Zalgiris Kaunas snapped its two-game losing streak by topping Anadolu Efes Istanbul 85-72 at home in Round 14 behind 18 points from Lonnie Walker IV. 

Zalgiris overpowers Efes, 85-72

Zalgiris Kaunas snapped its two-game losing streak by topping Anadolu Efes Istanbul 85-72 at home in Round 14 on Thursday. Zalgiris improved to 8-6 in the standings while Efes dropped to 7-7. 

Lonnie Walker paced the winners with 18 points. Sylvain Francisco added 16 and Deividas Sirvydis had 14 for Zalgiris. Elijah Bryant led Efes with 23 points and Darius Thompson added 10 for the visitors.

Game Videos

Sirvydis got Zalgiris going with a wild four-point play and Walker improved on Vincent Poirier's alley-oop slam with a triple for a 7-2 lead. Bryant followed Thompson's layup with a bomb from downtown to tie it at 7-7, Walker struck twice from beyond the arc and fed Sirvydis for a fastbreak layup, which prompted Efes to call timeout at 15-7. Sirvydis soon hit a triple that made it a double-digit game, 18-8. Ercan Osmani joined the three-point shootout before Walker buried a mid-range shot. Thompson's layup gave Efes hope at 20-13. Walker kept pacing Zalgiris and Mike Mitchell hit a fadeaway jumper for a 25-15 Zalgiris lead. Bryant and Arnas Butkevicius traded free throws to fix the score at 27-17 after 10 minutes.

Dovydas Giedraitis scored around the basket early in the second quarter. Ridval Oncel answered with a layup that Butkevicius bettered with a corner triple for a 32-19 Zalgiris lead. Bryant Dunston took over with a put-back layup and Ignas Brazdeikis added a jumper in a 12-0 run that Francisco capped with a three-pointer, which caused Efes to stop the game at 41-19. Dan Oturu and Derek Willis stepped up for Efes, but Walker sank another jumper and Alen Smailagic's layup made it 45-24. Bryant swished a mid-range jumper and soon added a three-pointer to bring Efes closer. Brady Manek's three-pointer established a 48-30 Zalgiris cushion at halftime.  

Game News

Sirvydis took over with a backdoor layup soon after the break. Poirier answered with a three-point play and matched Giedraitis's running floater with a two-handed dunk. After Sirvydis beat the shot clock with a wild step-back triple, Bryant buried a jumper and added free throws to bring Efes closer, 57-39. Rodrigue Beaubois and Willis each struck from beyond the arc to give the visitors hope at 59-44. Francisco buried a fallaway jumper that Bryant erased with a floater. Thompson struck from downtown and Oturu added a hard-fought put-back layup to make it 63-53 through three quarters.

Beaubois bettered Edgaras Ulanovas's layup with a three-pointer that brought Efes within single digits, 65-56. Ulanovas kept pushing Zalgiris with a big basket in the low post, then Walker boosted the hosts' lead to 69-56. Bryant took over with a highly-contested jumper and Thompson struck from downtown, which prompted Zalgiris to call timeout at 69-61 with over 6 minutes left. Oturu scored down low, Laurynas Birutis dunked and Francisco gave Zalgiris fresh air at 73-63. After Willis sank a baseline jumper, Francisco buried a fadeaway shot. Bryant brought Efes within 75-67 with 2:28 left. Francisco stepped up in crunch time to seal the outcome, 80-69, in the next-to-last minute.

An outstanding first half put Zalgiris on the right track


Zalgiris Kaunas v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2024-12-05T18:00:00.000Z)

Virtus Segafredo Bologna named Dusko Ivanovic as its new head coach on Thursday after agreeing to terms on a contract for the remainder of the season. 

Virtus appoints Dusko Ivanovic as head coach 

Virtus Segafredo Bologna named Dusko Ivanovic as its new head coach on Thursday after agreeing to terms on a contract for the remainder of the season. 

Ivanovic, 67, last coached Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, a team he led in four different stints. Over the years, Ivanovic helped Baskonia win the Spanish championship in 2002, 2010 and 2020, Spanish Cups in 2002, 2004 and 2009 and reach the EuroLeague Finals in 2001 and the EuroLeague Championship Game in 2005, losing against Virtus and Maccabi Tel Aviv, respectively.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">𝐃𝐔𝐒𝐊𝐎 is our new 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 🤍🫡🖤<br>Welcome coach! <a href="https://t.co/fWY04VTNMN">pic.twitter.com/fWY04VTNMN</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Segafredo Bologna (@VirtusSegafredo) <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusSegafredo/status/1864724146208313529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Ivanovic started his coaching career with Benetton Fribourg of Switzerland, and also coached Limoges CSP of France, FC Barcelona of Spain, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens of Greece, Khimki Moscow Region of Russia, Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul of Turkiye and Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade of Serbia. 

In his first three years as a full-time head coach, Ivanovic led Fribourg to back-to-back Swiss League titles in 1998 and 1999 and lifted the French League and the Korac Cup trophies with Limoges in 2000. Ivanovic won another Spanish Cup with Barca in 2007, a Greek Cup with Panathinaikos in 2015, and the Serbian League and Cup double with Zvezda in 2023. 

As a player, Ivanovic helped Split win back-to-back EuroLeague championships in 1989 and 1990.

Ivanovic ranks fourth in all-time games coached in the EuroLeague with 398, only trailing Zeljko Obraovic (540), Ettore Messina (483) and Ergin Ataman (440). His coaching record is 220-178 (55.3%).

More Virtus News

He replaces Luca Banchi, who stepped down on Wednesday

Luca Banchi has resigned from his position as Virtus Bologna head coach, the club confirmed on Thursday.  

Luca Banchi resigns as Virtus head coach

Luca Banchi has resigned from his position as [Virtus Segafredo Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/vir/) head coach, the club confirmed on Thursday.  

Virtus currently finds itself bottom of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague standings with a league-worst 2-11 record. The Bologna-based team is currently on a five-game losing streak and most recently [lost 88-90 in overtime to ALBA Berlin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/alba-beats-virtus-in-ot-88-90/) in Round 13 on Wednesday night.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">Comunicato su coach Luca Banchi ⬇️<a href="https://t.co/k7RhQKJD7Z">https://t.co/k7RhQKJD7Z</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Segafredo Bologna (@VirtusSegafredo) <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusSegafredo/status/1864715816215658929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna S.p.A. announces that Luca Banchi resigned as head coach of the first team at the end of the EuroLeague game against ALBA Berlin," read Virtus's statement.

"On behalf of the entire club, a heartfelt thank you goes out to Luca for the work he has done in recent months and best of luck for the continuation of his professional career."

Since being appointed by Virtus in September 2023, having led the Latvian national team to a fifth-placed finish at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Banchi posted a 20-28 record in charge of the two-time EuroLeague champion.

His first season at Virtus saw the team sneak into the inaugural Play-In Showdown as the 10th seed with a 17-17 record. Virtus then beat Anadolu Efes Istanbul in the first round but lost to Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in the second round, thus missing out on a spot in the playoffs.

Virtus now begins its search for a new head coach as it looks to turn its EuroLeague season around.

The Italian’s decision came after a Round 13 defeat to ALBA

The action keeps on coming as Round 14 delivers some spectacular matchups, including the league leader travelling to its closest rival in the standings. Here’s your guide to Thursday’s games in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.

At a glance: The drama shows no sign of slowing down

The action keeps on coming as Round 14 delivers some spectacular matchups, including the league leader travelling to its closest rival in the standings. Here’s your guide to Thursday’s games in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.

## Thursday, December 5

### Zalgiris Kaunas vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (19:00 CET)

After putting 101 points on the board to overcome Bayern on Tuesday, Efes (7-6) will look to complete a perfect week by giving more misery to a Zalgiris team (7-6) which has lost five of the last six. Efes was propelled last time out by 19 points and 6 assists from [Darius Thompson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/darius-thompson/011078/), who will again look for help from big man [Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/) (14 points, 6 rebounds on Tuesday) in the quest to secure a league-best sixth road win. The Lithuanian team only converted 10 two-point shots in Tuesday's defeat at Partizan, so needs more inside presence from the likes of [Laurynas Birutis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/laurynas-birutis/005504/) and former Efes man [Bryant Dunston](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/bryant-dunston/003048/) in this key contest between two teams currently tied for seventh place.

Round 14 Head-to-Head: Walker vs. Thompson

### Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv vs. FC Barcelona (20:05 CET)

Barcelona (7-6) will attempt to snap a four-game losing streak with a trip to equally struggling Maccabi (4-9). Maccabi will crash the boards to gain extra possessions after averaging 12.5 offensive rebounds, led by [Jasiel Rivero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jasiel-rivero/011214/) with 2.4 per game. The visitors will look to counter that with the physicality of [Justin Anderson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/justin-anderson/012795/), who averages 4.5 boards in the last four games. Barca’s defense couldn’t withstand the pressure in Tuesday’s morale-sapping loss at Panathinaikos, but there was a positive with the continuing emergence of point guard [Juan Nunez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/juan-nunez/010106/) (19 points on 7-of-7 two-point shooting). This time around he faces a good battle with the man he replaced at Palau Blaugrana, former Barca playmaker [Rokas Jokubaitis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/rokas-jokubaitis/007519/) (11.5 points and 5.6 assists per game).

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (20:30 CET)

In a game certain to be played in an electric atmosphere, fast-rising Partizan (5-8) will aim for a fourth straight victory with a visit from reigning champ Panathinaikos (8-5). [Carlik Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carlik-jones/013369/) has been outstanding during the Serbian team's winning run but he faces his toughest matchup yet against a Panathinaikos backcourt powered by the irrepressible [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/), who blasted 29 points in the thrilling Round 13 win over Barcelona and has now made at least six field goals in six straight games. In the paint, expect maximum intensity and highlight reel plays from the battle between [Tyrique Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tyrique-jones/011981/), who had 15 points and 9 rebounds in Tuesday’s win over Zalgiris, and Panathinaikos showstopper [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/), who paired 16 points with 8 boards against Barca.

Round 14 Head-to-Head: Jones vs. Brown

### FC Bayern Munich vs. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (20:30 CET)

Improving Baskonia (6-7) will look for a third consecutive win by becoming the first road team to prevail at Bayern (8-5). Expect a battle for long-range shooting supremacy between single game three-point record holder [Andreas Obst](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/andreas-obst/004508/) and visiting [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/), who bounced back to form with 5 triples in his team’s victory over Fenerbahce two days ago. [Donta Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/donta-hall/011196/) continued to perform at a high level with 14 points and 9 rebounds in that triumph, and he faces a big battle against Bayern big man [Devin Booker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/devin-booker/007056/), who powered 27 points on 12-of-15 two-point shooting in Tuesday’s loss at Efes. The German team has allowed 101 points in each of its last two games, so defensive improvement will be the priority as Bayern looks to stay perfect at home.

### Real Madrid vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (20:45 CET)

Two major rivals go head-to-head with the aim of bouncing back as Real (6-7) receives a visit from second-placed Fenerbahce (9-4). Both teams lost on Tuesday, with the hosts suffering a last-second loss at ASVEL while Fenerbahce was well beaten at Baskonia for a second straight loss. [Gabriel Deck](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/gabriel-deck/009005/) had his best game of the season with 17 points in the loss in France, and he will attempt to give Real control of the paint against visiting big man [Khem Birch](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/khem-birch/007182/), who helped his team with 4 offensive boards at Baskonia on Tuesday. Fenerbahce has the second-best perimeter defense in the league, allowing opponents to convert just 29.9% of three-point attempts, so Real snipers [Dzanan Musa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dzanan-musa/006540/) and [Mario Hezonja](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mario-hezonja/003108/) will have to be at their best to make an impact.

Round 14 Head-to-Head: Musa vs. Biberovic

## Friday, December 6

### AS Monaco vs. ALBA Berlin (19:00 CET)

Monaco (8-5) will look to bounce back from the disappointment of suffering its first defeat under new coach Vassilis Spanoulis by downing an ALBA team (3-10) looking for a second road win of the week. The home team was outlasted by Olympiacos on Wednesday despite [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) leading the offense to the tune of 12 assists, and all-action forward [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/) continuing his hot streak with 21 points on 9-of-11 field goal attempts. ALBA prevailed in a tight overtime battle with fellow basement dwellers Virtus in Round 13, with recent signing [David McCormack](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/david-mc-cormack/013386/) showing his worth with 16 points, 14 rebounds and 4 steals in only his second game for the team, helping to end a three game losing streak.

### Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Paris Basketball (20:15 CET)

Red-hot league leader Paris (10-3) will look for a ninth straight win with the massive task of becoming the first team to upset joint second Olympiacos (9-4) in Piraeus. Both teams have confidence high after wins earlier this week, with Olympiacos using the energy of [Shaq McKissic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shaquielle-mckissic/007853/) (18 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals) to win at Monaco, and will hope the outstanding defense of [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/) can finally slow down phenomenal November MVP [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/). If Paris needs other scoring solutions, it could be the long-range shooting of [Nadir Hifi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nadir-hifi/012640/), who hit 15 points in Tuesday’s win at Maccabi and has multiple three-pointers in six consecutive games. Olympiacos will hope that scoring star [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) can perform at his best after suffering an eye injury at Monaco earlier this week.

Round 14 Head-to-Head: McKissic vs. Ward

### Virtus Segafredo Bologna vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (20:30 CET)

Virtus (2-11) will attempt to climb away from last place with a visit from Zvezda (6-6), which has lost three of the last four. The Serbian team needs much improved defense after already suffering one defeat in Italy this week, allowing 101 points in Milan on Wednesday. [Yago dos Santos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/yago-dos-santos/012044/) had a return to form in that game, pairing 17 points with 6 assists, and Zvezda will also look to keep on pounding the boards after [Luka Mitrovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/luka-mitrovic/002553/) and [Filip Petrusev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/filip-petrusev/011194/) combined for 10 offensive rebounds. Virtus failed in overtime despite a fourth-quarter comeback against ALBA last time out, and big man [Ante Zizic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ante-zizic/004554/) needs to counter the visiting team’s power by delivering another strong performance after scoring 13 points on 6-of-7 two-point attempts on Wednesday.

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (20:45 CET)

Two much-improved teams with hopes of storming up the standings meet as Milan (7-6) welcomes ASVEL (5-8). The Italian team notched its fourth straight win by comfortably brushing aside Zvezda on Wednesday, with veteran [Fabien Causeur](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/fabien-causeur/001392/) draining 20 points on perfect 6-of-6 three-point shooting. ASVEL is also on a roll, winning three of its last four and claiming the major scalp of Real Madrid on Tuesday thanks to a last-second winner from fit-again Paris Lee. That game also saw another spectacular show from [Theo Maledon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/theo-maledon/007027/), with 23 points and 7 assists, and stopping him will be a major focus for the hosts. At the other end, [Nico Mannion](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/niccolo-mannion/011064/) will look to keep orchestrating for Milan as he did on Wednesday, pairing 20 points with 5 assists against Zvezda.

Round 14 Head-to-Head: Mannion vs. Lee

The second half of the double-round week features several mouth-watering fixtures

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2024-12-06T19:45:00.000Z)

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2024-12-06T19:30:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v Paris Basketball (2024-12-06T19:15:00.000Z)

AS Monaco v ALBA Berlin (2024-12-06T18:00:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2024-12-05T19:45:00.000Z)

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2024-12-05T19:30:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2024-12-05T19:30:00.000Z)

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v FC Barcelona (2024-12-05T19:05:00.000Z)

### Olympiacos Piraeus

 

**Streaks**

 

Sasha Vezenkov has scored in double figures and had a double-digit PIR in 14 straight games.

Evan Fournier has made at least 1 three-point shot in 12 of his last 13 games.

Fournier has scored in double figures in nine of his last 10 games.

Nikola Milutinov has scored in double figures and had double-digit PIRs in six of his last seven games.

Milutinov has pulled down multiple offensive rebounds in nine straight games.

Milutinov has grabbed at least 6 rebounds in eight of his last nine games.

Keenan Evans has scored at least 10 points in 10 straight and 21 of his last 22 games.

Evans has posted a double-digit PIR in nine of his last 10 games.

Evans has made at least 1 three-pointer in 17 straight games.

Evans has made 21 consecutive free throws.

 

**Season rankings**

 

Sasha Vezenkov ranks second in average index rating with 22.5 per game.

Vezenkov ranks fifth in scoring with 18.1 points per game.

Nikola Milutinov ranks fifth in rebounding with 6.9 per game.

Vezenkov ranks ninth in rebounding with 5.9 per game.

Milutinov leads the league in offensive rebounding with 3.8 per game.

Thomas Walkup ranks eighth in assists with 4.9 per game.

Thomas Walkup is tied for 10th in steals with 1.2 per game.

Moustapha Fall leads the league in two-point accuracy at 85.7%.

Evan Fournier ranks sixth in three-pointers made with 2.4 per game.

Olympiacos leads the league in assists with 20.8 per game.

 

**Records/Milestones**

 

Kostas Papanikolaou is the all-time leader in games started with 316.

Papanikolaou ranks ninth place all-time in steals with 308. Sergio Rodriguez is eighth with 309.

Moustapha Fall ranks second all-time in two-point accuracy at 73.2%.

Thomas Walkup ranks 16th all-time with a 2.5-to-1 career assist-to-turnover ratio.

Walkup is ranked 15th all-time in assists with 967. Theo Papaloukas is 13th with 977 assists.

Alec Peters is tied for 11th all-time in free-throw shooting accuracy at 89.8%.

Peters ranks fifth all-time in three-point accuracy at 45.8%.

Nikola Milutinov is ranked seventh all-time in offensive rebounds with 607. Othello Hunter is sixth with 611.

Sasha Vezenkov needs 5 three-point shots made to reach 300 for his career.

Nigel Williams-Goss needs 3 points to reach 1,000 for his career.

### Paris Basketball

 

**Streaks**

 

TJ Shorts has scored in double figures in 12 of his 13 EuroLeague appearances.

Shorts has had a PIR of at least 15 in 12 of his 13 EuroLeague appearances.

Nadir Hifi has made at least 1 three-pointer in 12 of his 13 EuroLeague appearances.

Daulton Hommes has made at least 1 three-point shot in six of his last seven games.

Tyson Ward has made at least 1 three-pointer in 10 of his last 11 games.

 

**Season rankings**

 

TJ Shorts ranks fourth in average index rating with 22.4 per game.

Shorts ranks fourth in scoring with 18.4 points per game.

Shorts ranks third in assists with 7.8 per game.

Kevarrius Hayes ranks fifth in blocks with 1.2 per game.

Nadir Hifi is tied for seventh in three-pointers made with 2.3 per game.

Paris has committed 10.2 turnovers per game, which are the second-fewest in the league. 

Paris has held opponents to 30.9% three-point shooting, the third lowest in the league.

 

**Records/Milestones**

 

Kevarrius Hayes needs 7 blocks to reach 100 for his career.

Game Facts: Olympiacos vs. Paris

An inspired individual performance in a winning effort allowed Theo Maledon of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne to earn Round 13 MVP honors with a PIR of 31.

Round 13 MVP: Theo Maledon, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

An inspired individual performance in a winning effort allowed [Theo Maledon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/theo-maledon/007027/) of [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/) to earn Round 13 MVP honors with a PIR of 31.

Maledon was everywhere in his team's last-second 80-78 home victory over Real Madrid. He led his team with 23 points on 5-of-7 two-pointers, 2-of-5 three-pointers and 7-of-7 free throws, adding 2 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 6 fouls drawn for a PIR of 31, the highest among winning players in Round 13. This is Maledon's third MVP of the Round honor this season, after previously receiving this accolade in Round 4 (36 PIR) and sharing it with TJ Shorts of Paris Basketball (both with a 36 PIR) in Round 10.

The highest PIR in this round belonged to [Devin Booker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/devin-booker/007056/) of FC Bayern Munich, but his team registered a 101-90 road loss against Anadolu Efes Istanbul. Booker had a career-high 27 points on 12-of-15 two-pointers, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, a steal, and 5 fouls drawn for a PIR of 34. 

[Tyrique Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tyrique-jones/011981/) of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade registered a PIR of 30 in his team's 84-78 home win over Zalgiris Kaunas. He had 15 points on 4-of-5 two-pointers, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 10 fouls drawn. 

His teammate [Carlik Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carlik-jones/013369/), with a PIR of 29, and [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-mirotic/000796/) of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, who amassed a PIR of 28, complete the top individual performances in Round 13.

### Individual highs: Kendrick Nunn, Panathinaikos, 29 points

[Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens led all scorers in Round 13 with 29 points. [Carsen Edwards](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carsen-edwards/011987/) of FC Bayern Munich is the competition's scoring leader with 19.8 points per game.

[David McCormack](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/david-mc-cormack/013386/) of ALBA Berlin was this round's top rebounder after pulling down 14 boards. [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) of Real Madrid leads all rebounders with 8.4 per night.

[Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) of AS Monaco and [Facu Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) of Real Madrid each dished 12 assists, more than anyone else in Round 13. [Tamir Blatt](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tamir-blatt/011193/) of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv ranks first in assists with 8.4 per game.

Three players collected 4 steals apiece in Round 13: McCormack, [Zach LeDay](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/zach-leday/008987/) of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan and [Elijah Bryant](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elijah-bryant/009846/) of Anadolu Efes Istanbul. [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/) of Monaco leads the league in steals with 1.8 per game.

Tyrique Jones of Partizan and [Donta Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/donta-hall/011196/) of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz each had a round-high 3 blocks. Tavares also ranks first in blocks with 1.6 per game.

James (10 points, 12 assists), McCormack (16 points, 14 rebounds) and Partizan’s Carlik Jones (19 points, 10 assists) each registered a double-double in Round 13.

It was Georgios Bartzokas's Olympiacos BC which got the better of Vassilis Spanoulis's AS Monaco in Round 13, with the Reds leaning on their defense to get the victory.

Georgios Bartzokas hails ironclad defense in gritty win over Monaco

[Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) climbed up to second place in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague standings with [a workmanlike 80-89 win at AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-sinks-monaco-80-89-handing-spanoulis-first-defeat/) after steely second-half defense saw the visitors stifle out the home side’s main weapons, notably the competition’s all-time top scorer [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/), who was limited to a mere 10 points.

James dished out 12 assists and [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/) finished on a game-high 21 points, but Monaco went ice-cold from the floor when the chips were down while Olympiacos made a barrage of big shots at the other end and improved to 9-4 while Monaco dropped to 8-5.

It was a welcome victory for the visiting team’s head coach Georgios Bartzokas as Olympiacos bounced back from last week’s 78-70 reverse at Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, and the 59-year-old tactician heaped praise on his men for a rock-solid performance.

“The level of the quality from both teams was really high. Great players on both teams and I think it was a spectacular game for the fans,” Coach Bartzokas told the post-game press conference. “This is the EuroLeague nowadays and you need to be at the highest level. We were good defensively in the second half, when we allowed 35 points. Monaco had 16 assists in the first half but in the end, they reverted to their nature. A lot of pull-up jumpers and we defended them really well. It was another important road win for us in a tough schedule as we head into the game with Paris.

“We changed three defenses during the game as we wanted to keep the ball away from Mike James, hence we risked a little bit by allowing pull-up jumpers from players like Elie Okobo and Matthew Strazel.”

It was the first EuroLeague clash between Bartzokas and former Olympiacos legend Vassilis Spanoulis, who took over as head coach at Monaco last week and made a dream start with an 88-91 win at reigning champ Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens – his other former club.

Bartzokas assessed that a glittering and trophy-laden career as a player had opened the doors to Spanoulis for top coaching jobs, as the 42-year-old enjoyed stints with Greek top division club Peristeri and the country’s national team before a stunning move to Monaco.

“I am happy for Vassilis,” said Bartzokas.” Because of the amazing name he made for himself as a player, he got an immediate opportunity to take very good \[coaching\] jobs. Monaco is a target for pretty much every European coach and after only two years of experience at this level, he has the opportunity to coach some great players and a really good team.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="el" dir="ltr">Ο πρόεδρος της ΚΑΕ Ολυμπιακός, κ. Παναγιώτης Αγγελόπουλος και η σύζυγός του, κα. Ελευθερία Κούκου, ταξίδεψαν στο Μονακό και βρέθηκαν στο πλευρό της ομάδας μας! <br><br>Μετά το τέλος της αναμέτρησης ο Πρόεδρός μας φωτογραφήθηκε με τον Πρόεδρο της <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ASMonaco_Basket</a> , Alexey Fedorychev και… <a href="https://t.co/mthegNFavA">pic.twitter.com/mthegNFavA</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1864439358847143944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Bartzokas added that EuroLeague debutant Paris Basketball, his team’s next opponent, has left an overwhelming impression after rocketing to the top of the pile with nine straight wins which propelled the top-flight newcomer to a 10-3 record.

“It’s a big surprise for everybody but it’s a good surprise. Basketball needs something new sometimes and they deserve to be here. France now has three teams in the EuroLeague thanks to the country’s outstanding natural talent and athletic ability, two of them being strong contenders for at least the top eight.” 

Spanoulis conceded that Monaco had lapsed at crunch time against Olympiacos but took a lot of positives from a defeat which he described as part of a learning curve.

“We gave away the too many easy points in the first half and we just need to be more focused defensively,” said the winner of three titles as a player in Europe’s premier club competitions. “The EuroLeague is a marathon, there will be wins and losses and we’ll see what happens.

“This loss will make us better and we will be ready for Friday \[at home to ALBA Berlin\]. This is a great example for us that you can’t win all the time as improving the team is a process and teams that improve the most during the season will go all the way, it’s as simple as that. The important thing is to learn from every loss as I am not the kind of guy looking for excuses.”

The Olympiacos head coach is relishing a top-of-the-standings clash with EuroLeague debutant Paris in the next round 

AS Monaco v Olympiacos Piraeus (2024-12-04T18:00:00.000Z)

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans, we have our 13th winner in this season's EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge! Zah Zaharis beat everyone else in Round 13 with their team 'zahateam', which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 218.45.

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Round 13 winner

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans, we have our 13th winner in this season's [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/)! Zah Zaharis beat everyone else in Round 13 with their team 'zahateam', which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 218.45.

Zah had the following starting lineup: Nikola Mirotic of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan as team captain, then Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade duo Carlik Jones and Tyrique Jones, Paris Basketball guard TJ Shorts, and FC Bayern Munich center Devin Booker. His sixth man was Olympiacos Piraeus guard Shaq McKissic. On the bench, Zah had Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade's Isaiah Canaan, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens's Panagiotis Kalaitzakis, and Milan duo Giampaolo Ricci and Guglielmo Caruso. His team's head coach was Bayern's Pablo Laso. 

The prize for finishing first in Round 13 is a free VIP Euroleague TV Subscription for the 2025-26 season, so congratulations, Zah!

Marko Dukic and his team 'Kughat' remains the leader of the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/) overall standings with 2,192.45 points.

Trades are now open for Round 14. Remember, four trades are allowed before each round. You can either trade up to four players, or a head coach and three players.

The first game in Round 14 tips off on Thursday, December 5, as Zalgiris Kaunas hosts Anadolu Efes Istanbul at 19:00 CET. That game marks the next round's deadline.

Make new teams now or improve your existing ones and try to become our next round winner!

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge offers weekly prizes to the top team manager. 

ALBA Berlin had to battle for 45 minutes to beat Virtus Bologna 88-90 in overtime in Round 13, improving its record to 3-10 in the process. In particular, ALBA's players with links to Italian basketball made sure their names were noticed at Virtus Segafredo Arena.

Procida, Spagnolo enjoyed homecoming win against Virtus

[ALBA Berlin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/alba-berlin/ber/) had to battle for 45 minutes to [beat Virtus Segafredo Bologna 88-90](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/alba-beats-virtus-in-ot-88-90/) in overtime in Round 13, improving its record to 3-10 in the process. In particular, ALBA's players with links to Italian basketball made sure their names were noticed at Virtus Segafredo Arena.

[Gabriele Procida](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/gabriele-procida/008384/) started the game on fire, getting 9 quick points, including a show-stopping dunk that gave ALBA an early 11-19 lead. He kept pacing his team throughout the game, finishing it with 20 points on 6-of-8 two-pointers, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and a PIR of 16. It was not a regular game for Procida, born in Como, barely 50 kilometers away from Milan and less than 300km away from Bologna.

Asked about being in Italy after the game, Procida confirmed that a lot of people came to see him play. "Everybody from my family: my aunt, my parents... everybody. It was just a game but I had a lot of friends and family here, so it was a special game," Procida said. "Coming back to Italy to play against a great team like Virtus, in this arena, with these crazy fans, was very good."

On the other hand, [Matteo Spagnolo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/matteo-spagnolo/008173/) is from Brindisi, almost in the southern end of Italy. Spagnolo had an all-around performance and stepped up in key moments of the game, hitting 5-of-5 free throws in clutch time and missing the sixth attempt on purpose to run the game clock down. When the dust settled, Spagnolo had 10 points, a career-high 8 rebounds, 5 assists and a PIR of 16.

Gabriele Procida and Matteo Spagnolo each had a PIR of 16 of ALBA Berlin in an 88-90 overtime road win over Virtus Segafredo Bologna.

Procida, Spagnolo step up in Italu

Procida and Spagnolo were not the only players with links to Italian basketball. [David McCormack](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/david-mc-cormack/013386/) started the 2024-25 EuroLeague season with EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, seeing very limited playing time. In five previous games, one of them against ALBA, McCormack averaged 1.9 points, 1.1 rebounds and a PIR of -0.3. 

McCormack started against Virtus and proved to be a really solid addition, getting 16 points, 14 rebounds, 4 steals and a block for a PIR of 24. McCormack's arrival, added to the fact that backcourt stars [Martin Hermannsson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/martin-hermannsson/008780/) and [Matt Thomas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/matt-thomas/008967/) are back in action, made ALBA a solid team.

The American center stated that a quick adjustment helped him get good individual results right away. "You have to learn fast, you have to adjust fast. But one thing about my game is I play hard and I play with passion, and that translates to every team," McCormack said. "A lot has paid off, a lot of hard work. I'm thankful."

Hustle was there, too. ALBA finished the game with 21 offensive rebounds, a new club record. It had previously grabbed 19 offensive boards in a 67-71 home loss against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne on October 8, 2021. As many as eight ALBA players grabbed at least 1 offensive board and ALBA outrebounded Virtus 42-54. Those 54 rebounds are a EuroLeague season high and the best mark in a game since the four-overtime instant classic between Real Madrid and Anadolu Efes Istanbul. ALBA had never grabbed more than 46 rebounds in a EuroLeague game before.

It was a special night for the Italian duo, and both of them delivered in their home country


Virtus Segafredo Bologna v ALBA Berlin (2024-12-04T19:45:00.000Z)