Name: On This Day: When Dusan Kecman hit 7 threes in Game 1 of the playoffs
Channel: Euroleague Basketball

Barca is on a roll with three consecutive victories, partly thanks to [Dario Brizuela](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dario-brizuela/009992/) stepping up to boost an injury-hit backcourt with double-digit scoring in 10 of the last 11 games. Bayern was embarrassed last week in Baskonia and needs to show much improved defense, while also hoping that [Andreas Obst](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/andreas-obst/004508/) can repeat the long-range shooting heroics that saw him set a new EuroLeague record with 11 triples when the teams met in November. That Bayern victory also saw a big contribution from [Carsen Edwards](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carsen-edwards/011987/) with 25 points, and this crunch clash should be a shootout between the first and fourth highest-scoring teams in the league.

### FC Barcelona

 

**Streaks**

Jabari Parker has made at least 1 three-point shot in five of his last six games.

Kevin Punter has made at least 1 three-point shot in 18 straight and 27 of his last 28 games.

Punter has scored in double figures in 14 of his last 15 games.

Jan Vesely has at least 1 steal in four of his last five games.

Nico Laprovittola has made at least 1 three-point shot in 19 straight games.

Chimezie Metu has scored 10 or more points in 12 of his last 13 games.

Dario Brizuela has made at least 1 three-pointer in 16 of his last 17 games.

Brizuela has scored in double figures in 10 of his last 11 games.

 

**Season rankings**

Kevin Punter ranks seventh in scoring with 16.7 points per game.

Punter ranks fifth in steals with 1.2 per game.

Jan Vesely ranks ninth in steals with 1.1 per game.

Punter ranks sixth in free-throw shooting at 92.9%.

Punter ranks 10th in three-pointers made with 2.2 per game.

Tomas Satoransky ranks seventh in assists with 5.1 per game.

Youssoupha Fall ranks eighth in two-point shooting at 69.4%.

Barcelona ranks second in assists with 20.2 per game.

Barcelona is the league leader in steals with 7.4 per game.

Barcelona ranks first in scoring with 87.4 points per game.

Barcelona ranks second in three-point accuracy at 39.0%.

Barcelona's defense has held opponents to 33.9% three-point shooting, the second-lowest in the league.

 

**Records/Milestones**

Tomas Satoransky ranks second all-time with a 2.9-to-1 career assist-to-turnover ratio.

Jan Vesely is the all-time leader in two-pointers made with 1,564.

Vesely ranks third all-time with 5,099 index rating points. Mike James of AS Monaco is second with 5,230. Nando De Colo of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne is the all-time leader with 5,410 and counting.

Vesely is sixth all-time with 4,028 points scored. Sergio Llull of Real Madrid is fifth with 4,146 and counting.

Vesely ranks fourth all-time with 365 steals. Rudy Fernandez is third with 367 steals.

Vesely ranks fifth all-time with 1,774 rebounds. Felipe Reyes is fourth with 1,799 and Walter Tavares of Real Madrid is third with 1,825 and counting.

Vesely is in fifth place all-time with 656 offensive rebounds. Bryant Dunston of Zalgiris Kaunas is fourth with 666 and counting.

Vesely ranks eighth all-time with 216 blocks. Tibor Pleiss of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens is seventh with 228 and counting.

Vesely ranks eighth all-time with 789 free throws made. Juan Carlos Navarro is seventh with 853.

Kevin Punter ranks 10th all-time in free-throw accuracy at 90.1%.

Youssoupha Fall ranks 14th all-time in two-point accuracy at 65.0%.

Nico Laprovittola needs 3 three-point shots made to reach 300 for his career.

Alex Abrines needs 13 rebounds to reach 500 for his career.

Game Videos

### FC Bayern Munich

 

**Streaks**

Devin Booker has scored in double figures in seven of his last eight games.

Carsen Edwards has made at least 1 three-pointer in nine straight games.

Edwards has scored 12 or more points in nine of his last 10 games.

Nick Weiler-Babb has at least 1 steal in seven of his last eight games.

Vladimir Lucic has pulled down 5 or more rebounds in five straight games.

Shabazz Napier has made 34 consecutive free throws.

Andreas Obst has made at least 1 three-point shot in nine straight and 22 of his last 23 games.

Obst has made multiple triples in nine straight games.

Johannes Voigtmann has made at least 1 three-pointer in 11 of his last 12 games.

 

**Season rankings**

Carsen Edwards ranks third in scoring with 19.6 points per game.

Nick Weiler-Babb leads the league in steals with 1.6 per game.

Shabazz Napier ranks eighth in steals with 1.1 per game.

Weiler-Babb ranks sixth in assists with 5.3 per game.

Napier leads the league in free-throw shooting at 96.9%.

Edwards ranks 10th in free-throw shooting at 91.7%.

Andreas Obst leads the league in three-pointers made with 3.0 per game.

Edwards ranks fourth in three-pointers made with 2.6 per game.

Niels Giffey leads the league in three-point shooting at 57.5%.

Bayern ranks first in free-throw shooting at 83.8%.

Bayern ranks third in three-point shooting at 38.8%.

Bayern's defense has allowed a league-high 58.9% on two-point shooting.

Bayern's defense has allowed a league-high 38.1% on three-point shooting.

 

**Records/Milestones**

Carsen Edwards ranks eighth all-time in free-throw accuracy at 90.5%.

Johannes Voigtmann is ranked 13th all-time with 1,414 rebounds. Othello Hunter is 12th with 1,424.

Voigtmann is in 10th place all-time in defensive rebounds with 1,052. Georgios Printezis is ninth with 1,065 defensive rebounds.

Voigtmann needs 9 blocks to reach 100 for his career.

Devin Booker needs 2 steals to reach 100 for his career.

Nick Weiler-Babb ranks 14th all-time with a 2.5-to-1 career assist-to-turnover ratio.

Game News

Two sporting giants will collide as Barcelona (17-13) welcomes Bayern (17-13) for a key confrontation between two of the four teams currently tied for fifth place.

Game Facts: Barcelona vs. Bayern

FC Barcelona v FC Bayern Munich (2025-03-25T19:30:00.000Z)

\- Bayern defeated Barcelona 100-78 in Round 11 as Andreas Obst set the EuroLeague record with 12 three-pointers. Obst also scored a career-high and a club-record 34 points and posted a career-best 30 PIR. In that game, Bayern made a club record 20 triples.

\- When Barcelona beat Bayern 98-59 in Round 4 last season, the 39-point difference was tied for the third-largest victory ever by Barcelona in a EuroLeague game. It also stands as Bayern's second-worst defeat ever in the EuroLeague.

\- Barcelona won their 2022 EuroLeague Playoff series 3-2. Barcelona won Games 1, 3 and 5. In the deciding Game 5 of that series, Barcelona triumphed 81-72 behind 26 points from Nicolas Laprovittola.

\- When Bayern beat Barcelona 72-82 on the road in the 2020-21 regular-season finale, Jalen Reynolds made a club-record 13 two-point shots on 17 attempts.

\- When Bayern beat Barcelona 90-77 in Munich in December 2020, Wade Baldwin set Bayern's club record with a PIR of 41.

\- Bayern big man Oscar da Silva spent the last two seasons with Barcelona. He has been a teammate of eight players on the current Barcelona roster.

\- Barcelona guard Nicolas Laprovittola was a teammate of Bayern big man Johannes Voigtmann at Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz during the second part of the 2016-17 season.

\- Voigtmann made a career-best 6 three-pointers playing for CSKA Moscow against Barcelona in November 2021 and matched his career high with 3 steals playing for Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz against Barcelona in February 2019.

\- Jan Vesely of Barcelona and Vladimir Lucic of Bayern were teammates at Partizan Belgrade for three seasons, from 2008 to 2011. Together they helped Partizan reach the 2010 EuroLeague Final Four.

\- Vesely was a teammate of Bayern big man Devin Booker during the 2021-22 season at Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul.

\- Barcelona's Jabari Parker posted his career highs in PIR (29) and points scored (26) in the Round 11 loss to Bayern. He has averaged 18.7 points in games against Bayern in his career.

\- Bayern guard Shabazz Napier tied his career high with 3 steals in Round 11 against Barcelona.

\- In Game 5 of the 2022 playoffs, Barcelona's Alex Abrines pulled down a career-best 7 rebounds.

\- Bayern forward Vladimir Lucic set his career high with 6 assists against Barcelona in March 2019.

\- Bayern's Elias Harris posted his career high with 6 rebounds playing for Brose Bamberg against Barcelona in February 2016.

Game Notes: Barcelona vs. Bayern

The hosts are just one win clear of four teams currently tied for fifth place, while Zalgiris has no margin for error after slipping two wins off the top 10. [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) will again take a central role after blasting 29 points in Monaco's impressive win against Fenerbahce last week. He will receive support inside the paint from [Daniel Theis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/daniel-theis/004132/), who has settled nicely with his new team by averaging 14.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in his first four games. The Lithuanian team will, as always, rely on its excellent defense to control the tempo, but also needs [Deividas Sirvydis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/deividas-sirvydis/007029/) to show the shooting form which saw him net three triples in last week's loss at Barcelona.

### AS Monaco

 

**Streaks**

Mike James has made at least 1 three-point shot in six straight games.

James has scored 13 or more points in five of his last six games.

James has had a PIR of 12 or more in five of his last six games.

Elie Okobo has scored 12 or more points and made at least 1 three-pointer in five of his last six games.

Jordan Loyd has made at least 1 three-point shot in 12 of his last 13 games.

Georgios Papagiannis has made 15 consecutive free throws.

Nick Calathes has recorded at least 1 steal in five straight games.

 

**Season rankings**

Mike James ranks ninth in scoring with 15.9 points per game.

James ranks fourth in assists with 5.6 per game.

Alpha Diallo is tied for third in steals with 1.3 per game.

Georgios Papagiannis ranks second in blocks with 1.4 per game.

Monaco has committed 10.9 turnovers per game, the second-lowest in the league.

Monaco ranks third with 7.2 steals per game.

Monaco has forced a league-high 13.9 turnovers per game.

 

**Records/Milestones**

Mike James is the EuroLeague's all-time leading scorer with 5,100 career points.

James is second all-time with 5,230 index rating points. Nando De Colo of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne is first with a PIR of 5,410 and counting.

James is in third place all-time in free throws made with 1,117. His head coach, Vassilis Spanoulis, is second with 1,131.

James is tied with Sergio Llull of Real Madrid for sixth place all-time with 1,451 career assists. Milos Teodosic of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade is fifth with 1,482 assists and counting.

James ranks seventh all-time with 589 three-pointers made. Milos Teodosic of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade and Rudy Fernandez are tied for fifth with 594 triples apiece.

James is fifth all-time in two-point shots made with 1,108. Ante Tomic is fourth with 1,137.

James is ranked ninth all-time with 319 career steals. He needs 3 more to tie Pablo Prigioni for eighth place.

James needs 2 rebounds to reach 1,000 in his career.

Nick Calathes is the EuroLeague’s all-time leader in assists with 2,121.

Calathes set the EuroLeague single-season assists record in 2018-19 with 286.

Calathes is the EuroLeague’s all-time leader in steals with 457.

Calathes ranks second all-time in games started with 316, behind only Kostas Papanikolaou of Olympiacos Piraeus, who has 330 and counting.

Calathes ranks eighth all-time with a 2.6-to-1 career assist-to-turnover ratio.

Calathes ranks seventh all-time with 4,298 performance index rating points. Kyle Hines is sixth with 4,299.

Calathes is ranked 16th all-time in scoring with 3,280 points. Will Clyburn of Virtus Segafredo Bologna is 15th with 3,292 points and counting, and Kyle Hines is 14th with 3,339 points.

Georgios Papagiannis is in fourth place all-time with 252 blocks. Kyle Hines is third with 320 blocks.

Papagiannis ranks 16th all-time in two-point accuracy at 64.3%.

Donatas Motiejunas set the EuroLeague single-game record with 18 defensive rebounds on December 7, 2011, while playing for Asseco Prokom Gdynia against Union Olimpija Ljubljana. In that game, Motiejunas pulled down 21 rebounds, the most rebounds in a single game by any active player.

### Zalgiris Kaunas

 

**Streaks**

Sylvain Francisco has made at least 1 three-pointer in 18 straight games.

Arnas Butkevicius has at least 1 steal in five of his last six games.

Ignas Brazdeikis has made at least 1 three-pointer in four straight games.

Deividas Sirvydis has made at least 1 three-pointer in four of his last five games.

 

**Season rankings**

Sylvain Francisco ranks ninth in three-pointers made with 2.3 per game.

Zalgiris ranks last in the league in scoring with 77.3 points per game.

Zalgiris has averaged a league-low 15.4 assists per game.

Zalgiris's defense has allowed a league-low 78.3 points per game.

Zalgiris's defense has held opponents to a league-low 32.0% three-point shooting.

Zalgiris's defense has held opponents to 53.5% shooting on two-pointers, which is second-lowest in the league.

 

**Records/Milestones**

Bryant Dunston ranks second all-time with 361 blocked shots. Walter Tavares of Real Madrid is the all-time leader with 465 and counting

Dunston ranks eighth all-time with 1,583 rebounds. Ioannis Bourousis is seventh with 1,603 and counting.

Dunston ranks fourth all-time with 666 career offensive rebounds. Tavares is third with 687 and counting.

Dunston is in seventh place all-time with 1,050 two-pointers made. Nando De Colo of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne is sixth with 1,063 two-point makes and counting.

Dunston is ranked 16th all-time with 275 career steals. Shane Larkin is 15th with 277 and counting.

Edgaras Ulanovas ranks fourth all-time with 271 games started. His former teammate Paulius Jankunas is third with 283 starts.

Arnas Butkevicius needs 4 steals to reach 100 for his career.

Alen Smailagic ranks 13th all-time in two-point accuracy at 65.1%.

Dovydas Giedraitis needs 7 assists to reach 100 for his career.

Ignas Brazdeikis needs 7 assists to reach 100 for his career.

Monaco (18-12) will aim to stay in the top four by taking a home win against a desperate Zalgiris (14-16) side. 

Game Facts: Monaco vs. Zalgiris

AS Monaco v Zalgiris Kaunas (2025-03-25T18:00:00.000Z)

\- Each of the seven head-to-head meetings between these two teams finished with a single-digit margin, including Zalgiris's 63-62 victory in Round 7.

\- In their first-ever meeting, in December 2021 in Kaunas, Monaco rallied to beat Zalgiris in overtime 98-107. Monaco guard Mike James dished a career-high 14 assists in that game.

\- Monaco pulled out an 84-82 home win over Zalgiris in December 2022 behind 22 points from Elie Okobo, who earned MVP of the Round honors with a PIR of 35. Okobo made a career-high 10 free throws, dished 9 assists and grabbed a career-best 4 steals.

\- Monaco center Donatas Motiejunas started out at Zalgiris and made his EuroLeague debut with the club during the 2007-08 season.

\- Motiejunas has been a teammate of Zalgiris's Lukas Lekavicius, Edgaras Ulanovas, Arnas Butkevicius, Ignas Brazdeikis and Deividas Sirvydis on the Lithuanian national team.

\- Mike James was a teammate of Zalgiris guard Lukas Lekavicius at Panathinaikos Athens during the 2017-18 season.

\- Georgios Papagiannis was a teammate of Lekavicius at Panathinaikos during the 2018-19 season.

\- Nick Calathes was a teammate of Lekavicius at Panathinaikos for two seasons from 2017 through 2019.

\- Monaco's Furkan Korkmaz and Zalgiris center Bryant Dunston were teammates at Anadolu Efes Istanbul for two seasons, between 2015 and 2017.

\- Monaco's Terry Tarpey and Elie Okobo have been teammates with Zalgiris guard Sylvain Francisco on the French national team.

\- Nick Calathes earned co-MVP of the Round honors with a PIR of 32, scoring 19 points and dishing 12 assists, while playing for Panathinaikos OPAP Athens in an 85-86 road win against Zalgiris in November 2019.

\- Monaco guard Nick Calathes made a career-high 5 three-pointers while playing for Panathinaikos Athens against Zalgiris in November 2019.

\- Monaco's Jaron Blossomgame grabbed a career-high 9 rebounds against Zalgiris in Round 7.

Game Notes: Monaco vs. Zalgiris

The Turkish team is close to clinching a top-four finish but Paris is one of the remaining aspirants for that status and will again be led by last week’s MVP, [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/). The power of [Tyson Ward](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tyson-ward/012610/) is another positive for the French team after he returned to form with 11 points and 7 rebounds in last week’s win over Milan, but Fenerbahce can take confidence from its road win in Paris earlier this month in a rescheduled game. [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/)’s 11 points and 8 assists were key to that victory, and his backcourt battle with Shorts will be crucial as the host tries to bounce straight back from a defeat in Monaco last time out.

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

 

**Streaks**

Nigel Hayes-Davis has made at least 1 triple in 35 straight games.

Hayes-Davis has posted a PIR of 10 or more in five of his last six games.

Hayes-Davis has made 17 consecutive free throws.

Tarik Biberovic has made at least 1 three-pointer in 14 of his last 15 games.

Marko Guduric has made at least 1 three-pointer in 12 of his last 13 games.

Wade Baldwin has scored more than 10 in four of his last five games.

Errick McCollum has made 29 consecutive free throws.

McCollum has scored at least 10 points, made at least 1 three-pointer and had a double-digit PIR in seven of his last eight games.

 

**Season rankings**

Nigel Hayes-Davis ranks eighth in scoring with 16.4 points per game.

Hayes-Davis ranks sixth in three-pointers made with 2.5 per game.

Fenerbahce ranks third in free-throw shooting at 80.8% points.

Fenerbahce has held opponents to 9.5 offensive rebounds, which is the second-lowest in the league.

 

 

**Records/Milestones**

Nigel Hayes-Davis set the EuroLeague single-game scoring record with 50 points in a victory over ALBA Berlin in Round 32 last season.

Nicolo Melli is in sixth place all-time in rebounds with 1,609. Jan Vesely of FC Barcelona is fifth with 1,774 and counting.

Melli is in second place all-time in defensive rebounds with 1,204. Paulius Jankunas is the all-time leader with 1,453 defensive rebounds.

Melli needs 1 steal to tie Scottie Wilbekin for 12th place all-time with 282. Kyle Hines is 11th with 287.

Melli needs 3 blocked shots to tie Victor Khryapa for 15th place all-time. He enters this week's games with 158 career blocks.

Melli needs 7 assists to reach 500 for his career.

Sertac Sanli needs 14 rebounds to reach 500 for his career.

Devon Hall needs 16 points to reach 1,000 for his career.

Dyshawn Pierre needs 32 points to reach 1,000 for his career.

Pierre needs 11 rebounds to reach 500 for his career.

Scottie Wilbekin needs 16 rebounds to reach 500 for his career.

### Paris Basketball

 

**Streaks**

TJ Shorts has scored in double figures in all but one of his 29 EuroLeague appearances - including the last 22.

Shorts has posted PIRs of at least 10 in 22 straight games.

Tyson Ward has made at least 1 three-pointer in 10 straight games.

Mikael Jantunen has made at least 1 three-pointer in seven of his last seven eight games.

Yakuba Ouattara is perfect in 11 trips to the foul line this season.

 

**Season rankings**

TJ Shorts ranks second in average index rating with 23.1 per game.

Shorts ranks fourth in scoring with 18.8 points per game.

Shorts leads the league in assists with 7.1 per game.

Shorts ranks 10th in three-point shooting at 45.1%.

Nadir Hifi ranks eighth in three-pointers made with 2.4 per game.

Paris ranks third in offensive rebounding with 12.0 per game.

Paris has committed 9.8 turnovers per game, the fewest in the league.

Paris has held opponents to 33.9% three-point shooting, which is third-lowest in the league.

Paris has allowed a league-high 12.1 offensive rebounds.

 

**Records/Milestones**

Kevarrius Hayes needs 11 rebounds to reach 500 for his career.

Maodo Lo needs 1 rebound to reach 400 for his career.

Yakuba Ouattara needs 10 points to reach 500 for his career.

Ouattara needs 8 three-point shots to reach 100 for his career.

The week begins on Tuesday with one of Round 31's many clashes between direct rivals as second-placed Fenerbahce (20-10) welcomes Paris (17-13).

Game Facts: Fenerbahce vs. Paris

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Paris Basketball (2025-03-25T17:45:00.000Z)

\- Fenerbahce defeated Paris 83-87 in the French capital earlier this month in a postponed Round 17 game. It was the first-ever official meeting between the two teams.

\- Fenerbahce's Nicolo Melli and Devon Hall were teammates of Paris guard Maodo Lo at EA7 Emporio Armani Milan last season.

\- Melli and Lo and Paris big man Leon Kratzer were teammates at Brose Bamberg during the 2016-17 season.

\- Paris center Kevarrius Hayes grabbed a career-best 9 rebounds for Zalgiris Kaunas against Fenerbahce in March 2023.

\- Paris's Yakuba Ouattara posted career highs in points (19), three-pointers made (5) and PIR (19) playing for AS Monaco in a 98-94 overtime road loss at Fenerbahce in January 2023.

The week begins on Tuesday with one of Round 31's many clashes between direct rivals as second-placed Fenerbahce (20-10) welcomes Paris (17-13). 

Game Notes: Fenerbahce vs. Paris

Valencia has been the competition's dominant team throughout the season, boasting the best regular season record and again showing its power with [a comprehensive 98-74 quarterfinal victory over U-BT Cluj-Napoca](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/valencia-cruises-past-cluj-98-74-and-into-last-four/). That game saw eight different Valencia players register double digits in PIR to underline the Spanish team's depth, so Dimitris Itoudis's men will need to produce their very best as a collective unit to take a road win.

Perhaps the most important player for Hapoel to play the game its own way is center [Johnathan Motley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/johnathan-motley/011157/) (16.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game), who will attempt to dominate the paint against home team powerhouse [Matt Costello](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/matthew-costello/010444/) (9.7 points and 4.2 boards per night). The visiting team will also need the offensive output of [Marcus Foster](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marcus-foster/010386/), who has scored in double digits in four consecutive games.

Hapoel showed its defensive strength with [a hard-fought 67-61 win over Turk Telekom Ankara](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/hapoel-fights-off-turk-telekom-moves-into-semifinals/) in the quarterfinals, and it will need a similar performance against a Valencia team orchestrated by the youthful brilliance of playmaker [Jean Montero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jean-montero/010042/), who has averaged 14.0 points and 4.5 assists in the last four games. He will have plenty of support from [Chris Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/chris-jones/010568/), with Valencia’s weapons also coming from the wings through dangerous shooters [Xabi Lopez-Arostegui](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/xabi-lopez-arostegui/005356/) and [Semi Ojeleye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/semi-ojeleye/011982/).

Valencia has won six straight, netting at least 96 points in five of those, and easily leads the competition in scoring with an average of 96.5 points per night. But with the expertise of Itoudis on the bench and a talented roster including the multiple talents of [Yam Madar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/yam-madar/011052/), [Bruno Caboclo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/bruno-caboclo/012096/) and [Joe Ragland](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/joe-ragland/005181/), Hapoel has every chance of causing an upset.

GAME NOTES

\- This game will be the first ever meeting between these clubs in the EuroCup.

\- Valencia guard Chris Jones was a teammate of Hapoel forward Oz Blayzer during the 2020-21 season at Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv.

\- Hapoel assistant coach Stefanos Dedas was the head coach at Israeli side Hapoel Holon when Nate Sestina played there at the tail end of the 2020-21 season.

GAME FACTS

### Valencia Basket

**Streaks**

Semi Ojeleye has made at least 1 three-pointer in 17 straight games.

Jean Montero has scored 11 or more points in eight of his last nine games.

Montero has posted double-digit PIRs in five straight games.

Montero has made at least 1 three-point shot in nine straight games.

Montero has made multiple three-pointers in eight of his last nine games.

Montero has collected at least 1 steal in eight of his last games.

Brancou Badio has made at least 1 three-point shot in 16 straight games.

Josep Puerto has made at least 1 three-point shot in six straight and 16 of his last 17 games.

Nate Sestina has made at least 1 three-point shot in 10 straight games.

Xabi Lopez-Arostegui has scored at least 10 points in seven straight games.

 

**Season Rankings**

Stefan Jovic is ranked sixth among qualified players with 5.3 assists per game. Jean Montero is seventh with 5.1 per game.

Jovic leads the EuroCup this season in assist-to-turnover ratio at 4.4.

Montero is third with 1.8 steals per game.

Nathan Reuvers is tied with Selom Mawugbe for fourth with 1.3 blocks per game.

Reuvers is fourth among qualified players in two-point accuracy at 72.0%.

Semi Ojeleye is tied with Fletcher Magee for 2.4 three-pointers made per game.

 

**All-time Rankings**

Xabi Lopez-Arostegui is 11th on the all-time EuroCup charts in free-throw accuracy at 89.1%.

Stefan Jovic is ranked second on the all-time EuroCup charts with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.1.

 

 

### Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv

 

**Streaks**

Johnathan Motley has posted a PIR in double figures in 10 of his last 11 games.

Marcus Foster has made at least 1 three-pointer in 15 of his last 16 games.

Foster has scored in double figures and had PIRs in double figures in five of his last six games.

Yam Madar has had PIRs of at least 11 in 10 straight games.

Madar has scored in double figures in eight of his last nine games.

Ish Wainright has at least 1 steal in seven of his last eight games.

 

**Season Rankings**

Johnathan Motley is fifth among qualified players in performance index rating with 19.1 per game.

Motley is sixth in scoring with 16.3 per game.

Motley leads the EuroCup in two-pointers made with 6.0 per game.

Motley is third in fouls drawn with 6.3 per game.

Motley is 10th in free throws made with 4.1 per game.

Joe Ragland is third among qualified players in assist-to-turnover ratio with 3.6.

Bar Timor is seventh among qualified players in assist-to-turnover ratio with 3.1.

Group B winner and four-time EuroCup champion Valencia (16-2) will attempt to make home-court advantage count with a visit from dangerous Group A runner-up Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (12-6), which is searching for its first major honor since lifting the Israeli Cup in 1993.

Game Notes and Facts: Valencia vs. Hapoel Tel Aviv

Valencia Basket v Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (2025-03-25T19:30:00.000Z)

Both meetings earlier this season were low-scoring defensive battles won by the home team, with [Bahcesehir prevailing 73-65 in Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/bahcesehir-beats-gran-canaria-73-65-to-take-control-in-group-a/) in December. Dejan Radonjic’s men will attempt to repeat the physical dominance they enjoyed in that contest through big men [Tai Odiase](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tai-odiase/011823/) and [Tyler Cavanaugh](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tyler-cavanaugh/009601/), who combined for 26 points and 15 rebounds. But they face a tough battle for supremacy against Gran Canaria’s [Mike Tobey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mike-tobey/008966/), who also showed his all-round class in that contest by combining 16 points with 6 boards and 5 assists.

In the backcourt, a key confrontation will see visiting defensive ace [Andrew Albicy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/andrew-albicy/003425/) attempt to limit the influence of [Jaleen Smith](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jaleen-smith/011192/), who may feel he has a point to prove after only making 1 of his 10 field-goal attempts when the teams last met.

Smith is one of several players on both teams offering a threat from three-point territory, with Bahcesehir also hoping [Axel Bouteille](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/axel-bouteille/003840/) will fire after averaging nearly two triples per game at 43.2%. For Gran Canaria, [Joe Thomasson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/joe-thomasson/012095/) showed his scoring potential with a trio of triples in the quarterfinal victory at Hapoel Jerusalem, while guard [Mehdy Ngouama](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mehdy-ngouama/009556/) – a EuroCup winner last season with Paris – is becoming increasingly important after arriving mid-season to replace the injured [Carlos Alocen](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/carlos-alocen/010623/).

But ultimately the key will be defense. These two teams have allowed fewer points than anyone else, with Gran Canaria’s average of 76.7 points conceded per game only bettered by Bahcesehir (75.1), and which team better nullifies the opposition will take this series opener.

GAME NOTES

\- Gran Canaria outlasted Bahcesehir 66-63 when they met in Round 3 in what was the first-ever game between the sides. Nicolas Brussino led the way with a season-high 17 points.

\- Bahcesehir was a 73-65 winner in Round 12 behind 16 points from Tai Odiase and a Tyler Cavanaugh double-double.

\- Gran Canaria center Mike Tobey was a teammate of Bahcesehir players Tai Odiase and Mateusz Ponitka at Canarias Tenerife during the 2017-18 season.

\- Tobey grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds against Bahcesehir when they met in Round 3.

\- Gran Canaria guard Andrew Albicy was a teammate of Bahcesehir forward Mateusz Ponitka at Zenit St Petersburg during the 2019-20 season.

\- Bahcesehir center Marko Simonovic matched his season-high with 14 points against Gran Canaria in Round 3.

GAME FACTS

### Bahcesehir College Istanbul

 

**Streaks**

Jaleen Smith has made at least 1 three-pointer in eight straight games.

Smith has made 11 consecutive free throws,

Smith has posted PIRs in double figures is six of the last seven games.

Tai Odiase had PIRs of at least 10 in eight of his last nine games.

Odiase has scored 10 or more points in eight of his last nine games.

Odiase has at least 1 block in six of his last seven games.

CJ Massinburg has made at least 1 three-point shot in seven straight games.

Tyler Cavanaugh has had PIRs in double figures in 10 of his last 11 games.

Cavanaugh has had 5 or more rebounds in 13 of his last 14 games.

Cavanaugh has made at least 1 three-pointer in eight straight and 15 of his last 16 games.

 

**Season Rankings**

Tyler Cavanaugh is tied for fifth among qualified players this season with 6.3 rebounds per game.

Cavanaugh is eighth among qualified players in three-point shooting with 46.2% per game.

Tai Odiase is ranked fifth among qualified players this season with 2.4 offensive rebounds per game.

Odiase is ranked ninth among qualified players with 1.0 blocks per game.

Odiase is ranked seventh among qualified players with 4.8 two-pointers per game.

Jaleen Smith is ranked fourth among qualified players with 5.6 assists per game.

 

**All-time Rankings**

Axel Bouteille is 15th on the all-time EuroCup charts with 168 three-pointers in his career. Jaka Blazic and Todor Stoykov are tied for 13th with 171.

 

 

### Dreamland Gran Canaria

 

**Streaks**

Caleb Homesley has made at least 1 three-pointer in 11 of his last 12 games.

Andrew Albicy has recorded at least 1 steal in 14 straight games.

 

**Season Rankings**

Andrew Albicy leads the EuroCup is steals this season with 2.1 per game.

Pierre Pelos is tied for third among qualified players this season in three-point accuracy at 50%.

Mike Tobey is tied for 11th among qualified players this season with 5.8 rebounds per game.

 

**All-time Rankings**

Andrew Albicy is ranked second on the all-time EuroCup charts with 674 assists for his career. Stefan Markovic is the all-time leader with 698.

Albicy is ranked second with 209 career steals. Stefan Markovic is the all-time leader with 214.

Albicy is ranked fourth with 1,600 index rating points for his career. Errick McCollum is third with 1,634.

Albicy is tied with Pau Ribas for ninth with 182 three-pointers. John Shurna is eight with 195.

Albicy is tied with Bojan Dubljevic for seventh with 138 game played.

John Shurna is ranked ninth with 1,258 points scored. E.J. Rowland is eight with 1,275.

Shurna is seventh on the all-time charts with 515 rebounds. Axel Hervelle is sixth with 519.

Shurna is eighth on the all-time charts with 195 three-pointers. Marko Popovic is seventh with 207.

John Shurna is tied with AJ Slaughter for fourth on the all-time charts with 143 games played. Rafa Martinez is third with 144.

Miquel Salvo is ranked second on the all-time charts with in two-point accuracy at 66.5%.

The first semifinal presents a rematch from the regular season as Group A winner Bahcesehir (14-4) attempts to extend its 100% home record with a visit from Gran Canaria (12-6), which finished third and has a strong 7-3 record on the road.

Game Notes and Facts: Bahcesehir vs. Gran Canaria

Bahcesehir College Istanbul v Dreamland Gran Canaria (2025-03-25T17:00:00.000Z)

On March 23 in 2010, Dusan Kecman led Partizan in beating Maccabi 77-85 in Game 1 of the EuroLeague Playoffs. Kecman hit a club-record 7 three-pointers as Partizan stole home-court advantage. The Belgrade club went on to win the series 3-1, and reach the Final Four.

On This Day: When Dusan Kecman hit 7 threes in Game 1 of the playoffs

On March 23 in 2010, Dusan Kecman led Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in beating Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 77-85 in Game 1 of the EuroLeague Playoffs. 

Kecman hit a club-record 7 three-pointers as Partizan stole home-court advantage. The Belgrade club went on to win the series 3-1 and reach the 2010 Final Four.

On March 23 in 2010, Dusan Kecman led Partizan in beating Maccabi 77-85 in Game 1 of the EuroLeague Playoffs. Kecman hit a club-record 7 three-pointers as Partizan stole home-court advantage. The Belgrade club went on to win the series 3-1 and reach the 2010 Final Four.

It was a memorable performance that Partizan fans will remember well

EuroLeague top photos of the week

Khalifa Diop of Baskonia and Carsen Edwards of Bayern leap for a rebound

Moustapha Fall of Olympiacos emotes as he dunks against Crvena Zvezda

Bruno Fernando of Real Madrid denies ASVEL's Nando De Colo

Dario Brizuela of FC Barcelona dribbles between Zalgiris's Bryant Dunston and Dovydas Giedraitis

Yanni Wetzell of ALBA Berlin dunks at Panathinaikos 

Nikola Milutinov of Olympiacos extends to block the shot of Zvezda's Milos Teodosic

T.J. Shorts of Paris extends to corral a rebound against Milan

Johannes Voigtmann of Bayern and Baskonia's Khalifa Diop vie for a rebound

Wenyen Gabriel of Panathinaikos dunks against ALBA Berlin in Round 30

Darius Thompson of Efes and Partizan's Brandon Davies wrestle for the ball

Look back at all the action from Round 30 of the regular season by checking out the best photos of the week! 

Top 10 photos of the week: Round 30

Euroleague Basketball is now accepting applications for volunteers at the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. 

Become a volunteer at the 2025 EuroLeague Final Four!

Have you always wanted to experience a world-class sporting event from the inside? To be behind the scenes and become a part of the spectacle? Here is your chance!

Euroleague Basketball is now accepting applications for volunteers at the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. There are many positions available for volunteers in a wide array of fields, including Media, Competition, Ceremonies, Corporate Social Responsibility, FanZone and the Adidas NextGen EuroLeague, among others. The full list of functions can be found [here](https://sway.cloud.microsoft/GM0PVtcsro8elSLq).

Volunteers will have the opportunity to learn how to use basketball to achieve social impact in our communities through the One Team program while filling an important role at Europe’s premier basketball event.

To become a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four volunteer, applicants must fill out the following registration form before April 4, 2025.

Don't miss this opportunity to be a part of an amazing experience. Click [here](https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=m52J-WoQQkaxN4bpglT5smgyUhU7GptPvdcqcwf2Am1UQTZPRFNZTDZIUU9PMjlXTkJDRVMzNzNMMyQlQCN0PWcu&route=shorturl) to apply!

Take advantage of this incredible experience by joining us in Abu Dhabi

CB Gran Canaria forward Caleb Homesley fancies his team's chances of advancing past Bahcesehir College Istanbul in the EuroCup Semifinals.

Caleb Homesley aims to become EuroCup champion with Gran Canaria, potentially in all-Spanish Finals

[Dreamland Gran Canaria](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dreamland-gran-canaria/can/) is dreaming big. The Las Palmas-based side is one of the four teams that will compete in the BKT EuroCup Semifinals and, therefore, one of the last survivors of arguably the toughest edition of the competition in recent memory.

On a stage it knows well, Gran Canaria has paved its way to this point with its undeniable style. The fusion of its joyful and effective game, the enthusiasm of the young players and the experience of the veterans has helped the new players who have arrived to fit in and create a core that will be difficult for any team to stop in the EuroCup.

With a 12-6 record in the regular season, and displaying a dominance that recent weeks have not done justice to, Jaka Lakovic's team has learned its lesson. Gran Canaria finished third in Group A, behind Bahcesehir College Istanbul and Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (two of the other three semifinalists), but the Spanish side knows better than anyone how to perform in the latter stages and how to approach the most crucial games of the season so far.

Leaving behind rivals of the caliber of Umana Reyer Venice in the eighthfinals and a strong Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem squad that made things difficult in the quarterfinals, Gran Canaria's morale is sky-high as it hopes to repeat the joy of lifting the EuroLeague trophy, just like it did in 2023.

Read more [HERE](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/eurocup/1800249/caleb-homesley-aims-to-become-eurocup-champion-with-gran-canaria-potentially-in-all-spanish-finals/).

The 28-year-old fancies his team’s chances ahead of a semifinal series with Bahcesehir

A wonderful performance by Paris Basketball star TJ Shorts has seen him take home Round 30 MVP honors.

 

Shorts finished with a 24-point, 10-assist double-double – his fourth double-double of the season – as Paris beat EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 92-79. His 24 points came courtesy of 8-of-15 two-pointers, 1-of-2 threes and 5-of-7 free throws, while he also amassed 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block – his second block this season – and 7 fouls drawn en route to a 37 PIR, the most of any player in this round and his third-highest index rating in the 2024-25 campaign. 

Round 30 MVP: TJ Shorts, Paris Basketball

A wonderful performance by Paris Basketball star [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/) has seen him take home Round 30 MVP honors.

 

Shorts finished with a 24-point, 10-assist double-double – his fourth double-double of the season – as Paris beat EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 92-79. His 24 points came courtesy of 8-of-15 two-pointers, 1-of-2 threes and 5-of-7 free throws, while he also amassed 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block – his second block this season – and 7 fouls drawn en route to a 37 PIR, the most of any player in this round and his third-highest index rating in the 2024-25 campaign. Having previously been the MVP of the Round in Rounds 5 and 10, this is the third occasion that the EuroLeague rookie has secured this honor.

The next-best PIR belonged to LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne’s [Theo Maledon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/theo-maledon/007027/), who had a 35 index rating as his team fell to an 81-70 defeat at Real Madrid. Maledon posted 25 points on 4-of-6 two-pointers, 2-of-4 triples and 11-of-11 free throws, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals and 8 fouls drawn. With those 11 free throws, Maledon has now set the record for the most free throws made in a single EuroLeague season, having converted 182 in 29 games, beating the 178 made by Real Madrid’s Dzanan Musa in 41 appearances in the 2022-23 season.

Third place is shared by two players this week, as Real Madrid’s [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) and Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade’s [Rokas Giedraitis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/rokas-giedraitis/006436/) both recorded a 28 PIR, a season high in the case of Giedraitis. Tavares amassed 23 points on 9-of-12 twos and 5-of-5 free throws, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and 4 fouls drawn in *Los Blancos’* aforementioned 81-70 victory over ASVEL, while Giedraitis finished with 20 points on 6-of-7 triples and 2-of-2 free throws, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 fouls drawn as Crvena Zvezda stunned league leader Olympiacos Piraeus by stealing a 73-81 win.

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens guard [Jerian Grant](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jerian-grant/011204/) completes the list of best performers in Round 30 with a PIR of 27, which came in his team’s 91-81 triumph over ALBA Berlin. Grant ended his night with totals of 19 points on 3-of-5 two-pointers, 1-of-2 three-pointers and 10-of-10 free throws, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, 7 fouls drawn and zero turnovers.

 

### Individual highs: Will Clyburn, Virtus, 5 steals

 

[Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) of AS Monaco led all scorers in Round 30 with 29 points. [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) of Panathinaikos and [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) of Olympiacos Piraeus are tied atop the scoring charts with 20.0 points per game.

 

[Ante Zizic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ante-zizic/004554/) of Virtus Segafredo Bologna had 12 rebounds, more than any other player in this round. Crvena Zvezda center [Joel Bolomboy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/joel-bolomboy/009035/) remains the league leader with 8.3 rebounds per game.

 

This round’s MVP, Shorts, and [Trent Forrest](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/trent-forrest/013367/) of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz both dished a round-high 10 assists. Shorts is the new assists leader with 7.1 dimes per game.

 

Virtus forward [Will Clyburn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/will-clyburn/004888/) led all players with 5 steals in Round 30. [Nick Weiler-Babb](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nick-weiler-babb/010391/) of FC Bayern Munich leads the way in steals with 1.6 per game.

 

[Wenyen Gabriel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wenyen-gabriel/013383/) of Panathinaikos had 4 blocks, the most in this round. Tavares (1.37 bpg.) is the competition's top shot blocker, enjoying a small lead over [Georgios Papagiannis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/georgios-papagiannis/005844/) of Monaco (1.36 bpg.).

 

Five players had double-doubles in Round 30: Shorts (24 points, 10 assists), Forrest (14 points, 10 assists), Zizic (11 points, 12 rebounds), Crvena Zvezda’s [Codi Miller-McIntyre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/codi-miller-mcintyre/009048/) (15 points, 11 rebounds), and Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv’s [Trevion Williams](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/trevion-williams/012604/) (10 points, 10 rebounds).

This is the third time the EuroLeague rookie has been the MVP of the Round

Round 30 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague had something for everyone. Check out round's best plays and see who had the best of them!

Top 10 Plays | RS Round 30 | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Round 30: Top 10 plays

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Round 30 winner

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans, we have our 30th winner in this season's [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/)! Kwstas Hasiotis beat everyone else in Round 30 with his team 'KOB BC RISKY', which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 223.60.

The winning team had the following starting lineup: Paris Basketball's TJ Shorts as team captain, then Roman Sorkin of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, Donta Hall of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, and FC Barcelona duo of Chimezie Metu and Dario Brizuela. His sixth man was FC Bayern Munich's Johannes Voigtmann. The rest of the bench consisted of Paris Basketball's Yakuba Ouattara, Shavon Shields of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, Jerian Grant of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens and Barcelona's Justin Anderson. His team's head coach was Tiago Splitter of Paris.

The prize for finishing first in Round 30 is a free VIP Euroleague TV subscription for the 2025-26 season!

Marko Djukic and his team 'Kughat' remains the leader of the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/) overall standings with 5,081.34 points.

Trades are now open for Round 31. Remember, four trades are allowed before each round until the end of the regular season. You can either trade up to four players, or a head coach and three players.

The first game in Round 31 tips off already on Tuesday, March 25, as Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul hosts Paris Basketball at 18:45 CET. That game marks the next round's deadline.

Make new teams now or improve your existing ones and try to become our next round winner!

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge offers weekly prizes to the top team manager. 

Anadolu Efes recorded its fourth win in a row in the EuroLeague by demolishing KK Partizan 65-97 in Round 30, a victory that has seen Luca Banchi's men move into the postseason places.

Efes rolls on under Luca Banchi and gets into postseason picture

[Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/) showed in no uncertain terms that it means business in the home straight of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague regular season, romping away to [a 65-97 road demolition of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/dominant-efes-blows-away-partizan-65-97/) to squeeze into the top 10.

The result allowed Efes to climb three places up to ninth on a 16-14 record, while it also relegated Partizan to 12th at 15-15 after a third successive loss and the heaviest on its home court in the Serbian club’s EuroLeague history.

Efes, which looked unlikely to feature in the business end of Europe’s premier club competition before the February break, continued to thrive under Italian head coach [Luca Banchi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/banchi-luca/?season=E2024) after the 59-year-old had endured a patchy start in Istanbul.

Glimpses of the Turkish side’s vast potential were made obvious by [the 110-66 home destruction of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/coach-banchi-celebrates-first-win-as-efes-thrashes-milan-110-66/), Banchi’s first win after opening with three defeats at the helm. Now that Efes has hit top gear, few would bet against the back-to-back EuroLeague winners in 2021 and 2022 making the playoffs this term.

Against Partizan, a pack of five players finished in double digits paced by [Darius Thompson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/darius-thompson/011078/), who sank 19 points after scoring his team’s opening eight and then poured 11 in the third quarter to effectively seal the game as a contest in front of 20,000 home fans.

Thompson personified the visiting team’s razor-sharp offense as he shot 5 of 5 from downtown and 2 of 3 from inside, although it was the ironclad defense which initially did the damage as Efes pulled away from 16-16 early in the game to a 37-69 lead late in the third quarter.    

“The end of the season is near and we are trying to get a playoff spot, so we’ve got to fight in every game and today we played well as a team,” Thompson said in his postgame comments. “We knew this was a hard place to play at so we just wanted to stay together and fight for every possession.”

Having expressed hope that [Rodrigue Beaubois](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/rodrigue-beaubois/006590/) and [Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/) would recover swiftly from knocks and bruises they picked up in the grueling matchup, Banchi stressed it was all about staying consistent in the home stretch of the regular season.

“We are happy with the performance and for showing such character against a team like Partizan,” he said. “I am very proud but also a bit worried about the injuries we picked up. We wanted to have an intense game and the players responded well.

“We prepared and approached the game very well and were able to stay consistent throughout the 40 minutes. We built this win on solid defense and it was a promising performance which should help us push on through a very tough schedule in the final stage of the regular season.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">💪 “Play hard, play simple, play together!”<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhereIStand?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhereIStand</a> <a href="https://t.co/2d9oRAqp31">pic.twitter.com/2d9oRAqp31</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1903205988355756497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Partizan head coach [Zeljko Obradovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/obradovic-zeljko/?season=E2024) cut a dejected figure at a loss of words to explain the horror show his players served up in a crunch game, when a win was so desperately needed to keep the club’s postseason ambitions on track.

“I take responsibility as the head coach and we must now turn our attention to the upcoming games,” Obradovic told the postgame press conference. “I’ve never been a defeatist in my entire career but this was a completely substandard performance which came in the midst of a tough stretch in all competitions.

“Credit to Efes as it’s a great team with one of the best rosters in the EuroLeague, while we committed an avalanche of mistakes. I can’t remember a performance worse than this one.”

Partizan will have a chance to make amends when it hosts the competition’s bottom team, ALBA Berlin, in Round 31 while Efes is looking forward to a home game against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in its bid to keep up the good work.

The Turkish side stretched its fine run of form to five wins out of six with a magnificent display against Partizan

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-03-21T19:45:00.000Z)

Thanks in large part to Dario Brizuela and Justin Anderson, two players who have become irreplaceable for FC Barcelona, the Spanish club now sits in fifth place in the EuroLeague standings.

Barcelona 'trending in the right direction', climbing the standings after Zalgiris win

[FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/) had to fight hard on Friday night but it controlled everything on the floor in the last three quarters [to beat Zalgiris Kaunas 82-70](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/barcelona-wins-third-straight-gets-past-zalgiris-82-70/). 

Neither team had good shooting percentages and Barcelona, a team that came into the game as the best scoring team in the league with 87.6 points per game, did not score more than 23 points in any quarter.

“It’s two teams fighting in March, it’s not going to be easy,” Barcelona forward [Justin Anderson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/justin-anderson/012795/) said during a courtside interview with EuroLeague TV after the game.

But once Barcelona took the lead thanks to a 9-0 run bridging the first and second quarters, it never relinquished it.

“It’s four weeks to go and every game needs to be played 100% physical and 100% mental,” commented coach [Joan Penarroya](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/penarroya-joan/) after the big win. “I think we deserved the win tonight.”

And while Penarroya, like most of his colleagues, does not want to comment on his team’s playoff chance, it is a fact that with four games to go in the regular season, this win catapulted Barcelona into fifth place in the standings.

Admittedly, it’s a four-team tie at 17-13 record, which means Barcelona has the same number of wins as its next opponent, eighth-placed [FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/mun/). But it is also just a win away from fourth place.

“What’s the most important is our next game here at home. Nothing else matters,” Anderson added. “One game at the time. And this team is trending in the right direction.”

With three wins in a row and a 3-1 record after the February break, Barcelona certainly seems to be where it wants to be. [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/), [Jabari Parker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jabari-parker/012745/), [Chimezie Metu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/chimezie-metu/013379/) and [Tomas Satoransky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tomas-satoransky/002939/) are carrying the biggest load, expectedly, but [Dario Brizuela](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dario-brizuela/009992/) and Anderson have become irreplaceable pieces.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="cs" dir="ltr">M𝐁P (Mamba Brizuela Player) <a href="https://t.co/qbnoaBNGjB">pic.twitter.com/qbnoaBNGjB</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1903203428177711284?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Brizuela led Barca with 20 points, scoring eight in the final quarter, as the hosts never allowed Zalgiris to get closer than six points.

“I am just happy to help my team in the situation we are missing players,” Brizuela commented modestly after the win.

Meanwhile, Anderson played more than 30 minutes for just the second time this season, his first in the EuroLeague, and was his team’s second-best scorer on the night with 16 points.

Despite the season-ending injuries to [Nico Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nicolas-laprovittola/006435/) and [Juan Nunez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/juan-nunez/010106/), and the extended absence of [Jan Vesely](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jan-vesely/000925/), it feels as though Barcelona is exactly where it wanted to be all along. And it keeps playing winning basketball in the month of March.

Thanks to its Round 30 victory, the Blaugrana are now in fifth place

Barcelona 'trending in the right direction', climbing the standings

FC Barcelona v Zalgiris Kaunas (2025-03-21T19:30:00.000Z)

Trailing 69-77 to ALBA Berlin with six minutes to go, Panathinaikos BC put together a 21-0 run as it came away with a 91-81 victory.

Panathinaikos leaned on its defense to mount late charge against ALBA

When [Will McDowell-White](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/will-mcdowell-white/008062/) hit a three-pointer that set a game-high eight-point lead, 69-77, in [ALBA Berlin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/alba-berlin/ber/)'s favor with 6 minutes to go against [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/), there was some concern inside OAKA. After all, the visitors were looking like they might get their second win in a row and second since coach [Pedro Calles](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/alba-berlin/ber/calles-pedro/?season=E2024) took over for the German powerhouse.

“It was a strange game,” Panathinaikos boss [Ergin Ataman](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/ataman-ergin/?season=E2024) stated right after the final buzzer. “Because we seriously risked losing the game. Offensively it was a terrible day for us, we scored only 4 three-pointers on 20 attempts."

Aware that its offense was not firing on all cylinders against a team that had nothing to lose, Panathinaikos decided to shift things around. Ataman brought February MVP [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) and [Kostas Sloukas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kostas-sloukas/001926/) to the bench and went with a defensive-minded lineup containing [Lorenzo Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/lorenzo-brown/009622/), [Panagiotis Kalaitzakis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/panagiotis-kalaitzakis/011209/), [Jerian Grant](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jerian-grant/011204/), [Juancho Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/juancho-hernangomez/012712/) and [Wenyen Gabriel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wenyen-gabriel/013383/).

And, with this configuration, the Greens came back to life.

“We made some shots, we dug in deep for some turnovers and, you know, this was a must-win for us,” Gabriel explained. “I think it showed a lot about our character and \[that we\] understand that this game meant a lot to us. We played well at the end of the game. We're a good team, that's what good teams to do.”

Ataman’s changes to the rotation turned into a 21-0 run in less than 6 minutes totally turned the tables. The visitors’ offense was totally shut down [as ALBA lost 91-81](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-comes-back-to-beat-alba-91-81/), having had just one field goal and a couple of free throws, which came in the last 30 seconds of the game.

“We managed the last five or six minutes well,” Ataman celebrated. “I believe \[the key was to put together\] that defensive team. We kept out \[Kostas\] Sloukas and Kendrick Nunn and we played these minutes with \[Wenyen\] Gabriel, \[Panagiotis\] Kalaitsakis, \[Jerian\] Grant, Lorenzo Brown, all defensive players.

“And with this defense, we stole the ball, we made them find difficult shots and won the game. You cannot win all the games with your best scorers; sometimes you have to win them with your defensive players. We took the risk. We needed to play these changes in the last 5 or 6 minutes and we were successful."

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Consistently dominant, consistently… <a href="https://twitter.com/JerianGrant?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JerianGrant</a> 😤☘️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeTheGreens?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeTheGreens</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/paobcaktor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#paobcaktor</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LiveTheGreenMagic?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LiveTheGreenMagic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Club1908?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Club1908</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneClubOneApp?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OneClubOneApp</a> <a href="https://t.co/v3LCKknAiP">pic.twitter.com/v3LCKknAiP</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr/status/1903206216219738372?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

But the defensive effort would have been for nothing without offensive production, with [Jerian Grant](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jerian-grant/011204/) – who heard his name chanted by the OAKA crowd – finishing as the team's top scorer with 19 points.

“It was special," he admitted when asked about the fans' chants. “Definitely it’s one of the most special nights of my life. To hear 20 000 people calling my name. It really gave us a lot of energy and, you know, when we hear those fans like that we really feel like we can't lose."

A 21-0 run in 5 minutes during the last period saw the Greens flip the script

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v ALBA Berlin (2025-03-21T19:15:00.000Z)