A breakout third quarter was the key to victory for Buducnost VOLI Podgorica on Wednesday night at the MTEL Moraca Sports Hall, as the Montenegrin side overwhelmed the London Lions and took control of the game. Buducnost went on to secure a 94-63 victory.

Impressive second half from Buducnost proves far too much for Lions

A breakout third quarter was the key to victory for [Buducnost VOLI Podgorica](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/buducnost-voli-podgorica/bud/) on Wednesday night at the MTEL Moraca Sports Hall, as the Montenegrin side overwhelmed the [London Lions](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/london-lions/lli/) and took control of the game. Buducnost went on to secure a 94-63 victory.

The hosts took the lead after just two minutes and managed to hold it until the final seconds of the opening quarter, when a [Tarik Phillip](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/tarik-phillip/009649/) buzzer-beating triple put the Lions ahead. Buducnost responded in the second quarter, attacking the hole consistently to regain a slim advantage. However, the true difference was made in the third period, when Andrej Zakelj’s team ramped up their defensive effort, severely limiting London’s scoring opportunities and capitalizing on the other end, widening the ultimately insurmountable margin.

“We started the third quarter much better on defense, much more aggressive,” said Zakelj. “With [\[Oleksandr\] Kovliar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/oleksandr-kovliar/013247/) at point guard, we put much more pressure on and everybody else became more aggressive. That gave us a good result in the third quarter, and then offense is much easier to play when you are good on defense.”

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica-London Lions | Round 10 Highlights | 2025-26 BKT EuroCup

His counterpart, Lions coach Tautvydas Sabonis, expected a third-quarter shut-down but was disappointed with his team’s reaction to it.

“The physicality in the second half was expected and we didn’t answer,” Sabonis bemoaned. “They played a very good second half and we didn’t show up.”

Before the game, the Lithuanian coach pinpointed Buducnost forward [Rasheed Sulaimon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/rasheed-sulaimon/011150/) as a major threat. “They've got Sulaimon, who is a veteran in this league, certified bucket getter.” Well, he was right. The 31-year-old enjoyed a well-rounded display, adding 6 assists to his 16-point scoring display, while shooting 3 for 3 from downtown and not committing a turnover throughout the contest.

“I am satisfied with our team’s performance,” said Sulaimon. “I’m just going out there to play as hard as I can. Today, I got into a rhythm and my teammates found me. I think, overall, the energy and defense was great. I’m just happy for this win.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Rapsodija u Morači! <br>Pobjeda naše ekipe u 10. kolu Eurokupa 💙🤍<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kkb?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kkb</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/hukmora%C4%8De?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#hukmorače</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/roadtogreatness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#roadtogreatness</a> <a href="https://t.co/65DmDSpLHe">pic.twitter.com/65DmDSpLHe</a></p>&mdash; KK Budućnost VOLI (@KKBuducnostVOLI) <a href="https://twitter.com/KKBuducnostVOLI/status/1998853902394138865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Last week’s loss to JL Bourg-en-Bresse snapped a five-game winning streak for Buducnost. Sulaimon stressed the importance of the win as his side hopes to build added momentum.

“It was a very important win, especially coming off a loss against Bourg. We have to get into a good rhythm now, we’re in a good position but we’re still hungry and want more.”

Of course, he was helped by his teammates. [Nikola Tanaskovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/nikola-tanaskovic/005637/) led Buducnost in scoring, doing all of his damage in the paint. [Axel Bouteille](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/axel-bouteille/003840/) and [Juwan Morgan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/juwan-morgan/013256/) also boosted their team with double-digit scoring. For the Lions, Phillip recorded 16 rebounds, 4 boards and 5 dishes in defeat.

The result moves Buducnost to 7-3 for the season, putting it level with Turk Telekom Ankara in the standings. It will face Dolomiti Energia Trento next Tuesday. London slides to an even 5-5 for its EuroCup campaign and hopes to pull off an upset versus table-topping Besiktas GAIN Istanbul in a week’s time.

Game News

After seeing its five-game winning run come to an end last week, Buducnost got back on track in Round 10

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica v London Lions (2025-12-10T18:00:00.000Z)

Neptunas Klaipeda delivered a dramatic comeback performance on Wednesday night, overturning a dreadful start to defeat Slask Wroclaw in overtime. The Lithuanian side outscored the visitors 20–4 in the extra five minutes, delighting their fans in Klaipeda after what had seemed like a doomed opening quarter.

Neptunas takes its game to another level to down Slask in OT

[Neptunas Klaipeda](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/neptunas-klaipeda/kla/) delivered a dramatic comeback performance on Wednesday night, overturning a dreadful start to defeat [Slask Wroclaw](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/slask-wroclaw/wro/) in overtime. The Lithuanian side outscored the visitors 20–4 in the extra five minutes, delighting their fans in Klaipeda after what had seemed like a doomed opening quarter.

Coming off an impressive road win over Bahcesehir College Istanbul in Round 8 — fueled by a remarkable 18-of-36 shooting from three-point range — Neptunas's supporters could hardly believe their eyes early in this one. Winless away from home all season, Slask came out firing, storming to an 11–28 lead with just two minutes left in the first quarter. Meanwhile, Neptunas went ice-cold from deep, connecting on just 2-of-12 attempts after 10 minutes.

“We started the game very slow, very slow,” admitted Neptunas forward [Aurimas Majauskas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/aurimas-majauskas/003215/). “They outrebounded us, outmatched us with \[their\] energy, so Coach told us we needed to bring that energy. That’s what we did — we crashed the boards, moved the ball, and found the open man to make the shot.”

Neptunas Klaipeda-Slask Wroclaw | Round 10 Highlights | 2025-26 BKT EuroCup

Neptunas steadily chipped away at the deficit, trimming it to six (40–46) by halftime and finally grabbing its first lead midway through the third quarter, 49–48. From there, the game turned into a back-and-forth battle, with several ties and lead changes that kept the crowd on edge.

Despite its control on the boards — 21 rebounds over the first 35 minutes — Neptunas struggled to seize full command due to uncharacteristically poor three-point shooting. For a team averaging 38% from beyond the arc this season, its 7-of-32 (21.8%) performance was unusually low. When [Arnas Berucka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/arnas-berucka/006154/) missed a potential game-winner following [Kadre Gray](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/kadre-gray/013921/)’s tying basket at 83–83, the duel went to overtime.

That extra period, however, belonged entirely to Neptunas. “Yeah, \[we played\] much, much better,” smiled head coach Gediminas Petrauskas afterward. “We need to understand why we started so slowly, but the most important thing is that the support from our fans gave us that extra push in the second half. The overtime, overall, was spectacular.”

Berucka made amends immediately by knocking down the three-pointer he had missed in regulation. [Vitalijus Kozys](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/vitalijus-kozys/006907/) followed with another long-range bomb, and [Arnas Velicka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/arnas-velicka/006326/) added his third triple of the night to push Neptunas ahead 92–85 less than 90 seconds into the extra frame. Stunned by the sudden avalanche, Slask collapsed, missing six consecutive free throws as its rhythm vanished completely.

<center>
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Neptunas hit two more from deep to cap a 20–4 overtime run, playing its best basketball of the night when it mattered most. There was a calm confidence about its approach, one rooted in experience.

“We played another overtime on Sunday, so you know, it's a similar situation”, Majauskas reflected. “Today, we were calm. We were ready. We already did this, so we knew what we had to do.”

For Coach Petrauskas, that late resilience carried an extra meaning. “The most important thing is the team victory,” he said. “And especially because we won by more points than we lost in Poland. So, it seems like our last missed shot in the fourth quarter kind of came \[being\] into a positive thing.”

From a dreadful start to an emphatic overtime show, Neptunas turned a potential nightmare into one of its most satisfying wins of the season.

The hosts erased a 17-point first-quarter deficit and dominated the extra period 20–4 to claim a thrilling home victory

Neptunas Klaipeda v Slask Wroclaw (2025-12-10T17:00:00.000Z)

Bahcesehir College Istanbul needed a night to find its rhythm again, and a strong 84-72 win over U-BT Cluj Napoca delivered exactly that, moving the home side to 7-3 in Group A.

Bahcesehir bounces back with fourth-quarter surge over Cluj

[Bahcesehir College Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/bahcesehir-college-istanbul/bah/) needed a night to find its rhythm again, and a strong 84-72 win over [U-BT Cluj Napoca](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/u-bt-cluj-napoca/clu/) delivered exactly that, moving the home side to 7-3 in Group A.

Bahcesehir entered the night searching for a reset after two straight losses. As the game unfolded, the home team seized control, using a fourth-quarter push to secure an important victory.

‘‘This is a hell of a way to bounce back. We just wanna keep building on this,’’ said [Trevion Williams](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/trevion-williams/012604/) after a solid double-double performance.

All night long, Williams anchored Bahcesehir inside, powering the offense and controlling the boards. His impact was steady, hitting a double-double early in the third quarter. He closed the night with 22 points and 15 rebounds.

Bahcesehir College Istanbul-U-BT Cluj-Napoca | Round 10 Highlights | 2025-26 BKT EuroCup

After three balanced quarters, the turning point of the game came in the fourth, where Bahcesehir’s defense fully took over. The home side opened the final frame with a 17-0 run and held Cluj to just 10 points in the period. Most importantly, the Istanbul side kept the league’s highest-scoring team, averaging 96.9 points, to just 72 on the night.

‘‘We needed this one bad,’’ Bahcesehir coach Marko Barac stated afterward. ‘‘This is why probably in some parts of the game we were too nervous offensively. But in the fourth quarter we managed to find our advantages and to stay confident in the clutch moments to make two open shots for a very important win.’’

[Malachi Flynn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/malachi-flynn/013908/) kept Bahcesehir in the game early with two key threes and 9 points in the first quarter. He made his impact felt again in the fourth, helping extend the lead and finishing with 18 points. [Tyler Cavanaugh](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/tyler-cavanaugh/009601/) also made an impact in the final frame, contributing 13 points to seal the win.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">💎 İşte galibiyetin 𝐌𝐕𝐏’si! <br><br>🔑 U-BT Cluj-Napoca galibiyetimizde anahtar rol oynayan oyuncumuz; 22 sayı, 15 ribaund, 2 asist, 28 verimlilik puanı performansıyla Trevion Williams oluyor!<br><br>❤️💙 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CatchYourDreams?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CatchYourDreams</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/4sfY4dhR3t">pic.twitter.com/4sfY4dhR3t</a></p>&mdash; Bahçeşehir Koleji Spor Kulübü (@BKBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/BKBasketbol/status/1998815695455567958?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Missing star guard [Fatts Russell](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/daron-russell/013943/), Cluj leaned on [Mitch Creek](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/mitchell-creek/013927/) to stay in the game. His second-quarter buckets gave the offense a spark, and he finished with 12 points. [Nighael Ceaser](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/nighael-ceaser/014185/) and [Saulius Kulvietis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/saulius-kulvietis/001694/) added 11 each, while [Dusan Miletic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/dusan-miletic/009896/) chipped in 9 points.

Cluj coach Mihai Silvasan said: ‘‘I think it was an interesting game and close fight until the fourth quarter, when we just didn’t find the right shots, we turned the ball over. We didn’t manage to handle well their aggressive defense, and the result was 28-10 in the fourth quarter… That’s basketball, you know; you need to play consistent and good until the end.’’

Beyond the arc, neither team found much rhythm, with Bahcesehir hitting 7 of 27 and Cluj 6 of 18 from deep.

In Round 11, Bahcesehir will try to carry its momentum on the road to face Umana Reyer Venice, while Cluj will host Neptunas Klaipeda at home.

Trevion Williams led Bahcesehir with a strong double-double performance

Bahcesehir College Istanbul v U-BT Cluj-Napoca (2025-12-10T16:00:00.000Z)

After winning a championship in Mexico, the veteran forward wasted no time in signing with BAXI Manresa and returning to the BKT EuroCup for the first time since 2017, which he discussed with Javier Gancedo

Pierre Oriola: 'All the factors were positive for my return to Manresa'

Pierre Oriola’s basketball journey has come full circle. Eight years after playing in the EuroCup Finals with Valencia Basket, the Spanish big man is back in the competition wearing the colors of BAXI Manresa, a club he knows well and calls home. His return comes after a whirlwind few months that saw him lift the Mexican League trophy with Fuerza Regia Monterrey before boarding a flight to Spain just two days later.

“It was from one day to the next,” Oriola told Javier Gancedo. “They told me what they wanted from me, what they expected I could contribute, and I didn’t think about it. Being close to my family, my wife and my son, being in a place that I consider like my home, where I started my sports career, and starting a third stint with the team… all the factors were positive for my return.”

**Congratulations on the win. I suppose that after four consecutive losses, Manresa needed a win to get back on track and that's what you did. How important was that?**

"Regardless of whether the opponent was in a bad or good situation, we wanted to win in front of our fans, get back to winning ways, regain the feeling of the game and we did it. I think we played a very serious game. The first quarter was even, but from there, I think we dominated in all aspects of the game and we were able to win, which brings us a little closer to the top six teams. We are now in fifth place, despite the fact that there are many teams tied, but we are within the \[playoffs\] cut and that's a bit what we want, we want to keep adding wins, especially when we play at home, and try to finish as high up as possible."

 

**I guess you didn't need a lot of adaptation under a club you know, or a place you know, or two leagues you played in before. You arrived in good shape, too. How did it all help you play great right away?**

"It was very easy, as you say, because I came from a three-month stint in Mexico, and in the end, it's not about being at home and training on your own, it's about the rhythm of the competition. I know the ACB very well, I also played the EuroCup with Valencia a few years ago, and also with Baloncesto Sevilla, so it was an extra motivation I had to be in Manresa, a club I know, a club I'm in for the third time. I was very excited to be able to play the double competition and play the EuroCup, because I hadn't played it for many years, and it is very competitive now."

Pierre Oriola joined BAXI Manresa right after winning the Mexican League title with Fuerza Regia Monterrey. 

Oriola powers Manresa's frontcourt

**How was it to play in Mexico and win the league?**

"The experience was very good, on a life level and on a human level. I got to know a country I probably wouldn't have known. I would have rarely thought I would have ended up in Mexico, unless I had gone to Cancun or Los Cabos on vacation, but I wouldn't have imagined being able to live three months in Mexico. So, on a human level and on a life level, it was very good. On a basketball level, very different from what I'm used to, a very physical league, not on a physical level, but on a contact level. A much more American basketball, with eight Americans on the roster, where one-on-one is played a lot, so it's not my style of play, but I adapted very well and, in the end, we were rewarded by winning the league."

 

**I suppose you have a bit of a grudge against the EuroCup after losing Game 3 of the 2017 EuroCup Finals against Unicaja. How excited are you to return to the EuroCup?**

"It makes me very excited, because right now I think the EuroCup is at a very high level of teams and it's very, very competitive. Any of the 10 teams in the group we are in are strong. Hamburg is not doing well this year, but last year they were one of the teams that was fighting to qualify, too, and it was a solid team, so I think it is a very competitive league. And I do have that pending issue. I have it because I think we were the best long-term team during the whole competition \[in 2017\], but when the time came, we couldn't materialise it and Malaga was better, both in the second game and in the third."

 

**And in the meantime, eight tears have passed and you've had a lot of success: Spanish League champion with two different teams, Spanish Copa del Rey champion, even World Cup champion with Spain and EuroLeague finalist with FC Barcelona. How does it feel to return to Manresa and the EuroCup with such incredible experiences in your basketball bag?**

"A lot of good things have happened to me, I mean, it's been eight years, I have had a lot of experiences. I have also had an injury that kept me away from basketball for a few months and it was hard for me to get my level back and so on, but well, I think it's both experiences and learning that life gives you and, in this case, basketball. I would tell you that since I left, a lot of good things have happened, most of them good. As I said, it was a shame not to win the EuroCup and at the same time, on this path, I had the opportunity to play two EuroLeague Final Fours and lose a Championship Game, which I think is also one of those little thorns that I will have in my career. But also if I look back, years ago or when I started, I would have never imagined that everything I have done so far would have happened. And I think that's the important thing at the end."

'Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu gives us a spectacular highlight every day'

**Your new teammate Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu could easily be one of the most athletic players we have seen at any level. You have played with a lot of people, have you seen anything similar to Kao?**

"No. He is one of the most spectacular players in terms of jump timing, explosiveness, highlight plays... one of the best I have seen, if not the best! It is spectacular how high he jumps and the timing he has. He still has to improve his decision-making, especially when he goes to the hoop, they throw the ball up, he wants to finish right away and many times it would be good for him to catch the ball and not to try to finish it right away because many times there is a previous contact and he gets out of balance, but the truth is that it's amazing to see him and every day he gives us a spectacular highlight, whether it's with a big block or a huge dunk. He is incredible."

 

**What about Hugo Benitez? He has been incredibly consistent so far, but has been a bit unnoticed until now... For a pick-and-roll player like you, having Benitez in the team must be a blessing.**

"I want to be honest. He is the one who has surprised me the most of all. He seems to me a player with huge talent who can play at the highest level. Added to the talent he has, his court vision when it comes to passing, when it comes to playing, and the character he shows when he plays is amazing. He is 24 years old, but he has been playing for five or six years in the EuroCup with Bourg and this year in Manresa, and you see him with personality, you see him with character, you see that his pulse does not tremble at any time when it comes to making decisions, when it comes to wanting the ball in important moments. It is my humble opinion, that of Pierre Oriola, it is a matter of time before EuroLeague team bets on him, and I think it will go very well, because he is a point guard for the present, which he already is, but also for the future."

Hugo Benitez is 'a player with huge talent who can play at the highest level.'

**Your next game is against Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana. Its sports director, Chechu Mulero, signed you at Valencia and almost a decade later, here you go again, him in Ljubljana and you in Manresa. What will be the key to the game?**

"First things first, I am very thankful to Chechu. Him and Pedro \[Martinez\] were the people who took me to Valencia, and they gave me that leap in my career. Without them, everything that followed would probably never happened, so I am very thankful. I was able to play with the national team, I was in Barca, so he is one of those people who gave me the opportunity, and obviously, I did the work, I took advantage of it, but I thank him a lot.

"About the game, I think we have to be solid. Cedevita is a team with a lot of experience, with a lot of talented players, a team that leads our group standings. We face a team designed to go through rounds and to be at the top of the EuroCup. Being us, especially at home, we have to play with our identity, run the break as many times as we can, try to dominate the rebounds, and above all, give a high pace to the game. I think that when we are able to dominate that high pace, to pass the ball from one side to the other, it is very difficult for the teams to play at the pace that we set in the game, and those are more options of victory for us."

 

**It took you just a few hours to sign for Manresa after lifting the trophy in Mexico? Did everything click, or were you talking about it already?**

"It was from one day to the next. I mean, this was not much talked about before or anything, but I finished on Monday, and on Wednesday I was talking with both with \[general manager\] Biel Corominas and \[head coach\] Diego Ocampo on the phone. They had just finished the game in Romania against Cluj and they called me. They told me a little bit about what they wanted from me, what they expected that I could contribute, and I didn't think about it. Being close to my family, my wife and my son, which is very important for me, being in a place that I consider like my home, where I started my sports career, and starting a third stint with the team. So, let's say that all the factors and everything were positive for my return, and I think it was the moment, after coming from an experience like this, and with this positive energy that I had for winning the Mexican League, I think it was the perfect scenario. We signed it as soon as possible, and just the next day I was flying to Spain."

 

**Manresa is a new EuroCup team and you hadn't played the competition for a long time. What are your expectations?**

"I think we are a club that in the last few years has shown the ambition that we have, despite being one of the most humble projects both in Europe and in the ACB, but I think we have an ambition that starts with our fans, who are very demanding, but at the same time they always respond both when the team is doing well and when it's not. I think we have to take one game at a time, it's a new competition for us, a new scenario against high-level opponents with a lot of talent. The EuroCup has improved a lot in the last few years and there are great teams built to win it and go to the EuroLeague the following season, so our goal is to go game by game. I personally would like to go past the regular season. I think it's doable, but to do that, we have to be strong at home. We have to win all of our home games and try to add one win on the road."

More from BAXI Manresa

After winning a championship in Mexico, the veteran forward wasted no time in signing with BAXI Manresa and returning to the BKT EuroCup for the first time since 2017

Who will emerge as the EuroCup MVP for the 2025-26 season? One name standing among the chief candidates through sheer dominance is Daron Fatts Russell.

Fatts Russell keeps slaying Goliaths on his EuroCup rise

Two seasons ago, T.J. Shorts took home the EuroCup MVP award. A year later, Jared Harper of Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem claimed the honor.

Russell enters his team's Round 10 game against Bahcesehir College Istanbul atop the EuroCup scoring charts with an average of 22 points per game. He’s also tied for second in PIR (21.6) and assists (6.7 apg.) and stands alone in three-pointers made (3.1).

Read more [HERE](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1905163/fatts-russell-keeps-slaying-goliaths-on-his-eurocup-rise/)...

More Cluj news

The Cluj guard is having a sensational debut season in the BKT EuroCup

After more than two years, the BKT EuroCup returned to Israel on Tuesday, and more than 2,500 fans at Toto Holon Arena witnessed Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem’s 86-76 victory over Veolia Towers Hamburg.

Jerusalem celebrates homecoming with win over Hamburg 

After more than two years, the BKT EuroCup returned to Israel on Tuesday, and more than 2,500 fans at Toto Holon Arena witnessed [Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-midtown-jerusalem/jer/)’s 86-76 victory over [Veolia Towers Hamburg](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/veolia-towers-hamburg/ham/).

Jerusalem never trailed and controlled most of the game to improve to 8-2, staying tied for the top spot in Group A, while Hamburg fell to 0-10. Yet the night was about more than the scoreboard — it was about EuroCup basketball being back in Israel.

“When we got the news \[that the game would take place in Israel\], it was obviously a challenge because of everything that happened in recent years,” Hamburg coach Benka Barloschky said. “But the hospitality was great. The hotel was great. The food is always good in Tel Aviv. The atmosphere tonight was special. I’m happy for everyone who came and just focused on basketball for two and a half hours.”

Barloschky called Jerusalem the best team in the group and a contender for the title. His counterpart, Yonatan Alon, emphasized the impact of playing at home.

Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem-Veolia Towers Hamburg | Round 10 Highlights | 2025-26 BKT EuroCup

“Our fans are amazing — that’s what we were missing,” Alon said. “Sometimes when you’re sleepwalking through a game and the opponent isn’t great, the crowd lifts you and boom — you’ve won the game. When the fans are here, cheering and singing, there’s no way not to gain momentum.”

That momentum showed in the third quarter when Hamburg cut the lead to four. [Josiah-Jordan James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/josiah-jordan-james/013906/) answered with a three-pointer, and [Cassius Winston](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/cassius-winston/011940/) added free throws as Jerusalem pulled away before sealing the win in the fourth.

Jerusalem’s trio of star guards combined for 57 points and 7 assists. Reigning EuroCup MVP [Jared Harper](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/jared-harper/011970/) added 17 points and a season-high 6 rebounds for a PIR of 25.

“It was great to have our fans, have that atmosphere to kind of push us through the game,” Harper said. “This wasn’t our best game of the season, but we were able to feed off the energy of the fans and do what we're supposed to do, which is win, so it was good.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="iw" dir="rtl">דינו ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/z5oLpOK4iI">pic.twitter.com/z5oLpOK4iI</a></p>&mdash; Hapoel Jerusalem BC (@JerusalemBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerusalemBasket/status/1998487798840741937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

For Hamburg, the game was more than just about serving as the opponent for Jerusalem's homecoming. Twenty-one-year-old center [Zacharie Perrin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/zacharie-perrin/011579/) had what his coach called his “best game so far” with 16 points and 8 rebounds.

“I'm very proud of my team that — against a physical team like this, against a very good defensive team like this — we only covered 10 turnovers, so we took care of the ball,” Barloschky said before going on to highlight his team's rebounding and effort.

"We kept it close for the whole game and we had Hapoel on the edge for a couple of minutes in every quarter and that's a very good step for us, so good performance," Barloschky summed up.

The Israeli side improves to 8-2 behind its star guards and a roaring home crowd, while the German team earns praise despite falling to 0-10

Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem v Veolia Towers Hamburg (2025-12-09T18:00:00.000Z)

Dolomiti Energia Trento clearly took advantage of the national team break to reenergize itself, coming out with two strong road wins – the second being a major shock as the Italian outfit routed Group B leader Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse. 

Jakimovski, Trento make statement with win at Bourg: 'We’re not gonna stop here'

[Dolomiti Energia Trento](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/dolomiti-energia-trento/trn/) clearly took advantage of the national team break to reenergize itself, coming out with two strong road wins – the second being a major shock as the Italian outfit routed Group B leader [Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/cosea-jl-bourg-en-bresse/bou/). 

Trento shrugged off a nightmare start to the game and showed its mental strength with a 73-91 victory to hand Bourg its first home loss of the season. 

The visiting team's fans must have been watching the first five minutes and Bourg’s 21-5 lead and had more nightmares from the disaster at home in Round 1, when Trento lost 48-79 loss against the French side. But this is a different team than the one on October 1, responding with a 2-23 run to take the lead, with the cushion growing to 14 points in the second quarter. 

Bourg scored 13 consecutive points in the third quarter and the lead was down to one point at 48-49. Trento had taken the hosts' punches, but it did not break and never handed over the lead. Massimo Cancellieri’s men even began to pull away in the fourth quarter, with a 21-point margin at one point. 

Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse-Dolomiti Energia Trento | Round 10 Highlights | 2025-26 BKT EuroCup

“We were solid. The reaction from Bourg came. We were sure. We stayed poised and we were waiting for our time. I’m happy that the whole team participated in this,” said Cancellieri, whose team is now 5-5 in Group B with a 4-2 mark on the road.

Bourg handed over its lead in the standings with an 8-2 record – including 4-1 at the Ekinox. Besiktas GAIN Istanbul tops Group B as it beat Bourg in the first half of the regular season. 

"We are happy because Besiktas was the only team to beat them. So we are the second, and we are proud of this result. The season will finish when it finishes. Now we have to enjoy this and get some confidence for the next game,” said Cancellieri.

The coach talked about the difference of his team from that Round 1 game. 

“That was our first shock of the season. We had the pre-season and the Super Cup against Italian teams. And then we show up ready, steady, go in the EuroCup against the most athletic team that we could face. We weren’t terrible, we were like ghosts,” he said. 

“From there we started the process. It’s not finished but I think what we did today is a little bit closer to what we have to do for the EuroCup level. The players have to be proud of what they are doing, the commitment and the attitude that they have. But this is not history. We are in December.” 

Cancellieri credits the FIBA break for some of the team’s stronger play. 

“The national team break gave us a little bit more energy. We gave them some days off. And they refreshed a bit mentally. We took advantage of that. But now we have to work to keep doing this,” he said. 

<center>
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The biggest key to Trento scoring 91 points against the number one defense in the EuroCup was [Andrej Jakimovski](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/andrej-jakimovski/009429/). 

The 24-year-old is playing his first full professional season in Europe after a college career in the United States. The forward tied his career high with 30 points and added 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 10 fouls drawn for an index rating of 43. His PIR of 43 set a Trento record in the EuroCup, topping the previous best of 41 by Gary Browne in 2020-21. 

“I am happy about the team. I am proud of the team. We showed resilience, we showed amazing effort. We came back. We had an awful start. But I am happy about this win. We’re not gonna stop here. We’re going to keep going. We’re getting better. It’s an incredible win,” Jakimovski said.  

While Trento is celebrating a big upset, Bourg will now look for answers. 

"I am disappointed that we lost but Trento played very well so they deserved to win. We played five good minutes in the first half and five good minutes in the second half and that is not enough to win a game,” Bourg head coach Frederic Fauthoux said after the game, as his team made just 33.3% of its two-pointers. 

The Italian side has won back-to-back road games after the national team break

Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse v Dolomiti Energia Trento (2025-12-09T18:30:00.000Z)

“It’s going to give us a lot of confidence going forward and I’m very proud of these guys,” said Rodrigo Pastore, whose NINERS Chemnitz team fought back to defeat Panionios Cosmorama Travel Athens on Tuesday night.

Amadou Sow stars as no-quit Chemnitz comes back to beat Panionios

“It’s going to give us a lot of confidence going forward and I’m very proud of these guys,” said Rodrigo Pastore, whose [NINERS Chemnitz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/niners-chemnitz/nin/) team fought back to defeat [Panionios Cosmorama Travel Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/panionios-cosmorama-travel-athens/nio/) on Tuesday night.

Pastore’s team took an early lead but couldn’t grab the opportunity to widen the gap substantially. Panionios went ahead in the second quarter and was able to hold on to the advantage quite comfortably until the final few minutes, when Chemnitz put together a gutsy comeback run. With just over a minute remaining, [Corey Davis Jr.](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/corey-davis-jr-/013890/) drained a corner three to put the hosts ahead. NINERS managed the game professionally in the closing moments, securing the 73-68 victory.

“There was a lot of offensive power in this Greek team, which we saw in the first half especially, but to have that consciousness that we can get stops in key moments of the game is something we haven’t showed lately,” Pastore stated.

NINERS Chemnitz-Panionios Cosmorama Travel Athens | Round 10 Highlights | 2025-26 BKT EuroCup

The Argentinian coach’s sense of pride was accompanied by a sense of relief for his team, which he believes has worked hard to earn this success. He also took the time to big up the home crowd.

“They deserve a game like today. Also, our fans were our sixth man tonight.”

[Amadou Sow](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/amadou-sow/012598/) played a starring role, adding 10 rebounds to his 19-point performance. His hulking physical play led to just his second-ever double-double in the EuroCup, while he finished with a PIR of 23.

“This was huge,” said Sow. “It speaks for the work ethic and what we did over the last couple of days to get ready. Our coaching staff did an amazing job and we managed to execute.”

Sow was quick to deflect any talk of his individual performance with praise for the wider Chemnitz unit.

“I give all credit to our coaching staff and my teammates. They keep believing in me, giving me the ball in the right spot, at the right time, and I’m making plays.”

The Malian big man wasn’t alone in inspiring the hosts to victory. Davis made impressive, crucial shots to serve as a catalyst for the comeback, finishing on 10 points for the night. Elsewhere, [Kevin Yebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/kevin-yebo/013368/) and [Nike Sibande](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/nike-sibande/013889/) also finished in double figures. [Jaylen Hands](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/jaylen-hands/013914/)’s 19 points weren’t enough to win the game for Panionios.

<center>
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While visiting coach Ilias Zouros was gracious in defeat, he had no doubt that his team was more deserving of the win.

“Congratulations to Chemnitz, congratulations to my players, because they played very good for 35 minutes,” said Zouros. “Unfortunately for the last 5 minutes, we lost concentration and we didn’t get the win that we deserved, because we deserved it – we played much better basketball today.”

The disappointing loss moves Zouros’s team to 1-9 in bottom place and makes it nine consecutive defeats to affirm its spot at the bottom of their group. Panionios will have a chance to bounce back when it hosts ratiopharm ulm next week. Chemnitz, which moved to 4-6 with this win, will face Lietkabelis Panevezys in a week’s time.

The German side pulled out the victory in the dying minutes of the contest

NINERS Chemnitz v Panionios Cosmorama Travel Athens (2025-12-09T18:00:00.000Z)

Besiktas GAIN Istanbul was made to sweat, but in the end it took care of business once again, closing out a 94-85 overtime win against Lietkabelis Panevezys to improve to 8-2 in Group B and stay perfect at home.

Besiktas shows late-game poise, takes OT thriller over Lietkabelis

[Besiktas GAIN Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/besiktas-gain-istanbul/bes/) was made to sweat, but in the end it took care of business once again, closing out a 94-85 overtime win against [Lietkabelis Panevezys](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/lietkabelis-panevezys/lkb/) to improve to 8-2 in Group B and stay perfect at home.

“Every game is important. There are no easy games in EuroCup,” Besiktas coach Dusan Alimpijevic said before tipoff. Forty-five minutes later, it felt exactly like one of those nights.

Riding the wave of a four-game winning streak, Besiktas came into Round 10 in top form and that showed, particularly in the first half. The third quarter told a different story, however, with Lietkabelis mounting a confident run to take the lead. Late on, Besiktas leaned on its late-game character to force the extra session before flexing its muscles in overtime.

Besiktas GAIN Istanbul-Lietkabelis Panevezys | Round 10 Highlights | 2025-26 BKT EuroCup

[Ante Zizic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/ante-zizic/004554/) was at the heart of the black-and-whites’ first-half surge. The Round 9 MVP made his presence felt inside, finishing the game with 16 points and 7 rebounds. “Each guy who stepped on the court showed his character, and we are ready for the next one,” he said after the game.

Besiktas struggled with foul trouble throughout the game and lost some defensive balance in the third quarter, allowing Lietkabelis to find easy shots and take the lead, outscoring the home side 17-27.

In the fourth, Besiktas regained its defensive edge, and a roller-coaster final quarter set the stage for a tense finish. With 30 seconds left, Lietkabelis held a five-point lead, but a crucial three from [Vitto Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/vitto-brown/013365/) and a steal followed by free throws by [Yigit Arslan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/yigit-arslan/007914/) sent the game to overtime, where Besiktas regained control.

‘‘We showed Besiktas character, we showed that we are fighting until the last second, and we showed that we never give up,’’ said Coach Alimpijevic after the game. ‘‘Sometimes, for the character of the team and to build something, sometimes it’s better to win this kind of game than maybe \[by\] plus 10 or plus 15.’’

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Bir Akatlar ritüeli. 🎶<br><br>🗣️ DUSAN, DUSAN! <a href="https://t.co/EzVxtyh8BQ">pic.twitter.com/EzVxtyh8BQ</a></p>&mdash; Beşiktaş GAİN (@BJK_Basketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/BJK_Basketbol/status/1998494373869129797?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Jonah Mathews](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/jonah-mathews/011936/) and Brown took charge for Besiktas in the second half. Mathews knocked down three vital threes on his way to 14 points, while Brown added 13, also hitting three important triples. The home team leaned on its deep roster, with every player who stepped on the floor finding their spot on the scoreboard.

For Lietkabelis, chasing just its third win of the season, [Michael Flowers](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/michael-flowers/014159/) led the charge with a career-high 35 PIR and 27 points. [Kristian Kullamae](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/kristian-kullamae/007729/) added 18 points, knocking down key threes, but despite its best efforts, the Lithuanian side couldn’t find a way back.

In Round 11, Besiktas will look to carry this momentum to London as it faces the Lions, while Lietkabelis will search for its third win at home against NINERS Chemnitz.

Jonah Mathews led the charge in the second half

Besiktas GAIN Istanbul v Lietkabelis Panevezys (2025-12-09T17:00:00.000Z)