ALBA Berlin recorded one of the surprise results of the 2023-24 EuroLeague season by beating Barça Basket 74-70 at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Round 15.

ALBA Berlin stuns Barça Basket at home, 74-70

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Johannes Thiemann of ALBA Berlin is defended by Oscar Da Silva of FC Barcelona in Round 15 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

One of the most surprising results of the season saw Israel Gonzalez's side come out on top in Berlin.

ALBA stuns Barcelona at home, 74-70

ALBA Berlin v FC Barcelona (2023-12-19T19:00:00.000Z)

Real Madrid Baloncesto duo Vincent Poirier and Sergio Rodriguez took over in the second quarter as their team beat KK Crvena zvezda 58-72 in Round 15 of the 2023-24 EuroLeague season.

Vincent Poirier, Sergio Rodriguez took Real Madrid to another level vs. KK Crvena zvezda

Following a first quarter that got the Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade fans in full voice, with the score tied at 20-20 after 10 minutes, [Real Madrid took control of the contest](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-live-blog-kk-crvena-zvezda-vs-real-madrid-baloncesto/) thanks to the dominant play of Vincent Poirier and Sergio Rodriguez. Their contribution in the second quarter ended up laying the roadmap for what proved to be *Los Blancos*’ 14th win from 15 games in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

The opening quarter saw Poirier play just the final 5 seconds, while Rodriguez had 1 rebound, 3 assists and 0 turnovers in 1:56 minutes. Yet, by halftime, Poirier had 12 points, 1 assist, 1 steal and no turnovers, while Rodriguez had 6 points, 1 rebound, 6 assists, 1 steal and just 1 turnover. As such, Real went into the break with a commanding 34-45 lead.

Vincent Poirier and Sergio Rodriguez helped Real Madrid take control of its game against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade in Round 15 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Poirier, Chacho shined in 2Q vs. Zvezda

### Zvezda had no answer for Poirier, Rodriguez

To get the second quarter underway, the French big man scored a hook shot before Rodriguez and Poirier linked up for a highlight-reel alley-oop play. But it didn’t stop there. Another hook shot was scored by Poirier, who had all 6 of Real’s points to start the second quarter, 22-26. Rodriguez then found Poirier for another alley-oop, giving the center a quick 8 points, 26-31.

From there, it was the turn of Rodriguez to put some points on the board. Poirier this time turned provider, finding the Spaniard open on the left wing to knock down a three-pointer, 30-38. Milos Teodosic responded by scoring a triple for Zvezda, 33-38, but Rodriguez drained his second three in quick succession to keep Real in control, 33-41.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr">✌ <a href="https://t.co/6JE59iFkWv">pic.twitter.com/6JE59iFkWv</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1737206199307669956?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Silencing the Stark Arena crowd

After came the silencer. With Rodriguez having recorded a steal, he had the chance for what looked like an easy layup. But no, his telepathic relationship with Poirier meant he knew exactly where his teammate was going to be. A behind-the-back pass followed and an emphatic dunk by Poirier all but silenced the Zvezda crowd inside Stark Arena, as Real made it 33-43.

Zvezda had a first quarter that would have given it hope, but Rodriguez and Poirier were more than happy to play the role of party poopers. In the end, Real led the entire way after Poirier’s opening basket in the second quarter en route to a 58-72 victory, its 14th triumph from 15 games.

With bench players like Rodriguez and Poirier making a significant impact on a night-by-night basis, it’s hard to see this Real team slowing down any time soon.

More Real Madrid News

Sergio Rodriguez does a high-five with Vincent Poirier during Real Madrid's game against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade in Round 15 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

The two bench players shined brightly in the second quarter as Los Blancos grasped control of the game.

Poirier, Rodriguez took Real Madrid to another level against Zvezda

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Real Madrid (2023-12-19T18:00:00.000Z)

Real Madrid Baloncesto notched its 14th win in the 2023-24 EuroLeague season by beating KK Crvena zvezda 58-72 in Round 15 on Tuesday evening.

Real Madrid Baloncesto shows its quality in win at KK Crvena zvezda, 58-72

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Real Madrid's Mario Hezonja shoots over the outstretched arm of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade's Dejan Davidovac.

A dominant second quarter provided the perfect platform for Chus Mateo's side to grab the victory.

Real Madrid shows its quality in win at Crvena Zvezda, 58-72

Check out some bold predictions from EuroLeague.net staff members for Rounds 15 and 16 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Bold predictions for Rounds 15 and 16

### Tavares to dominate Zvezda and Partizan 

#### *by Javier Gancedo*

It is an important double-round week for Real Madrid, which faces Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade in the Serbian capital and then hosts Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade for the first time since last season's electrifying playoff series between them. Real will need to be at its best to beat either of those opponents, and that means that [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) should be ready to step up. Tavares averaged 16.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and a PIR of 26.8 against Partizan in the playoffs. He also had a monster double-double against Zvezda last season in a 59-79 win in Belgrade, with 17 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks and a PIR of 35. Of course, it is a different season and Tavares is set to face different opponents, but Los Blancos at their best means Tavares in beast mode, and that is what I predict in Round 15 and 16.

### Partizan to enjoy a fruitful trip to Spain

#### *by Geoff Gillingham*

After a rocky start to the season, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade seems to have found its groove. Aided by a three-game home stretch, Partizan is in the midst of a four-game winning streak and has gone 5-1 overall in its last six games. That run has helped Partizan improve to an 8-6 mark and climb up to fourth place in the standings. I think Zeljko Obradovic's troops will vastly improve their 2-5 road record by grabbing two road victories in this double-round week. First up is a trip to an undermanned Valencia Basket on Tuesday before a rematch of last year's memorable playoff series against Real Madrid on Thursday. That game at WiZink Center will bring back all sorts of memories for Partizan's fans while the players will be looking to exact revenge after seeing the series turned on its head. If the visitors can keep their emotions bottled, I believe Partizan could be the first team to beat Real on its home floor this season and thus cement itself in the top four of the standings.

A knee-injury to Real Madrid's towering centre Walter Tavares proved costly as Los Blancos fell to defeat in the series-opener. Partizan home to utilise their long-range artillery once again following Kevin Punter's last-gasp knockout blow from beyond the arc.

Real Madrid vs Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade - Playoffs Game 2 - Highlights

### ALBA will pull off at least one upset

#### *by Igor Petrinovic*

ALBA Berlin has just two wins in the first 14 rounds of this season, and 2023's final double-round week brings a pair of EuroLeague giants to the German capital. First, ALBA will host FC Barcelona on Tuesday, and then on Friday it will welcome Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul. ALBA has gone through a series of injury blows in recent weeks, and the team struggled to maintain a competitive edge at times, but that situation allowed younger players to get more playing time and gain confidence. Make no mistake, ALBA is more than capable of still playing a type of basketball by which it can crush the opposition with its rhythm and its shooting. I believe at least one of ALBA's this week's opponents will learn that the hard way. With some of the veterans recovered and back in action for second straight week, ALBA will get (at least) a win on home floor against heavily favored visitors.

### Baskonia's Markus Howard will blast off

#### *by Frankie Sachs*

The two-round week has pros and cons for Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz. One the one hand, it plays two road games. On the other, one of them is essentially at a neutral site, as it will avoid facing Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv at Menorah Mivtachim Arena and instead meet the Israeli champs in Belgrade. For Round 16, Baskonia heads to Istanbul where it faces a shorthanded Anadolu Efes. What Maccabi and Efes have in common is that they both play at a high pace and both allow plenty of points. Maccabi has allowed the second-most points in the league (86.6 ppg.) and Efes the fourth-most (86.4).  Enter [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/). Last season, he averaged 16.5 points against Maccabi despite some poor three-point shooting (5 of 18; 27.8%) and 17.5 against Efes on 36.8% shooting from deep. That in a season when he averaged 14.2 points. This season he is scoring more (second in the league in scoring with 17.9 points per game) and leading the league in triples with 3.4 per game at a 37.2% clip. The situation is ripe for a pair of big games. Howard will lead the league in scoring this week.

Markus Howard Top Plays from 09/30/2023 to 12/19/2023

Markus Howard's best moments of the 2023-24 season until December, 2023

### Fenerbahce will stay unbeaten under Saras

#### *by Frank Lawlor*

After shaking off last week's sudden coaching change to beat mighty AS Monaco by double digits, Fenerbahce (7-7) this faces a pair of struggling teams and a need to overcome its own negative streak away from home. New boss Sarunas Jasikevicius meets his old team, Zalgiris Kaunas (5-9), at home on Wednesday before Fenerbahce visits last-place ALBA Berlin (2-12) on Friday. The former might not be so bold, given Fenerbahce's dominance at home, but the latter is trickier than most. Fenerbahce is 1-7 on the road this season, including six defeats in a row away from home, and a healthy ALBA in Berlin is an upset waiting to happen. Fenerbahce is healthy, too, though, with the return this week of center [Georgios Papagiannis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/georgios-papagiannis/005844/), and all things considered has a deeper and much more experienced team. The win over Monaco gave Fenerbahce a boost and now it needs all the momentum it can get looking ahead to the first Istanbul derby under Saras in a week's time. Two wins this week will accomplish that and put Fenerbahce back in the hunt for bigger things.

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2023-12-22T19:45:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich v AS Monaco (2023-12-22T19:30:00.000Z)

ALBA Berlin v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2023-12-22T19:15:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v Olympiacos Piraeus (2023-12-22T18:45:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas v FC Barcelona (2023-12-22T18:00:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2023-12-22T17:15:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2023-12-21T19:45:00.000Z)

Valencia Basket v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2023-12-21T19:30:00.000Z)

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2023-12-21T19:05:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2023-12-20T19:30:00.000Z)

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2023-12-20T19:30:00.000Z)

AS Monaco v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2023-12-20T18:00:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Zalgiris Kaunas (2023-12-20T17:30:00.000Z)

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v Olympiacos Piraeus (2023-12-19T19:30:00.000Z)

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2023-12-19T19:05:00.000Z)

Valencia Basket v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2023-12-19T20:00:00.000Z)

EuroLeague 2023-24 MVP Ladder by Eurohoops: Vol. 2

The Mike James-Tornike Shengelia-Facundo Campazzo trinity reigns supreme once again, with one-third of the regular season behind us, in the latest edition of the EuroLeague MVP Ladder by Eurohoops.

Overcrowding in the standings from positions 4 to 8 and 9 to 12 made it an essential prerequisite that every player on the list should be a member of a team with a winning record. This is why some notable standout performers – numbers-wise – didn’t crack the top five.

The distances between places the first and third places are minimal, really, and one key deciding factor was the players’ immediate impact on some of their teams’ wins.

[MORE...](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1599141/euroleague-2023-24-mvp-ladder-by-eurohoops-vol-2/)

Eurohoops presents the second edition of the 2023-24 EuroLeague MVP Ladder.

Once again, the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four has proven to be one of the hottest tickets anywhere!

2024 Final Four Berlin general public tickets are sold out!

#### • All pre-sale tickets were sold within one hour.

#### • General public tickets sold out in less than four hours.

Once again, the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four has proven to be one of the hottest tickets anywhere!

As of early afternoon on Tuesday, all tickets to the event that were made available to the general public earlier in the day were sold out.

As a result, the 2024 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four will take place before a packed house of 14,500 fans at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany, from May 24 to 26. The semifinals will be played at 18:00 and 21:00 local time on Friday, while on Sunday, the Third-Place Game at 17:00 local time will give way to the Championship Game tipoff three hours later.

Following a sellout in just one hour of the pre-sale tickets, which were made available on Monday, December 18, high demand for the event saw the general public tickets sold out less than four hours, early on Tuesday. 

By country, the general public tickets were bought most by fans from Greece (19%), Spain (14%), Germany (14%), Turkey (10%) and France (6%).

Those lucky enough to have purchased the four-game ticket packages will be able to witness both the do-or-die drama of the semifinals on Friday, May 24, and the crowning of the EuroLeague champion on Sunday, May 26.

Rest assured, though, that opportunities to be part of the best weekend in world basketball are still available.

Each qualified team will be allotted approximately 600 tickets in different categories that they will make available through their own means.

At the same time, fans will soon be able to buy and sell tickets via the official fan-to-fan marketplace at [www.f4tickets.com](https://www.f4tickets.com/).

Finally, limited VIP hospitality tickets remain available upon request at f4tickets@euroleague.net. All information on VIP hospitality packages, their benefits and prices can be found on [www.f4tickets.com](https://www.f4tickets.com/).

U18 talents undertake a battle for supremacy starting January 26

Paris, Dubai and Podgorica join Belgrade as ANGT qualifier hosts!

The Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament is pleased to announce its schedule of qualifiers for 2024, which brings the world-class showcase for elite young basketball talents to three exciting new host cities: Paris, France; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; and Podgorica, Montenegro. The fourth qualifier will be in Belgrade, marking the 16th consecutive season that the Serbian capital welcomes the tournament.

The format stays the same, with the winner of each ANGT Qualifying Tournament advancing to compete for the continental junior club crown at the 2024 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Berlin, Germany.

At each qualifying stop, a new Next Generation Team made up of young stars from clubs not affiliated with other ANGT clubs will be among the eight participants, ensuring that a full range of the continent’s best talent will be represented in the tournament. Former EuroLeague star Petteri Koponen will resume his role from last season as head coach for all four of the Next Generation Teams, sharing his wealth of experience with the players. This season, the Next Generation Select Team will not participate in the eight-team ANGT Finals. Its spot will be filled by a different team through a wild card.

The first qualifying event this season will take place from January 26 to 28 in Podgorica, with SC Derby serving as the host club. This marks the debut of the ANGT qualifiers to the Montenegrin capital. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade will host the second tournament in its home city from March 1 to 3. Having hosted a qualifying round since the introduction of that phase in the 2008-09 season, Belgrade continues its legacy as a showcase city for rising stars.

A first-time ANGT qualifier outside continental Europe will come to Dubai from March 22 to 24, with local squad Dubai Basketball Academy as the event host. The tournament will be played at Coca Cola Arena in Dubai, with a capacity for 17,000 spectators. The fourth and final qualifier will run from March 29 to 31 in Paris, to be hosted by SKWEEK with coordinated support from adidas and Paris Basketball. The ANGT returns to the French capital for the first time since hosting the 2010 Finals. The qualifier will be played at the new adidas Arena in Paris.

This season marks the 22nd edition of the ANGT. The competition has seen a who's who of basketball stars come through its ranks, including future EuroLeague and NBA stars such as Goga Bitadze, Omri Casspi, Luigi Datome, Luca Doncic, Vasilije Micic, Nikola Mirotic, Donatas Motiejunas, Dario Saric, Milos Teodosic, Domantas Sabonis, Kristaps Porzingis, Jonas Valanciunas and Victor Wembanyama, among others.

With another competitive Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season bringing tons of excitement and drama to basketball fans each week, tickets for the 2024 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Berlin, Germany, are sure to be in high demand as they go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, December 19 at 9:00 CET!

EuroLeague Final Four tickets go on sale on December 19!

With another competitive Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season bringing tons of excitement and drama to basketball fans each week, tickets for the 2024 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Berlin, Germany, are sure to be in high demand as they go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, December 19 at 9:00 CET!

As in recent seasons, tickets are available only online at [www.f4tickets.com](http://www.f4tickets.com).

The 2024 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four marks the third time that the most exciting weekend in world basketball will land in the German capital. Berlin first hosted the Final Four in 2009, when Panathinaikos Athens lifted the trophy. Berlin was also home to the 2016 Final Four, which saw CSKA Moscow secure the continental crown. Germany is a strategic market in which the EuroLeague fan base has grown 46% over the last five seasons, according to Nielsen data.

As in 2009 and 2016, the Final Four will be played at the magnificent Mercedes-Benz Arena, where the seating capacity for basketball is 14,500 spectators. The home of ALBA Berlin, the arena was opened in 2008 and has hosted all sorts of world-class concerts, as well as multiple international sports events.

Final Four tickets on sale now!


The Final Four will start on Friday, May 24, with semifinal showdowns taking place at 18:00 and 21:00 local time. At the end of a weekend full of off-the-court fun and activities around the city, the third-place game will tip off on Sunday at 17:00 local time, following which the EuroLeague Championship Game, at 20:00 local time, will crown the 2023-24 EuroLeague champion.

A pre-sale window that was open to season ticket holders of EuroLeague clubs, EuroLeague TV subscribers and previous Final Four ticket purchasers on Monday, December 18, sold out its allotment of tickets in just four hours.

General public tickets – which provide seating for all four games, two on Friday and two on Sunday – are available in several different price categories, ranging from €57.25 per game (€229 total) to €177.25 per game (€709 total).

After buying tickets, customers who are unable to attend may sell their tickets via the official fan-to-fan marketplace, which is also accessible at [www.f4tickets.com](http://www.f4tickets.com). Tickets purchased via unauthorized sales channels will not be valid for admittance.

VIP hospitality tickets will also be made available, beginning on December 19. Interested fans and businesses can review all the exclusive benefits on [www.f4tickets.com](http://www.f4tickets.com). For any additional information, please contact [f4tickets@euroleague.net](mailto:f4tickets@euroleague.net).

Don't miss your chance to secure your place at one of the best sports events of the year in one of the most iconic cities in the world!

Final Four tickets go on sale on December 19!

The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four returns to Berlin and Mercedes-Benz Arena from May 24 to May 26, 2024.

2024 Final Four tickets on sale now!

The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague features 18 games this week in an excitement two rounds, which could be a defining period in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge. Javier Gancedo and Frankie Sachs, co-hosts of the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Podcast have identified a handful of topics you should be aware, potential pitfalls to avoid and opportunities to seize, before you make your teams.

Fantasy Challenge Podcast: Addressing the burning topics

The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague features 18 games this week in an excitement two rounds, which could be a defining period in the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/home). Javier Gancedo and Frankie Sachs, co-hosts of the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Podcast have identified a handful of topics you should be aware, potential pitfalls to avoid and opportunities to seize, before you make your teams.

Among the burning fantasy topics they address in episode No. 14 of the podcast are what to expect from the coaching change at Fenerbahce, who are the big men to own at Efes, what to make of the breakout games from a pair of Milan guards and which teams have scheduling advantages in this double-round week. Listen now before you make your fantasy picks for Rounds 15 and 16.