at home. We will have to play together for 40 minutes, with no down moments, being careful to manage the pace of the game to bring home a win."

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (20:00 CET)

**Ioannis Sfairopoulos, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade head coach**

"Fenerbahce is a team that has quality and is built to go to the Final Four. We have to be very concentrated, to play according to the plan. We want to play with a lot of energy, but be smart at both ends of the court. I expect all the players to be ready to fight, I expect the stands to be full and the fans to support us for the entire 40 minutes."

**Ognjen Dobric, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade forward**

"They play well, although it varies with ups and downs, but when you look at the table, they are always at the top. We know what Fener is and what quality they have. We cannot underestimate them. The win in Istanbul can be a rep for this one, but we can't go into the match lightly because we beat them there. It will be far from an easy game. It doesn't matter that we play in front of our fans. It will be a big fight, for sure."

**Saras Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul head coach**

"Zvezda is in great shape. One of the best teams in the EuroLeague. A veteran team that knows how to play. We have to talk about their team play, their guards, a lot of scoring options by \[Nemanja\] Nedovic and \[Isaiah\] Canaan. And most importantly, we need to handle the pressure of Belgrade Arena."

**Nicolo Melli, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul forward**

"It’s a tough game. Very tough environment. I think we have one game less but only one win divides us. A week in the EuroLeague this year can make a huge difference. So we need to try to win there and make the difference with the point difference. This double week is gonna be tough, like every double week. So we need to focus on one game at a time and we will try to do our best like usual."

### FC Bayern Munich vs. AS Monaco (20:30 CET)

**Gordie Herbert, FC Bayern Munich head coach**

"It’s great to be back in our arena and playing in front of our amazing fans. However, Monaco has an incredible amount of individual quality. In the first game at their place, we struggled against their physical defense and athleticism. We’ll only be able to hold our own against them if we focus on our defense and approach the matchups with determination."

**Vassilis Spanoulis, AS Monaco head coach**

"We're ready for the double week. We've got two road games and we're going to play them trying to play at our true level. The last game wasn't very good against Barcelona, so we're going to show a better image and all our good things on the court during this week, starting in Munich. We're concentrating solely on that game."

**Jordan Loyd, AS Monaco guard**

"We've got a big week ahead of us. We've got a bitter taste in our mouths after the Barcelona game. Everyone at the club was disappointed. But at the same time, we know that it's only one game and that we can do much better. We've prepared well this week, and I think we're looking forward to bouncing back after a tough defeat. Against two good teams. First Bayern, then Red Star, away from home. And I think the guys are excited. The EuroLeague is a marathon. We know we can't win it all in one game, but we want to take steps in the right direction. So we're very motivated to get back on the floor on the European stage and do everything we can to erase that bad game against Barcelona."

### FC Barcelona vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (20:30 CET)

**Joan Penarroya, FC Barcelona head coach**

"If we have Sunday's game in mind \[a Spanish League game that may determine Barcelona's future in the Spanish Cup\], we won't do well tomorrow or Friday, because Sunday's game is far away. We have a good chance to win at Palau, in a competition that is very close. There is no Sunday, there is Wednesday. We are focused on Panathinaikos. It is very difficult to say who is the best \[player in the EuroLeague\], but it is clear that \[Kendrick Nunn\] has a tremendous impact. He is one of those who has impacted me the most live. We are talking about a super player in a superb level of form. But Panathinaikos is much more than just him."

**Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens head coach**

"We are well aware of the team’s history. My focus is solely on this game; what happened in the past is irrelevant. It will undoubtedly be a tough match. So far, Barcelona had a lot of ups and downs, but last week they secured a significant victory in Monaco. Additionally, playing at home boosts their confidence, and they are likely to play aggressively. We know them as a team. We are in good shape ourselves. We'll aim to play good basketball, maintain an aggressive defense, and secure the win because we understand how important this game is."

**Wenyen Gabriel, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens center**

"I know we have a very strong team. It may have been twelve years since our last victory there, but I feel we can win anywhere. That’s the goal. We have tremendous talent. This team won the EuroLeague title last year and kept its core intact. Personally, I’m doing whatever it takes to help the team win—whether that means scoring or playing defense. It will be a tough battle."

## Tuesday, January 14

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (20:00 CET)

**Zeljko Obradovic, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade head coach**

"We played against them here almost a month ago. For most of that game, we performed well, but unfortunately, we lost in a close finish. After yesterday's game in Čačak, we had a training session that was more focused on analysis, though we also worked on some adjustments based on our approach in that first game. We’re aware of who their key players are and what needs to be done. The key will be to respond much better than we did in Athens, and I expect the team to show a far better approach compared to the game against Panathinaikos."

**Iffe Lundberg, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade guard**

"I expect a very intense game, first and foremost. Obviously, both teams are in a situation where every game matters, and from our perspective, this double week is extremely important. We need to be 110% focused on both games, but it’s going to be fun. They are a very physical team, and we have to match their intensity."

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (20:30 CET)

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus head coach**

"They try to control the pace, and that defines the game development. That’s why we must know when is the right time to attack and how we must defend. It is going to be a tough game. They have big motivation despite the fact that they are not under pressure, since, in my opinion, it’s difficult to make it to the playoffs. They have talented players, they play fast, they shoot well, and they can hurt anyone, especially if you make the mistake of underestimating them."

**Evan Fournier, Olympiacos Piraeus forward**

"When playing away, your goal is always to play with physicality, and you want to control the pace. That’s how we will approach the game against Baskonia. We have to make a good first period, and then we just have to stay faithful to ourselves. We must play Olympiacos basketball."

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan vs. ALBA Berlin (20:30 CET)

**Ettore Messina, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan head coach**

"Our record against ALBA Berlin in recent seasons speaks for itself (5-6). ALBA is a team that always puts us in trouble with its energetic play, made up of movement without the ball, cuts, defensive readings, pace and fast-break opportunities. We know that the game requires great attention on both ends of the floor and that to win we cannot limit ourselves to expressing ourselves on just one part of the game."

### Paris Basketball vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (20:30 CET)

**Luca Banchi, Anadolu Efes Istanbul head coach**

"One more double week and as we know it is a very difficult schedule. We will have tough games on the road, starting from Paris, which will be one of our contender for the best position in the rankings. After the experience from the previous game, we really wish our team to be more conscious of the level of concentration and effort that we need to beat such a talented team. Let's go game by game and try to take advantage of our quality and our roster to take the maximum possible from this long trip."

**Vincent Poirier, Anadolu Efes Istanbul center**

"Paris is a team that we know they are really fast and dangerous when they get confidence. So we need to control the tempo of the game and compete at the maximum level. We have to control the rebounds, control the scorers and defend the pick and rolls with TJ Shorts, I think this will be the key of the game. We need to compete and try to win the game. We're getting in a better shape and I think that this week would be important for us to get back to winning mentality."

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

**Chus Mateo, Real Madrid head coach**

"We are being helped by the mentality we have adopted, a tough team mentality to overcome adversity in difficult moments when we have not started the games well, and that has allowed us to turn the situation around and everyone is contributing. We have to take care of ourselves physically, we must not load the team too much, because we must give 100% in every game. Regardless of whether we play well or badly, we have to be ready to win. We are doing a good job mentally and we must identify well the strengths of the teams we face. Tomorrow our opponent is Maccabi, a team that physically is extraordinary. One of their biggest threats is rebounding and they are also unpredictable. They do very good things at times and yet their ranking is not at the level of the game they play. We lost at their place by one point in the last second and we would like to make up for that defeat."

**Hugo Gonzalez, Real Madrid forward**

"We are coming from a week in which we have played four games and we face what is coming with a positive attitude. All EuroLeague games are key and even more so this doubleheader against two teams that defeated us in the first round like Maccabi and Olympiacos. Tomorrow we play against Maccabi and in Belgrade we already saw how difficult it is to play against them. They are an opponent that we respect a lot and that will demand our maximum concentration if we want to beat them. We are getting closer together and all the players are contributing something in one way or another. This is what is allowing us to grow and add victories, and that is the path we have to follow."

**Oded Kattash, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv head coach**

"We are heading into a very tough week with two strong and home-oriented teams. We need to prove to ourselves, and then everyone will feel that we understand the importance. Proper body language is key. We have objective reasons for how we are performing right now. This is the stage of the season when things usually come together, and teams start playing better. For us, that hasn't been the case this season. In fact, it's the opposite—we are playing worse than we did during the preseason, for various reasons."

**Jaylen Hoard, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv forward**

"We have to compete really hard \[this week\]. I feel like the last game, we were not really fighting. It's disappointing because in basketball, making shots and things like that, you can't really control that. But your effort and your energy, you can control those things. We just need to do a better job with that. We've shown it at times during the season, but we just have to put it together for longer stretches to avoid having so many losses. It's going to be more fun for me, for sure (returning to France to play Paris). My family's going to be at the game, so that's going to be fun. I'm going to be able to enjoy that, playing in front of them is always amazing. I feel like it's going to be a good week – Madrid, Paris, two good cities – so we're going to try to enjoy everything and get two wins."

Pregame quotes hub: 'The EuroLeague is a marathon'

FC Bayern Munich v AS Monaco (2025-01-15T19:30:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2025-01-15T19:30:00.000Z)

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2025-01-15T19:00:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2025-01-15T18:00:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2025-01-14T19:45:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-01-14T19:30:00.000Z)

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v ALBA Berlin (2025-01-14T19:30:00.000Z)

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Olympiacos Piraeus (2025-01-14T19:30:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2025-01-14T19:00:00.000Z)

Real Madrid and Maccabi Tel Aviv BC offered a scoring battle that will be forever remembered, combining for 229 points, a new all-time record for a game with no overtimes. 


Real Madrid, Maccabi made history in Round 21 

It is the most repeated game in European basketball history, and on Tuesday night it certainly didn't disappoint.

[Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/) and [Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/tel/) faced each other for the 73rd time and made sure no one forgot this one, delivering one of the most intense showdowns in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague history as both teams combined for 229 points, a new all-time record for a game with no overtimes. 

Fortitudo Bologna and Zalgiris Kaunas had the previous record for over 20 years, as both teams combined for 224 points when Fortitudo beat Zalgiris 117-107 on January 22, 2004. 

Tanoka Beard of Zalgiris Kaunas finished that game with a PIR of 63, still an all-time EuroLeague record. That same season, Fortitudo made it to the 2004 EuroLeague Championship Game and Zalgiris was one painful loss away from making it to the Final Four. Maccabi was on the winning side on both occasions.

There's more. Real and Maccabi combined for 120 points at halftime, and for 181 points after three quarters, shattering all previous records. The previous record for most points in a first half was shared by Ural Great Perm and LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne with 116 points (59-57) on January 30, 2002. Fortitudo and Zalgiris combined for 175 points (90-85) in that game in Bologna back in 2004.

There were several club records, of course. Maccabi made all of its 26 free throws, a new club record and the fourth-best mark in EuroLeague history. Real holds the record with 34 free throws made, none missed, against Ural Great on March 27, 2002. The Israeli side's 63 first-half points tie a club record and is the highest scoring mark before the break in any road game.

Facu Campazzo of Real Madrid amassed a PIR of 43 in Round 21 against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv: a new career-high!

Campazzo has career night against Maccabi

[Facu Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) finished the game with a career-high PIR of 43, getting 31 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists. He was the only player to miss a free throw in this game; in addition to Maccabi not missing any, Real went 24 of 25 from the foul line. 

There were some unexpected facts in such a high-scoring game. [Mario Hezonja](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mario-hezonja/003108/) had 25 points but saw his 30-game streak of hitting at least one three-pointer come to an end, going 0 for 4 from downtown. [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) did not shoot in this game, too. During his 257-game career, Tavares had not attempted a single field goal just four times before this game, but he'd always gone to the foul line at least twice. Not this time.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">👊 ¡SEGUIMOS! 👊<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/CL88JULJVu">pic.twitter.com/CL88JULJVu</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1879287259754840223?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

It was kind of ironic that arguably the most important play of the game was a defensive stop. With 27.5 seconds left and Real leading 114-113, *Los Blancos*' defense forced Maccabi to pick up a 24-second violation. Campazzo drew a foul, made free throws and after a timeout, [Levi Randolph](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/levi-randolph/013382/) missed a three-point shot by a long distance.

Next, Real takes on [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) on Thursday, with both teams coming into this showdown on six-game winning streaks. If you take my recommendation, cancel all of your plans and get ready to watch one of the best games that basketball can offer in the world right now. You won't regret it.

Game News

The two teams offered a scoring battle that will be forever remembered


Thomas Walkup may have not traveled to Spain for Olympiacos Piraeus’s clash against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, but his void was filled by an extraordinary Nigel Williams-Goss, who stepped up big time at Buesa Arena on Tuesday 

Nigel Williams-Goss stepped up with career-high night in Walkup’s absence

[Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/) may have not traveled to Spain for [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/)’s clash against [Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/bas/), but his void was filled by an extraordinary [Nigel Williams-Goss](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nigel-williams-goss/007982/), who stepped up big time at Buesa Arena on Tuesday night. The Olympiacos guard finished the game with a season-high 19 points, as well as career-highs of 8 assists and a PIR of 28.

Williams-Goss was aggressive on offense and provided his team with hustle on the other end. He recorded 2 steals and attacked the basket, drawing a season-high 9 fouls, going to the line 14 times and making 11 free throws, including an important one deep in overtime.

In fact, Williams-Goss scored 8 of Olympiacos’s 13 points in overtime, including a crucial bucket to give Olympiacos a 99-101 lead with 36 seconds left on the clock. The 30-year-old received the ball on Baskonia’s end and went all the way for a coast-to-coast layup in traffic to beat [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) in the paint. He had previously beaten the buzzer with a step-back midrange jumper to secure a morale-boosting 95-97 edge.

His heroics drew praise from his teammate, [Shaquielle McKissic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shaquielle-mckissic/007853/), after the final buzzer.

“That was a hard-fought battle,” McKissic told EuroLeague TV. “Proud of these guys, especially Nigel. He stepped up tonight with the absence of Tom, but we are happy to get that one for the guys.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 Coach Georgios Bartzokas congratulated the players for the big W and praised <a href="https://twitter.com/K_pap16?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@K_pap16</a> for his huge achievement!<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/zdrYKyySOs">pic.twitter.com/zdrYKyySOs</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1879296873607155793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Tyler Dorsey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tyler-dorsey/009849/) also missed out due to illness, but McKissic came to the fore with another mature outing. The veteran guard made a season-high 4 triples, going 8-for-11 from the field to match his season-high of 22 points – just 2 points shy of his best career tally.

Having opened the double-round week with a hard-fought victory at Baskonia, Olympiacos will make the trip south to the Spanish capital, where it will face [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/roster/mad/?season=2024-25) on Thursday night. Walkup will not be available for that clash either, but Williams-Goss proved on Tuesday that he has what it takes to fill his void to carry the team on his shoulders.

 The Olympiacos guard netted 8 of his team’s 13 points in overtime

Victorious for the first time in six games, Paris Basketball had the unheralded quartet of Leo Cavaliere, Maodo Lo, Yakuba Ouattara and Mikael Jantunen all step up at various points against Anadolu Efes.

Unheralded quartet stepped up as Paris rediscovered its winning touch

A lot can happen in 39 days.

Back on December 6, 2024, [Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/) stunned Europe by going to SEF and beating Olympiacos Piraeus 90-96. That victory wasn’t just Paris’s 10th in a row, but it saw the side from the French capital go clear at the top of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague standings with an 11-3 record. [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/) and co. were on top of the world – or so it felt.

Fast-forward to January 14, 2025, and [Tiago Splitter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/splitter-tiago/)’s Paris team entered Round 21 in a far different mood. Five successive defeats had seen some doubts start to surround the EuroLeague newcomer, with Paris falling to sixth spot and appearing to be in free fall, yet they bounced back in style with [a confidence-boosting 88-84 win over Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/paris-gets-back-on-track-with-team-oriented-win-over-efes-88-84/).

Shorts would typically be front and center of a win like this and while he did put up impressive numbers, he largely had his teammates to thank. At various points during the contest, different players came to the fore for the hosts.

Early on, [Leo Cavaliere](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/leopold-cavaliere/013373/) provided a boost from the bench with 5 first-quarter points, then [Maodo Lo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/maodo-lo/007032/) showed why he is the perfect foil for Shorts by coming in and keeping the machine ticking along. A little later, 7 third-quarter points by [Yakuba Ouattara](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/yakuba-ouattara/004197/) were a major plus, and [Mikael Jantunen](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mikael-jantunen/012613/) hit two huge triples after not making any for the last eight games, missing 24 three-point shots before finally seeing one fall.

“I haven’t made a lot of shots lately, but I’ve got my coach, my teammates, everybody trusting me,” Jantunen told EuroLeague TV afterward. “I know I’ve got to shoot the ball. At some point they’re going to go in. My teammates kept finding me and I kept shooting it. I knew I was going to make them at one point and yeah, made them in a good spot today. But it feels good. I’m just happy that we got the win, that’s all that matters. Good start to the double week.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">OUI. <a href="https://t.co/towgVEZxh0">pic.twitter.com/towgVEZxh0</a></p>&mdash; Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball/status/1879282031898878118?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The important thing for Paris is that it rediscovered its winning touch after a tough 39 days in EuroLeague play. As Shorts alluded to in his postgame comments, they simply had to find a way to get the victory, particularly at home.

“Everybody knows we were in a rough stretch, but that’s part of basketball and we had to dig ourselves out of that hole,” Shorts said. “When you get home games in the EuroLeague, you’ve got to find a way to protect it. Today, we were able to do that, get the feeling of winning again and get back on track.”

Paris will be aiming to put those words into action on Thursday night, when it welcomes the 5-16 Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv to Adidas Arena.

Tiago Splitter’s men finally brought their five-game losing streak to an end in Round 21

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade took a big step toward staying in the postseason picture with a resounding 62-93 road demolition of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, thanks to huge performances from center Tyrique Jones and guard Iffe Lundberg. 

Tyrique Jones stood out as Partizan got sweet revenge on ASVEL

[Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/) took a big step toward staying in the postseason picture with [a resounding 62-93 road demolition of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/vintage-partizan-crushes-asvel-62-93/), thanks to huge performances from center [Tyrique Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tyrique-jones/011981/) and guard [Iffe Lundberg](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/iffe-lundberg/010781/).

The outcome was a full reprieve for Partizan after the Serbian team lost the reverse fixture [79-82 last month](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/asvel-stuns-partizan-for-first-road-win-79-82/), as it steamrolled the hosts this time with Jones pouring in 22 points while Lundberg netted 18.

The all-around dominance left visiting head coach [Zeljko Obradovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/obradovic-zeljko/?season=E2024), normally a hard customer to please, for once purring with delight as his men trampled ASVEL in all departments from start to finish.

“We played good basketball,” the winner of a record nine Turkish Airlines EuroLeague titles said in his postgame comments. “We had to forget that we were up by 11 at halftime in order to play hard in the third quarter, it was a joy watching my team’s defensive effort while we were very smart on offense. Up next is Milan and it’s never easy to play twice in 48 hours but it’s the same for both teams.”

Partizan faces [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/mil/), which is also in good form, in an effort to avenge another tough home loss, [81-88 in November](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/shorthanded-milan-roars-back-to-get-vital-road-win-over-partizan-81-88/), which came during a dreadful start to the season that saw the Serbian side lose eight of its opening 10 games.

Obradovic’s men have since clawed their way back into the postseason hunt by winning eight of their next 11, meaning that they need to keep up the good work if they are to avoid missing out on the business end of the competition for a second successive season. Lundberg, who sank 4 of 6 from downtown, made the point that Partizan clicked at just the right time as the Serbian outfit can ill-afford too many slip-ups in the final third of the regular season.

“I expected us to come out and produce a strong effort,” the Danish guard said. “We knew they would play with intensity but we are starting to find our groove and we’re taking it one game at a time. Considering the standings, the mindset has to be that every game is like a final for us and if we play our hearts out, hopefully we’ll win more than we lose down the stretch.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="sl" dir="ltr">&quot;Samo tebi verni, samo tebi odani!&quot;🖤🤍<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKPartizan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKPartizan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/63vHgP29GG">pic.twitter.com/63vHgP29GG</a></p>&mdash; KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC/status/1879291175875809718?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Jones highlighted that an unselfish approach, which saw everyone except [Aleksej Pokusevski](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/aleksej-pokusevski/008232/) score on Partizan’s shorthanded roster, paid off with the visitors making light of the absence of several key players.

“We locked in and tried to play defense to execute the game plan,” said Jones, who had a large band of away fans in raptures with an array of spectacular slam dunks. “That’s how we’re supposed to play – move the ball, play for one another and take the best shots available,” he added.

ASVEL head coach [Pierric Poupet](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/poupet-pierric/?season=E2024) conceded his team looked flat throughout the lop-sided contest, with the home side’s top performer [Theo Maledon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/theo-maledon/007027/) blown away by Partizan’s aggressive defense which had the talented guard shoot 0 of 6 from the floor.

“Today, we just couldn’t do it,” he said.  “We lacked energy and couldn’t find points inside, hence our game became static. They were just better than us tonight, they hit tough shots and everything went their way. We now have to recover and move on to the next one.”

Up next for ASVEL is a home game against the competition’s bottom team [ALBA Berlin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/alba-berlin/roster/ber/?season=2024-25) and a chance to get back to winning ways after a painful loss to Partizan.  

The visiting team’s big man racked up 22 points and 4 steals to propel his team in Lyon 

For the second game in a row, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan finished the game scoring in triple-digits, this time downing the visiting ALBA Berlin 100-68 to register its third straight win.

Milan kept rolling ahead of a big clash vs. Partizan

For the second game in a row, [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/mil/) finished the game scoring in triple-digits, this time rolling to [a 100-68 victory over the visiting ALBA Berlin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/milan-easies-past-alba-100-68/) to register its third straight win.

The other two wins in the winning streak came on the road, as this was Milan’s first home game of the calendar year and snapped a two-game losing streak in the fashion capital after back-to-back 1-point defeats against [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-edges-milan-in-thriller-83-84/) and [FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bayern-grabs-long-awaited-road-win-at-milan-78-79/).

Even though ALBA was within 4 points at halftime, Milan did not leave anything to chance in this one, thanks to a big, 31-10 third quarter.

“I think we played a very, very good quarter defensively”, head coach Ettore Messina said in a EuroLeague TV post-game interview. “Offensively we were much sharper, no turnovers, good ball movement. But defense stepped up in the second half.”

During those 10 minutes, Milan held ALBA to 0-for-7 three-point shooting and limited the visitors to just 1 offensive rebound, after allowing 9 in the first two quarters. On offense, Milan shot 5 of 8 from three-point land and dished 7 assists, which turned a 47-43 halftime lead into a 78-53 margin going into the fourth quarter.

Milan’s usual suspects managed to produce despite limited minutes on the floor.

[Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-mirotic/000796/) scored 21 points on 4-for-7 three-point shooting in 22 minutes, [Zach LeDay](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/zach-leday/008987/) netted 18 on 4-for-6 three-point shooting in 20 minutes, and [Shavon Shields](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shavon-shields/007831/) had 16 points on 2-for-5 three-point shooting in 24 minutes.

But when asked about his team’s performance, Mirotic singled out one guy.

“Some guys played an amazing defense. [Stefano Tonut](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/stefano-tonut/006509/) was terrific. I think he made the difference tonight. With his energy, his physicality”, Mirotic said. 

“This is the team job. We need everybody. Everybody is playing better at this moment, and this is a way we are growing as a team because everyone is stepping up a little bit.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">THE CLOSER!<br>🇬🇧Coach called him and asked to finish the game. Nikola Mirotic obliged. Yesterday he had his 8th 20+ game of the EuroLeague season<br><br>🇮🇹Il Coach l&#39;ha chiamato chiedendogli di finire la partita. Nikola Mirotic ha seguito le istruzioni. Ottava gara da almeno 20 punti… <a href="https://t.co/JDXQTHGn4l">pic.twitter.com/JDXQTHGn4l</a></p>&mdash; Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936/status/1879476121005400222?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

What certainly is working, and has been playing all season long for Milan, is the duo of Mirotic and LeDay

“When you play with Zach LeDay, and those guys who open up your space who make you feel and play better on the court, it is always easier. It’s probably the best thing that has happened to me. We accomplish so much each day, not only playing, also in practice. It’s been amazing, I am very happy we are actually teammates”, Mirotic explained.

The next challenge for Milan will be [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/), the club where LeDay spent the last three years. Partizan is coming off [a 31-point road win at ASVEL](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/vintage-partizan-crushes-asvel-62-93/), its highest-ever EuroLeague road win. It’s set up to be must-watch TV on Thursday night in Milan.

Milan picked up its first home win in more than a month.

Milan kept rolling ahead of a big clash versus Partizan

It is the highest scoring non-overtime game in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague history. 


Real edged Maccabi in record-breaking game, 116-113! 

In a game for the ages that came down to the final shot, Real Madrid edged Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 116-113 at Movistar Arena in Round 21 on Tuesday. Real extended its winning streak to six games in improving to 12-9, while Maccabi dropped to 5-16. Real and Maccabi set all-time records for most combined points in a non-overtime game (227), at halftime (120) and after three quarters (181). 

Facu Campazzo paced the winners with 31 points. Mario Hezonja added 25 while Dzanan Musa had 20 for Real. Rokas Jokubaitis led Maccabi with 20 points. Jaylen Hoard scored 19, Roman Sorkin had 17, Levi Randolph and Tamir Blatt each got 14 and Jasiel Rivero contributed 12 for the visitors.

Game Videos

Marial Shayok got Maccabi going with a triple, then Sorkin followed a tip-in with a bomb from downtown for a 2-8 lead. Campazzo answered from beyond the arc, Jokubaitis scored in penetration and Sorkin's three-point play boosted the guests lead to 5-13. Campazzo kept pacing Real with a driving layup and another three-pointer, getting help from Musa to bring Los Blancos within 12-13. Randolph hit a jumper and Hoard improved Musa's layup with a three-point play. Campazzo found Hezonja for a backdoor layup and struck from downtown, making Maccabi call timeout at 21-20. Rivero scored down low and Hoard added an alley-oop dunk but an outstanding Hezonja kept the hosts ahead, 26-24. Musa and Trevion Williams traded triples, Hezonja followed Usman Garuba's layup with a jumper before Jokubaitis's buzzer-beating three-pointer kept Maccabi within 33-30 after 10 minutes. 

John DiBartolomeo made a jumper early in the second quarter. Rivero then put Maccabi back ahead, 33-34. Blatt capped a 0-9 run with a floater before Garuba answered with a put-back layup. Blatt made a jumper and fed Hoard for an alley-oop slam and a 37-40 Maccabi edge. After Hezonja buried a fallaway jumper, Xavier Rathan-Mayes and Hoard traded triples. Hezonja dunked to give Real a 44-43 edge. Jokubaitis hit a jumper and Randolph added a three-pointer for a 44-48 Maccabi lead. Andres Feliz scored in penetration Sergio Llull struck from beyond the arc but Jokubaitis kept Maccabi ahead, 49-53. Hezonja stepped up with consecutive layups, but Hoard scored again and Sorkin's three-pointer caused Real to stop the game at 53-58. After Musa made free throws, Sorkin dunked and Rafi Menco bettered Campazo's layup with a triple for a 57-63 score at halftime: the highest-scoring first half in EuroLeague history!

Sorkin made it 57-65 soon after the break. Musa rescued Real with a corner three-pointer and Hezonja's layup brought Real within 62-67. Randolph struck from downtown before Jokubaitis buried a jumper that made it a double-digit game, 62-72. Sorkin took over with a put-back slam that Campazzo improved with a bomb from beyond the arc. Blatt stepped up for Maccabi, but Campazzo and Eli Ndiaye got their team even closer, 72-76. Feliz ignited the crowd with a three-point play and Alberto Abalde's triple completed Real's comeback, 78-76, after a 16-2 run. Feliz improved on Williams's jumper with one from downtown before DiBartolomeo put Maccabi back on top, 81-82. Blatt stepped up for the visitors, but Ndiaye buried back-to-back triples and Campazzo gave Real an 88-87 edge. Llull and Jokubaitis each hit from beyond the arc for a 91-90 score after three quarters.

Hezonja ignited the crowd with a huge three-point play early in the fourth quarter. Rivero answered with a driving layup that Abalde matched at the other end. Hoard struck from beyond the arc and Jokubaitis provided another lead change, 97-98. Campazzo attacked the rim twice for back-to-back layups in a 6-0 run that Llull capped from the foul line. Randolph took over with an acrobatic layup. Campazzo made free throws before Rivero brought Maccabi within 105-102 with over 3 minutes left. After Blatt buried a three-pointer in transition, Campazzo and Hoard traded foul shots and Hezonja's layup-plus-foul put Real back ahead, 110-107. Randolph scored in penetration and Rivero dunked for a 110-111 Maccabi lead with a minute left. Musa and Rivero traded layups, and Maccabi fouled on Musa with 27.5 seconds left. He made both attempts and Maccabi committed a 24-second turnover. Campazzo made foul shots with 3.0 seconds left and after a timeout, Randolph missed from downtown at the buzzer.

It was the highest scoring non-overtime game in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague history


Real edged Maccabi in record-breaking game, 116-113

Olympiacos Piraeus extended its winning streak to six games by defeating Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 101-102 in overtime on Tuesday 

Olympiacos wins overtime thriller at Baskonia, 101-102

Olympiacos Piraeus extended its winning streak to six games by defeating Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 101-102 in overtime on Tuesday night. In a highly entertaining duel, the two teams exchanged blows throughout the 45 minutes, with the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague leaders winning the thriller at Buesa Arena. The Reds opened the double-round week with a victory and improved their record to 15-7, with Baskonia dropping to 8-13.

Shaquielle McKissic and Evan Fournier paced Olympiacos with 22 points each, with Nigel Williams-Goss and Sasha Vezenkov scoring 19 apiece. Moustapha Fall chipped in with 12 points and 9 rebounds.

For Baskonia, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot led all scorers with 25 points, 21 of which came in the second half and overtime. Luka Samanic recorded a second-high 17 points and Nikos Rogkavopoulos scored 14, with Trent Forrest and Chima Moneke recording 11 and 10 points, respectively. Donta Hall registered a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds in a losing effort.

Fall opened the first quarter with two straight slams, but a triple from Moneke was followed by baskets from Khalifa Diop and Kamar Baldwin for a 7-4 lead. Olympiacos responded with a 0-7 run fueled by Fournier and Vezenkov, who made it 7-11 in transition. Moneke dunked on the break before 2 free throws by Ognjen Jaramaz tied it up. Fournier’s second triple of the night was sandwiched by two put-back dunks by Donta Hall, who gave Baskonia a 17-16 edge after 10 minutes.

McKissic took over in the second half with 5 straight points, but triples from Rogkavopoulos and Samanic allowed Baskonia to maintain a 25-24 lead. A coast-to-coast layup by McKissic was followed by a dunk from Luwawu-Cabarrot in transition before a Fournier three put Olympiacos back in front, 30-31. Yet, Samanic drilled his second triple of the night and Hall scored a layup to restore a 35-33 lead for the hosts. Luwawu-Cabarrot, Trent Forrest and Baldwin scored inside, but McKissic netted on the break to bring Olympiacos within 42-40 at halftime.

Luwawu-Cabarrot opened the second half with a three-point play and back-to-back triples for a 51-44 lead. Vezenkov and Moneke traded triples before another three by Luwawu-Cabarrot extended Baskonia’s lead to 57-47. A dunk from Fall was followed by 4 points from Williams-Goss, but Luwawu-Cabarrot netted yet another triple and Forrest completed a three-point play to restore a 65-55 cushion. McKissic made 2 of 2 from the line and Fournier scored a floater, but a four-point play from Rogkavopoulos made it 69-59. Olympiacos responded with a 0-8 run to close the third period, slashing the deficit to 69-67 heading into the fourth.

Samanic took over in the closing quarter with 9 points to restore an 81-75 lead. Fournier nailed one from downtown, but a buzzer-beating jumper from Luwawu-Cabarrot and a Samanic bucket maintained an 85-78 cushion. Vezenkov scored inside before a Fournier triple cut the difference to 85-83. Hall dunked off an alley-oop dish, but buckets from Fall and McKissic tied it at 87-87 with 0:37 left on the clock. Forrest made 2 of 2 from the charity stripe, but Fall scored inside to make it 89-89 with 0:11 remaining. Moneke missed a jumper to call game and the duel went to overtime.

Williams-Goss and Moneke traded scores inside before a step-back triple from McKissic put Olympiacos ahead, 93-95. Then, Williams-Goss and Baldwin exchanged buckets, with Fournier and Hall scoring a couple of free throws each to make it 99-99 with 0:45 to go. But Williams-Goss went all the way with a coast-to-coast layup and then made 1 of 2 from the line to seal the outcome.

The Reds came out victorious from a highly entertaining exchange of blows

Paris Basketball won in the EuroLeague for the first time in over a month after beating Anadolu Efes 88-84 in Round 21.

Paris gets back on track with team-oriented win over Efes, 88-84

Paris Basketball secured its first victory in more than a month on Tuesday night, having beaten Anadolu Efes Istanbul 85-81 on the back of a solid team display at Adidas Arena in Round 21.

Five players got into double figures in scoring – TJ Shorts (17 points), Nadir Hifi (14), Collin Malcolm (12), Yakuba Ouattara (10), and Mickael Jantunen (10) – as Paris moved to a 12-8 record and remained in the top six of the standings. This triumph ended Paris’s five-game losing streak. 

Efes, meanwhile, had Elijah Bryant net a game-high 21 points, Vincent Poirier record a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double, Shane Larkin net 13 points, and Darius Thompson add 12 points, but it was not enough. Luca Banchi is now 0-2 as Efes head coach, with the team 10-11 overall and in the midst of a four-game losing skid.

The hosts got off to a great start after racing out to a 7-0 lead thanks to mid-range jumpers by Tyson Ward and Shorts sandwiching a Malcolm three. Bryant got Efes off the mark just over 3 minutes into the contest with a fast-break dunk, but despite Poirier pulling the visitors within 8-6 after four straight points from the line, Paris reeled off another 7-0 run to go 15-6 ahead. Thanks to Rodrigue Beaubois’s three inside the last 25 seconds, the Paris lead was cut to 19-13 after 10 minutes.

Shorts had 4 points in the first quarter, but he had a three and a reverse layup inside the opening 80 seconds of the second period to give Paris a comfortable advantage at 24-15. Much was discussed about the Shorts versus Larkin matchup beforehand, and the latter came up with five points, then Poirier split free throws to make it a five-point difference at 26-21. It looked like Paris was going to maintain a healthy lead when Hifi’s three made it 31-23, but Poirier and Bryant stood up in particular. After a Lo three, which he faked and sent Poirier into the Paris bench, set a 37-30 score, the Efes center responded by scoring five points in a row before turning provider for Rolands Smits, who converted a layup to tie the game at 37-37. Bryant’s mid-range jumper over Shorts gave Efes its first lead on the night, 37-39, and that was the difference at the break.

Bryant hit a pair of free throws to start the second half, 37-41, but Ward and Malcolm combined to restore Paris’s lead, 42-41. Back-to-back threes by Thompson saw the lead change hands again at 42-47. Rather than Shorts, it was the likes of Lo and Ouattara who provided a boost to Paris, which wrestled its way back into the contest. Hifi’s three with 4:18 remaining tied it at 49-49, then Ouattara’s three allowed the hosts to go 52-49 ahead. There was little to separate the two in the final minutes of the third frame, with Dan Oturu scoring a layup to ensure it was 59-59 entering the fourth period.

The battle continued in the fourth, with Jordan Nwora blocking Shorts and scoring a three as Efes went 63-65 ahead, but Paris scored six points in a hurry to go 69-65 ahead. Following a Nwora tip-in, the momentum really started to swing Paris’s way after Jantunen hit his first three in eight games, having missed 24 straight attempts, to give his team a 72-67 edge. Bryant, in particular, refused to give up the fight and was instrumental in Efes coming back to tie it at 76-76 having scored 7 points and dished 1 assist in a 4-9 run. The game could have gone either way in the final minutes, but when Jantunen stepped up with another three to make it 85-78 with 43 seconds left, it seemed it was Paris’s night. Free throws took center stage the rest of the way, but Shorts and Kevarrius Hayes went a combined 3 for 4 to ensure Paris got the monkey off its back and returned to winning ways with an 88-84 triumph.

Six players scored 9 points or more for the hosts, who ended a run of five straight losses and compounded the visitors to their fourth defeat in a row