Billy Baron, who represented KK Crvena zvezda, Zenit St. Petersburg and Olimpia Milano during his EuroLeague career, has announced his retirement.

Billy Baron announces retirement: ‘Thank you, basketball’

[Billy Baron](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/billy-baron/005775/), a sharpshooting guard who played a total of 121 games in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, announced his retirement as a player on Saturday.

The 33-year-old started his professional career in the 2014-15 season, but it wasn’t until 2019-20 that he made his EuroLeague debut, suiting up for Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade. Baron then spent two years at Zenit St. Petersburg between 2020 and 2022 before signing for EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, where he had been for the last two campaigns.

It didn’t take long for Baron to become an idol at Zvezda, averaging 11.6 points in his rookie EuroLeague season and lighting it up from three-point territory. Baron was a key piece for an upwardly mobile Zenit side, too, posting 9.6 ppg. in his first campaign there and increasing his scoring average to 11.2 ppg. in his second year. After arriving in Milan, he picked up where he left off and averaged 11.0 ppg., but his second season in Italy was heavily impacted by an elbow injury.

For his career, Baron averaged 10.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 121 EuroLeague appearances (26 games for Crvena Zvezda, 62 for Zenit, and 33 for Milan).

The best plays of Billy Baron during his 121-game Turkish Airlines EuroLeague career.

Billy Baron's top EuroLeague plays

“It’s never easy to stop chasing something, especially when you have been doing it your whole life,” starts Baron’s announcement letter. “I grew up in a locker room, fell in love with the game by being around my dad’s teams. Experienced the emotional highs and lows of the sport that gave me this crazy obsession for it at a young age.

“My mom drove me to all my games and practices. She made herself available 24/7 so we could be where we needed to be. My brother was my idol, he was also my target. He set out a map for me to help me become the player I became and pushed me to be better through his own success.

“My wife decided to join me on this crazy journey around the world and supported me every step of the way. When I needed someone to lean on, she was always there and dealt with my frustrations, stresses, and anxiety that professional sports bring on. Together, they made a team that brought me to 37 countries and a 10-year professional career.”

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The problems Baron has faced following elbow surgery in June 2023 meant he played just three EuroLeague games for Milan in the 2023-24 season. He left Milan this past summer and signed for the Shanghai Sharks in China, but he feels like now is the right time to hang up his sneakers.

“Unfortunately, this past year I dealt with the ugly side of the game," he continues. "It’s been an experience that I don’t wish upon anyone. After HHS in NYC was able to clean up the mess I was left in, I battled to come back better than before. Inside I felt like I had several good years left in me, but I quickly found out that wouldn’t be the case.

“It’s not the way I imagined things ending. But as I sit here writing this, I’m frustrated with the scars I’ve been left with, but I’m extremely grateful to have made it this far. From my driveway in Olean, NY, to Shanghai and all 35 countries in between, it’s been a hell of a ride.

“Thank you to all the coached I have had. Thank you, Bishop Hendricken and Worcester Academy. Thank you, Canisius College. Thank you, Lietuvos Rytas, Charleroi, Murcia, and Eskisehir. Thank you, Crvena Zvezda, for giving me a basketball experience that I could only have dreamed of and for giving me the opportunity to play in front of the best fans in the world. Thank you, Zenit, and especially Xavi Pascual, for changing my approach. Thank you, Mr. Armani, for giving me the opportunity to come to Italy. And thank you, Shanghai Sharks, for giving me one last shot.

“Thank you, Misko \[Raznatovic\], for representing me and giving me the best opportunities to play this game at a high level.

“Thank you, Val. Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Dad. Thank you, Jimmy.

“Thank you, Basketball.”

More Billy Baron News

He represented three clubs during his EuroLeague career

Round 2 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season has already seen two players share MVP of the Round honors, as Neal Sako of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne and Sasha Vezenkov of Olympiacos Piraeus each had a PIR 30 in their respective teams' victories.

Round 2 co-MVPs: Neal Sako and Sasha Vezenkov

Round 2 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season has already seen two players share MVP of the Round honors, as [Neal Sako](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/neal-sako/010545/) of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne and [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) of Olympiacos Piraeus each had a PIR 30 in their respective teams' victories.

In just his second EuroLeague appearance, ASVEL big man Sako enjoyed a stellar performance in an 87-85 win over Virtus Segafredo Bologna. Sako was a thorn in Virtus’s side all night long, scoring 19 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, making 2 steals and recording 2 blocks en route to a joint round-high 30 PIR. He shot 9 for 11 on two-pointers and went 1 for 2 from the free-throw line, while 5 of his 11 rebounds came on the offensive end. Sako is the first ASVEL player to be the MVP of the Round since William Howard in Round 12 of the 2021-22 season.

Meanwhile, Vezenkov earned his 10th MVP of the Round honor as Olympiacos defeated Zalgiris Kaunas 74-68, with the forward collecting 17 points and 11 rebounds. Vezenkov was 3 for 4 on two-pointers and 11 for 13 from the foul line, while he also had 1 assist, 1 steal and drew 7 fouls in fewer than 25 minutes on the floor.

The next best PIR, 29, belongs to EA7 Emporio Armani Milan’s [Shavon Shields](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shavon-shields/007831/). In a come-from-behind 79-74 win over Paris Basketball, he collected 21 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. [Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/) of Anadolu Efes Istanbul had a PIR of 28 in a 78-83 loss against Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, posting 21 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks. Rounding out the week's top performers is Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens’s [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/), who had 22 points and 6 rebounds for a 27 PIR in a 94-79 victory over FC Bayern Munich.

Sasha Vezenkov & Neal Sako | RS Round 2 co-MVPs | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

### Individual highs: Tomas Satoransky, FC Barcelona, 5 steals

[Isaia Cordinier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/isaia-cordinier/009549/) of Virtus Segafredo Bologna led all scorers in Round 2 with 23 points. Cordinier is the league’s top scorer this season with 19.5 points per game.

Three players had 11 rebounds this round: the co-MVPs Vezenkov and Sako, as well as Panathinaikos forward [Juancho Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/juancho-hernangomez/012712/). [Joel Bolomboy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/joel-bolomboy/009035/) of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade is leading the way in rebounds with 9.5 on average after two rounds.

Real Madrid playmaker [Facundo Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) had 11 assists, more than any other player in Round 2. [Tamir Blatt](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tamir-blatt/011193/) of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv tops the charts in assists with an average of 11.0 per contest.

[Tomas Satoransky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tomas-satoransky/002939/) picked up 5 steals, the most in this round. Satoransky and [Xavier Rathan-Mayes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/xavier-rathan-mayes/013378/) of Real Madrid are each averaging a league-best 2.5 steals per game.

Twelve different players had 2 blocks in Round 2. Among them is Efes’s [Vincent Poirier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/vincent-poirier/004887/), who, along with [Donta Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/donta-hall/011196/) of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, is the EuroLeague's top shot blocker with 2.0 blocks per game.

There were three double-doubles in Round 2: Sako (19 points, 11 rebounds), Vezenkov (17 points, 11 rebounds) and Hernangomez (12 points and 11 rebounds).

Two players share MVP of the Round honor this week.

AS Monaco Basket has confirmed the signing of Jordan Loyd, who returns to the club after playing just two games for Maccabi Tel Aviv BC.

Jordan Loyd returns to Monaco

AS Monaco has announced the signing of [Jordan Loyd](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jordan-loyd/009754/), who has returned to the club after leaving for Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv this past summer. He has signed a contract at Monaco until the summer of 2026, the club announced on Saturday.

Loyd (1.93 meters, 31 years old) played just two games for Maccabi in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, averaging 15.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and a 14.5 PIR. Curiously, [his final appearance for the Israeli club](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/jordan-loyd-departs-maccabi-tel-aviv-bc/) came at Salle Gaston Medecin, Monaco's home.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">🚨 Jᴏʀᴅᴀɴ Lᴏʏᴅ ᴅᴇ ʀᴇᴛᴏᴜʀ ᴀ̀ Mᴏɴᴀᴄᴏ ! 🇲🇨🔙<br><br>✍️ L&#39;AS Monaco est heureuse d&#39;annoncer la signature pour deux saisons de l&#39;arrière américain (31 ans, 1m93) 🎯<br><br>🙌 Un retour à la maison pour les MVP des Finales 2023, qui a laissé des souvenirs inoubliables sur le… <a href="https://t.co/uJw4Bc1AOW">pic.twitter.com/uJw4Bc1AOW</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1845057068081758448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Thanks to a change in the rules, Loyd will be able to play for Monaco right away. As stated in section 10.7) in the EuroLeague bylaws: 'During the same season, a player registered in the competition may only transfer once to another EuroLeague club prior to Round 27 of the Regular Season until Wednesday at 18:00 CET on the week of the calendar date for the game in question, provided he was deregistered prior to Round 18. Should the round be played on Tuesday/Wednesday, the deadline will be Monday at 18:00 CET.'

Now in his sixth EuroLeague season, Loyd has made 126 appearances in the competition, with 54 coming as a Monaco player. During his two years in the principality, between 2022 and 2024, he helped the club make its first Final Four appearance in 2023 before a third straight playoff appearance in 2024.

The best plays of Jordan Loyd during his two-game stint with Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Loyd's top plays for Maccabi

Loyd's return to Monaco comes at a time when head coach Sasa Obradovic is without new signings [Nick Calathes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nick-calathes-out-3-4-weeks-with-knee-injury/) and [Furkan Korkmaz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-furkan-korkmaz-to-miss-3-4-weeks/) due to injury. Coach Obradovic has never hidden his admiration for Loyd, who he coached for six months at Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade in the 2020-21 season and then over the last two years at Monaco.

A 2019 NBA champion with the Toronto Raptors, Loyd made his EuroLeague debut with Valencia Basket in 2019-20 and subsequently went on to play for Crvena Zvezda (2020-21), Zenit St. Petersburg (2021-22), Monaco (2022-24) and Maccabi (2024). Now, he joins forces with [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) and co. once again as Monaco goes in search of the EuroLeague title.

More Monaco News

The guard played just two EuroLeague games for Maccabi before leaving the club

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans, we have our second winner in this season's EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge! Giorgos Stefadouros beat everyone else in Round 2 with his team Mugi, which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 190.10.

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Round 2 winner

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans, we have our second winner in this season's [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/)! Giorgos Stefadouros beat everyone else in Round 2 with his team Mugi, which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 190.10.

Giorgos had the following lineup: Sasha Vezenkov of Olympiacos Piraeus as team captain, then the rest of his starting five included Isaiah Canaan of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, Isaia Cordinier of Virtus Segafredo Bologna, Vanja Marinkovic of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, and Dan Oturu of Anadolu Efes Istanbul. His head coach was Joan Penarroya of FC Barcelona.

Efes's Elijah Bryant was Giorgos' sixth man, while the other bench players were Sylvain Francisco of Zalgiris Kaunas, Filip Petrusev of Olympiacos, Alex Abrines of Barcelona, and Mam Jaiteh of AS Monaco. 

The prize for finishing first in Round 2 is a free VIP Euroleague TV Subscription for the 2025-26 season, so congratulations, Giorgos!

Theo Geo is also the leader of the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/) overall standings.

Trades are now open for Round 3. Remember, four trades are allowed before each round until the end of the regular season. You can either trade up to four players, or a head coach and three players.

The first game in Round 3, the start of the first double-round week of the season, tips off on Tuesday, October 15, as ALBA Berlin faces LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne at 19:30 CEST. 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. 

Olympiacos BC had to rely on its defense to get its first win of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season against Zalgiris Kaunas in Round 2.

'Unbelievable' defense proved key as Olympiacos grabbed first win

On the occasion of registering its first win of the season, there was a lot less-than-usual satisfaction in Piraeus after [Olympiacos held off Zalgiris Kaunas, 74-68,](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-bc-holds-off-zalgiris-kaunas-74-68/) on Friday night.

Any fan who might have watched only the opening 13 minutes of the game, or anyone who heard Zalgiris head coach Andrea Trinchieri say that Olympiacos "played an unbelievable game on defense" could find such a lack of satisfaction a bit strange.

Olympiacos allowed just 7 points in the first 13 minutes and led 23-7 at that point, then it had an 18-point margin shortly after. Zalgiris was forced into 3 turnovers in less than the opening 80 seconds, and Zalgiris already turned the ball over 5 times in less than five minutes. The visitors had just 1 assist in the first half, too.

However, Olympiacos also allowed 12 offensive rebounds in the first half, and 18 for the night. Georgios Bartzokas is unlikely to be happy with the fact that the Reds committed 19 turnovers and only shot 4 for 17 from long range, too.

It all led to a resilient Zalgiris fighting all the way back.

"We were leading continuously by 10, 12, 14 points, and we had so many easy decisions, selections to take, to finish the game early," Olympiacos head coach Georgios Bartzokas said in a EuroLeague TV interview after the game. "We didn’t."

As a matter of fact, Zalgiris won each of the last three quarters and closed the margin to 67-65 in the penultimate minute.

"We made some rushed decisions, we were anxious, we were nervous and somehow the game was tight until the end," Bartzokas pointed out.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bwinMVP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#bwinMVP</a> of the game, Sasha Vezenkov! 🔴⚪<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a> <a href="https://t.co/F7B8Vjn5Vu">pic.twitter.com/F7B8Vjn5Vu</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1844848840853090628?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

But Olympiacos survived because it did have its defense and, importantly, had [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) and [Evan Fournier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/evan-fournier/013380/) make big baskets.

"We have to get better", Fournier said. "It wasn't the best win, but a win is a win."

This early in the season, it is just a matter of stacking them, no matter how they come.

"I feel great because we won," Bartzokas stated, adding. "It is early in the season, we need to improve a lot."

Game News

The Reds put the clamps on Zalgiris late on to secure the victory

Olympiacos Piraeus v Zalgiris Kaunas (2024-10-11T18:15:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball came close to winning its first-ever road game in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague on Friday night, but it was ultimately [forced into submission by EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, 79-74](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olimpia-milano-grinds-out-tough-home-win-over-paris-basketball-79-74/), after the home team’s dynamic duo of [Shavon Shields](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shavon-shields/007831/) and [Zach LeDay](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/zach-leday/008987/) took over in the second half of an enthralling matchup.

Shields nailed one clutch shot after another to score 19 of his game-high 21 points after the break while LeDay, back for a second stint with Milan after three seasons at Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, chipped in with 13 points for the Italian outfit.

A strong start by forward [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-mirotic/000796/), who scored 14 of his 15 points in the first half, 10 of them in the first quarter, also made up for the absence of injured big man [Josh Nebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/josh-nebo/011199/) and several other key players, while guard [Neno Dimitrijevic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/neno-dimitrijevic/006085/) added 9 points as he sank 3-of-7 shots from downtown. 

Shields acknowledged Milan need to improve on a patchy performance which was barely enough to beat EuroLeague debutant Paris, having [been brushed aside by AS Monaco, 93-80,](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-runs-past-milan-in-opener-93-80/) in the opening round.

“We have a long way to go as a team and I am just happy that we could come away with a win,” Shields told EuroLeague TV in a courtside interview. “It’s a huge one and every victory is super important in the battle to reach the playoffs, so we’ve just got to keep building from here.” 

Having singled out both Shields and LeDay, head coach Ettore Messina also paid tribute to a longtime friend and rival for honing the latter’s skills and turning him into a top performer.

“Zach always gives you something, whether it’s on offense or defense. He worked with Zeljko Obradovic at Partizan for a couple of years and when you have worked with such a great coach and you have something inside, you learn a lot,” Messina said.  “Zach has a lot inside him. It was a good experience and it’s a good thing that you can learn after a win, because it’s always more difficult if you have to learn after a loss.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Zach LeDay. 😤<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/insieme?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#insieme</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ForzaOlimpia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ForzaOlimpia</a> <a href="https://t.co/AjnOvbzL2s">pic.twitter.com/AjnOvbzL2s</a></p>&mdash; Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936/status/1844848831013298353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Messina also praised his team for showing a remarkable fighting spirit to claw out victory from the jaws of defeat, having closed out the see-saw contest with a 16-3 rally.

“Our rookies didn’t have a great game, they were up and down but we found defensive cohesion in the fourth quarter and Shavon stood out of course,” he stated. “We fought hard in the fourth and rebounded better, that was the key. Hopefully our young rookies will learn from this and I am sure they will.”

Paris head coach Tiago Splitter praised his team for a valiant effort against a more fancied rival but conceded that the French side was ice cold from the floor in crunch time. “You always want to win an at the end of the day, you’ve got to make shots in the last quarter,” the former Brazil international center said. “They made tough shots down the stretch, we didn’t, and we’ve got to improve.”

The French side looked the more likely winner before the home team made its vast EuroLeague experience count 

Milan leaned on Shields, LeDay to overcome spirited challenge from Paris 

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v Paris Basketball (2024-10-11T18:30:00.000Z)

Dario Brizuela was the star man for FC Barcelona as it defeated ALBA Berlin in Round 2 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

Dario Brizuela came up big to hold off ALBA

Despite leading since the tipoff, FC Barcelona was not enjoying a peaceful night [against the visiting ALBA Berlin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/barcelona-goes-up-a-gear-to-beat-alba-88-73/) in Round 2. The visitors responded to each and every one of Barcelona’s attempts to pull away, and even when [Nico Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nicolas-laprovittola/006435/) made it 53-44 midway through the third period, the German team was not ready to surrender.

An unexpected 0-10 spurt led by [Trevion Williams](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/trevion-williams-/012604/) and [Will McDowell-White](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/william-mcdowell-white/008062/) gave ALBA a shock 53-54 lead and a chance to win at a place it had never won at before, with just 2 minutes remaining in the third quarter.

“It’s extremely hard to play against them,” admitted FC Barcelona guard [Tomas Satoransky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tomas-satoransky/002939/) afterward. “They play one style of basketball – non-stopping, moving the ball, moving without the ball, screening for each other – so it’s very difficult, you have to guard all 24 seconds. We improved that in the second half, and thanks to [Dario \[Brizuela\]](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dario-brizuela/009992/), who was on fire today, he helped us build the lead in the third quarter.”

Satoransky finished scoreless but dished 8 assists, some of which were to an unstoppable Dario Brizuela, who stepped up when his team needed him the most. He followed an [Alex Abrines](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alex-abrines/003478/) triple with seven points in a row that capped a 10-0 run for the hosts that returned the lead to the home side at the end of the third period, 62-54, in the blink of an eye.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">Exhibició de la 𝐌𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐚 🐍 <a href="https://t.co/nZI4J5yy5t">pic.twitter.com/nZI4J5yy5t</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1844836877569798463?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

He continued after the break as he provided another bucket and a triple that raised his stat line to 16 points, with 12 having come in less than three minutes bridging the third and last periods. His last basket, with six minutes remaining and Barcelona leading 76-61, earned him a standing ovation from the home fans.

“It was important for us to get this way at home, first game at home,” Brizuela celebrated. “We struggled a little bit in the first half with simple things and I think we did a better job in second half, so we are happy about it. I was feeling good, and the team gave me a ball on the right spots, so I took advantage or that but it's a \[team\] job.”

The 'Basque Mamba' scored 12 points in an 18-1 run to put Barcelona on course for the win

FC Barcelona v ALBA Berlin (2024-10-11T18:30:00.000Z)

Olimpia Milano came out on top in its Round 2 matchup against Paris Basketball, winning 79-74 to notch its first victory of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

Olimpia Milano grinds out tough home win over Paris Basketball, 79-74

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan eked out a hard fought 79-74 home victory over Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debutant Paris Basketball in Round 2 of the regular season, with Shavon Shields scoring 19 of his game-high 21 points in the second half of a thrilling contest.

Nikola Mirotic racked up 15 points and 6 boards for the home team, while Zach LeDay chipped in with 13 points as Milan fought back from a 63-71 deficit in a frantic climax to the game, denying Paris a first EuroLeague win.

Playmaker TJ Shorts shined for Paris with 17 points, 8 assists and 4 rebounds while Collin Malcolm posted 12 points for the visitors, who ran out of steam in the home stretch after threatening to stage a major upset at Unipol Forum.

Driven by an electrifying atmosphere generated by the home fans, Mirotic fired on all cylinders early on and sank 10 points in the first quarter as Milan took a slender 20-18 lead.

LeDay then came to the fore with a dunk followed by a three-pointer as Milan pulled away to 33-26 in the second quarter before Paris beefed up its defense in the closing stages of the first half.

With Milan committing 10 turnovers in the opening half while managing a mere 7 assists, Paris closed out the second quarter with a 2-13 run which saw the French side engineer a 35-39 lead, having taken better care of the ball and managed 9 assists while committing just 5 turnovers.

Buoyed by its strong finish to the first half, Paris carried on in the third quarter right where it left off in the second, extending its advantage to 43-50 before Milan turned the tables with a 15-7 rally. The home team edged ahead, 58-57, at the end of the third period thanks to a delicious buzzer-beating floater from Stefano Tonut, sparking loud celebrations from the home faithful.

Paris again found another gear early in the fourth quarter, carving out a 63-71 lead on the back of an inspired performance from Shorts, who toyed with his markers while hitting mid-range jumpers almost at will and dishing out assists like confetti.

Just when it looked like Paris was going to celebrate a famous win, the unstoppable Shields stepped up to the plate and propelled the final twist which saw Milan come out on top in a fascinating battle. With the home fans in raptures, Paris players were still able to walk off the court with their heads high after giving Milan a good run for its money.

The Italian side forced EuroLeague debutant Paris into submission with a late 16-3 rally 

Resilient Milan grinds out tough home win over Paris, 79-74

Olympiacos BC registered its first win of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season by beating Zalgiris Kaunas in Round 2, but it ended up being more nervy than the hosts would have liked.

Olympiacos holds off Zalgiris, 74-68

Olympiacos Piraeus registered its first win of the season on Friday night as it defeated Zalgiris Kaunas 74-68 in a big defensive battle at Peace and Friendship Stadium. Heading into next week's double-round, both teams hold a 1-1 record after two games.

The Reds had a dream start, especially on defense, as they allowed just seven points in the first 13 minutes of the game, but Zalgiris slowly found it footing. In the third quarter, the visitors finally cut the deficit to single digits, then used four fourth-quarter three-pointers to get within 67-65 in the penultimate minute. But Sasha Vezenkov took matters into his own hands, scoring an important basket, and Olympiacos prevailed. Vezenkov finished with a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double, and Evan Fournier had 15 points and 5 rebounds in the victory. Deividas Sirvydis netted 17 points, while Sylvain Francisco had 13 in defeat.

Olympiacos started with a suffocating defense, forcing three turnovers in less than the first 80 seconds, and Zalgiris already turned the ball over five times in less than five minutes. The Reds struggled offensively themselves in the early going, opening an 8-2 lead on a fast-break layup by Vezenkov. Ignas Brazdeikis and Edgaras Ulanovas kept the visitors in it, but Olympiacos kept its defense at a high level while running and scoring more in transition, including a buzzer-beating triple by Kostas Papanikolaou that made it 21-6 after 10 minutes.

Zalgiris's offensive struggles continued early in the second quarter, too, as the margin grew to 17 points. But Lukas Lekavicius hit a three-pointer to end Zalgiris's drought with 6:30 left in the half, then Alen Smailagic gave the visitors life with a three-pointer before taking it to the rim and cutting the margin to 27-15. But Olympiacos scored the next seven points, a run capped by a three-point play from Nigel Williams-Goss that made it 33-15. Francisco answered with a three-point play of his own, and the visitors continued battling and crashing the offensive glass, which is what kept them in the game. The score at halftime was 35-24.

Fournier and Deividas Giedraitis traded triples to start the second half, then the same two players traded driving layups. Vezenkovs baskets, and another bucket from Fournier helped open a 47-33 score, but Zalgiris was not going away. Arnas Butkevicius sparked a run, which also saw Sirvydis score on a fast-break to cut the margin to 48-41, yet Moustapha Fall and Fourrnier made sure the Reds take 52-43 into the final quarter.

Francisco hit from long range to make it 52-46 at the start of the fourth, but Vildoza and Papanikolaou each hit a wide-open triple from the right corner to restore a double-digit margin, 58-48. Alec Peters scored a layup and Filip Petrusev got to the free-throw line, but Sirvydis nailed three three-pointers and cut the deficit to 64-59 with 3:00 to go. A three from Francisco made it 67-65 with 1:24 left, but Vezenkov made a tough short jumper while drawing a foul. After he missed a free throw, Kostas Papanikolaou fought against Butkevicius and Sirvydis, drawing two more foul shots to give the hosts breathing room entering the final minute. The Reds held on, securing their first win of the season.

The Reds bounced back from their opening-round loss at Fenerbahce