Name: Tamir Blatt | RS Round 1 MVP | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
Channel: Euroleague Basketball

Both teams have struggled for offensive production so far, respectively ranking 18th and 20th in the competition in scoring (70.0 vs 69.0 points per game). Lietkabelis has the EuroCup’s worst three-point shooting record (24.1%), but there’s more to come from Georgios Kalaitzakis after he scored 12 points on 3-of-5 field goal shooting last week against Hapoel Jerusalem. Round 2 saw Aris edged out by Turk Telekom at home, but new signing Joshua Roberts gave a great performance with 14 points and 6 offensive rebounds and his efforts to gain extra possessions could be crucial.

Game Videos

GAME NOTES

\- These teams split a pair of regular-season games last season with each team winning at home. Vassilis Toliopoulos averaged 17.5 points and 3 assists in those games for Aris.

\- Lietkabelis forward Georgios Kalaitzakis was a teammate of Aris players Leftherios Mantzoukas and Leftherios Bochoridis at Panathinaikos Athens. Kalaitzakis and Bochoridis spent the 2020-21 season together and all three shared a locker room in 2022-23.

\- Kalaitzakis played under Aris head coach Ioannis Kastritis on the Greek U20 national team at the European championships in 2018.

GAME FACTS

### 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys

 

**Streaks**

Lietkabelis forward Vytenis Lipkevicius has made at least 1 three-pointer in eight of his last nine games.

Lipkevicius has at least 1 steal in four straight and five of his last six games.

Lipkevicius has made 13 consecutive free throws.

Andrija Stipanovic has pulled down 5 or more rebounds in four of his last five games.

 

**Player Records against Opponent**

Martynas Varnas posted his career high in 2-pointers made with 3 for 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys against Aris Midea Thessaloniki on december 12, 2023.

 

**Team Record**

7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys recorded its highest team Total rebounds total in EuroCup play this century, 46, against Aris Midea Thessaloniki on october 10, 2023.

 

**Season Rankings**

Marko Pecarski is ranked eighth among qualified EuroCup players this season in average Total Rebounds with 7 per game.

Marko Pecarski is ranked ninth among qualified EuroCup players this season in average Offensive Rebounds with 2,5 per game.

Georgios Kalaitzakis is ranked eighth among qualified EuroCup players this season in average Free Throws Made with 4 per game.

 

**All-time Ranking**

Andrija Stipanovic is ranked seventh on the all-time EuroCup charts with 475 total rebounds for his career.

Andrija Stipanovic is ranked sixth on the all-time EuroCup charts with 202 offensive rebounds for his career.

Andrija Stipanovic is ranked second on the all-time EuroCup charts with 458 2-pointers made for his career.

Andrija Stipanovic is ranked sixth on the all-time EuroCup charts with 458 field goals made for his career.

 

 

### 7Aris Midea Thessaloniki

 

**Streaks**

Aris guard Vasilis Toliopoulos has made at least 1 three-point shot in 14 straight games.

Toliopoulos has scored 10 or more points in six of his last seven games.

Toliopoulos has made 8 consecutive free throws.

 

**Player Records against Opponent**

Vassilis Toliopoulos posted his career high in Free throws made with 6 for Aris Midea Thessaloniki against 7bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys on december 12, 2023.

 

**Season Rankings**

Joshua Roberts is ranked eighth among qualified EuroCup players this season in average Total Rebounds with 7 per game.

Joshua Roberts is ranked third among qualified EuroCup players this season in average Offensive Rebounds with 4 per game.

David De Julius is ranked eighth among qualified EuroCup players this season in average Free Throws Made with 4 per game.

Game News

A first victory is up for grabs as two winless teams meet when Lietkabelis (0-2) hosts Aris (0-2). 

Game Notes and Facts: Lietkabelis vs. Aris

7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys v Aris Midea Thessaloniki (2024-10-08T16:00:00.000Z)

Among half a dozen reinforcements who joined the Turkish team during the off season, versatile guard Wade Baldwin stood out with a clinical performance on his debut for Fenerbahce. 

Wade Baldwin pulled all the strings as new-look Fenerbahce sent a message to its rivals

A revamped Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul made a statement of intent in the opening Round of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague when it earned an impressive 82-71 win over perennial rival Olympiacos Piraeus on the back of inspired performances from new arrivals. Among half a dozen reinforcements who joined the Turkish team during the off season, versatile guard Wade Baldwin stood out with a clinical performance on his debut for Fenerbahce.

Fittingly, Baldwin shined against one of his former clubs as he racked up 19 points, 7 assists and 5 boards, having played at Olympiacos in the 2019-2020 season before spells with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, FC Bayern Munich and Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv.

Showing the maturity of a team leader, Baldwin turned on the heat in the second half with trademark mid-range shots off the dribble after being the facilitator in the opening two quarters, when he dished out assists like confetti.

Yet, Baldwin humbly credited one of the team’s stalwarts, Nigel Hayes-Davis, as the forward’s superb fourth-quarter performance allowed Fenerbahce to force Olympiacos into submission after a titanic tussle.

“Nigel closed it out for us. He was a bit quiet throughout the game and in the fourth quarter he turned it on,” Baldwin told EuroLeague TV after the game. “A very important win in front of our home crowd, it was my first experience as a Fenerbahce player,” he added.

Wade Baldwin's post-game interview

Baldwin also praised his teammates, who found another gear after Fenerbahce trailed 32-36 at halftime in the wake of aggressive defense from Olympiacos.

“I just wanted to give my 100 percent effort at both ends of the floor and I think I achieved that,” he stated. “The whole team achieved that, we played very hard today. We took better care of the ball in the second half, we found our spots and a little bit of weakness in their defense.”

New-look teams usually take time to gel but it seems Fenerbahce head coach Saras Jasikevicius has hit the ground running in assembling a outfit which already looks capable of challenging for its second EuroLeague title, having won its maiden trophy in 2017.

Forward Bonzie Colson, who joined the club alongside Baldwin from Maccabi, made a telling contribution with 10 points and 9 boards, while towering center Boban Marjanovic used his decade-long experience in the NBA to good effect with 8 points and 4 rebounds.

Best of Boban Marjanovic against Olympiacos

Last but not least, veteran swingman Nicolo Melli also played a big part at the start of his second stint with Fenerbahce, posting 5 points and 7 boards after he came off the bench.

Colson quickly pointed out that Fenerbahce needs to keep working hard in order to maximize its potentials in what should be an enthralling season in Europe’s premier club competition.

“Olympiacos applied great pressure up and down the floor but we stuck to our principles, he said. “We took what their defense gave us and we’ve now got to build on our first win of the season. “We knew we had to come out strong in the third quarter and we hit some shots, so it was a great team win for us.”

In his post-game comments, Jasikevicius rued a serious injury to guard Scottie Wilbekin, as it turned out to be a torn knee ligament after the scan, while praising his team for perseverance.  

“At this point you just need to take wins and not lose players,” said the Lithuanian tactician. “Scottie’s health is much more important now than the win but it’s great to beat such a good team in the opening game of the season.

“Olympiacos is a fantastic team, they know exactly how to play and what they are doing. It’s almost impossible to knock them out of their stride but ultimately we eked it out.”

The 28-year old guard shined in his first game for the Turkish giant, which showed early title credentials   

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Olympiacos Piraeus (2024-10-04T17:30:00.000Z)

EuroLeague opening week on social media

**25th ANNIVERSARY**: After 24 seasons filled with endless iconic moments, the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague campaign marks a historic milestone. This past week, the league began marking its 25th year.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="art" dir="ltr">🏀🥳 <a href="https://t.co/Jt1WohKEJI">https://t.co/Jt1WohKEJI</a></p>&mdash; Nando De Colo (@NandoDeColo) <a href="https://twitter.com/NandoDeColo/status/1841188858182226362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

**A SEASON WITHOUT KYLE**: Four-time EuroLeague champion Kyle Hines announced his retirement last month and it will take time for everyone to get accustomed to not seeing him on the floor. In case you missed, check out what Bryant Dunston had to say:

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Respect to my B Dunston! One of my favorite guys to compete against. Going to miss hooping against him. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/undersizecenterclub?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#undersizecenterclub</a> <a href="https://t.co/22XvfB7oPP">https://t.co/22XvfB7oPP</a></p>&mdash; Kyle Hines (@SirHines) <a href="https://twitter.com/SirHines/status/1841764846691324023?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

**LJUBICA**: Year after year, EuroLeague games have been played in Aleksandar Nikolic Hall, formerly known as Hala Pionir, in Belgrade, and year after year a cat named Ljubica has been there to greet the teams.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">😂 He/She been there for YEARSSSSS😭happy to see it 💯👏🏾 <a href="https://t.co/imzCj4dFch">https://t.co/imzCj4dFch</a></p>&mdash; Jordan Loyd (@mrjloyd) <a href="https://twitter.com/mrjloyd/status/1841799975304347782?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Only in Pionir 🐈<br><br>(We got you too <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabiTLVBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MaccabiTLVBC</a> 🫣) <a href="https://t.co/t4qRTCeU5L">pic.twitter.com/t4qRTCeU5L</a></p>&mdash; LDLC ASVEL (@LDLCASVEL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL/status/1841840564460790250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


**EUROLEAGUE STYLES**: Some EuroLeague players made fashion statements on their arrivals to the games.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Showed up in style, delivered in game. 😮💨 <a href="https://t.co/3DJiSQFLjL">pic.twitter.com/3DJiSQFLjL</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1841937545929883699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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**WELCOME BACK!**: After two years in Istanbul, Tyler Dorsey returned to Olympiacos this summer, but Fenerbahce did not miss the opportunity to thank its former player and give him a warm welcome. Meanwhile, Baskonia welcomed back Vanja Marinkovic, while old friends Zeljko Obradovic and Pablo Laso used the chance to catch up, too.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Her şey için teşekkürler <a href="https://twitter.com/TDORSEY_1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TDORSEY_1</a>! 💛💙<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://t.co/8ngejEeNTH">pic.twitter.com/8ngejEeNTH</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1842252759069757663?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAqHg_pqQLz/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAqHg_pqQLz/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; 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transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAqHg_pqQLz/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Baskonia (@baskonia1959)</a></p></div></blockquote>
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**GET WELL SOON, SCOTTIE!**: Fenerbahce's Scottie Wilbekin suffered a torn ACL on Friday night during the season opener against Olympiacos and he received an outpouring of support from EuroLeague clubs, wishing him a speedy recovery!

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Scottie, every time we meet you... well, you torch us. And even though we&#39;re always on the bad side of your good games, we hope you&#39;ll be back on the court as soon as possible, stronger than ever, haunting us. Get well soon <a href="https://twitter.com/scottiew_5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@scottiew_5</a> 🫶<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeBallTogether?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeBallTogether</a> <a href="https://t.co/B7hqjrGOm3">https://t.co/B7hqjrGOm3</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/1842518574058917926?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🙏🏽 Sending healing thoughts your way. Get well soon Scottie Wilbekin!<a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBBasketbol</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> <a href="https://t.co/4wV1OfkqZc">pic.twitter.com/4wV1OfkqZc</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1842329797097083049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Our hearts go out to you, <a href="https://twitter.com/scottiew_5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@scottiew_5</a> <br>Wishing you a speedy and full recovery and waiting to see you back on the court doing what you do 💛💙 <a href="https://t.co/w5sMMc0cHV">pic.twitter.com/w5sMMc0cHV</a></p>&mdash; Maccabi Tel Aviv BC 🇮🇱 (@MaccabiTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabiTLVBC/status/1842459872362684615?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Dün akşam oynanan karşılaşmada sakatlık yaşayan Fenerbahçe Beko oyuncusu Scottie Wilbekin’e geçmiş olsun dileklerimizi iletiyor, en kısa sürede parkelere dönmesini temenni ediyoruz.<br><br>Get well soon Scottie! <a href="https://t.co/30oUJdI1ac">pic.twitter.com/30oUJdI1ac</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1842497561166319649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Our thoughts are with Scottie Wilbekin right now 🙏 <br><br>Get well soon, <a href="https://twitter.com/scottiew_5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@scottiew_5</a> ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/RxI6L2uxlj">pic.twitter.com/RxI6L2uxlj</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket EN (@asmonaco_en) <a href="https://twitter.com/asmonaco_en/status/1842469032978534635?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Get well soon Scottie Wilbekin<a href="https://twitter.com/scottiew_5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@scottiew_5</a> <a href="https://t.co/RZtOJLlREZ">https://t.co/RZtOJLlREZ</a></p>&mdash; Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936/status/1842519088947437661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Fenerbahce Istanbul guard Scottie Wilbekin suffered a serious knee injury in yesterday&#39;s EuroLeague game. <br><br>Wishing you a speedy and successful recovery, Scottie! 🙏🏼❤️ <a href="https://t.co/DyFDMSQd8T">pic.twitter.com/DyFDMSQd8T</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1842519104793506286?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Get well soon, <a href="https://twitter.com/scottiew_5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@scottiew_5</a> ❤️🩹</p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1842519958816788628?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


**EUROLEAGUE FIRST**: On Thursday, Bayern played at the beautiful new SAP Garden, while Pablo Laso for the first time entered the arena in his home town as the coach of the local team - Baskonia. On Friday, Paris Basketball played its first ever EuroLeague game, and also used the occasion to raise its first two banners – for winning last season's BKT EuroCup and French Leaders Cup.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Wow 🤩 the <a href="https://twitter.com/SAPGarden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SAPGarden</a> has opened its doors 🔥 <br><br>The latest EuroLeague arena and new home of <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FCBBasketball</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RivalrySeries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RivalrySeries</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/GFgc7SBkIH">pic.twitter.com/GFgc7SBkIH</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1841916064453820711?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">Un momento HISTÓRICO 💙❤️<br><br>Pablo Laso salta, entre aplausos de toda su afición, a la pista del Buesa Arena como técnico azulgrana 🫡<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoazenBaskonia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoazenBaskonia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/pablolaso?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pablolaso</a> <a href="https://t.co/at7Gcq9tmN">pic.twitter.com/at7Gcq9tmN</a></p>&mdash; Baskonia (@Baskonia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Baskonia/status/1841905993405587506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">🥹🥹🥹 <br><br>Pour toujours ♾️🖤❤️💙 <a href="https://t.co/bIxw0yo21O">pic.twitter.com/bIxw0yo21O</a></p>&mdash; Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball/status/1842279444464968127?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


**WINNERS' CORNER**: Close games were everywhere in the opening round of the new EuroLeague season, with six home teams using the support of their fans to help them get victories. Only Efes, Crvena Zvezda and the defending champion Panathinaikos won on the road.

Take a look at a selection of social media posts during the first week of the new season.

EuroLeague top photos of the week

Mathias Lessort of Panathinaikos dunks with authority in Berlin

Baskonia's Tadas Sedekerskis comes away with the ball in front of teammate Chima Moneke and Partizan's Brandon Davis

Isaia Cordinier of Virtus chins up after dunking against Efes

David Lighty of ASVEL on the ground next to Maccabi's Will Rayman

Ignas Brazdeikis of Zalgiris dribbles against Barcelona

Khem Birch of Fenerbahce dunks against Olympiacos

Nadar Hifi of Paris attacks between Zvezda's Isaiah Canaan and Joel Bolomboy

Real Madrid's Gabriel Deck dunks against Bayern in Munich

Moses Wright of Olympiacos challenges Fenerbahce's Boban Marjanovic for a rebound

Matt Mitchell of Zalgiris looks to shoot over Barcelona's Chimezie Metu

Look back at all the action from Round 1 of the regular season by checking out the best photos of the week!

Top 10 photos of the week: Round 1

AS Monaco announced on Saturday that it would be without small forward Furkan Korkman for the next 3-4 weeks. 

Monaco's Furkan Korkmaz to miss 3-4 weeks

AS Monaco announced on Saturday that it would be without small forward [Furkan Korkman](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/furkan-korkmaz/005763/) for the next 3-4 weeks. Korkmaz suffered a slight tear in his right adductor during Thursday’s Turkish Airlines EuroLeague contest against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan.

He scored 10 points and collected 2 steals in 14:20 minutes before leaving the game with the injury. It was Korkmaz’s first EuroLeague game since November 2016. He had spent the previous seven seasons playing for the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">ℹ️ En raison d’une légère déchirure à l’adducteur droit, survenue lors de son bon match face au Milan jeudi soir, Furkan Korkmaz sera indisponible pour les 3-4 prochaines semaines. 🚑<br><br>Les examens n’ont cependant rien révélé de plus sérieux, ce qui est rassurant. Nous souhaitons… <a href="https://t.co/pFArtXIwCd">pic.twitter.com/pFArtXIwCd</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1842585039759950222?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The 27-year-old forward made his EuroLeague return on Thursday

Monaco: Furkan Korkmaz to miss 3-4 weeks

The first episode of 'Rivalries', the latest documentary series produced by Euroleague Basketball Originals, is now out on YouTube.

Check out the EuroLeague’s best derbies in ‘Rivalries’, now out on YouTube

The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague is renowned across the globe for the incredible atmospheres that fans get to experience on a week in, week out basis. In ‘Rivalries’, the latest documentary series produced by Euroleague Basketball Originals, witness how the passion they show goes to another level completely.

Over the course of five episodes, which focus on the Istanbul derby in Turkiye, the Derby d’Italia in Italy, the Eternal Derby in Serbia, the Mother of all Battles in Greece, and El Clásico in Spain, viewers will get to understand what makes these rivalries tick – on and off the court.

Watch the first episode, 'Rivalries: Istanbul', on YouTube below.

From highlight-reel plays to the foundations of arenas being tested by thousands of jumping fans, the EuroLeague’s rivalry games provide a plethora of emotions which are unmatched anywhere on the planet.

Be it due to cultural differences or simply spending years facing each other in key games, rivalries build with time – especially those that are the most vociferous – and the ‘Rivalries’ documentary series provides a glimpse into what makes these derbies what they are today.

Key players from each of the teams involved, as well as former players, share their thoughts on the cities they play or played in and what it means to represent their side in the derby. For fans, beating their archrival means everything, and the players are very aware of that.

Throughout the five episodes, several big names from the past feature, including Luka Doncic, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Dan Peterson, Dominique Wilkins, Ekpe Udoh, Manu Ginobili, Pete Mickeal, and many more. There are plenty of prominent faces from the current EuroLeague, too, such as Kostas Sloukas, Zeljko Obradovic, Shane Larkin, Nicolo Melli, Kostas Papanikolaou, Marco Belinelli, Nikola Mirotic, among others.

Early access to each episode of ‘Rivalries’ will be available for paid subscribers of EuroLeague TV, which now has [its Annual Pass available to purchase](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/news/witness-why-every-game-matters-with-the-euroleague-tv-annual-pass/). The EuroLeague’s local TV rights holders will also have early access to the five episodes.

‘Rivalries’, this latest Euroleague Basketball Originals documentary series, offers an inside look at the best derbies in basketball and perfectly exemplifies why these are must-watch fixtures in the EuroLeague calendar.

Episode 1 is now available to watch via YouTube

Tamir Blatt was a man on a mission for Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv on the opening night of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, erupting for a career-best performance and earning Round 1 MVP honors for the first-ever time along the way.

Round 1 MVP: Tamir Blatt, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

[Tamir Blatt](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tamir-blatt/011193/) was a man on a mission for Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv on the opening night of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, erupting for a career-best performance and earning Round 1 MVP honors for the first-ever time along the way.

The 27-year-old blew his previous high in PIR out of the water, beating his previous best of 20 with a 36 PIR in Maccabi’s 89-82 win over LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne. He was a nightmare for the opposition defense all night long, setting new personal bests in scoring (21 points) and assists (12) in just under 29 minutes on the floor. Shooting-wise, Blatt was near-perfect, going 4 for 5 inside the arc, 4 for 4 on three-pointers and 1 for 1 from the free-throw line. He also grabbed 2 defensive rebounds, had 1 steal and drew 3 fouls, in addition to having a +18 in the plus-minus column, the second-best total of any Maccabi player.

Tamir Blatt | RS Round 1 MVP | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

[Tyrique Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tyrique-jones/011981/) had a strong showing on his Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade debut after recording a 28 PIR, the second-highest total in Round 1, but it came in an 88-82 defeat at Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz. The American center put up 22 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals. Sharing third place are AS Monaco’s [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/) and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul's [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/), who each had a 26 PIR. In Monaco’s 93-80 triumph against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, Diallo had a solid all-around performance with 20 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. Baldwin led Fenerbahce in an 82-71 win over Olympiacos Piraeus with 19 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Rounding out the list of top performers is Maccabi's [Jasiel Rivero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jasiel-rivero/011214/) with a 24 PIR as he collected 11 point, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks and 2 assists.

### Individual highs: Donta Hall, Baskonia, 4 blocks

[Shabazz Napier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shabazz-napier/011224/) of FC Bayern Munich was the top scorer in Round 1 with 25 points.

ALBA Berlin’s [Khalifa Koumadje](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/khalifa-koumadje/010791/) pulled down a round-high 13 rebounds in Round 1.

Blatt dished 12 assists in this round, more than anyone else.

Six players recorded 3 steals in Round 1: Maccabi’s Rivero, [Xavier Rathan-Mayes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/xavier-rathan-mayes/profile/013378/) of Real Madrid, [Nicolas Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nicolas-laprovittola/006435/) of FC Barcelona, [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/profile/012608/) of Paris Basketball, [Elie Okobo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elie-okobo/011212/) of Monaco and [Mouhamet Diouf](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/sr/euroleague/players/mouhamet-diouf/013374/) of Virtus Segafredo Bologna.

[Donta Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/donta-hall/011196/) of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz had 4 blocks in Round 1, the most of any player.

The two double-doubles in Round 1 belong to Blatt (21 points, 12 assists) and [Johannes Voigtmann](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/johannes-voigtmann/007201/) (19 points, 10 rebounds).

First MVP award for a Maccabi point guard.

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2024-10-03T19:00:00.000Z)

Be sure to take a look at the best en plays of the 2024 25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season Round 1!

Top 10 Plays | RS Round 1 | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Be sure to take a look at the best ten plays of the 2024 25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season Round 1!

We have our first winner in this season's EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge! Efecan Yavasgel beat everyone else in Round 1 with his team Thefelele.

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Round 1 winner

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans, we have our first winner in this season's [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/)! Efecan Yavasgel beat everyone else in Round 1 with his team Thefelele, which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 184.2.

Efecan had the following lineup: team captain Jasiel Rivero of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, Tyrique Jone of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, Will Clyburn of Virtus Segrafedo Bologna, Wade Baldwin of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and Sylvain Francisco of Zalgiris Kaunas as starters, Tamir Blatt of Maccabi as sixth man, Louis Olindeo of ALBA Berlin, Dimitris Moraitis of Panathinaikos Aktor Athens, and Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz duo of Sander Raieste and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot as bench players, as well as Oded Kattash of Maccabi as head coach. The prize for finishing first in Round 1 is a free VIP Euroleague TV Subscription for the 2025-26 season!

Efecan is also the leader of the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/) overall standings.

Trades are now open for Round 2. Remember, four trades are allowed before each round until the end of the regular season. You can either trade up to four players, or a head coach and three players.

The first game in Round 2, AS Monaco vs. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, is scheduled to tip off on Wednesday, October 9 at 19:00 CET, and thus marks next round's deadline.

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

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

Fenerbahce Beko and Olympiacos BC, two favorites to make it to the 2025 EuroLeague Final Four, left it all out on the court in Round 1, leading to a passionate exchange afterward.

Emotions boiled over as EuroLeague heavyweights locked horns 

The much-anticipated blockbuster in Round 1 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fully lived up to its billing as it produced a high-octane clash between Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and Olympiacos Piraeus.

Packed with talent, both teams gave as good as they got throughout the contest, with [Fenerbahce prevailing 82-71](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/gritty-fenerbahce-sinks-olympiacos-82-71-thanks-to-second-half-onslaught/) thanks to immense contributions from new arrivals [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/), [Bonzie Colson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/bonzie-colson/009783/) and [Boban Marjanovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/boban-marjanovic/lmg/), complemented by a stellar fourth-quarter performance by stalwart [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/).

An understrengthed Olympiacos, missing injured big men [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) and [Moustapha Fall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/moustapha-fall/008811/), got outmuscled in the paint and forced to take a barrage of tough perimeter shots, which they clearly did not enjoy having lost the battle of the boards 44-24 while making only 4-of-20 shots from downtown.

Fenerbahce vs. Olympiacos | R1 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Fenerbahce was able to pull away in the fourth quarter, hitting top gear at both ends in the home stretch, as the hosts forced the Greek side into submission. What followed was an ugly face-off between the home team’s head coach Saras Jasikevicius and his Olympiacos counterpart Georgios Bartzokas.

Jasikevicius got into his longtime rival’s face and the latter responded with an equally angry gesture, forcing their staff and assistants to pull them apart after the final buzzer.

Both men later offered their explanations at the post-game press conference, blaming each other for lack of respect in a rare sight of rivalry going too far in Europe’s premier club competition.

Yet, Bartzokas and Jasikevicius will no doubt quickly put their spat to bed and turn their attention to upcoming challenges, on and off the court. The Olympiacos play-caller must be hoping that Milutinov and Fall will recover quickly, while the Fenerbahce boss will have to deal with [the long-term absence of guard Scottie Wilbekin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-confirms-the-worst-scottie-wilbekin-has-torn-his-acl/), who suffered an ACL tear in the first quarter against Olympiacos.

On the court, it appears Jasikevicius hit the nail on the head with the new signings, whose quality should give Fenerbahce the extra depth required to feature as strong contenders to win its second EuroLeague title.

In contrast, Bartzokas seemingly faces a tough process of blending [Evan Fournier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/evan-fournier/013380/) into the Olympiacos offense after a 12-year spell in the NBA, where he averaged a career-high 19.7 points for the Orlando Magic in the 2020-2021 season before he got traded to the Boston Celtics during that campaign. 

Fournier failed to hit the ground running on his EuroLeague debut, having scored a mere 5 points while managing just 1 assist against an ironclad Fenerbahce defense.

Bartzokas ultimately conceded that Olympiacos lacked the zest and mettle to prevail in an intimidating environment.

“We made some silly turnovers and gave them 14 offensive rebounds. It was about lack of physicality, aggressiveness and desire to get the ball, which is a big problem for us right now,” he said in a courtside interview.

“The players need to understand that every game in the EuroLeague is war, and they need to play like warriors if they want to win.”

Fenerbahce came out on top against Olympiacos in a fascinating battle on Friday night

Anadolu Efes showed a different side to its game in its EuroLeague opener by shutting down Virtus Bologna's offense, while star guard Shane Larkin is still working his way back into form.

Everything is heading in the right direction for resurgent Efes

Anadolu Efes Istanbul managed to do something on Friday night that it had not done in years. On the road at Virtus Segafredo Bologna, [Tomislav Mijatovic's men came away with a 67-76 triumph](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/strong-fourth-quarter-lifts-efes-to-win-over-virtus-67-76/), bringing an end to a couple of streaks in the process.

Those 67 points are the fewest Efes has allowed in a road win since December 2022, a 60-86 win in Kaunas, and its Round 1 triumph represents the first time Efes won a season opener on the road since 2018.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">👊 EuroLeague’de ilk maç ilk galibiyet!<br>Virtus Segafredo Bologna 67 - 76 Anadolu Efes | Maç Sonucu<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenimYerimBuras%C4%B1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenimYerimBurası</a> <a href="https://t.co/NAuQiVx89A">pic.twitter.com/NAuQiVx89A</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1842310413955813847?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Obviously, the victory came behind its defense, which did not allow Virtus to score more than 16 points in any of the last three quarters.

"We gave up a few offensive rebounds, a couple of turnovers, but we got the job done," said [Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/), who paced Efes with 14 points and 9 rebounds.

Efes had 13 turnovers, but it forced 18. Also, Efes had 10 offensive rebounds to just 7 from Virtus.

So, while Efes's juggernaut offense might have left a little to be desired, its defense was stellar. After all, Virtus was restricted to 48.5% two-point shooting and made just 5 threes on 20 attempts (25.0%).

Anadolu Efes Istanbul guard Shane Larkin discussed his team's performance after beating Virtus Segafredo Bologna in Round 1 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Shane Larkin: 'The sky is the limit for us'

That seems like a recipe Efes that Coach Mijatovic would like to see on display on a nightly basis going forward.

"I am not going to say we need to improve; we need to maintain the rebounding presence, maintain the tips, deflections, aggressiveness on defense, get steals," Mijatovic stated in his post-game interview. "Those are the things that get easy points for us, get us in a good rhythm, good momentum."

What really jumped out is that Efes left [Will Clyburn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/will-clyburn/004888/), who spent the last two seasons playing for the Turkish side, scoreless in 18 minutes of action. That's just the third time Clyburn has been held scoreless in his 220 EuroLeague appearances, with the last time coming in the third-place game at the 2021 Final Four. The only time it happened in a regular-season game was in March 2018.

"We said that we are playing against one of the most experienced and the most dangerous offensive teams in Europe," Mijatovic explained when asked about stopping Clyburn, and also holding [Marco Belinelli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/marco-belinelli/bcn/) to 7 points. 

"We know Will very much, and we know Marco \[Belinelli\] throughout his career. Those guys are super dangerous. And it does not take one person; it is a collective effort and you need to work on it. Okay, you got to be a little bit lucky at certain times because in basketball you need a little bit of luck. 

"It is not going to happen often in the future that Will be kept to a low scoring average. He is a great player, one of the best in modern EuroLeague history, the same as Marco. I think our team collective sacrifice and effort resulted in a great performance and a great victory like this one."

Virtus Segafredo Bologna vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul | Round 1 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

On the other hand, Mijatovic was very happy to see [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/) in action for the first time this season. Larkin missed the entire preseason due to a knock and did not feature in the Turkish Super Cup over the weekend, meaning he had to shake off a bit of rust in Bologna. 

"I've been on the court with the team for five days, I am feeling okay," Larkin said afterward. "Not great yet, but day by day I'll get better and a win is a win. I am glad we got that tonight."

Larkin came off the bench and finished with 11 points on 3-for-6 three-point shooting, as well as dishing 5 assists. He showed how he still retains the clutch gene midway through the fourth quarter, too, hitting back-to-back triples to cap a 2-15 run and open a 10-point Efes lead.

"We stayed together, made the big plays when we needed to. Key stops, key blocks, key offensive rebounds, key threes. That's what it is all about," Larkin added. 

The last time Efes won its EuroLeague opener on the road, it was Larkin's first EuroLeague game in Efes uniform.

"Playing on the road in the EuroLeague is extremely difficult. So, to come here and get a win in the first week of the season is great for our team."

The Turkish side secured an impressive Round 1 win in Bologna

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2024-10-04T19:00:00.000Z)

Crvena Zvezda grabbed its first win of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season by beating Paris Basketball in Round 1, rallying in the final 15 minutes to get the job done. 

Crvena Zvezda leaned on its experience and know-how in Paris 

In its opening game of the new Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade found itself in a critical situation midway through the third quarter. 

Paris Basketball led 51-38 midway through the period, pushed on by a sellout crowd at the brand-new Adidas Arena and led by an outstanding [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/). 

Despite being without its most experienced player, playmaker [Milos Teodosic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/milos-teodosic/jdr/), Zvezda found a way to get back into the game and [eventually grab a 77-80 victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/crvena-zvezda-spoils-the-party-for-paris-77-80/).

Paris Basketball vs. Crvena Zvezda | R1 Highlights |2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Zvezda did what all experienced teams have to do when their backs are against the wall: improve its aggressiveness at both ends and try to go to the foul line as often as possible. Zvezda hit five free throws in a decisive 0-11 run highlighted by [Codi Miller-McIntyre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/codi-miller-mcintyre/009048/)'s fast-break layup, euro-stepping away from [Nadir Hifi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nadir-hifi/012640/) to get a lightning quick basket.

Once the game was close, Zvezda found a go-to guy in [Nemanja Nedovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nemanja-nedovic/000848/), who got plenty of help from the most experienced players on the team. Paris regained a 58-53 lead late in the third quarter but Nedovic buried a couple of three-pointers and added a floater in traffic, with [Luka Mitrovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/luka-mitrovic/002553/) and Miller-McIntyre making telling contributions for a 63-67 Zvezda lead.

Nedovic had time for a fifth three-pointer in as many shots, then [Nikola Kalinic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-kalinic/004866/) beat the shot clock with another bomb from downtown. Zvezda managed the end of the game very well, keeping a slim lead and using fouls to prevent Paris from tying the game. When Hifi took a potentially game-tying shot, the final buzzer had sounded and it didn't go in, anyway.

Nemanja Nedovic had 21 points on 5 of 6 three-pointers to lead Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade past Paris Basketball in Round 1 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Nedovic shot the lights out in Paris

"We have these experienced players that played a lot of years in the EuroLeague and who have played a lot of games like that," Zvezda head coach Ioannis Sfairopoulos told EuroLeague TV after the game. "We took the right decisions defensively and offensively, and that was very important."

Nedovic finished the game with 21 points on 5-of-6 three-pointers. [Isaiah Canaan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/isaiah-canaan/010612/) added 14 points for Zvezda, hitting two critical free throws down the stretch. As always, Kalinic did a little bit of everything, finishing the game with 9 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and a PIR of 17.

"The EuroLeague is back, the intensity is back, the energy is back," Kalinic stated. "We knew they were going to go out there full of energy. They want to win in their new arena, in front of their fans, so when we managed to control that the pace and the rhythm of the game, we were good. 

"We played an amazing second half, so I'm very proud of the guys. I think finally in the second half, we found our chemistry. We figured out what's working for us offensively and defensively, so we have to build on that."

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="sl" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/adidasPlayeroftheGame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#adidasPlayeroftheGame</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> R1 🏀<br><br>⭐️ NEMANJA NEDOVIĆ<br><br>📊 21 pts, 7/8 FG, 5/6 3FG, 3 ast.<br>PIR 21<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://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/4tFM169Nma">pic.twitter.com/4tFM169Nma</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1842314312045740434?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"Winning away in the first game of the season is huge for us for our confidence," added Nedovic. "And we have to build on this, we cannot stop now. We didn't give up. It has to do a little bit with our experience. We are an experienced team. We know how to fight in tough situations and that's what we did today."

Zvezda outrebounded Paris 29-43, pulling down 15 offensive rebounds and allowing Paris to get just 17 defensive boards. It shot the ball better from downtown, too, thanks in large part to Nedovic's accuracy. Zvezda buried 10-of-22 three-pointers (45.5%) and Paris only hit 6-of-23 shots from beyond the arc (26.7%).

Zvezda will again be without Teodosic in its home opener against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in Round 2, so it will be hoping that its most experienced players can step up once again.

The Serbian side grabbed its first win of the season, rallying in the final 15 minutes to get the job done

Paris Basketball v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2024-10-04T19:00:00.000Z)

Virtus Segafredo Bologna-Anadolu Efes Istanbul | RS Round 1 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Paris Basketball-Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade| RS Round 1 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Anadolu Efes guard Shane Larkin discussed his team's performance after beating Virtus Bologna in Round 1 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

Joel Bolomboy stops Tyson Ward with a huge block off the glass!

 Bolomboy's big block! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night 

Anadolu Efes got its 2024-25 EuroLeague season off to the perfect start, beating Virtus Bologna 67-76 on the road.

Strong fourth quarter lifts Efes to win over Virtus, 67-76

Anadolu Efes Istanbul started the new Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season in the best way possible, going on the road and overcoming Virtus Segafredo Bologna 67-76 on Friday night. In a tight and very physical game, Efes pulled away for good with a 2-15 run early in the fourth quarter, opening a double-digit lead and never allowing Virtus to threaten again.

Dan Oturu led Efes with 14 points and 9 rebounds. Elijah Bryant scored 12, and Shane Larkin had 11 points and 6 rebounds in the win. Isaia Cordinier paced Virtus with a game-high 16 points, while Tornike Shengelia scored 12 in a losing effort.

Efes got going behind Ercan Osmani and Oturu before back-to-back three from Darius Thompson and Osmani opened a 7-13 lead. After a Virtus timeout, however, the hosts replied with back-to-back triples from Daniel Hackett and Cordinier, sparking a 12-0 run capped by Mouhamet Diouf that opened a 19-13 advantage, with Virtus 21-15 ahead after 10 minutes.

The battle became even more physical in the second quarter. Diouf's three-point play made it 24-17, but Jordan Nwora answered with a three-pointer. Ante Zizic had a big put-back dunk, yet Larkin's triple, on his first shot of the night with 4:52 left in the second quarter, tied things at 27-27. Virtus replied with seven straight points, five of which coming from the foul line, but Oturu's three-point play sparked Efes's answer. Oturu finished the half with a dunk just before the buzzer, meaning the two teams were tied, 36-36, at halftime.

Efes had a great start to the second half. Fueled by Bryant, who scored 6 points, and helped by a three-point play from Oturu, Efes made a 0-11 run to open the third quarter as it took the first double-digit lead of the game, 36-47. Virtus needed nearly five minutes to score in the second half, but Cordinier's basket started a 7-0 run of their own, capped by a three-point play from Shengelia. Marco Belinelli's wide-open corner triple started another 7-0 run from Virtus, capped again by Shengelia, who put the hosts back in front. Virtus led 52-51 after 30 minutes.

In the fourth, Larkin's tough jumper and Vincent Poirier's dunk restored the lead for Efes before three triples on consecutive possessions – one by Rodrigue Beaubois and two by Larkin – made it 56-66. A runner from Bryant set a 58-70 score with under five minutes to go. Virtus attempted a rally, holding Efes without a basket for almost four minutes, but Efes made several defensive stands and saw its win over the line.

Dan Oturu, Elijah Bryant and Shane Larkin scored in double figures for the visitors