An intense game is expected at Palaleonessa A2a where Germani Brescia hosts Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse on Tuesday in Group A. Brescia (2-1) looks for its third consecutive victory, however, it will not be easy as Bourg (3-0) is the only undefeated squad left in the 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup. This marks Bourg's first-ever visit to Brescia, which adds even more anticipation to this showdown, as both teams battle for first place in Group A. 

Brescia has bounced back from an opening night loss and has averaged 101.0 points in its two wins. Amedeo Della Valle (15.7 ppg., 4.7 apg.) has been its main pillar until now, followed by Troy Caupain (15.3 ppg.) and CJ Massinburg (11.0 ppg.). Brescia ranks third in defensive (29.3 drpg.) and total rebounds as well as in two-point shooting (59.5% 2FG). Powering the boards against a very physical team could be critical for the hosts. 

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Bourg hopes to keep its great momentum going, particularly on defense. It has limited its last two opponents, Umana Reyer Venice and 7-Bet Lietkabelis Panevezys, to 73 points apiece. In those two games, Bourg held its opponents to a total of 24 assists and collected 16 steals. Putting pressure on Della Valle and Caupain is critical, as well as running its offense through Jordan Floyd (15.3 ppg.), Isiaha Mike (14.0 ppg.) and James Palmer (12.0 ppg.). 

Brescia hosts undefeated Bourg

Germani Brescia v Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse (2022-11-01T19:30:00.000Z)

Two of the most exciting teams to watch in Group A meet on Wednesday when Frutti Extra Bursaspor hosts ratiopharm Ulm. Bursaspor (2-1) comes off its first loss of the season and looks to bounce back in front of its fans. Ulm (1-2) has lost its last two games - the last one in overtime against Germani Brescia - and should be ready to bounce back against last season's runner-up. Expect an exciting game at Tofas Spor Salonu. 

Bursaspor has been playing with a shortened rotation due to injuries. Against Prometey Slobozhenske, foul trouble prevented the team from being more competitive. Help is on the way with the signing of swingman Sindarius Thornwell last week. Derek Needham (16.0 ppg.) and Onuralp Bitim (16.0 ppg.) have been its top scorers until now and Ahmet Duverioglu (10.3 ppg., 8.0 rpg.) leads the team in PIR (18.3). Bursaspor needs to improve its free throw percentage (58.5%) to be even more competitive. 

Ulm is rebounding well at the offensive end (11.0 orpg.) but is not doing that great until its own basket, getting just 24.7 defensive boards per night. Better, team-oriented boxing out is needed to get the defensive rebounds and find easy points in transition through Yago Matheus (8.7 ppg., 3.7 apg.), Juan Nunez (5.3 ppg., 5.3 apg.) and Fedor Zugic (9.0 ppg.). Stopping Duverioglu down low is key and Ulm relies on Sagaba Konate to do so. 

Bursaspor, Ulm look to bounce back

Frutti Extra Bursaspor v ratiopharm Ulm (2022-11-02T17:00:00.000Z)

Slask Wroclaw looks to get its first win of the season on Tuesday when it hosts Turk Telekom Ankara, which has won its last two games. Ironically, Slask (0-3) has played better on the road thus far this season and lost by only 4 points last week at Veolia Hamburg Towers after suffering a 40-point thrashing at the hands of Buducnost VOLI Podgorica at home the week before. Injuries have shortened the Slask rotation and only seven players are averaging more than 10 minutes played per game. Jeremiah Martin (16.3 ppg., 4 apg.) and sixth-man Lukasz Kolenda (14.0 ppg.) have been the team’s top weapons so far.

Turk Telekom (2-1) won by 5 at Hamburg two weeks ago and easily handled Hapoel Tel Aviv 89-77 at home last week. Axel Bouteille (17.3 ppg.) and Tony Taylor (16.5 ppg.) are among the top 10 scorers in the EuroCup this season, Tyrique Jones (12.7 ppg., 9.0 rpg.) is tied for third in rebounding and Jerian Grant (10.7 ppg., 6.7 apg.) is second in the competition in assists.

Shooting could be decisive in the clash with Turk Telekom leading the league in two-point accuracy (61.0%) and sixth in three-point shooting (36.5%), while Slask is last in three-point accuracy (23.9%) and third from bottom in two-point shooting (46.4%). Slask has also committed the second-most turnovers (16.7) and Turk Telekom is third in steals (9.3 spg.), so how well the hosts stand up to Turk Telekom’s defensive pressure could be a determining factor in this game.

Slask seeks maiden win when it hosts Turk Telekom

Slask Wroclaw v Turk Telekom Ankara (2022-11-01T19:00:00.000Z)

Hapoel Tel Aviv will look to bounce back from its first EuroCup loss when it hosts Dolomiti Energia Trento, which is looking to snap a 15-game losing streak dating back to last season. Hapoel (2-1) bested two other EuroCup newcomers, London Lions and Paris Basketball, in its first two games before falling last week at Turk Telekom Ankara. While swingman Jordan McRae leads the team in scoring, playmaker J’Covan Brown (14 ppg., 9.7 apg.) is the competition leader in assists and big man Chris Horton (9.7 rpg.) is tied for the EuroCup lead in rebounds.

Trento’s (0-3) last two defeats have been by 6 and 5 points, respectively. It led after three quarters in London and had a late rally against Paris that fell short. Trento has a balanced attack with five scorers averaging double figures in points led by Diego Flaccadori (15.5 ppg., 6 apg.) and Drew Crawford (14 ppg.).

Rebounding may have a major say in the outcome of this game; Trento is third in the EuroCup with 12.7 offensive rebounds per game, however, Hapoel has been a master at locking down the defensive glass and has outrebounded opponents by 6.7 boards per game. Trento, in contrast, has been outrebounded by 2 rebounds per game. Expect plenty of great ball movement since these two teams are first and joint-second in assists with Hapoel averaging 21 per game and Trento 20.3.

Hapoel meets Trento in showdown of EuroCup’s top passing teams 

Hapoel Tel Aviv v Dolomiti Energia Trento (2022-11-02T17:45:00.000Z)

The final game to tip off in Round 4 of the 7DAYS EuroCup Regular Season will take place in the French capital where Paris Basketball takes on perennial contender Gran Canaria. Interestingly, Paris (2-1) is winless at home this season, while Gran Canaria (2-1) is yet to win on the road. The hosts have four players ranked among the top 20 this season in average PIR. Among them, Kyle Allman (20 ppg.) is second in the EuroCup in scoring, Ismael Kamagate (11.3 ppg., 9 rpg.) is tied for third in rebounding and Tyrone Wallace (15.5 ppg., 5 apg., 2.5 spg.) is fourth in steals.

Seven players are averaging at least 7 points this season for Granca, not including star guard Andrew Albicy, who debuted last week with 8 points and 5 assists off the bench. Sixth-man A.J. Slaughter (15.7 ppg.) is the team’s top scorer and 2020-21 EuroCup Rising Star Aleksander Balcerowski comes off his finest EuroCup game with 16 points and 9 rebounds.

All signs point to it being a high-scoring affair since Paris is second in the EuroCup in scoring (89 ppg.) and Granca is fourth (87 ppg.). Two stats to keep an eye on are that opponents have shot 44.6% from downtown against Granca and Paris has allowed the most offensive rebounds (14 orpg.).

 Paris faces Granca in probable high-scoring affair 

Paris Basketball v Gran Canaria (2022-11-02T19:30:00.000Z)

### A strength vs. strength matchup

The matchup between the 7DAYS EuroCup’s most efficient offensive team, Promitheas Patras, and its most efficient defensive unit, Buducnost VOLI Podgorica, was the most interesting strength-on-strength matchup the EuroCup has had to offer so far this season.  While the contest looked very one-sided for long stretches, it wound up living up to expectations in the fourth quarter.

As the chart above suggests, Buducnost built a significant lead in the second quarter and led by 20-points for a time late in the third.  It held an explosive Promitheas offense to only 0.87 points per possession through the first 30 minutes—well below its 1.09 point per-possession standard.  Forcing 7 turnovers in the second quarter alone and doing a solid job of taking the game out of the hands of leading scorer Joe Young, Buducnost was up by 19 with a little over 9 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

Promitheas’s offense finally broke free from that point scoring 29 points over 20 possessions to actually take the lead in the waning moments of regulation.  With Young getting loose for 8 points and 2 assists and Nikos Gkikas providing some timely three-point shooting, they flipped the game on its head before faltering in overtime.

Buducnost has allowed only 0.83 points per possession on the year, so considering Promitheas’s 1.09 per-possession scoring rate, it got the best of this matchup on paper holding the visitors to 0.93 per possession in the victory.  However, the late-game swing tells the more poignant story as, even for the league’s stingiest defense and most dominant rebounding team, no lead is safe in the EuroCup. 

### Going with what works

As well as Buducnost defended most of the night, Joe Young still managed to score 20 points – including 10 over only six possessions looking for his own shot in pick-and-rolls.  Young, whose father, Michael, was a prolific scorer at the highest levels of European basketball in the early 1990’s, has always been known for his ability to put the ball in the basket.  Even so, he’s been fantastic in the beginning weeks of his first campaign in Europe and leads the EuroCup in overall scoring on gaudy efficiency numbers.

Much of his production and Promitheas’s success can be traced to the league-best 41 points he’s scored over only 27 pick-and-roll possessions.  Shooting an absurd eFG% of 81%, Young’s ability to stop and pop with range has been an issue for opposing defenses that has only made his ability to then make shots from everywhere on the floor more apparent as teams mix up their coverages to stop him.  He is the type of dynamic offensive player that could give his team a puncher’s chance in any game this season.

Among the other early-season play-type scoring leaders, Turk Telekom Ankara swingman Axel Bouteille’s spot-up shooting prowess is of note as he was always a capable shot-maker but did not expand his range until his mid-20’s.  His rise as a terrific spot-up three-point shooter has paid dividends for Turk Telekom so far.  Aleksander Balcerowski has been the league’s most productive roll man as his return to Gran Canaria has helped him settle back into the rhythm that helped him earn Rising Star honors during the 2020-21 season. 

Kyle Allman of Paris Basketball and Ante Tomic of Joventut Badalona have been the EuroCup’s most productive one-on-one scorers on the perimeter and in the post, respectively.  Allman may not be quite as prolific as Young in pick-and-roll situations, but his ability to break down defenders on an island is a big reason he remains one of this season’s leading scorers.  Ante Tomic has had a decorated career that includes no shortage of accolades, but the 35-year-old does not get enough credit for growing as a playmaker after joining Joventut three seasons ago.  As much as he leads the EuroCup in post-up scoring, his ability to move the ball is often just as valuable.

Though Joe Young keyed Promitheas’s comeback, Alpha Kaba was a big reason Buducnost ultimately took the win.  Leading the EuroCup with 12 offensive rebounds through 3 appearances, he has gone right back up with 10 of them scoring 13 points and drawing 3 fouls.  He added 3 extra possessions in the final 6 minutes for Buducnost in their Round 3 win including a tip dunk that tied the game in the final minute of regulation. 

## Looking Ahead to Round 4

Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse is the last remaining unbeaten team.  It will head to Italy to take on a Germani Brescia side that has looked good in victory the last two weeks after a Round 1 loss to Joventut.  Bourg’s offensive execution has been terrific in the early going — it leads the EuroCup producing 16 unguarded spot-up jumpers per game. Brescia has been solid in rotation, which provided an interesting road test for the Group A leader.

Forces collided in Round 3 of the 7DAYS EuroCup, Let’s review an interesting game from last week, have a glance at the most efficient scorers in the competition so far this season and take a peek at one key Round 4 clash.  

Stats Review: Who have been the most efficient scorers so far?

Balanced Bourg the only unbeaten team left

Last season, Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse missed out on the 7DAYS EuroCup Playoffs by finishing ninth in its group with a 6-12 record. This season, Bourg is the only remaining unbeaten team in the competition, holding a 3-0 record and is already halfway to last year's victory tally.

With a new head coach, Frederic Fauthoux, at the helm and a half-dozen new players, Bourg has been playing with energy on both ends of the floor. The team also has developed a nice balance and its players have showcased the ability to step up.

The last one to do it was Round 3 MVP Jordan Floyd, who came off the bench to score 21 second-half points in an 86-73 win over Lietkabelis. He was one of three Bourg's double-digit scorers in this game, along with Isiaha Mike and Maxime Courby who finished with 15 apiece. 

Floyd and Mike are the only two players who scored in double figures in each of the three games, with Courby and James Palmer each getting to double figures twice while Frantz Massenat and Pierre Pelos each scored at least 10 points once.

But no one really stands out.

Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse - 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys | Round 3 Highlights | 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup

Bourg has five players averaging between 9.0 and 15.3 points and four who played multiple games and posted between 4.0 and 5.3 rebounds. 

Bourg does not specifically shine offensively, scoring a seventh-best 84.3 points per game. It is ranks in the bottom half in rebounding (35.3 rpg.) and assists (17.3 apg.), but sits sixth in three-point shooting (38.7%) and eighth in two-point shooting (55.8%). The team also does a good job of taking care of the basketball, ranking sixth in turnovers (13.7) and allowing the third-fewest steals (6.3). In its win over Lietkabelis, the team pulled down 17 offensive rebounds, but that has only increased its average to 10.0 per game, which ranks 12th.

Bourg is a bit more solid on the defensive end, where it has held opponents to 73 points in each of the last two games. It holds opponents to 16.0 assists per game (fourth fewest) and allows 9.3 offensive rebounds (seventh).

And although it is hard to find a parameter that stands out, such all-around balance is what has made Bourg so good for the start of the season. And at 3-0, it is not only all alone atop Group B, but the lone team without a loss this season.

Look back at all the action in the Regular Season Round 3 by checking out the best photos of the week!

EuroCup, The Top 10 photos of the week, Round 3

Among the many players who shined in Round 3 of the 7DAYS EuroCup Regular Season in style, here are a few who stood out on Tuesday and Wednesday.

### Toupane set several personal bests in Paris win

Axel Toupane shined for Paris Basketball in its 86-91 road win over Dolomiti Energia Trento on Tuesday. In this, his 70th game in the competition, Toupane set career highs with 11 rebounds, in free throws made with 7, and in performance index rating with 23. On top of that, he scored 16 points and dished 4 assists. Toupane's previous career highs were 7 rebounds for Unicaja Malaga against EWE Baskets Oldenburg in December 2019, 6 free throws made for Strasbourg against Zenit St Petersburg in January, and a PIR of 22 for Unicaja against Galatasaray Istanbul in October 2019.

Toupane set several personal bests in Paris win

### Slask's Dziewa set season mark for rebounds in loss

Slask Wroclaw fell to an 87-83 defeat against Veolia Towers Hamburg on Tuesday, even though forward Aleksander Dziewa did his all to help his team on the night. As well as contributing 17 points, Dziewa recorded what is so far the highest number of rebounds in a EuroCup game this season with 15. The previous career-high for the 24-year-old Dziewa was 10 rebounds with Slask against the same Towers in December of last season.

### Grant paced Turk Telekom with double-double

Turk Telekom Ankara saw its record improve to 2-1 on Wednesday after beating Hapoel Tel Aviv 89-77 with Jerian Grant finishing with a double-double. Grant had 12 points and 10 assists for Turk Telekom, as well as 3 rebounds, 3 steals and 4 fouls drawn for a PIR of 26. In his debut season with the team, Grant is doing a bit of everything, averaging 10.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 3.0 steals through three EuroCup games.

10 assists for Jerian Grant in Turk Telekom win

### Floyd came up big for Bourg

Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse is the last remaining unbeaten team in the 7DAYS EuroCup as Jordan Floyd's MVP night spurred his side to an 86-73 victory over 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys on Wednesday night. Floyd had 21 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 8 fouls drawn in the win, which saw him finish with a round-high PIR of 31. Bourg has won over the doubters in this season's EuroCup, and now it sits atop the standings in Group A with a record of 3-0.

### Balcerowski's perfect night carried Gran Canaria

Aleksander Balcerowski of Gran Canaria was lights out from two-point range during his team's dominant 87-69 triumph over the London Lions, shooting 7-of-7 from inside the arc. The 21-year-old center finished with 16 points, also going 2-of-3 from the free-throw line, while he grabbed 9 rebounds and dished 1 assist en route to finishing with a PIR of 25. He set career highs in scoring, two-pointers made, rebounds and PIR in the game. If Balcerowski, the 2021 EuroCup Rising Star, can perform at this level consistently, it will make Gran Canaria one of the scariest teams in the entire competition. 

Balcerowski didn t miss against London

### Omic made history and could make more

On Wednesday, Alen Omic of Cedevita became the EuroCup's all-time leader in offensive rebounding with 270, which is 3 more than Bojan Dubljevic of Valencia Basket. Now, Omic is also within reach of two other rebounding records set by Dubljevic, as he needs 12 more defensive rebounds to equal the Montenegrin's total of 497, while he needs 9 more overall to go level with Dubljevic's figure of 764. It's possible that Omic could achieve these records with a strong showing on the road at Reyer in Round 4.

### Brescia's Caupain came through against former team 

A ratiopharm Ulm player two seasons ago, Troy Caupain made his return to Germany on Wednesday and had one of the finest nights of his EuroCup career in leading Germani Brescia to a 90-90 overtime victory. It snapped a nine-game road losing streak for Brescia that dated back to December 2019. Caupain tallied 17 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals and 1 block for a PIR of 27. He set career-highs with 8 assists and 6 free throws made - all without a miss - in the win. Caupain's previous bests were 6 assists for ratiopharm Ulm against Boulogne Metropolitans 92 in October 2020 and 5 free throws for Ulm against Unicaja Malaga in December 2020.

Brescia's Caupain came through in return to Ulm