Joan Peñarroya's FC Barcelona put on a show at Palau Blaugrana, beating AS Monaco 86-71 with ease in Round 3 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

Barcelona breezes past Monaco, 86-71

FC Barcelona protected its home floor on Wednesday night, defeating the previously unbeaten AS Monaco 86-71 in the last game of Round 3. Barcelona controlled the game for the majority of all four quarters, registering its second win of the season as both teams now hold a 2-1 record in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague standings.

When all was said and done, it turned out that Barcelona never trailed after a 9-0 first-quarter run, with the hosts taking the lead for good in the second quarter. Monaco came within 47-44 early in the third, but an 8-0 run gave Barcelona a double-digit lead that grew to 20 points at the start of the fourth, with Monaco never threatening again. 

Kevin Punter netted 21 points to lead Barcelona, and Jabari Parker added 16. Nicolas Laprovittola scored 13, and Jan Vesely 10 points in a victory. Elie Okobo was Monaco's top core with 13 points, Alpha Diallo had 12, Mike James 11 while Mam Jaiteh finished with 10 in a losing effort.

Game Videos

Monaco was the team which struck first, opening a 2-7 lead after a James three-pointer, but Barcelona answered with a 10-0 run during which Punter hit a pair of threes, including one in transition from way downtown, to make it 12-7. Monaco replied with a little run of its own, capped by Okobo's three to tie things at 14-14, but Parker hit a corner triple before Willy Hernangomez had a dunk that sparked a 9-0 run, capped by a triple from Laprovittola. That shot opened a double-digit margin, 26-16, before a Georgios Papagiannis' tip-in made it 26-18 after 10 minutes.

Monaco had a strong start to the second quarter, with Matthew Strazel driving for a shot high off the glass and Diallo following it up with a three-point play, then Donatas Motiejunas twice went crafty in the low post, tying the game at 27-27. Laprovittola had a three-point play, and after Diallo answered with a three-pointer, a triple from Dario Brizuela, a long jumper from Vesely and a three-point play from Punter opened a 40-35 advantage. Jordan Loyd, in his first game back in Monaco's uniform, and Diallo cut the margin back to 41-39, but Chimezie Metu's tip-in and Punter on a fast break secured a 47-39 halftime Barcelona lead.

Game News

James scored 5 points to open the third quarter, but Barcelona scored the next 8, with Punter tallying 5 and Parker netting a triple, as the hosts went 55-44 ahead. James and Motiejunas snapped the hosts' run, but Barcelona started dominating as Parker and Laprovittola combined to score the team's next 12 points, extending it to 67-49. Papagiannis put an end to a 12-1 run and Okobo hit a three-pointer, but a pair of jumpers from Vesely had Barcelona up 71-54 after 30 minutes.

A corner three from Brizuela made it a 20-point game after the opening possession of the fourth, but a triple from Jaron Blosomgame and a layup from Diallo trimmed the gap to 15 points, 76-61. Okobo scored four more points to get Monaco within 11 points midway through the fourth, but Barcelona stepped up defensively, and a second-chance triple from Punter got the lead back to 81-65, ending any doubts with 3:06 to go.

Both teams have a 2-1 record after three rounds

FC Barcelona v AS Monaco (2024-10-16T18:30:00.000Z)

The first double-round week of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season is here, so keep track of all the final results from Round 3 in our Game Center.

Game Center: Round 3 features eight games on Tuesday and one on Wedensday

## Wednesday, October 16

### FC Barcelona 86-71 AS Monaco

Barcelona protected its home floor on Wednesday night, defeating the previously unbeaten Monaco 86-71 in the last game of Round 3. Barcelona controlled the game for the majority of all four quarters, registering its second win of the season as both teams now hold a 2-1 record in the EuroLeague standings.

When all was said and done, it turned out that Barcelona never trailed after a 9-0 first-quarter run, with the hosts taking the lead for good in the second quarter. Monaco came within 47-44 early in the third, but an 8-0 run gave Barcelona a double-digit lead that grew to 20 points at the start of the fourth, with Monaco never threatening again. 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐀 𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎̀𝐑𝐈𝐀, 𝐏𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔 🔥🔥🔥🔥 <a href="https://t.co/FeUfEFnLhX">pic.twitter.com/FeUfEFnLhX</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1846651759676346549?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Tuesday, October 15

### [ALBA Berlin 84-79 LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/alba-berlin-ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/E2024/19/)

ALBA collected its first victory of the season by fighting past ASVEL at home. ALBA took control of the game with a 14-2 run in the third quarter and held on to improve to 1-2, which is the same record for ASVEL. Martin Hermannsson led ALBA with 21 points, Matteo Spagnolo scored 16 and Trevion Williams posted a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds. Theo Maledon paced ASVEL with 17 points, Paris Lee had 16 and Neal Sako also had a double-double of 12 points and 13 rebounds.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">HERE WE G🤩🤩🤩🤩!<br><br>Zweites Heimspiel, erster Sieg! Wir machen zum Wochenstart gegen <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LDLCASVEL</a> unseren ersten <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a>-Sieg der Saison klar. Schmeckt! 😋<br><br>🫵 Am Donnerstag (17.10.) geht’s gegen <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBBasketbol</a>. Gleiche Zeit, gleicher Ort. <br><br>📸 Tilo Wiedensohler <a href="https://t.co/YMY6WrO5cj">pic.twitter.com/YMY6WrO5cj</a></p>&mdash; ALBA BERLIN (@albaberlin) <a href="https://twitter.com/albaberlin/status/1846277361589014761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 57-76 Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul-crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/E2024/20/)

Crvena Zvezda staged a major upset with an impressive road win over Fenerbahce led by Joel Bolomboy's 18 points and 11 boards. Nemanja Nedovic added 17 points for Zvezda and Mike Daum, who joined Zvezda during the off season from Fenerbahce’s archrival Anadolu Efes Istanbul, enjoyed a memorable return to the Turkish capital with 14 points and 5 boards. At the other end, Nigel Hayes-Davis paced Fenerbahce with a game-high 20 points to go with 8 boards.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A night to remember 🤩<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kkcz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kkcz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreTheTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreTheTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/sportmts?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sportmts</a> <a href="https://t.co/krWNvkhbFT">pic.twitter.com/krWNvkhbFT</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1846276241671798996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 93-91 Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-anadolu-efes-istanbul/E2024/27/#boxscore)

Maccabi improved to 2-1 after defeating Efes in Belgrade, Serbia, on Tuesday night. Led by an inspired Saben Lee, making his Maccabi debut, and Jaylen Hoard, the Israeli champs showed an impressive resilience in the fourth quarter to keep Efes at arm’s length en route to a crucial victory. With this loss, Efes dropped to 1-2.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">THIS. IS. MACCABI! <a href="https://t.co/mvD7SQ8qTC">pic.twitter.com/mvD7SQ8qTC</a></p>&mdash; Maccabi Tel Aviv BC 🇮🇱​ (@MaccabiTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabiTLVBC/status/1846284995222290717?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Olympiacos Piraeus 89-68 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/olympiacos-piraeus-ea7-emporio-armani-milan/E2024/21/)

Olympiacos recorded its second consecutive victory at home by crushing Milan. The hosts dominated from the tip at Peace and Friendship Stadium, won all four quarters and looked solid on defense for the second game in a row. With this win, the Reds improved to 2-1, while Milan dropped to 1-2. Sasha Vezenkov and Shaquielle McKissic netted 22 points each to lead all scorers, with captain Kostas Papanikolaou adding 13. Zach LeDay paced the visiting team with 16 points, Ousmane Diop scored 14 and Giampaolo Ricci added 11.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">FINAL: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> - EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 🏀 89-68 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OLYEA7?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OLYEA7</a> <a href="https://t.co/7FbVnf4WYh">pic.twitter.com/7FbVnf4WYh</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1846281707852341261?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Virtus Segafredo Bologna 68-71 Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/virtus-segafredo-bologna-zalgiris-kaunas/E2024/24/)

Zalgiris looked on course for a comfortable victory in Bologna on Tuesday night, but the Lithuanian side went ice-cold and allowed the hosts to get back into the game. However, Alen Smailagic stepped up in the final stages of the contest to ensure that Zalgiris secured the win and improved Andrea Trinchieri’s side's record to 2-1. Virtus remains winless after three games.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">First win of the double week in Italy. ✅ <br><br>(Presented by: Go3). <a href="https://t.co/nwkVvhZkmy">pic.twitter.com/nwkVvhZkmy</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1846291859355705442?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Paris Basketball 84-80 Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/paris-basketball-panathinaikos-aktor-athens/E2024/23/#boxscore)

Paris held off a late charge from reigning EuroLeague champion Panathinaikos to claim its first-ever win in the competition, 84-80, at Accor Arena on Tuesday night. While Paris improved to 1-2 on the season, the Greens fell to 2-1. Nadir Hifi paced the winners with 20 points and T.J. Shorts tallied 16 points and 7 assists for Paris. French national team player Mathias Lessort led Panathinaikos with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">NO WORDS NEEDED. <a href="https://t.co/PNdjk1Rvw3">pic.twitter.com/PNdjk1Rvw3</a></p>&mdash; Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball/status/1846290779968266722?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 76-72 Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz-real-madrid/E2024/22/)

In an intense game that came down to the final seconds, Baskonia edged Real Madrid at Buesa Arena in Round 3 on Tuesday. Baskonia improved to 2-1 in the standings while Real dropped to 1-2. Markus Howard paced the winners with 15 points in less than 18 minutes and Chima Moneke added 14 points for Baskonia. Dzanan Musa led all scorers with 17 points and Walter Tavares posted 14 points and 15 rebounds in defeat.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🔥🔥🔥EL TRIUNFOOO ESS NUESTROOOOO 🔥🔥🔥<br><br>SUMAMOS EL SEGUNDO EN <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> 2⃣✅<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoazenBaskonia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoazenBaskonia</a> <a href="https://t.co/pZvVYJSD3F">pic.twitter.com/pZvVYJSD3F</a></p>&mdash; Baskonia (@Baskonia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Baskonia/status/1846284448758681865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 86-78 FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade-fc-bayern-munich/E2024/26/)

Partizan registered its first win of the season, holding off visiting Bayern at a sold-out Belgrade Arena. Both teams now hold 1-2 records. Partizan took control with 6-for-7 three-point shooting in the first quarter, opening up a double-digit lead, and the margin was as big as 22 points in the second. Bayerrn rallied, and got as close as 6 points late in the fourth quarter, but Partizan's lead was never really in question. Sterling Brown paced Partizan with 22 points and Carlik Jones scored 14. Andreas Obt netted 15 points for Bayern.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Pobeda crno-belih!✊🏽🖤🤍<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/2NoDqWCttf">pic.twitter.com/2NoDqWCttf</a></p>&mdash; KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC/status/1846293250178424928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The first half of the double-round week is here

Game Center: Just one unbeaten team remains after Round 3

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v FC Bayern Munich (2024-10-15T18:45:00.000Z)

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v Zalgiris Kaunas (2024-10-15T18:30:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2024-10-15T18:30:00.000Z)

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Real Madrid (2024-10-15T18:30:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2024-10-15T18:15:00.000Z)

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2024-10-15T18:05:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2024-10-15T17:45:00.000Z)

ALBA Berlin v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2024-10-15T17:30:00.000Z)

KK Crvena zvezda recorded a very impressive Round 3 win at Fenerbahçe Beko in the 2024-25 EuroLeague season, a result that has the Serbian side dreaming of a postseason berth later in the campaign.

Rejuvenated Zvezda nurturing high hopes after stellar night in Istanbul 

A resounding [57-76 road win at Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/crvena-zvezda-showed-new-found-grit-to-demolish-fenerbahce/) propelled Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade to a perfect 3-0 start in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and galvanized the club’s ambitions of reaching the postseason after last term’s fiasco.

Zvezda finished 16th in the 2023-34 campaign with a dismal 11-23 record but this term, a slightly revamped team looks capable of making the EuroLeague Playoffs after its magnificent performance against a more heralded opponent, which stunned even the Serbian side’s head coach, Ioannis Sfairopoulos.

Having forced 18 turnovers from Fenerbahce, 5 of them in the fourth quarter when the chips were down, Zvezda stifled out the home team throughout a lop-sided contest in which the hosts also made a mere 12-of-32 shots from two-point range and 7 of 23 from downtown.

Sfairopoulos, who guided Zvezda to a domestic treble last season despite a poor EuroLeague campaign, was thoroughly impressed with his team’s display in the Turkish capital.

“It’s not easy to play against Fenerbahce, especially here on their home court as this is a team with a lot of high quality players,” the Greek tactician told reporters at the post-game press conference.” The performance surprised me in a lot of ways as we kept our rhythm throughout and I am very pleased.”

Zvezda has thrived from the addition of playmaker [Codi Miller-McIntyre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/codi-miller-mcintyre/009048/) to the backcourt, as there seems to be a new level of composure on offense. The return of [Ognjen Dobric](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ognjen-dobric/004007/) and [Nikola Kalinic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-kalinic/004866/) has provided the kind of defensive steel missing last season, while big man [Joel Bolomboy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/joel-bolomboy/009035/) keeps dominating at both ends of the court like he did last term.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Amazing performance from our big man 🔥 | <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> R3<br><br>⭐️ JOEL BOLOMBOY<br><br>📊 18 PTS, 8/10 FG, 2/2 3FG, 11 REB;<br>PIR 25<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kkcz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kkcz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreTheTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreTheTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/adidasPlayeroftheGame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#adidasPlayeroftheGame</a> <a href="https://t.co/CcoJtTasiw">pic.twitter.com/CcoJtTasiw</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1846280239233880456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Sfairopoulos will now expect his men to show some consistency which was conspicuous for its absence last season, and his first step in that direction was to remind his players they must keep their feet firmly on the ground. Especially in view of the fact that Zvezda has already suffered shock early losses to Split and Dubai Basketball in the regional ABA League, notably the latter as it came against a modest team which has a 1-3 record in the competition.

“It’s too early to get excited because there is a long way to go, it’s a marathon. We will stay humble in order to keep learning and improving,” said the 57-year-old head coach.

His Fenerbahce counterpart, Saras Jasikevicius, had to answer some tough questions concerning the horror show his players served up to their fans, and one of them was to comment on the early departure of droves of disgruntled supporters in the gym.

“We want our fans to support us, no question, but we are also responsible for the product we put out on the court,” stated the Lithuanian tactician. “To be honest, maybe I’d have left early too.”

Having congratulated Zvezda, Jasikevicius lambasted his team for lack of effort and cutting edge. 

“Zvezda was the better team in everything on the court tonight, first of all their desire to play,” he said. “Offensively we were really bad, we had too many turnovers and we didn’t find the spots where we can do damage. We didn’t make good decisions and it was a difficult evening for us.”

In Round 4, Zvezda is at home to FC Barcelona in what should be a blockbuster while Fenerbahce has a chance to redeem itself when it visits ALBA Berlin. 

The Serbian team made a statement of postseason intent with an impressive performance against Fenerbahce 

Paris Basketball notched its first-ever win in the EuroLeague on Tuesday night, and against the reigning champs, Panathinaikos BC, no less.

History made in Paris with win over Panathinaikos 

Chalk one up for the BKT EuroCup! In Tuesday's showdown between the champions of the top two pan-European basketball competitions, Paris Basketball led for the entirety of the last three quarters in recording [an 84-80 victory over Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2425-rs3-report-prs-pan/).

While the battle of the champions was a nice side story, the real headline was that Paris won in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague for the first time and took out a major title contender to do so. The Parisians were in the mix in their first two games, but after narrow losses against Crvena Zvezda Merdianbet Belgrade and EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, coach Tiago Splitter's men were clear underdogs – even at home – against the battle-tested Greens.

So how did Paris do it? It was a combination of playing with confidence and motivation, a ragged pace and tough and physical defense. And, of course, holding on at the end.

"We are confident in our game," point guard [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/), who had 16 points and 7 assists on what was his 27th birthday, said. "We felt like we let two games get almost slipped away from us and we felt like we were right there on the hump to capture our first win and for us to do it against the reigning champs – that’s an incredible roster over there. We have a lot of respect for them.

"We will take this feeling that we have, the way we played, the cohesion that we had as a team and we will continue it."

Paris did not win the game because of great execution. The home side shot poorly from deep (24.1%) and from the foul line (68%), the latter of which nearly cost it dearly when Panathinaikos rallied late. The visitors outrebounded Paris 38-42 and had more second-chance points (11-14).

But they did other things to make life hard on the Greens.

"We played at the pace we wanted and the pace they didn’t want," Coach Splitter explained. "If we played at their pace, we would probably have lost."

He also credited the team effort on defense, which Splitter called "big time".

That defense collected 9 steals and forced 15 turnovers, which were cashed in for 21 points.

As a former player, Splitter understood what this game meant to his players: "This is the type of game where you don’t need much motivation. Playing against the champion of Europe. I didn’t have to say anything. They had the knives in between their teeth ready for a fight and that’s what happened tonight."

Before leaving the podium at the post-game press conference, Splitter summed up what the win means for Paris.

"It’s a huge game for this club, this young club. I told them that I think Panathinaikos is 106 years old, you’re six years old. You're babies," he said. "It's huge. I am proud of this club, this team, the players, the staff. Everybody who worked to be here and they gave me this opportunity to be here in this seat and lead this team."

Most importantly, the Paris players now know that when they play their fast-paced, rugged brand of basketball with confidence – especially at home – they can stand up to any EuroLeague team... even the reigning champs. 

Euroleague Basketball's 'Super Cup' went the way of upstart Paris

KK Crvena zvezda recorded a shock 57-76 road win at Fenerbahçe Beko in Round 3 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague, and it was a victory that certainly caught the attention of many.

Crvena Zvezda showed new-found grit to demolish Fenerbahce

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade produced one of its best-ever performances in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague as it celebrated [a 57-76 road rout of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2425-rs3-report-ulk-red/). Perhaps most surprisingly was the nature of the win as the Serbian demonstrated its ironclad defense, something it has rarely produced in the past.

Zvezda forced a staggering 18 turnovers from Fenerbahce and limited the home side to just 13 assists, while holding the Turkish outfit’s star player [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/) to a mere 3 points on 1 of 6 shooting from the floor, having also forced 5 turnovers from the guard.

Fenerbahce was held to 7 of 23 from deep and a miserable 12 of 32 from two-point range, a testament to Zvezda’s hustle which forced the home players to give the ball away repeatedly and take a barrage of tough shots from all over.

In contrast, Zvezda’s smooth offense was rarely disrupted by the home team as visiting center [Joel Bolomboy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/joel-bolomboy/009035/) dominated at both ends of the floor, having racked up 18 points and 11 rebounds. The big man literally toyed with his markers, once again showing that he has given the Serbian side value for money since he joined it from Olympiacos Piraeus in 2023.

The 30-year-old, who surpassed 1,000 points in the EuroLeague with a vintage performance, outlined just how pleased he was to be part of this Zvezda team which won its opening three games in Europe’s premier club competition for the first time in the club’s history,

“It’s my ninth year as a professional and my seventh in the EuroLeague. It’s been quite a journey since I entered the EuroLeague from the NBA, and I didn’t know what to expect at the time,” Bolomboy said in a courtside interview. “I’ve been able to build my career and find a home here with Red Star, hut it’s a long season and we can still improve.”

Zvezda suffered a series of fourth-quarter collapses last season, letting several victories slip away as the team appeared to lose momentum every time the chips were down. Not this time in Istanbul, as the visiting team held firm in the wake of Fenerbahce’s fierce third quarter onslaught with the hosts at one point slashing the deficit to 41-45.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Zvezda! 🔴⚪️👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kkcz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kkcz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreTheTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreTheTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/WLImWHLtnZ">pic.twitter.com/WLImWHLtnZ</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1846309869437309319?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Nemanja Nedovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nemanja-nedovic/000848/) was also instrumental as he drained 17 points while [Mike Daum](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-daum/012786/) chipped in with 14 points and 5 boards, which allowed Zvezda to regain its composure quickly and race away into an insurmountable lead in the closing stages.

Zvezda had 19 assists and just 11 turnovers while making 17-of-29 shots from inside the three-point arc and Bolomboy pointed out that sound offense was generated by a valiant defensive effort.

“They were obviously going to respond as they made some adjustments,” he said. “We played really well defensively tonight as we limited them to lower points than what they usually average and it was a great team effort.”

“Everyone is on the same page and we’re really working behind the scenes. We have a really good team this year and going into every game we have a great game plan. Ultimately it comes down to defense. If we are locked in defensively, we have enough talent to score points.”

Head coach Ioannis Sfairopoulos lauded his team for executing the game plan to perfection. “We only allowed 57 points against a great offensive team and our defense was key to winning the game as we forced 18 turnovers from them,” the Greek tactician stated.

“Offensively, we found the best solutions and executed well, so congratulations to my players. The team’s core is from last season but we have added some important players and we can still improve. It’s still early days, but we really are playing as a team.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kkcrvenazvezda</a> are the ONLY team that are 3-0 in the EuroLeague 😳😤<br><br>Who can stop them? 🤔 <a href="https://t.co/JhWLgBCk8O">pic.twitter.com/JhWLgBCk8O</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1846307951482396947?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Daum was elated after his biggest game for Zvezda since joining the Serbian outfit from Fenerbahce’s cross-town rival Anadolu Efes Istanbul during the off season.

“I am very excited to be back in Turkey, obviously this is where my EuroLeague career started last year when Efes gave me the opportunity,” said the versatile swingman. “It’s a familiar place and I saw some familiar faces, so it’s awesome to be back.”

“We played so hard tonight, the guys stuck together through the highs and the lows and I was just able to do my thing. I have fun playing with these guys, they are unbelievable and enjoy being out there with them.”  

Fenerbahce head coach Saras Jasikevicius succinctly summed up his team’s poor night, as well as his own, having had to watch helplessly as Zvezda tore its more heralded rival apart. “Not very good coaching and not a very good team performance, there is no other way to evaluate,” he said and rushed away in a hurry. 

Joel Bolomboy shined at both ends for the Serbian side, which showed defensive steel in its Round 3 triumph

There must be something about playing in Bologna that Zalgiris Kaunas particularly likes. Ever since Virtus Bologna returned to the EuroLeague in the 2022-23 season, Zalgiris has gone 3-0 in the Italian city.

Zalgiris feels right at home in Bologna

There must be something about playing in Bologna that Zalgiris Kaunas particularly likes. Ever since Virtus Segafredo Bologna returned to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague in the 2022-23 season, Zalgiris has gone 3-0 in the Italian city.

On Tuesday night, Andrea Trinchieri’s squad [eked a 68-71 win against Virtus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/alen-smailagic-steps-up-late-as-zalgiris-downs-virtus-68-71/) to improve to 2-1 on the season and compound Luca Banchi’s men to a third straight defeat. Back in Round 1 last year, Zalgiris – then led by Kazys Maksvytis – also won by three points, 79-82, while the club’s first trip to Bologna in almost 15 years in Round 18 of the 2022-23 campaign resulted in a 10-point triumph, 77-87.

Simply put, Zalgiris has Virtus’ number. Although it was a close fight at various points in the game, Zalgiris always had an extra surge that would put it back in front. In the final minutes before halftime, Zalgiris went on a 14-2 run to take a 30-44 lead into the break. Then, in the final stages of the contest, [Alen Smailagic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alen-smailagic/011051/) stepped up with some big offensive rebounds and scored seven of his team’s last nine points en route to the win.

With Valencia Basket not in this season’s EuroLeague, there is only one other team that Zalgiris could go 3-0 against on the road over the last three years – EA7 Emporio Armani Milan. And who do Zalgiris face on Thursday in the second game of this double-round week? Milan.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Thank you for such support. 💚🤍<br><br>Next stop: Milan! 🔜 <a href="https://t.co/Zz8rSTqsHG">pic.twitter.com/Zz8rSTqsHG</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1846322905723875467?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

It wasn’t the best performance by Trinchieri’s men on Tuesday night, but they found a way to get the victory, which is the most important thing.

“We won the game five times and we lost the game four times,” Trinchieri told the EuroLeague TV cameras after the game. “At the end, we didn’t close it, but we go home with a great win: a road win, team win. First half was amazing, second half was a grimy game. A lot of contacts, we lost a little bit our flow, but I’m very proud of our players.”

Zalgiris will now be hoping to cause another surprise when it travels to Milan. Admittedly we are just three rounds into the season but Zalgiris currently sits fifth in the standings, something its fans will be dreaming is still the case come Round 34.

Trips to face Virtus have become something the Lithuanian club relishes

New Maccabi Tel Aviv guard Saben Lee had a EuroLeague to remember, playing a starring role as his team beat Anadolu Efes Istanbul in Round 3.

Saben Lee announced himself to the EuroLeague with stellar Maccabi debut

Imagine a team postponing practice just so that its new signing can take part. Well, that is what Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv did last Sunday as it awaited the arrival of [Saben Lee](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/saben-lee/013389/), who has been the talk of the continent in recent weeks. Maccabi knew that it was getting something special in Lee, and he already showed in Round 3 what he can offer.

It’s fair to say that Maccabi fans have been blessed when it comes to backcourt stars over the last two years, with [Lorenzo Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/lorenzo-brown/009622/) and [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/) developing into All-EuroLeague players, and – even if it was just one game – Lee looks like he could follow suit. On his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut, the 25-year-old finished with 23 points, 1 rebound, 5 assists and a 26 PIR, all in just under 22 1/2 minutes. Most importantly, he achieved those numbers in a win – [a 93-91 decision against Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/new-look-maccabi-impresses-in-win-over-efes-93-91/).

What was particularly notable about Lee was the way in which, following a jaw-dropping poster dunk on [Ercan Osmani](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ercan-osmani/012710/), his teammates started to defer to him. Despite having been a Maccabi player for just three days, he was already commanding such a level of respect that he was leading the offense in crunch time, together with fellow guard [Tamir Blatt](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tamir-blatt/011193/).

“I’m just grateful to be able to be here with a good group of guys who have sown confidence in me and just being able to play my game,” Lee told EuroLeague TV after the game.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="iw" dir="rtl">תארו את הבכורה של סייבן במילה <a href="https://t.co/yjX1HdhZy1">pic.twitter.com/yjX1HdhZy1</a></p>&mdash; Maccabi Tel Aviv BC 🇮🇱​ (@MaccabiTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabiTLVBC/status/1846292452405047594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Sometimes it is difficult to know how a player will adapt to the EuroLeague, but Lee has already taken to the competition like a duck to water. Perhaps it was to be expected after his electric start to the season, as he dominated in the first two rounds of the Basketball Champions League with Manisa Basket before signing with Maccabi.

On his BCL debut, the former guard for the Detroit Pistons and Phoenix Suns posted 36 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists, then he followed that up by tying the competition's all-time scoring record with a 43-point night in his second-ever BCL appearance. Curiously, that 43-point game came at the place Maccabi is temporarily calling home – Aleksandar Nikolic Hall.

“This court has definitely shown me love, for sure,” Lee said.

Fortunately for Lee, he won’t have to wait too long to play again at Maccabi’s temporary arena as Thursday night sees Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade make the trip across town in Round 4. It is early days, but Maccabi fans may already have a new hero to cheer for.

Zalgiris Kaunas improved to 2-1 in the 2024-25 EuroLeague season after beating Virtus Bologna 68-71 in Round 3, with forward Alen Smailagic playing a key role in the game's final minutes.

Alen Smailagic steps up late as Zalgiris downs Virtus, 68-71

Zalgiris Kaunas looked on course for a comfortable victory at Virtus Segafredo Bologna on Tuesday night, but the Lithuanian side went ice-cold and allowed the hosts to get back into the game. However, Alen Smailagic stepped up in the final stages of the contest to ensure that Zalgiris secured a 68-71 win, improving Andrea Trinchieri’s side to a 2-1 record. Virtus remains winless after three games of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Dovydas Giedraitis led the way for Zalgiris with a team-high 15 points, which tied his career high after he netted the same number of points against ALBA Berlin in Round 12 last season. Fellow guard Sylvain Francisco chipped in with 11 points, while Edgaras Ulanovas had 10. Virtus forward Will Clyburn netted a game-high 16 points for the hosts, who had Toko Shengelia and Alessandro Pajola score 11 points each and Isaia Cordinier contribute 10.

In what was a back-and-forth first quarter, neither team was able to get a firm grip on the game in the early stages. Clyburn was showing signs of getting back to his best, but Virtus' defense allowed the likes of Ignas Brazdeikis and Giedraitis to have plenty of joy, with Zalgiris holding a narrow 15-16 advantage after 10 minutes thanks to a tough layup by Francisco.

Zalgiris had the last three scores of the first quarter and carried on its momentum in the second, netting the first nine points of the quarter to take its scoring run to 13-0 and make it 15-25 on the scoreboard. Pajola and Shengelia decided that enough was enough and started Virtus' fightback, trimming the deficit to three points (24-27) with just over four minutes to go before halftime. When Clyburn scored four straight to pull Virtus within one score of Zalgiris, 28-30, the visitors outscored the hosts 14-2 the rest of the way to take a 30-44 lead into the break.

The third quarter saw a spirited reaction from Virtus, with Pajola and Shengelia heavily involved once again, as it outscored Zalgiris 15-4 through the first five and a half minutes to get within four points, 45-49. However, just like in the second quarter, that only seemed to wake Zalgiris up as Matt Mitchell struck from mid-range before Giedraitis, Lukas Lekavicius and Deividas Sirvydis all hit a triple apiece to give the Lithuanian side an eight-point advantage, 52-60, entering the final period.

Cordinier had been quiet for most of the game, but he started getting Virtus moving again in the fourth, scoring both inside and outside the arc to get the hosts within touching range, 59-62. Shengelia's three made free throws even saw Virtus go in front, 64-62, but Smailagic – another who had been relatively quiet – gave Zalgiris a new-found energy in the final minutes. Whether it was scoring points or being active on the glass, Smailagic was making his presence felt, scoring seven of Zalgiris' last nine points to ensure that Coach Trinchieri's side came away with a 68-71 victory.

The visitors came close to throwing their win away, but the Serbian forward ensured they got over the line

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz trailed most of the way in its Round 3 showdown against Real Madrid but a great team effort paid off down the stretch. 


Baskonia's team effort pleases Coach Laso

All cameras focused on Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz head coach Pablo Laso. He grew up with Baskonia and played there for over a decade. Laso became a coach and started Real Madrid's current golden age, winning EuroLeague titles with *Los Blancos* in 2015 and 2018, as well as 19 domestic titles from 2011 to 2022. Once the game started, however, both teams meant business.

Baskonia lost starting center Donta Hall midway through the first half. Hall came off a strong performance in the Spanish League in which he had a PIR of 45. With or without Hall on the floor, Tavares was almost unstoppable all night long, going for 14 points on 7-of-9 two-point shooting, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks for a PIR of 29. Without the suspended Facu Campazzo, Sergio Llull and Xavier Rathan-Mayes combined for 11 assists and just 4 turnovers.

What allowed Baskonia to get the victory? First of all, it was able to diversify its offense. Six players scored 8 points on more, as Markus Howard led the way with 15. Howard returned to the bench early in the third quarter and returned to action with over 7 minutes left. He scored 9 points in those minutes, including a critical jumper in which he attacked the rim, saw Tavares in the lane, went back and hit the shot for a 74-70 Baskonia lead with 15.3 seconds remaining.

Howard thanked his teammates and the crowd after the game, knowing everyone in building trusted his scoring abilities when it was time to win the game.

"I think it was taking a deep breath and relying on my teammates. I have a great locker room full of guys that trust and believe in m. We believe in each other: just the way we talk to each other and communicate, that's how we were able to get out of funks, just being able to rely on each other, and a lot of guys stepped up tonight," Howard said. "Baskonistas, they always show up and show out. We can't do anything that we do on the court without them and their support. I am very fortunate for the fans that we have."

Markus Howard and Chima Moneke combined for 17 fourth-quarter points to lead Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz to a 76-72 home win against Real Madrid in Round 3 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.

Howard, Moneke lead Baskonia past Real

Six different players scored in the fourth quarter: Nikos Rogkavopoulos had all of his 5 points early in the fourth quarter. Chima Moneke stepped up big again with 8 points in the final 8 minutes, including a critical three-pointer for a 69-67 Baskonia edge with under 3 minutes left. Baskonia never trailed after that and Moneke rounded out his performance with the game-clinching free throws. He joked about his effectiveness after the game, too.

"I believe in myself, I believe in the team. Good things happen when I am in the game," Moneke said. "That's how we need to be, that's the only way we can win this season \[playing as a team\]. Obviously, people focus on Markus and myself but we need to be a deep team with people contributing in every aspect of the game and today, we did that," he added.

Laso highlighted his team's focus and intensity, as well as the fact that Baskonia is undefeated in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague at Buesa Arena so far this season, surviving tough tests against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and Real.

"We stayed in the game, we stayed focused. We were playing against a great team, we had our bad moments, we had out good moments but we were hanging in there, and that is what makes me proud, that we found the way to get back in the game," Coach Laso said. "I am very happy for my players because they did a great job every day to win this game. I am very happy for the people, it was a great crowd, a great game. We were playing an unbelievable team and got an important victory.

"It has to be \[a fortress\] for us. Playing at home, with this crowd, it has to be. We need this energy. I think I have players that when they give you the energy, the fans see it, and this is very important," Laso added. "From the beginning, we want to be a tough team to win and that is what we showed against Partizan, Zvezda and Madrid today. This is the way it has to be. I don't know how far we will go but we will be there."

The Basque side trailed most of the way in its Round 3 showdown, but a great team effort paid off down the stretch