Regular Season
Round 31 of 34
Group Regular Season
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Maik Kotsar, Darius Thompson came up big for Baskonia
Article
3 Mins read
Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz ground out a vital 93-87 home win over ALBA Berlin thanks to a massive effort from center Maik Kotsar and guard Darius Thompson, who carried the team in the wake of another tough night for the Spanish side’s top performer Markus Howard.
Kotsar sank a career-high 23 points to go with 10 rebounds for a PIR of 40 while Thompson chipped in with 21 points and 11 assists, helping Baskonia fight back from a 19-0 run by the visitors in the first half.
Kotsar was especially instrumental in the win as he shined at both ends of the court, using his size to good effect in various ways. Kotsar was a menace in ALBA’s paint as he shot 9 of 11 from the floor and 5 of 6 from the foul line, while he also picked up 3 assists, 2 steals and as many blocks to propel the comeback.
Kotsar was his usual humble self after the game, having stressed he was only doing his job. When asked what he saw as his crucial contribution, he said: “I’d like to think it was pick-and-roll defense. Boxing out and just doing a big man’s job. It was a much-needed win, the whole team fought really hard,” Kotsar said in a post-game interview.
Game Videos
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Paris Basketball-ALBA Berlin | RS Round 34 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/3bd110f1-e5a3-4be3-91c0-960ae1097c4d.jpg]()
EA7 Emporio Armani Milan-Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | RS Round 34 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
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What a block by Olinde! Motorola Magic Moment
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Markus Howard: 'We owe everything to our fans'
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Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz-LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne | RS Round 33 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
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Donta Hall posterizes Neal Sako! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
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ALBA Berlin-Olympiacos Piraeus | RS Round 33 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
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Howard, Hall link up for alley-oop! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:18
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McCormack’s two-handed dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
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Forrest extra effort results in Howard three! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/75dca313-715c-4a46-b331-1df1132187f1.jpg?crop=732%3A412%3Anowe%3A315%3A0]()
Donta Hall posterizes Neal Sako! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:07
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Forrest rejects Maledon on the first play! Motorola Magic Moment
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Trent Forrest: 'EuroLeague fans are very into the game'
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TLC slams it home in transition! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
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ALBA Berlin-Virtus Segafredo Bologna | RS Round 32 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
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Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul - Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | RS Round 32 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
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Anadolu Efes Istanbul-Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | RS Round 31 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:10
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Howard and Diop team up on the break! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:25
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Carlik Jones: 'It's been a tough three games for us'
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Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade-ALBA Berlin | RS Round 31 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:15
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Davies charges away and dunks! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:19
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/6805e7bd-ac23-4c24-9d01-49ab321a6c02.jpg?crop=1179%3A663%3Anowe%3A119%3A75]()
McCormack on the alley oop! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:14
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Tyrique Jones with a big dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/ca95eef5-81fa-4f87-ac35-57a55afc61d6.jpg?crop=1920%3A1080%3Anowe%3A0%3A0]()
The Fantasy Challenge Podcast gang reunites for the double week
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Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-ALBA Berlin | RS Round 30 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:21
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Procida soars to kill PAO's defense! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:13
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Baker dunks off the inbounds pass! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:01
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Markus Howard: 'Baskonia needed a night like this'
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Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz-FC Bayern Munich | RS Round 30 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:22
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Forrest beats the buzzer! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:41
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/13/4IQBuUcrSUL7L4vKsFqnsQRhgxqzKWb5-1741903140386.jpg]()
Matt Thomas: 'Things were clicking for us'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/f9c369a6-bb37-44b3-83a7-e89d921cd234.jpg]()
ALBA Berlin-Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | RS Round 29 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/ec2e603a-35af-426a-b8fe-a6d8758cca98.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A116%3A92]()
Olinde rejects Diop with monster block! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/6002849b-1806-4c17-9371-f910ecd15d90.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A136%3A78]()
Diop swats Wetzell! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/429ab682-00cc-42d2-83c4-2e501fce551f.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A77%3A74]()
Baker skies for alley-oop! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/b79ab40f-e270-4836-9030-83c088d91768.jpg?crop=1217%3A684%3Anowe%3A82%3A60]()
Howard flashes his passing for Diop dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:08
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Sweet Howard assist for Hall hammer! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:13
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Olinde with the massive chasedown block! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/a80df3ac-2d91-472e-bcfb-5844846a811d.jpg?crop=4000%3A2250%3Anowe%3A0%3A0]()
Chima Moneke co-hosts this week's Fantasy Challenge Podcast
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/23284305-d64f-4e4c-8244-be95eae6a139.jpg]()
ALBA Berlin-FC Barcelona | RS Round 28 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:24
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/07/vuH8LfDON4QtYPED0vO7oyrVDM431znH-1741383595958.jpg]()
Procida dunks again! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 01:04
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/06/pLBsyFs5HlgbZW12ur650RGuFbsh9TUp-1741300390545.jpg]()
Markus Howard: 'This time of year, it's so important to close games'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/e0fa80ee-8cb7-4406-9226-a53e66774730.jpg]()
Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz-Zalgiris Kaunas | RS Round 28 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:18
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/3c191f79-13e1-4b77-ad8c-a57d19b93b31.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A83%3A45]()
Rogkavopoulos ends the first half in style! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/08e757ad-6be1-4fae-9f0f-76231fca9cb9.jpg]()
Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade-Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | RS Round 27 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/93df1fc9-4464-4101-9813-ba10857525aa.jpg]()
Anadolu Efes Istanbul-ALBA Berlin | RS Round 27 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:16
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/bb78f5ec-1b8e-40eb-aae7-927d71f649ce.jpg?crop=857%3A482%3Anowe%3A469%3A18]()
Olinde’s emphatic block! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:48
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/02/07/rgwscQlfpwkVto0druWwtE5RWfWPRk4C-1738972220995.jpg]()
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot: 'We stayed together'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/19241d10-486b-47f8-b443-36baaf7bae53.jpg]()
Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz-Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv | RS Round 26 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:22
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/e724fa10-c47a-4c7a-ace4-4f2f2e70066e.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A87%3A45]()
Hall blocks Rivero with force! Motorola Magic Moment
Thompson followed up on his good performance in the previous round’s defeat at Crvena Zvezda with an outstanding second-half display against ALBA. With Howard, who only netted 3 points at Zvezda, misfiring again as he finished on 2 of 10 from the floor, Thompson led the backcourt effort with some crunch shots which put wind in Baskonia’s sails.
Thompson revealed just how much Baskonia had struggled recently as the team - which at one point topped the standings - is now involved in a frantic several-way dogfight to make the playoffs.
“Every win in the EuroLeague is huge. We played with energy in the second half. The last few games we weren’t our normal selves and we hadn’t been having fun so the key was to enjoy the game and play hard,” he said.
Baskonia next faces Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul at home on Friday in what will surely be a blockbuster, with so much to play for.
