Virtus Bologna showed more depth than some expected in Round 20 against Baskonia as Matt Morgan, Achille Polonara and Andrejs Grazulis stepped up to help overcome injuries to some of the team’s top stars.

Unexpected trio stepped up to help Virtus against Baskonia

[Virtus Segafredo Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/vir/) showed more depth than some expected in Round 20 as [Matt Morgan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/matthew-morgan/012585/), [Achille Polonara](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/achille-polonara/002084/) and [Andrejs Grazulis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/andrejs-grazulis/005738/) stepped up to help overcome injuries to some of the team’s top stars.

The trio combined for 45 points in [an important 76-74 home win over Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/virtus-wins-another-thriller-over-baskonia-prevails-76-74-at-home/) – a victory Virtus managed without injured superstars [Will Clyburn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/will-clyburn/004888/), [Toko Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/) and [Ante Zizic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ante-zizic/004554/).

“We are a resilient team, no matter who is in the lineup, who is on the court. We’re going to fight until the very end,” Morgan told EuroLeague TV afterward. “That’s the identity that we started to build and create for ourselves. We just have to keep doing that for the rest of the season. And good things will happen.”

The EuroLeague rookie poured in 17 points to tie his career high from Round 6 against FC Bayern Munich and set a new personal-best PIR of 21. Morgan came into the game averaging just 7.0 points, yet he scored 10 of those points in the third quarter when Virtus built a 15-point lead. That came after some advice from the injured Clyburn.

“He means a lot to me because he said to me at halftime I need to be more aggressive so in the third quarter I came out and did that,” said Morgan. “All my teammates have confidence in me to be myself. I did that in the third quarter and was able to get us a little bit of a lead.”

Polonara knocked down 3 three-pointers en route to 15 points. The Italian veteran has shown this season that he can still produce with 13 points against Bayern in Round 6 and 17 points in Round 18 against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne. But in the other 17 games, Polonara had totaled just 47 points for an average of 4.1 points.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">Tutto quello che abbiamo. <a href="https://t.co/xMX0I9Spik">pic.twitter.com/xMX0I9Spik</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Segafredo Bologna (@VirtusSegafredo) <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusSegafredo/status/1877848533874737640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Grazulis, meanwhile, scored a total of 23 points in his first nine games of the season. The Latvian did pick up 12 points in the last round and then he scored 13 points against Baskonia – 10.5 points more than his average.

“That was a contribution of everybody today. We struggled with the roster a little bit – a lot of injuries but we stayed together. Today is the reward for a pretty good week of work,” said [Isaia Cordinier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/isaia-cordinier/009549/), who tallied 16 points as one of Virtus’s few healthy leaders. “Winning today was really important and that is the way we need to play the rest of the season.”

Even if that means with big contributions from unexpected heroes.

Game News

Matt Morgan, Achille Polonara and Andrejs Grazulis combined for 45 points to overcome injury crisis

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2025-01-10T19:45:00.000Z)

KK Crvena zvezda has already surpassed last season's win tally after notching its fourth straight victory with an 85-69 triumph over Paris Basketball, giving the Serbians hope of making the EuroLeague Playoffs.

Crvena Zvezda showed once more that it means business this season 

[Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/red/) boosted its hopes of getting into the business end of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season after [an 85-69 home win over the competition’s debutant Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/dominant-crvena-zvezda-subdues-paris-85-69/) lifted the Serbian team to 12-8 and kept it firmly in the postseason picture.

A fourth successive victory means that Zvezda has already surpassed last term’s 11-23 record with 14 rounds left in the regular season, suggesting the Serbian team could emerge as dark horses this time round with a genuine chance of making an impact in the knockout stages.

Against Paris, player of the game [Joel Bolomboy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/joel-bolomboy/009035/) embodied Zvezda’s newfound fighting spirit as he racked up 8 points and a staggering 15 boards, as the home team totaled 43 rebounds in a textbook defensive performance which stifled out Paris.

Apart from being trampled in the paint as they were undone by their own high-octane start, the visitors were reduced to 7 of 30 from deep and had nothing left in the tank down the stretch after racing into an early 0-9 lead. Zvezda sank 10 of 21 from downtown and restricted Paris to just 10 assists, giving the visiting team’s dynamo [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/) preciously little room to operate.

“It was a tough start but we hung in there and we fought. This win took everybody,” Bolomboy said in his postgame comments. “A really good team effort by everyone as we were focused defensively. We’re in a good position but we are going to take it one game at a time as we still have a lot of room for improvement,” he added.

Head coach [Ioannis Sfairopoulos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/red/sfairopoulos-ioannis/?season=E2024) echoed Bolomboy’s views, having warned his men against complacency after praising them for a blistering display which kept Zvezda’s fervent fans on their feet throughout the pulsating contest in the Belgrade Arena.

“Good defense was key to winning the game,” the Greek tactician told reporters at the postgame press conference. “We were not good tactically in the first quarter as we got caught by their rhythm, but once we calmed down we were able to turn things around. We must stay humble and keep working hard, taking it one game at a time.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ru" dir="ltr">Идемооооооооо 🔥🔥🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kkcz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kkcz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreTheTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreTheTeam</a> <a href="https://t.co/sjgH35y95E">pic.twitter.com/sjgH35y95E</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1877826276876026052?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Paris head coach [Tiago Splitter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/splitter-tiago/?season=E2024) now faces a formidable task of restoring confidence after a fifth successive loss. The skid followed a magnificent 10-0 run which had catapulted Paris to the top of the standings, as the EuroLeague newcomer made headlines around Europe.

However, it appears that Paris has been cut down to size and brought crashing down to earth, with a postseason berth looming as a tall order if Splitter doesn’t stop the rot soon. The Brazilian hinted that Paris may have become a victim of its own success but still lauded his men for a die-hard attitude, which had turned them into the season’s early surprise package in the first place. 

“We are not bothered by the hype,” he said. “Teams now know us better than before and prepare for us better. We had some bad luck and bad shooting nights down the stretch, but it’s part of the game and a matter of momentum. Tonight, Zvezda got its momentum in the second quarter and kept it throughout.

“We had a great momentum after 10 wins in a row and now we’re struggling, I am not going to lie about it. But I see the team fighting and not giving up at any time, hence I am proud of them. You are only broken once you lose that fight in you, but the team is not broken. We only lost a game.”

The Serbian team has already surpassed last season’s tally with its fourth win in a row 

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Paris Basketball (2025-01-10T19:00:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL rallied and registered a 76-82 win over Anadolu Efes, which was ASVEL’s first this century over Efes on the road and the first in almost three decades, since 1997. 

Tarik Black, perfect Nando De Colo stepped up for streak-breaking ASVEL

[LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/) traveled to Istanbul shorthanded and facing a team that changed its head coach. ASVEL was also on the wrong end of a 20-point swing after going up 24-33 in the second quarter but finding itself 57-46 behind in the third.

However, none of that stopped the French side from [rallying and registering a 76-82 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/defensive-minded-asvel-rallies-to-stun-efes-76-82/), sweeping [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/) in the process.

“My guys have a big character,” ASVEL head coach [Pierric Poupet](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/poupet-pierric/?season=E2024) said as he praised his players. “They had a great effort, and showed the spirit they have been showing from the very beginning of the season. It’s all on them. I want to congratulate them on believing we can do it, from the first minute to the last.”

The win was ASVEL’s first this century over Efes on the road and the first such in almost three decades, since 1997. It’s just another in a line of several streaks ASVEL has already broken this season, including [a road win in the Serbian capital over Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/asvel-stuns-partizan-for-first-road-win-79-82/) and first-ever consecutive road wins in successive games.

Leading a comeback in this win were one Turkish Airlines EuroLeague legend and one unlikely veteran.

De Colo, Black led ASVEL's second-half rally against Efes combining to score 27 points after halftime.

De Colo, Black led ASVEL's second-half rally against Efes

[Nando De Colo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nando-de-colo/002100/) shined with 16 points on perfect shooting. De Colo, a three-time EuroLeague champ, former EuroLeague MVP and the competition’s second-best scorer all-time, was 4 for 4 on three-pointers, 1 for 1 on two-pointers and 2 for 2 from the free-throw line. He also dished 4 assists.

“We tried to respect what Coach wants and try to move the ball as much as we can and try to find an open shot,” De Colo said. “And when you play with confidence, it’s easier.”

Meanwhile, 33-year-old big man [Tarik Black](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tarik-black/008991/), playing in his fifth EuroLeague season, had 15 points and 7 rebounds while playing 22:29 minutes, all season highs.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Tonton Tarik 🤝🖤<br><br>15 points<br>7 rebonds<br>19 d&#39;évaluation<br><br>Tout ça en 22 minutes, gros match de TB 💪<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LDLCASVEL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LDLCASVEL</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZrWwIjdfYU">pic.twitter.com/ZrWwIjdfYU</a></p>&mdash; LDLC ASVEL (@LDLCASVEL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL/status/1877824814250914105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Each played scored just 2 points in the first half but dominated in the second. De Colo netted three triples in the final 4:30 of the third quarter, while Black scored 9 points in the fourth. The ASVEL center not only scored 7 points in the last 5 minutes, but his three field goals were the only made shots from the floor in that span.

“I think the offensive rebounds played a huge role in it," said Black, who pulled down 3 offensive boards but a pair in the final 2 minutes of the contest.

“I think my teammates trusting me and finding me in certain positions. I think we battled hard in the second half to come back and persevere, and get a win. I just so happen to get the points tonight, but we all know it can be anybody’s night,” Black explained.

He got a chance because ASVEL’s frontcourt was depleted with the absences of [Joffrey Lauvergne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/joffrey-lauvergne/004194/), [Mbaye Ndiaye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mbaye-ndiaye/012731/) and its team captain, forward [Charles Kahudi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/charles-kahudi/kir/).

“It is not easy to miss players, but we stayed together, and tonight we showed it,” De Colo commented. “We faced Efes as a team and never gave up, even down by 10.”

And while the duo dominated on offense, ASVEL as team stepped up defensively, not allowing a single field goal in the fourth quarter.

“We switched on every ball screen at the end, it disturbed them a little bit, especially their good ball-handlers: [\[Jordan\] Nwora](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jordan-nwora/013363/), [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/), [\[Elijah\] Bryant](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elijah-bryant/009846/). That was the game plan, and today and it worked,” Poupet said.

Black is a strong believer of putting in the work that, in the end, pays dividends.

“Do whatever it takes to help the team win,” Black explained. “We are shorthanded, but we still believe we can produce wins. You have to work hard, play hard, come out to win. We got the outcome we wanted tonight, but it is the culture and the ethic of work that let the result be the result.”

That approach has led ASVEL to a 9-11 record, two wins behind sixth-placed [Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/).

ASVEL beat Efes on the road for the first time this century, and was victorious away from Lyon for the third time in the last four road games

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2025-01-10T17:30:00.000Z)

Sasha Vezenkov scored a club-record 45 points, the third most in EuroLeague history, on a night that saw Olympiacos BC set a club-best 36 assists in a dominant 112-69 beatdown of FC Bayern Basketball.

Sasha Vezenkov historic performance came on special night for Olympiacos

When words may not be enough, numbers could help to describe [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/)’s extraordinary display on Friday night. 

Having pulled off an MVP performance at the Peace and Friendship Stadium, the [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) forward set numerous personal records to lead his team to [a 112-69 beatdown of FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/sasha-vezenkov-makes-history-as-olympiacos-thrashes-bayern-112-69/). Let’s take a look at all the figures.

Vezenkov needed just three dibbles to net a career-high 45 points – the most any Olympiacos player has ever scored in a single game and the third most in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague history. He also recorded a mind-boggling PIR of 52 – the best in club history and sixth best all-time in the competition. 

The Bulgaria international, who was greeted by "MVP" chants by the home crowd, went 10 for 10 from inside the arc to set both a career high and club record in two-pointers made. 

“I’d never dreamt to make history for this big club,” he told EuroLeague TV after the game. “I want to thank the fans. It’s really important for them. It’s 2025 – the 100-year \[anniversary\] of the club.”

Olympiacos Piraeus forward Sasha Vezenkov spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat FC Bayern Munich in Round 20 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Sasha Vezenkov: 'I would never dream to make history for this big club'

Vezenkov may have missed his first three-point attempt but finished the game on 8 of 10 from deep, recording a career high in three-pointers made. 

“It’s one of those nights where you feel good,” he added. “I started by missing my first shot and then I found the space and my teammates did a great job at everything, starting from defense. I don’t want to talk about me. I’ll keep working. It’s just a regular night.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">52 PIR I 45 PTS I 10/10 2FG I 8/10 3FG I 1/1 FT I 7 REB I 2 AST and only three dribbles... 3 DRIBBLES 😳<br><br>HOW? 😱👏 <a href="https://t.co/onXrRmQqvv">pic.twitter.com/onXrRmQqvv</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1877848673603723755?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Yet, it was anything but a regular night for either Vezenkov or Olympiacos. The Reds saw [Evan Fournier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/evan-fournier/013380/) and captain [Kostas Papanikolaou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kostas-papanikolaou/001255/) miss out due to illness, with starting guard [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/) playing just over 5 minutes due to back injury. 

However, the next-man-up mentality instilled in the team by coach Georgios Bartzokas saw several players step up in what could be described as the epitome of team basketball. In fact, Olympiacos recorded as many as 36 assists, which is both a club record and the joint second-highest tally recorded by a team in the history of the competition.

“Everybody stepped up,” Vezenkov added. “We had two really important absences, Evan and Kostas. We dedicate the win to them. But as I said before, we have 15 players ready to play. \[Recording\] 36 assists is a really high number. This is our philosophy. We want to pass the ball – this is what Coach likes. Almost everybody is a great passer. We tried to share the ball. We didn’t play selfishly and we were capable of scoring 100 points.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ht" dir="ltr">MVP MVP MVP!!!<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/JiWe14tIEd">pic.twitter.com/JiWe14tIEd</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1877834480955576497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

With Walkup benched due to injury, [Luca Vildoza](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/luca-vildoza/007947/) recorded season highs in both points (12) and assists (6). The absences of Fournier and Papanikolaou left a huge void in the small forward position that was effectively filled by [Alec Peters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alec-peters/008829/), who scored a season-best 15 points, and [Shaquielle McKissic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shaquielle-mckissic/007853/), who netted 16. 

“Of course, Sasha was amazing, but the whole team worked great for him and this number of 36 assists is fantastic in the EuroLeague nowadays,” Bartzokas told EuroLeague TV.

For the first time this season, Olympiacos doesn’t share top spot in the standings, currently boasting a league-best 14-6 record. A tough double-round week is coming, with a trip to Spain to visit [Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/bas/) and red-hot [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/), but Friday’s team outing and Vezenkov’s extraordinary performance have sent a strong message to the rest of the top-four contenders.

To cap off a special night, Vezenkov took the game ball home as a memento.

The forward netted 45 points, with the Reds registering a club-record 36 assists against Bayern

Sasha Vezenkov’s historic performance came on special night for Olympiacos

Olympiacos Piraeus v FC Bayern Munich (2025-01-10T19:15:00.000Z)

Virtus Bologna survived another major drama against Baskonia to continue its push up the lower ranks of the standings with a 76-74 win at home. Virtus wasted a 15-point lead but managed to fend off the Spanish side for the second time in the last six rounds in moving to 6-14. The Italian outfit also took its record to 4-2 under new head coach Dusko Ivanovic – the first win being the improbable 81-82 win over Baskonia in Spain in Round 15. 

Virtus wins another thriller over Baskonia, prevails 76-74 at home

Virtus Segafredo Bologna survived another major drama against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz to continue its push up the lower ranks of the standings with a 76-74 win at home. Virtus wasted a 15-point lead but managed to fend off the Spanish side for the second time in the last six rounds in moving to 6-14. The Italian outfit also took its record to 4-2 under new head coach Dusko Ivanovic – the first win being the improbable 81-82 win over Baskonia in Spain in Round 15. 

Matt Morgan led the way with 17 points, Isaia Cordinier had 16 points, Achille Polonara 13 and Andrejs Grazulis chipped in 13 points. Baskonia dropped to 8-12, including 2-8 on the road and 2-5 in its last seven games. Luka Samanic shined in his second game with the team with 16 points and 8 rebounds, and Nikos Rogkavopoulos tallied 13 points and 10 rebounds in the loss. 

Game Videos

Cordinier was Virtus’s main weapon early on with 7 points, including a three-pointer to pull the hosts even at 9-9. Baskonia could not get baskets to fall but made six free throws and pulled ahead 9-13. A triple from Ognjen Jaramaz pushed the guests ahead 12-18 and the score was 14-20 after 10 minutes. 

Donta Hall threw down two dunks to put Baskonia ahead by eight points, 18-26. Polonara tried to get Virtus back in front with two triples, but the guests answered with three-pointers both times to make it 24-32. The Baskonia offense dried up with just one basket in 3 minutes and Morgan had 5 points to trim the deficit to 33-34. Virtus still went into the break down 37-38. 

Morgan continued his hot play to start the second half with the first seven points and assisted on an Alessandro Pajola three-pointer as Virtus led 47-38. Baskonia needed more than 3 minutes to score and that didn’t stop the Virtus push with a put-back dunk and three-pointer from Grazulis and a Morgan three-point play for a 55-40 cushion. Baskonia punched back with a 2-12 run thanks to a four-point play from Rogkavopoulos, who also hit a triple at the buzzer, and the score was 59-54 after three quarters.

After two scores from Samanic made it a one-point game, Daniel Hackett knocked down a triple for Virtus’s first score of the final frame. Baskonia, however, was up 62-63 after a three-pointer and tip-in from Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot. That was the first of six straight lead changes, with an unsportsmanlike foul on Luwawu-Cabarrot resulting in two Morgan free throws and a Polonara triple as Virtus was leading 71-67 with 3 minutes to play. A Cordinier layup had the advantage at 73-67. And the Frenchman buried a big triple with 77 seconds to play for a 76-70 cushion. After a Samanic layup, the officials reviewed a previous Virtus offense and ruled an unsportsmanlike foul on Grazulis, which Trent Forrest converted into two free throws. Forrest missed a chance to tie the game with 2.5 seconds left from the free-throw line and then Rogkavopoulos was just off target with a potential three-point winner at the buzzer.

The Italian side improves to 4-2 under new coach Dusko Ivanovic

KK Crvena zvezda rolled on with a resounding 85-69 home win over Paris Basketball in the EuroLeague, improving to 12-8 after its fourth successive victory while the visitors dropped to 11-8 following a fifth defeat in a row. 

Dominant Crvena Zvezda subdues Paris, 85-69

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade rolled on with a resounding 85-69 home win over Paris Basketball in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, improving to 12-8 after its fourth successive victory while the visitors dropped to 11-8 following a fifth defeat in a row.

Isaiah Canaan paced Zvezda with 15 points, Nemanja Nedovic and Codi Miller-McIntyre chipped in with 14 each while Filip Petrusev added 10 to underline a smooth team effort, generated by airtight defense from the Serbian team after Paris had raced into an early 0-9 lead.

At the other end, TJ Shorts led Paris on 17 points, having scored 9 of his team’s opening 11 but soon faded away as Zvezda forced a barrage of tough shots from the livewire playmaker. Kevarrius Hayes and Nadir Hifi netted 13 points apiece for the visitors, who sank a mere 7 of 30 from deep.

Paris had the upper hand in the first quarter as Shorts and Hayes did damage from all over, carving out a 15-25 lead as Zvezda struggled to cope with the French team’s high-tempo offense. However, the hosts ramped up their defense in the second and drew level at halftime, 39-39, as their physicality in the paint began to tell.

The tide turned for good in the third quarter as the home team got their first lead of the game, 45-43, before a Yago dos Santos long three gave the Belgrade outfit a 55-50 advantage ahead of the final 10 minutes.

Canaan buried another one early in the fourth to make it 64-54, and the writing was on the wall for Paris after Nedovic sank one from way downtown, pumping his chest and galvanizing the crowd as Zvezda pulled away to 72-57. Clearly running on empty, Paris was devoid of the energy required to force a final twist as the visitors fell apart on offense.

Zvezda maintained cruise control for the rest of the contest and ran out a deserved winner, boosting its postseason hopes in the process, while Paris now faces a formidable task of getting back on track.

The Serbian side stifled out its French rival with ironclad defense for a fourth successive win

Olympiacos BC and Sasha Vezenkov enjoyed a historic night on Friday as the Reds demolished FC Bayern Munich 112-69 at the Peace and Friendship Stadium, with Vezenkov recording a career-high 45 points – the third most points in EuroLeague history. 

Sasha Vezenkov makes history as Olympiacos thrashes Bayern, 112-69

Olympiacos Piraeus and Sasha Vezenkov enjoyed a historic night on Friday as the Reds demolished FC Bayern Munich 112-69 at the Peace and Friendship Stadium. Despite the absences of Evan Fournier and captain Kostas Papanikolaou, Olympiacos led from start to finish, with Vezenkov recording a career-high 45 points – the third most points in EuroLeague history. 

The hosts shared the ball smoothly throughout the game, registering a club-record 36 assists. Olympiacos remains top of the standings with a 14-6 record, while Bayern dropped to 11-9 after suffering its fourth loss in five games.

Vezenkov paced all scorers, with Shaquielle McKissic netting 16 points and Alec Peters scoring 15. Luca Vildoza had 12 points and Moustapha Fall added 10. For Bayern, Devin Booker was the only player to record double digits in scoring, netting 16 points.

Olympiacos started strong, with Vezenkov opening the scoring before a bucket from Fall and 5 straight points by Peters gave the hosts a 9-0 lead. Gordon Herbert reacted by changing the whole starting five, with Niels Giffey netting Bayern’s first field goal from beyond the arc to make it 12-4. Fall responded with a monster slam before a three-point play by McKissic and a bucket from Vezenkov gave Olympiacos a 21-4 cushion. Voigtmann ended Olympiacos’s run with a triple before a Giffey basket cut the difference to 23-9. Vildoza replied with 4 unanswered points, but Booker dunked in style and Shabazz Napier completed a three-point play that trimmed the deficit to 28-14 after 10 minutes.

Booker opened the second quarter with a three-pointer, before a Napier layup and a triple by Andreas Obst brought Bayern within 30-22. Yet, Vezenkov netted from deep and Fall scored inside to restore a 35-22 lead. Then, Olympiacos went on a 10-2 run fueled by Venenkov, whose 7 straight points made it 45-28. Yet, Bayern fought back, with Ivan Kharchenkov adding 5 points to his tally and Danko Brankovic scoring inside before a buzzer-beating jumper from Nigel Williams-Goss allowed the Reds to maintain a 51-37 lead.

Bayern hit the ground running in the second half, with Voigtmann drilling a corner three and Booker scoring inside to cut the deficit to 51-42. Fall and Vezenkov scored in the paint before a triple from Vildoza extended Olympiacos’s lead to 58-45. Booker and Vezenkov netted 5 points each, but a triple from Obst brought Bayern back within 65-53. Olympiacos responded with a 7-0 run inspired by Vildoza for a 72-53 lead. Then, Nikola Milutinov made 2 of 2 from the line and Vezenkov drained one from beyond the rainbow to maintain a 78-57 cushion heading into the closing quarter.

Olympiacos opened the fourth with a 16-0 surge, as back-to-back triples from Peters and Vezenkov were followed by two three-point plays from McKissic and a Williams-Goss dunk for a 91-57 lead. Then, a red-hot Vezenkov scored 3 consecutive triples, with Giannoulis Larentzakis nailing one of his own to finish the game off.

The Reds have now won five straight in the EuroLeague

Real Madrid grabbed its fifth consecutive victory by edging Zalgiris Kaunas 64-83 on the road in Round 20 on Friday, with Los Blancos' 19-point win seeing them also take the tiebreak advantage after registering a nine-point loss against Zalgiris in Round 15. 

Real Madrid's defense pounds Zalgiris into submission, 64-83

Real Madrid grabbed its fifth consecutive victory by edging Zalgiris Kaunas 64-83 on the road in Round 20 on Friday. Real improved to 11-9 in the standings while Zalgiris dropped to 10-10 and is on a four-game losing streak. *Los Blancos*' 19-point win saw them also take the tiebreak advantage after registering a nine-point loss against Zalgiris in Round 15. 

Dzanan Musa led the winners with 17 points. Facu Campazzo and Serge Ibaka each added 13 while Mario Hezonja had 10 for Real. Lonnie Walker led Zalgiris with 17 points.

Campazzo got Real going with a jump hook which Walter Tavares followed with a layup for a 0-4 lead. Dovydas Giedraitis struck from downtown, then Musa and Xavier Rathan-Mayes restored a 3-7 Real edge. Walker stepped up for Zalgiris with 5 straight points before Sylvain Francisco scored a fast-break layup to cap a 7-0 run. Brady Manek improved Musa's floater with a bomb from downtown before Francisco and Arnas Butkevicius each joined the three-point shootout for a 19-11 Zalgiris advantage. Campazzo stepped up with a floater and Serge Ibaka added a jump hook to keep Real within 21-15. Lukas Lekavicius followed a floater with a three-pointer to make it a double-digit game, 26-15, after 10 minutes.

Ibaka buried consecutive jump hooks early in the second quarter. Hezonja soon added a three-point play that gave Los Blancos hope at 26-22. Giedraitis banked in an off-balanced shot off a Zalgiris timeout, Ibaka answered from beyond the arc and Andres Feliz's three-pointer tied it at 28-28. Hezonja capped a 2-15 run from the foul line to give Real a 28-30 edge. Giedraitis rescued the hosts with a driving layup and Deividas Sirvydis scored the rest of the points in a 6-0 run that restored a 34-30 Zalgiris lead. Musa took over with an off-balanced three-point play before Campazzo put Real in charge, 34-35, at halftime.

 

Walker hit free throws and nailed a catch-and-shoot triple to put Zalgiris in charge, 39-35, after the break. Hezonja rescued Real with a bomb from beyond the arc which Campazzo followed with a acrobatic layup for a 39-40 lead. Laurynas Birutis scored down low before Musa buried back-to-back three-pointers to make the hosts stop the game at 41-47. Bryant Dunston stepped up with a power layup, Musa silenced the crowd with a coast-to-coast basket and Alberto Abalde's turnaround jumper made it an eight-point game, 44-52. Abalde scored again to giva Real its first double-digit lead, 44-55, which Alen Smailagic cut to 46-55 after 30 minutes. 

Ibaka and Feliz each struck from beyond the arc to break the game open, 46-61, early in the fourth quarter. Zalgiris kept struggling to score whle Eli Ndiaye followed a put-back basket with a fastbreak slam that made the hosts call timeout, 46-65, with over 7 minutes left. Sergio Llull capped a 0-13 run with a three-point play. Smailagic tried to change things with a put-back slam and a three-point play, getting Zalgiris within 51-70. Walter struck from downtown but it was already too little, too late for Zalgiris. Campazzo and Ndiaye made sure that the hosts were not even close to steal the tie-break advantage. 

Dzanan Musa led Los Blancos to their 11th victory


Zalgiris Kaunas v Real Madrid (2025-01-10T18:00:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL came back from an 11-point third-quarter deficit, not allowing a single field goal in the fourth quarter, as it beat Anadolu Efes 76-82 on Friday night. 

Defensive-minded ASVEL rallies to stun Efes, 76-82

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne came back from an 11-point third-quarter deficit, not allowing a single field goal in the fourth quarter, as it beat Anadolu Efes Istanbul 76-82 on Friday night. The win improved ASVEL to a 9-11 record and saw Pierric Poupet's men sweep the season series against Efes, which dropped to 10-10 and 0-1 under new head coach Luca Banchi.

Efes led 57-46 and held multiple 10-point leads in the third quarter, but ASVEL went on a 2-16 run bridging the third and fourth quarters to take a 68-73 lead, which the visitors never relinquished. Nando De Colo scored 16 points, making all 5 of his field goals including 4 three-pointers, while Black had 15 points and 7 assists. Theo Maledon also scored 15, and Shaquille Harrison had 11 points in a winning effort. Shane Larkin and Vincent Poirier scored 14 apiece for the hosts, Ercan Osmani scored 13, and Elijah Bryant 12 points in a loss.

Andre Roberson’s second-chance triple opened the scoring, giving ASVEL an early boost and a 1-7 lead. Back-to-back triples from Larkin and Darius Thompson tied things at 9-9, but Melvin Ajinca hit a pair of triples to give ASVEL an 11-17 edge. Bryant and Harrison traded three-pointers before Dan Oturu scored twice inside, but thanks to Harrison and Maledon, the visitors held a 20-24 advantage after 10 minutes.

Harrison hit a triple to open the second quarter to help extend the lead to eight points. Rolands Smits and Bryant got Efes going again, but David Lighty had a jumper and Maledon took it to the rim to make it 24-33. But Efes stepped up defensively, playing better defense on Maledon, while Smits and Poirier started dominating under ASVEL’s basket. The duo combined to score 7 points, before Osmani capped a 9-0 run to tie the game. Paris Lee netted a triple, but Osmani battled his way for 6 more points to give Efes a 41-38 halftime lead.

Back-to-back triples from Larkin and Osmani opened a 47-38 margin. Maledon hit a triple and Lee added another one of his own to cut it to 51-46. But Poirier scored inside, then Larkin fed Jordan Nwora then raced for a fast-break layup to give the hosts a 57-46 advantage, the first double-digit lead of the game. De Colo hit back-to-back triples before Thompson and Roberson traded close-range baskets. Oturu helped the hosts restore a double-digit margin, 64-54, but De Colo hit another one from long range and Tarik Black scored twice from close range, including a dunk that made it 66-61 after 30 minutes.

De Colo opened the fourth with a three-pointer that made it a two-point game, forcing an Efes timeout after only 61 seconds. Efes was without a single point for exactly 5 minutes, as Maledon and Harrison found their way to the free-throw line, and Black scored twice inside for ASVEL to restore its lead, 68-73. Bryant and Poirier made free throws to end Efes’s scoring drought, but Black scored twice more inside to keep the visitors ahead, 74-77, with 2 minutes to go. ASVEL kept it up defensively, not allowing a field goal the rest of the way, as De Colo and Black sealed the deal.

The French side ruined coach Luca Banchi’s debut on Efes bench