### Turk Telekom: No place like home

Turk Telekom Ankara is undefeated at home (5-0) in the EuroCup this season. It is averaging 75.0 points on strong shooting percentages (54.0% 2FG, 36.9% 3FG) and 17.7 assists, but those numbers go up to 80.0 points (56.7% 2FG, 43.2% 3FG) and 18.6 assists in front of its fans. It allows 79.6 points on average, but just 70.8 in Ankara. Stopping Ante Tomic should be a big key and Turk Telekom relies on center Octavius Ellis against him. If Aaron Harrison remains sidelined, Anthony Clemmons and Aubrey Dawkins must be ready to lead the hosts' backcourt. 

Keys to victory: Turk Telekom vs. Joventut 

Turk Telekom Ankara v Joventut Badalona (2022-02-09T17:00:00.000Z)

Taking care of the ball is certain to be a priority for these teams and with good reason. Ulm has committed the second-fewest turnovers in the EuroCup this season with 15.6 per game. The only team with more turnovers is Cedevita (16.4 per game). Each turnover has the potential to be a triple whammy as it not only means the end of a possession and sometimes an easy basket at the other end, but they can also affect momentum. Ulm has three players in the top 10 in turnovers; Sindarius Thornwell leads the competition with 3.1, Semaj Christon is tied for second with 3.0 and Cristiano Felicio is sixth with 2.8. Cedevita’s biggest offender is Jaka Blazic with 2.5 per game, though Zoran Dragic (4.3) and Yogi Ferrell (3.0) would also appear among the leaders if they had played enough games.

Cedevita is a team with several no-nonsense rebounders, including Alen Omic, Melvin Ejim, Zach Auguste and Edo Muric, however, it has only outrebounded opponents by 0.9 boards per game this season. That has changed with Omic in the lineup; Cedevita has won the battle of the boards in four of its last five games and has outrebounded opponents by 7.8 per game over that stretch. Ulm has outrebounded opponents by 4.6 per game this season thanks to Felicio, Jaron Blossomgame and Thornwell, the first two of whom are third and fourth in the EuroCup with 7.8 and 7.7 rebounds per game, respectively. The battle of the boards will be one of the keys to this game.

ratiopharm Ulm had won back-to-back games before falling in Venice last week and now will try to get back on track at home against Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana, which comes off a big win over Frutti Extra Bursaspor. When these teams met in Round 4, Ulm outlasted Cedevita 96-101 after two overtimes. 

Keys to victory: Ulm vs. Valencia

ratiopharm Ulm v Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (2022-02-09T18:30:00.000Z)

Melvin Ejim - Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana - EC21

Buducnost’s ballhandlers have excelled this season at taking care of the basketball. The Montenegrin champs have committed the third-fewest turnovers in the competition (11.9 per game). This week they will be challenged by an aggressive Reyer backcourt featuring Julyan Stone, Jordan Theodore and Michele Vitali, all of whom average at least 1 steal per game. Reyer is third in the EuroCup in steals (8.5 apg.) and third in forced turnovers (15.3 per game). How well Justin Cobbs, DJ Seeley and recent addition Kendrick Perry can handle the pressure and even raise the number of assists – Buducnost is 19th in the EuroCup with just 15.8 assists per game, the hosts will be in a favorable position.

Reyer has been outrebounded this season by an average of 4.5 rebounds per game. It has only taken 8.6 offensive boards per game, which is among the lowest in the competition. Buducnost, in contrast, has outrebounded opponents by 1.4 rebounds per game. Reyer has moved to improve in that aspect by signing Jordan Morgan, who has not played for the club yet. If he debuts this week, Morgan bolsters a frontline led by Mitchell Watt and Martynas Echodas and if they can control the glass, it will be a boon for Reyer.

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica and Umana Reyer Venice meet on Wednesday with each team trying to turn an important Round 12 victory into a winning streak. When they met earlier this season, Reyer bested Buducnost 72-67 behind 25 points from Mitchell Watt.

Keys to victory: Buducnost vs. Reyer

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica v Umana Reyer Venice (2022-02-09T18:00:00.000Z)

Bursaspor lost its top scorer when Allerik Freeman joined CSKA Moscow last week and the team may need to focus more on the defensive end to get back on the winning track. So far this season, Bursaspor’s defense has allowed opponents to make a league-high 39.1% of their three-pointers plus 56.7% of two-pointers, which is third-highest. The team may still be shorthanded, but there are still several excellent defenders on the roster. Bringing the aforementioned numbers down is certainly one of the keys for Bursaspor this week at home, where the team is 2-2 this season.

While Bursaspor has struggled to stop other teams’ shooters, Promitheas is among the worst teams in the league at making baskets. It ranks 18th of the 20 EuroCup teams in both two-point (49.6%) and three-point (31.3%) shooting accuracy. Even when these teams met in November and Promitheas won 83-80 in overtime, it made just 16 of 44 two-pointers (36.4%). However, three-point shooting has been a mark of Promitheas success; the team has made 30 of 67 threes (44.5%) in its three wins. A great shooting night from Kendrick Ray and Nikos Rogkavopoulos could make all the difference for the visitors this week.

Frutti Extra Bursaspor will try to put a three-game losing streak behind when it hosts Promitheas Patras in Round 13’s first game.

Keys to victory: Bursaspor vs. Promitheas

Frutti Extra Bursaspor v Promitheas Patras (2022-02-08T17:00:00.000Z)

The troubles for Trento start and begin with its attack. Not only has it averaged the fewest points in the competition (72.0 ppg.), Trento is also ranked last in both two-point (45.2%) and three-point shooting (29.2%). The need to score is even greater against Metropolitans, which figures to have more opportunities to score. Coach Collet’s side has committed the fewest turnovers in the EuroCup (11.3 per game) and taken the furth-most offensive boards (11.4 per game). What’s more, Trento has collected the second-fewest steals (5.6 spg.) this season. The hosts’ best chance to win is to maximize its points per possession.

Metropolitans can maximize its chances to win by dominating the glass. Metropolitans has averaged 2.8 rebounds more per game than its opponents, while Trento has given up the most rebounds (40.8 rpg.) and been outrebounded by 5.0 per game. With Vince Hunter, Tomer Ginat and Miralem Halilovic, the visitors have the horses to control the rebounding battle, which could lead to lots of easier shots in transition. And if Metropolitans get running, they will be tough to stop.

Dolomiti Energia Trento hosts Boulogne Metropolitans 92 on Tuesday as it tries to put an end to a seven-game losing streak. Metropolitans have won three in a row.  

Keys to victory: Trento vs. Metropolitans

Dolomiti Energia Trento v Boulogne Metropolitans 92 (2022-02-08T19:00:00.000Z)

Keys to victory: Partizan vs. Andorra 

### Partizan: hustle is key 

Partizan NIS Belgrade has excelled in all hustle stats this season and needs to carry on doing that against a physical team in MoraBanc Andorra. Partizan leads the EuroCup in blocked shots (3.8 bpg.), is fourth in steals (8.3 spg.) and pulls down 11.2 offensive rebounds on average. Stopping former Partizan playmaker Codi Miller McIntyre should be one of the biggest keys to this game, as Andorra runs its offense through him. Partizan ranks fifth in scoring (84.6 ppg.) this season and should keep playing at a high rhythm to find open shots in transition.

### Andorra relies on Miller-McIntyre

Andorra comes off a home loss against Hamburg Towers in which not finding the right rhythm was key. Andorra only drew 16 fouls and went to the foul line 8 times. It needs to be more aggressive against Partizan in Belgrade. Miller-McIntyre should have extra motivation in his return to Aleksandar Nikolic Hall. Andorra relies on its physical frontcourt, led by Moussa Diagne and Babatunde Olumuyiwa, to stop Zach LeDay and Mathias Lessort around the basket. Avoiding turnovers (13.9 per game) should also give Andorra a better chance to win in the Serbian capital.

Partizan NIS Belgrade v MoraBanc Andorra (2022-02-09T19:30:00.000Z)

### Partizan NIS Belgrade head coach Zeljko Obradovic:

"Andorra is a team that has been playing very well lately, they are in exceptional shape. They won the last two games in the Spanish championship, Real in Madrid and Joventut a few days ago, where they dominated from start to finish and had a difference of 30 points at one point and ended up with 20. That should be an additional motivation for us to play against a team that is in exceptional shape.

"The importance of the game is, of course, as great as all the games we will play in the EuroCup until the end. We know that the competition system is such that we should have the advantage of the home court, but I think it is much more important in what form we will be at the moment when you either win or you finish the competition.

"Of course, in front of our fans, the desire and fighting spirit must always be at a very high level, and we hope to win and play the best we can against a very good opponent who is in great shape."

### Partizan NIS Belgrade player Mathias Lessort:

"It’s going to be a tough game; they are a good team. We lost our last two games in the EuroCup. Now, we are back home, so we must secure the victory. Andorra has a lot of good players, especially the point guards, but we are ready for a big fight all 40 minutes. Like I said, we lost our last two games in EuroCup away, so we have to make sure we don't stay on that losing streak. We have the chance to play at home in front of our fans, and we know how important it is for this club. So, we have to make sure we get that win at home."

### MoraBanc Andorra head coach David Eudal:

"They are a better team than us and there's nothing wrong in saying it, but we go there with the full intention of competing to the fullest. The victories of recent weeks help us continue believing in the work we do and in our confidence. It will be nice for the players to play in Pionir and have the experience of competing there."

### MoraBanc Andorra player Victor Arteaga:

"We are in a good moment and we want to continue like this despite knowing that Partizan is a very tough team. We improved our game in the last weeks, especially in the open court. We should be focused for 40 minutes to have options against Partizan."

Here are some insightful comments from the game protagonists themselves.

Pre-game quotes: Partizan vs. Andorra

David Eudal - MoraBanc Andorra (photo Trento) - EC21

The races for the positioning and playoff spots are heating up in both groups as teams take the stage for Round 13 of the 7DAYS EuroCup.

Round 13 at a glance

## Group A

### [Dolomiti Energia Trento vs. Boulogne Metropolitans 92](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/dolomiti-energia-trento-boulogne-metropolitans-92/U2021/124/)

Last place Trento (1-11) will try to play the role of spoiler when it hosts Metropolitans (7-5) on Tuesday. The two clubs fought for a spot in the quarterfinals last season, a battle that Metropolitans won, but this season they have been on opposite trajectories. Trento is on a seven-game losing streak and has only a theoretical chance for one of the eight Group A spots that lead to the playoffs. Meanwhile, Metropolitans has won its last three games and will try to extend that streak to four as it battles for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

### [Turk Telekom Ankara vs. Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/turk-telekom-ankara-joventut-badalona/U2021/121/)

The first game on Wednesday's slate is set to take place in the Turkish capital where Turk Telekom (6-6) will put its perfect home record on the line against group leader Joventut (10-2). Turk Telekom's defense is third-best in the competition, allowing 70.8 points at home, and it will try to ride the same effort against Joventut, which booked its EuroCup playoff ticket last week and now will continue to work towards securing first place and home-court advantage for the playoffs.

### [Partizan NIS Belgrade vs. MoraBanc Andorra](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/partizan-nis-belgrade-morabanc-andorra/U2021/122/)

Partizan (8-4) will try to snap a two-game slide while staying perfect at home when it hosts Andorra (6-5). Andorra edged Partizan 61-60 earlier this season, but it has a different coach on the bench in David Eudal and it has lost three of its last four games. Partizan will attempt to avenge that loss, knowing that a win combined with a loss by Turk Telekom would mathematically secure it a place in the playoffs.

## Group B

### [Frutti Extra Bursaspor vs. Promitheas Patras](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/frutti-extra-bursaspor-promitheas-patras/U2021/129/)

In the opening game of the Round, Bursaspor (3-7) hosts Promitheas (3-8) in a clash of two teams trying to climb out of the basement in Group B. Bursaspor will be happy to be at home. The team has lost six of its last seven games, but five of those losses have been on the road. Promitheas won their first clash, 83-80 in overtime, which was its first game with Coach Ilias Zouros on the bench and now is coming off its best offensive performance of the season and poised to build on it.

### [Buducnost VOLI Podgorica vs. Umana Reyer Venice](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/buducnost-voli-podgorica-umana-reyer-venice/U2021/127/)

Buducnost (8-4) will be looking to stay in the race for first place in Group B when Reyer (5-5) comes to town. Buducnost will try to build on its road win at Virtus Segafredo Bologna last week, while Reyer has won three of its last four and hopes to carry on with the momentum. Both of these teams have signed proven playmaking reinforcement in recent weeks, with Buducnost bringing in Kendrick Perry and Reyer inking veteran Jordan Theodore; either of the two could end up being a decisive factor in this clash.

### [ratiopharm Ulm vs. Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/ratiopharm-ulm-cedevita-olimpija-ljubljana/U2021/128/)

Their first game was one of the most exciting so far this season and now Ulm (6-6) and Cedevita (4-7) are ready to go at it again on Wednesday. Ulm beat Cedevita 96-101 in their double-overtime thriller in Round 4, in a game that saw Ulm blow a 21-point lead and ended up featuring five scorers with at least 20 points. With two former Slovenian national team teammates roaming the sidelines – Ulm's Jaka Lakovic and Cedevita's Jurica Golemac – and both teams' ability to produce on offense, it is one of the most intriguing matchups in Round 13.

### [Valencia Basket vs Virtus Segafredo Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/2021-22/valencia-basket-virtus-segafredo-bologna/U2021/126/)

Round 13 will wrap up with a high-profile battle between Valencia (8-4) and visiting Virtus (6-5). Both teams have had major struggles with injuries to their main stars this season, but that has not prevented their offenses from scoring; Valencia ranks second (86.5 ppg.) and Virtus third (85.8 ppg.) in scoring this season. In their Round 4 game, Valencia erased a 21-point deficit before grabbing a 96-97 victory. Wednesday's clash promises to be another great one.

Round 13 at a glance: Last blast of February games

Jaka Blazic - Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana - EC21

The march towards the 7DAYS EuroCup postseason began in earnest in Round 12 with various players born in 2001 or after proving that they can have an impact on the playoffs race.


Stats Review: Impact young players

### High-Gravity Matchups

In the first year of the EuroCup's new format, the unlikely possibility that the teams at the top of both groups would face off on the same week has hit in Round 12. With Joventut Badalona taking on Partizan NIS Belgrade and Gran Canaria playing Valencia Basket, last week had a distinct playoff feel.

### Joventut-Partizan

Joventut secured an 92-84 home victory over Partizan to get two wins clear at the top of Group A. The difference for the hosts was their three-point shooting. They went 16-for-35 from beyond the arc to dominate the second the third quarters after a slow start. Notably, Joventut shot 5-for-15 from beyond the arc from the right wing and 11-for-20 from the left wing.

That has been the norm for Joventut all season as the shot chart above suggests. Its shooters have attempted nearly 30 more three-pointers from the left wing than the right while making nearly 8% more of those shots. The differences in shooters and shot types between sides is mostly nominal. Ultimately, most of the top team's shooters have simply been more consistent when left open on the right side of the floor. Many teams have a quirk with regards to their shooting, especially in the relatively small sample of games that have been played to this point. Whether it's a distinct off-the-catch versus off-the-dribble split, a few obvious hot spots, or Joventut's left-right differential, there's often plenty to be learned from a spatial analysis of a team's shooting and sometimes it plays out in real time like it did in Round 12.

### Gran Canaria-Valencia

In a Spanish League showdown, Gran Canaria secured a 91-90 overtime victory over Valencia. While AJ Slaughter finished with a game-high 23 points, the hosts also got 18 points in 22 minutes from 20-year-old center Khalifa Diop.

While Diop turned in one of the most impressive games of any young player in recent history – also securing 9 rebounds while needing only 12 shots to tally his 18 points – there are several others around his age have been consistently productive this season.

It's hard to understate just how difficult it is for young players to contribute to winning in the EuroCup, but the players above have all carved out roles this year despite fighting an uphill battle against players often five years older or more. 

Valencia big man Jaime Pradilla has not just been the most productive young scorer in the EuroCup, but he currently leads the competition in two-point field goal percentage shooting a blistering 83.3% inside the arc. Playing within himself consistently around the rim, he has been a valuable asset for a team primed for a deep playoff run.

Big forward Nikolaos Rogkavopoulos has made a splash for Promitheas in his first season with the club, providing value with his perimeter shot-making, the same reason that shooting guard Gregor Glas has been prolific in spurts for Partizan. Shooting is always at a premium for EuroCup teams and an obvious route to game action at this level for young players.

Hamburg native Justus Hollatz is the lone point guard on the list above. Playing a position that demands poise and consistency, players like Hollatz face a particularly harsh reality at the EuroCup level given the burden the pick-and-roll play puts on a team's primary ball-handler. While he is still improving as a pull-up jump shooter, Hollatz's passing ability has helped him contribute to Hamburg Towers' push to qualify for the postseason in the team's European debut.

Khalifa Diop is perhaps the rarest of young players at the EuroCup level. Standing 2.13 meters with a 2.19-meter wingspan and a strong 250-pound frame, his size is remarkable for a player of any age at any level of the spot. After contributing in a limited role last season, Diop has taken a major step forward this year and that ultimately was key for Gran Canaria to get clear of Valencia at the top of Group B with their Round 12 win.

### Looking Ahead to Round 13

The bottom of Group B is going to be a story follow from here on out as one win separates the four teams vying for the last two playoff spots. The two teams on the outside looking in, Promitheas Patras and Frutti Extra Bursaspor, will go head-to-head in Round 13 in a game that could have lasting implications for that cluster of teams.

Justus Hollatz - Hamburg Towers (Photo Marvin Contessi) - EC21