Name: Juancho Hernangomez: 'It was a crazy end of the game!'
Channel: Euroleague Basketball

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 25 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub: Round 25

## Wednesday, February 5

### AS Monaco vs. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (19:00 CET)

**Vassilis Spanoulis, AS Monaco head coach**

"We're taking it one game at a time. This year in the EuroLeague, there's no room for error, so we can't afford to relax. \[Elie Okobo\] is almost back, but we'll decide day by day. \[The five-game winning streak in all competitions\] gives us confidence, but this is the EuroLeague and anything can happen. It's a battle in which you have to find solutions, even when the scenario is not going well."

**Donatas Motiejunas, AS Monaco center**

"We're at a crucial point in the season, the teams are playing their best basketball, we're on a good trajectory in terms of play and results, and we want to confirm that. Concentration is imperative, Baskonia play very fast basketball, they have very good shooters. We prepare each game as if it were the last of the season. The way we beat a big club like Real is the kind of performance we want to reproduce. From a personal point of view? Last week was complicated for me (he had a sinus infection), but I'm feeling better now."

**Pablo Laso, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz head coach**

"We're going to have to do a lot of things right if we want to get a good result. Monaco has been EuroLeague favorites for several years now. They've got some very unbalanced one-on-one players like Mike James, Okobo, Loyd, Cornelie and Motiejunas. And at the '1', there's one of my favorite players, Nick Calathes. He's a player who knows how to read games perfectly, he knows how to impose the right rhythm, and he's an excellent defender. That's why they're great candidates to win the EuroLeague title."

### Virtus Segafredo Bologna vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (20:30 CET)

**Dusko Ivanovic, Virtus Segafredo Bologna head coach**

"Partizan is a combative and athletic team, they have proven it often, especially in the last few games. They play very well defensively, tough, with constant defensive switches, plus they have several players with enough experience to manage the last decisive possessions."

**Rayjon Tucker, Virtus Segafredo Bologna guard**

"It will be a very tough game because Partizan is a very good team, with many strengths. From our side it will be necessary to make a good impact because on the court there will be a fight, as always in the EuroLeague. The goal is to play as a team, hard and with determination."

**Zeljko Obradovic, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade head coach**

"We have a double round in the EuroLeague ahead of us. Our motivation remains the same, and every game is extremely important for us. The first key thing to note is that Virtus changed their coach a few rounds ago. They are adjusting their roster, but they already have Dusko Ivanovic's recognizable style - lot of aggression, running, and defensive adjustments. We tried to respond with training yesterday, and we will continue preparing today based on what awaits us in tomorrow’s game."

**Iffe Lundberg, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade guard**

"I expect us to win. We need to approach this game as if it were a final. It’s always nice to see familiar faces, as I’ll be playing against my former club. I have many great memories in that arena, so it will be special. But above all, winning is what matters most, and we have to do whatever it takes to get the job done."

### Paris Basketball vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (20:30 CET)

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus head coach**

"The truth is that if there was only one match where we should have all the guards available, that match would definitely be the one against Paris because we must defend players who are very creative and good shooters. But Paris is more than that… They are very good at offensive rebounds, on defense transition, and generally are a team with good structure in its game. We have to stick to our game plan and not carry on from their high pace. We have to be very good on offense as well as on defense in order to get the win."

**Kostas Papanikolaou, Olympiacos Piraeus forward**

"We play against a good team with a special game style. We will miss players, but from time to time all the teams face the same problem. We have to do our best in order to overcome the absences of Thomas Walkup and Luca Vildoza. We also must be focused and dominant on rebounds. We need to stick together and do our best in order to get the win."

### FC Barcelona vs. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (20:30 CET)

**Joan Penarroya, FC Barcelona head coach**

"\[Maccabi\] has dangerous players and is a team capable of having big runs. We want to play a good game to get rid of this bad taste and give our fans a reason to be behind the team."

**Joel Parra, FC Barcelona forward**

"I'm confident that us players can reverse this situation. We hope to reengage our fans and ask for forgiveness in the form of a victory."

**Rokas Jokubaitis, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv guard**

"We know Barcelona is not in the best moment, so they will approach this game even more serious. It is never easy to play there, I know that from my experience. We don’t have many games left in the EuroLeague regular season, but we need to have the best game possible. I don’t know how it will feel, I spent three years there. I got a very good relationship with the fans and the club. I will be nervous a little bit, but I am excited to go back to Barcelona."

## Tuesday, February 4

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Real Madrid (18:30 CET)

**Luca Banchi, Anadolu Efes Istanbul head coach**

"We are starting the double-game week with Real Madrid game. This game will be the first of a cycle of very important games that we want to approach with a great aggressiveness and concentration. Our opponent shows collective effort, starting from the defensive end. They have rhythm and play high-paced basketball, with many individual talents. It is enough to understand what type of challenge we have in front of us, but we are conscious that with general effort in general participation we can have a great game against them. I think we are facing some problems that can probably limit some players, but we have all the options to find alternatives and to respond against one of the most powerful teams in this league."

**PJ Dozier, Anadolu Efes Istanbul guard**

"We are looking forward to another opportunity to compete at a high level. I think we are taking steps in the right direction and continue to find our identity. We have all the pieces it takes to win."

**Chus Mateo, Real Madrid head coach**

"This week we face two teams that come with different dynamics and I think we have options against both of them. I don't trust their recent victories and defeats. We will fight to win both games. Now we are focused on Anadolu Efes and I don't think we should trust their streak going into tomorrow's game. We will try to compete to reach the end with a chance to win and we will try to make up for the defeat we suffered against them at home. We will try to play a serious game, a good game, and pull it off on a complicated court."

**Walter Tavares, Real Madrid center**

"We know it's very difficult to play away and even more so in Turkiye against Efes, but we have the experience of having won important away games and I hope that will help us and unite us more to add another victory. Efes is going to play with a lot of desire because they are playing at home and against Real Madrid, which is always a source of extra motivation. They will be prepared and will try to do their best to win, just like us. A win would be very important because the standings are very tight, there is a lot of equality and any victory we can get will help us to be at the top."

### Zalgiris Kaunas vs. ALBA Berlin (19:00 CET)

**Israel Gonzalez, ALBA Berlin head coach**

"With Sylvain Francisco and Lonnie Walker, Zalgiris has two players in its team who are exceptionally strong one-on-one. We have to be wide awake in these matchups and also work against them in team defense. In addition, they have a lot of basketball IQ in their team with \[Edgaras\] Ulanovas and the other Lithuanian players. Also, the fans in Kaunas give them a real home-court advantage. We must push our energy and focus to the limit to give ourselves the chance to win."

**Matteo Spagnolo, ALBA Berlin guard**

"Zalgiris is a really good and well-prepared team. We need to match their energy and prevent them from building up their confidence. Besides that, we’ll have to be able to respond to their runs. Especially Francisco and Walker can get hot quickly with their drives to the baskets or three-pointers. The rebounding duel is another factor that will be crucial."

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (20:00 CET)

**Ioannis Sfairopoulos, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade head coach**

"An important game for us. ASVEL is quite an athletic team, they play very well. They have three wins in the last five rounds. We expect a tough game. They have a wide roster. It is extremely important for us to stay focused on our plan, I want to play the game in our rhythm. Control of the rebounds will be important. They have two or three players who control the ball, organize the offense, such as Theo Maledon, Nando De Colo and Paris Lee. They are the main creators and scorers. They have more ways to attack, but we are ready and we know what to do defensively. On offense, we have to be smart and find the right solutions."

**Dejan Davidovac, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade forward**

"We expect a difficult game, ASVEL is known as a team that plays with a lot in contact, they can be tricky, they are still fighting for the play-in spots. They changed the roster, now Ben Bentil is here, some players are coming back from injuries. They have a pretty strong roster, it will be difficult, for sure. We are trying to understand each other as well as possible, we have now played together a lot, it is time we all connect. We look good now, especially on defense."

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (20:15 CET)

**Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens head coach**

"We must win all our remaining home games. That is the reality for us. If we fail to do so, we can forget about the Final Four or even the playoffs. Winning is our only option. That is one reality. The other is that our opponent is in excellent form. They have won their last six EuroLeague games. Just last week, they came here and convincingly defeated Olympiacos, the team currently leading the standings. So, it will be a very challenging game. We must be highly aggressive and prepared for a game that feels like a derby – similar to our game against Olympiacos two weeks ago. Our situation in the EuroLeague is quite critical at the moment, and we need to start the game with intensity."

**Panagiotis Kalaitzakis, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens guard**

"We lost the last game in Italy, a game we should have won, especially considering that EA7 Emporio Armani Milan was missing several key players. I agree with the coach that we cannot afford to lose another home game, starting with the ones coming up this week. We need to be ready. We have prepared well, we feel good. These are two must-win games for us."

**Saras Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul head coach**

"Panathinaikos is in real need of the win, so they're gonna come out with a great intensity. OAKA will try to push them ahead. So first of all, we have to match their intensity, then we need to understand the defensive coverage that they throw at us, prepare our good offenses, and try to understand where we can hurt them. Also defensively, their guards present really big difficulties with their talent, their pick-and-roll creation and their isolation creation."

**Devon Hall, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul guard**

"We're going into a tough environment. Obviously, they are a very good team. So we just gotta be solid, stick to our plan and rules. Today, we'll try to work on it."

### FC Bayern Munich vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (20:45 CET)

**Gordie Herbert, FC Bayern Munich head coach**

"We hope that Devin \[Booker\] will avoid the worst-case scenario. Until then, others have to step up, and we all need to stick together. We've been through this situation before when Vlado \[Lucic\] and Niels \[Giffey\] were missing. That brought us together, and it's always a moment when the guys from the bench have to step up. Milan is a tough challenge either way because they are a high-level team with outstandingly talented players like \[Zach\] LeDay and \[Shavon\] Shields. Coach Messina is one of my favorite coaches, but it's also clear: This is a very important game for both teams."

**Oscar da Silva, FC Bayern Munich forward**

"We are in a good position when it comes to big men and now have to compensate for Book's injury as a team. Milan and Villeurbanne are roughly on par with us based on the current standings. Two wins would be perfect, but Milan is already a really strong team. I hope our fans will support us as incredibly as they have all season."

**Ettore Messina, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan head coach**

"It is obviously a very important game, but at this point, with 10 games remaining in the schedule, every single game is going to be crucial. Bayern is capable to play up-tempo especially on its home court, they are aggressive defensively and can use multiple solutions offensively with the many shooters they have. For, a good transition defense, rebounding control and a good shooting selection will go a long way in determining the outcome."

Pregame quotes hub: 'This year in the EuroLeague, there's no room for error'

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2025-02-05T19:30:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v Olympiacos Piraeus (2025-02-05T19:30:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2025-02-05T19:30:00.000Z)

AS Monaco v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2025-02-05T18:00:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2025-02-04T19:45:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2025-02-04T19:15:00.000Z)

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2025-02-04T19:00:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas v ALBA Berlin (2025-02-04T18:00:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Real Madrid (2025-02-04T17:30:00.000Z)

At LDLC ASVEL, basketball transcends the court – it’s a catalyst for fostering community, growth, and inclusion. The club treats everyone as part of a family, ensuring that young participants feel supported and valued on and off the court. It’s more than a game; it’s about creating a sense of belonging and empowerment.

ASVEL opened its arms to Benjamin as part of its One Team program

Euroleague Basketball’s 38 One Team programs are dedicated to using the power of basketball to make a positive impact in communities across Europe. [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/)’s commitment to this mission is a shining example of how clubs can lead by example, fostering an inclusive environment where everyone, no matter their background, can thrive.

At ASVEL, basketball transcends the court – it’s a catalyst for fostering community, growth, and inclusion. The club treats everyone as part of a family, ensuring that young participants feel supported and valued on and off the court. It’s more than a game; it’s about creating a sense of belonging and empowerment.

In a compelling demonstration of how sport can inspire and unite, one of ASVEL’s young participants from the One Team program, Benjamin, received an exceptional opportunity. Benjamin had a very positive experience gaining confidence in himself and being able to communicate in English with the staff and players, overcoming his shyness, which he is very proud of: “The entire staff of the LDLC ASVEL pro team welcomed me warmly and was very kind to me."

This initiative highlights how ASVEL exemplifies the values of Euroleague Basketball’s One Team. “It’s a pleasure to share moments with guys as passionate as Benjamin," commented Pierre Poupet, ASVEL's first-team head coach. "They’re one of the reasons why we do this job, to create and share emotions. We were very proud and happy to help him come to practice, talk to us and experience everything from the inside. We need more Benjamins, and more moments like this." They will witness the dedication and effort of ASVEL’s top athletes up close and enjoy special interactions with several players, creating memories to last a lifetime.

This story reminds us of the transformative power of basketball and the vital role clubs play in shaping the future of our sport. 

He was able to gain confidence in himself and communicate in English with the staff and players

The long-term absence of injured big men is hurting Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens but the defending Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion got a combined 40 points  veteran guard Kostas Sloukas and top scorer Kendrick Nunn to defeat Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 91-90 in Round 25

Panathinaikos dug deep to overcome adversity on Tuesday

The long-term absence of injured big men is hurting [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-bc-athens/roster/pan/?season=2024-25) but the defending Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion has been able to rely on its vast resources in battling the void in the paint.

Against [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/roster/ulk/?season=2024-25), veteran guard [Kostas Sloukas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kostas-sloukas/001926/) and top scorer [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) stepped up to the plate by combining for 40 points as the Greens made 10 of 22 shots from downtown, while forward [Juancho Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/juancho-hernangomez/012712/) also came up big with a tally of 15 points and 8 boards in the [91-90 home win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-edges-fenerbahce-91-90-in-a-titanic-tussle/).

[Wenyen Gabriel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wenyen-gabriel/013383/), the only natural center remaining on the roster after injuries sidelined [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/) and [Omer Yurtseven](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/omer-yurtseven/005353/), made a flying start as he racked up 8 points and 3 boards in the first quarter, but ultimately it was Sloukas and Nunn who did the damage.

Sloukas scored a game-high 23 points and picked up 5 rebounds while Nunn added 17 points - 13 of them in the second half, as Panathinaikos ground out a fortuitous win in the dying seconds. Nunn also dished out 7 assists while Sloukas marshaled Panathinaikos superbly from start to finish, playing a big part on defense too as he managed a crucial late steal that allowed the Greens to force the final twist.

Hernangomez, who also made some clutch shots in the third quarter, elaborated just how pivotal the backcourt firepower was in making up for the absence of muscle in the paint, adding that team spirit was just as crucial with Lessort, Yurtseven and [Kostas Anthetokoumpo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kostas-antetokounmpo/011221/) unavailable.

It’s the ‘next man’ mentality,” the versatile Spanish forward said in his postgame comments.

“Omer, Mathias and Kostas are huge players for us, but they are not here and that means we have to do more things. As for Sloukas and Nunn, they are a great duo and when they go out there they do their magic.”

Nunn, who’s been struggling from long range recently, turned facilitator in the opening three quarters before sinking a pair of clutch threes in the fourth as he went the distance despite playing much of the second half on 4 personal fouls. Nunn’s effort prompted head coach Ergin Ataman to point out how vital the shooting guard’s presence was.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">And that moment, we knew…<a href="https://twitter.com/kos_slou?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kos_slou</a> 😤💚<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeTheGreens?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeTheGreens</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/WSdK8oqbbL">pic.twitter.com/WSdK8oqbbL</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr/status/1886905448839750122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“Nunn was held to 4 points until the fourth quarter but that kind of a player will find a way to score and that’s why I kept him on the court throughout despite him being on 4 fouls. He sank a pair of critical shots which put us up by 5 points in the last 2 minutes,” the Turkish tactician told the postgame press conference, having also emphasized the importance of winning when his team’s performance left a lot to be desired.

“I am not entirely satisfied with the tactical and technical level of the basketball that we played,” he said. “Every time we had a chance to take control of the game, we committed turnovers and missed open shots and we gave them a chance to win. But we played aggressive defense on their last two possessions and then we got lucky as they committed an unnecessary foul with one second left. It’s important to be able to win a game like that without playing well.”

The result lifted Panathinaikos into fourth place with a 15-10 record ahead of [Thursday’s home game](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-anadolu-efes-istanbul/E2024/229/) against Ataman’s former club [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/roster/ist/?season=2024-25) and the 59-year-old coach, who won back-to-back titles with Efes in 2021 and 2022 before taking over the Greens in 2023, was clear that there was no room for error in the home straight of the regular season.

“It’s extremely important to win all our home games for the remainder of the season, starting with Efes on Thursday,” Ataman said. “They are a very good team, as they have shown by [beating Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/efes-stops-real-at-home-79-73/) \[79-73 on Tuesday\]. We are missing some big players but we can compensate for that by using the home-court advantage, feeding on the atmosphere our fans create.”

With a dramatic climax to the regular season looming as the battle for the top spots intensifies, Ataman will be keen to complete a week’s double over Turkish opposition in a bid to keep Panathinaikos on course to earn home-court advantage in the playoffs.

Game News

The reigning champion thrived on perimeter power and fan support to beat Fenerbahce 

Umana Reyer Venice did its part but now needs help as it waits for the final day of the BKT EuroCup Regular Season to determine its playoff fate. The Italians have applied the pressure on U-BT Cluj-Napoca and Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse, who both need wins to reach the postseason and keep Reyer out.  

Reyer did its job, put the pressure on Cluj, Bourg 

[Umana Reyer Venice](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/umana-reyer-venice/roster/vnc/?season=2024-25) did its part but now needs help as it waits for the final day of the BKT EuroCup Regular Season to determine its playoff fate. The Italians have applied the pressure on [U-BT Cluj-Napoca](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/u-bt-cluj-napoca/roster/clu/?season=2024-25) and [Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/jl-bourg-en-bresse/roster/bou/?season=2024-25), who both need wins to reach the postseason and keep Reyer out. 

Reyer fought off multiple comebacks by [7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/lietkabelis-panevezys/roster/lkb/?season=2024-25) to win [91-77 at home](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/reyer-beats-lietkabelis-91-77-to-keep-playoff-hopes-alive/) and finish with a 10-8 record in Group B. Reyer would have been eliminated from playoff contention had it lost to Lietkabelis.

“We deserved the win. We were the better team and controlled the game from the first moment until the end. We had our ups and downs but this game was never in question,” said Spahija. "We won tonight but now we need to wait for the other results and see if they are going to help us to qualify.”

Game Videos

Spahija and the team are hoping for a loss by either Cluj at [Aris Midea Thessaloniki](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/aris-thessaloniki/roster/ari/?season=2024-25) or Bourg at [Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/valencia-basket/roster/pam/?season=2024-25). Reyer missed out on the playoffs last season after reaching the quarterfinals in 2022-23 and the eighthfinals in 2021-22.

Reyer had a slow start to the season with a 2-5 mark after seven rounds - as well as injuries to a number of key players. Some of those players returned and the team reeled off five wins in six games. At that point, the playoffs were looking good at 8-6.

But [a loss to Cluj in Round 15](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/cluj-shocks-venice-on-the-road-77-88/) and blowing a big fourth-quarter lead in [an 84-81 defeat at Turk Telekom Ankara](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/turk-telekom-downs-reyer-in-a-stunner-84-81/) in Round 17 left the post-season up in the air - and Reyer’s fate no longer in its own hands.

Coming into the EuroCup regular-season finale, Spahija’s team had dropped its last three games - at Turk Telekom as well as at home against [Dolomiti Energia Trento](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dolomiti-energia-trento/roster/trn/?season=2024-25) and at Virtus Segafredo Bologna in the Italian League.

[Tyler Ennis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tyler-ennis/008858/) helped Reyer snap the skid with 19 points, 7 assists and 7 fouls drawn for a career-best index rating of 33 against Lietkabelis.

“We’ve been focusing on ourselves. We know what we have to do to win and we have to do that every night now,” Ennis said.

“This is what we have done for the regular season and now we hope the other results will go in our favor and we will qualify,” Spahija added.

The coach has only had his full roster for the past three EuroCup games due to injuries. And the rest of the competition might be rooting for Bourg and Cluj to win on Wednesday as Reyer has a roster strong enough to take the title.

Reyer, after all, is one of only two teams to beat Valencia this season in the EuroCup - [in Round 13 at home 81-74](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/reyer-downs-valencia-climbs-to-winning-record/). Now the Italians are left to wait.

The Italian club turned around its season, but was the hole too deep? 

Umana Reyer Venice v 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys (2025-02-04T19:00:00.000Z)

Euroleague Basketball has announced the following disciplinary decisions pertaining to incidents that occurred in Rounds 24 and 25 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season. Fines for Panathinaikos and suspension for Mario Hezonja of Real Madrid

Latest disciplinary sanctions

Round 23

- Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens has been sanctioned with a fine of €2,000 for generated by its fans during the game between Panathinaikos and Zalgiris Kaunas, under Article 29.2.g) of the Euroleague Basketball Disciplinary Code.
- Zalgiris Kaunas has been sanctioned with a fine of €2,000 for incidents generated by its fans during the game between Panathinaikos and Zalgiris, under Article 29.2.g) of the Euroleague Basketball Disciplinary Code.
- Coach Ergin Ataman of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens has been sanctioned with a fine of €6,000 for failure to comply with referees' instructions during the game between Panathinaikos and Zalgiris Kaunas, under Article 27.2.c) of the Euroleague Basketball Disciplinary Code. This decision may be appealed before the Appeals Judge.

Round 24

- Mario Hezonja of Real Madrid has been sanctioned with a one game suspension and a fine of €5,000 for lack of respect towards the referees during the game between AS Monaco and Real Madrid, under Article 27.2.b) of the Euroleague Basketball Disciplinary Code. This decision may be appealed before the Appeals Judge.

Euroleague Basketball has announced the following disciplinary decisions pertaining to incidents that occurred in Rounds 23 and 24 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Latest disciplinary decisions

From three pointers to steals and blocks, see how your favorite players and teams are performing with our Next Gen stats.

Next Gen Team and Player Stats | Next Gen

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Total rebounds

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Three-pointers made

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Offensive rebounds

Players

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Three-pointers attempted

Two pointers made

Three pointers made

Defensive rebounds

Free throws made

Teams

All time performance index rating

All time total rebounds

All time steals

All time two-pointers made

All time three pointers made

All time free throws made

All time points scored

All time assists

All time stats

Average field goals made since 2008

Most games won

Most minutes played since 2018

Highest total PIR since 2015

Most 3pts made since 2012

Key stats

Effective field goal %

Rebound %

Assists/Turnovers ratio

Free throw rate

Season advanced stats

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From three pointers to steals and blocks, see how your favorite players and teams are performing with our EuroCup stats.

EuroCup Team and Player Stats | EuroCup

Total field goals made since 2010

Most minutes played in finals

Effective field goals %

Configuration - Stats General - Eurocup - EN

From three pointers to steals and blocks, see how your favorite players and teams are performing with our EuroLeague stats.

EuroLeague Team and Player Stats | EuroLeague

Turnovers

Three-point % 

Most games won in Final Four stage

Highest PIR since 2015

Most 3pts made at Final Four since 2013

Total points scored in the 2024-25

Effective field goald %

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Panathinaikos BC forward Juancho Hernangomez spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat Fenerbahce Beko in Round 25 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.  

Juancho Hernangomez: 'It was a crazy end of the game!'

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens forward Juancho Hernangomez spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in Round 25 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul | RS Round 25 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

It went right down to the wire, but Panathinaikos BC managed to edge Fenerbahce Beko after a stellar performance by Kostas Sloukas and a clutch free throw by Kendrick Nunn.

Fortune favored Panathinaikos in a titanic clash against Fenerbahce

[Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/) got the rub of the green in a captivating Rivalry Series matchup [against the visiting Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul to prevail 91-90](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-edges-fenerbahce-91-90-in-a-titanic-tussle/) and snap the Turkish team’s six-game winning streak, while also boosting its own hopes of a top-four finish in the regular season.

The result lifted the Greens into fourth place in the standings on a 15-10 record, with Fenerbahce dropping to 16-8 and staying second, behind leader Olympiacos Piraeus (17-7), as the battle for top spots intensified in what is shaping up to be a dramatic home stretch.

The home team’s veteran guard [Kostas Sloukas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kostas-sloukas/001926/) was well worthy of the player of the game accolade as the 35-year-old racked up a game-high 23 points to go with 5 boards, 3 assists and a solitary steal.

But what a crucial steal it was, as it came in the final minute of a matchup which kept fans on the edge of their seat throughout and ultimately enabled Panathinaikos to turn a looming defeat into victory.

A slice of luck played a part, too, as Fenerbahce’s top performer [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/) committed a clumsy foul on [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) with just 1.1 seconds left on the clock, before the home team’s guard sank one of two free throws to delight a fervent home crowd inside OAKA.

In his postgame comments, Sloukas stressed that the Greens must quickly shift their focus to the upcoming clash with the other Turkish heavyweight, [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/), which visit Athens on Thursday and is aiming to keep alive its postseason hopes [after beating Real Madrid on Tuesday night](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/efes-stops-real-at-home-79-73/).

“It’s a great win against Fenerbahce who came here after six wins in a row,” said Sloukas. “I tried to do whatever the team needed me to and we had to make the extra effort because of the injured guys we missed.

“I tried to lead by example and the most important thing now is to keep our feet on the ground ahead of the very important game against Efes, as we want to finish in the top four \[of the regular season\].”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We got this win together ☘️<br><br>Our ritual - our way to celebrate! <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/YyMNhyJKMV">pic.twitter.com/YyMNhyJKMV</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr/status/1886896446277832961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Coach Ergin Ataman admitted his side was fortunate to emerge as the winner, highlighting that Panathinaikos is forced to keep adjusting in the absence of long-term injury casualties [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/) and [Omer Yurtseven](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/omer-yurtseven/005353/). [Wenyen Gabriel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wenyen-gabriel/013383/) and notably [Juancho Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/juancho-hernangomez/012712/) stepped up to fill the void in the paint, but Panathinaikos ultimately prevailed thanks to sound perimeter shooting, as the hosts nailed 10 of 22 from downtown. 

“The lead changed hands many times as both teams took turns in controlling the game,” Ataman said. “On that last play, we decided to apply aggressive defense and in the end we got a little bit lucky as they committed a foul.”

“They had a chance to win the game, they punished us with some three-point shots but it’s not easy to play against us in this kind of atmosphere. We are missing power in the paint but we found a way to win.”

Fenerbahce head coach Saras Jasikevicius was visibly frustrated as he found it hard to stomach seeing victory slip away through his team’s fingers, with the Turkish side looking the more likely winner heading into the final minute of the game.

“We didn’t do our job today and it’s a tough loss, no question” said the Lithuanian tactician.  “Panathinaikos was more aggressive and whenever we found what was working for us, we couldn’t continue. We scored 90 points with very limited ball movement because we made some tough shots, but we didn’t play good offense. We need to get back to what we’ve been doing in the last five or six weeks.”

The reigning EuroLeague champion came out on top in a pulsating see-saw encounter

FC Bayern Munich forward Vladimir Lucic spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in Round 25 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.  

Vladimir Lucic: 'We started a little bit nervous'

Kyle Wiltjer, Mfiondu Kabengele and Tyler Ennis combined for 60 points in Umana Reyer Venice's crucial 91-77 victory over 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys in Round 18 of the BKT EuroCup 

Canadian connection carried Reyer to key win

Umana Reyer Venice head coach Neven Spahija once again had to send a bit of his thanks to Canada for his team staying alive for the BKT EuroCup playoffs.

The trio of Canadians, Kyle Wiltjer, Mfiondu Kabengele and Tyler Ennis, combined for 60 points in Reyer’s crucial 91-77 victory over 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys to finish the regular season.

“It feels good any time you can get a win. We knew they were a tough team and regardless of the circumstances were going to play hard, and they did. But we’ve been focusing on ourselves. We know what we have to do to win and we have to do that every night now,” said Ennis, who scored 19 points to go along with 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals and 7 fouls drawn for a career-high performance index rating of 33.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🇨🇦 vibes<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/uniti?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#uniti</a> <a href="https://t.co/qN997QuDQA">pic.twitter.com/qN997QuDQA</a></p>&mdash; Reyer Venezia (@REYER1872) <a href="https://twitter.com/REYER1872/status/1886876526819639367?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Ennis was particularly strong in the second half with 10 points and 6 steals. His previous best PIR was 29 against Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana in early October.

Wiltjer made sure Reyer started the important game in style with 16 of his 21 points coming in the first half. The veteran forward played well in both games against Lietkabelis, picking up 22 points and 6 rebounds in Round 9 in Lithuania. Those were the second- and third-highest scoring nights of the season for Wiltjer, who poured in a career-high 34 points against Valencia Basket in Round 4.

Kabengele was just strong the whole game - as he has been the whole season. The center collected 20 points and 5 rebounds for a PIR of 27. Kabengele came into the game ranked second in average PIR at 23.3, 10th in scoring at 15.6 points per game and first in rebounds (9.8 per game), offensive rebounds (3.6 per game) and defensive rebounds (6.3 per game).

“We deserved the win. We were the better team and controlled the game from the first moment until the end. We had our ups and downs but this game was never in question,” Coach Spahija said.

Kyle Wiltjer, Mfiondu Kabengele and Tyler Ennis combined for 60 points in Tuesday's crucial victory

FC Bayern Munich-EA7 Emporio Armani Milan | RS Round 25 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

CB Gran Canaria boasted a 45-62 lead in the third quarter against Trefl Sopot, yet a 25-3 run saw the Polish team take a shock lead before the 2023 EuroCup champion responded to win 73-76.

Gran Canaria avoided getting egg on its face in Sopot

“I think both teams could have won this game in the end. We were a little bit luckier,” admitted [Dreamland Gran Canaria](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dreamland-gran-canaria/can/) head coach [Jaka Lakovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dreamland-gran-canaria/can/lakovic-jaka/) in the postgame press conference after his team [prevailed over Trefl Sopot, 73-76,](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/gran-canaria-survived-trefl-rally-to-win-73-76-in-sopot/) on Tuesday evening.

It’s true that the game went down to the wire and was decided in the last minute, when [Nico Brussino](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/nicolas-brussino/008121/) deflected a ball and enabled [Andrew Albicy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/andrew-albicy/003425/) to score twice from the line, but only a few could have expected such a thrilling end midway through the third period, when Gran Canaria boasted a 45-62 lead.

Gran Canaria dominated the game to that point thanks to its smooth offense, which led to 16 assists at halftime, and solid defense. But everything changed 27 minutes into the contest.

“We had some mental mistakes towards the last quarter,” regretted [George Conditt](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/george-conditt-iv/012016/) at the end of the game. “We mentally relaxed a little bit on defense and we were giving up a lot of easy buckets, turning the ball over too many times. In the first half we had 16 assists and in the second half we didn't do the same. But I'm glad we came out with the win.”

The offensive performance of Gran Canaria dropped dramatically in the second half, going from 50 points in the first 20 minutes to just 26 in the second half. The Spaniard side registered just 4 assists after the intermission, while turning the ball over 10 times. In the first half, Gran Canaria had only committed 3 turnovers.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🔥 Gran partido de George, una vez más. El pívot se lleva el MVP <a href="https://twitter.com/toyotacanarias?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ToyotaCanarias</a> de la victoria de hoy en Sopot:<br><br>✅ 12 puntos<br>✅ 6 rebotes<br>✅ 1 asistencia<br>✅ 3 tapones<br>✅ 25 de valoración <a href="https://t.co/cSb36fhuVw">pic.twitter.com/cSb36fhuVw</a></p>&mdash; Dreamland Gran Canaria (@GranCanariaCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/GranCanariaCB/status/1886870486723776699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Coach Lakovic also recognized the value of Trefl’s effort, which led to a 25-3 run bridging the third and the fourth periods that gave the hosts a 70-65 lead with more than six minutes still to play. “They competed very well,” he said. “And in the end, it went down to a couple of possessions and we were, I think, the lucky team.

“I thought we started the game very well, focused defensively, finding the good options on offense. And then I think, starting the third quarter, we just slowed down. We had too many turnovers, we let Trefl get confidence, get some easy points in transition and they came back in the game. It was decided on two possessions; I think we had two good defenses and the game in the end was ours.”

The Spaniards lost a 17-point third-quarter advantage and trailed 70-65 in the last period

Trefl Sopot v Dreamland Gran Canaria (2025-02-04T18:00:00.000Z)

Umana Reyer Venice remained alive in the fight for the BKT EuroCup Playoffs by battling past 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys 91-77 in its last game of the regular season

Reyer beats Lietkabelis 91-77, to keep playoff hopes alive 

Umana Reyer Venice remained alive in the fight for the playoffs by battling past 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys 91-77 in its last game of the regular season. Reyer wasted a 13-point first-quarter lead and only finished off the visitors in the closing quarter. The Italian club improved to 10-8 in Group B but now needs help on Wednesday to reach the post-season - needing either U-BT Cluj-Napoca or Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse to lose.

Kyle Wiltjer scored a game-high 21 points in the win while Mfiondu Kabengele had 20 points and Reyer’s third Canadian Tyler Ennis totaled 19 points and 7 assists for a career-high performance index rating of 33. Lietkabelis had already been eliminated coming into the game but made Reyer put the game away for a 5-13 record. Martynas Varnas led the Lithuanians with 19 points and Djordje Gagic tallied 13 points and 7 rebounds.

Wiltjer scored 5 quick points to help Reyer jump ahead 7-0 while Lietkabelis failed to get on the board for more than 2 minutes. Wiltjer was really active trying to get the crowd going and added another score as the lead grew to 13-3. And the cushion swelled to 18-5 before Lietkabelis hit two triples in a 0-9 finish to the quarter to trail 18-14 after 10 minutes.

The momentum continued into the second frame and the visitors finished a 0-13 run to tie the game 18-18. Rodney McGruder snapped the rut with a triple and Ennis added three free throws as Reyer looked back on track at 24-20. The guests knotted it again at 27-27 only to see Reyer get eight more points from Wiltjer in a 19-6 surge for a 46-33 cushion at halftime.

Two three-pointers from the visitors made it 51-43 early in the second half as Lietkabelis tried to hang close. But more turnovers resulted in an 8-0 Reyer run and the margin was 61-45. Lietkabelis rallied again with a 2-12 burst to make the hosts nervous up just 63-57 after 30 minutes.

A Dominykas Stenionis triple trimmed the margin to 65-60. Reyer punched back though with the next eight points to reestablish a comfortable lead at 73-60.  Lietkabelis would not go away with a triple to pull within 75-66. Ennis continued his strong showing with a three-pointer and the guests could not get closer than 10 points the rest of the way.

The Italian side now must wait to see if Bourg and Cluj can win

FC Bayern Munich beat EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 87-70 in Round 25. Bayern fans had plenty of things to celebrate. 


Vladimir Lucic boosted banged-up Bayern against Milan

Despite losing its starting center to injury just two days before the game, [FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/roster/mun/?season=2024-25) regrouped to claim [an 87-70 victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bayern-thrashed-milan-at-home-87-70/) over [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/roster/mil/?season=2024-25) on Tuesday night. With the win, Bayern remained in the thick of the playoff race and put its recent losses behind it. Bayern is now on a three-game winning streak and team captain [Vladimir Lucic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/vladimir-lucic/001288/) is slowly but steadily finding his rhythm.

Lucic missed 20 regular season games due to injury and finally showed his best against Milan, the form that saw him earn [All-EuroLeague First Team](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bayerns-lucic-voted-to-all-euroleague-first-team/) honors with Bayern in the 2020-21 season. He was all over the place, finishing the game with 16 points on 3-of-3 two-point shooting, 2-of-4 on three-pointers (after going 0 of 8 from downtown this season entering the game) and 4-of-4 on free throws. Lucic also had 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal for a game-high PIR of 21.

In other words, Lucic is back. That is great news for Bayern and of course, bad news for its next opponents, as few players have his combination of size, shooting range and off-the-charts basketball IQ.

"It feels great, for sure. Even better, knowing that I helped the team tonight, since it was a really important game for us," Lucic said after the game. "We actually started a little bit nervous, which is maybe normal since we lost one of the most important players of this team, [Devin Booker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/devin-booker/007056/), so we didn't have enough time, maybe one day to adjust to some new things. We talked in the locker room and I think we went out ready to play and compete. In the end, we deserved the win."

There was more good news for Bayern. In a game without starting center Booker and point guard [Shabazz Napier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shabazz-napier/011224/), scoring machine [Carsen Edwards](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carsen-edwards/011987/) was held scoreless for three quarters. Edwards entered the game averaging 19.7 points per games. Nevertheless, Bayern led 37-36 at halftime with solid contributions from [Niels Giffey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/niels-giffey/001557/) and [Johannes Voigtmann](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/johannes-voigtmann/007201/). Edwards scored all of his 12 points in the third quarter, in which Bayern made the difference in the game.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 ❤️<br><br>Our GM Marko <a href="https://twitter.com/pesic7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pesic7</a> creates a big moment for a little Baller at <a href="https://twitter.com/SAPGarden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SAPGarden</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fcbayern?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#fcbayern</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/basketball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#basketball</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/weballtogether?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#weballtogether</a> <a href="https://t.co/Tsrsr41YhN">pic.twitter.com/Tsrsr41YhN</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/1886901230334521541?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Voigtmann finished the game with 13 points and Giffey had a season-high 16. After the game, Voigtmann explained how difficult it was to adjust to playing without Booker.

"We had to be ready to step up: everybody, especially the bigs, because Devin Booker is a main reason why we are where we are right now, and we are missing him already," Voigtmann said. "I think we came out with the right mindset. We had good energy and defensively, we looked pretty good. We controlled the rebounds for the whole game. Offensively, we made some shots at the right moment. The third quarter was big for us, and we kept that lead until the end."

Bayern remains home for its second game this week when it hosts LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in Round 26. It will be ASVEL's first visit to SAP Garden. Last season, Bayern was the first-ever guest at LDLC Arena in a EuroLeague game. Bayern edged ASVEL [100-101 in double overtime](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne-fc-bayern-munich/E2023/82/#boxscore). If that game is as close and thrilling as the one played on November 23, 2023, you are in for a treat!

Bayern's victory over Milan gave its fans plenty of reasons to celebrate


For the third game in a row, KK Crvena zvezda scored 73 points – 9.5 below its average (82.5) – yet it was still able to down LDLC ASVEL to record back-to-back wins in the EuroLeague.

Everybody did their bit as Crvena Zvezda won again, despite its stuttering offense

Nothing was going to compare to the emotion that the Belgrade brings for [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/red/), which always made [its Round 25 game against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/crvena-zvezda-gets-total-team-effort-in-73-66-win-over-asvel/) a potential banana skin.

The early going showed just that, with ASVEL taking the first lead of the game and holding the advantage for the majority of the opening quarter as [Joffrey Lauvergne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/joffrey-lauvergne/004194/), [Paris Lee](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/paris-lee/011225/) and [Ben Bentil](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/benjamin-bentil/009818/) combined for 16 of their team’s 18 first-quarter points. Yet, a pair of free throws by [Yago dos Santos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/yago-dos-santos/012044/) gave Zvezda a 19-18 lead after 10 minutes – and it never trailed again.

What was the most impressive is that everybody did their bit. At halftime, 11 of the 12 Zvezda players that stepped onto the floor had scored at least 1 point, with Yago and [Ognjen Dobric](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ognjen-dobric/004007/) leading the way on 5 points apiece. By the end of the third quarter, seven players had 5 points or more, paced by [Isaiah Canaan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/isaiah-canaan/010612/) on 8. And come the final buzzer, the number of players with 5 or more points had risen to nine, with Canaan having netted a team-high 11.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> Round 25 ✅ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kkcz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kkcz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreTheTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreTheTeam</a> <a href="https://t.co/jwq4t3VaKy">pic.twitter.com/jwq4t3VaKy</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1886891138793267703?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

That team effort was something that certainly paid dividends, particularly as the team's offense is not exactly firing on all cylinders at present. What's more, Zvezda as a team finished with 8 steals on the night, the joint fourth most it has managed in a game this season, yet it was the defensive hustle that it showed time and time again that really epitomized its eventual 73-66 win over ASVEL.

“It was a team victory,” Canaan told EuroLeague TV afterward. “Everybody played defense, everybody stepped up on the defensive end, and that’s what Coach \[Ioannis Sfairopoulos\] has been preaching all week and for the rest of the season: defense will win us games. We’ll figure it out offensively.”

Curiously, Zvezda scored 73 points for the third game in a row, yet it still averages 82.5 points per night, which goes to show what its offense can do when things are going well. 

Still, the Serbian side now has back-to-back wins – against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and ASVEL – and heads into Thursday’s game on the road at ALBA Berlin feeling good about itself, sitting in the top six of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague standings with a 15-10 record.

For the third game in a row, coach Ioannis Sfairopoulos's team scored 73 points – 9.5 below its average (82.5)