Martin Hermannsson, who played for ALBA Berlin between 2018 and 2020, returns to the club after three and a half years at Valencia Basket.

Martin Hermannsson seals return to ALBA Berlin

ALBA Berlin has announced the signing of [Martin Hermannsson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/martin-hermannsson/008780/), who previously played for the club between 2018 and 2020, on a contract that lasts until 2026. Hermannsson (1.93 meters, 29 years old) heads back to ALBA after spending the last three and a half years at Valencia Basket. The guard underwent knee surgery prior to the 2023-24 campaign before making his first appearance of the season in Round 15 in mid-December. In four EuroLeague games this season, Hermannsson has averaged 3.0 points and 1.8 assists in a bench role.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">🤩 SO EXCITED FOR THIS COMEBACK 🤩<br><br>Nach dreieinhalb Jahren beim spanischen Topclub Valencia Basket kehrt <a href="https://twitter.com/hermannsson15?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hermannsson15</a> zu uns zurück. Der 29-jährige Point Guard hat einen Vertrag bis zum Ende der Saison 2025/26 unterschrieben.<br><br>Velkominn heim, Martin! 💛💙 <a href="https://t.co/M0cPS9ZMtF">pic.twitter.com/M0cPS9ZMtF</a></p>&mdash; ALBA BERLIN (@albaberlin) <a href="https://twitter.com/albaberlin/status/1745177027559276618?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

### Making his name at ALBA

Hermannsson played for KR Basket in his native Iceland between 2009 and 2014, before spending two years in college at Long Island University in the United States. Upon his return to Europe, he suited up for Etoile Charleville-Mezieres in the French second tier in the 2016-17 season, then the following campaign saw him get a chance in the French top flight with Champagne Chalons-Reims. He did enough to then earn a move to ALBA in the summer of 2018.

At ALBA, Hermannsson helped the team reach the 2018-19 BKT EuroCup Finals and thus secure a place in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, averaging 12.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists across 20 games. That was his first campaign in the EuroCup and he took to it like a duck to water. He made a similar transition to the EuroLeague, posting 10.9 points, 1.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 27 games.

Domestically, Hermannsson became a German League champion with ALBA in 2019-20 and was also selected to the All-German League Second Team in the same season.

Martin Hermannsson made his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut with ALBA Berlin in the 2019-20 season.

Hermannsson's EuroLeague best plays in rookie season

### Ending a ‘dream’ spell in Valencia

Hermannsson was named as Valencia’s second captain prior to the season, showing just how much he was valued – on and off the court – by head coach Alex Mumbru. However, injury troubles and [the addition of Kevin Pangos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/kevin-pangos-seals-move-from-olimpia-milano-to-valencia-basket/) has seen Valencia decide to move on from the Icelandic guard.

For Hermannsson, playing at Valencia was something that he had dreamt of after seeing his uncle and mentor Jon Stefansson play for the club. “I always had a little dream of hopefully playing here one day as well," [Hermannsson told Euroleague.net in January 2021](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/martin-hermannsson-valencia-i-had-a-little-dream-of-playing-here/). "So it's kind of funny that it's happening right now."

Hermannsson’s first season at Valencia saw him impress off the bench, averaging 6.9 points, 1.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 29 EuroLeague games, before he went on to post 8.6 points, 1.0 rebound and 5.2 assists in a bigger role as Valencia played in the EuroCup in 2021-22. The last two seasons have been tough for Hermannsson, though.

A torn ACL injury in the 2021-22 Spanish League Playoffs saw Hermannsson limited to just four EuroLeague appearances for Valencia in 2022-23, then he has only played the same number of games this year after dealing with another knee injury. Now, he will hope to put that behind him as he heads back to ALBA, which will lean on his experience to guide a young roster.

More ALBA News

Martin Hermannsson in action for Valencia Basket in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

He heads back to the German side after three and a half years at Valencia.

Martin Hermannsson seals return to ALBA

Olimpia Milano has strengthened its roster by signing Rodney McGruder, who will make his EuroLeague debut when he first steps onto the court.

Olimpia Milano moves for Rodney McGruder

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan has confirmed the signing of Rodney McGruder on a deal until the end of the 2023-24 season. McGruder (1.93 meters, 32 years old) spent seven years playing in the NBA and will now feature in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague for the first time. He last played for the Detroit Pistons, averaging 5.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in the 2022-23 NBA season.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">La Pallacanestro Olimpia Milano comunica di aver raggiunto un accordo fino al termine della stagione con Rodney McGruder.<br><br>🇮🇹 Comunicato ufficiale 👉🏻 <a href="https://t.co/hDB7D3FtlF">https://t.co/hDB7D3FtlF</a><br>🇬🇧 Official statement 👉🏻 <a href="https://t.co/WDxsVbGAY9">https://t.co/WDxsVbGAY9</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/insieme?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#insieme</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ForzaOlimpia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ForzaOlimpia</a> <a href="https://t.co/SeU4vvgMke">pic.twitter.com/SeU4vvgMke</a></p>&mdash; Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936/status/1745128875225424273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Another weapon for Milan

McGruder follows in the footsteps of another ex-NBA player, Shabazz Napier, by joining Milan in a mid-season transfer. Both McGruder and Napier will be expected to contribute a lot for Ettore Messina’s squad in the second half of the regular season, particularly with Billy Baron and Maodo Lo having been dealing with their respective injuries.

In their absence, Italian duo Diego Flaccadori and Giordano Bortolani have taken advantage of their increased game time, while Devon Hall continues to contribute on a night in, night out basis. It is hoped that by bringing in McGruder and Napier, Milan will give its chances a boost of making the EuroLeague Playoffs.

Detroit Pistons | Rodney McGruder scores season-high 19 points vs. Golden State Warriors

### NBA experience

With McGruder having played for three clubs across his seven-season NBA career, having suited up for the Miami Heat (2016-19), the Los Angeles Clippers (2019-20) and the Detroit Pistons (2020-23), he will lean on his 317 regular-season games and nine playoff appearances as he embarks upon a new chapter in the EuroLeague.

Across his time in the NBA, McGruder’s best season was his final campaign with Miami, as he started in 45 of his 66 games and posted 7.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists, all of which are career highs.

Despite this being McGruder’s first time playing in the EuroLeague, it is his second time plying his trade on the old continent as he represented Hungarian side Atomeromu SE in the 2013-14 campaign, his first as a professional, after leaving Kansas State University.

More Milan News

New EA7 Emporio Armani Milan signing Rodney McGruder in action for the Detroit Pistons in the NBA.

The seven-year NBA veteran will get his first taste of EuroLeague basketball.

Milan moves for Rodney McGruder

The Brazilian-German forward explains his progression from a debut season spent almost entirely on the Barça Basket bench to becoming a full-time starter.

Oscar Da Silva, Barcelona: 'I've shown that I belong'

When he arrived to FC Barcelona in the summer of 2022, thinks were looking up for [Oscar Da Silva](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/oscar-da-silva/011244/).

He had enjoyed a solid Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut with ALBA Berlin, for whom he averaged 8.8 points and 3.5 rebounds at just 23 years old. Among the many heads he turned that season was that of Sarunas Jasikevicius, then the head coach at Barca, who signed him for the Catalan team.

### Learning from Mirotic

Last season, Da Silva made 27 appearances – none of them as a starter – and averaged a little over 12 minutes on the court. His numbers compared to those with ALBA dropped drastically, which was understandable as he had former MVP Nikola Mirotic ahead of him at power forward.

"\[Nikola\] Mirotic was definitely one of the guys I idolized in this league," Da Silva says. 

Even if he did not enjoy a lot of playing time during that season, Da Silva tried to make the most of it by learning from one of the best power forwards in the league.

"I tried to pick his brain a bit last year to understand a little bit how he sees the game," Da Silva continues. "It was very helpful to ask him about some reads he does in certain situations on the court, decisions that he makes in the low post or on mismatches."

When he arrived to FC Barcelona in the summer of 2022, thinks were looking up for Oscar Da Silva.
 
He had enjoyed a solid Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut with ALBA Berlin, for whom he averaged 8.8 points and 3.5 rebounds at just 23 years old. Among the many heads he turned that season was that of Sarunas Jasikevicius, then the head coach at Barca, who signed him for the Catalan team.

### A second season with a bigger role

Da Silva's second season at Barcelona started with Roger Grimau arriving as the new head coach and Mirotic leaving for EA7 Emporio Armani Milan.

A new chance opened for Da Silva, who has proven these last months that he can be an asset for the team.

"I want more responsibility, I want to be on the court more, I want to have more influence on the game," he adds.

And Grimau is obliging. So far this season, Da Silva has started in 16 of his 18 appearances and is on court almost 16 minutes every night. Little by little, he feels like he is living up to the expectations put on all the players who land on such a successful club. 

"I think I still have to earn a little bit of trust and play with a little bit more consistency on both ends," Da Silva concludes. "But so far I think I've shown that I belong, and I want to stay in that category."

The Brazilian-German forward explains his progression from a debut season spent almost entirely on the FC Barcelona bench to becoming a full-time starter.

Virtus Bologna and Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C. face off in a must-see game in Round 20 of the 2023-24 EuroLeague Regular Season.

High-flying Virtus Bologna takes on Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C.

In a game full of great storylines, Virtus Segafredo Bologna (14-5) will attempt to defend its spot in second place of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague standings [when it visits Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (11-8) in Belgrade, Serbia in Round 20 on Wednesday night](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-virtus-segafredo-bologna/E2023/180/).

### A history lesson

Maccabi and Virtus first faced each other at the top European level in 1976, splitting home wins in the 1976-77 European Cup. Undeniably, their biggest showdown until now was the 1981 European Cup Championship Game. Maccabi edged Virtus 80-79 to claim its second continental crown behind 21 points from club icon Mickey Berkowitz. Marco Bonamico led Virtus that night with 26 points. It would take Virtus 17 years to get another shot at the top continental title, as downed AEK Athens 58-44 to win the 1998 European Cup Championship Game.

European basketball had two top-level competitions in 2000-01. Virtus won the EuroLeague title in a five-game playoff series against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, while Maccabi won the SuproLeague, downing Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens in the final. Virtus and Maccabi made it to the 2002 Final Four but both teams did not cross paths, losing against the same opponent, Panathinaikos. Maccabi beat Virtus twice in the 2002-03 EuroLeague Top 16, however both teams would not face each other again until last season, when they split home wins. Earlier this season, [Virtus downed Maccabi 100-90](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/virtus-segafredo-bologna-maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/E2023/116/) behind 27 points from Toko Shengelia and 22 from Marco Belinelli.

The stage is set for an elite encounter. Maccabi has the league's third-best offense (85.5 ppg.), but Virtus, which has won six straight at home, is close behind (82.8). Iffe Lundberg scored 6 late points seal victory over Barça, yet here has the significant challenge in the backcourt with Lorenzo Brown.

Virtus Segafredo Bologna-Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv | Round 13 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

### Zizic enhances frontcourt battle

Wednesday night’s encounter should be a very special game for new Virtus center [Ante Zizic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ante-zizic/004554/), who comes up against one of his former team. He is just one of three players to wear both teams’ jersey in EuroLeague history, along with Vonteego Cummings and Alan Anderson. Moreover, his brother Andrija Zizic won his only EuroLeague title with Maccabi in 2013-14. Zizic has not played against Maccabi this season and struggled against the Israeli side when playing for Anadolu Efes Istanbul in the 2022-23 campaign, averaging 2.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and a PIR of 4.0, way below his season averages (7.7 ppg., 3.7 rpg., 10.0 PIR).

Ante Zizic joined Virtus Segafredo Bologna from Anadolu Efes Istanbul.

2023-24 EuroLeague highlights: Ante Zizic, Virtus

Virtus is without big men [Jordan Mickey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jordan-mickey/008847/) and [Devontae Cacok](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/devontae-cacok/012714/), which makes Zizic's role even more important in this game. He will surely see playing time against [Josh Nebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/josh-nebo/011199/), who had a double-digit PIR in his nine EuroLeague games. In that stretch, Nebo has averaged 12.2 points on 37 of 52 two-pointers (71.2% 2FG), 6.8 rebounds and a PIR of 17.7. Both of them will not battle alone in the paint, however. Virtus can lean on two-time EuroLeague Best Defender [Bryant Dunston](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/bryant-dunston/003048/), who often plays solid against Nebo. Maccabi has a lot of versatility at the “five” spot, too, with [Jasiel Rivero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jasiel-rivero/011214/) and [Jake Cohen](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jake-cohen/005145/) ready to contribute. Whoever comes out on top in the paint is likely to be one of the biggest keys to this game.

### Baldwin and Brown: Virtus's main problem

Maccabi has consistently run its offense through its star guard duo of [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/) and [Lorenzo Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/lorenzo-brown/009622/). What’s more, both of them have done well against Virtus since the Italian powerhouse returned to the competition last season. In Round 13, Virtus came out on top against Maccabi, but both Baldwin and Brown played well. Brown had 26 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists for a PIR of 32, whereas Baldwin posted 20 points and a PIR of 17. Last season, [Maccabi topped Virtus 111-80](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-virtus-segafredo-bologna/E2022/273/), as Baldwin and Brown combined for 28 points, 15 assists and a PIR of 46. Maccabi was without Baldwin in [a 78-73 road defeat against Virtus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/virtus-segafredo-bologna-maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/E2022/126/) in December 2022, yet Brown played well again, getting 18 points, 6 assists and a PIR of 20.

Lorenzo Brown and Wade Baldwin of Maccabi Playtika against Virtus Segafredo Bologna in the last two Turkish Airlines EuroLeague seasons.

Brown, Baldwin against Virtus

Virtus has a few reasons to be more optimistic this time around, as it comes into this game with three backcourt players that were not there in Round 13: [Awudu Abass](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/awudu-abass/003527/), [Rihards Lomazs](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/rihards-lomazs/005553/), [Alessandro Pajola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alessandro-pajola/006739/). Abass is a big, physical swingman who can cause problems for Baldwin, and Pajola's on-ball defense is likely to be crucial against Brown. Virtus scored 100 points against Maccabi this season, and Oded Kattash’s squad is coming off a 109-74 road loss against Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul last week, so defense must have been the word of the week for the Israeli tactician and his assistants.

This game is the complete package: tradition, great players and a lot of interesting matchups, both inside and outside the paint. Expect a great game at Aleksandar Nikolic Hall in the Serbian capital on Wednesday at 21:00 CET.

There’s plenty of history in this matchup.

High-flying Virtus takes on Maccabi in an enthralling contest

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2024-01-10T20:00:00.000Z)

When Olympiacos needed an outside threat, Peters responded with a huge jump in his numbers compared to his first season in Piraeus.

Alec Peters is doing it like Sasha Vezenkov

Sometimes the solution to a problem is right before your eyes. You just have to see it. That's not exactly the case with Alec Peters and Olympiacos Piraeus. Still, if you look at the numbers, the change is impressive.

After the Reds lost Sasha Vezenkov in the summer, there was a lot of speculation about who could replace him and whether anyone was capable of producing anything close to Vezenkov's MVP season. Of course, Peters was the other shooting big man on the team's roster already, and everyone expected him to be better this season. With Vezenkov on board last season, Peters had a limited role, but that was bound to change.

Nonetheless, what is happening this season has surpassed the expectations of even the most optimistic Olympiacos fan.

Peters is not Vezenkov, but you can argue that he is the closest thing in the EuroLeague to his former teammate. He is certainly leaving his own mark in Piraeus.

[MORE...](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1610602/alec-peters-is-doing-it-like-sasha-vezenkov/)

Noam Yaacov and Mbaye Ndiaye saw increased playing time as LDLC ASVEL had a night to remember against KK Crvena zvezda in Round 20 of the 2023-24 EuroLeague season.

Fresh faces ignited LDLC ASVEL on a streak-breaking night

When LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne [beat Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 100-91](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-live-blog-ldlc-asvel-vs-kk-crvena-zvezda/) on Tuesday night, it was not just the first win for [new head coach Pierric Poupet](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/asvel-pozzecco-part-ways-after-two-months/). A memorable occasion for the 39-year-old also brought an end to two negative streaks that took too long to be broken.

Tuesday night's victory meant that ASVEL won back-to-back home games for the first time since December 2022, when it beat Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and Olympiacos Piraeus in the space of 48 hours.

Newly-appointed ASVEL boss Pierric Poupet wishing to make a winning beginning to his tenure on the sidelines against a progressing Zvezda roster encouraged by impressive triumphs over Fenerbahce and Partizan and harbouring an outside chance of finding themselves amongst the final top-ten clubs.

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne-Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade | Round 20 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

### Bringing cheer to the fans at the Astroballe

Since then, ASVEL played 20 home games and, over a span of nearly 13 months, the team won just two games, which included a 93-79 victory over Zalgiris Kaunas last Thursday. But that was just one of the droughts that finally came to a halt.

The other negative streak ASVEL broke against Zvezda dated back to February 2003. That night, ASVEL edged out Partizan 104-103 in a regular-season game. Curiously, that was also the last time ASVEL scored 100 points in a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague win. Until Tuesday night, that is.

"\[The\] guys did not win the game today,” began Coach Poupet. "They started winning the game four days ago in our first practice."

Holding the game ball as a souvenir, Poupet continued to praise his players.

"They made it so easy for me. Today, everybody did their job. \[It’s\] so much easier when somebody gets in, does his best, gives 100 percent, and you sub him and he is still happy for his teammate."

<center>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">QUEL PLAISIIIIIR !!!! 😍<br><br>Nos Villeurbannais enchaînent une deuxième victoire consécutive en Euroleague et tapent la barre des 100 points, quelle soirée à l’Astroballe !!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LDLCASVEL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LDLCASVEL</a> <a href="https://t.co/x8FtgwKiVi">pic.twitter.com/x8FtgwKiVi</a></p>&mdash; LDLC ASVEL (@LDLCASVEL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL/status/1744846581445099919?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### A look to the future

What Poupet did different to former boss Gianmarco Pozzecco, however, was give minutes to ASVEL's young talent [Noam Yaacov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/noam-yaacov/011386/) and seldom-used first-year big man [Mbaye Ndiaye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mbaye-ndiaye/012731/).

The 19-year-old Yaacov played 13:54 minutes and finished with 5 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. He took 8 shots, making 2-of-6 two-pointers and missing both of his three-point attempts.

Ndiaye, who turned 25 last week, played 21:04 and had 6 points on 3-of-4 two-point shooting, 5 rebounds, including 2 on the offensive glass, 2 blocks and 1 assist.

However, not only did Coach Poupet give them playing time but these two players are the ones that turned things around.

ASVEL fell behind 16-25 in the first quarter, which is when Yaacov scored all 5 of his points during a quarter-ending 9-0 run to tie the game.

Ndiaye had a block and an assist during that run, and he continued contributing throughout the game. He finished with ASVEL's second-best +11 in the plus/minus column, while Yaacov had a +10.

"I am super happy for the teammates that were not playing before, because they were really ready,” Charles Kahudi commented. "Yaacov and Mbaye, they were ready to help us."

Noam Yaacov and Mbaye Ndiaye impressed as LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne beat Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade in Round 20 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Yaacov, Ndiaye highlights vs. Zvezda

### Leaning on the old heads

And while both of them proved that they can contribute, it was the veterans who finished the job. Paris Lee scored 13 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, Kahudi scored half of his 12 points in the fourth quarter, and Joffrey Lauvergne scored 5 of his 17 points in the final 3 minutes as he helped ice the game.

Even though it only improved to 4-16 on the season, ASVEL had plenty to be happy about on Tuesday night.

"All the guys came out executing and with a lot of energy,” Lee said after the game. "We believe in each other and we are sharing the ball. It is a good feeling."

"We made our first winning streak in the EuroLeague, two in a row,” Poupet added. "Let's see if we can extend that. But we have to stay humble."

ASVEL will try to do just that on Friday night when ALBA comes to town.

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Game Videos

Game News

Noam Yaacov impressed as LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne beat Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade in Round 20 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

After losing 15 consecutive games on its home floor, and nine in a row this season, the French side has now won two consecutive home games.

Fresh faces ignited ASVEL on a streak-breaking night

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2024-01-09T19:30:00.000Z)

Fenerbahçe Beko head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius needed answers against KK Partizan and found them off the bench, as his second unit allowed them to erase a deficit and seal a comfortable victory.

Fenerbahçe Beko's reserves sparked a major turnaround against KK Partizan

Things were not looking good for Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in [its Round 20 home game against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-live-blog-fenerbahce-beko-vs-kk-partizan/) when it fell behind early. Partizan had a strong start and led 19-31 at the end of the first quarter before extending its margin to 19-36 on a rainbow three-pointer by Jaleen Smith.

Head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius needed answers and found them off the bench, as his second unit allowed Fenerbahce to erase the deficit and seal a comfortable victory.

Tyler Dorsey made things happen in the second quarter. He scored his first points right after Partizan's biggest lead and was unstoppable from that moment. Dorsey had 11 second-quarter points to bring Fenerbahce much closer, 42-48, at halftime.

### An unlikely star in Nate Sestina

Dorsey got plenty of help from Nate Sestina, who had been struggling to adjust to a new level in his first EuroLeague campaign. After averaging 1.8 points in 18 previous games, Sestina had 5 points in the second quarter and became Fenerbahce's X-factor.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Maçın en değerli oyuncularından biri olan <a href="https://twitter.com/NateSestina23?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NateSestina23</a> soyunma odasında arkadaşları tarafından böyle karşılandı! 💛💙<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/LmwhQehhkw">pic.twitter.com/LmwhQehhkw</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1744818816574460250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"Personally, it's a great feeling. My teammates were helping me up, everybody told me to stay ready, Coach especially, and be prepared for your opportunities and when it presents itself, take advantage of it," Sestina said after the game. "Shout out of my teamamtes for continuing to encourage me and being great."

Sestina struck 3 times from beyond the arc in the third quarter, not allowing Partizan to increase its lead. James Nunnally seemed to give Partizan fresh air, giving his team a 58-62 lead late in the third quarter.

Dorsey had 10 points and another reserve, experienced combo guard Marko Guduric, added 8 more in a mammoth 24-2 run that broke the game open. Partizan was held scoreless for 5 minutes and a red-hot Dorsey seemed to hit every shot he took. After the game, it was revealed that he had extra motivation to play especially well in this game.

"I think we started defending. We got multiple stops in the second half and were able to flow on offense," Dorsey said. "I want to give a shot out to my newborn son, this is his first home game! I am excited to play well. I know he was sleeping, but I love him and I can't wait to go home and see him."

Marko Guduric, Tyler Dorsey and Nate Sestina combined for 53 points off the bench to lead Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul past Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade.

Guduric, Sestina, Dorsey stand out against Partizan

Dorsey made sure to praise Sestina, too: "Nate Sestina, I am happy for him. He shot the ball well tonight and did a lot of great things for us."

Coach Jasikevicius, meanwhile, stressed that a change of mentality was needed and name-checked Sestina and Dorsey for their great work in this comeback victory.

"Obviously, we didn't start with the right approach and we were playing a little bit like boys. Then we understood later that to win this type of game, you have to be physical, fight for every centimeter on the court. You have to play like men and throw your body around, and the guys were doing it," Jasikevicius said. "And of course, it helps a lot than in the offensive end, we found some guys who could hit the shots. I am especially happy for Nate \[Sestina\] in this situation, and Tyler \[Dorsey\] obviously was huge, so it was just a great comeback for us."

Dorsey finished the game with 24 points. Guduric added 15 and Sestina had a career-high 14 points. Fenerbahce grabbed its sixth victory in the last seven games to climb into the playoff zone at 12-8. Above all, it showed great consistency and having a deep roster in which everyone is ready to get his number called could make the difference in the most important stages of the season.

More Fenerbahce News

Marko Guduric embraces Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul teammate Nate Sestina after the team's win against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in Round 20 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

The hosts erased an early 17-point deficit before going on to win by 15.

Fener's reserves sparked a major turnaround against Partizan

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2024-01-09T17:30:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul improved to 12-8 by downing Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 91-76 in Round 20. It looks easy, but it wasn't, as Partizan led 19-36 early in the second quarter. What happened? 


Telling numbers: Fenerbahce improves everything in time

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul improved to 12-8 by downing Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 91-76 in Round 20. It looks easy, but it wasn't, as Partizan led 19-36 early in the second quarter. What happened? 

Up to that point, Partizan had dominated almost every aspect of the game, making 5 of 6 three-pointers and 9 of 9 free throws. Coach Zeljko Obradovic's teams had excelled on defense and took really good care of the ball, getting 5 assists, 5 steals and just 3 turnovers. On the other hand, Fenerbahce had the same number of assists, 5, but no steals and 7 turnovers. The hosts had buried just 1 of 5 three-point shots up to that point.

Everything changed once Tyler Dorsey and Nate Sestina found their scoring rhythm off the bench. Fenerbahce gradually trimmed the deficit in the second quarter, took the lead late in the third period and broke the game open midway through the fourth quarter. The hosts' numbers in the last 28 minutes had nothing to do with that Fenerbahce had shown in the opening 12.

After Partizan's biggest lead, Fenerbahce went on to make 13 of 22 three-pointers (59.1%) and outrebounded Partizan 28-19. After those 7 turnovers in the opening 12 minutes, Fenerbahce had just 4 in the rest of the game, collecting 4 steals and dishing 14 assists. Nick Calathes was particularly effective with 7 assists and just 1 turnover.

Nick Calathes had 7 assists to just one turnover to lead Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul past Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in Round 20.

Calathes makes this happen in Round 20

As for Partizan, everything went wrong after that, as it shot the ball with very poor percentages. In the final 28 minutes of the game, Partizan made just 9 of 23 two-pointers (39.1% 2FG) and 4 of 16 three-pointers (25.0% 3FG). It had 7 assists, 2 steals and 10 turnovers after its biggest lead of the night. Partizan star guard Kevin Punter had 12 points and a PIR of 15 in the first quarter, making 4 of 6 two-pointers and 4 of 4 free throws. After that, Punter had 6 points on 1 of 7 two-point shooting and a PIR of -1.

Above all, Fenerbahce showed great ability to react, which often separates good from great in high-level basketball. Fenerbahce improved its defense, found its rhythm on offense, showed great resilience and cruised to a comfortable victory that looked unlikely at one point.

What the hosts did in the final 28 minutes of the game differed greatly from the first 12. 

Telling numbers: Fenerbahce improved everything in time

LDLC ASVEL overcame a slow start before beating KK Crvena zvezda 100-91 on Tuesday night, with the hosts' dominance in the paint paying dividends.

LDLC ASVEL reigned inside in win over KK Crvena zvezda

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne overcame a slow start to the game before its offense started clicking en route to [a 100-91 triumph over the visiting Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-live-blog-ldlc-asvel-vs-kk-crvena-zvezda/) on Tuesday night.

ASVEL finished the game with 21 assists, which is 3 more than Zvezda, while both teams had the same number of turnovers. It is only the fifth time this season that ASVEL had more assists than its opponent, and it has now won three of those games.

However, the main reason why ASVEL won is down to the job it did in the paint. ASVEL outrebounded Zvezda 38-26, including 14-9 on the offensive glass. That said, 3 of those Zvezda's offensive boards came in the final 2 minutes and 20 seconds, when ASVEL was already holding a 12-point lead and had the game all but wrapped up.

In addition, defensively, ASVEL held Zvezda to 22-of-34 two-point shooting. Zvezda made its first 7 two-point attempts, which helped it open a 9-point first-quarter lead, but after that it shot 15-of-27.

All of that combined led to a big win for an energized team and a debut win for a 39-year-old first-time head coach in Pierric Poupet.

More ASVEL News

A jostle in the paint ensues between the LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne and Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade players.

It was the first win for new head coach Pierric Poupet, and it came because of ball movement and paint dominance.