Fenerbahçe Beko has announced the signing of Skylar Mays, who will cover the loss of Scottie Wilbekin after he tore his ACL in Round 1 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

Fenerbahçe brings Skylar Mays aboard

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul has announced the signing of Skylar Mays on a deal through the end of the 2024-25 season.

With Fenerbahce's [Scottie Wilbekin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/scottie-wilbekin/006661/) likely [out for the season with a torn ACL](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-confirms-the-worst-scottie-wilbekin-has-torn-his-acl/), which occurred in the team's Round 1 win against Olympiacos Piraeus, Mays offers Coach Saras Jasikevicius another option in the backcourt. 

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Skylar Mays Fenerbahçe Beko’da! ✍️💛💙<br><br>👉 <a href="https://t.co/BKc4hcF1d8">https://t.co/BKc4hcF1d8</a> <a href="https://t.co/2Mn4SQCUic">pic.twitter.com/2Mn4SQCUic</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1847194101441073602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

Mays's arrival at Fenerbahce represents his first experience in Europe with the 27-year-old having played 114 games in the NBA over the last four seasons.

In the 2023-24 campaign, Mays split time between the Portland TrailBlazers and Los Angeles Lakers. As a Blazer, he averaged 6.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 17.0 minutes per night across 21 appearances, while he featured in 17 games as a Laker, posting 1.3 points in 4:30 minutes per contest.

For his NBA career, Mays has averaged 4.3 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists in just over 10:30 minutes on the floor in 105 regular-season games. He has appeared in nine playoff games, too, averaging 1.1 points in just under three minutes per night.

Following four years at Louisiana State University between 2016 and 2020, he played for the Atlanta Hawks (2020-22), Portland (2022-24) and the Lakers (2023-24), as well as the College Park Skyhawks (2021-22), Delaware Blue Coats (2022-23), Mexico City Capitanes (2022-23) and South Bay Lakers (2023-24) in the G League.

More Fenerbahce News

The guard will cover the absence of Scottie Wilbekin, who is expected to miss the rest of the 2024-25 season

Fenerbahce brings Skylar Mays aboard

Real Madrid forward Alberto Abalde was one of the star performers in his team's win against Panathinaikos BC, which came after a difficult few years for him on a personal level.

Alberto Abalde back in the bigtime with decisive contribution

The rematch of last season’s championship game [between deposed champion Real Madrid and new titleholder Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/real-madrid-downs-panathinaikos-90-86-in-championship-game-rematch/) was always going to provide a compelling storyline, and in the end a key protagonist was a man who did not even play in Berlin last May.

Real forward [Alberto Abalde](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alberto-abalde/003733/) has suffered a tough few years with injury problems. After joining *Los Blancos* from Valencia Basket as one of Spanish basketball’s brightest young talents in 2020, Abalde initially showed signs of fulfilling his promise as he made 39 EuroLeague appearances in his first season, starting 23 of those.

His numbers in that 2020-21 campaign were more than solid: he averaged 7.2 points on 43.5% three-point shooting, along with 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists for a PIR of 8.3 in more than 19 minutes on the floor – not bad at all for a young player in his first season in the pressure-cooker environment of Real Madrid.

But the following campaign started with Abalde missing the Spanish Super Cup through injury, which proved to be the first in a long line of physical issues that seriously set back the forward’s progress. His contribution across all areas gradually dipped, and by the time of May’s Final Four he had become little more than an occasionally used role player.

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Abalde played in only one of Real’s three-game playoff series with Baskonia, had just 11 seconds on the floor in the semifinal against Olympiacos, and was the only member of the 12-man roster not to play at all in the title decider against Panathinaikos.

His latest setback came in the summer when Abalde was forced to miss the Paris Olympics through another injury and he was clearly still searching for his best form at the start of the new campaign – averaging just 3.0 points during the opening three EuroLeague games.

But he retained the trust of coach Chus Mateo to start in Thursday’s crunch clash with the Greens and quickly repaid that confidence – and boosted his own – by draining a three-pointer to complete an 8-0 start for his team.

Abalde returned to make his biggest contribution during a key phase in the middle of the third quarter, as a pair of triples book-ended a personal run of 10 points in 4 minutes, helping turn a tight 50-48 scoreline into a game-high 66-49 margin, which set Real on its way to take the victory.

Alberto Abalde drained 3 three-pointers as Real Madrid beat Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens in Round 4 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Abalde's 3 triples vs. Panathinaikos

He finished with 13 points – the first time he had mustered double digits in the EuroLeague since December 2022, in a game far better remembered for [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) making a miraculous four-point play near the final buzzer to give AS Monaco a dramatic road win.

But more than his scoring, Abalde’s most telling statistic on Thursday came in the plus/minus column, where his stellar defensive work was reflected in his tally of +19 – the joint-best in the game alongside another unsung hero, [Eli Ndiaye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/eli-ndiaye/009213/).

And his coach was very appreciative, as Mateo noted in the post-game press conference: “I cannot be here without mentioning a player who defended the way Abalde did. He gave us huge energy. There was a moment when the substitution had already been asked for but he hit a three-pointer so we let him keep on fighting and fighting. He’s a warrior and he’s always there.”

Unfortunately, injuries have meant that in the last few years Abalde has not, in fact, always been there. But he showed on Thursday night that if he can stay fit, he is a force to be reckoned with.

Game News

The Spaniard had an impressive performance in Real Madrid's 90-86 win over Panathinaikos

Real Madrid v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2024-10-17T18:45:00.000Z)

Shabazz Napier and Carsen Edwards provided the fireworks from beyond the arc as FC Bayern Basketball defeated Paris Basketball in Round 4 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.


Edwards, Napier made it rain against Paris at SAP Garden 

It's fair to say that the fans inside SAP Garden were treated on Thursday night as [FC Bayern Munich edged Paris Basketball 109-107](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bayern-survives-in-high-scoring-thriller-against-paris-109-107/) in Round 4. Two of Bayern's star men on the night, [Shabazz Napier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shabazz-napier/011224/) and [Carsen Edwards](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carsen-edwards/011987/), provided the fireworks from beyond the arc. 

Edwards finished the game with 32 points, matching the club-record tally – and personal-best mark – he set last season. That came in a 91-84 victory over EA7 Emporio Armani Milan on December 5, 2023. In fact, only one other Bayern player has scored 30 points or more in a EuroLeague game: [Dusko Savanovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dusko-savanovic/KOD/) had 31 in a 95-89 victory over PGE Turow Zgorzelec on December 11, 2014.

"I was able to make some shots. There are so many things that I could have done better, could have finished around the rim a lot better, but I am just happy we got the win and figure out ways to get better," Edwards told EuroLeague TV after the game. 

"I am just thankful for the win. Every game is an opportunity for us to see how we can get better, so we will use it to this game, watch it, review it and find ways to get better."

Napier added 27 points, one shy of his career high. Previously, he had 28 points for Milan in an 84-88 road victory over Valencia Basket on March 7, 2023. Napier also shared the ball well on Thursday night, finishing the game with 5 assists and just one turnover while amassing a PIR of 29, a new personal best.

Napier and Edwards each buried 6 three-pointers, which is not something that is regularly seen on a EuroLeague court. Indeed, it is just the sixth time in competition history that two teammates have buried six three-pointers or more. 

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul did it twice last season; [Tyler Dorsey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tyler-dorsey/009849/) buried 8 and [Scottie Wilbekin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/scottie-wilbekin/006661/) hit 6 in a 118-88 home win against Valencia on March 14, 2024, then Wilbekin and Dorsey nailed 6 triples apiece in Game 4 of the playoffs against AS Monaco, which Fenerbahce lost 93-88. 

The only time that two teammates hit 7 three-pointers in a game came on December 22, 2005. Anadolu Efes Istanbul pair [Marko Popovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/marko-popovic/atp/) and [Henry Domercant](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/henry-domercant/JIS/) each buried 7 shots from downtown to beat Milan 85-57.

Shabazz Napier and Carsen Edwards each buried six three-pointers, which is not easily seen on a EuroLeague court. Indeed, it is just the sixth time in competition history that two teammates buried six three-pointers or more.

Edwards, Napier hit six three-pointers apiece

[Andreas Obst](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/andreas-obst/004508/) (twice) and [D.J. Seeley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dennis-seeley/004862/) share Bayern's single-game record for made three-pointers, having experienced the feeling of knocking down 7 in a game.

Bayern also set a new club record for its two-point shooting percentage in a game. The hosts hit 76.7% of its shots inside the arc, making 23 of 30. Its previous record was 73.0%, 27 of 37, against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv last season. Bayern was also near-perfect from the free-throw line, hitting 21 of 22 attempts. [Johannes Voigtmann](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/johannes-voigtmann/007201/) missed that one attempt with 0.1 seconds remaining.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">What a spectacle at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SAPGarden?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SAPGarden</a> 🤯 with the better end for us! 🎉 And above all – what a performance by Carsen (32 pts) 🔥, Bazz (27 pts) 💪, and Devin (21 pts) 👏!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FCBB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeBallTogether?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeBallTogether</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAYPBB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAYPBB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/1847022903096652218?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Napier thanked the fans for their supports and believes turning SAP Garden into a fortress is the first step to build something special.

"It was exciting, it was a back-and-forth game, that's the way the play. We just tried our best to limit them as much as we can but they have some great players over there. I think we did a great job," Napier said. "We have a great crowd here. It was a packed arena, there were moments when we needed them and they came through for us. I think that's one of the big things about having this big arena, having this sixth man effect. We needed that push towards the end."

The two guards caught fire and helped Bayern grab its second win of the young season

FC Bayern Munich v Paris Basketball (2024-10-17T18:45:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas came from 27 points down to beat Olimpia Milano on the road on Thursday night, just two days after beating another Italian team, Virtus Bologna.

Resilient Zalgiris clawed out victory from the jaws of defeat 

Zalgiris Kaunas completed a memorable week in Italy with [a stunning 82-85 comeback win at EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/zalgiris-stages-huge-comeback-to-edge-milan-on-the-road-82-85/) after edging Virtus Segafredo Bologna 68-71 on Tuesday, improving its Turkish Airlines EuroLeague record to 3-1.

So delicious was the taste of double victory that a couple of joyous Zalgiris fans, part of a massive contingent who made the trip to Italy, held a cardboard banner reading “Yesterday Bolognese, today Milanese” in a sweet taunt of the home Milan faithful.

For three quarters, it looked like Milan would hand Zalgiris a heavy defeat as the hosts led 64-37 midway through the third, before an inexplicable meltdown turned the pulsating contest on its head.

Having regained its composure ahead of the fourth quarter, Zalgiris needed no second invitation to start firing on all cylinders on offense in the home straight, while Milan looked bereft of ideas as the visitors kept trapping the home team’s guards with intense half-court pressure.

[Dovydas Giedraitis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dovydas-giedraitis/007513/) paced Zalgiris with a game-high 21 points, but it was [Sylvain Francisco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sylvain-francisco/007975/) who won the player of the game accolade on the back of 17 points and 6 assists, having dished out one telling pass after another as Zalgiris roared back to claim victory.

It was the second-biggest comeback in the competition’s history and the 27-year-old guard, who joined Zalgiris from Bayern Munich during the off-season, said not losing their heads was the key to the visiting team’s monumental accomplishment in Milan.

“I was patient in going to the paint and splitting their defense, so I am glad we made shots and played tough defense in the end,” a visibly exhausted Francisco said in a post-game courtside interview.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Historic night for Zalgiris in Milan. Biggest comeback in club’s history and second-biggest in the EuroLeague. 🤯 <a href="https://t.co/FUSZkkdMpa">pic.twitter.com/FUSZkkdMpa</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1847031139187183853?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Head coach Andrea Trinchieri was delighted he got one over his Italian compatriot Ettore Messina, whose Milan team dropped to 1-3 after suffering the fourth-quarter collapse.

“A crazy game with a crazy ending,” said Trinchieri. “We were horrible for three quarters and I just kept trying to find the five players who would function together. We didn’t do enough to compete for three quarters and then something happened.”

“We clicked and played with tons of energy. I believe in my players and this is their reward, a double win on the road. I didn’t like the body language in the first half, but we have this thing called resilience.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">WHAT A COMEBACK. 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/18rn1HXRnh">pic.twitter.com/18rn1HXRnh</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1847021695472697575?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Messina was barely able to hold in his anguish after the game, having seen his team throw away a massive lead on home court. “We played two different games tonight,” he stated. “The last 15 minutes were obviously horrible and they deserved their comeback.”

Long-range shooting was the key as Zalgiris drained 12 of 26 from deep while Milan made only 5 of 21, with the home side also finishing the game on 9 turnovers after committing none in the first quarter and just 2 by halftime.

Galvanized by its success, Zalgiris will relish returning home and facing Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in Round 5, while Milan will be desperate to make amends when it entertains Anadolu Efes Istanbul. 

The Lithuanian side looked out for the count against Milan and then forced the home team into submission 

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v Zalgiris Kaunas (2024-10-17T18:30:00.000Z)

KK Partizan had five players score in double figures during its win at Maccabi Tel Aviv BC in Round 4 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season, while the team's defense was also impressive.

Partizan leaned on team effort to down Maccabi

Not one, not two but five Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade players hit double digits in scoring to end the double-round week in style by leading the Serbian side to [a 79-91 victory at Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/partizan-powers-past-maccabi-79-91/) in Round 4 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season. Coaches insist that solid defense provides players with the necessary confidence to thrive on the other end, and that’s precisely what happened to Partizan at Aleksandar Nikolic Hall.

The two teams exchanged as many as 23 leads in the first three quarters, but Partizan’s team effort on both ends clinched them the victory in the fourth, with the visitors outscoring Maccabi 15-25 in an almost perfect quarter.

[Sterling Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sterling-brown/012720/) netted 12 of those 25 points, ending the contest with a game-high 20 points. [Isaac Bonga](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/isaac-bonga/006760/) did a great job opening the floor, going 4 for 5 from beyond the arc en route to 14 points. Meanwhile, [Frank Ntilikina](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/frank-ntilikina/006591/) pulled off an extremely mature performance, making 5-of-6 field goals to finish the game on 12 points. As for the other two players who recorded double digits in scoring, [Iffe Lundberg](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/iffe-lundberg/010781/) and [Carlik Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/carlik-jones/013369/) netted 11 points each and recorded 5 and 6 assists, respectively.

“That was a great team win,” Brown told EuroLeague TV after the game. “Both ends of the floor, we came out in the second half and got it done. The coach got on us at halftime and we came out and we responded, especially on the defensive end.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Borim se svaki dan za njega!🖤🤍<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKPartizan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKPartizan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/sZtZKsBe01">pic.twitter.com/sZtZKsBe01</a></p>&mdash; KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC/status/1847011825000632459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Partizan head coach Zeljko Obradovic had every reason not to be happy with his team’s defense in the first 20 minutes. The guests gave up 46 points and allowed Maccabi to grab as many as 14 offensive rebounds – more than the Partizan’s 13 total rebounds in the first half. 

Yet, his team stepped up its defense after the break, producing 3 blocks and 3 steals in the last quarter to seal the victory. Maccabi struggled to get open looks, with its opponents’ deflections and stops allowing the visitors to build their confidence.

“It was a EuroLeague game,” Obradovic said in his post-game interview for EuroLeague TV. “Very tough, very close game, everything being decided in the last minutes.”

This was Partizan’s third EuroLeague game in a row where five or more players scored at least 10 points each, showing the team’s diverse options on offense. The Serbian side is set to host Virtus Segafredo Bologna next week, when team effort on both ends could once again be the key to a potential third straight victory.

Five of the visiting team's players scored in double digits

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2024-10-17T18:05:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas staged a magnificent fightback for an 82-85 road win at Olimpia Milano in a EuroLeague Round 4 blockbuster, completing a perfect double-round week in Italy after beating Virtus Bologna 68-71 on Tuesday.

Zalgiris stages huge comeback to edge Milan on the road, 82-85

Zalgiris Kaunas staged a magnificent fightback for an 82-85 road win at EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Round 4 blockbuster, completing a perfect double-round week in Italy after beating Virtus Segafredo Bologna 68-71 on Tuesday.

The Lithuanian side rallied from 64-37 down midway through the third quarter to produce the second-biggest comeback in the competition history. Dovydas Giedraitis netted a game-high 21 points for the visitors, followed by Sylvain Francisco, who racked up 17 points and 6 assists with a superb individual performance.

Deividas Sirvydis added 11 points for the visitors, who have now registered six straight wins against Italian opposition as Zalgiris seems to have turned Virtus and Milan into happy hunting grounds. At the other end, Nikola Mirotic paced Milan with 17 points and 11 boards, Shavon Shields chipped in with 14 points and Zach LeDay scored 13 for the home team.

Zalgiris carved out an early 4-7 lead but Milan quickly turned the tide and pulled away to 24-17 at the end of the first quarter, with LeDay and Shields pulling the strings for the hosts.

The advantage swelled to 34-19 after Armoni Brooks dropped 6 points in quick succession, rocking the rim with a dunk before he completed a four-point play as he drew a foul while draining a triple.

Milan led 49-31 at halftime and there seemed to be no way back for Zalgiris after the Italian outfit raced clear 64-37 midway through the third quarter, as Mirotic caught fire and sank his shots from all over. However, the visitors then found some momentum with a 9-0 run and having slashed the deficit to 66-48 ahead of the final 10 minutes, they sensed blood and engineered one of the most incredible comebacks in EuroLeague history.

Roared on by a sizeable contingent of travelling fans, Zalgiris closed in to 71-60 but Milan still looked in control after Shields made a pair of clutch shots, a tip-in followed by a mid-range jumper. Zalgiris then resorted to a half-court press which knocked the hosts out of their stride and generated a 3-16 run, turning the match on its head as the Lithuanian outfit edged ahead, 78-81.

The frantic climax produced a huge block by Alen Smailagic on Neno Dimitrijevic, with joyous Zalgiris players and fans dancing in delight after Giedraitis sank a pair of free throws before Brooks failed to force overtime from deep at the other end.

The Lithuanian side fought back from a 27-point deficit in the third quarter to grab its second win in Italy in three days

In a high-scoring showdown, FC Bayern Munich returned to winning ways in the EuroLeague by edging Paris Basketball 109-107 at SAP Garden in Round 4 on Thursday. 

Bayern survives in high-scoring thriller against Paris, 109-107

FC Bayern Munich returned to winning ways in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague by edging Paris Basketball 108-107 at SAP Garden in Round 4 on Thursday night. Gordie Herbert's squad improved to 2-2 in the standings and remains undefeated at the brand-new SAP Garden, while Tiago Splitter's Paris dropped to 1-3. 

Carsen Edwards led the winners with 32 points, Shabazz Napier added 27 and Devin Booker had 21, with Oscar da Silva also pouring in 12 for Bayern. TJ Shorts paced Paris with 22 points and 8 assists. Tyson Ward added 18, Nadir Hifi 16, Collin Malcolm 15 and Mikael Jantunen 12.

Shorts hit a mid-range jumper and Ward added a jump hook in a 0-6 opening run that Kevarrius Hayes capped with a layup. Booker scored down low and erased Ward's dunk with another layup. Edwards stepped up with a fast-break layup, which Jantunen bettered with a triple for a 6-11 Paris lead. Edwards kept pacing Bayern, getting help from Booker and Da Silva to give the hosts their first lead, 15-13. Elias Harris scored in the paint and Edwards boosted Bayern's lead to 19-16. Napier struck from downtown, Shorts answered with consecutive layups to bring his team within 22-21. Yam Madar's driving layup fixed the score at 24-21 after 10 minutes.

Napier and da Silva each downed a three-pointer for a 30-21 Bayern lead early in the second quarter. Napier insisted from beyond the arc to make it a double-digit game, 33-23. Malcolm tried to ignite Paris's comeback with a triple and a close jumper. Booker dunked and buried a couple of jumpers, restoring a 39-30 Bayern edge. Andreas Obst struck from downtown and sank a jumper but Hifi and Bandja Sy kept Paris within 44-35. Ward hit a three-pointer and Leopold Cavalieri dunked off a steal to make Bayern call a timeout at 48-40. Jantunen struck from beyond the arc and Ward added a fast-break layup. Nick Weiler-Babb and Napier gave Bayern fresh air, 54-47, at halftime.

Booker hit a turnaround jumper soon after the break. Edwards added a layup in transition for a 58-47 Bayern lead. Shorts scored in penetration, Ward and Booker traded three-point plays, then Malcolm's layup gave Paris hope at 61-54. Booker took over with a reverse dunk and Edwards got a lucky bounce on a three-point shot, good for a 66-56 Bayern edge. Hifi hit a jumper and fed Sy for a huge dunk. Malcolm soon added a layup that made Bayern call timeout at 66-62. Hifi capped a 0-10 Paris run with a three-pointer that tied it at 66-66. Sy dunked again, Hifi insisted from beyond the arc and Cavaliere's three-point play completed the guests' comeback, 73-74. Edwards took over with a driving layup and a three-pointer but an unstoppable Shorts kept Paris within 81-78 after 30 minutes.

Napier, Edwards and Jantunen each buried a three-pointer early in the fourth quarter. Malcolm soon brought Paris within 87-83 with over seven minutes left. Da Silva stepped up with a tip-in which Jantunen and Sebastian Herrera bettered with consecutive three-pointers, tying the game at 89-89. Da Silva scored again and Napier buried a step-back triple for an 84-89 Bayern lead. Edwards and Napier boosted Bayern's lead to 98-91 with over three minutes remaining. Edwards bettered Shorts' layup with a bomb from downtown. Ward beat the shot clock with a wild triple and Shorts added an off-balance three-point-play that got Paris within striking distance, 101-99. Da Silva and Shorts traded baskets, then Napier sank a critical three-pointer for a 106-101 Bayern lead with 52.4 seconds left. Ward struck from beyond the arc, Obst hit free throws and Hifi brought Paris within 108-107. Bayern turned the ball over and Shorts missed in the paint at the buzzer.

The fans inside SAP Garden got their money's worth in an offensive-minded showdown

Real Madrid guard Facu Campazzo had a telling role as his team beat Panathinaikos BC in Round 4 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

The influence of Facu Campazzo was key against Panathinaikos

[Facu Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) was instrumental as Real Madrid gained a measure of revenge for last season’s championship game defeat to Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, [downing the Greek giant 90-86](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/real-madrid-downs-panathinaikos-90-86-in-championship-game-rematch/) in the Spanish capital on Thursday night.

Regardless of the latest edition of one of European basketball’s rivalries between the Whites and the Greens, it was a big game for Chus Mateo’s men as they aimed to bounce back from Tuesday’s loss at Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz and avoid sinking to a 1-3 record.

Campazzo missed that defeat in northern Spain through suspension, but he was back on Thursday night and clearly ready to make up for lost time – understandably showing more energy than many of the players on both teams who had been in action just 48 hours earlier.

The all-action Argentine did a lot of everything as he spent nearly 32 minutes on the floor, grabbing 5 rebounds including 3 at the offensive end, a pair of steals and leading his team in both scoring and distributing, combining 19 points with 6 assists.

But the point guard adopted a selfless tone as he played down those numbers. “The stats are for you guys, not for me!” he laughed.

“I’m very happy to help the team get a win. We don’t have to worry about the offense – everyone and anyone can score in this team. We’ve got to take advantage of that and improve as a team on defense. That’s the challenge this season.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">🏁 FP: <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RMBaloncesto</a> 90 - 86 <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Paobcgr</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HalaMadrid?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HalaMadrid</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/UnicajaBanco?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UnicajaBanco</a> <a href="https://t.co/7TQOCLy8kr">pic.twitter.com/7TQOCLy8kr</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1847015008208933357?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Real controlled the majority of the action, leading by as many as 17 points towards the end of the third quarter. But Panathinaikos showed the mentality of champions to keep fighting until the end, and the Spanish team was never able to move into cruise control before eventually taking the victory.

Campazzo underlined the amount of effort needed to win the game, saying: “This year we’ve got to work way more than last year. We got so many new players, the other teams know us very well, they know how to play us, so we’ve got to improve as a group.

“So we’re in that process now, but we needed this win. I’m very happy because the team played really well, everyone who played tonight did something positive and made an impact on the game. We played good basketball. We shared the ball, we played good defense, we controlled the rebounds and we ran. And I think when we run, we’re a better team.”

Sharing the ball, playing good defense, taking rebounds and running… Campazzo certainly did all those things and more, helping to give Real Madrid’s season lift off.

After serving a one-game ban, he was key for Real Madrid in Round 4

Real Madrid improved to 2-2 in the EuroLeague standings by beating Panathinaikos BC 90-86 in Round 4 on Thursday night.

Real Madrid downs Panathinaikos 90-86 in championship game rematch

Real Madrid exacted revenge by overcoming Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, 90-86, in a hard-fought repeat of last season’s Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game. Both teams now have a 2-2 record, with the reigning champs losing twice this week.

Chus Mateo’s Real took a double-digit lead in less than four minutes, but Panathinaikos gradually battled back and it was 43-38 at halftime. *Los Blancos* pulled away again after the break, and held on in the final minutes. Facu Campazzo took charge for the winning team with 19 points and 6 assists, while Dzanan Musa added 15 points and Alberto Abalde scored 13. Kendrick Nunn paced Panathinaikos with 23 points, with Juancho Hernangomez hitting 4 triples on his way to 16 points, Cedi Osman scoring 13 and Ioannis Papapetrou adding 12.

The action started with Real racing ahead, 8-0, with a jumper from Eli Ndiaye plus triples from Musa and Abalde. Osman’s threeball got the Greens moving, but Ndiaye and Musa also struck from deep for a 14-3 lead. Campazzo netted 5 points in a row before Nunn’s layup and a Hernangomez triple made it closer, 19-10. Papapetrou netted twice and Hernangomez added another threeball, but Campazzo answered from deep for a 28-19 lead after 10 minutes.

Xavier Rathan-Mayes opened the second-quarter scoring with a layup, answered by Omer Yurtseven at the other end. Campazzo’s layup was bettered by Kostas Sloukas’ threeball in a slow scoring passage of play. Mathias Lessort scored his first bucket to make it 32-26, but Sergio Llull answered from deep. Papapetrou and Gaby Deck traded triples, before Hernangomez struck his third triple to pull it back to 40-34. Mario Hezonja and Nunn exchanged two-pointers, making it 43-38 at the interval.

Nunn hit a triple to pull Panathinaikos closer at the start of the third, but Musa netted 7 points in a hurry to protect the home team’s lead. Nunn struck another triple to make it 50-48, before the three-point party continued through Abalde. Walter Tavares added a dunk and Abalde scored again to complete a 9-0 run for a 59-48 lead. Musa stayed hot with a driving layup and Abalde did the same with a triple, and Deck scored in transition to make it 66-49. Tavares dunked an alley-oop, but Osman gave the Greens hope with a triple to finish the quarter, 70-58.

Deck and Llull struck from deep to protect the lead early in the fourth, and Hezonja added a thrilling alley-oop for a 78-62 advantage. But the tireless Nunn brought the Greens back with a three-point play and a jumper in a 0-9 run. Tavares dunked again to settle the host, and Campazzo’s free throws reestablished a double-digit lead, 82-71. Osman and Campazzo traded three-point blows, before Hernangomez and Lessort gave the Greens hope. Hezonja and Hernangomez both hit triples, and it was 88-81 with two minutes left. Llull’s layup gave Real breathing room, helping secure a big win.

The hosts led the entire way, but the Greens stopped them from running away with it