Buducnost VOLI Podgorica clinched its place in the knock-out round by downing Promitheas Patras 90-77 in Group B on Wednesday. 

Buducnost beats Promitheas, 90-77, storms into knock-out rounds 

Buducnost improved to 9-6 in the standings while Promitheas dropped to 4-11. Petar Popovic led six Buducnost scorers in double figures with 15 points. Vladimir Micov added 12, D.J. Seeley and Willie Reed each scored 11 and Justin Cobbs and Zoran Nikolic had 10 apiece for Buducnost. Jerai Grant led Promitheas with 23 points, Trevis Simpson added 13 and Mihajlo Andric 11.

Post-game quotes: Buducnost vs. Patras

### Aleksandar Dzikic, Buducnost VOLI Podgorica head coach:

"Everyone who knows basketball and this competition knows that the most dangerous thing is when a team has to win. Every coach tries to avoid that. It is important that we won after three defeats in a row and we remain in the race for the advantage of the home court in the EuroCup Playoffs, which is our goal in this competition. We had quite good periods in this game."

### Ilias Zourous, Promitheas Patras head coach:

"Congratulations first of all to Buducnost. They deserved to win, they played better. We had a lack of concentration, especially defensively, on many occasions. Unfortunately, we had the injury to Agravanis, who is an important player for us. During the second half, many players were tired. This is normal. They cannot play at the same level all game. I am satisfied with the effort. We need more work to improve our game... Congratulations on the atmosphere, it's wonderful to play here, it evoked beautiful memories in me. "

### Vladimir Micov, Buducnost VOLI Podgorica forward:

“This is an important win for us. We were coming back from three losses in a row and it was not easy for us. We knew that we are better than them for sure. Also, I think everybody could see our up and down energy during the game because of the losses and you are not in a good mood. Also, in the beginning of the third quarter, we allowed them to come back. We started pushing much harder in defense and in offense we started moving the ball and, of course, in the end we showed that we are the better team and we won this game.”

Post-game quotes: Buducnost vs. Promitheas

Aleksandar Dzikic - Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (photo Luka Novakovic - Buducnost) - EC21-RS15

MoraBanc Andorra punched its 7DAYS EuroCup Playoffs ticket with a 76-83 win over Turk Telekom Ankara in the Turkish capital and did so by besting the hosts in most statistical categories.

Telling numbers: Andorra moved the ball and took rebounds

Andorra outrebounded Turk Telekom 34-41, including 16 offensive rebounds compared by 11 by the hosts. Moreover, 6 of those offensive boards came in the fourth quarter with Victor Arteaga coming up with 4 for the night.

Andorra also shot the ball better, making 9 of 24 triples (37.5%), while Turk Telekom made just 5 of 21 (23.8%). Andorra even made more two-point shots (22) and had better two-point accuracy (52.4%) than the hosts.

Last, but not least, Andorra won by dishing 20 assists, compared to just 12 from the hosts. That way, Andorra's 12 turnovers did not play a role despite Turk Telekom taking care of the ball with just 9.

Turk Telekom Ankara v MoraBanc Andorra (2022-03-16T17:00:00.000Z)

Mario Nakic - MoraBanc Andorra (photo Turk Telekom) - EC21-RS15

This is what the protagonists had to say after the Round 15 showdown between Turk Telekom Ankara and MoraBanc Andorra.

Post-game quotes: Turk Telekom vs. Andorra

### David Eudal, MoraBanc Andorra head coach:

“I am very proud of my team and the job they have done. We knew it will be a tough game here, in a good atmosphere. We knew we would have to fight a lot. We had an even better performance in the second half. In the last quarter we secured it with good free throws, good offenses, everybody sharing the ball and everybody scoring. I am happy.”

### Henrik Rodl, Turk Telekom Ankara head coach:

“I thought we fought our hearts out today. You gotta give credit to Andorra, they came in, made a lot of tough shots. I think it was as simple as that. We had some open looks, we shot them and we didn't make them. And they made them. I thought it was a hard-fought game and we move on to the next one.”

### Mario Nakic, MoraBanc Andorra forward:

“Obviously, it was an important win for us to get a win on the road here. It was not easy from the beginning of the game. We knew they were going to play very aggressive, we knew that we needed to be concentrated on the game plan to execute it and do what the coach said we need to do. I think we controlled the game pretty well the whole time, it was just a matter of time when we are going to make that little extra push in energy and when it will give us a little lead so we can breathe a little bit and be calmer. Yeah, it was a good game for us and this win means a lot.”

David Eudal - MoraBanc Andorra (photo Turk Telekom) - EC21-RS15

MoraBanc Andorra defeated Turk Telekom Ankara 76-83 on the road to book a place in the 7DAYS EuroCup playoffs on Wednesday night.

Andorra wins 76-83 in Ankara to advance

Andorra improved to 9-6 with its third consecutive win, while Turk Telekom suffered its third consecutive loss and dropped to 6-8. Andorra led for the majority of the night before a 0-10 run midway through the fourth quarter built a double-digit lead and secured the victory. Victor Arteaga collected 13 points plus 7 rebounds to lead in victory. Codi Miller-McIntyre added 12 points and 7 assists and Mario Nakic netted 10 points for Andorra. JaJuan Johnson paced Turk Telekom with 21 points and 9 rebounds, Alex Perez scored 18 and Anthony Clemmons scored 13 in a losing effort.

Moussa Diagne scored twice inside for the visitors and Connor Morgan nailed a triple, but Perez made a jumper and Samet Geyik drove for a dunk for the hosts to take an 8-7 lead. David Jelinek answered with a triple as the teams traded blows. Turk Telekom went ahead 14-13 on a banked jumper from Perez, but Arteaga scored 6 points before the end of the quarter to help the visitors to an 18-20 lead after 10 minutes.

 

Arteaga had a tip-in early in the second quarter. Diagne added to the visitors' tally, but a pair of baseline jumpers from Johnson had Turk Telekom ahead 25-24. After Clevin Hannah answered with a three-pointer, Johnson made another baseline jumper. Oriol Pauli and Diagne each scored from close range as did Aubrey Dawkins and Geyik, each after an offensive rebound to tie it at 31-31. A Miller-McIntyre triple gave the visitors a 5-point cushion, but only briefly because Perez answered with the hosts' first three-pointer. However, Miller-McIntyre added another one, just as time was expiring at the end of the half, making it 40-43 at halftime.

Andorra strung together 8 quick points - an alley-oop dunk from Arteaga followed by back-to-back transition triples from Jelinek and Morgan - to lead 41-51. Perez made a three for Turk Telekom and Jared Terrell knocked down a triple, too. Andorra was held without a basket for almost 5 minutes and a layup from Ellis tied it at 51-51. Hannah's floater snapped Andorra's drought before a pair of buckets from Pauli and a three from Drew Crawford made it 54-60. The visitors took a 58-62 edge into the final quarter.

A three-point play from Johnson and a corner triple from Clemmons gave the hosts a 64-62 lead- only their second advantage of the night. But Morgan answered with a basket-and-one and a put-back from Miller-McIntyre gave the visitors a 64-70 margin. A long jumper from Nakic capped a 0-10 run and, after Johnson and Perez halved the deficit, a triple from Nakic and a pair of tip-ins from Arteaga made it 68-79. The visitors increased the margin to 70-82 with 2 minutes to go before closing out the game.

Conor Morgan - MoraBanc Andorra (photo Turk Telekom) - EC21-RS15

Virtus Segafredo Bologna and Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana are two of the highest-scoring teams in the 7DAYS EuroCup this season. And while Virtus has won each of their three previous games, one this season and two last, all of them were all about offense.

 Head-to-head: Virtus vs. Cedevita  DESCRIPTION Virtus Segafredo Bologna and Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana are two of the highest-scoring teams in the 7DAYS EuroCup this season. And while Virtus has won each of their three previous games, one this season and two last, all of them were all about offense. TEXT Cedevita enters this Round 15 contest in Bologna ranking third in scoring (86.0 ppg.), just ahead of Virtus (85.9). Cedevita has won its last four games and posted at least 92 points in each of those victories. Virtus has scored 90 or more points six times this season. What both have done this season – score a lot – Virtus and Cedevita have also done against each other in the three previous EuroCup games played between them. GRAPHIC: Virtus vs Cedevita Dating back to their first meeting in January of last year, Virtus is posting 100.7 points and 25.7 assists per game against Cedevita. Cedevita averaged 91.7 points in the same games. In their three head-to-head games, each team has fired up more than 100 three-point shots, more than either attempted from two-point range. What the games between these two also produced is an abundance of players scoring more than 20 points. VIDEO: Highlights Round 6: https://vod.diceplatform.com/#/videos/274641 Their only previous game in Bologna was their first EuroCup meeting, too, and Virtus overcame 25 points from Jaka Blazic to win it 90-76 in the Top 16 opener with Marco Belinelli, injured for this week, netting 25 points. That was the largest winning margin in any of their games and the lowest-scoring one. Their two meetings in Ljubljana were scoring extravaganzas.  Last season, Virtus rallied late to win 98-108 in overtime behind 25 points from Kyle Weems and 14 points plus 12 assists from Milos Teodosic. Blazic's 29 points were not enough for Cedevita. Earlier this season, Yogi Ferrell had 24 points and 11 assists for Cedevita, which hit 16 three-pointers, but Virtus nailed 17 triples in a 101-104 win, as Belinelli scored 21 and Teodosic had 19 points. GRAPHIC: PTS rankings The fans have witnessed eight performances of 20 or more points by six different players in this series since the last season. No player has scored more than Jaka Blazic, who is averaging 23.0 points in three games against Virtus. Belinelli, Weems and Teodosic each have posted averages better than 15.0 points against Cedevita.  Belinelli got sidelined last week, but the rest of the crew, along with Cedevita's Ferrell and Edo Muric and Virtus's dominant paint presence, Mam Jaiteh, will have another go at each other on Wednesday night in what promises to be another high-scoring affair.

Cedevita enters this Round 15 contest in Bologna ranking third in scoring (86.0 ppg.), just ahead of Virtus (85.9). Cedevita has won its last four games and posted at least 92 points in each of those victories. Virtus has scored 90 or more points six times this season.

What both have done this season – score a lot – Virtus and Cedevita have also done against each other in the three previous EuroCup games played between them.

Dating back to their first meeting in January of last year, Virtus is posting 100.7 points and 25.7 assists per game against Cedevita. Cedevita averaged 91.7 points in the same games.

In their three head-to-head games, each team has fired up more than 100 three-point shots, more than either attempted from two-point range.

What the games between these two also produced is an abundance of players scoring more than 20 points.

Watch the Game Highlights from Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana vs. Segafredo Virtus Bologna, 12/08/2021

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana vs Segafredo Virtus Bologna - Game Highlights_3822895.mp4

Their only previous game in Bologna was their first EuroCup meeting, too, and Virtus overcame 25 points from Jaka Blazic to win it 90-76 in the Top 16 opener with Marco Belinelli, injured for this week, netting 25 points. That was the largest winning margin in any of their games and the lowest-scoring one.

Their two meetings in Ljubljana were scoring extravaganzas. 

Last season, Virtus rallied late to win 98-108 in overtime behind 25 points from Kyle Weems and 14 points plus 12 assists from Milos Teodosic. Blazic's 29 points were not enough for Cedevita.

Earlier this season, Yogi Ferrell had 24 points and 11 assists for Cedevita, which hit 16 three-pointers, but Virtus nailed 17 triples in a 101-104 win, as Belinelli scored 21 and Teodosic had 19 points.

The fans have witnessed eight performances of 20 or more points by six different players in this series since the last season.

No player has scored more than Jaka Blazic, who is averaging 23.0 points in three games against Virtus. Belinelli, Weems and Teodosic each have posted averages better than 15.0 points against Cedevita. 

Belinelli got sidelined last week, but the rest of the crew, along with Cedevita's Ferrell and Edo Muric and Virtus's dominant paint presence, Mam Jaiteh, will have another go at each other on Wednesday night in what promises to be another high-scoring affair.

 Head-to-head: Virtus vs. Cedevita

Milos Teodosic - Virtus Segafredo Bologna - EC21

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (2022-03-16T19:30:00.000Z)

The day after its 11th 7DAYS EuroCup win of the season, Joventut Badalona announced that head coach Carles Duran has extended his contract with the club with a 2+1 extension until the end of the 2024-25 season. 

Joventut, Duran together until 2025

Duran has spent most of his career with Joventut, one way or another. He started coaching the young players at the club in 1998 and he was also assistant coach to Aito Garcia Reneses from 2003 to 2005. The following years he alternated a head coaching position at CB Prat, a club related to Joventut, with being assistant coach for the first team coaches like Sito Alonso or Pepu Hernandez. In 2014 he left Badalona for the first time to be assistant coach to Velimir Perasovic in Valencia Basket and in 2015 he was promoted to head coach there to later become assistant again with Pedro Martinez. In 2016-17 he moved North to be head coach of Bilbao Basket until in 2018, he returned home to Joventut to handle the reins until now. 

"I am very happy with this extension" Duran said. "I want to thank the club and all the people that worked to make this possible, especially the players. Thanks to them the club has been growing year after year. Four years ago we were in a dire situation and, little by little, we got back on track. Penya is now where we like it to be, in Europe and in the domestic league, and on top of it all, with many players that grew up here, in the club's youth system." 

The day after its 12th 7DAYS EuroCup win of the season, Joventut Badalona announced that head coach Carles Duran has extended his contract with the club with a 2+1 extension until the end of the 2024-25 season. 

Carles Duran- Joventut Badalona - (photo David Grau - Joventut) EC21-RS15

Dylan Ennis and AJ Slaughter were the key contributors as Gran Canaria nipped host ratiopharm Ulm 93-94 on Tuesday, combining for 23 second-half points, including the latter’s game-winning shot with 19 second left.

Next-day note: Slaughter, Ennis boosted Gran Canaria in Ulm

Ulm seemed to be in a very good position to win its Round 15 home game in the 7 DAYS EuroCup against Gran Canaria. The German hosts were ahead 88-83 with less than 4 minutes to play and 93-90 entering the final minute. But Gran Canaria reacted in style both times thanks to the backcourt duo of Ennis and Slaughter, who first combined for 7 points in a row that brought their team back in charge, 89-90. Later, right before Artem Pustovyi made it a one-point game, 93-92, within the last minute, Slaughter hit a big basket coming off the dribble with 19 seconds remaining that proved decisive once Semaj Christon of Ulm missed the last shot on the following possession.

Dylan Ennis, Aj Slaughter Highlights vs. ratiopharm Ulm, 03/15/2022

Dylan Ennis Aj Slaughter Highlights vs ratiopharm Ulm

In the end, Slaughter and Ennis finished as Gran Canaria’s top scorers with 15 and 18 points, respectively, but 23 of them came in the second half. Ennis scored 11 in the last 12 minutes of the game, while Slaughter had 12 in the second half.  Both proved too much to handle for Ulm and, as its head coach Jaka Lakovic acknowledged: “The game in the end was decided by the offensive talent of their two guards.”

Slaughter, Ennis boosted Gran Canaria in Ulm

Dylan Ennis - Gran Canaria (photo Larry Langer - Ulm) - EC21-RS15

ratiopharm Ulm v Gran Canaria (2022-03-15T18:30:00.000Z)

Once Joventut Badalona managed to get its perimeter players going on offense, it cruised to a Round 15 home win against Lietkabelis Panevezys. 

Joventut's backcourt steps up after the break

Joventut struggled to control the game rhythm in the first half, as Lietkabelis had managed to stop almost its entire backcourt. The hosts led 36-32 at halftime with big men Ante Tomic, Vladimir Brodziansky and Derek Willis combining for 24 points. Brandon Paul had buried a couple of triples to reach 6 points. The only other backcourt contributors were Albert Ventura and Pep Busquets, who combined for 3 points.

Once Joventut Badalona managed to get its perimeter players going on offense, it cruised to a Round 15 home win against Lietkabelis Panevezys.

Backcourt gives Joventut a boost

Everything changed after the break when Andres Feliz stepped up with a driving layup and Pau Ribas downed a mid-range jumper and a bomb from downtown. Ribas finished the game with 8 points, Paul added 6 more after the break and Guillem Vives and Feliz each had 2 points for a total backcourt score of 18 after the break. Lietkabelis was limited to 18 second-half points, making just 3 of 15 two-pointers (20.0%) and 2 of 12 from downtown (16.6%). Panagiotis Kalaitzakis, who averaged 13.2 points before this game, only could score 1 free throw against Joventut. Once the hosts found their backcourt scorers, Joventut's defense did the rest. 

Joventut Badalona v Lietkabelis Panevezys (2022-03-15T20:00:00.000Z)

Andres Feliz - Joventut Badalona - (photo David Grau - Joventut) EC21-RS15