Umana Reyer Venice improved its record to 7-5 and stayed firmly on course to reach the EuroCup playoffs after it ground out a 95-90 home win over U-BT Cluj-Napoca thanks to sound three-point shooting throughout the rip-roaring contest. Cluj dropped to 4-8 after wiping out an 18-point deficit to take the lead in the fourth quarter.
Reyer edges Cluj 95-90 behind long-range spree
Game Report
3 Mins read
Derek Willis paced Reyer with a game-high 19 points, Mitchell Watt scored 16 and Marco Spissu contributed 15 points and 8 assists, including a clutch three-pointer late in the game. Jayson Granger added 12 points for the home side. Leonardo Meindl and Andrija Stipanovic netted 15 points each for Cluj, Stefan Bircevic and Shepherd Casey scored 13 apiece, Patrick Richard amassed 12 and Emanuel Cate added 10 for the visitors.
A fast start was essential for Reyes as it raced to a 9-2 lead and extended it to 21-10, netting 3 of 5 shots from three-point range in the first quarter, with Cluj able to slash the deficit to 25-17 after the opening 10 minutes despite committing 5 turnovers.
Reyer appeared to be out of sight after its advantage soared to 37-19 midway through the second with long-range shots raining in from all angles. Willis and Spissu were particularly lethal from beyond the arc, as the home side nailed 7 of 11 long-range shots by halftime.
Stipanovic kept Cluj afloat with a soft touch in Reyer’s paint, having scored 11 points in the first half, but the visitors still had a mountain to climb as they trailed 38-49 at the interval and hit only 2 of 7 shots from downtown.
Game Videos
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Kabengele's huge block! Magic Moment
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Simms throws it down! Magic Moment
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Zavier Simpson: 'It was crazy!'
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Stephens's alley-oop dunk! Magic Moment
- 00:08
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/92816f3f-c316-4c82-a8ac-6c6ffa0694bd.jpg?crop=1310%3A737%3Anowe%3A10%3A37]()
Stephens attacks the rim! Magic Moment
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Kabengele finishes the alley-oop! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/GJsnDy3lASk/maxresdefault.jpg]()
7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys-U-BT Cluj-Napoca | Round 17 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
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Turk Telekom Ankara-Umana Reyer Venice | Round 17 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
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Kabengele rejects Makoundou! Magic Moment
- 00:25
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/314dfc99-6bba-4873-9e85-4578020f92a8.jpg?crop=1136%3A639%3Anowe%3A184%3A90]()
What an assist by Mokoka! Magic Moment
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/2183c7a3-9f3c-4105-acd0-089253215742.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A167%3A25]()
Mokoka swats Stenionis! Magic Moment
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/10e24dcf-01ca-4861-95fd-45412e2f880c.jpg?crop=911%3A512%3Anowe%3A269%3A194]()
Wiltjer ends the first half in style! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/980OfcC6_vY/maxresdefault.jpg]()
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Kabengele’s win-saving block! Magic Moment of the Night
- 00:16
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/2eb4e839-b5b2-47ba-a34d-de833857db62.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A115%3A38]()
Lever steal and dunk! Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/57ba786e-4e6d-409a-a07c-c679b9164a81.jpg]()
U-BT Cluj-Napoca-Turk Telekom Ankara | Round 16 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/cd5bc455-e41a-4367-a103-92808b23f8f3.jpg?crop=1288%3A724%3Anowe%3A31%3A30]()
Lovely team baseline move by Cluj! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/r_IM8-CGA2U/maxresdefault.jpg]()
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![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/05ff8965-56a0-42c2-ac7f-457f2bf26508.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A135%3A118]()
Salin creates a fastbreak from the floor! Magic Moment
- 00:08
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/f1da82b0-b21b-4491-977b-36dbbf83940c.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A103%3A73]()
Kabengele hammers it home! Magic Moment
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/a88fc0b9-9773-40b6-849e-f8112d5d7b26.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A167%3A39]()
Zimpson dances and scores! Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d96808c4-44bb-4a5b-b6d1-8c45a0e74504.jpg]()
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![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/c5c4946d-f4ae-4bdc-8dc0-09a52372ac70.jpg]()
U-BT Cluj-Napoca-Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem | Round 14 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:19
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/f78d4dcc-555c-44b2-824d-a38f25ff44b6.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A10%3A123]()
Casarin’s answer is answered! Magic Moment
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/292b724d-953f-4590-a792-ede9d1eebb00.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A106%3A41]()
Stephens posterizes Smith! Magic Moment
- 00:35
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/01/03/VeqxBSjYkLltGasXC4tfAOifP5cPOKoH-1735939361522.jpg]()
Mokoka takes off for the massive dunk! Magic Moment of the Night
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/Y9kg3RC5GC0/maxresdefault.jpg]()
U-BT Cluj-Napoca-Veolia Towers Hamburg | Round 13 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/bb684647-7ca2-4db3-bacb-d87a9aaaf699.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A173%3A146]()
Mokoka takes off for the massive dunk! Magic Moment
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/2e41e3d1-0b0e-439b-98c4-eb7a4a38913a.jpg?crop=1004%3A565%3Anowe%3A269%3A78]()
Hankins finds Mejeris for the slam! Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d14b864e-5462-45e6-94e8-c87b9bed0da5.jpg]()
Umana Reyer Venice-Valencia Basket | Round 13 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:15
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/61237b6a-1be8-4dd8-bf92-c9989e50f23d.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A88%3A47]()
Parks with a two-handed block! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/Bt3SoMaLDc4/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Valencia Basket-U-BT Cluj-Napoca | Round 12 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/fT9j4iI9Nv4/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse-Umana Reyer Venice | Round 12 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:16
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d822280a-098b-44b9-b667-525602edf3bc.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A103%3A60]()
Kabengele explodes to the rim! Magic Moment
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/f249f449-fa7b-4439-b387-1fbcb9943c35.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A138%3A24]()
Parks rises for a put-back slam! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/0gqo4ZcA8HE/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Buducnost VOLI Podgorica-Dolomiti Energia Trento | Round 12 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/da540dff-7fcd-4b28-99ae-3edac2f31ed5.jpg?crop=1209%3A679%3Anowe%3A85%3A97]()
Simpson's circus shot! Magic Moment
- 00:30
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/32b0aca0-0241-43f3-a69c-0b518f0cb7cf.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A132%3A97]()
Jordan Ford forces OT! Magic Moment
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/5574f5a3-a41f-423c-85a5-36b68c874e3a.jpg?crop=640%3A359%3Anowe%3A506%3A63]()
Wright with the unreal vision! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/ayvAmct15g8/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Umana Reyer Venice-Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana | Round 11 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:07
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/eaa2cdaa-0205-4810-8291-7a8f813bb67a.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A118%3A94]()
Wheatle's chase-down block! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/Jji9axLj4fs/maxresdefault.jpg]()
U-BT Cluj-Napoca-Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse | Round 11 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:28
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/ce750352-36a6-4eaf-a17d-105f866432fe.jpg?crop=1191%3A670%3Anowe%3A103%3A62]()
Seeley's three to take the lead for good! Magic Moment
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/40a8fb17-a93a-470d-bbf2-ba8aeb7bcd48.jpg?crop=1271%3A715%3Anowe%3A0%3A68]()
An open lane for Guzman's dunk! Magic Moment
- 00:30
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/049e436b-d82f-40d6-b6ab-f0f547d742e7.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A83%3A172]()
Big hustle, big dunk! Magic Moment
Reyer pulled clear 52-38 early in the third but having slowed down in offense, Cluj clawed its way back into the game and gradually reduced the deficit with patient possession and strong defense. The visitors drew level at 67-67 late in the third quarter.
It was a rollercoaster in the final 10 minutes as Cluj grabbed its first and only lead of the night when it nosed ahead 72-71 with 7:48 left on the clock, before Reyer replied with a 9-0 run which turned the tide again.
Cluj refused to roll over and hit back with an 8-0 push that left the game all square at 80-80. Vital three-pointers from Willis and Spissu gave Reyer an 89-82 advantage and the home team never looked back.
The Romanian side fought hard to stay in the match and pushed the hosts all the way, but cool free-throw shooting saw Reyer come away with a vital win in its quest to reach the playoffs.
