Name: Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | Round 5 | Trailer
Channel: Euroleague Basketball

Anadolu Efes will be without star guard Shane Larkin for the next 3-4 weeks after he sprained his right ankle in his team’s 84-96 win at Olimpia Milano in Round 5 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

Shane Larkin out 3-4 weeks with ankle sprain

Anadolu Efes Istanbul will be without star guard [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/) for the next 3-4 weeks after he sprained his right ankle in [his team’s 84-96 win at EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/efes-piles-more-misery-on-milan-with-84-96-road-win/) in Round 5 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

The 32-year-old left the game with 4:50 to go in the third quarter, with Milan forward Nikola Mirotic having inadvertently landed on Larkin’s ankle after attempting a shot in the paint.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Dün oynanan karşılaşmada sağ ayak bileğinde burkulma yaşayan Kaptan Shane Larkin&#39;in tetkikleri gerçekleştirilmiş ve tedavisine süratle başlanmıştır.<br><br>Takım Doktorumuz Uğur Diliçıkık, başarılı oyuncumuzun yumuşak doku zedelenmesi ve kemik ödemi sebebiyle 3-4 hafta sahalardan uzak… <a href="https://t.co/0GhaYuwV9j">pic.twitter.com/0GhaYuwV9j</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1849773038427926534?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"Captain Shane Larkin, who suffered a right ankle sprain in yesterday's game, has been examined and his treatment has started immediately," read Efes' statement.

"Our Team Doctor, Uğur Diliçık, stated that our star player will be away from the court for 3-4 weeks due to soft tissue damage and bone swelling."

Larkin had been dealing with an ankle injury in the lead-up to the 2024-25 EuroLeague season getting underway, but he returned in time for Efes' opener and has played in all five of the team's games so far. 

Given he is set to miss the next 3-4 weeks, that would see Larkin miss Efes' next five or six EuroLeague games.

Through his five appearances in 2024-25, Larkin has averaged 10.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, 5.4 assists and a 15.6 PIR.

More Anadolu Efes News

The injury occurred during Efes’ Round 5 win at Milan

Another star-studded showdown of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague giants is on the slate tonight when Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul hosts Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens in a re-match of last season's Final Four semifinal.

Fenerbahce, Panathinaikos set for another chapter of a growing rivalry

Another star-studded showdown of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague giants is on the slate tonight when [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/games/ulk/) hosts [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/games/pan/) in a re-match of last season's [Final Four semifinal](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2023/331/).

The Ulker Sports and Event Hall has been sold out for more than a week for a game that has so many storylines that is hard to even count them.

This game marks another return of [Kostas Sloukas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kostas-sloukas/001926/) to play against the team where he played for five seasons and for which he played a vital role in winning the 2017 EuroLeague crown. [Cedi Osman](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/cedi-osman/004088/) will also return to Istanbul for the first time since coming back to the EuroLeague, as is the case for [Omer Yurtseven](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/omer-yurtseven/005353/), who grew up with Fenerbahce before going to the NBA.

Fenerbahce head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius has left a big mark in Athens and always enjoys competing against his former club. Meanwhile, this game will also pit Panathinaikos guard [Lorenzo Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/lorenzo-brown/009622/) on one side against his former [Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/roster/tel/?season=2024-25) teammates [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/) and [Bonzie Colson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/bonzie-colson/009783/), who now wear the Fenerbahce uniform.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">SOLD OUT! <br><br>25 Ekim Cuma günü 20.45&#39;te Panathinaikos Aktor’u konuk edeceğimiz EuroLeague beşinci hafta maçı biletlerinin tamamı tükenmiştir!<br><br>Satışlar yalnızca 24 Ekim Perşembe günü ve maç günü 119 ile 417 bloktaki öğrenci biletleri için salon gişesinden devam edecektir. <br><br>Büyük… <a href="https://t.co/GQSGD9Neet">pic.twitter.com/GQSGD9Neet</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1847321842916204835?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

Then, of course, there is Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos coach and a former head coach of Anadolu Efes Istanbul and Galatasaray, going into the den of a great rival.

"Fenerbahce has showed great performances so far in the beginning of the season," Ataman acknowledged, adding Panathinaikos is facing injury issues with forwards [Ioannis Papapetrou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ioannis-papapetrou/005161/) and [Konstantinos Mitoglou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/konstantinos-mitoglou/007866/) missing the game due to illness, and [Marius Grigonis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/marius-grigonis/002328/) questionable with an [injury](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/injury-report-round-5-tae2425/).

"We have some problems with forwards, some important players who have a health problem now, but that's the reason we have a long roster and we go there to win the game," Ataman confirmed.

Due to his history against Fenerbahce, Ataman's arrival to Panathinaikos alone made the games between these two clubs a must-watch TV. On top of that came their Final Four semifinal back in May in Berlin, which [Panathinaikos won 73-57](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2023/331/) en route to [winning the EuroLeague crown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/championship-game-live-real-madrid-vs-panathinaikos/).

"Panathinaikos presents a problem with a lot of talent. They have the same team \[as in the Final Four\]," Jasikevicus pointed out, hinting that the loss in Berlin still bothers him. "We need to learn from the mistakes we committed in the semifinals in Berlin, continue getting better and integrate new players."

And although that Final Four loss was the last meeting between these two sides, Fenerbahce will have only four players from that affair playing on Friday: [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/), [Marko Guduric](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/marko-guduric/004004/), [Tarik Biberovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tarik-biberovic/006961/) and [Dyshawn Pierre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dyshawn-pierre/010560/), as [Sertac Sanli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sertac-sanli/002968/) and [Scottie Wilbekin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/scottie-wilbekin/006661/) are injured, while the rest of the squad left.

Fenerbahce enters this home game with a 3-1 record. But the team [lost its last home game](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul-crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/E2024/20/) against [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/roster/red/) and does not want to register back-to-back home defeats, nullifying everything good the team has done one the road.

Still, it feels there is more pressure on the visitors, the reigning champs who have lost their last two games, in [Paris ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/paris-basketball-panathinaikos-aktor-athens/E2024/23/)and in [Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/real-madrid-panathinaikos-aktor-athens/E2024/31/), and another loss would result a negative 2-3 record after five rounds.

All of that just adds more fuel to the fire off this growing rivalry, whose next chapter is set to tip off at 19:45 CET. Make sure to tune in to EuroLeague TV and see what happens next.

An electric atmosphere is guaranteed in the Turkish capital. Fenerbahce reverted to winning ways at ALBA through 4 Tarik Biberovic three-pointers and he's likely to duel with Panthinaikos forward Juancho Hernangomez after he also netted a quartet of triples in an exhausting encounter at Real Madrid.

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | Round 5 | Trailer

The 28th meeting between the sides tips off Friday night's slate of games

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2024-10-25T17:45:00.000Z)

The 2024-25 edition of Europe’s premier U18  basketball competition will debut with a fresh name, look, and feel. The newly rebranded Adidas NextGen Euroleague (formerly known as the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament) will mark its 23rd edition

Rebranded Adidas NextGen Euroleague to land in Germany, Turkiye and Serbia

The 2024-25 edition of Europe’s premier U18  basketball competition will debut with a fresh name, look, and feel. The newly rebranded Adidas NextGen EuroLeague (formerly known as the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament) will mark its 23rd edition. With a new name and logo, it aims to strengthen its connection to the Euroleague Basketball ecosystem and highlight its status as the premier platform for emerging talent in Europe, serving as a natural pathway for future pan-European stars.

The NextGen will debut in Istanbul in late November, then it is the turn of German cities Munich and Ulm in mid-January and early February, respectively, before the fourth and final qualifier is held in Belgrade. This will be the 17th year in a row that Belgrade has acted as the host for an NextGen Qualifier.

There have been no changes to the format, so the winner of each Qualifying Tournament will advance to the finals, which will be held on the same weekend – and in the same city – as the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four.

During each tournament, the Next Generation Team will be present, with this squad made up of young stars from clubs not affiliated with other NextGen sides. Like last year, the Next Generation Select Team will not take part in the eight-team Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Finals.  

This year’s first Qualifying Tournament will be held between November 29 and December 1, 2024, in Istanbul, with Bahcesehir College Istanbul acting as the host club. The action will take place at the newly renovated Basketball Development Center in the Turkish city. 

The next club to act as the event host is FC Bayern Munich, with the Munich edition of the Qualifying tournaments taking place between January 17 and 19, 2025. This tournament will be held at BMW Park, Bayern’s former home, and will feature an LED floor. 

Staying in Germany, ratiopharm Ulm – a club renowned around the world for young talent – will host the third NextGen Qualifying Tournament between February 7 and 9, 2025. These games will be played at the club’s Orange Campus. 

Last but not least, the Serbian capital of Belgrade will welcome the teams competing in the fourth Qualifier, with Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade serving as the host club. Between March 7 and 9, 2025, this edition of the NextGen Qualifying Tournament will be played at Aleksandar Nikolic Hall. 

This season marks the 23rd edition of the NextGen. Some of the biggest names in basketball have passed through the competition, including future stars such as Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama, Kristaps Porzingis, Domantas Sabonis, Milos Teodosic, Vasilije Micic, Nikola Mirotic, Donatas Motiejunas, Dario Saric, Jonas Valanciunas, Omri Casspi, Luigi Datome and Goga Bitadze, among others. 

This season will be the 23rd edition of the tournament 

Rebranded Adidas NextGen EuroLeague to land in Germany, Turkiye and Serbia 

Real Madrid’s evergreen 33-year-old playmaker Facundo Campazzo produced a truly flawless performance in a 95-72 whitewash of KK Crvena zvezda, personifying an impressive team effort as the hosts dominated in all departments from start to finish. 

Imperious Real trampled Zvezda all over the court 

[Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/games/mad/)’s evergreen 33-year-old playmaker [Facundo Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) produced a truly flawless performance in a 95-72 whitewash of [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/games/red/), personifying an impressive team effort as the hosts dominated in all departments from start to finish.

Campazzo sank 13 points without missing a single shot, making both his efforts from the floor and all 8 from the foul line, while dishing out 6 assists and committing no turnovers as he pulled all the strings.

Showing the maturity of a tried and tested veteran in Europe’s premier club competition, Campazzo was once again the driving force behind Real’s smooth display, watched at Wizink Center by a couple of the football team’s stars, Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior and French midfielder Eduardo Camavinga.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">✌️⚽🏀✌️<a href="https://twitter.com/realmadrid?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RealMadrid</a> 🤝 <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RMBaloncesto</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HalaMadrid?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HalaMadrid</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/zW0h9f1Kgl">pic.twitter.com/zW0h9f1Kgl</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1849549535548170454?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Campazzo was quick to thank Vinicius for turning up after the Brazil international scored a second-half hat-trick in Real’s memorable 5-2 Champions League win over German side Borussia Dortmund earlier this week, as the home side fought back from a 2-0 halftime deficit.

“It’s awesome that he came here to support us, as we also support the football team every time they play,” the Argentine point guard said in a post-game interview.  “We are working hard to play at a high level all the time like we did today and we knew that Zvezda is a dangerous team.”

Real confined Zvezda to 2-of-14 shooting from deep in the first half and restricted the visitors to just 4 assists while forcing 6 turnovers, having racked up 21 rebounds and 6 steals. Real also managed 15 assists and made 11 of 14 from two-point territory, setting the tone for an equally one-sided second half.

Real ended up winning the battle of the boards 42-34 and making 18 of 25 shots from inside the arc, while draining 12 of 32 from deep. In contrast, Zvezda struggled heavily on offense and made a mere 15 of 37 from two-point territory as well as 9 of 32 from downtown, much to the delight of Real’s head coach Chus Mateo who praised his team’s defense.

“This is the kind of consistency we’ve been trying to find since the beginning of the season,” said the 55-year-old tactician. “We were able to control their shooters and did a very good job defensively.”

“This is the way forward as everybody needs to work hard every day to improve. We will have ups and downs in what will be a long season and we have to be together to overcome tough moments when they come.” 

Game News

The visitors had no reply for Real’s fast-paced offense which went hand in hand with ironclad defense

Real Madrid v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2024-10-24T18:45:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball superstar TJ Shorts may be just 5-foot-9 tall, but he had another dominant performance in Round 5 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season as his squad beat AS Monaco in this week's Rivalry Series game.

TJ Shorts epitomizes the definition of heart over height  

For undersized basketball players all over the world, [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/) is proving that you don’t need to be 6-foot or taller in order to dominate.

Standing at 5-foot-9 (1.75m), Shorts played with the heart of a 6-foot-6 guard on Thursday night as he led his Paris Basketball squad to [an 80-87 win at AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tj-shorts-inspires-paris-to-rivalry-series-win-over-monaco-80-87/) in this week’s Rivalry Series game.

Many fans may not have known a lot about Shorts before this season, but the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague rookie has already become a household name just five games into his EuroLeague career.

If his first three appearances showed he can make the step up, his last two games have seen him turn into a EuroLeague superstar. Paris could feel hard done by to have gone 0-3 to start the campaign, but Shorts has taken his game to another level in recent weeks to help his team notch back-to-back wins against two sides who made last year’s EuroLeague Playoffs: Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, the reigning champion, and now Monaco.

Viewers of the NBA will remember how Isaiah Thomas – another 5-foot-9 (1.75m) guard – showed that heart triumphs over height back in his incredible 2016-17 season with the Boston Celtics, and now Shorts who is doing the same with Paris in the EuroLeague.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BIG RESPECT🫡 🤝 <a href="https://t.co/cZcenFg91E">https://t.co/cZcenFg91E</a></p>&mdash; Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball/status/1849548920570908827?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

It is fascinating to remember just how far the Paris star has come in the last few years. Just five years ago, he was playing in the top flight of the Latvian League. And over the last three years, he has worked his way up the ranks on the European stage, too, passing through the FIBA Europe Cup (2021-22), the FIBA Basketball Champions League (2022-23) and the BKT EuroCup (2023-24) before finally arriving in the EuroLeague.

What’s more, he is coming off back-to-back MVP seasons in Europe, having led Telekom Baskets Bonn to BCL glory in 2023 and Paris to the EuroCup title in 2024. Last season, Shorts was named the French League MVP over his opponent on Thursday night, Monaco’s [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/), the all-time leading scorer in EuroLeague history.

Straight from the tip at Salle Gaston Medecin, Shorts made sure his Paris squad was playing at an electric pace, scoring 11 first-quarter points and conducting everything on offense. He didn’t slow down in the second quarter either, with Shorts having 19 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists to his name as Paris entered the break with a six-point advantage, 43-49, having led the entire game to that point.

Paris Basketball head coach Tiago Splitter spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat AS Monaco in Round 5 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Tiago Splitter: 'TJ Shorts was a monster'

Even if Monaco did fight back in the third to enter the final quarter with a 64-63 edge, Shorts surpassed his previous career high of 22 points by moving to 25 points, while he added one assist to take his tally to 4. In the final frame, he showed why he is already one of the best playmaking guards in the EuroLeague by dishing six assists and scoring three points, giving him a 28-point, 10-assist double-double come the final buzzer – and most importantly, the victory.

“It’s an amazing feeling right now for us to get our first road win against, I guess you could call, one of our rivals in the French League,” Shorts told EuroLeague TV after Paris’ Rivalry Series triumph at Monaco. “It’s huge for us and it just builds confidence. We’re going to continue to roll with it.

“We’ve lost a lot of tight games and we feel like we’re right there to get over that hump. This is only going to boost our confidence to continue for the reason of the season, and hopefully there are more wins in the future.”

There were some doubts about Shorts entering the 2024-25 season, particularly after Tuomas Iisalo – the 27-year-old’s coach for the last two years at Bonn and Paris – departed the French club this past offseason. Yet, he is now thriving against the best of the best under first-year head coach Tiago Splitter.

Just like he has done his entire career, Shorts is proving his doubters wrong once again.

The 27-year-old was unstoppable as Paris beat Monaco in Round 5

TJ Shorts epitomizes the definition of heart over height

AS Monaco v Paris Basketball (2024-10-24T17:00:00.000Z)

Real Madrid-Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade | RS Round 5 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

It wasn’t easy – even though it looked like it might be – but Anadolu Efes Istanbul eventually held on to pull away from EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, 84-96, and improve to 3-2.

Efes poise overcame Milan fightback, Larkin injury

It wasn’t easy – even though it looked like it might be – but [Anadolu Efes Istanbul ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/roster/ist/?season=2024-25)eventually held on to pull away from [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/roster/mil/?season=2024-25), 84-96, and improve to 3-2.

The first two quarters were a comfortable walk in the park for the Turkish team, which raced into a 21-point lead by halftime after a smooth offensive performance that yielded 14 assists and 46 points, while Milan continued its struggles from the previous week’s [collapse against Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/ea7-emporio-armani-milan-zalgiris-kaunas/E2024/29/).

It looked and felt like game over as the jeers rang around Unipol Forum when the players headed into the locker rooms at the interval, but Milan – whose head coach Ettore Messina described his team’s first-half performance as “very, very disgraceful” – showed plenty of pride and made a major improvement after the break.

Game Videos

On the back of spectacular three-point shooting which saw Milan make 7 of its first 8 triples in the second half, the home team dragged itself back into contention, with Efes suffering the additional blow of losing star guard [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/) to injury.

But Efes was able to maintain a well-balanced offense to pull away again in the final quarter, ending with an exceptional 27-of-32 two-point shooting (84.4%), plus a more than acceptable 11-of-23 from three-point range (47.8%).

Victorious Coach Tomislav Mijatovic was delighted with his team’s response to Milan’s spirited recovery, saying that he was most impressed with…”our ball sharing, our relentlessness, our willingness to fight for each other, even in a tough moment for all of us when we saw that Shane got injured.

“Of course it affects all of us, because he’s our teammate, he’s our guy, and we hope that it’s nothing too serious. But the guys stepped up for him, so it’s a team effort and a team victory. We had to really put out best effort and the guys got a tremendous win.

“When you have a 20-point lead on the road at the half, you know the \[home\] team is going to react, especially a team that has so much potential and is coached so well. They reacted, but credit to our guys, we never put our head down even in the toughest moment.”

One of the key performers was [Darius Thompson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/darius-thompson/011078/), the man who replaced Larkin as Efes’s main playmaker and responded by draining 10 points in the last 12 minutes to help his team cross the finish line.

Thompson, who finished with 17 points and 7 assists, said: “It was a ‘next man up’ mentality. He \[Larkin\] went down so we needed somebody to make plays, I had the ball so I tried to do what I can to help the team.”

With that kind of mentality, Efes continued its rise up the standings.

Even though it looked as if Efes might blow its lead, Coach Mijatovic's men stood tall in the end

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2024-10-24T18:30:00.000Z)

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan-Anadolu Efes Istanbul | RS Round 5 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Real Madrid romped to a 95-72 home rout of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade in Round 5 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, improving its record to 3-2 while the visitors suffered a second straight defeat after winning their opening three games.

Real rolls to emphatic home win over shorthanded Zvezda, 95-72

Real Madrid romped to a 95-72 home rout of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade in Round 5 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, improving its record to 3-2 while the visitors suffered a second straight defeat after winning their opening three games.

It was also a second successive loss for Zvezda against Spanish opposition after last week’s dramatic overtime loss at home to FC Barcelona, 94-98, only this time it was a completely lopsided contest against last season’s EuroLeague runner-up.

Livewire playmaker Facundo Campazzo led the way with 13 points and 6 assists, including a couple of audacious passes through the legs of rival players which had fans at Wizink Center on their feet.

Dzanan Musa paced Real with 17 points, twin towers Eli Ndiaye and Walter Tavares added 12 each and Gabriel Deck chipped in with 10 for the hosts, who fired on all cylinders from start to finish. At the other end, veteran playmaker Milos Teodosic came off the bench to lead Zvezda with 11 points, finishing as the only visiting player in double figures.

Having center Joel Bolomboy sidelined by a knee injury and guard Nemanja Nedovic preemptively rested to avoid one, Zvezda scored the first 2 points of the game, but Real hit back with a 10-0 run to set the tone for the remainder of the contest. Airtight defense coupled with inspired offense from Campazzo saw Real surge ahead 22-10 in the first quarter, and the lead soared to 46-29 at halftime as the home players kept trapping Zvezda’s guards with aggressive half-court pressure and double teams.

Zvezda fought hard to stay in the game but the best the visitors could do was to slash the deficit to 15 points before Real moved up a gear to lead 67-43 late in the third quarter and then 91-63 in the dying minutes, for the home side’s biggest advantage in this cat-and-mouse contest.

Real, which seems to have found its feet after a wobbly start to the season in Europe’s premier club competition, visits Olympiacos Piraeus next week in a Round 6 blockbuster while Zvezda faces a daunting trip to Zalgiris Kaunas, the regular season’s surprise package after winning four of its opening five games.

The Spanish giant hardly broke a sweat in an easy victory over its Serbian rival, which sorely missed two key players 

The mercurial Facu Campazzo threads the ball through the legs of Dejan Davidovac for Eli Ndiaye to rock the rim!


Campazzo superlative pass for Ndiaye dunk! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night 

The mercurial Facu Campazzo threads the ball through the legs of Dejan Davidovac for Eli Ndiaye to rock the rim!

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz-ALBA Berlin | RS Round 5 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v ALBA Berlin (2024-10-24T18:30:00.000Z)

Markus Howard’s season-high 26 points included 7-of-14 three-point shooting and Baskonia won 80-57 at home to move to 3-2 with a 3-0 record at Buesa Arena. 

Markus Howard outburst shined brightest, but Baskonia beat ALBA with defense, rebounding 

The easy way to look at [Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz’s dominant victory over ALBA Berlin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/baskonia-dominates-alba-80-57-to-remain-perfect-at-home/) was a red-hot [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/) scoring 26 points. But coach Pablo Laso’s Spanish side showed it can play tough defense as well as rise to the challenge against a strong rebounding team.

Howard’s season-high 26 points included 7-of-14 three-point shooting and Baskonia won 80-57 at home to move to 3-2 with a 3-0 record at Buesa Arena. The star scorer was not the story of the game though for the Baskonia coach.

“We have very good scorers. Obviously Markus having 7 three-pointers was a big part of the victory. But defensively we did a very good job keeping ALBA under 60 points. That speaks very good about our defense,” Laso said.

Markus Howard made 7 threes against ALBA

Even Howard was much more keen on talking about the defensive end.

“I think our defense really won us the game today. In the first half we held them to 26 points. That’s something to be applauded. Give great credit to everybody who was on the floor tonight,” Howard said. 

ALBA came into the game as the worst three-point shooting team in the competition at just 24.5 percent. And Baskonia didn’t let the German side correct their woes, holding the visitors to just 26.3% from long range as well as just 46.3% on two-pointers. 

Another major story in the victory was Baskonia’s dominance on the glass - 47-36 including grabbing 15 offensive rebounds to 8 for ALBA, which led to a 15-4 advantage in second chance points. 

“We made a point before the game that rebounding would be a key to control the rhythm and win because ALBA runs extremely fast in the primary fast break and they shoot the ball very well,” said [Nikos Rogkavopoulos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikolaos-rogkavopoulos/011085/), who had 6 rebounds - including 3 from the offensive glass.

Limiting ALBA to 8 offensive rebounds was right on Baskonia’s average of opponent’s offensive rebounds - good for second in the league. But ALBA came into the game ranked first in offensive rebounds with 14.0 per game as well as being the number-one rebounding team in the league. ALBA also ranked first in limiting its opponents to just 7.8 offensive rebounds.

That didn’t work against Baskonia as besides Rogkavopoulos’s 3 offensive rebounds, [Khalifa Diop](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/khalifa-diop/008072/) grabbed 4 from the offensive glass, [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) 3 and [Ousmane Ndiaye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ousmane-ndiaye/012058/) had 1 offensive rebound. And while [Donta Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/donta-hall/011196/) did not have an offensive rebound, he ended with 6 rebounds.

“Our big guys, Khalifa, Donta, Ousmane, Nikos, they were great on the offensive rebounds. They created extra possessions for us. Hat goes off to those guys. They really stepped up,” said Howard.

It’s always a boost for team morale when the guy who gets the spotlight makes sure to mention those who did some of the less sexy things in the win, which is just what Markus Howard did. This was a good win for Baskonia to learn from and one which showed it can play tough defense as well. 

The hosts had 11 more rebounds - and 11 more second-chance points

Markus Howard shined bright but Baskonia beat ALBA with defense, rebounding 

Anadolu Efes Istanbul gained a second straight win and piled more misery on struggling EA7 Emporio Armani Milan by holding on for a road victory, 84-96, on Thursday. Efes improves to 3-2, while Milan drops to 1-4.

Efes piles more misery on Milan with 84-96 road win

Anadolu Efes Istanbul gained a second straight win and piled more misery on struggling EA7 Emporio Armani Milan by holding on for a road victory, 84-96, on Thursday. Efes improves to 3-2, while Milan drops to 1-4.

Efes raced into an early 8-point lead and never looked back, extending the margin beyond 20 points before halftime. Milan improved drastically after the break and got within 4 points with a 22-5 charge, but the visitors found fresh resolve to pull away again in the fourth.

Efes, which lost Shane Larkin to injury, was led by Elijah Bryant with 19 points. Darius Thompson provided 17 points and 7 assists, with Ercan Osmani, Jordan Nwora and Rolands Smits all scoring 11. Nikola Mirotic shined with 29 points for Milan, while Zach LeDay recorded 16 points and 7 rebounds.

Mirotic opened the scoring with a layup, but a triple from Osmani propelled Efes on a 0-10 run, capped by a deep strike from Bryant, for the early lead. Mirotic’s long two and a fast-break slam from Leandro Bolmaro briefly lifted Milan, but Osmani scored twice before Thompson hit a triple and threw down an alley-oop, and Bryant netted a jumper for an 11-23 lead after ten minutes.

Larkin’s layup and a three-point play from Smits stretched the lead further early in the second, and Dan Oturu’s put-back made it 13-30. Guglielmo Caruso and Stefano Tonut stopped the bleeding, but Oturu threw down a pair of big slams and Rodrigue Beaubois sank a three for 17-37. Beaubois again connected from deep, before Bryant and Osmani scored inside to make it 25-46 at the break.

Mirotic and Shavon Shields hit three-pointers early in the third, but Bryant answered with two scores. LeDay further reduced the gap with 5 straight points, 40-53, as Larkin limped off with an ankle injury. Bryant settled Efes with another three, but Mirotic and Shields brought it back to a single-digit margin, 47-56. LeDay’s slam and one and a Shields transition bucket made it even closer, 52-56, before Smits answered from long-range and Thompson added a three-point play. Beaubois and Armoni Brooks traded triples, and it was 59-66 after three quarters.

Smits’s jumper was bettered by Diego Flaccadori’s triple early in the final period before Thompson made it 62-71 with another deep strike. Nwora’s inside score and Vincent Poirier’s three-point play gave Efes another double-digit margin with 6 minutes left before Smits struck from beyond the arc. A pair of Mirotic three-pointers and another from LeDay gave Milan hope, but Nwora netted from both long-range and at the basket for a 74-88 lead, which proved decisive.

The winners, however, may have lost Shane Larkin to injury

Real Madrid guard Facundo Campazzo spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team's win against KK Crvena zvezda in Round 5 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season, with football superstar Vinicius Junior sat courtside.


Facu Campazzo: 'Vinicius is awesome, he supports us'

Real Madrid guard Facundo Campazzo spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team's win against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade in Round 5 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, with football superstar Vinicius Junior sat courtside.

Anadolu Efes guard Darius Thompson spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat Olimpia Milano in Round 5 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.


Darius Thompson: 'It was a next-man-up mentality'

Anadolu Efes Istanbul guard Darius Thompson spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in Round 5 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz guard Markus Howard spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat ALBA Berlin in Round 5 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.


Markus Howard: 'I'm excited for what's to come'

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz guard Markus Howard spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat ALBA Berlin in Round 5 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Zalgiris Kaunas forward Edgaras Ulanovas spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team's win against Maccabi Tel Aviv BC in Round 5 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

Edgaras Ulanovas dedicates win to late grandfather

Zalgiris Kaunas forward Edgaras Ulanovas spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team's win against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in Round 5 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Zalgiris Kaunas v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2024-10-24T17:00:00.000Z)

Zach LeDay slams it home with a brutal dunk!

 LeDay’s brutal slam! Motorola Magic Moment 

Zach LeDay slams it home with a brutal dunk! 