The Besiktas GAIN Istanbul and Turk Telekom Ankara showdown lived up to its billing with Besiktas surviving an intense battle in the Turkish derby to remain undefeated at home and inch closer to a top-two spot in Group B.
Besiktas managed to pull away in the closing 2 minutes for a 91-81 victory that lifted its record to 12-5 overall and 9-0 at BJK Gain Sports Complex. 

Besiktas battle past Turk Telekom in intense contest to remain undefeated at home

The Besiktas GAIN Istanbul and Turk Telekom Ankara showdown lived up to its billing with Besiktas surviving an intense battle in the Turkish derby to remain undefeated at home and inch closer to a top-two spot in Group B.

Besiktas managed to pull away in the closing 2 minutes for a 91-81 victory that lifted its record to 12-5 overall and 9-0 at BJK Gain Sports Complex. After the game, Besiktas learned that it had earned a direct place in the quarterfinals when Dolomiti Energia Trento lost.

“It was a good game for both teams. We respect Turk Telekom. We believe they play a very good game. Both teams had chances. In the end, I believe we were a little more focused on some details,” said Besiktas head coach Dusan Alimpijevic.

Besiktas nearly wasted an 11-point lead, but Devon Dotson came up clutch late with 12 of his 22 points in the final 5 minutes. Ante Zizic registered 12 points and 11 rebounds while Brynton Lemar and Jonah Mathews both added 12 points in the win.

“It was a very tough physical game. We won by 10 points. That seems easy, but it was far from that. Turk Telekom played an amazing game. We all did our best and stepped up tonight. It was a very important win for us,” said Zizic.

This was the fourth game between these two teams already with Besiktas winning  77-72 at home in the Turkish League on September 27 and then 84-93 at Turk Telekom in the EuroCup in Round 8 on November 19.

Turk Telekom scored an 87-84 home win in the Turkish League on January 18.

“We showed a lot of clips of the last loss in the Turkish League. That motivated them a lot,” Alimpijevic said.

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Both teams were playing tough defense right from the start in an intense battle. Turk Telekom twice was able to open a 6-point lead and led 19-23 after 10 minutes. Besiktas allowed only one basket in nearly the first 4 minutes of the second quarter and went up 28-25. Three baskets from Mathews pushed the cushion to 35-29. The advantage grew to 43-34 and the home side was ahead 43-38 at the break.

Besiktas twice had an 8-point cushion early in the third quarter and never gave up the lead as the visitors pulled within 3 points. Besiktas was ahead 68-60 after 30 minutes.

A Mathews triple to start the fourth quarter extended the margin to double figures for the first time at 71-60. Turk Telekom immediately responded with a 1-11 surge to make it 72-71. Dotson twice hit three-pointers and then 2 free throws for an 84-79 lead with 89 seconds to go.

An unsportsmanlike foul on Jordan Usher resulted in a Zizic free throw and Mathews layup and Besiktas led 87-79 with 58 seconds remaining. Dotson added a jumper to finish off Turk Telekom’s hopes.

Game News

Turk Telekom saw its four-game winning streak snapped in falling to 11-6. Jaleen Smith tallied 19 points, Kyle Alexander had 16 points and 6 rebounds and Kyle Allman had 12 points. 

“We fought until the end, but small mistakes and accuracy affected us. We missed 12 free throws and shot 4 of 19 (on three-pointers) and were still in the game in the last 2 minutes. We lost a game that was in our hands, unfortunately. But at the end of the day, this is just one game. Next week we will see where are standing and we will go from there,” said Turk Telekom head coach Erdem Can.

After the win, Besiktas learned it had advanced to the quarterfinals when Trento lost

Besiktas GAIN Istanbul v Turk Telekom Ankara (2026-02-04T17:00:00.000Z)

Check out what the protagonists are saying ahead of Round 17 of the 2025-26 EuroCup season.

Round 17: Pregame quotes and injury reports

## Wednesday, February 4

### Lietkabelis Panevezys vs. Panionios Cosmorama Travel Athens (18:00 CET)

\--

### Besiktas GAIN Istanbul vs. Turk Telekom Ankara (18:00 CET)

\--

### Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem vs. U-BT Cluj-Napoca (19:00 CET)

**Mihai Silvasan, Cluj head coach**

"We are playing against a very strong team. So far, they have shown that they play the best offensive basketball in the EuroCup. They are first in points scored, with impressive efficiency. They have players of very high individual quality, especially their guards, who are generally very good. We need to focus on defense, on individual defense, and try to make their lives as difficult as possible. This is an important game for us, a game we will fight to win. Even though we are not in our best form at the moment, our confidence remains, and we want to stay competitive and keep fighting until the end."

**Saulius Kulvietis, Cluj forward**

"We have a very important game coming up, as there are only two matches left in the EuroCup regular season and we are still fighting to qualify for the playoffs. We are going through a negative run of results at the moment, but we remain positive. We have a very close-knit group, so we are looking ahead and hoping to win tomorrow and take a big step toward the next stage of the competition."

### NINERS Chemnitz vs. Dolomiti Energia Trento (19:00 CET)

**Fabio Bongi, Trento assistant coach**

"We are about to face a demanding road game in Germany against a very strong team. In the first meeting, Chemnitz deservedly beat us, playing an extremely solid game and putting us in great difficulty, especially with their big men, who have great athleticism and two-way ability. They will be highly motivated, as together with Ulm they are fighting for a playoff spot. On our side, there is a strong desire to bounce back from the first game and to build on the positive momentum we are currently experiencing. Our goal is to finish the regular season in the best possible position and to give our fans the opportunity to host our first postseason game at home, capping off an extremely positive European campaign."

**Peyton Aldridge, Trento forward**

"On Wednesday we will play a very important game in Germany, on the road against Chemnitz. I believe that in recent weeks we have shown good basketball, playing together, moving the ball well and putting toughness and identity on the floor. Our goal will be to maintain this level also in this game, because there are only two games left in the regular season and we want to finish in the best possible position. Chemnitz are a very good and versatile team, and we will have to be ready to respond to every situation they put in front of us in order to try to secure another road win."

### Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse vs. London Lions (19:30 CET)

**Frederic Fauthoux, Bourg head coach**

"This is our last home game and it's crucial for us. We want to maintain our home advantage and continue our winning streak. London is a dangerous, athletic, and physical team, capable of causing us problems. We'll need to put in a great performance, be solid in both areas of the game, defend for long periods, and stay focused until the final whistle to secure this home victory. Then we'll see where we stand, but the goal is to finish as high as possible in the standings."

**Ricky Lindo, Bourg forward**

"They gonna be a very aggressive team, it still a really good team, they just won the British Cup so they’re coming with a lot of energy a lot of high hopes and just gonna be sure really prepare for that. We just want to make sure we get sure to get the win at home."

**Tautvydas Sabonis, London head coach**

"Preparation has been good. Going up against the top team in our group, they’re very physical, they’re very quick and fast, running in transition, shooting 3s, you gotta stop McGhee you gotta stop Mokoka, they’re a team in very good shape so we have to be prepared for 40 minutes of that."

**Chaundee Brown Jr, London forward**

"They’re a physical team, we gotta come out strong, throw the first punch, play physical, box out and play our game."

### Aris Thessaloniki Betsson vs. Neptunas Kleipeda (20:00 CET)

**Igor Milicic, Aris head coach**

"Good teams and quality players have short memories, both after wins and after losses. We can’t stay proud or happy after the game against Panathinaikos for too long, because we must keep moving forward. We have a very important game ahead of us, maybe the most crucial one so far this season. I want to prepare my team to step onto the court hungry. However, that’s very difficult after the emotional explosion following the game against Panathinaikos. The entire coaching staff has to work very hard to mentally prepare the team so that we can play fast basketball. Neptunas is a very dangerous team. They play five-out, with all five players outside the three-point line, and they are very strong in transition. Our energy must be at a high level if we want to be competitive and get the win."

**Jake Forrester, Aris center**

"We are 100% focused on the game against Neptunas and we’re not thinking about what we achieved in the previous match \[against Panathinaikos\]. We’re ready to give 100% of our effort. We know that in recent games we had the lead, but towards the end it felt like we lost our concentration and gave up the advantage we had built. This is something we’re working on. Our coaching staff shows us a lot of video, and all the players know what we need to do to make sure this doesn’t happen again in the future."

### BAXI Manresa vs. Umana Reyer Venice (20:45 CET)

**Neven Spahija, Reyer head coach**

"We are facing an excellent team that is playing really well, especially in the second half of the season. Manresa is a team that plays with a high pace and scores a lot of points. They are one of the few teams capable of maintaining the same intensity for the full 40 minutes, rotating all 12 players. Despite some injury issues, they can rely on a very deep roster and are always ready thanks to their system players. We are going with the same roster. We are used to these short rotations by now, but the most important thing is that we have recovered our energy after two very tough battles against Cedevita Olimpia and Cantu."

**Denzel Valentine, Reyer guard**

"It’s a big game because the stakes are high: for us, it represents a concrete chance to qualify for the playoffs. Even though we are short-handed with a short rotation, I am convinced that we have what it takes to win. We have to execute the game plan we prepared and stay focused. The key will be being ourselves and playing our brand of basketball, executing with discipline on both offense and defense."

## Thursday, February 5

### Veolia Towers Hamburg vs. Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (19:30 CET)

\--

## Tuesday, February 3

### Bahcesehir College Istanbul vs. Slask Wroclaw (17:00 CET)

\--

### ratiopharm ulm vs. Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (19:00 CET)

**Andrej Zakelj, Buducnost head coach**

"We are facing a very difficult and important game. After the away match in Subotica, we continue directly to Ulm. It will be a very demanding game, especially considering our shortened rotation and the issues we have had during preparation. We know how important this game is for us, and we must stay fully focused and bring the same level of energy we showed in the second half in Subotica. We have to show maximum respect for the Ulm, who are still fighting for a playoff spot. It is up to us to recover well, prepare properly, fight, and do everything we can to get the win."

**Djordje Jovanovic, Buducnost forward**

"We have an important game ahead of us against Ulm, which is crucial for the further course of the EuroCup and for our position in the fight for a better playoff seeding. We are playing against a young team that performs very well, especially at home, playing aggressively on both ends of the floor. That means a lot of running and a very physically demanding game. However, I believe we will have enough time to rest, prepare well, and try to secure a win in Germany."

Check out what the protagonists are saying ahead of Round 17 of the 2025-26 EuroCup season

Round 17: Pregame quotes

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica rallied past ratiopharm ulm 103–90 behind a club-record 37-point fourth quarter to improve to 11–6 in Group B. Yogi Ferrell scored 23 points, including 14 in the final minutes, while Rasheed Sulaimon added 22. The loss leaves Ulm’s playoff hopes dependent on Wednesday’s Chemnitz–Trento result.


Buducnost storms back with record fourth quarter to beat Ulm 

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica snapped its road skid with a 90-103 win at ratiopharm ulm on Tuesday night to improve to 11-6 in Group B. With the playoffs already secured, Buducnost kept its push for a higher Group B seeding alive.

Buducnost pulled off a strong comeback after trailing by 9 points at the start of the fourth quarter, delivering a dominant performance to secure the win and set a new club record. The Montenegrin side's 37 points in the final period marked the highest scoring quarter by the club in competition history.

Yogi Ferrell was the driving force for Buducnost, finishing with 23 points and 5 assists and stepping up when it mattered most. The American guard took over down the stretch, pouring in 14 of his points in the final 6 minutes of the fourth quarter to power his team to victory.

‘‘Rasheed really carried us that entire game. He was the force for us, especially in the second half, making big shots. But when he went out with 4 fouls, I knew I had to take over, lead the team. And I’m just proud of the way we all stayed together, playing in an environment like this, and took their best punch and came out with a victory,’’ said Ferrell after the game.

Tied at halftime, Buducnost took control in the fourth quarter. Rasheed Sulaimon opened the period with a 0-7 run and finished with 22 points, as the visitors’ aggressive defense forced 5 steals in the final quarter.

‘‘It was a must-win for us and with the game that we played, we didn't play good,’’said coach Andrej Zakelj after the game. ‘‘… We struggled and then on the end we found the 5 players who worked together as one and I think we won fairly. Like I said, a very important game for us, very tough game,’’

Nikola Tanaskovic was another key contributor, providing a strong presence in the paint for Buducnost. The Serbian center finished with 13 points and dominated the paint for most of the night. Juwan Morgan added 14 points and anchored the defense, finishing with 5 steals, including 4 in the final quarter, to disrupt Ulm’s offense.

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For Ulm, Chris Ledlum had a career night, finishing with 27 points and 5 rebounds. Mark Smith added 18, while Chris Sengfelder recorded 12 points and 9 rebounds.

‘‘Unfortunately, we were unable to get the job done. Turnovers, I think 4 missed free throws in a row, missed a box out, giving them a second chance opportunity. You gotta give them some credit, they hit some incredibly tough shots, but I know we put them on the free throw line in the last 2 minutes for about 8 free throws, but we put them on the line 40 times today, it’s too many,’’ Coach Ty Harrelson said after the game.

Ulm’s postseason hopes now hinge on Wednesday night, with NINERS Chemnitz set to host Trento. A Chemnitz victory would close the door on Ulm, while a defeat would push the fight for the final Group B playoff spot into the regular-season finale, with Ulm heading on the road to face Trento.

Yogi Ferrell and Rasheed Sulaimon combined for 45 points for the Montenegrin side

ratiopharm ulm v Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (2026-02-03T18:00:00.000Z)

Slask Wroclaw finally found a way to finish a game with a win in snapping an eight-game losing streak dating back to November. Unfortunately for Bahcesehir College Istanbul, the loss means a missed opportunity to secure a top-two spot in Group A.
Slask nearly gave away the game in the final minute but held on for an 80-82 victory as it won its first game since beating Bahcesehir 99-91 at home in Round 8. 


Slask snaps 8-game losing skid with 80-82 win over Bahcesehir

Slask Wroclaw finally found a way to finish a game with a win in snapping an eight-game losing streak dating back to November. Unfortunately for Bahcesehir College Istanbul, the loss means a missed opportunity to secure a top-two spot in Group A.

Slask nearly gave away the game in the final minute but held on for an 80-82 victory as it won its first game since beating Bahcesehir 99-91 at home in Round 8.

“Of course, everyone is happy to win against such a talented team - one of the top teams in the Turkish League. And we can be proud of ourselves,” said Slask head coach Ainars Bagatskis, whose team improved to 5-12 on the season.

Slask’s eight-game losing streak included four losses by 6 points or fewer. And the veteran head coach is happy the team finally closed a game.

“We have lost five or six games like this. We know how to play, but because of our lack of experience, we don’t know how to win. I hope this win puts us to the next level. We are happy but it’s just one game.”

Kadre Gray led the way with 19 points and 10 assists while Stefan Djordjevic scored 17 points and Noah Kirkwood scored 13 points in Slack’s first road win of the season.

“We just had fun. We went out there and just kept believing even when the game was getting tight. All things are possible. I’m just really happy with the victory,” said Gray. “I’m really happy our guys are starting to lock into their roles. It looks beautiful. We are starting to play much better basketball.”

Slask nearly gave the game away. The Polish side played tight in the first quarter thanks to 6 points from Dordevic and actually led 18-20 after 10 points.

The Slask run spanning the quarters was 2-11. Bahcesehir reclaimed the lead only to see the visitors reel off 12 straight points for a 27-38 advantage. The cushion was 35-42 at the break.

Slask came out strong in the second half and built a 40-51 advantage. The hosts mounted an 11-2 spurt to pull within 2 points. Slask was up to the challenge and led 57-60 after 30 minutes. 

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Bahcesehir’s defense kept Slask scoreless for nearly 4 minutes as it went ahead 63-60. Slask reclaimed the lead and worked hard to go up 72-80 with only 46 seconds to play.

Slask committed 3 turnovers down the stretch, including failing to inbound the ball with 2.4 seconds left. Malachi Flynn’s game-winning three-point attempt drew iron but did not go in and Slask grabbed the win.

Bahcesehir wasted an opportunity to lock up a top-two spot in the group with one game to go in falling to 11-6. Malachi Flynn top-scored for the team with 16 points and Trevion Williams totaled 11 points and 10 rebounds in the defeat.

“We missed a chance today. Now we need to take a harder road. We are paying the price of the tough schedule we have right now. We didn’t have our legs to make open shots,” Bahcesehir head coach Marko Barac said. “This was an important game for us and I feel very sorry for everybody that we didn’t deliver the victory.”

Bahcesehir College Istanbul would have secured a Quarterfinals berth with a victory

Bahcesehir College Istanbul v Slask Wroclaw (2026-02-03T16:00:00.000Z)

Veteran guard Khadeen Carrington speaks with Frankie Sachs about Jerusalem’s momentum, the impact of the home crowd, his late season form, and the keys to beating Cluj in a pivotal EuroCup showdown.

Khadeen Carrington, Jerusalem: ‘We know how good we are’

[Khadeen Carrington](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/khadeen-carrington/008912/) has seen just about everything in his four seasons with [Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/hapoel-midtown-jerusalem/jer/) and the coming week brings another major test — not one of survival, but of opportunity. With the team already assured a place in the EuroCup Playoffs, a win against Cluj would secure a coveted bye straight into the quarterfinals. 

In a wide‑ranging conversation with Euroleague.net's Frankie Sachs, Carrington reflects on the momentum gained from a big Israeli Cup win, the confidence within the locker room, the return to playing in front of Jerusalem’s fans, and the mentality needed to finish the regular season strong.

**Let’s start with your last game. You guys beat Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv – one of the top teams in the EuroCup – on the road in the Israeli Cup quarterfinals. That came on the heels of a EuroCup loss at Neptunas Klaipeda. How important was this win over Hapoel?**

“It was a great game, a big win. Obviously we know that they are at the top of the EuroLeague, so it’s not a pushover, runover team. We know how good of a team they are. So that just gives us some confidence finishing off our regular season. Obviously, we got an important game coming up on Wednesday in the EuroCup. So that just gives us a little momentum for that game.”

**Jerusalem hosts a fateful game on Tuesday against Cluj knowing that a win will guarantee the team a ticket into the quarterfinals. What is the vibe around the team?**

“The vibe is really good, especially with a big win like that, against such a good team. We know how good we are. We know how well we can play when we’re all on the same page, so I think it’s a good vibe going into that game.”

**Between yourself and Jared Harper, Jerusalem has a great scoring tandem, but Cluj’s Fatts Russell and Mitch Creek and first and second, respectively, in the EuroCup in scoring. How can you contain both of them?**

“It’s going to be a tough night. Obviously, Russell, he’s super fast. He can score in many different ways. Same thing with Mitch Creek. So we’re just going to have to contain them. Obviously with players like that, you can’t come outright and stop them, but we got to know what we want to give up, know what we want to take away from them. So it’s going to be a challenge, but, I’m pretty sure everybody’s ready for the challenge. We obviously played them over there. It was a tough game. So we know what we’re facing. We know they’re coming here. They also need a big win... So we know what’s at stake, everybody’s pretty much ready.”

Best of Khadeen Carrington: 2025-26 regular season

Best of Khadeen Carrington: 2025-26 EuroCup Regular Season

**As the longest-tenured player on the team, you know more than most how much of a lift the Jerusalem crowd can give you in these big games. Describe please what it’s been like to be able to play home games in Jerusalem again and what the crowd brings to the table.**

“Oh, it’s the best. Obviously over two years not playing here, it was tough. Not just with the crowd obviously, but with travel and all the other things that people don’t really think about. It’s been great having the games back. The crowd is our sixth man, so having the fans back has been great also. Just put that extra push, you know what I mean? They’re definitely our sixth man, so going into playoffs, it’s going to be great having the fans behind us.”

**Before you joined Jerusalem in 2022, you hadn’t spent consecutive seasons in the same country, let alone the same club, since college. What is it about Jerusalem that has become your home (or second home) in these last four years?**

“Oh, it’s been great. I connected a lot with the people. I connected a lot with Israel. It’s just somewhere I’ve felt comfortable. Coming from the states and being overseas, a lot of guys don’t find that. You bounce around a lot, actually. So it's been great just finding somewhere just to be comfortable and find a home.”

**Your scoring and shooting numbers are all up in the second half of the regular season. How do you explain the improvement?**

“Just staying consistent. Basketball is an up and down game, it’s a rhythm game... So when you kind of find that rhythm, it carries you. I always like to say like the numbers even out. So just being consistent, having a routine, having a work ethic, it's always going to pull through once you put the work in. So that’s what I lay my hat on.”

“Basketball is an up‑and‑down game, it’s a rhythm game… the numbers even out. Being consistent and having a routine always pulls through.”

**Who are the players — past or present — whose approach to the game you study the most?**

“Honestly, I don’t have anybody like off the top of my head. I would say like the person that kind of instilled that basketball work ethic in me was the coach I first started with, his name is Keith Oliver. From the time I started playing basketball, he would pick me up every single day and we would just get in the gym and work. We would just shoot, run drills. Coming up as a kid, I stayed in the gym all day. Like literally in the summertime from morning to night. I went to the park. I played in the park with my friends. You know, New York is a big basketball place, so just having a lot of competition growing up playing in the parks and stuff like that. So, I think that’s where my work ethic really comes from.

“I started playing basketball at about 8 years old. I would say I really knew I could make it something or really started taking it serious maybe going into high school… We grew up playing in the parks, like park tournaments, stuff like that, from a young age even before high school. So I mean, I always knew about New York street ball, the New York street ball legends, the biggest tournaments. I played in all of them coming up.”

**When you look back at your career years from now, what do you want people to say about Khadeen Carrington — the player and the person?**

“I think what they say about me as a person is over a player. The ball stops bouncing and life goes on. So I want people to know that I’m always been a genuine person. I always just had a smile on my face. Always wanted to see the best out of people. I think that’s what I want people to know, to remember me by. As far as being a player, I want people to know that I was a winner. I always contributed to winning, put the team first. And was always just a guy that that left it all on the floor, just played hard. Every night I may not play my best, but every night, I leave my all on the floor. It doesn’t always come up with the best results, but I think that’s what I want people to know.”

**Let’s talk about some of your teammates. There was a lot of buzz around the signing of Austin Wiley last season, but injuries kept him from making the impact many hoped for. This season he is one of the best centers in the EuroCup. Have we seen the best of Austin Wiley yet?**

“No, I don’t even think so, honestly. I mean, we joke about it all the time, like how he steals rebounds from everybody! He’s one of those guys that like you said, one of the best bigs, I feel like in in in Europe, when he’s playing at his top. Like just being able to rebound and being a lob threat and being a presence in the paint, even defensively he’s great for us and it’s helped us out a lot this season. Obviously, he’s been healthier this season than last season, so it’s giving us a big boost, a big push. So I’m definitely proud of what he’s doing. Hopefully he can continue it and we use him to the best possibility.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Poster delivered 🚨<br><br>Khadeen Carrington tore the house down 🤯<a href="https://twitter.com/JerusalemBasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JerusalemBasket</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToGreatness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToGreatness</a> <a href="https://t.co/pjdyV6lYzI">pic.twitter.com/pjdyV6lYzI</a></p>&mdash; BKT EuroCup (@EuroCup) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup/status/2006091337607651574?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

**If the EuroCup had a sixth-man of the year award, Cassius Winston would definitely be in the running. Tell us about the impact he has had on the team.**

“Cash has had a great impact. Just having somebody like that dynamic threat off the bench. You start with me and Jared and then you don’t fall off in that area when Cash comes off the bench. So I mean, he’s been a great spark for us so many times this year. You saw it against Hapoel on Saturday. He was a big spark for us. I didn’t shoot the ball the best, but like I said, you still don’t fall off when you have Cash coming in the game. So he’s been great for us.”

**When pundits talk about Jerusalem they tend to focus on you, Harper and Wiley. But the team would not be where it is without the blue-collar work that Yovel Zoosman, Justin Smith and even European rookie Josiah-Jordan James have put in. What can you say about them?**

“Those guys have been great. Obviously every team has guys where they score points and stuff like that, do the flashy stuff, but you always have guys that put in the work, like you said, blue collar work. I feel like we have a few of those guys.​ They’ve been great for us. Justin, he can put up points also, guys like JJ, Zoos, every night those guys bring their all on the defensive end.​ It’s just doing the extra little work, the dirty work, and on our team, that doesn’t really go unnoticed. We know what spark those guys bring to us. We know what they do for us on a nightly basis.”

**The latest addition to the team was Isaiah Mobley. It’s never easy to join a team midseason. What can we expect to see from him as we near the EuroCup Playoffs?**

“I feel like Mobley’s still getting comfortable right now, but you see the flashes like of how good of a player he is and a different dynamic that he can give us on the offensive end and the defensive end. I feel like he can handle it, he can pass it, he can shoot it.​ So that’s great for us having a guy like that in that position amongst the guys we already have in the 4 spot. He just gives us a different look. You’re going to see what he does come playoff time.”

"I want people to know that I was a winner… a guy that left it all on the floor. Every night I may not play my best, but every night, I leave my all on the floor."

**Losing to Gran Canaria is the quarterfinals last season must still sting. What lessons would you say that you and the team as a whole take from that experience?**

“It definitely still stings. That’s one we wish we can get back. I feel like the lesson that we learned from that quarterfinal game, that it’s one game literally. So you have to leave it all on the floor. I feel like we did last year, but I don’t know if we took it for granted or if we didn’t… I don’t know. It’s just no tomorrow with those games. So I feel like this year we learned from that. It was a learning moment. We’re going to be back in that position again, we have the same core team, so it’s on us to kind of lead the way when it gets to that point.​”

**Let’s get back to what we started the conversation with, the pivotal game against Cluj. What does Jerusalem have to do to take care of business and win the game?**

“Just play how we play, just lock in on defense. I feel like that’s what we really hang our hat on.  Obviously we have great scorers and we have great offensive players, but just our tough defensive mindset.​ I think both of us are two of the highest scoring teams in the EuroCup, so it’s going to be who can get stops… So I feel like that’s really what we have to hang our hat on on Wednesday and everybody knows that. So everybody’s prepared to go into that game… Shout out to the team. Shout out to my teammates. I’m excited for the post season. I’m excited to finish off the season. We have two more (regular-season) games left. So we just got to finish out strong.”

More Jerusalem News

Jerusalem’s longest tenured player reflects on the season, the fans, the team’s growth, and the must-win EuroCup battle ahead

With just two rounds left in the BKT EuroCup Regular Season and a rare three turn week ahead, Round 17 is critical for fantasy managers chasing points and playoff positioning. Javier Gancedo breaks down last week’s hits and misses and highlights this round’s best value picks — including Kadre Gray, Devon Daniels, DJ Stewart, Tarik Phillip and Elijah Mitrou Long — to help you gain an edge before the knockout stages begin.

Fantasy tips, Round 17: Closing strong as the regular season winds down 

There are only two rounds left in the BKT EuroCup Regular Season and this one will be a three-turn one in the EuroCup Fantasy Challenge, as Veolia Towers Hamburg hosts Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana on Thursday. Nine teams have punched their tickets to the next round and all of them are still fighting for better spots in the playoffs, including two byes from each group directly into the quarterfinals. So much can still happen over the next two rounds and that applies to our favorite game, too. Worry no more as I have some guard recommendations for you, all at roughly the same price.

Dj Stewart, Elijah Mitrou-Long, Devon Daniels, Kadre Gray and Tarik Phillip are featured in this week's article. 

EuroCup Fantasy tips: Round 17

### Kadre Gray, Slask Wroclaw  (12.1 credits)

[Kadre Gray](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/kadre-gray/013921/) is having a really good season that just got better with a great performance against Hamburg last week. Despite Slask's loss, Gray had career-highs of 10 assists, 5 steals and a PIR of 31 to go with 22 points. In his last Polish League game, he had 20 points and 9 assists, too.

 

### Devon Daniels, Veolia Towers Hamburg  (11.9 credits)

[Devon Daniels](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/devon-daniels-iv/014172/) had been a little bit up and down, but that changed over the last three games, in which he's had PIRs of 20 or higher. He posted great numbers, too, averaging 20.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists for a PIR of 25.0. Hamburg is on a winning streak in which Daniels is playing a big role.

Kadre Gray’s really good season got better with a great performance against Hamburg last week

### DJ Stewart, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana  (11.8 credits)

In his third EuroCup season with Cedevita, [D.J. Stewart](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/dj-stewart/012700/) is playing some of his best basketball. Over his last three games, Stewart has played great all-around basketball, averaging 17.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 blocks for a PIR of 21.0. He is a Turn 3 player, too.

 

### Tarik Phillip, London Lions  (11.7 credits)

As always, [Tarik Phillip](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tarik-phillip/009649/) has been doing a little bit of everything on the court. In his last two games, he's averaged 17.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 6.5 fouls drawn for a PIR of 22.0. Phillip faces a big challenge against already-qualified Bourg.

 

### Elijah Mitrou-Long, Aris Thessaloniki Betsson (10.8 credits)

Aris is on the rise and just beat Panathinaikos in the Greek League. [Elijah Mitrou-Long](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/elijah---mitrou-long/013959/) had 24 points and 6 rebounds for a PIR of 28 against the Greens, and he had another solid game against Slask in Round 15 with 26 points and 10 fouls drawn for a PIR of 23. Mitrou-Long is definitely on the rise.

Javier Gancedo is back with this week's fantasy recommendations

Veolia Towers Hamburg v Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (2026-02-05T18:30:00.000Z)

Aris Thessaloniki Betsson v Neptunas Klaipeda (2026-02-04T19:00:00.000Z)

Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse v London Lions (2026-02-04T18:30:00.000Z)

The penultimate round of the regular season could be decisive in the race for playoff positions, highlighted by a titanic Turkish tussle. Here’s your guide to Round 17 of the BKT EuroCup.

At a glance: A three-day round as the playoff race nears boiling point

The penultimate round of the regular season could be decisive in the race for playoff positions, highlighted by a titanic Turkish tussle. Here’s your guide to Round 17 of the BKT EuroCup.

## Tuesday, February 3

### [Bahcesehir College Istanbul vs. Slask Wroclaw (17:00 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2025-26/bahcesehir-college-istanbul-slask-wroclaw/U2025/161/)

Bahcesehir (11-5) could clinch a top-two finish by overcoming a Slask team (4-12) which only has pride to play for. The Turkish team has won four out of the last five, while Slask has the worst form in the competition with eight straight losses and is facing defensive difficulties in particular after allowing an average of 95.6 points per game. However, Slask did beat Bahcesehir in November, 99-91, and will look for more heroics from Noah Kirkwood after his 21 points in that game. The hosts will be powered by backcourt star Malachi Flynn (17.8 points per game), who continued his special season by netting a last-gasp game winner against Aris last week.

### [ratiopharm ulm vs. Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (19:00 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2025-26/ratiopharm-ulm-buducnost-voli-podgorica/U2025/167/)

Ulm (7-9) must win to keep its postseason hopes realistically alive as it welcomes a Buducnost team (10-6) still competing for a top-two finish. The hosts need to rediscover their offense after being held to 66 points at Bourg last week, and also needs a much better defensive performance to stop a Buducnost team which won easily, 101-71, when the teams last met. Ulm center Malik Osborne is in great form with six straight double-digit scoring nights, but his task won’t be easy against one of the EuroCup’s best big men, Nikola Tanaskovic (12.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game). Buducnost has lost four straight on the road, and needs to end that run to stay in top two contention.

## Wednesday, February 4

### [Lietkabelis Panevezys vs. Panionios Cosmorama Travel Athens (18:00 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2025-26/lietkabelis-panevezys-panionios-cosmorama-travel-athens/U2025/170/)

The bottom two teams in Group A meet to decide the wooden spoon as Lietkabelis (3-13) welcomes Panionios (3-13). The Greek team has not won on the road all season, but has improved in recent weeks and grabbed a morale-boosting win against London last week. Recent signing Brandon Taylor was the architect of that triumph with 20 points and 7 assists, and he faces a good battle in the backcourt against Michael Flowers (14.1 points per game). Lietkabelis has lost four in a row but currently controls the head-to-head advantage, after Jamel Morris scored 16 points to set up a 72-79 road win in Athens when the teams met in Round 8.

### [Besiktas GAIN Istanbul vs. Turk Telekom Ankara (18:00 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2025-26/besiktas-gain-istanbul-turk-telekom-ankara/U2025/169/)

A Turkish derby could be decisive in the race for a top-two finish as Besiktas (11-5) welcomes Turk Telekom (11-5). The home team, which hopes Ante Zizic can return from illness, needs to bounce back from a poor performance at Trento, while Turk Telekom is flying after four straight victories. Besiktas can secure a top-two finish with a victory thanks to its 84-93 road triumph in Ankara in November, powered by 20 points from Devon Dotson. He would love a return to form after failing to reach double digits in the last five games, while Turk Telekom will look to control the tempo through Dogus Ozdemiroglu, who is coming off his best performance of the season with 22 points and 11 assists in last week’s win over Lietkabelis.

### [Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem vs. U-BT Cluj-Napoca (19:00 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2025-26/hapoel-midtown-jerusalem-u-bt-cluj-napoca/U2025/163/)

Hapoel (12-4) will look to retain Group A’s first place by overcoming a Cluj team (8-8) battling to stay in the playoff places. Both teams are aiming to bounce back from two straight defeats, and Cluj needs to end a sequence of four straight road losses. It should be a shootout between the EuroCup’s two highest scoring teams, and Hapoel has to handle the inside power of Mitch Creek, who went 11-of-11 from two-point range in last week’s narrow loss at Manresa. The backcourt promises a great battle between the competition’s leading scorer Fatts Russell (20.8 points per game) and Hapoel dynamo Jared Harper, who has recorded double digits in scoring in every game this season and also averages 5.2 assists.

### [NINERS Chemnitz vs. Dolomiti Energia Trento (19:00 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2025-26/niners-chemnitz-dolomiti-energia-trento/U2025/168/)

A key Group B battle will see Chemnitz (8-8) attempt to clinch playoff qualification by downing red-hot Trento (10-6). The Italian team could still finish in the top two after winning eight of its last nine games, with rising star Andrej Jakimovski powering last week’s impressive win over Besiktas with a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds. Chemnitz's playoff challenge has wobbled with two defeats in the last three games, and defensive improvement is required after allowing 97 points against Buducnost last week. The inside presence of center Kevin Yebo (18.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game) will be crucial for the German team to control the tempo, while Trento hopes guard DJ Steward can stay hot after averaging 19 points in the last three games.

### [Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse vs. London Lions (19:30 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2025-26/cosea-jl-bourg-en-bresse-london-lions/U2025/166/)

Group B leader Bourg (12-4) could clinch first place by handing out another defeat to eliminated London (5-11). The French team overcame a mini-slump by easily beating Ulm last week, and center Tre Mitchell will look to maintain his form after combining 12 points with 9 rebounds. London has lost five games straight, failing to score 80 points in any of those defeats, and needs others to step up and support the scoring efforts of guard Shavar Reynolds (14.1 points per game). But that won’t be easy against a Bourg defense which ranks second in the EuroCup (75.1 points per game allowed) and showed its strength during a 68-72 road win over London in November.

### [Aris Thessaloniki Betsson vs. Neptunas Kleipeda (20:00 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2025-26/aris-thessaloniki-betsson-neptunas-klaipeda/U2025/162/)

It’s a must-win showdown as Aris (7-9) and Neptunas (7-9) – currently tied for seventh place – battle to keep their playoffs hopes alive. Aris has stumbled to four losses in the last five games, but can clinch head to head advantage after winning, 87-93, in Klaipeda in Round 8. Amine Noua scored 24 points in that game, and stopping him will be a key for the visiting defense. Neptunas is coming off an outstanding home win over group leader Hapoel, when playmaker Arnas Velicka showed his all-round talents by falling one rebound short of a triple-double (16 points, 12 assists, 9 rebounds). Another major threat for the Lithuanian team is Rihards Lomasz, who has averaged 24.2 points in the last five games.

### [BAXI Manresa vs. Umana Reyer Venice (20:45 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2025-26/baxi-manresa-umana-reyer-venice/U2025/164/)

Red-hot Manresa (10-6) will look to keep on rolling as it hosts a Reyer team (9-7) which can secure a playoff place with a win. The Spanish team is still targeting a top-two finish after winning four straight, again demonstrating its offensive power with a 101-99 thriller over Cluj last week. Retin Obasohan powered that triumph with 29 points, and he poses a massive threat to Reyer’s defense after averaging 19.5 points during his team’s winning run. Reyer is also in great form with five wins out of six, overcoming Cedevita last time out as Jordan Parks continued his great form with 22 points. A road win would also give Reyer head to head advantage, after 20 points from Kyle Wiltjer secured a thrilling home win over Manresa, 97-93, in November.

## Thursday, February 5

### [Veolia Towers Hamburg vs. Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (19:30 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2025-26/veolia-towers-hamburg-cedevita-olimpija-ljubljana/U2025/165/)

Hamburg (2-12) will look to maintain its recent improvement by ending the top-two ambitions of Cedevita (10-6). The German team has won two in a row, edging out Slask last week behind 26 points from the always dangerous Devon Daniels. Scoring is never a problem for Hamburg, but Cedevita will look to exploit the hosts' defensive frailties (96.1 points per game allowed) through guard DJ Stewart, who poured in 17 points to help seal an easy win when the teams met in Round 8. In the paint, visiting big man Thomas Kennedy (7.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game) faces a tough challenge against one of the continent’s fastest-rising young talents Zacharie Perrin, who averages 17.7 points and 11 rebounds in the last three games.

Andy West previews the penultimate round of the EuroCup regular season

BAXI Manresa v Umana Reyer Venice (2026-02-04T19:45:00.000Z)

Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem v U-BT Cluj-Napoca (2026-02-04T18:00:00.000Z)

NINERS Chemnitz v Dolomiti Energia Trento (2026-02-04T18:00:00.000Z)

Lietkabelis Panevezys v Panionios Cosmorama Travel Athens (2026-02-04T17:00:00.000Z)

A breakdown of how teams across the EuroCup are performing out of timeouts, highlighting elite defenses, high level shooting, and the strategic trends shaping the playoff push in Round 16.

Stats review: Defense after timeouts drives Turk Telekom’s rise in Group B 

Round 16 of the BKT EuroCup brought about quite a bit of movement in the standings with several spots in the eighthfinals remaining open and the leaders of both groups losing to create some pathways for multiple clubs to vie for the coveted postseason bye in the coming weeks. With only two rounds remaining in the 2025-26 regular season, every possession matters and the details could be the difference between a trip to the postseason or the end of the line. 

The table above lists the top teams and the number of points per possession they score, less those allowed in the first half-court possession after a timeout situation. Essentially, this ranks this season’s teams by how far they tip the scoreboard after their coach has had a chance to reorganize his lineup and draw something up on the sideline.  Around 15% of all possessions come after a quarter break or a timeout and are converted for 0.92 points per possession — a ways below the 0.96 average for all half-court possessions. As in most seasons of high-level leagues, stoppages ultimately favor the defense.

[Turk Telekom Ankara](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/turk-telekom-ankara/roster/ttk/) has been the league’s top defensive team this season, supplanting [Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/cosea-jl-bourg-en-bresse/roster/bou/), which was entrenched there in the early going and holds a one game edge on Turk Telekom atop Group B. Some of that can be attributed to the Turkish side's stellar work out of timeouts. Turk Telekom has given up little at the rim when it has a chance to set its defense and has done so without committing fouls to earn its place at the top of this list.

The other team with 11 wins in Group B sits just behind as [Besiktas GAIN Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/besiktas-gain-istanbul/bes/) has been this season’s best offense out of timeouts, shooting a staggering 41% from beyond the arc in those situations, with [Vitto Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/vitto-brown/013365/) and [Ante Zizic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/ante-zizic/004554/) proving to be especially valuable targets within the sets Dusan Alimpijevic has called. 

Twelve-win [Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/hapoel-midtown-jerusalem/roster/jer/) and both [U-BT Cluj-Napoca](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/u-bt-cluj-napoca/roster/clu/) and [Umana Reyer Venice](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/umana-reyer-venice/roster/vnc/) — who hold the poll positions for the two final spots in Group A — have all exceeded expectations defensively after pauses.  Being able to come up with stops in late-game situations — when more after timeout situations occur — figures to be key to the fortunes of the latter two as they look to solidify their spots in the postseason.

[Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/cedevita-olimpija-ljubljana/roster/lju/) and [Slask Wroclaw](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/teams/slask-wroclaw/wro/) feature two of this season’s top-five individual after-timeout scorers. [Umoja Gibson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/umoja-gibson/013855/) and [Stefan Dordevic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/stefan-dordevic/006977/) have both scored steadily out of stoppages with Gibson’s shooting factoring into his team’s playcalling and Dordevic shooting an exceptional 82% inside the arc, scoring seemingly every time he touches the ball around the rim in special situations some nights.

With several important games on the horizon for many of these teams, it will be interesting to see if they can sustain their success out of timeouts to put themselves in position for a postseason run.

Post-timeout possessions account for 15% of all half court play — and the teams maximizing them are rising

Look back at all the action in Round 16 of the 2025-26 BKT EuroCup season by checking out the best photos of the week! 

Top 10 photos from Round 16

Look back at all the action from Round 16 of the 2025-26 BKT EuroCup season by checking out the best photos of the week! 