Carles Duran’s side has now won seven games in a row in the competition.
Joventut is showing its EuroCup title credentials
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When Joventut Badalona lost 103-99 at Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv in Round 8 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup season, the picture looked pretty bleak. Not only was that the club’s third straight defeat, causing it to fall to a 3-5 record, but there had been murmurings of discontent in the camp. On top of that, injuries had hit Joventut hard in the opening eight rounds of the campaign.
Since then, though, there’s been no stopping Carles Duran’s side. Joventut is in the midst of a seven-game winning run in the EuroCup, most of its key players are now available again and a new signing has further bolstered the team’s options. All of a sudden, Joventut now looks like one of the clear favorites to become this season’s EuroCup champion.
Getting key players available again
One of the main sparks behind Joventut’s turnaround has been the return of Andres Feliz, who played in that Round 8 loss at Hapoel after missing the previous five games. The Dominican Republic international is one of his team’s main weapons and has been crucial in some of its victories in this stretch, most notably at Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul in Round 10 and with his game-winning shot at the London Lions in Round 15. Having Feliz available – and playing at the level he has shown this season – is a huge weapon for Joventut.
Just one week after Feliz returned to action, Ante Tomic followed suit. In fact, Joventut’s seven-game winning streak has coincided with the veteran Croatian being available again. A coincidence? I think not. Tomic makes Joventut a better team and also a smarter one. His playmaking ability from the “five” position cannot be understated, and he’s dovetailed perfectly in recent weeks with a center who has very different characteristics.
That man is, of course, Tyler Cook. The 26-year-old big man, who played 65 games across five teams in the NBA, has started to find his feet in Badalona and is certainly a better fit chemistry-wise than Chinanu Onuaku, whose time at Joventut lasted just four games. Forward Deshaun Thomas, another big-name summer addition, also left the team after Round 11.
Therefore, the only notable addition from the offseason who is still plying his trade under Coach Duran is Andrew Andrews, who has slowly but surely started to integrate into the team’s style. Importantly, Joventut’s 80-82 win in London also saw Shannon Evans make his EuroCup debut for the team, with the ex-Valencia Basket guard recording 12 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists.
Together, Andrews and Evans form arguably the best backcourt duo in the EuroCup, so once they get on the same page as one another, it could be curtains for the rest of the competition. The addition of Evans has made a good roster even better, but with Joventut securing its playoff spot with a win against London, the goal is to keep this momentum going.
“It’s very difficult in this competition,” Coach Duran said in the post-game flash interview. “But now, in the second half of the season, you only think about the next game. We need more victories; we need to improve in the standings. Today was a very important game for us, but now we’re thinking about the next one. I’m very happy with the team because it’s very difficult to play here and London played very well.”
Taking advantage of the schedule
Perhaps one of the notable aspects behind Joventut’s recent run has been a friendlier schedule, too, as prior to Round 15, its four most recent wins were against the four teams sitting outside the playoff spots. Yet, having started this streak with back-to-back wins against sixth-placed Prometey Slobozhanske (Round 9) and fifth-placed Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul (Round 10), its triumph against third-placed London in Round 15 showed that it can cause problems for any team in Group A.
That sentiment will be put to the test in Round 16, however, as Joventut looks to do what only Besiktas has been able to do this season: beat Paris Basketball. Joventut may have its playoff spot in the bag, but it is still jostling for position in the standings and is keen to end the regular season on a high.
“We will try to finish the regular season in the best position possible,” Duran reflected in the post-game press conference on Wednesday. “It’s clear that it is difficult for us because we play against Paris and Prometey on the road and Hapoel at home. But the next thing is Paris. I don’t want to think about the future. We need to improve, because we’re trying to come into the playoffs in good form, but now we’re thinking about the next step and the next step for me is Paris.”
Next Tuesday’s trip to the French capital should be a great test between two teams looking to go all the way in the EuroCup this season. Joventut is on a roll and if it can notch its eight straight win at Paris, it would send a message to the entire competition that there’s a new favorite in town.
It was just under two months ago that Joventut lost at Hapoel and some fans were even calling for Coach Duran’s head. Now, Joventut is heading to the postseason and is eyeing a spot in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, where it hasn’t played since the 2008-09 season. A lot can change in basketball in just a couple of months.