AS Monaco came up with a strong defensive showing on Friday night to snap a frustrating two-game losing skid and clear their collective minds ahead of the holiday period. 

Monaco clears minds to end skid, beats Bayern with defense 

[AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/) came up with a strong defensive showing on Friday night to snap a frustrating two-game losing skid and clear their collective minds ahead of the holiday period. 

Monaco put on a show with [FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/mun/) in town, romping to a 103-77 win and improving to 10-7, including a 6-2 mark at home. 

Bayern started the game better and opened a 2-11 lead before finding itself 8-17 up, but Monaco went on a 20-2 run to open a nine-point lead. Monaco started the second half with a 10-2 spurt and then finished off Bayern for good with a 20-3 surge later in the third quarter. 

“We haven’t been playing our best basketball, but we had to hang our hat on defense and execute on offense and share the ball. And that’s what we did tonight and we scored over 100 points. It’s important to keep this momentum,” said [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/), who collected 12 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists. 

“Defensively I think we guarded the ball well and guarded the three-point line well because they are good shooters. And I am happy we came out with the win.”  

AS Monaco-FC Bayern Munich | Round 17 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

The Bayern game came after Monaco wasted a 17-point lead in the third quarter in losing at home to Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 86-92 in Round 15 and then lost 85-73 to Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz earlier in the week.

Monaco really shared the wealth offensively against Bayern, with seven players scoring in double figures. The team’s index rating of 147 set a new club record and was the season high for any EuroLeague team this season. 

[Elie Okobo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elie-okobo/011212/) scored 18 points, [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-mirotic/000796/) had 16, [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) totaled 14 points and 6 assists, while [Kevarrius Hayes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kevarrius-hayes/010390/) chipped in 11 points, [Daniel Theis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/daniel-theis/004132/) added 10 points, and [Matthew Strazel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/matthew-strazel/008099/) tallied 10 points and 5 assists. 

“We had two losses in the previous two games and we said we had to clean our mind and kind of get a fresh start. And we did a great job,” said Okobo, who also dished out 4 assists. “Our main focus was defensively. They didn’t score many points and everybody was involved – hustle plays, everybody fighting for each other. And we came out with a win at home before Christmas. It was very good for us.”

Head coach Vassilis Spanoulis was happy about how his team responded after the two losses.

“I think we played good basketball. We came back with a good performance. After the first 5-6 minutes, we dominated the game and we were great on both ends of the floor. We have to keep playing like this, keep improving and keep being consistent,” Spanoulis said. 

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">😤 𝑯𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆<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/KsZsmRZ9Vz">pic.twitter.com/KsZsmRZ9Vz</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/2002124098332471606?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Bayern, for its part, probably is thrilled this game is over. This was the seventh consecutive road game in the EuroLeague for the team, and Gordon Herbert’s men lost all seven to fall to 5-12. Bayern, which has lost eight games in a row, had a couple of close games in that stretch – dropping two games by two points, one by one point and another by seven points. Bayern also has played three of its last four games in German competitions on the road. 

Bayern shot just 31.0% from long range, was outrebounded 41-25 and allowed Monaco to shoot 71.4% on two-pointers and 40.0% from long range. [Oscar da Silva](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/oscar-da-silva/011244/) paced Bayern with 13 points.

“We played a good first seven minutes and then they dominated us the last 33 minutes. Their physicality, their ability to make shots really hurt us,” said Herbert.

There could be some relief coming soon as Bayern play six of its next seven games at home. Maybe the men from Munich will soon have a chance to clear their minds as well.

Game News

While Vassilis Spanoulis's side bounced back, the visitors' road woes continued

AS Monaco v FC Bayern Munich (2025-12-19T18:30:00.000Z)

A chunk of late-game luck and another clutch performance by its unstoppable playmaker allowed Dubai Basketball to finally have a victorious ending in a road game.

A delighted McKinley Wright sets assist mark, lifts Dubai over Efes

A chunk of late-game luck and another clutch performance by its unstoppable playmaker allowed [Dubai Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/dubai-basketball/dub/) to finally have a victorious ending in a road game.

[McKinley Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mckinley-wright-iv/012606/) had a EuroLeague season-high 15 assists and scored 10 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter, while Davis Bertans netted all of his 11 points in the final period, including the team’s 3 fourth-quarter three-pointers, as Dubai secured a come-from-behind 76-80 win over [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/) on Friday night.

“We’ve been in a lot of close games on the road this year, it was about time we pulled one out,” Wright said in a EuroLeague TV interview after the dramatic win.

Dubai snapped a five-game road losing streak, which included a two-point loss in Valencia and a one-point defeat in Bologna. Now, they finally prevailed in a dramatic finale on the road, as their only other road win this season came also in Istanbul, back in October, against the defending champs Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul.

“Every road win in the EuroLeague is special. It looks like Istanbul is a happy city for us,” Dubai head coach Jurica Golemac joked.

However, a mere millimeter left or right, this could have easily been another crushing loss.

Anadolu Efes Istanbul-Dubai Basketball | Round 17 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

After Dubai erased a 10-point third quarter deficit thanks to Bertans's long-range shooting and Wright making play after play, the visitors seemed in control when Wright made a short jumper to make it 72-76 in the last minute. Efes forward [Ercan Osmani](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ercan-osmani/012710/) answered with a triple, 75-76, but Wright was calm from the free-throw line to make it a three-point game.

Dubai was in an even better position when [Nick Weiler-Babb](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nick-weiler-babb/010391/) could only split free throws with 9.8 seconds to go. Dubai had a 76-78 lead and possession, however a bad inbound pass resulted in a turnover, giving Efes new life.

To make things worse, [Justin Anderson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/justin-anderson/012795/) and Bertans had a defensive miscommunication on the ensuing possession, and [Jordan Loyd](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jordan-loyd/009754/) was left all alone on a three-pointer. His shot looked straight on target as some of the Dubai players watched it in disbelief with hands on their head, but the shot somehow rolled out.

Those few seconds seemed like a lifetime, but Dubai pulled down a rebound and finally prevailed.

“In the end, we had a little bit of luck, but I think bravery through the whole game gave us the win, and I think we deserved it,” Coach Golemac pointed out.

The outcome also gave Wright a right to celebrate his memorable performance.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Double-double done the Wright way! <a href="https://t.co/1Qhb7gipVC">pic.twitter.com/1Qhb7gipVC</a></p>&mdash; Dubai Basketball (@dubaibasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/dubaibasket/status/2002099593014919382?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The Dubai playmaker had a career night just three days ago when he collected 26 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds, but it came in a nail-biting defeat at home to Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv. This time, all those fourth-quarter baskets made the difference.

“Justin Anderson does a great job of telling me it’s time,” Wright revealed about his clutch performances. “My teammates and my coaching staff believe in me with the ball in my hands in the fourth quarter. And I am just trying to stay confident and stay within the flow, and just make the right reads.”

Wright was also not shy to admit the reason why he was delighted about finishing the night with 15 assists.

“It’s my career high, in general,” Wright stressed. “High school, college, AAU \[basketball\], whatever. It feels good. Shout-out to my guys making shots, especially Bertans down the stretch.”

Looking at the big picture and taking a peak at the standings, Dubai is only one win away from the postseason places. The UAE-based team will play its last game of the calendar year at home against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan next week. A win would allow Dubai to take an even 9-9 record into 2026.

Considering the injuries, its relative EuroLeague inexperience, and the travel the team has endured, it’s quite an accomplishment for the competition newcomers.

And if Wright continues to play the best basketball of his career, who knows what the second part of the regular season could hold for Dubai.

It was once again McKinley Wright time as the Dubai playmaker scored all of his team's clutch points and set a season high in assists in a long-awaited narrow road win

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Dubai Basketball (2025-12-19T17:30:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas bounced back in style from a pair of bruising home defeats with a comprehensive 109-68 drubbing of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, which completed a miserable week for the Serbian side after a 68-86 home loss by Virtus Bologna in the previous round.

Zalgiris sets double club record in demolishing Partizan

[Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/zal/) bounced back in style from a pair of bruising home defeats with a comprehensive 109-68 drubbing of [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/), which completed a miserable week for the Serbian side after a 68-86 home loss by Virtus Bologna in the previous round.

Apart from improving to 10-7, Zalgiris set new EuroLeague club records in points scored and margin of victory on the back of a flawless performance which had Partizan (6-11) on the back foot from the start.

Big man [Moses Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/moses-wright/012878/) took full advantage of the absence of injured Partizan center [Tyrique Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tyrique-jones/011981/), toying with his markers in the paint at both ends to rack up 17 points and 6 boards, while [Sylvain Francisco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sylvain-francisco/007975/) topped the scoring again with a game-high 22 points.

Zalgiris Kaunas-Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade | Round 17 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Having lost to Anadolu Efes Istanbul 64-87 in Round 16 after going down to Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv 65-83 in Round 14 on home court, Zalgiris was under pressure to deliver and responded superbly as the hosts dished out 26 assists and collected 41 rebounds.

Zalgiris also shot an impressive 34-of-46 (73.9% 2FG) from inside and a solid 9-of-22 (40.9% 3FG) from downtown, leaving Partizan trailing in the home team’s wake throughout.

“I want to thank my teammates, my family and everybody close to me for this one,” a delighted Wright said in his post-game comments. “It was fun and I felt like the crowd was into the game from the tipoff and when we have them behind us we can do anything. We have a big game coming up against Panathinaikos, so this huge win should keep the momentum going.”

Head coach Tomas Masiulis highlighted that aggressive defense set Zalgiris on its way from the off. “We gave (Partizan) nothing for free and we committed some smart fouls,” he said. “Every win in the EuroLeague means a lot to me and I am happy that our fans kept supporting us after we played really bad in the previous two games.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BIGGEST EuroLeague win in club’s history. 🥵<br><br>This is BC ZALGIRIS KAUNAS. 😤 <a href="https://t.co/ayLUlAw410">pic.twitter.com/ayLUlAw410</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/2002125519157133506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Apart from Francisco and Wright, [Ignas Brazdeikis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ignas-brazdeikis/011983/) was also instrumental for Zalgiris as he pulled the strings at both ends having chipped in with 15 points, 3 boards and 2 assists. [Nigel Williams-Goss](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-williams-goss/007982/) netted 12 points and [Laurynas Birutis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/laurynas-birutis/005504/) added 11, including a pair of big dunks which put the icing on the cake in the final minute.

“This is a huge one for us as we lost a couple of games at home, so this one was for the fans,” Brazdeikis said. “We needed to show fight and spirit, compete harder than the other team, and that’s what we did. We always said that we had to stay together through the hard times and the good times, always working as a team.”

Having briefly revived its campaign with a pair of successive wins after head coach Zeljko Obradovic stepped down to make way for interim replacement Mirko Ocokoljic, Partizan has been cut down to size with another crisis looming after a couple of shambolic performances.

“We need to get home and sit down all together, not just the players but also the people running the club,” a grim-looking Ocokoljic said. “We need to analyze what to do next because this was unacceptable. It was perhaps my fault too for thinking that the players would do a better job tonight but obviously they weren’t ready to compete.”

The outcome also spelled the most points conceded by Partizan in a EuroLeague game and the club’s second-heaviest defeat in the competition, only behind the 42-point defeat (88-46) it suffered at CSKA Moscow in the 2013-14 season.

The Lithuanian giant broke records in points scored and margin of victory with a blistering performance

Zalgiris Kaunas v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2025-12-19T18:00:00.000Z)

Check out how your team got on in Round 17 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season.

Game Center: Round 17

## Friday, December 19

### [Anadolu Efes Istanbul 76-80 Dubai Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/anadolu-efes-istanbul-dubai-basketball/E2025/165/)

Dubai picked up its second road win of the season, holding on to a 76-80 win over Efes on Friday night. Dubai improved to an 8-9 record in its debut EuroLeague season, while Efes dropped to 6-11, losing for the sixth time in nine home games. 

Dubai was down by 10 points in the third quarter as it did not make a single three-pointer until Davis Bertans knocked down three triples early in the fourth quarter to get Dubai in front. But it was McKinley Wright who closed out the deal, scoring 10 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter, including all clutch baskets as the game went down to the wire. 

Wright also dished a EuroLeague season-high 15 assists to lead Dubai, which also got 20 points and 7 rebounds from Mfiondu Kabngele and 14 points from Filip Petrusev. For Efes, in head coach Pablo Laso’s first home game, Nick Weiler-Babb, Rolands Smits and Rodrigue Beaubois each scored 12 points.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">LET’S GET IT! Big time W on the road in another thriller! 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/W7N6Y4WrHE">pic.twitter.com/W7N6Y4WrHE</a></p>&mdash; Dubai Basketball (@dubaibasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/dubaibasket/status/2002103798156964256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Zalgiris Kaunas 109-68 Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/zalgiris-kaunas-partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/E2025/170/)

Zalgiris improved to 10-7 and made amends for a crushing home defeat by Efes with a 109-68 demolition of visiting Partizan, as the Serbian side dropped to 6-11 after a second successive defeat this week.

The home side made a bright start and powered by tough defense which forced a lot of contested shots from Partizan, Zalgiris thrived on aggressive half-court pressure and carved out a massive 28-15 advantage at the end of the first quarter. The hosts kept their feet on the gas in the second and romped away into a 53-30 halftime lead, with Partizan looking completely at sea as big man Moses Wright dominated the paint at both ends, racking up 12 points and 6 boards. Relentless Zalgiris kept going at full throttle and led 82-47 ahead of the final 10 minutes, closing out the third quarter with a 7-0 run. There was no letting up from Zalgiris in the fourth quarter either, as the hosts opened up a staggering 97-57 advantage in the closing stages. The home fans were in raptures as the Lithuanian giant closed out the game in style, registering a club-record number of points and its biggest-ever win in Europe’s premier club competition.

Sylvain Francisco paced Zalgiris on a game-high 22 points, while Wright racked up 17 and 6 boards. Ignas Brazdeikis chipped in with 15 points and Nigel Williams-Goss added 12 to underline a smooth team effort. At the other end, big man Bruno Fernando stood out with 16 points and 4 boards for Partizan, while Duane Washington scored 17 points and Isaac Bonga netted 12.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">HIGHEST-SCORING ZALGIRIS PERFORMANCE IN EUROLEAGUE HISTORY. 🔥<br><br>(Presented by: Go3) <a href="https://t.co/VN7V8NZ0Dv">pic.twitter.com/VN7V8NZ0Dv</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/2002105504274002017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [AS Monaco 103-77 FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/as-monaco-fc-bayern-munich/E2025/166/)

Monaco snapped a two-game losing streak and split the double round week by collecting a 103-77 home victory over Bayern, which ended its seven-game road trip with seven losses. Monaco used a 20-2 run to go from nine points down to up 28-19 and never gave up the lead, putting the game out of reach with a 10-2 start to the second half and added a 20-3 surge to make it 80-52 late in the third quarter. 

Monaco improved to 10-7 overall and a 6-2 mark at home with seven players scoring in double figures. Elie Okobo scored 18 points, Nikola Mirotic had 16 points, Mike James totalled 14 points and 6 assists and Alpha Diallo chipped in 12 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists. Oscar da Silva scored 13 points to pace Bayern, which dropped to 5-11 and 1-8 on the road. Six of Bayern’s next seven games will be at home. 

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">✅ 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞.<br><br>👏 Super match collectif de la <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> pour retrouver le chemin de la victoire en Europe !<br><br>🗓️ On se retrouve à nouveau à la Salle Gaston Médecin ce dimanche à 15h pour le match 🆚 <a href="https://twitter.com/Nanterre92?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Nanterre92</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/mLAWjqx0kM">pic.twitter.com/mLAWjqx0kM</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/2002111903980794108?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Olympiacos Piraeus 107-84 LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/olympiacos-piraeus-ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/E2025/169/)

Olympiacos ended its three-game losing slide by defeating ASVEL 107-84 on Friday night at the Peace and Friendship Stadium. A back-and-forth affair in the opening stages was followed by a dominant display by the hosts, who opened a double-digit lead by the end of the first quarter and maintained it throughout to clinch their fifth straight home victory against the French side.

The Reds got back to winning ways and improved their record to 9-7, while ASVEL, which is yet to win on the road, dropped to 4-13. Tyler Dorsey led all scorers with 22 points and Evan Fournier netted a season-high 21, with Sasha Vezenkov scoring 17. Shaquille Harrison and Edwin Jackson had 11 and 10, respectively, in a losing effort.

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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> - ASVEL 107-84 <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/OLYASV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OLYASV</a> <a href="https://t.co/7mtOpqvy0V">pic.twitter.com/7mtOpqvy0V</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/2002123153750053055?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [FC Barcelona 134-124 Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/fc-barcelona-kosner-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/E2025/168/)

On a night of records, Barcelona needed three overtimes to beat Baskonia 134-124 on an unforgettable night at Palau Blaugrana on Friday. Barcelona improved to 12-5 in the standings, going joint top, and is on a five-game winning streak. Baskonia dropped to 6-11 after a heartbreaking loss, its 17th straight road defeat.

Kevin Punter led the winners with 43 points, a new career high and Barca's new scoring record. Tomas Satoransky added 23, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Willy Hernangomez and Will Clyburn, who left the game with an injury, each had 12 while Dario Brizuela got 11 for Barca. Markus Howard led Baskonia with 33 points on 6-of-8 two-pointers and 6-of-7 three-pointers. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot added 26 points while Mamadi Dikaite and Khalifa Diop each had 14 for Baskonia. 

Barca rallied from a 13-point deficit to take a 97-94 lead in the final minute of regulation. Howard sent the game to a first overtime with a huge three-pointer. Hernangomez made free throws for a 106-106 score after 45 minutes. Baskonia took a 107-116 lead right after that, but Punter had 13 of his team's next 15 points to force a third overtime, 122-122. Satoransky, Hernangomez and Punter fueled a 12-0 run that sealed a historical game, the highest-scoring contest in EuroLeague history.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">QUINA BOGERIAAAAAAA <a href="https://t.co/PiodOI7f8K">pic.twitter.com/PiodOI7f8K</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/2002142848741691542?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 90-89 Virtus Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade-virtus-bologna/E2025/167/)

Crvena Zvezda narrowly defeated Virtus 90-89 in a highly dramatic matchup at Belgrade Arena on Friday night. After 19 total lead changes, the hosts were able to secure the 1-point victory.

Codi Miller-Mcintrye played the starring role for the winners, adding 10 assists and 4 boards to his 21-point scoring performance, hitting 9 of his 14 shot attempts. Jordan Nwora recorded 20 points and 3 rebounds. Chima Moneke and Semi Ojeleye also reached double figures in scoring on their way to victory. As he is so often, Carsen Edwards was a standout for Virtus, leading the way with 29 points and hitting clutch shots to keep his team in the game.

The teams went back and forth for the majority of the opening period until Zvezda pulled away to open a notable advantage. Virtus increased its effort, however, and tied the ball game before stealing the lead just before halftime. A Virtus shooting barrage then pushed the visitors further ahead, but Zvezda pushed back to tie the contest. Virtus consistently edged ahead for most of the fourth quarter, but both teams made major shots in the closing minute to exchange leads. Ultimately, the final blow was landed when Jared Butler found himself open for a scrappy layup and Sasa Obradovic’s men earned the slim victory to move to 10-7 for the season. The result moves the Italian side to 8-9, but they’ll be encouraged by the strong performance.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="sr" dir="ltr">Победа над Виртусом у неизвесној завршници 🤩<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/KJ9mTw29jT">pic.twitter.com/KJ9mTw29jT</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/2002136859288490298?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Thursday, December 18

### [Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv 85-82 Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/maccabi-rapyd-tel-aviv-valencia-basket/E2025/162/)

Maccabi inched closer to the playoff picture by extending its longest winning streak of the season to four games by surviving against Valencia, winning 85-82 to sweep the double-round week. Valencia opened an eight-point lead in the first quarter, but Maccabi was up by six after the first 20 minutes. The hosts extended the cushion to 10 points in the third quarter and led by 12 points with under 5 minutes to play. Maccabi fell apart down the stretch and allowed Valencia to make it a one-possession game before holding on for the win. 

Maccabi improved to 7-10 thanks to Lonnie Walker pacing five players in double figures with 14 points. Iffe Lundberg added 12 points and 7 assists, and Jimmy Clark and TJ Leaf both scored 11 points. Valencia saw its five-game winning streak snapped as it fell to 11-6, despite Kameron Taylor’s 15 points and 14 points from Brancou Badio.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="iw" dir="rtl">המכבים שוב מנצחים בירושלים! 💪 <br>סיקור וסטטיסטיקה &gt;&gt; <a href="https://t.co/lR2gsPL6J1">https://t.co/lR2gsPL6J1</a> <a href="https://t.co/A0aDxzdiep">pic.twitter.com/A0aDxzdiep</a></p>&mdash; Maccabi Tel Aviv BC (@MaccabiTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabiTLVBC/status/2001762978358493291?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens 93-82 Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-hapoel-ibi-tel-aviv/E2025/163/)

Panathinaikos ended the double-round week in style by beating EuroLeague leader Hapoel 93-82 on Thursday night at Telekom Center Athens. A first half of runs saw an inspired Hapoel take a 41-45 lead at halftime, but Panathinaikos tightened up its defense in the second half and held the visitors to 36 points to grab a second straight victory. The hosts got back to winning ways in Athens and improved their record to 11-6, with Hapoel snapping its three-game winning streak and dropping to 12-5.

Unsurprisingly, Kendrick Nunn led all scorers with 19 points, followed by Cedi Osman, who bagged 17. Tyler Ennis paced Hapoel with 16 points and Antonio Blakeney netted 15, with Elijah Bryant and Collin Malcolm scoring 14 each.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Final Score ☘️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/paobcaktor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#paobcaktor</a> - <a href="https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HapoelTLVBC</a> 93-82<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeTheGreens?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeTheGreens</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Club1908?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Club1908</a> <a href="https://t.co/QTVQLs19Nn">pic.twitter.com/QTVQLs19Nn</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr/status/2001764603273839023?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 72-87 Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/ea7-emporio-armani-milan-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2025/161/)

Fenerbahce coasted to a 72-87 victory at Allianz Cloud on Thursday night, improving to 10-6 while Milan dropped to 9-8. Bonzie Colson produced a flawless individual performance and the visitors enjoyed a sound shooting night from downtown.

Fenerbahce took advantage of Milan’s jittery start on offense and conjured a 2-9 lead before the hosts hit back with a 7-0 run to draw level. Powered by ironclad defense and some good shooting from deep, the visitors responded with an 8-0 streak to surge ahead 11-19 at the end of the first quarter. Fenerbahce stayed in control through most of the second and led 32-40 at halftime thanks to Colson, who tormented Milan from long range. The hosts played catchup in the third and were able to slash the deficit to 55-56 ahead of the final 10 minutes thanks to a pair of three-pointers from Shavon Shields. That was as good as it got for Milan, though, as Fenerbahce pulled away into a 65-78 lead midway through the fourth and held on to close out the game.

Talen Horton-Tucker paced Fenerbahce on a game-high 23 points while the effervescent Colson sank 20, shooting 5-of-5 from downtown. Tarik Biberovic chipped in with 14 points and Wade Baldwin added 13 to round up a smooth team effort. At the other end, Armoni Brooks netted 18 points for Milan while Marko Guduric and Quinn Ellis scored 13 each.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Milano’da Maç Bizim! 💪<br><br>Tebrikler Fenerbahçe Beko! 👏<br><br>Maç Sonucu | Emporio Armani Milan 🆚 Fenerbahçe Beko: 72-87<br><br>Skor dağılımımız: Horton-Tucker 23, Colson 20, Biberovic 14, Baldwin 13, Boston Jr. 11, Hall 4, Melli 2. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://t.co/ESA4xTuFRH">pic.twitter.com/ESA4xTuFRH</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/2001765913708593168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Real Madrid 95-90 Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/real-madrid-paris-basketball/E2025/164/)

Real Madrid stayed strong at home to overcome Paris, 95-90, in a thriller on Thursday night. A back-and-forth first half saw Paris take an interval lead, 49-50, and the visitors stayed ahead until midway through the fourth quarter, when Real surged to a thrilling victory by dominating the final exchanges. The Spanish team improves to 10-7, while Paris drops to 5-12 after six straight losses.

Theo Maledon was the star of the show, leading the way with 21 points and also netting the one millionth point in EuroLeague history. He was supported by 16 points from Walter Tavares, while Trey Lyles scored 10 of his 14 in the final period. Paris was powered by 19 points from Jared Rhoden, while Yakuba Ouattara scored 14 and Sebastian Herrera (12), Lamar Stevens (11), Nadir Hifi (11) and Amath Mbaye (10) also scored in double digits.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">🏁 FP: <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RMBaloncesto</a> 95 - 90 <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ParisBasketball</a> <a href="https://t.co/2Ebzp09FpY">pic.twitter.com/2Ebzp09FpY</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/2001768193455722958?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Maccabi, Panathinaikos, Fenerbahce and Real Madrid were all triumphant on Thursday night

Game Center: Barça beats Baskonia in 3OT thriller!! Dubai, Zalgiris, Monaco, Oly, Zvezda all win

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Virtus Bologna (2025-12-19T19:45:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona v Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2025-12-19T19:30:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2025-12-19T19:15:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v Paris Basketball (2025-12-18T19:45:00.000Z)

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2025-12-18T19:30:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (2025-12-18T19:15:00.000Z)

Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv v Valencia Basket (2025-12-18T19:05:00.000Z)

Stay up to date with the latest information provided by the EuroLeague clubs ahead of Round 17 of the 2025-26 season.

Injury report: Round 17

## Friday, December 19

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Dubai Basketball (18:30 CET)

##### Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Ercani Osmani is once again questionable while Shane Larkin, PJ Dozier, Georgios Papagiannis and Burakcan Yildizli are again ruled out for Efes's game against Dubai on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- Forward Ercan Osmani did not play in Round 16.
- [Shane Larkin will be out until early February](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/shane-larkin-undergoes-groin-surgery-out-for-two-months/) after undergoing groin surgery, the club announced on December 3.
- PJ Dozier is out for 4-6 weeks with a thigh tear, [the club confirmed on November 10](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/pj-dozier-to-miss-4-6-weeks-with-thigh-tear/).
- [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.

##### Dubai Basketball

Dzanan Musa, Boogie Ellis, Nate Mason and Mam Jaiteh are out, Klemen Prepelic and Dwayne Bacon are questionable, while Aleksa Avramovic is doubtful for Dubai's game at Efes on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- Aleksa Avramovic returned to action in Round 16 and is doubtful for Round 17.
- Klemen Prepelic last played in Round 13. He has made the trip to Turkiye for this game, [as revealed by Dubai's X account](https://x.com/dubaibasket/status/2001363742681108867), and is questionable for Round 17.
- Dwayne Bacon is sidelined after being diagnosed with a [fracture of his right thumb](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/dubais-dwayne-bacon-sidelined-with-thumb-fracture/). He last played in Round 11 and is questionable for Round 17.
- Boogie Ellis last played in Round 13 due to a right hamstring injnury.
- Dzanan Musa has been out since Round 2 with a knee injury.
- Nate Mason, who hasn't played this season, has undergone a discectomy after sustaining a cervical injury during practice.
- Summer signing Mam Jaiteh suffered an Achilles injury and will be sidelined for the remainder of the season.

### Zalgiris Kaunas vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (19:00 CET)

##### Zalgiris Kaunas

Zalgiris has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Partizan on Friday.

- Arnas Butkevicius remained unavailable in Round 16. He last played in Round 14.
- Dovydas Giedratis returned to action in Round 16.

##### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade

Tyrique Jones is out due to a muscle injury, joining four other unavailable players - Miika Muurinen, Aleksej Pokusevski, Carlik Jones and Mario Nakic - for Partizan's game at Zalgiris on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- Miika Muurinen did not play in Round 16 due to an ankle injury.
- Aleksej Pokusevski suffered an ankle injury in Round 14 and has yet to return.
- Carlik Jones (ankle), who last played in Round 5, is not expected to return this week.
- Mario Nakic has been sidelined with a knee problem.

### AS Monaco vs. FC Bayern Munich (19:30 CET)

##### AS Monaco

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

- Nemanja Nedovic last played in Round 14.

##### FC Bayern Munich

Bayern has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Monaco on Friday.

- Kamar Baldwin was a late scratch for Round 10 and has not played since.
- Justus Hollatz last played in Round 14.
- Leon Kratzer last played in Round 11.
- [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 16 rounds.

### Olympiacos Piraeus vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (20:15 CET)

##### Olympiacos Piraeus

Tyson Ward, Shaquielle McKissic, Keenan Evans, Moustapha Fall and Monte Morris will miss Olympiacos's game against ASVEL on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- New Olympiacos [signing Monte Morris](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monte-morris-joins-olympiacos-bc/) has not yet been registered.
- Tyson Ward last played in Round 13 due to an injury.
- Shaquielle McKissic last played in Round 11.
- Keenan Evans missed the first nine rounds as he recovered from a knee injury, but [he ruptured his Achilles just two minutes into his return in Round 10](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/keenan-evans-suffers-achilles-rupture-in-euroleague-return/).
- [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.

##### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

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

- Armel Traore returned to action in Round 16.
- Nando De Colo left ASVEL's Round 16 win over Bayern with an injury.
- [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 due to a heel injury.

### FC Barcelona vs. Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (20:30 CET)

##### FC Barcelona

Tornike Shengelia and Juan Nunez are out while Jan Vesely and Nico Laprovittola are questionable for Barcelona's game against Baskonia on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- Tornike Shengelia missed Round 16 with groin pain and will not play in Round 17.
- Jan Vesely left Sunday's Spanish League game with an ankle injury. He did not play in Round 16.
- Joel Parra suffered a broken nose against Olympiacos in Round 15. He did play in Round 16, however.
- Nico Laprovittola is out for four weeks with an adductor injury, [Barcelona confirmed on November 26](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/barcas-nico-laprovittola-out-4-weeks-with-adductor-injury/).
- [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.

##### Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

Baskonia has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Barcelona on Friday.

- Tadas Sedekerskis underwent ankle surgery, [Baskonia announced on its website](https://www.baskonia.com/es/noticias/parte-medico-tadas-sedekerskis-5) on December 11. He last played in Round 11.
- Eugene Omoruyi made his debut in Round 16.

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. Virtus Bologna (20:45 CET)

##### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade

Chima Moneke is back with the team while Ognjen Dobric, Isaiah Caanan, Joel Bolomboy, Jasiel Rivero, Tyson Carter and Uros Plavsic are all out for Crvena Zvezda's game against Virtus on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- Chima Moneke last played in Round 14 due to an Achilles problem, but is back with the team.
- Ognjen Dobric sustained an injury in Round 14. He has not played since.
- Yago dos Santos last played in Round 12 due to a leg injury, but has returned in the domestic league action.
- 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. He has been discharged from hospital and will continue his treatment at home.
- 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.

##### Virtus Bologna

Dusko Ivanovic has his entire roster available for Virtus's game at Crvena Zvezda on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- Brandon Taylor was available for selection but was not included on the game-day roster for Round 16.

## Thursday, December 18

### Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv vs. Valencia Basket (20:05 CET)

##### Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv

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

- New signing Zach Hankins was on the game-day roster for Round 16 but did not make his EuroLeague debut.
- [Jeff Dowtin Jr. is expected to be out until February](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/maccabi-jeff-dowtin-out-six-weeks-with-foot-injury/) with a torn ligament in his foot.

##### Valencia Basket

Xabi Lopez-Arostegui is the only played ruled out for Valencia's game at Maccabi on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Braxton Key returned to action in Round 16.
- Xabi Lopez-Arostegui has been ruled out for the last three rounds and is again unavailable in Round 17.
- Sergio De Larrea was not on the game-day roster for Round 16, but he was available for selection.
- Yankuba Sima was not on the game-day roster for Round 16, but he was available for selection.

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (20:15 CET)

##### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens

Richaun Holmes has been upgraded to questionable while Mathias Lessort is ruled out for Panathinaikos's game against Hapoel on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Cedi Osman returned to action in Round 16.
- Richaun Holmes has been out with a knee injury since Round 7, but he is listed as questionable for Round 17.
- Mathias Lessort, still recovering from an injury, is yet to play this season.

##### Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv

Hapoel has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Panathinaikos on Thursday.

- Guy Palatin missed the last four rounds with a back injury.

- [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.

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (20:30 CET)

##### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan

Nico Mannion, Nate Sestina, Stefano Tonut, Ousmane Diop and Diego Flaccadori are ruled out for Milan's game against Fenerbahce on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Lorenzo Brown returned to action in Round 16.
- Leandro Bolmaro left last week’s game with an injury and did not play in Round 16, but he is not on the injury list for Round 17.
- Diego Flaccadori is not fit to play in Round 17.
- Nico Mannion suffered a nasal fracture during practice, [the club announced on December 4](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/nico-mannion-suffers-nasal-fracture-during-practice/). He remains sidelined for Round 17.
- Ousmane Diop had arthroscopic knee surgery, [the club announced on December 4](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/ousmane-diop-has-arthroscopic-knee-surgery/). He remains sidelined for Round 17.
- Stefano Tonut has missed the last five rounds. He remains sidelined for Round 17.
- Nate Sestina picked up a triceps injury in Round 10 and has not played since. He remains sidelined for Round 17.

##### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

Mikael Jantunen, Onuralp Bitim and Scottie Wilbekin are ruled out for Fenerbahce's game at Milan on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Mikael Jantunen has not played since Round 13. He remains sidelined for Round 17.
- Onuralp Bitim suffered an ankle injury, [the club announced on December 2](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-loses-onuralp-bitim-to-ankle-injury/). He remains sidelined for Round 17.
- Scottie Wilbekin is receiving treatment for knee swelling, [the club confirmed on November 10](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/scottie-wilbekin-receiving-treatment-for-knee-swelling/). He remains sidelined for Round 17.

### Real Madrid vs. Paris Basketball (20:45 CET)

##### Real Madrid

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

- Usman Garuba did not play in Round 16.

##### Paris Basketball

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

- Lamar Stevens did not feature in Round 15, but he returned to action in Round 16.
- Yakuba Ouattara did not play in Round 16.
- Derek Willis last played in Round 13.
- Ismael Bako last played in Round 13.

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

Injury report, Round 17: Moneke back; Tyrique Jones, Shengelia out; Prepelic, Bacon questionable

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 17 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub: Round 17

## Friday, December 19

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Dubai Basketball (18:30 CET)

**Pablo Laso, Efes head coach**

"Of course, it will be a difficult game, as all games in the EuroLeague are. Dubai Basketball has had a great season so far. Although it is their first year in the EuroLeague, they have several experienced players who have played at this level in EuroLeague for years, along with some who have NBA experience. So, no doubt it would be a tough game for us. Personally, this will be my first home game, and I am very happy to experience the incredible atmosphere. With our busy schedule, it’s possible that Dubai will arrive in Istanbul even before we do. We need to move past whatever just happened - good or bad - and quickly prepare ourselves for another big game. As I’ve said before, we need everyone ready, because this will be a long journey and we must be prepared every game."

**Jordan Loyd, Efes guard**

"Dubai is a great team with a lot of weapons. Obviously, we need to be locked in on individual defensive assignments, but collectively we must also be on the same page. Right now, we feel we can build on our previous games, and our goal is to keep moving in the right direction, day by day. Ultimately, it’s more about us and the progress our team is making, step by step. We appreciate our fans for their constant support, and we can’t wait to see them against Dubai."

**Jurica Golemac, Dubai head coach**

"Every opponent in the EuroLeague is the same, very tough. They are injured, but some of them have come back, which for sure is very important for them. So they are playing lately very good with a different energy, with a different system, I would say. So we're going to need to be very physical, need to be very, very good in the closing our rebounds and try to run as much as we can. On the road, it's very important to get easy baskets."

**McKinley Wright, Dubai guard**

"It's going to be tough. It will be great atmosphere, I'm assuming. \[Efes has\] a new coach, a new style of basketball they're playing. They're moving the ball a lot. They got a lot of talented guys over there, got a really good big man down there in the center of the paint. I'm sure it'll be physical. It'll be a tough environment. We got to just try to be more physical and get out of this run and transition as much as possible. They're sharing the ball really well right now. I watched them play, they got a big road win at Zalgiris last night. I know it's hard to win there. They play team collective basketball. So we just got to try to take them out of transition, take their shooters away, make them drivers, and make their drivers shoot."

### Zalgiris Kaunas vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (19:00 CET)

**Mirko Ocokoljic, Partizan head coach**

"We have a tough game ahead. We’re playing against a team that includes top Lithuanian players along with several international players, led by Nigel Williams-Goss, Sylvain Francisco and Moses Wright. They were the biggest surprise at the start of the EuroLeague season. However, they had a slightly weaker performance \[on Wednesday\], similar to us. We need to analyze our mistakes and approach the game differently than we did \[against Virtus\]."

**Shake Milton, Partizan guard**

"We need to prepare for Zalgiris by watching the game footage. It’s a long season, so we have to stay focused and find the right energy. We need to play smarter and make sure we don’t repeat the same mistakes."

### AS Monaco vs. FC Bayern Munich (19:30 CET)

**Vassilis Spanoulis, Monaco head coach**

"We're going through a rough patch right now. We're not playing at the level we want to be at, and we're not producing good basketball. We need to find a solution, and that starts with bringing the right energy to the court from the get-go. We need to find consistency and rise up together. That's how we'll rediscover our basketball and our principles of play. A season is long, and it's normal to have ups and downs."

**Gordon Herbert, Bayern head coach**

"It's about how we execute our attacks on offense; we finally have to take better care of the ball. We have to value possession more, and allow fewer easy baskets on defense. Monaco is one of the most talented teams in the EuroLeague and they're playing at home. It's going to be a tough challenge. The guys always give their all and fight hard, but we definitely need to improve a few things."

### Olympiacos Piraeus vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (20:15 CET)

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos head coach**

"ASVEL is a solid team, a team that plays hard. Many of the games they have lost were decided in the final three to five minutes. They fight everywhere; you saw that they beat Bayern, they never give up in any game. I think it’s unnecessary to say it every time, but every EuroLeague game is difficult, every game hides traps. You have to play well if you want to win, and I think everyone can draw that conclusion from \[Round 16's\] results as well. There is no easy game, and that’s how we need to approach it."

**Frank Ntilikina, Olympiacos guard**

"It’s always nice to play against familiar faces. It will be a big game, especially for us since we need the win, particularly at home. We always talk in the locker room and with the coaching staff about how to improve, whether we’ve won or lost. There is always room for improvement."

### FC Barcelona vs. Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (20:30 CET)

**Xavi Pascual, Barcelona head coach**

"We have to follow this line of being ambitious, of having this motivation to win every game, and knowing how to do it well, too. When you win several games in a row, you also have to continue wanting to win another time and not to relax mentally. If you relax a little bit in the EuroLeague, or the Spanish League, the other team can beat you. Beyond that, each game has different characteristics. We have to play against a rival that is doing very well. In the last 10 games Baskonia has been 6-4, with a winning record. By beating Monaco, they have proved they are in a great moment, with very good scorers, with good players, a very difficult team that we will have to face on Friday at Palau. We are a team. Everyone has to contribute, everyone has to be there. It is a very long season and we need everyone here, and everyone is doing it. When it's their turn, they do it. I am very happy about that. We are in the month of December, there is no possibility of dropping any player, much less. On the contrary, we need all of them. Toko \[Shengelia\] needs a little more time. Jan \[Vesely\] is questionable until the last moment, I don't know if we will have him or not. And for Lapro \[Nico Laprovittola\], we are more optimistic, but we will also wait until the last moment. Let's see how today's practice goes to be able to decide."

**Will Clyburn, Barcelona forward**

"Everybody is on the same page here. We are playing well together. It's always good when you win. Everybody is always there for you when you win. Obviously, we are just in a good level right now and that's how the season goes sometimes. The team is doing a great job this year. We are fighting, playing for each other and buying into the coach's system, doing exactly what he tells us to do, and we are finding a way to get wins. And anytime you can do that, it's always a great year. We know that we can't give up 100 points or 90 points to win games. Obviously, always our offense is not going to be the best, so we have to kind of depend on the defensive end to get stops and try to stop them as much as possible, even when we are having tough scoring nights. We are going to have guys that are going to have off days, off weeks, and it was always for the next guy to step up and do their thing. So it's always next guy up, in my opinion. And that's what a team is for, to watch each other's back and pick up when other guys are kind of slacking. So hopefully one day when I'm slacking or not playing the best, someone else is going to pick up from me as well."

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. Virtus Bologna (20:45 CET)

**Sasha Obradovic, Crvena Zvezda head coach**

"We need to rest well, because we need energy compared to this schedule and a slightly shorter rotation. We did one training session after \[the game in\] Jerusalem, where you can't go into too much detail. Although Virtus is a very demanding opponent. The way they play can cause you problems. Not only for us, they have beaten many teams already. They have serious chemistry. They immediately found an answer after the defeat in Milan and played really dominantly on Wednesday. They are versatile on offense, although we know that the X-factors are \[Carsen\] Edwards and \[Matt\] Morgan. We have to be careful on defense."

**Jared Butler, Crvena Zvezda guard**

"On a three-game losing streak, we just have to stay calm. This is not the time for us to panic, we have to pull ourselves together and continue together. Even the best teams have to suffer at some point in the season, this is a chance for us to learn. Our goal is still to be the best at the end of the season."

**Dusko Ivanovic, Virtus head coach**

"Tomorrow we will face a completely different team from the one we faced yesterday. After the change on the bench, they are playing really well: they already had a good team and now they are playing with a lot of energy, with clear ideas on how to attack. Red Star is a team that manages to create play from many one-on-one situations, with many players who can hurt you in isolation; they are probably the best team in transition and also have good solutions inside the area. To beat Red Star, we will need to play even better than yesterday."

**Alessandro Pajola, Virtus guard**

"We're definitely in for another battle, as this is another very heated ground, perhaps even more so than yesterday's. They're a team in absolutely top form. I had the opportunity to watch Red Star's match against Hapoel, a game in which they fought until the very end despite being away from home. Certainly, since they changed coaches, they have gained an extra gear in terms of energy and confidence on the court. They have also added a very important player in Jared Butler. As always, we will have to focus on ourselves, our game plan and our choices."

## Thursday, December 18

### Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv vs. Valencia Basket (20:05 CET)

**Jean Montero, Valencia guard**

"No EuroLeague game is easy. Any team can beat you on a day when you're low on energy. We have to stay focused, keep our feet on the ground, and try to win the game in Israel as well. Above all, we have to try to impose our shooting rhythm. That's going to be very important, along with defense and intensity, for the entire 40 minutes of the game."

**Neal Sako, Valencia center**

"We know they play a bit like us. I think we need to play very well together as a team and with intensity to hope to win and stop their three-game winning streak. We are a team with a lot of rotations, so we have energy until the end of the game because we play with 12 players. Other teams usually play with 10 or nine players. So I think everyone knows that this allows us to make a comeback like we did yesterday."

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (20:15 CET)

**Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos head coach**

"So far they are the best team and they are in first place. It will be a difficult game, with experienced players and a very good coach. They score a lot in the paint with \[Johnathan\] Motley and \[Dan\] Oturu. The big shots will be the key. We have to start from the first minute — everyone, players, coaches and fans — being aggressive, so they can feel they are playing at the Telekom Center Athens, a very tough arena. Everyone likes playing in this arena and in this atmosphere. Everyone must be aggressive and we must play the right basketball. We see that \[Richaun Holmes\] is healthy now. He hasn’t played for six or seven weeks, so tomorrow we’ll see if he will be on the roster and how many minutes he can play. He needs more games. It’s a difficult match and we will think about how to use him tomorrow."

**Kenneth Faried, Panathinaikos center**

"We approach it like every game. We never want to lose — the goal is always to win. We know they are first in the standings and they are a very good team, but we will play our game and go for the back-to-back. This double week has been tough for Panathinaikos, with only one day in between games, including travel and practice — basically no rest."

**Dimitris Itoudis, Hapoel head coach**

"We’re playing against Panathinaikos, one of the best EuroLeague teams of the last decades. It’s a very challenging game for us, and we accept that challenge. Both teams are coming off a win, but what matters most is the structure of the game. Panathinaikos has everything, and in the great atmosphere of OAKA, with their fans, it won’t be easy at all. Finally, it always feels special for me to come back to OAKA. The arena has been beautifully renovated, but more than that, it’s the feeling - this was my home for 13 years. So, it’s always special."

**Tyler Ennis, Hapoel guard**

"This game is a great test for us to continue improving, continue building as a team, and hopefully come out with a win."

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (20:30 CET)

**Peppe Poeta, Milan head coach**

"It will be another extremely challenging test for us against the defending champions. Fenerbahce has the best defensive organization in the entire EuroLeague, is well-coached, and has a high level of physicality that they know how to use. Our ability to have a good pace and rhythm will be crucial for us."

**Sarunas Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce head coach**

"Milano is a team that's playing very good basketball. They're on a roll. For us, it's very important to have a better game than we did against the Panathinaikos to try to react."

**Khem Birch, Fenerbahce center**

"Just got to be focused. We came off a bad loss last night. I feel like you just gotta stay focused and do what we usually do and not turn the ball over. Less turnovers and defense will be the keys for winning."

### Real Madrid vs. Paris Basketball (20:45 CET)

**Sergio Scariolo, Real Madrid head coach**

"Paris Basketball is a very special team, very different from many others. It is the team that scores the most, has the most pace and speed, scores the most from the three-point line, and is the best at offensive rebounding. It has tremendous offensive potential and great speed. In close games like the ones we've been playing lately, the first challenge will be just that: to be able to contain their transition, especially with \[Nadir\] Hifi and \[Justin\] Robinson's acceleration, and to be able to do so without losing sight of the others because Paris has many good shooters who can receive and shoot from the perimeter. That's the task at hand, and offensively, we have to be alert because Paris defends very aggressively, all over the court, throughout the game, using the “two-on-one,” and we have to be able to move the ball well. Tomorrow we have a game in which we will have to use the dribble intelligently, not abuse it, give prominence to the fast pass to find the open player, and trust in achieving a three-point shooting percentage that allows us to compete against all these teams with great shooting ability from midrange, such as Paris Basketball."

**Facundo Campazzo, Real Madrid guard**

"We expect a fast-paced game. Paris Basketball is a team that plays a lot of possessions, the most in the EuroLeague. They also score the most points and make the most three-pointers... We know what it means to play against a team like this because more and more teams are opting for this style of play. We have to try to set our pace to control the game and play good defense. When we control the defense and are aggressive at the back, we always attack fluidly and good things happen. I expect it to be a beautiful game for the fans to watch and very demanding for us. We have a good challenge ahead of us to improve on what we did yesterday."

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 17 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season

Pregame quotes, Round 17: 'This is a chance for us to learn'

From zero to a million, Sergio Scariolo has seen it all in the EuroLeague. Literally. Having coached in the EuroLeague's first-ever game, he witnessed Theo Maledon score the competition's millionth point on Thursday night.

Sergio Scariolo savors Theo Maledon-inspired success on milestone evening

From zero to a million, Sergio Scariolo has seen it all in the EuroLeague. Literally.

On October 15, 2000, a new era of European basketball tipped off as [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/) hosted [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) in the Spanish capital.

The first points of the night – and therefore of the new-look EuroLeague – were scored by visiting big man Dino Radja, but Real went on to win a tight game 75-73 to the delight of their coach… a certain Mr. Scariolo.

Fast forward more than 25 years to Thursday night, and Scariolo was there again, directing Real from the sidelines as [Theo Maledon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/theo-maledon/007027/) recorded a significant milestone by scoring the millionth point in EuroLeague history.

Real Madrid-Paris Basketball | Round 17 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

The French star’s historic three-pointer late in the first quarter was just one of his many contributions in a total of 21 points that helped Real enjoy a narrow victory – just as it did against Olympiacos all those years ago – over the visiting [Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/), 95-90.

After the game, Scariolo was happy that he had found the right combination of players to mount a fourth-quarter comeback and claim the win, saying: “Even though they were playing for a long stretch of minutes, I felt tonight those were the guys.

“In the end I think we picked up the right matchups for our isolation in the last seconds after their switches. It’s not only a matter of heart, but also of lucidity and cold blood in the last minutes.”

And linking back that comment back to his involvement in the competition’s beginnings, he teasingly added: “For someone who was in the first game overall of the EuroLeague, the lucidity is still there!”

However, asked whether he will still be around when the two millionth point comes around perhaps a couple of decades from now, Scariolo had a decidedly short answer, laughing: “No, thank you!”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">From the first basket until the 1.000.000th point 🔄<br><br>Sergio Scariolo when asked about the milestone reached today 👇 <a href="https://t.co/OscJwoiNAP">pic.twitter.com/OscJwoiNAP</a></p>&mdash; EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/2001776270884167925?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

And that’s an understandable reaction after a back-and-forth game that left the hosts' nerves frayed and their energy drained, as Paris produced an excellent performance to lead for the majority of the contest.

With [Jared Rhodes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jared-rhoden/014178/) in the driving seat – including a sensational slam over [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) – the French team led 49-50 at the break and 70-74 after three quarters, only succumbing when Maledon, [Trey Lyles](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/trey-lyles/014117/) and [Usman Garuba](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/usman-garuba/007630/) combined for all Real’s points in an 18-4 charge that put the hosts in front for good midway through the final period.

Scariolo was keen to praise Paris for the part it played in the evening’s entertainment, and particularly highlighted one key statistic: his team’s ability to grab more rebounds (41 to 38) than arguably the continent’s most dangerous unit underneath the glass.

 “These guys \[Paris\] are really playing with a super high pace,” he said. “Everybody can shoot, everybody can drive and especially everybody can rebound, and I think we deserve credit for having gotten more rebounds than them. 50-50 balls, floor balls, long rebounds, character rebounds were ours.”

The ball still needed to be scored, and Maledon took care of that responsibility by pouring in 21 points on 7-of-11 two-point shooting and 6-of-8 from the foul line, including a crucial scooped score that finally gave Real the breathing room of a two-possession lead with 9 seconds remaining.

Fittingly on a night when he scored that milestone millionth point, 24-year-old Maledon’s performance was enough to underline his potential to become not only Real’s key offensive leader but also one of the most dominant players in the EuroLeague.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The milestone basket captured LIVE here 🎥 <a href="https://t.co/rCdA0mZGkE">pic.twitter.com/rCdA0mZGkE</a></p>&mdash; EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/2001759558125945085?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

He was not alone, though, with Lyles knocking down 10 points in the final quarter in his total of 14, also providing 6 assists, 6 rebounds and 2 blocked shots to show that Maledon isn’t the only summer arrival in Madrid who could help deliver a record 12th continental crown to *Los Blancos*.

The win came after a setback at Milan just two days previously, and Lyles admitted that was forefront in his teammates’ minds as he said: “We were really eager, it was a big game. It was a tough loss \[at Milan\], but we were able to bounce back which just shows the resilience of the team.

“We played against a really good Paris team who were making shots, running and played very hard, so it was good to get the win.”

A win that will certainly never be forgotten by Theo Maledon… and most probably, all those years later, by Sergio Scariolo.

Real Madrid’s veteran coach goes back in time to recall where it all began

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul bounced back from a home loss to Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens in the previous round with an emphatic 72-87 road win at EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, which saw the reigning champions improve to 10-6 while the Italian outfit dropped to 9-8.

Fenerbahce steamrolls Milan as dynamic duo shines

[Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) bounced back from a home loss to Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens in the previous round with an emphatic 72-87 road win at [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/mil/), which saw the reigning champions improve to 10-6 while the Italian outfit dropped to 9-8.

It was a 13th win in the last 14 games in all competitions for Fenerbahce, as the Turkish side took the game by the scruff of the neck from the offset and shot the lights out from deep, sinking 12 of 24 from beyond the arc.

[Talen Horton-Tucker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/talen-horton-tucker/014124/), who scored 22 points in a 77-81 to Panathinaikos on Tuesday, carried his good form into the Milan game and paced the winner on 23 points, earning the player of the game accolade. His input was complemented by [Bonzie Colson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/bonzie-colson/009783/) as the versatile forward added 20 points on 5-of-5 shooting from downtown, including a clutch four-point play which held Milan at bay.

Colson rounded off his effort with a masterclass defensive performance which drew heaps of praise from head coach Saras Jasikevicius, as Fenerbahce held Milan to 8 of 26 from deep and forced 13 turnovers from the home team while allowing just 11 assists.

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan-Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul | Round 17 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Milan head coach Peppe Poeta, who has enjoyed a smooth run since taking over from the legendary Ettore Messina as the Italian side had won seven of their previous nine EuroLeague games, conceded that his men were second-best on the night.

“We never found the right rhythm on offense,” Poeta said. “Fenerbahce played one hell of a game. They were physical for 40 minutes, we tried to compete, but we lost the flow.”

With Colson and [Tarik Biberovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tarik-biberovic/006961/) (14 points, 4 of 6 from deep) hitting nothing but net from long range, Milan was forced to play catch-up throughout but looked capable of turning the tide after [Shavon Shields](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shavon-shields/007831/) sank a sweet three to beat the third quarter buzzer and slash the deficit to 55-56 ahead of the final 10 minutes.

That turned out to be as good as it got for Milan with Horton-Tucker continuing to do the damage from inside while Colson and Biberovic provided the long-range artillery which blew away the hosts. There was no way back for Milan after Fenerbahce opened up a 65-78 lead in the home straight, leaving Jasikevicius purring with the delight, although he insisted there was room for improvement.

“It’s very nice to win in Milan but I thought that at some points we didn’t control the pace,” the Lithuanian tactician said. “Then again, Milan is a very good team on a roll, so to score 87 points while not playing our best basketball gives us hope that we can go for more.”

“It was a very good defensive performance by our guards, but I think we can do more. Teams are going to start figuring us out so we have to adjust, which means we have to improve in every department.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Maçın ardından bizim takım! 💛💙<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/oFdxLJ4p44">pic.twitter.com/oFdxLJ4p44</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/2001772496274506027?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Horton-Tucker turned out to be a handful for Milan’s backcourt with his piercing drives to the basket, shooting 10 of 17 from inside as he also racked up 5 boards and 2 assists. “We were coming off a loss at home that we didn’t really need, so regaining focus and executing the game plan was the most important thing for us,” he said.

“We were able to make them shoot more threes than they wanted to and I am happy we got the win.”

Colson produced one of his most mature performances in a Fenerbahce jersey, refraining from forcing the issue from long range but rather picking his spots when he was open and executing with lethal precision. He also pointed out it was the defensive effort which allowed Fenerbahce to pull away in the early stages, as the visitors carved out an 11-19 lead at the end of the first quarter and never looked back.

“It was a great defensive game for all of us and on offense I took what their defense gave me,” he said. “We got the stops we needed and it’s a great team win for us. Our group is never satisfied, we’ve got a lot to prove and get better with. Now we have to carry this momentum forward.”

The champs led from start to finish thanks to effervescent performances from Talen Horton-Tucker and Bonzie Colson

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens came into the double-round week on the back of two straight losses. But when the going gets tough, the tough get going. This week, Panathinaikos has demonstrated again what this team is made of.

Panathinaikos’s defense suffocates Hapoel as Greens end double-round week in style

[Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/) came into the double-round week on the back of two straight losses against Valencia Basket and EA7 Emporio Armani Milan. It wasn't about to get any easier either, as the Greens had to lock horns with defending champion Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul on the road before hosting EuroLeague leader [Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/hapoel-ibi-tel-aviv/hta/) at home.

But when the going gets tough, the tough get going. This week, Panathinaikos has demonstrated again what this team is made of.

Less than 48 hours after [holding Fererbahce to 77 points in a 77-81 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/kendrick-nunn-steers-panathinaikos-past-champs/), Ergin Ataman’s side managed to suffocate one of EuroLeague’s best offenses, ending the week with a 93-82 victory over Hapoel.

The Panathinaikos head coach set the tone from the off by leaving his star guard trio of [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/), [Kostas Sloukas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kostas-sloukas/001926/) and [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) on the bench. In came [Jerian Grant](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jerian-grant/011204/) and [Panagiotis Kalaitzakis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/panagiotis-kalaitzakis/011209/), who were assigned with the mission of containing [Vasilije Micic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vasilije-micic/002580/) and Round 16 MVP [Elijah Bryant](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elijah-bryant/009846/).

A back-and-forth affair in the opening stages was followed by a 13-0 run by the hosts, who held Hapoel scoreless for 4 minutes to grab a 20-8 lead.

“In the beginning of the game, our plan was to be aggressive against their two key players, Micic and Bryant, and we were successful in this with Kalaitzakis and Grant,” Ataman told the post-game press conference. “We made perfect defense, we didn’t let them find their usual baskets on the pick-and-roll shots, their penetrations in the paint.”

The contest would turn into a game of runs as Hapoel bounced back, demonstrated its offensive prowess and secured a 41-45 advantage before the break.

At halftime, Hapoel head coach Dimitris Itoudis stressed that his players needed to “play like there’s no tomorrow on defense”. Yet, it was his former team that would do so in the second half.

Panathinaikos held the visitors to just 16 points in the third quarter, taking a 65-62 lead into the fourth which they opened with a 15-4 surge to practically finish the game off.

The Greens forced Hapoel into 13 turnovers on a night that Itoudis’s team made just 9 of their 29 three-point attempts and missed as many as 11 free throws, despite boasting a league-high 83.7% from the line heading into Thursday’s clash. Bryant went 1 for 4 from the line and Micic scored just 4 points, with the two men combining for 4 turnovers.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">THE FISTS ARE BACK! ☘️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeTheGreens?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeTheGreens</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/paobcaktor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#paobcaktor</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Club1908?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Club1908</a> <a href="https://t.co/yJw9NBGv7M">pic.twitter.com/yJw9NBGv7M</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr/status/2001768354219196848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Panathinaikos’s mentality coming into this week was personified in Nunn, who shook off an ankle injury he picked up the day before the game against Fener and barely trained the next few days but pulled off back-to-back MVP outings, scoring a combined 44 points in this week’s games.

“First and foremost, I just want to thank God for my ability,” Nunn told EuroLeague TV after netting 13 of his 19 points in the second half against Hapoel. “I was hobbling around for the last two, three days with the ankle, but when game-time comes, adrenaline gets going and I’m bringing whatever I can to the game. 

“We played Fener, the reigning champs, and Hapoel, they’re no.1 in the standings right now. So, two big games. The lights are bright, I’m going to get out there. As long as I’m not on crutches, anything like that, God willing, I’m going to play if I’m able, for sure.”

The Greens are set to travel to Lithuania, where they’ll take on Zalgiris Kaunas next week in their bid to bag their third straight victory. 

Panathinaikos does boast offensive talent in abundance and should it manage to consistently defend as it did this week, their fans can dream big again this season.

The hosts held the EuroLeague leader to 36 second-half points as they clinched their second win in a row