There aren't really that many secrets to success in the EuroCup Fantasy Challenge this season. It's all about the guards. Fatts Russell leads the competition in PIR. Malachi Flynn is third, followed by Arnas Velicka. Last season's MVP Jared Harper, Darius McGhee and Skyler Mays have all been outstanding. How many of these guards can you afford? Well no matter how you build your team, you can’t have them all. So here are some outstanding options for your backcourt at bargain prices, plus one forward to consider, too.

Fantasy tips, Round 5: It's all about the guards

There aren't really that many secrets to success in the [EuroCup Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/11) this season. It's all about the guards. Fatts Russell leads the competition in PIR. Malachi Flynn is third, followed by Arnas Velicka. Last season's MVP Jared Harper, Darius McGhee and Skyler Mays have all been outstanding. How many of these guards can you afford? Well no matter how you build your team, you can’t have them all. So here are some outstanding options for your backcourt at bargain prices, plus one forward to consider, too.

Something to keep in mind for Round 5: Only three games are on Tuesday, so that should boost some of those players in value. Best to let them play and see what you can get, knowing there are so many players you can replace them with on Wednesday. With that said, happy shopping!

### Nike Sibande, NINERS Chemnitz (8.5 credits)

Perhaps not the most explosive player on this list, [Nike Sibande](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/nike-sibande/013889/) is someone who knows how to contribute whenever he takes the floor. Sibande has scored in double figures in three of his games this far and in the fourth, he collected 11 rebounds – as a guard! If you invest in stars, you need players like Sibande to balance the lineup.

### Umoja Gibson, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (8.1 credits)

The point guard is in his third professional season and after a slow debut in Round 1, [Umoja Gibson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/umoja-gibson/013855/) has been dynamite the last few weeks. He has averaged 17.7 points and 5.7 assists for a PIR of 18.7 in the last three games. Gibson has a big role on a good team and is still at a desirable price.

### Berk Ugurlu, Besiktas GAIN Istanbul (7.9 credits)

This is [Berk Ugurlu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/berk-ugurlu/003783/)'s fourth EuroCup campaign and third in a row with Besiktas. And so far, it’s his best by far. Ugurlu has heated up recently to the tune of 9.0 points and 7.3 assists for a PIR of 18.3 over the last three games. Even if he can’t keep it up, it's still outstanding value for his price.

### Augustin Ubal, BAXI Manresa (7.2 credits)

It’s always risky to take a reserve player, especially one who only recently turned 22. But [Augustin Ubal](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/agustin-ubal/010062/) has been outstanding off the Manresa bench. Over his last three games, Ubal has posted 11.3 points on 70.6% shooting and 4.0 rebounds for a PIR of 14.7. He's been nearly as good in the Spanish League, so it's no fluke!

### Jakub Urbaniak, Slask Wroclaw (5.3 credits)

It always helps to have a lottery ticket at the end of the bench. [Jakub Urbaniak](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jakub-urbaniak/012777/) is a player on the rise. His PIR has risen in every game this season and over the lats three, he's been worth 9.0 points on 57.9% shooting, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals for a PIR of 9.0. Only 22 years old, Urbaniak has a bright future ahead of him.

More EuroCup Fantasy Challenge News

Frankie Sachs offers fantasy managers some recommendations for this week's games

London Lions v Turk Telekom Ankara (2025-10-29T19:30:00.000Z)

BAXI Manresa v Bahcesehir College Istanbul (2025-10-29T19:45:00.000Z)

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana v Neptunas Klaipeda (2025-10-29T18:30:00.000Z)

NINERS Chemnitz v ratiopharm ulm (2025-10-29T18:00:00.000Z)

Slask Wroclaw v Umana Reyer Venice (2025-10-29T18:00:00.000Z)

Besiktas GAIN Istanbul v Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse (2025-10-29T16:00:00.000Z)

Lietkabelis Panevezys v Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (2025-10-29T17:00:00.000Z)

Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem v Aris Thessaloniki Betsson (2025-10-28T19:00:00.000Z)

Veolia Towers Hamburg v U-BT Cluj-Napoca (2025-10-28T18:30:00.000Z)

Panionios Cosmorama Travel Athens v Dolomiti Energia Trento (2025-10-28T17:30:00.000Z)

Round 5 of the BKT EuroCup arrives with two teams striving to maintain their 100% records while others look to add more momentum. Here’s your guide to this week’s games.

At a glance: Two new coaches in place as Round 5 arrives

Round 5 of the BKT EuroCup arrives with two teams striving to maintain their 100% records while others look to add more momentum. Here’s your guide to this week’s games.

## Tuesday, October 28

### Panionios Cosmorama Travel Athens vs. Dolomiti Energia Trento (18:30 CET)

Two teams struggling at the foot of Group B will look for a boost as Panionios (1-3) – [now led by Ilias Zouros](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/ilias-zouros-returns-to-panionios-as-head-coach-36-years-later/), who returns to the club 36 years later – welcomes Trento (1-3). Both are coming off heavy defeats due to poor offense, with Panionios scoring just 63 points in its loss at Buducnost while Trento fared worse with 60 points at home to Turk Telekom. The Italian team particularly needs to improve its long-range shooting after converting just 23.5% of its three-point attempts, with guard Cheickh Niang among those needing more accuracy after going 1-of-9 in the last two games. Panionios, which relies on the leadership of Michalis Lountzis (10.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game) needs to take better care of the basketball after committing 18 turnovers last week.

### Hamburg Veolia Towers vs. U-BT Cluj-Napoca (19:30 CET)

Winless Hamburg (0-4) will attempt to change that statistic with a visit from a Cluj team (2-2) aiming to climb the Group A standings. After surviving an overtime thriller against Reyer last week, Cluj will hope that Iverson Molinar – who scored 22 points in that win including game-clinching free throws – can stay hot to provide a more comfortable evening. The Romanian team boasts the competition’s top two individual performers, with Daron Russell (25.5 average PIR) leading the backcourt and Dusan Miletic (23.8 PIR) powering the paint, but they will be tested by Hamburg leaders Leonard Thorpe (15 points per game) and Zacharie Perrin (10.8 rebounds per night, best in the league).

### Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem vs. Aris Thessaloniki Betsson (20:00 CET)

In the middle of Group A, Hapoel (2-2) is aiming to build more momentum with a visit from an Aris team (2-2) looking for a change in fortunes. The Greek club will have new leadership following the dismissal of coach Bogdan Karaicic after two straight losses, [with Igor Milicic handed the reins](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/aris-hands-igor-milicic-the-reins-as-head-coach/). His first priority is to boost a misfiring offense which scored 79 and 59 points in those defeats. Naz Mitrou-Long (12 points per game) will play a key role as he goes head-to-head in a key backcourt battle with Hapoel leader Jared Harper, who is coming off his best game of the season after dropping 20 points to mastermind last week’s comfortable home win over Slask.

## Wednesday, October 29

### Besiktas GAIN Istanbul vs. Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse (17:00 CET)

A heavyweight battle at the top of Group B will see second-placed Besiktas (3-1) attempt to end Bourg’s (4-0) unbeaten start to the season. The Turkish team did exactly that last week, handing Ulm its first loss in a thriller thanks to Anthony Brown’s last-gasp game-winning triple. Brown will feature prominently in what promises to be a long-range shoot-out between the third (37.7%) and second-best (39.6%) most accurate teams from three-point territory. Among Bourg’s deep threats is Antony Labanca, who recovered from a slow start to the season by blasting 6-of-8 triples in last week’s easy win over Lietkabelis and now will look to stay hot in Istanbul.

### Lietkabelis Panevezys vs. Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (18:00 CET)

Struggling Lietkabelis (1-3) will look for a return to winning ways with a visit from dangerous Buducnost (2-2). The teams experienced precisely mirroring fortunes last week, with Lietkabelis – which has lost three in a row – suffering a 28-point thrashing at Bourg while Buducnost cruised to the same winning margin over Panionis. Forward Paulius Danusevicius is performing at a high level for the Lithuanian team with 11 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, but the host must improve a defense which has allowed 89 points per game if it wants to slow down the likes of sharpshooting Axel Bouteille, who scored 16 points without a miss last time out.

### NINERS Chemnitz vs. ratiopharm ulm (19:00 CET)

A German derby between two teams aiming to bounce back into winning ways will see Chemnitz (1-3) host Ulm (3-1) for the first time on the continental stage. Chemnitz is licking its wounds from last week’s last-gasp home loss to London, when 17 points and 9 rebounds from the consistent Kevin Yebo wasn’t enough to lift an otherwise below-par offense. Chemnitz does possess the EuroCup’s best two-point conversion rate (65.9%), so Ulm will need improved defense after allowing 101 points against Besiktas to suffer its first loss last week. The visitor will again be powered by dynamic forward Chistopher Ledlum, who has netted 20, 26 and 25 points in the last three games.

### Slask Wroclaw vs. Umana Reyer Venice (19:00 CET)

Climbing into the top six is the target as Slask (2-2) welcomes Reyer (1-3). The Italian team is aiming to achieve its first road win after suffering heartache last week with an overtime loss at Cluj, where center Chris Horton confirmed his power in the paint by recording a second consecutive double-double (13 points, 11 rebounds). This week he will be confronted by Stefan Dordevic, who has averaged 7 rebounds over the last three games for a Slask team which is unbeaten so far at home. The Polish team is the second best rebounding unit in the EuroCup (39.3 boards per night), so Reyer will have to be ready for a physical battle.

### Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana vs. Neptunas Kleipeda (19:30 CET)

Cedevita (3-1) will aim to overcome the disappointment of its first defeat by stopping the rise of Neptunas (1-3). The visiting team gained its first win of the season last week by downing Hamburg, and will again put its offense in the hands of Arnas Velicka, who leads the EuroCup with 8.2 assists per game. Cedevita, in contrast, is coming off its first loss after a setback at Bahcesehir, and will hope for another strong contribution from Aleksej Nikolic (17 points per game). Neptunas will take encouragement from the fact that it leads the competition in rebounding (40.3 per night), while Cedevita ranks last (31.5), so the Lithuanian team will attempt to dominate through physicality.

### London Lions vs. Turk Telekom Ankara (20:30 CET)

Two rapidly improving teams go head to head as London (2-2) welcomes Turk Telekom (2-2). Both have recovered from 0-2 starts to win their last two games, with London triumphing on the road last week behind 20 points from the consistent Kameron McGusty, whose strong inside presence will threaten the Turk Telekom defense. But the visiting team was very strong defensively in Round 4’s comfortable road win at Trento, where Jordan Usher led the team with his all-round game (13 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals). Turk Telekom forces more turnovers than any other team (17 per game), so London’s key guard Tarik Phillip will have to take more care after committing 7 turnovers last week.

### BAXI Manresa vs. Bahcesehir College Istanbul (20:45 CET)

The week concludes with a titanic tussle between two of Group A’s pacesetters as Manresa (3-1) welcomes unbeaten Bahcesehir (4-0). The Spanish team has won three straight behind the consistent scoring of Alfonso Plummer (17 points per game during the winning run) and a rock-solid defense which has allowed just 77.8 points per game and restricts its opponents to an average of 13.8 assists (second-best in the EuroCup). That toughness will be tested by a Bahcesehir team which has scored at least 92 points in every game and leads the competition in assists (23.3 per game), powered by multi-skilled big man Trevion Williams (13.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per night).

With three games on Tuesday and seven on Wednesday, the action is heating up in the EuroCup

Panionios Athens v Dolomiti Energia Trento (2025-10-28T17:30:00.000Z)

The Greek club will have new leadership following the dismissal of coach Bogdan Karaicic after two straight losses, [with Igor Milicic handed the reins](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/aris-hands-igor-milicic-the-reins-as-head-coach/). His first priority is to boost a misfiring offense which scored 79 and 59 points in those defeats. Naz Mitrou-Long (12 points per game) will play a key role as he goes head-to-head in a key backcourt battle with Hapoel leader Jared Harper, who is coming off his best game of the season after dropping 20 points to mastermind last week’s comfortable home win over Slask.

### Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem

**Player Records against Opponent**

Jared Harper posted his career high in Assists with 15 for Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem against Aris Midea Thessaloniki on october 16, 2024.

Jared Harper posted his career high in Free throws made with 16 for Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem against Aris Midea Thessaloniki on january 2, 2025.

Khadeen Carrington posted his career high in Free throws made with 8 for Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem against Aris Midea Thessaloniki on january 2, 2025.

**Team Record**

Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem recorded its highest team Free throws made total in EuroCup play this century, 36, against Aris Midea Thessaloniki on january 2, 2025.

Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem individual single-game club record of 15 Assists was set by Jared Harper, against Aris Midea Thessaloniki on october 16, 2024.

**Season Rankings**

Jared Harper is ranked sixth among qualified EuroCup players this season in average points with 17,7 per game.

Austin Wiley is ranked fifth among qualified EuroCup players this season in average Total Rebounds with 7 per game.

Austin Wiley is ranked eighth among qualified EuroCup players this season in average Defensive Rebounds with 5 per game.

Justin Smith is ranked fourth among qualified EuroCup players this season in average Blocks with 1,3 per game.

Jared Harper is ranked second among qualified EuroCup players this season in average Free Throws Made with 7,3 per game.

Justin Smith is ranked first among qualified EuroCup players this season in average 2-pointers made with 6,3 per game.

Justin Smith is ranked fifth among qualified EuroCup players this season in average Field goals made with 6,3 per game.

Game Videos

### Aris Thessaloniki Betsson

**Player Records against Opponent**

Georgios Gkiouzelis posted his career high in Time played with 25:48 for Aris Midea Thessaloniki against Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem on october 16, 2024.

**Team Record**

Aris Thessaloniki individual single-game club record of 10 2-pointers made was set by David Dejulius, against Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem on october 16, 2024.

**Season Rankings**

Ronnie Harrell is ranked fourth among qualified EuroCup players this season in average Defensive Rebounds with 5,8 per game.

Jakob Dwight Forester is ranked second among qualified EuroCup players this season in average Blocks with 1,5 per game.

Long Mitrou is ranked seventh among qualified EuroCup players this season in average Assist-Turnover ratio with 450% per game.

Game News

In the middle of Group A, Hapoel (2-2) is aiming to build more momentum with a visit from an Aris team (2-2) looking for a change in fortunes.

Game Facts: Jerusalem vs. Aris

Sportradar takes a look at which EuroCup teams and players are feasting most from pick-and-pop and pick-and-roll situations 

Stats review: Checking out which screeners make the greatest impacts

[Besiktas GAIN Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/besiktas-gain-istanbul/statistics/bes/) erased a 12-point fourth quarter deficit to score [a coveted road victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/anthony-browns-buzzer-beater-boosts-besiktas-over-ulm/) in perhaps the least probable finish in Round 4 of the BKT EuroCup. In an offensive showcase that saw both teams shoot over 40% from beyond the arc, Besiktas kept the game close by doing the little things until a late offensive explosion, which saw [Conor Morgan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/conor-morgan/009680/) knock down 4 three-pointers in the final 10 minutes to complete the comeback.

That game saw screeners score 25 points – more than double the average for a game this season – as both teams did a nice job feeding their roll men throughout, considering only around 19% of possessions created out of pick-and-rolls are used by the player setting the pick. This matchup was a particularly good showcase for the value a versatile screener can bring to an offense, as both teams have given opposing defenses a variety of different looks all season.

As the table above shows, [ratiopharm ulm](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/ratiopharm-ulm/statistics/ulm/) and Besiktas rank among the top-five teams this season in roll-man scoring and first and second, respectively, in the number of pick-and-pop threes they attempt per game. While teams like [Bahcesehir College Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/bahcesehir-college-istanbul/statistics/bah/) rely on their big men to suck defenses into the paint, Ulm and Besiktas often look to their screeners to provide spacing. All three of those teams rank in the top-four in overall offensive efficiency this season, as what teams get from their screeners has implications beyond the 1.08 points per possession their possessions result in and the shot selection that gets them there.  With nearly 44% of all half-court possessions in the EuroCup being generated through pick-and-rolls, screeners factor into a huge volume of possessions even when they are not scoring the ball.

Conor Morgan showed that value vividly in only 15 minutes of action during Besiktas’s win as his gravity as a shooter commanded defensive attention when he stepped up and set picks, and he knocked down the open jumpers he got popping to the perimeter when it wasn’t there. Not unlike the lob finishers who appear in the top-10 every week when defenses fail to pre-rotate, the ability of a screener to pick and pop, draw fouls off pocket passes, or receive the ball near the foul line and find the open man often represent some of the best looks this season’s best offenses produce in the half-court.

Among individuals, Ulm’s [Christian Sengfelder](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/christian-sengfelder/013917/) leads the EuroCup with 26 points as a screener, thanks to his league-leading 4 pick-and-pop three-point makes. [Trevion Williams](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/trevion-williams/012604/) of Bahcesehir is currently second, shooting 10-of-11 diving to the rim, where his frame and soft hands make it hard for defenses to close off angles even when he’s not finishing lobs. [Kevin Yebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/kevin-yebo/013368/) of NINERS Chemnitz, [Justin Smith](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/justin-smith/013276/) of Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem, and [Grant Golden](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/grant-golden/013849/) round out the top-five individual scorers, with many teams spreading the ball around liberally to multiple frontcourt players in the two-man game.

Panionios Athens has appointed veteran Greek tactician Ilias Zouros as the club’s new head coach, marking a full-circle moment in a storied coaching career that began with the same club more than three decades ago.

Ilias Zouros returns to Panionios as head coach 36 years later

Panionios Athens has appointed veteran Greek tactician Ilias Zouros as the club’s new head coach, marking a full-circle moment in a storied coaching career that began with the same club more than three decades ago.

Zouros, 59, started his coaching journey in 1989 with Panionios’ junior team and later served as an assistant with the senior squad. Now, after 36 years, he returns to Nea Smyrni to lead the team in the BKT EuroCup and the Greek League, where Panionios is currently seeking to reverse a difficult start to the season.

He will be the third coach to lead Panionios this season. Luka Pavicevic served as head coach for the team's first three EuroCup games and Chris Chougkaz was the interim head coach in Round 4. Going forward, Panionios will be led by a homegrown solution with deep roots in the organization and a wealth of international experience.

<center><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DQR06SKiIj1/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DQR06SKiIj1/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; 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Zouros arrives in Athens after a stint with Sagesse SC in Lebanon. His extensive résumé includes head coaching roles at Olympiacos Piraeus, Aris Thessaloniki, Peristeri, Promitheas Patras, AEK Athens and Panellinios in Greece; Racing Paris in France; Zalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania, Anadolu Efes and Tofas Bursa in Turkiye and Buducnost Podgorica in Montenegro as well as national team tenures with Greece and Georgia.

Zouros has coached parts of six seasons in the EuroCup with Aris, Panellinios, Buducnost and Promitheas. He led Panellinios to the 2010 semifinals with Panellinios and was named that season's EuroCup Coach of the Year. Zouros has a 22-35 career record in the EuroCup. He has also coached parts of five seasons in the EuroLeague.

More Panionios Athens news

The veteran coach began his career in the Panionios youth ranks nearly four decades ago

Aris Thessaloniki Betsson announced on Sunday morning that Igor Milicic will be its next head coach

Aris hands Igor Milicic the reins as head coach

Aris Thessaloniki Betsson announced on Sunday morning that Igor Milicic will be its next head coach. Milicic, 49, signed a deal for the rest of the season with an option for a second year. He most recently coached the Polish national team to the quarterfinals at EuroBasket 2025.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="el" dir="ltr">✍️ Η ΚΑΕ ΑΡΗΣ Betsson ανακοινώνει τη συμφωνία με τον προπονητή Igor Milicic για τη φετινή αγωνιστική περίοδο, με οψιόν ανανέωσης για τη σεζόν 2026-27.<br><br>Read More 👉 <a href="https://t.co/lv4g6KSpHy">https://t.co/lv4g6KSpHy</a> <a href="https://t.co/37z1gduevP">pic.twitter.com/37z1gduevP</a></p>&mdash; ARIS B.C. (@ARISBCgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/ARISBCgr/status/1982375248558522678?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Milicic returns to Thessaloniki, where he spent a season as a player with Iraklis. Born in Croatia, he spent most of his playing career in his homeland and Poland. Milicic has spent the last decade as a head coach beginning with AZS Koszalin in Poland and followed by stints with Anwil Wloclawek and Stal Ostrow Wielkopolski in that country and a season each with Besiktas Istanbul in Turkiye and Napoli Basket in Italy. Milicic won two Polish League championships and one Polish Cup in five seasons with Anwil, another Polish League crown and a Polish Cup in two seasons with Stal Ostrow and the 2024 Italian Cup - the first major trophy in club history – in his lone season with Napoli.

He inherits an Aris side that started the EuroCup season with a pair of wins before dropping their last two games under previous head coach Bogdan Karaicic.

More Aris News

The new head of bench comes off a successful run with the Polish national team

Shorter guards are enjoying a renaissance among the top tier of European basketball teams, and one of the two undefeated teams in the BKT EuroCup is being led by perhaps the next one to take the game by storm – Darius McGhee from Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse.

Next small guard ace Darius McGhee just doing whatever Bourg needs

Shorter guards are enjoying a renaissance among the top tier of European basketball teams, and one of the two undefeated teams in the BKT EuroCup is being led by perhaps the next one to take the game by storm – [Darius McGhee](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/mcghee-darius/013859/) from [Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/cosea-jl-bourg-en-bresse/bou/).

The American playmaker has helped the French team to a perfect 4-0 record in Group B of the EuroCup. And the main reason, he says, Bourg is succeeding is its balance. 

“We’re just super balanced. We’re connected, and we enjoy playing the game together. We enjoy all five people flying around on defense and executing things the right way and getting stops,” the 26-year-old told David Hein. 

"We really enjoy offensively playing the right way, sharing the ball. We enjoy when somebody else scores the ball as opposed to guys just focusing on scoring. It makes it fun, it makes it easy to play with, and it breeds confidence in one another.” 

McGhee leads Frederic Fauthoux’s side in scoring (18.0 PPG), assists (4.8 APG), steals (1.8 SPG) and PIR (18.2) all while shooting 63% on two-pointers and 46% on three-pointers. 

And McGhee’s growing comfort level with his new team can be seen by the fact that his assist-to-turnover numbers went from 10-to-9 in the first two games to 9-to-2 in the last two contests. 

“I would say an underrated thing about my game is manipulating coverages, using my strengths to understand how to keep pressure on defenses and putting them in a tough spot,” said McGhee, who is spending his second season in Europe.

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McGhee arrived in Bourg from German side Telekom Baskets Bonn. And it shouldn’t be a surprise that he chose that club, since Bonn recently was home to two short guards – [Parker Jackson-Cartwright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/parker-jackson-cartwright/011939/) and [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/). Both were crowned MVP of the German League –  Jackson-Cartwright in 2022 and Shorts in 2023 –  while Shorts helped Bonn take first place in the regular season and win the Basketball Champions League in 2023. 

“My agent and others I trust spoke very highly of Bonn, \[they\] said it was a great opportunity. After meeting on Zoom and having conversations, I felt it was the right spot. The history behind Bonn and their small guards sealed it,” said McGhee, who stands 1.76 meters. “You always want to be in a position with a history of success.”

It took until college for McGhee to realize his fate as a shorter guard was sealed.

“As a kid, I was a Tracy McGrady fan. He’s like 6’8" (2.03 meters). For whatever reason, I thought I’d be 6'8" too. My parents would just laugh. I was always athletic and could jump, so I didn’t see size as a disadvantage. But in college, when everyone’s huge, that’s when it hit me. So I focused on making the game easier for myself, being efficient, not wasting energy,” said McGhee, who grew up in the town of Roxboro with about 8,000 residents. 

After two years of public high school in the North Carolina town, McGhee attended the all-boys boarding school Blue Ridge School. The campus runs from the ridgeline of the Blue Ridge Mountains down to the valley. And McGhee was even on the mountain biking team there. 

“It was very academic, a lot of discipline and structure. It narrowed my focus in basketball and accelerated the growing-up process for a teenager,” McGhee said. 

One of McGhee’s teammates in high school was [Aamir Simms](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/aamir-simms/011928/), who played three years in the EuroCup with Paris Basketball and Umana Reyer Venice and helped the school win a North Carolina state title. And [Mamadi Diakite](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mamadi-diakite/014027/) from Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz also attended Blue Ridge shortly before McGhee. 

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After finishing Blue Ridge, McGhee ended up attending nearby Liberty University, where he had a wildly successful career. He was named the Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year three times – 2021 to 2023. He became the university’s leading all-time scorer, and on the same night also became the fourth Division I men's player to score 500 three-pointers in his career, along with Antoine Davis, [Fletcher Magee](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/fletcher-magee/012630/) and [Travis Bader](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/travis-bader/005689/). 

And the 162 three-pointers McGhee made during his senior season tied Stephen Curry’s NCAA single-season record set in 2008. 

“I’m a basketball fan before a player, so to be mentioned with Steph Curry, it’s something you can’t even fathom. I just appreciate the process. I think about how much my teammates sacrificed to make that happen – guys setting hard screens, taking hits. I’m always appreciative of that and proud to be in that conversation,” McGhee said.

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That shooting ability allowed for McGhee to put up some pretty big numbers. He scored 48 points in a game during his junior year and had 43 points in a game during his senior season. Then last season he drained 10 three-pointers as he scored 44 points in a game for Bonn. Two games later he dropped 40 points with 12 three-pointers. And McGhee poured in 37 points in a BCL game last season as well. 

McGhee really hasn’t gone off like that yet this season with Bourg. He did knock down 6 three-pointers in scoring 22 points in the first EuroCup game against Dolomiti Energia Trento. But that is his season high in points. In fact, his top scoring output in the French League thus far is 13 points. 

“I’m just a very competitive guy. I never really care about how much I score or about scoring explosions. I’m so focused on the quality of the possession,” he explained. 

“That’s literally all my focus – each and every possession. Did we get the shot we wanted? Did we execute how we said we were going to execute? That’s what’s in my mind every single possession. It doesn’t matter if I take the shot or somebody else does. So that’s kind of how I judge it. If there are explosions, there are explosions. If not, that’s fine. I judge it based on the quality that we had as a whole, and if that leads us to success.”

And that is all that matters for Europe’s next big-name small guard.

More Bourg News

He is shining in his first season in the EuroCup

Look back at all the action in Round 4 of the 2025-26 BKT EuroCup season by checking out the best photos of the week! 

Top 10 photos from Round 4

Look back at all the action from Round 4 of the 2025-26 BKT EuroCup season by checking out the best photos of the week! 

A dominant double-double in an overtime win has seen Dusan Miletic of U-BT Cluj Napoca earn Round 4 MVP honors in the BKT EuroCup with a PIR of 31.

Round 4 MVP: Dusan Miletic, U-BT Cluj-Napoca

A dominant double-double in an overtime win has seen [Dusan Miletic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/dusan-miletic/009896/) of [U-BT Cluj Napoca](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/u-bt-cluj-napoca/clu/) earn Round 4 MVP honors in the BKT EuroCup with a PIR of 31.

Miletic was pivotal in [Cluj’s thrilling 103-102 overtime victory against Umana Reyer Venice](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/iverson-molinar-stays-cold-blooded-lifts-cluj-to-key-win/), finishing with 17 points on 7-of-8 two-pointers and 3-of-5 free throws. He also grabbed 13 rebounds, dished 3 assists, recorded 2 blocks, and drew 5 fouls, adding up to a career-high PIR of 31.

[Chris Ledlum](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/christopher-ledlum/013968/) of ratiopharm ulm came close with a PIR of 30 in his team’s heartbreaking 99-102 loss to Besiktas GAIN Istanbul. Ledlum posted 25 points on 5-of-11 two-pointers, 3-of-5 three-pointers, and 6-of-9 free throws, along with 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, and 7 fouls drawn.

[Karel Guzman](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/karel-guzman/011797/), also of Cluj, recorded a PIR of 29 in the same game against Reyer, contributing 17 points (2-of-3 two-pointers, 3-of-5 three-pointers, 4-of-5 free throws), 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 7 fouls drawn.

Rounding out the top performers were [Kameron McGusty](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/kameron-mcgusty/014111/) of the London Lions and [Retin Obasohan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/retin-obasohan/011938/) of BAXI Manresa. McGusty posted a PIR of 28, while Obasohan recorded a PIR of 26. McGusty contributed 20 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 6 drawn fouls in London’s narrow 67-68 victory over NINERS Chemnitz. Meanwhile, Obasohan registered 20 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals, and 8 drawn fouls in Manresa’s 79-86 win at Aris Thessaloniki Betsson.

### Individual highs: Chris Horton, Reyer, 6 Steals

Chris Ledlum of Ulm led the round in scoring with 25 points against Besiktas. Fatts Russell of Cluj continues to lead the competition overall with an average of 24.2 points per game.

Dusan Miletic of Cluj pulled down 13 rebounds in Round 4. Zacharie Perrin of Veolia Towers Hamburg remains the overall leader with an average of 10.8 rebounds per game.

Four players recorded 7 assists each this week: Lefteris Bochoridis of Aris, RJ Cole of Reyer, Rasheed Sulaimon of Buducnost VOLI Podgorica, and Arnas Velicka of Neptunas Klaipeda. Velicka leads the season overall with 8.2 assists per game.

Chris Horton of Reyer collected 6 steals in his game against Cluj, sharing the season-high mark with Dogus Ozdemiroglu of Turk Telekom Ankara. Velicka also leads in steals with 2.8 per game.

Jordan Parks of Reyer registered 3 blocks, the most in Round 4. Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu of Manresa remains the season leader in blocks at 1.8 per game.

Four players recorded double-doubles in Round 4: Reyer’s Chris Horton (13 points, 11 rebounds), Neptunas’s Martynas Pacevicius (10 points, 11 rebounds), and Cluj duo Dusan Miletic (17 points, 13 rebounds) and Karel Guzman (17 points, 10 rebounds).