Many fans and a fair few pundits wondered how Paris Basketball would cope with the loss of TJ Shorts, who joined the EuroLeague’s 2024 champs Panathinaikos during the offseason after two glorious years with the French team, but Nadir Hifi is showing that he is ready to be the side's new star.

Brilliant Nadir Hifi shows there is life at Paris after TJ Shorts 

Many fans and a fair few pundits wondered how [Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/) would cope with the loss of livewire playmaker TJ Shorts, who joined the EuroLeague’s 2024 champs Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens during the offseason after two glorious years with the French team.

Some of them even predicted that Paris would finish firmly in the bottom half of the standings, after Shorts drove the team to the 2024 BKT EuroCup title followed by a playoff spot in the franchise’s debut season in Europe’s premier club competition.

[Nadir Hifi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nadir-hifi/012640/), who played second fiddle to Shorts throughout their stint together, tore up that script most emphatically and emerged as the new team leader. Once again, he stepped up to the plate again with a flawless performance which inspired Paris to an 83-101 road rout of [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/), toying with his markers on offense as he mixed audacious layups with long-range efficiency.

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade-Paris Basketball | Round 6 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Paris improved to 4-2 and Partizan, which sorely missed injured playmaker [Carlik Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/carlik-jones/013369/), dropped to 3-3 after Hifi racked up 21 points, 6 boards and 4 assists while four of his teammates also finished in double digits. [Sebastian Herrera](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sebastian-herrera/012611/) dropped a career-high 17 points after shooting 5 of 7 from downtown and [Yakuba Ouattara](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/yakuba-ouattara/004197/) added 14, as Paris sank an impressive 17 of 30 from beyond the three-point arc.

Spotted on Thursday night in the imposing Belgrade Arena watching Partizan’s bitter city rival Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade beat Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 90-72, Hifi stayed humble after scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter to vanquish any hopes Partizan might have had of a late comeback.

“Like I said at halftime, we were always likely to win if we managed to stop them running and we did just that, as we shared the ball knowing how tough it is to win here,” Hifi said in his post-game comments. “I know this is a basketball country ad everybody here lives for the sport, so every time I have the opportunity to come here and watch basketball I’ll be coming around,” he added.

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A fervent Belgrade crowd managed to lift the hosts in the first half but was completely subdued in the second as [Duane Washington](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/duane-washington/013370/), who was given a huge pair of shoes to fill by sidelined duo Carlik Jones and [Shake Milton](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shake-milton/014007/), could not follow up on a good first half as he started to struggle after the break.

Herrera also shined in the second half as he sank a barrage of three-pointers to finish on 6 of 8 from the floor while Ouattara followed in his footsteps to sink 6 of 7, leaving Paris head coach Francesco Tabellini purring with delight.

“We got more stops and rebounded better in the second half and we competed on every single possession,” said the Italian tactician. “We got a nice win and as a EuroLeague newcomer, I really enjoyed playing in this amazing environment. We wanted to enjoy the privilege of being here but not just as spectators, so we did a very good job.”

Ouattara was just as pleased. “It’s always very special to win here and it’s our first road win against Partizan, hence we’re going to celebrate a little bit,” he said. “We knew they couldn’t keep up with us for 40 minutes so in the second half you could tell some of their guys got tired as we train at this pace in every practice.”

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Truly enough, Partizan’s offense was ground to a halt in the third quarter after Paris held a slender 46-48 lead at halftime, with top scorer [Sterling Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sterling-brown/012720/) struggling from all over. Brown came to life in the closing stages to finish as the game’s top scorer on 25 points, but his contribution came too little too late as Paris had already forged an unassailable lead.

Particularly visible were Partizan’s backcourt problems as the tiring Washington had no one to fall back on and the Serbian team will now be hard-pressed to strengthen the roster, [with Marc Stein reporting that NBA guard Cam Payne](https://x.com/TheSteinLine/status/1981787668913799435) is one of the reinforcements on coach Zeljko Obradovic’s radar.

Obradovic cut a dejected figure at the post-game press conference and highlighted that signing a top reinforcement is going to be no walk in the park for the Serbian outfit.

“Unfortunately, it’s part and parcel of what we do and we’ve got two massively important players injured; Shake Milton and notably Carlik Jones, the pack leader,” said Obradovic.

“It’s easy to spot a good player but hauling him in is another matter. Apart from his own desire to join the team being a requirement, you’ve got to be able to meet his demands and beat rivals who’ve got much bigger budgets. We’ll do whatever we can to make it happen.”   

Game News

The visiting team’s guard delivered yet another masterclass performance to make light of the backcourt dynamo’s departure  

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Paris Basketball (2025-10-24T18:30:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens made its first visit to the PalaDozza this century on Friday night, facing a Virtus Bologna team that has been dominant at home to start the 2025-26 season. The historic arena, which served as Virtus’s primary venue from 1957 to 1996, has been used intermittently since 2017. This season, however, Virtus Arena was unavailable until now. But at the PalaDozza, the Italian side has been in impressive form, recently defeating Real Madrid, AS Monaco and now Panathinaikos.

Alessandro Pajola's all-around game ignites Virtus past Panathinaikos

[Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/) made its first visit to the PalaDozza this century on Friday night, facing a [Virtus Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/vir/) team that has been dominant at home to start the 2025-26 season. The historic arena, which served as Virtus’s primary venue from 1957 to 1996, has been used intermittently since 2017. This season, however, Virtus Arena was unavailable until now. But at the PalaDozza, the Italian side has been in impressive form, recently defeating Real Madrid, AS Monaco and now Panathinaikos.

In Round 6, Virtus defeated Panathinaikos 92-75, winning all four quarters. Coach Dusko Ivanovic’s squad controlled the game, particularly in the first half, leading 48-35 at halftime. Virtus outworked the Greens, dominating the boards with a 23–14 advantage in rebounds and recording 7 steals.

“It’s an easy game to analyze. Virtus played better throughout. They were tougher than us. We didn’t defend well and allowed every player to score easily,” said Panathinaikos assistant Christos Serelis after the game, as head coach Ergin Ataman was ejected early in the second half. “Our pick-and-roll defense and transition defense were very poor. We didn’t match their energy at all.”

Panathinaikos star [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) was held to just 5 points on 2-of-8 shooting through the first 20 minutes. Meanwhile, Virtus scoring leaders [Carsen Edwards](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carsen-edwards/011987/) and [Matt Morgan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/matthew-morgan/012585/) combined for 19 first-half points, despite limited time on the floor together. Leading the charge for Virtus was team captain [Alessandro Pajola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alessandro-pajola/006739/), who delivered a superb all-around performance.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">PURE FIRE ☄️ <br>OUR CROWD, OUR WIN 🤍🖤 <a href="https://t.co/hhuc3xOMVg">pic.twitter.com/hhuc3xOMVg</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Bologna (@VirtusBo) <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusBo/status/1981813056847196583?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Pajola needed only one field goal attempt to post a PIR of 9 by the end of the first quarter, recording 3 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. By halftime, he had already matched his career high with 6 rebounds, alongside 6 points, 3 assists and a PIR of 17. After the game, Pajola credited the team’s fans for their unwavering support – not just at the PalaDozza, but everywhere.

“The magic comes from Bologna, from Virtus fans. They support us in every game; whether it’s PalaDozza or Fira, it doesn’t matter. They’re like a sixth man on the court, and that’s our advantage,” Pajola said. “We have to protect our home court because it’s tough for opponents to come here and win.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Another W at home 🫨❤️‍🔥 <a href="https://t.co/NrbYbVhDuV">pic.twitter.com/NrbYbVhDuV</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Bologna (@VirtusBo) <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusBo/status/1981819538770452627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Pajola also emphasized that success comes down to attitude, hustle and a team-first mentality. He finished the game with career highs of 10 points and 7 assists, along with 7 rebounds and a PIR of 23.

“It’s just team basketball. It’s what we practice all week. Sometimes you execute it well, sometimes you don’t,” Pajola said. “On Monday, we suffered a tough loss in the Italian League here at home, and we wanted to bounce back. That’s exactly what we did, especially as a team. We helped each other on defense and shared the ball on offense. If we play like this, we can win every game.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="lt" dir="ltr">che VIRTUS 🤍🖤 <a href="https://t.co/f8Am3akC4D">pic.twitter.com/f8Am3akC4D</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Bologna (@VirtusBo) <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusBo/status/1981818320388288883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Nunn scored 14 of his 19 points in the second half. Edwards led all scorers with 22 points, while Morgan added 15. Virtus ultimately outrebounded Panathinaikos 39-28, limiting the Greens to just 7 offensive boards, and posted 22 assists and 10 steals compared to Panathinaikos’s 13 assists and 4 steals. After the game, Coach Ivanovic praised his team for executing both on offense and defense.

“We played really good defense tonight. We had intensity from the first to the last moment, and a clear idea of what we needed to do. We were aggressive and grabbed offensive rebounds. Maybe this was our best game so far,” Ivanovic said. “Most importantly, everyone contributed to this victory. It was a team win.”

The 25-year-old guard led his team to a third consecutive home victory

Virtus Bologna v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2025-10-24T18:00:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul ground its way to a tough, defensively-earned 69-79 victory over local rival Anadolu Efes Istanbul on Friday night, and a batch of recent reinforcements played their part.

Reinforcements help Fenerbahce to local derby victory

[Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) ground its way to a tough, defensively-earned 69-79 victory over local rival [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/) on Friday night, and a batch of recent reinforcements played their part.

A couple of the Turkish team’s summer signings were unable to really make their presence felt in the opening weeks of the season, with [Talen Horton-Tucker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/talen-horton-tucker/014124/) and [Armando Bacot](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/armando-bacot-jr-/014015/) playing just the first three and two games respectively before being sidelined by injury.

On Friday night they were back in action, though, and both showed signs of gradually becoming key pieces for the reigning champs.

Anadolu Efes Istanbul-Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul | Round 6 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Horton-Tucker spent 18 minutes on the floor, and although his stats line was less than impressive – 5 points on 2-of-7 field-goal shooting with 3 turnovers – his presence in the starting five shows that coach Sarunas Jasikevicius trusts the former Chicago Bull to handle pressure moments over the coming months.

Bacot was more impactful, posting 9 points on 3-of-4 shooting from the field plus all 3 of his free-throw attempts, also adding 4 rebounds as the 25-year-old big man spent 11 minutes in the game during a time when Fener’s defense was overcoming a leaky start to gradually take control.

Horton-Tucker and Bacot were both left on the bench during the decisive fourth quarter, but Jasikevicius later acknowledged there was nothing unusual in his decision to finish the game with longer-serving players like [Devon Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/devon-hall/011205/), [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/), [Bonzie Colson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/bonzie-colson/009783/) and [Khem Birch](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/khem-birch/007182/).

“When you come to difficult situations like this, all coaches will trust the guys that have been there for him, and in our case they won for him,” the coach said. “This is a process – the season is just starting. We have very good newcomers but like everything it takes time.

“At this part of the season we’re trying to integrate guys and it’s a very difficult process. So we must be very happy with the way \[this win\] was achieved.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Bizim Takım! 💪<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/yEmFq587As">pic.twitter.com/yEmFq587As</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1981810456743563304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

A bigger statistical contribution was provided by another player who feels like a new signing for Fenerbahce: shooting star [Scottie Wilbekin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/scottie-wilbekin/006661/), who missed nearly the entirety of last season after suffering a serious knee injury in the opening minutes of the first game.

The severity of Wilbekin’s injury meant that he still wasn’t able to return to action at the beginning of this campaign, before finally getting back on the floor in Round 4 in a home defeat to Dubai Basketball.

Friday’s outing was the longest he has spent on the floor since returning, with more than 20 minutes of game time, and Wilbekin showed he has lost none of his trademark long-range shooting ability by draining 4 three-pointers on just 5 attempts, including a couple of key strikes in the fourth quarter.

Coach Jasikevicius is clearly delighted to have such a prolific scorer back on the court, saying: “Scottie is one of those guys that you can trust.

“You can put him on the court, he understands the system and everything that we want. He needs to get back into the rhythm, obviously missing one year is not easy. But he’s trying, he’s doing everything we ask of him, and he’s an amazing professional.”

Wilbekin is the fourth-most prolific three-point shooter in EuroLeague history, with 617 strikes from beyond the arc trailing only Mike James (620), Juan Carlos Navarro (623) and Sergio Llull (690). He’s sure to overtake Navarro soon before then going head to head with James to overtake Llull – whose minutes are limited these days – before too long.

And at his current rate, it would be unwise to bet against Wilbekin becoming the competition’s three-point king sometime in the early spring.

Last season's EuroLeague champion won at Efes's home for the fourth season in succession

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2025-10-24T17:30:00.000Z)

Round 6 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season is here. Check out the Game Center in order to see how the teams got on.

Game Center: Round 6

## Friday, October 24

### [Anadolu Efes Istanbul 69-79 Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/anadolu-efes-istanbul-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2025/57/)

Fenerbahce claimed local bragging rights with a battling 69-79 victory over Efes on Friday night. Efes raced to a first quarter double-digit lead through outstanding long-range shooting, but Fenerbahce soon tightened its defense and went ahead by halftime, 43-44. A low-scoring third quarter saw the teams head into the final period tied up, 58-58, before the visiting team gradually took control to take the victory with relative comfort.

Scottie Wilbekin and Devon Hall led the scoring for the victors with 12 points apiece, while Wade Baldwin directed the offense with 10 points and 8 assists, and Bonzie Colson added 10 points. Nick Weiler-Babb paced Efes with 17 points, while Shane Larkin posted 13 points and 9 assists, and Isaia Cordinier scored 10. Fenerbahce improves to 3-3 after winning two straight, while Efes drops to 2-4 following consecutive losses.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">EuroLeague’de bir galibiyet daha! 💪<br><br>Tebrikler Fenerbahçe Beko! 👏<br><br>Maç Sonucu | Anadolu Efes 🆚 Fenerbahçe Beko: 69-79<br><br>Skor dağılımımız: Wilbekin 12, Hall 12, Colson 10, Baldwin 10, Bacot 9, Biberovic 8, Melli 7, Birch 6, Horton-Tucker 5. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/xytA7cDiLH">pic.twitter.com/xytA7cDiLH</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1981806833586385280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Virtus Bologna 92-74 Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/virtus-bologna-panathinaikos-aktor-athens/E2025/60/)

Virtus remained undefeated at home in the 2025-26 EuroLeague by topping Panathinaikos 92-75 at the PalaDozza in Round 6 on Friday. Both teams now have a 4-2 record in the standings.

Carsen Edwards led the winners with 22 points. Matt Morgan added 15, Alen Smailagic had 14 while Alessandro Pajola had career highs of 10 rebounds and 7 assists for Virtus. Kendrick Nunn paced Panathinaikos with 19 points. TJ Shorts had 15 while Cedi Osman added 14 for the Greens. Edwards, Smailagic and Morgan combined for 29 first-half points to help Virtus get a 48-35 win at halftime. The hosts ended up winning all four quarters to seal a no-doubt-about-it victory. 

### [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 83-101 Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade-paris-basketball/E2025/59/)

Paris improved to 4-2 after an impressive 83-101 win at Partizan, which dropped 3-3 after its first home defeat of the season. Among a pack of performers, Nadir Hifi stood out for Paris with 21 points, 6 boards and 4 assists, Sebastian Herrera added 17 points and Yakuba Ouattara chipped in with 14. Sterling Brown paced Partizan on 25 points and Duane Washington amassed 16.

The first quarter was played at frantic pace and Hifi stood out as he pierced through Partizan’s defense almost at will, netting 10 points shooting 4 of 4 from the floor while Partizan relied on Washington who sank a treble of three-pointers for 9 points with the score tied 26-26 after the opening 10 minutes. Both teams beefed up on the defensive end in the second and baskets were more difficult to come by, with Partizan thriving on offensive boards while Paris benefited from fast breaks as the visitors carved out a 46-48 at halftime. With Partizan’s offense grinding to a screeching halt early in the second half as Washington started to struggle, Paris pulled away to 51-66 late in the third quarter and led 60-71 ahead of the final 10 minutes. Paris stayed in cruise control throughout the fourth quarter and subdued a normally fervent Belgrade to close out the game in style.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Celle là elle fait DU BIEN 🫡 <a href="https://t.co/53WXiJVJ8D">pic.twitter.com/53WXiJVJ8D</a></p>&mdash; Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball/status/1981819669645562332?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [FC Bayern Munich 71-96 Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/fc-bayern-munich-olympiacos-piraeus/E2025/58/)

Olympiacos improved its record to 4-2 by crushing Bayern 71-96 at SAP Garden on Friday night. Andreas Obst hit the ground with 7 straight points, but Tyler Dorsey responded with 9 points of his own, as Olympiacos took a 15-23 lead after 10 minutes. The Reds established a double-digit cushion in the second quarter and maintained it throughout, despite Bayern’s attempts to come back in the second half.

Dorsey led all scorers with 19 points and Sasha Vezenkov ended the game with 18. Donta Hall stood out off the bench with 11 points and 8 rebounds. Obst bagged 15 points but Bayern recorded its second straight loss, with the hosts dropping to 2-4.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">FINAL 🏀 Bayern Munich - <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> 71-96 <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/BAYOLY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BAYOLY</a> <a href="https://t.co/sM0YFGAFbY">pic.twitter.com/sM0YFGAFbY</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1981819634991907068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Thursday, October 23

### [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 85-79 Dubai Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne-dubai-basketball/E2025/56/)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne snapped a three-game losing run by rallying to beat Dubai Basketball 85-79 on Thursday evening at LDLC ARENA. A tight first half saw the two teams head into the second tied at 44. Dubai opened the third quarter with a rare 2-10 run before taking a 59-68 lead into the fourth, but ASVEL bounced back and outscored the visitors 26-11 in the closing quarter to complete the comeback. The French side improved its record to 2-4, with Dubai dropping to 3-3.

Nando De Colo turned back the clock, ending the game on 24 points – 6 of which were scored in crunch time. His backcourt partner, Glynn Watson, also came to the fore by bagging 21 points with the two guards dishing 5 assists each. Dubai’s usual suspects stood out on the other end, as Dwayne Bacon netted 22 and Mfiondu Kabengele added 20, with Filip Petrusev completing a double-double of 13 points and 10 assists.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">THAT&#39;S A BIG WIN ! 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/UyYbCiO67g">pic.twitter.com/UyYbCiO67g</a></p>&mdash; LDLC ASVEL (@LDLCASVEL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL/status/1981448300512629203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv 85-77 AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/hapoel-ibi-tel-aviv-as-monaco/E2025/55/)

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv stayed atop the standings by downing AS Monaco 85-77. The hosts made a fast start as Vasilije Micic and Dan Oturu both scored 7 points in the first 5 minutes and Hapoel led 44-34 at the break. Monaco started the second half with a 0-9 run as Daniel Theis netted 8 points in 3 minutes, and the visitors moved ahead late in the third, 62-63. But then Johnathan Motley took over, scoring 11 points in 5 minutes to guide Hapoel to a message-sending victory.

Micic led all scorers with 22 points, with Motley adding 17. Elijah Bryant did a bit of everything with 6 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists, Collin Malcolm and Oturu both scored 11 points and Antonio Blakeney added 10. Mike James paced Monaco with 20 points, Elie Okobo threatened a double-double with 12 points and 8 assists on his 28th birthday, and Theis also scored 12. Hapoel improves to 5-1, while Monaco drops to parity at 3-3.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="rtl">Je m&#39;appelle Hapoel 👹<br><br>עוד רגע חוזרים לתל אביב &gt;&gt; <a href="https://t.co/zPVnKdwClq">https://t.co/zPVnKdwClq</a> <a href="https://t.co/DEtnnmrGy6">pic.twitter.com/DEtnnmrGy6</a></p>&mdash; Hapoel Tel Aviv BC (@HapoelTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC/status/1981453823802789949?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [FC Barcelona 73-88 Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/fc-barcelona-zalgiris-kaunas/E2025/54/)

Zalgiris returned to winning ways in the EuroLeagueby downing FC Barcelona 73-88 at Palau Blaugrana in Round 6 on Thursday. Zalgiris improved to 4-2 in the standings while Barca dropped to 3-3. 

Zalgiris led from tip to buzzer, pulling away to 39-53 at halftime, boosting its margin to 54-76 after 30 minutes and sealing the outcome long before the final buzzer. 

Maodo Lo led the winners with 20 points on 5-of-5 three-point shooting. Deividas Sirvydis and Sylvain Francisco each added 14 while Moses Wright had 10 for Zalgiris. Joel Parra led Barca with 17 points off the bench. Toko Shengelia added 13 while Tomas Satoransky had 11 for the hosts. 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Zalgiris returns home from the away game with their 4️⃣th <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> victory! <br><br>Next week - a double <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> week at <a href="https://twitter.com/ZalgirioArena?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ZalgirioArena</a>. 🔜<br><br>🎫 Get your tickets now.<br><br>(Presented by: Go3) <a href="https://t.co/C03Yz6OjH3">pic.twitter.com/C03Yz6OjH3</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1981458113132650963?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 100-103 Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/ea7-emporio-armani-milan-valencia-basket/E2025/53/)

Jean Montero’s three-pointer with 43 seconds to go was enough to give Valencia a 100-103 win at Milan on Thursday night. Valencia leaned on a barrage of three-pointers and was up by 22 points with 14 minutes to go, but Milan came all the way back and tied the game at 100-100 thanks to the combined efforts of Leandro Bolmaro and Armoni Brooks. In the end, though, Montero’s triple and Darius Thompson’s block on Shavon Shields with 3 seconds remaining saw Valencia walk away with the dub.

Montero led Valencia in scoring with 18 points, followed by Thompson with 16, Omari Moore and Jaime Pradilla with 13 apiece, and Brancou Badio with 11. Bolmaro poured in a career-high 31 points for Milan, which also had Brooks (16 points), Pippo Ricci (13), Shields (11) and Quinn Ellis (10) finish in double figures. Valencia improved to 3-3 with this win while Milan dropped to 2-4.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">VAMOOOOOOOOOOOS 🧡<br><br>🔥 ¡¡Nos llevamos la victoria de Milán!! 🔥<br><br>🏆 J6 <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a><br>🔴 <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OlimpiaMI1936</a> 100<br>🟠 <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@valenciabasket</a> 103<br>🤝 <a href="https://twitter.com/MGS_Seguros?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MGS_Seguros</a> <br><br>¡Jueves de doblete! 🧡<br>¡Jueves apto para el cancaneo! <br><br>¡¡Nos vemos el domingo, familia!! <a href="https://t.co/rZ4wYCMF2J">pic.twitter.com/rZ4wYCMF2J</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1981458057411367381?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 90-72 Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/E2025/52/)

Crvena Zvezda rolled on to its fourth successive EuroLeague win and improved to 4-2 after a 90-72 home defeat of Baskonia, which remained rooted to the bottom of the standings with a 0-6 record. Codi Miller-McIntyre paced Zvezda on 20 points while Jordan Nwora added 19 and 7 rebounds. Chima Moneke posted 12 points and 8 boards against his former club while Nikola Kalinic chipped in with 12 points. At the other end, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot stood out for Baskonia on 24 points and Hamidou Diallo netted 12 for the visitors. 

Zvezda got off to a fast and furious start, taking an early 7-2 lead before Baskonia responded with a fierce Diallo dunk, setting the stage for a high-tempo first quarter with Zvezda thriving from long range. The hosts edged ahead 21-20 after the opening 10 minutes as Nwora bagged 8 points and Miller-McIntyre added 6 against his former club. Battling Baskonia found another gear in the second quarter and turned the tide to lead 28-34, nailing a barrage of open shots from downtown to carve out a 40-43 advantage at halftime. Zvezda turned the defensive screw early in the third quarter and then went on a 17-2 run to take a 64-52 lead, mixing fast breaks with long range shots to jump into the driver’s seat in front of its fervent home crowd. Having led 72-58 ahead of the final 10 minutes, Zvezda stayed in control throughout the fourth quarter and ran out a well-deserved winner of an electrifying contest.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">4 IN A ROW ✅<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/OcjX247On7">pic.twitter.com/OcjX247On7</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1981466231275216918?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Wednesday, October 22

### [Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv 92-91 Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/maccabi-rapyd-tel-aviv-real-madrid/E2025/51/)

Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv held on for a thrilling 92-91 victory over Real Madrid on Tuesday at Aleksandar Nikolic Hall in Belgrade, Serbia, behind a game-winning three-pointer by Tamir Blatt with 4.3 seconds left. Mario Hezonja had a last-second shot to win it for Madrid, but missed.

Lonnie Walker, who set a club record with 20 points in the second quarter, finished with a career-high 27 for Maccabi, which improved to 2-4 with the victory. Roman Sorkin posted 21 points and 6 rebounds, Oshae Brissett scored 18 and Blatt totaled 12 points and 9 assists.

Hezonja paced Madrid with 24 points and 9 rebounds. Trey Lyles added 16 points, Facu Campazzo had 14 with 5 assists and Usman Garuba scored 12. The result left Madrid winless on the road this season and 3-3 overall. 

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We are Maccabi! 💪 <a href="https://t.co/rpEUNe06Oa">pic.twitter.com/rpEUNe06Oa</a></p>&mdash; Maccabi Tel Aviv BC (@MaccabiTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabiTLVBC/status/1981092116941119928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

This week's games bring exciting clashes over three days

Game Center: Virtus wins at home; Fener, Paris, Oly triumph on the road 

FC Bayern Munich v Olympiacos Piraeus (2025-10-24T18:45:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona v Zalgiris Kaunas (2025-10-23T18:30:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v Dubai Basketball (2025-10-23T17:30:00.000Z)

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v Valencia Basket (2025-10-23T18:30:00.000Z)

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv v AS Monaco (2025-10-23T18:05:00.000Z)

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2025-10-23T19:00:00.000Z)

Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv v Real Madrid (2025-10-22T18:05:00.000Z)

Stay up to date with the latest information provided by the EuroLeague clubs ahead of Round 6 of the 2025-26 season.

Injury report: Round 6

Follow all the latest injury information for registered players in the 2025-26 EuroLeague Regular Season, as reported by the clubs, and get your [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/home?_ga=2.101462721.1199459303.1696273873-903329349.1669636775) teams up to date!

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Ercan Osmani is listed as questionable while Kai Jones, Georgios Papagiannis and Vincent Poirier are all ruled out for Efes's game against Fenerbahce on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- Vincent Poirier is out for [4-6 months after knee surgery](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/efes-timetable-for-poiriers-return-set-at-4-6-months/).
- [Ercan Osmani is out for three weeks](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/efes-ercan-osmani-out-three-weeks-georgios-papagiannis-to-miss-eight-months/), the club announced on October 18, however he is listed as questionable for Friday's derby against Fenerbahce.
- [Georgios Papagiannis is expected to miss eight months](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/efes-ercan-osmani-out-three-weeks-georgios-papagiannis-to-miss-eight-months/) following ACL surgery, the club confirmed on October 18.

### AS Monaco

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

- Yoan Makoundou missed Monaco's first five games, but he has returned to training.

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

Baskonia has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Crvena Zvezda on Thursday.

- [Kobi Simmons has been registered](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/baskonia-signs-kobi-simmons-on-initial-two-month-contract/) and could make his debut in Round 6.
- [Luka Samanic has departed the club](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/luka-samanic-leaves-baskonia/).
- [Trent Forrest (hamstring) and Markus Howard (finger) are sidelined for 'several weeks'](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/baskonia-trent-forrest-markus-howard-sidelined-for-several-weeks/), the club announced on October 17.
- Rodions Kurucs made his season debut in Round 3 but did not feature in Rounds 4 or 5.

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade

Devonte' Graham, Tyson Carter, Jasiel Rivero, Isaiah Canaan and Joel Bolomboy are all ruled out for Crvena Zvezda's game against Baskonia on Thursday, the club has confirmed. Both Ognjen Dobric and Uros Plavsic are available.

- Tyson Carter has been [diagnosed with pulmonary embolism](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/zvezdas-tyson-carter-facing-extended-absence-with-pulmonary-embolism/) and faces a lengthy absence.
- Jasiel Rivero hurt his foot in Round 1 and is expected to be sidelined for several months.
- Isaiah Canaan [suffered an ACL injury](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/crvena-zvezda-loses-isaiah-canaan-to-acl-injury/) and is out long term.
- Devonte' Graham has been unavailable due to a bone bruise.
- Uros Plavsic has been out due to an ankle sprain, but he returned to action this past weekend.
- Ognjen Dobric has been out with an injury suffered during EuroBasket 2025, but he has returned to individual training.
- Joel Bolomboy is out long term.

### Dubai Basketball

Dubai has not yet sent an injury report for its game at ASVEL on Thursday.

- [Boogie Ellis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/dubai-basketball-seals-move-for-boogie-ellis/) has been registered and, in theory, could make his debut in Round 6.
- Kosta Kondic sustained a concussion in the Adriatic League a couple of weekends ago, but he made his return to action this past weekend.
- Dzanan Musa and Aleksa Avramovic have sustained minor knee injuries and will be re-evaluated in the coming weeks, the club announced two weekends' ago.
- Nate Mason has sustained a cervical disc injury and will continue to be monitored over the coming weeks, the club announced.
- Summer signing Mam Jaiteh suffered an Achilles injury and will be sidelined for the remainder of the season.

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan

Zach LeDay, Lorenzo Brown and Josh Nebo are all ruled out for Milan's game against Valencia on Thursday, the club has confirmed. New signing Nate Sestina has been registered and could make his Milan debut in Round 6.

- [Vlatko Cancar has left Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/vlatko-cancar-olimpia-milano-part-ways/).

- [New signing Nate Sestina](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/milan-adds-forward-nate-sestina/) has been registered.

- Lorenzo Brown missed Round 5 due to a calf injury.

- Zach LeDay missed Rounds 4 and 5.

- [Josh Nebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/milan-josh-nebo-out-for-three-weeks/) is out until at least the end of October with a thigh injury.

- Leonardo Tote' returned to action in the Italian League this past weekend.

### FC Barcelona

Dario Brizuela, Nico Laprovittola and Juan Nunez are ruled out for Barcelona's game against Zalgiris on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Dario Brizuela is expected to be out for seven days due to discomfort in his right gluteal muscle.
- [Nico Laprovittola is out until the end of October](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/barcelonas-nico-laprovittola-sidelined-with-a-thigh-injury/) due to a left thigh adductor injury in Round 2 game against Panathinaikos.
- [Juan Nunez is out ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/barcelona-guard-juan-nunez-to-miss-6-months/)due to a knee injury. He expected to be out until April.

### FC Bayern Munich

David McCormack, Johannes Voigtmann, Rokas Jokubaitis and Elias Harris are all ruled out for Bayern’s game against Olympiacos on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- [New signing Spencer Dinwiddie](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bayern-brings-nba-veteran-spencer-dinwiddie-aboard/) has not yet been registered.
- Stefan Jovic [hurt his ankle](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bayern-wins-in-german-league-but-jovic-twists-ankle/) in a domestic league game and missed Rounds 4 and 5.
- [Rokas Jokubaitis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bayerns-rokas-jokubaitis-suffers-knee-injury/) will be sidelined until the spring following knee surgery.
- Johannes Voigtmann will miss the start of the season after he suffered a knee injury during EuroBasket 2025 that required surgery.
- Elias Harris has yet to return to action following a knee injury suffered in June.
- Aleksa Radanov (coach's decision) did not suit up for the first five rounds.

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

Talen Horton-Tucker is a game-time decision while Brandon Boston and Arturs Zagars are ruled out for Fenerbahce's game at Efes on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- Armando Bacot missed Rounds 4 and 5 with an ankle issue, but he returned to action in the Turkish League this past wekeend.
- Talen Horton-Tucker (groin) and Brandon Boston (sprained ankle) did not play in Rounds 4 or 5.
- [Arturs Zagars is dealing with a hamstring issue](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-arturs-zagars-dealing-with-hamstring-issue/), the club confirmed on October 18.

### Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv

Hapoel has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Monaco on Thursday.

- Chris Jones was hit in the eye during an Israeli League game on Monday night and taken to the hospital for further evaluation.

- [Yam Madar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/hapoels-yam-madar-goes-under-the-knife/) has not played this season after undergoing an appendectomy, and now will undergo a knee procedure and will miss a month of action, according to coach Dimitris Itoudis.

- [Bruno Caboclo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/hapoel-bruno-caboclo-undergoes-back-surgery/) is recovering from back surgery. There is no timetable for his recovery.

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

ASVEL has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Dubai on Thursday.

- [Edwin Jackson is expected to be out](https://www.leprogres.fr/sport/2025/10/20/asvel-plus-de-peur-que-de-mal-pour-edwin-jackson) for no more than a week.
- Thomas Heurtel missed the first five rounds.
- Shaquille Harrison last played in Round 2.

### Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv

Maccabi has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Real Madrid on Wednesday.

- Uros Trifunovic has not played since Round 1.
- Gur Lavi made his season debut in Round 4 but did not feature in Round 5.

### Olympiacos Piraeus

Kostas Papanikolaou, Keenan Evans and Moustapha Fall are ruled out for Olympiacos's game at Bayern on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- Evan Fournier last played in Round 2, but he returned to action in the Greek League this past weekend.
- Thomas Walkup missed Rounds 3 through 5, but he made his return to action in the Greek League this past weekend.
- Shaquielle McKissic did not play in the five rounds of the season, but he has rejoined practice with his teammates.
- Keenan Evans will miss the start of the season with a knee injury, but he has started training on an individual basis.
- [Moustapha Fall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-center-moustapha-fall-suffers-knee-injury/) could miss the entire season after suffering a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee during the Greek League finals in June.

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens

Richaun Holmes, Panagiotis Kalaitzakis, Mathias Lessort and Alexandros Samodurov are all ruled out for Panathinaikos's game at Virtus on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- Richaun Holmes left the team's Greek League game this past weekend with a thigh injury.
- Panagiotis Kalaitzakis is dealing with an elbow injury.
- Mathias Lessort is expected to be out until at least November, according to the statements by coach Ergin Ataman.
- Alexandros Samodurov suffered a fracture in the middle finger of his right hand, the club confirmed.

### Paris Basketball

Paris has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Partizan on Friday.

- [Lamar Stevens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/paris-duo-lamar-stevens-sebastian-herrera-out-for-weeks/) is out for 'several weeks', Paris confirmed on September 19.
- Enzo Shahrvin, like Stevens, missed the first few weeks of the season, but he did play in the French League this past weekend.

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade

Miikka Muurinen is a game-time decision while Carlik Jones and Shake Milton are ruled out for Partizan's game at Paris on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- [Carlik Jones is believed to have broken a bone in his foot](https://www.mozzartsport.com/kosarka/vesti/kraj-godine-za-karlika-dzonsa/526090) and, according to reports, could be out for the next three months.
- [Shake Milton](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/shake-milton-to-miss-partizans-double-round-trip-to-spain/) (ankle) missed the double-round week last week.
- Mario Nakic is expected to be sidelined for a while due to a knee problem.

### Real Madrid

Sergio Llull, Andres Feliz and Bruno Fernando are ruled out for Real Madrid's game at Maccabi on Wednesday, [according to COPE's Pilar Casado](https://x.com/pilarcasado/status/1980611023594787141).

- Gabriele Procida did not play in the first five rounds this season, but he played in the Spanish League this past weekend.

### Valencia Basket

Yankuba Sima remains sidelined and will miss Valencia's game at Milan on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Yankuba Sima also didn't play in the first five rounds.
- Nate Sestina has parted way with the club.

### Virtus Bologna

Abramo Canka is Virtus's only absentee for its game against Panathinaikos on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- Abramo Canka has not played so far this season.

### Zalgiris Kaunas

Zalgiris has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Barcelona on Thursday.

- Dovydas Giedraitis is sidelined indefinitely [after wrist surgery](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/dovydas-giedraitis-to-miss-start-of-2025-26-season/).
- Dovydas Buika has joined Jonava in the Lithuanian League on loan.

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

Injury report, Round 6: Jones, Papanikolaou, Holmes out; Horton-Tucker, Muurinen game-time decisions

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 6 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub: Round 6

## Friday, October 24

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (19:30 CEST)

**Igor Kokoskov, Efes head coach**

"Fenerbahçe Beko is a team which improved a lot in the last couple of years, playing really well. And they are one of the best teams in the EuroLeague. They are dealing with some injuries, they have some new names on the roster. They are a very unique team and are very well coached. They have established a system with the same coach for the last three years. I think they are very precise in what they are doing. So we are going to work on our preparation. We are very aware of the strengths, we know what the strengths are. Tough schedule is coming in the next days, we are going to try to regroup. We have four games in seven days. We will have fatigue and may be a little bit tired but we understand how the importance of this game psychologically. It is still early in the season, every game matters, every game counts in the EuroLeague."

**PJ Dozier, Efes guard**

"We are really looking forward to our match up against the defending champs. It is always a big motivation playing the team who held the trophy last year and we are motivated to protect our house."

**Sarunas Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce head coach**

"We need to continue improving our basketball. We need to be ready to guard a very talented offensive team. Their guard play is one of the best in Europe, especially with \[Shane\] Larkin, of course, who is in great shape. Obviously, everybody has pretty clear roles and everybody understands how they support their main players."

**Tarik Biberovic, Fenerbahce forward**

"We need to keep carrying our winning identity in the EuroLeague. We’ll be facing a team that’s in great form. We must build on what we did right in the Bayern Munich game, adapt those strengths to our opponent’s game plan, and stay focused both defensively and offensively."

### Virtus Bologna vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (20:00 CEST)

**Dusko Ivanovic, Virtus head coach**

"Tomorrow we will play against maybe the best team in this EuroLeague. I think that right now what we need to do is focus on ourselves and our identity; that is to say, we need to focus on how to play defense and offense, how to move the ball with rhythm and how to stay positive so that we can play our best."

**Derrick Alston Jr., Virtus forward**

"Tomorrow will be a tough match against Pana, one of the best teams in Europe. They have great players in every role and positions. We have to believe and keep telling ourselves that we can win, because I'm sure our fans will give us the boost we need to give our all. For us, giving our all means being precise in our execution and playing hard, to the best of our skills."

**Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos head coach**

"It's a dangerous game, a difficult game. They played very well in their home-court games, winning against Real Madrid and Monaco. Now we will face an aggressive team. We need to be very focused offensively and defensively. During the long season, you will have some injured players who cannot participate in the important games. Of course, \[Richaun\] Holmes has given a good contribution in the last two games, we will miss him."

**Omer Yurtseven, Panathinaikos center**

"I think it will be a challenge, like every EuroLeague game. I think we have better weapons overall that we can utilize. It's just about us locking in on defense and offense. If we get the job done on defense, I think that's going to translate as well in our transitions and on offense. We have an offense that is pretty scary. I think we're more than prepared."

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. Paris Basketball (20:30 CEST)

**Zeljko Obradovic, Partizan head coach**

"The atmosphere within the team is good, and everyone is aware of the situation we’re in. We know we’re missing two players, and on top of that, \[Miika\] Muurinen took a hit and hasn’t practiced in the last two days. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow. Regardless of that, we’ve worked the only way possible, to prepare ourselves as best as we can and give our maximum against a team that plays very similarly to last season, despite changes in their roster and coaching staff. They play aggressively, pressing all over the court, often double-teaming, and in offense, their two point guards are the key pieces of the team. They play at a high pace and are very strong on the offensive glass. We went through all of that during practices and video sessions. The game plan is clear, and whether we’ll be able to execute it successfully, we’ll see tomorrow."

**Aleksej Pokusevski, Partizan forward**

"They’re similar to last year — they play fast and finish their possessions quickly, which has already become their trademark. Defensively, they’re aggressive and often double-team. We have to stay focused and be ready for those things that await us."

### FC Bayern Munich vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (20:45 CEST)

**Gordon Herbert, Bayern head coach**

"Olympiacos is one of the top teams year after year in the EuroLeague. The big thing will be us being able to match their physicality, rebound the ball, and really be able to create some opportunities off our defense; score off our defense, create easy opportunities off our defense. Olympiacos is an extremely good half-court team, both offensively and defensively."

**Justus Hollatz, Bayern guard**

"Olympiacos is a very experienced opponent whose team knows exactly how to play in order to win. Their core has been playing together for a long time, and this year \[Tyler\] Dorsey is performing exceptionally well. They have plenty of options. We need to be ready to match their physicality on defense and play fast on offense ourselves. If they hit a few tough shots, we can’t let that throw us off. We have to stick to our game.

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos head coach**

"Our 12-man roster includes three changes compared to the game against Maccabi. But sometimes that can mean a lot — or nothing at all. We have to play well. Last year we lost in Munich. Bayern is a team that has quite a few differences compared to last season. They play good defense, and based on their roster, you have to be completely ready to face them. Obviously, last year with Napier and Edwards they were a different team. However, this year they have bigger bodies on the perimeter, they switch a lot on defense for long stretches, and we must be ready to respond to that."

**Thomas Walkup, Olympiacos guard**

"I feel very good. I had time to recover, I practiced this week, and I’m ready to help the team. Bayern is a good team, and we’ll need to be 100% focused in order to succeed."

## Thursday, October 23

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. Dubai Basketball (19:30 CEST)

**Jurica Golemac, Dubai head coach**

"It will be a very tough game. ASVEL has very talented young players and very good experienced players. They have shown until now that they can play very good basketball. For us, it is very important to stop their transitions, to stop their main weapons offensively. Defensively, we need to run. We need to use our qualities, try to move the ball and try to get as many easy baskets as possible.

**McKinley Wright, Dubai guard**

"Obviously they have a lot of talent on their team. They're playing at home, they've got nothing to lose. We're trying to get as many wins as possible right now. We know it's not going to be easy, and they have a lot of talent on their roster. We've been watching film the last couple of days on their guys and we have to defend, get out in transition, and run, as well as slow their guards down.

### Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv vs. AS Monaco (20:05 CEST)

**Dimitris Itoudis, Hapoel head coach**

"We’re playing against a team that has established itself as a EuroLeague contender, with the Final Four appearance just last season. This is a team built to go all the way – to win championships. They have an excellent roster with experienced players, and they play a high-quality brand of basketball. Our task will be very challenging, but we are eager and highly motivated to face it."

**Vassilis Spanoulis, Monaco head coach**

"Hapoel is a very talented team, well coached, with size, shooting ability, and offensive firepower. We have to play our game, which is physical and athletic, and counter their strengths by responding with our own qualities. To be more consistent, we need to work on our mentality. The team has character and chemistry, but we still need to take a mental step forward to be more solid and consistent."

**Kevarrius Hayes, Monaco center**

"Hapoel Tel Aviv is a team that has just arrived in the EuroLeague. They are highly motivated, have very good players, and are focused on offense. For us, this game will be decided by defense. Since the start of the season, we've been looking for consistency. We need to be more consistent throughout games, and even within the same game. We often have one quarter that's below the others, and we need to fix that."

### FC Barcelona vs. Zalgiris Kaunas (20:30 CEST)

**Joan Penarroya, Barcelona head coach**

"Zalgiris has made an important change, being more ambitious, and that is reflected on its budget, bringing in important players while being able to keep a player like Francisco, which was wanted by many teams. Williams-Goss, Maodo Lo and Wright arrived to the team, which added to what they had already, they turned the team into one with higher level than in previous seasons. They are playing very good basketball. It is true that last week, with the EuroLeague's double round, they lost both games but they had won the previous three. The Williams-Goss-Francisco duo is very important for them because of what they generate, both for the team and for them as an individual level. They help each other really well on defense and with these two players, they have the ability to run the floor really well. Our roster is what it is and with Juan \[Nunez\] out long term, we have fewer players. I am taking playing time into account because it is a long season but the two players that play the most are on the floor for 24 minutes on average, in all competitions. Unless I am mistaken, Toko \[Shengelia\] and Will \[Clyburn\] play 24.3 minutes on average. All EuroLeague teams have players averaging that playing time or more. So far, we are doing well in that sense but we are worried about our injuries in such a long competition as this is. Zalgiris is a solid project, basketball is the number one sport in Lithuania and since they opened Zalgirio Arena, they are finding more financial resources. It is a solid project and it is incredible to play there, with that incredible support. Like I said, it is obvious that they took a step forward, financially speaking, to good players and add new ones. It is a deep, well-built team that is doing things well. The EuroLeague is fantastic, with great playing level and many teams able to win anybody."

**Juani Marcos, Barcelona guard**

"We knew the type of team Zalgiris is. They started the season with three consecutive wins and now had back-to-back losses, but they still are an intense, physical team with great players. They have been playing really well and we have to be ready, because we know how tough our opponent is. We have important absences \[Laprovittola, Brizuela\], backcourt players that give a lot to the team due to their talent and experience. It is on me to step up on their absences, so I will try to give my best and take more responsibilities, which is something that it is good for me in order to gain confidence and see more playing time in such a long season. What has surprised me the most about the EuroLeague is its playing level. This season, any team which anywhere against any opponent, it is being a very competitive league. We go against high-level teams with high-level players and great physical, tactical and technical preparation. This is one of the highest basketball levels in the world, and the best in Europe."

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan vs. Valencia Basket (20:30 CEST)

**Ettore Messina, Milan head coach**

"We face a team that likes to keep the tempo as high as possible, a high scoring team because of their offensive organization. A balanced offense and transition defense will be the pillars we have to build the game over. We will have the chance to add one player because Nate Sestina will try to help us win the game, despite being able to practice with the team only twice."

**Devin Booker, Milan center**

"They are a talented team that goes up and down the court. They really like to run the floor, so we will have to face them by using all the energy we can find, trusting ourselves for 40 minutes."

**Pedro Martinez, Valencia head coach**

"\[Monaco is\] a good team, defensively they are very strong. They have a very solid defense, they play at a slightly different pace to us, but with smart players, a very well-trained team. One of the toughest we can face right now. Obviously, I'm happier on the days we win and less happy on the days we don't, but I think the team is continuing to perform well. Now we have to get \[Jean\] Montero involved in the game. He practically didn't do any preseason training, then when he came back from his national team, he trained for five days and had to have surgery. Today he had his third training session since he came back, so that's what we're focused on, getting these players who have been out involved. Then we'll do the same with Yankuba \[Sima\] later on, and obviously all these things are incidents that slow us down as a team. They also change the players' roles, because you get used to playing without a player, but then you know we're going to need him. That means you have to make decisions that affect the whole group. We try to take it calmly and naturally, but obviously these are not easy situations."

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (21:00 CEST)

**Sasa Obradovic, Crvena Zvezda head coach**

"They have quality, speed, a style of play that doesn’t suit Zvezda, so… Teams like them – like, for example, the game against Paris during the preseason – show that there are certain difficulties when facing that kind of defense. In that sense, it's important that we stay focused for the full 40 minutes – no letting up. They won’t stray from their style, they play very fast, and they have a lot of athleticism at every position. It’s important that we focus on ourselves and keep the hype surrounding the court under control. That’s not easy. There are always different approaches from the coach’s side as well. Still, losing is not an option here. And the only way to handle it is to start thinking like an underdog. We have to respect the opponent more than usual, no matter what their name is."

**Semi Ojeleye, Crvena Zvezda forward**

"We have to play defense. We have to bring energy. They are very talented. They want to play fast. If we manage to follow through on that, we have a chance to win. I mean, they changed some players in the team. Of course, they have Marcus and the rest of the crew. They can change the course of the game. They always play very well. They jump very well. So we have to take away their easy points and make them work for every basket."

## Wednesday, October 22

### Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv vs. Real Madrid (20:05 CEST)

**Oded Kattash, Maccabi head coach**

"Real Madrid is a lot like Olympiacos. I think they’re healthier than the Greeks and have a deeper roster. It’ll be a tougher and more intense game. The Spaniards are an excellent defensive team. They don’t have many weaknesses — their size and dominance inside have been tough for us since the start of the season. We’ll have to deal with that collectively, and it’ll require a lot of aggression.

"The last loss was painful mainly because of how it happened. But that’s part of the job. It’s not going to be easy — we’re not the favorites — but of course, we really want to win. It’s still early in the season; even if we lose, the league won’t slip away. It’s a very competitive and long league, but regardless, we want to win."

**Roman Sorkin, Maccabi forward**

"A tough game awaits us. Real Madrid is a very good team with a high-quality roster. We’re coming off two very painful losses where we could’ve done better. We learned from those mistakes and now we’re coming to win."

**Jeff Dowtin Jr., Maccabi guard**

"Real Madrid is a great team — it’s exciting to play against them. We prepared well; we watched a lot of their videos. They have very experienced players like Campazzo, great guards overall, and excellent big men. We have to execute properly on defense, stay focused the whole time, and stick to the game plan."

**Sergio Scariolo, Real Madrid head coach**

"We finally had a couple of days to practice with contact and energy. We had not been able to do it for some time and I think that helped the team to have a good performance. I think we are ready to play an efficient, solid game against an opponent that has a lot of scoring and that also gets a lot of steals. In that sense, we have to be very careful with turnovers. Maccabi has players with top-level NBA talent like Lonnie Walker or Jeff Dowtin, who have a main role in the team, but also has a very open playing style, with five players with a lot of mobility and other useful players like Hoard, Sorkin, Blatt... After losing all of its home games, this team won't be willing to lose again so we have to be ready because it will be a really demanding game."

**Gabriel Deck, Real Madrid forward**

"We are surely facing a difficult game, as every road game. We will try to do things right on the road to fight for the victory. Maccabi has the need to get home wins and all of its players will give 100%, so we expect a very tough game. We have to do our things well, get better game by game and try to win on the road. A win against Maccabi would give us a lot of confidence in the world we have been doing. We hope to live up to our standards tomorrow and be focused for 40 minutes. We have a lot of good things and have very good moments in our games, offensively and defensively, but also ups and downs that we will surely fix throughout the season, as games go by. I think we are in the right track. We have a good test tomorrow to see if we can do things well on the road."

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 6 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season

Pregame quotes, Round 6: 'Efes's guard play is one of the best in Europe'

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade improved to 4-2 in the EuroLeague after yet another win under new head coach Sasa Obradovic; Zvezda ran out a comfortable 90-72 winner at home against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

Crvena Zvezda rolls on under wary Sasa Obradovic as Baskonia stays winless 

[Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/roster/red/) improved to 4-2 in the EuroLeague after yet another win under new head coach Sasa Obradovic, but the 56-year-old tactician, who returned for a second spell with his boyhood club earlier this month, was not entirely happy with the team’s topsy-turvy performance.

Zvezda ran out a comfortable 90-72 winner at home against [Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/roster/bas/), which suffered its sixth straight defeat. However, Obradovic poured scorn on his players for a poor first-half performance before the hosts stepped up their game.

“We became more aggressive after the break and although we won, we’ve got a lot to learn from a hectic first half, as that’s not how we want to play,” he said. “It’s too early to talk about team chemistry as well, but it’s another big win at the end of the day and I want to congratulate the players,” added Obradovic, who notched his third successive EuroLeague win of the season and Zvezda its fourth after a 0-2 start.

Obradovic, who took over from Ioannis Sfairopoulos, criticized his men for not playing as a team in the opening 20 minutes. 

“We acted as individuals in the first half and you can’t beat anyone with that kind of approach. We bounced back in the second half, found our offensive rhythm, but overall we were feisty in possession and didn’t stick to the game plan. We’ll stay positive after a big win though, as we take a look back at things we should have done better,” Obradovic told the postgame press conference.

Zvezda made a fast start and raced to a 10-4 lead before Baskonia turned the tide and led 40-43 at halftime. However, Zvezda conjured a decisive 17-2 run in the third quarter, which turned a 47-50 deficit into a 64-52 lead and the hosts never looked back, throwing its fervent fans into raptures on the buzzer.

[Codi Miller-McIntyre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/codi-miller-mcintyre/009048/) and [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) shone against their former club as Miller-McIntyre netted a team-high 20 points for Zvezda and Moneke racked up 12 points and 8 boards, complementing the effort of the game’s top performer [Jordan Nwora](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jordan-nwora/013363/), who amassed 9 points and 7 boards.

<center>
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Nwora drove Zvezda at both ends of the court, his offensive prowess going hand in hand with his athleticism and defensive steel, which kept Baskonia down to just 29 second-half points in the wake of the home team’s aggressive pressure. 

Nwora pointed out that Zvezda was still gelling as a team and praised the entire outfit for a cohesive effort.

“We’re still finding our rhythm and getting to know each other as we are a new team,” Nwora said in his postgame comments. It’s easy to play with guys who trust you and count on you, just like I count on them.”

Miller-McIntyre added: “We came out a little slow, but we hit top gear in the second half and got the win. I want to thank the fans for standing by us and we’ll try to keep improving game by game.”

Zvezda is now 11-10 ahead against Baskonia in their head-to-head record, having beaten the Basque outfit for the third time in a row and although Obradovic may not be entirely pleased with the nature of his team’s victory, there’s no doubt he’ll be looking forward to the upcoming games as the Serbian side seems to be the EuroLeague’s in-form team at the moment. 

The Serbian team celebrated its fourth successive EuroLeague win and the third under its new coach 

It didn’t take long for Jean Montero to make his mark in the EuroLeague. Playing in just his second game among Europe’s elite, the Valencia Basket guard showed the calmness and guile of a veteran as he knocked down a three-pointer with 43 seconds remaining to give his team a 100-103 road win at EA7 Emporio Armani Milan on Thursday night.

Jean Montero announces himself to the EuroLeague as Valencia blitzes Milan

It didn’t take long for [Jean Montero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jean-montero/010042/) to make his mark in the EuroLeague.

Playing in just his second game among Europe’s elite, the [Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/valencia-basket/pam/) guard showed the calmness and guile of a veteran as he knocked down a three-pointer with 43 seconds remaining to give his team a 100-103 road win at [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/mil/) on Thursday night.

But that wasn’t all Montero did on the night. To start with, the 22-year-old – who was the BKT EuroCup Rising Star and a member of the All-EuroCup First Team last season – was instrumental in Valencia leading 48-54 at the half, sitting on a team-high 11 points, 1 rebound and 2 assists after 20 minutes.

He was effectively a passenger as his teammates caught fire from deep in the third quarter, with Valencia going up by 22 (57-79) after seven straight threes to start the second half were followed by a score inside and a pair of free throws by [Omari Moore](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/omari-moore/014115/). In the fourth quarter, Montero made all four of his free throws, but he was ready when *his* moment arrived.

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan-Valencia Basket | Round 6 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Despite having last made a field goal with eight minutes to go in the second period, “*El Problema*” looked like the most confident person inside the Forum when he sized up [Shavon Shields](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shavon-shields/007831/), stepped back and fired up a line-drive three-pointer. Milan had come all the way back to tie the game at 100-100, but Montero was determined to play the role of party pooper.

Another who fulfilled that same role was [Darius Thompson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/darius-thompson/011078/), whose block on Shields’s three-point shot with three seconds left effectively put the game on ice.

“That’s how we do it,” Montero told EuroLeague TV after the game. “We fight until the end. This is a 40-minute game and everybody’s got to stay together.”

Following a nondescript EuroLeague debut last week in Valencia’s defeat at AS Monaco, a game in which he posted 4 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist, Montero showed many glimpses of the incredible talent that he has during the win over Milan.

In fact, his connection with center [Neal Sako](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/neal-sako/010545/) in the first half was very reminiscent of the French big man’s partnership with [Theo Maledon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/theo-maledon/007027/) last season, while his ability to dance with his opponents and hit big shots was very [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/)-esque. As Valencia play-caller Pedro Martinez alluded to in the post-game press conference, Montero showed incredible personality to get the win over the line – a trait that is associated with the very best players in the EuroLeague.

“We were a little bit afraid in the last five minutes because Milan was scoring easily and we had some doubts, but finally – like what happens in tight games – the personality of players makes the difference,” Coach Martinez said. “The three that Montero made in a tight game was an incredible shot for us.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">TENEMOS<br>LA<br>TERCERA<br>🧡🧡🧡<br><br>Celebramos con la <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FamiliaTaronja?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FamiliaTaronja</a> 😍 <a href="https://t.co/rf86KhQNJG">pic.twitter.com/rf86KhQNJG</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1981459554454876622?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

On a night when Valencia hit a season-best 15 threes and matched its season high of 103 points, it so easily could have gone another way. For Omari Moore, however, it’s just another reason why EuroLeague fans should be watching Valencia games.

“We’re a team that’s going to play hard every single game,” he said while talking to EuroLeague TV. “We’re going to fight with everybody on the road, at home; we’re going to get out and run. We’re an exciting team to watch, so I hope more people tune in.”

More people *should* tune in, not only to watch Valencia’s electrifying offense but also to catch “*El Problema*” in action. It’ll be worth it, I promise.

The Spanish side caught fire from downtown, but then had to hold on before a bit of magic from “El Problema”

38-year-old Nando De Colo was instrumental throughout LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne’s 85-79 victory over Dubai Basketball on Thursday evening, producing moments of magic on the floor and stepping up big time when the hosts needed him the most.

Nando De Colo turns back the clock to inspire ASVEL comeback

They say that age is just a number and [Nando De Colo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nando-de-colo/002100/) proved that with his extraordinary outing against [Dubai Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/dubai-basketball/dub/) on Thursday evening. The 38-year-old was instrumental throughout [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/)’s 85-79 victory, producing moments of magic on the floor and stepping up big time when the hosts needed him the most.

Eager to help his team end a three-game losing slide, the two-time EuroLeague champion hit the ground running on Thursday evening. He opened the scoring with a triple before pulling off two sublime dishes to set up [Zac Seljaas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/zachary-seljaas/014088/) and [Glynn Watson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/glynn-watson/014013/), who drilled one triple each for a 9-5 lead.

De Colo finished the first quarter on 8 points, 3 assists and a rebound, with ASVEL trailing 21-24 after 10 minutes. An entertaining back-and-forth affair saw the two sides trade blows in the second, ending the first half tied at 44-44.

Dubai kicked off the third quarter with a 2-10 run, as [Dwayne Bacon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dwayne-bacon/011286/) took over with 11 points to secure a 59-68 cushion heading into the closing quarter. Yet, an inspired Watson added 8 points to his tally to bring ASVEL within 76-77 with 2 minutes remaining.

And then he took charge.

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne-Dubai Basketball | Round 6 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

The home crowd sighed as [Armel Traore](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/armel-traore/010319/) missed a couple of free throws to put ASVEL ahead, but [Mbaye Ndiaye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mbaye-ndiaye/012731/) picked up the offensive rebound and passed the ball to De Colo without thinking twice. Despite having 11 seconds left for the possession, ASVEL’s veteran guard pulled up from downtown and nailed his third triple of the night for a 79-77 lead with 01:44 remaining.

“Nando is Nando,” Ndiaye told EuroLeague TV after the game. “Nando is a great player. It’s a pleasure to play with him. He’s a man for the team.”

ASVEL’s defense strangled the visitors in the fourth quarter by bagging 4 steals and forcing Dubai into 8 turnovers. Bacon trimmed the deficit to 80-79 with 00:37 to go, but De Colo came to the fore again.

The intelligent Frenchman pulled up from way deep, forcing [Davis Bertans](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/davis-bertans/003458/) to foul him in the act of shooting. Ice in his veins, De Colo made 3 of 3 from the line to practically put the game to bed.

“What to say about Nando,” Dubai head coach Jurica Golemac said in the post-game press conference. “Nando is a legend of European basketball. It’s very hard to stop him, even at this age. He’s very experienced, very smart. He knows how to play against any kind of defense. We were not able to stop him today.”

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Having tightened up its defense, ASVEL kept Dubai to just 11 points in the fourth quarter to complete a hard-fought comeback.

De Colo ended the game on 24 points - 9 of which were scored in the closing quarter - which he paired with 5 assists. He also registered 2 steals to tie another EuroLeague legend, [Rudy Fernandez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/fernandez-rudy/bmt/), for fourth place all-time with 367 in total.

“We tried to put more intensity on the court \[in the fourth quarter\],” De Colo told EuroLeague TV. “Tried to respect what we want, especially defensively as a team. We know that when we let \[Dubai\] play, they’ve got lots of talent. We started putting more effort and we just kept going.”

Famous Spanish painter Pablo Picasso once said, “Youth has no age”. And EuroLeague artist De Colo keeps painting that message vividly on the court week in, week out.

The French side’s defense strangled Dubai in the fourth quarter