Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens leaned on a record-breaking run and Kendrick Nunn's scoring to gather more momentum on Tuesday night, taking a fourth straight victory by cruising past Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, 91-69, and climbing into a share of the top spot of the EuroLeague standings.

Kendrick Nunn targeting another MVP award after leading Panathinaikos to record run

[Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/) leaned on a record-breaking run to gather more momentum on Tuesday night, taking a fourth straight victory by cruising past [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/), 91-69, and climbing into a share of the top spot of the EuroLeague standings.

The outcome was hardly surprising when you consider that Panathinaikos had won its three previous games, while Partizan headed into the meeting well and truly in the doldrums, having lost six of the previous seven.

At first, however, you would never have known it, as the Serbian team shrugged off the pressure to deliver a free-flowing first quarter which yielded 31 points. That was achieved with impressive numbers, as Zeljko Obradovic’s men went 7-of-9 from two-point range and converted 4 of their 7 three-point attempts, while dishing 6 assists without a single turnover along the way.

The problem for Partizan, however, was that Panathinaikos was also moving smoothly on offense. All five of the Greens starters scored inside the opening 3 and a half minutes – latterly the irrepressible [Kenneth Faried](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kenneth-faried/011284/) delivering the first of his many highlight reel plays by connecting with [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/) to throw down a fastbreak alley-oop.

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade | Round 13 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

That meant Partizan’s first quarter offensive excellence was only enough for a narrow lead – 27-31 – which was soon overturned when the home team tightened its defensive grip in the second quarter, stringing together an 11-2 run over the course of 4 minutes to turn the scoreboard around by halftime, 48-44.

The game was then taken over for good by [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/), who netted 10 points in the third quarter – including 8 straight in just 67 seconds – to give Panathinaikos a double-digit lead. And the margin quickly grew to a game-sealing difference of 28 points (78-50) by the early stages of the fourth quarter, when a remarkable run of 25 consecutive Panathinaikos points finally came to an end.

That barrage equalled the EuroLeague’s record scoring sequence since that particular statistic started to be tracked in 2007, levelling the 25-0 runs compiled by LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne against Valencia Basket two years ago and by FC Bayern Munich against Crvena Zvezda last season.

The chief architect was reigning EuroLeague MVP Nunn, who was on fire throughout the game as he registered a PIR of 39 by blasting 26 points on 4-of-5 two-point shooting, 3-of-4 from three-point range and 9-of-12 free throws along with 4 assists, 7 rebounds and a steal.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/nunnbetter_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nunnbetter_</a> was COOKING one more night and we CAN’T just get enough of it! ☘️🤩<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeTheGreens?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeTheGreens</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/paobcaktor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#paobcaktor</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Club1908?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Club1908</a> <a href="https://t.co/TEMzE1L01R">pic.twitter.com/TEMzE1L01R</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr/status/1993436638920556917?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Unlike most players who routinely play down individual achievements and espouse the collective ethic, Nunn is not afraid of openly admitting his personal goals. Asked on EuroLeague TV whether he has targeted a second consecutive MVP award, he did not hold back.

 “Yeah, of course,” Nunn smiled. “I ain’t going nowhere! I want more. So that’s what it is. I got my double-double early on, but I need that triple-double.”

This convincing victory was not just about Nunn’s scoring, though, because there have to be two sides to any big run like the 25-0 blast that sealed this particular deal. And Greens coach Ergin Ataman was keen to emphasise the defensive work carried out by his team to hold Partizan scoreless for more than 8 minutes.

“In the third quarter defensively, we played completely different than the first half,” Ataman said.

“We played very aggressive, we started to make very good help, we closed the paint very well, we took the rebounds. When the team plays with this aggressivity the arena gets also involved on the court, and it’s very difficult for the opponents to resist this atmosphere when we play with this motivation.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Want a closer look on <a href="https://twitter.com/nunnbetter_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nunnbetter_</a>’s route to the lockers?! ☘️<br><br>This POV is for you! 👀<br><br>Enjoy the full video NOW on CLUB 1908: <a href="https://t.co/O0jvBD3FlV">https://t.co/O0jvBD3FlV</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeTheGreens?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeTheGreens</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/paobcaktor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#paobcaktor</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Club1908?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Club1908</a> <a href="https://t.co/T4In7bh3uY">pic.twitter.com/T4In7bh3uY</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr/status/1993440473823035468?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Panathinaikos was definitely difficult to resist on Tuesday night, but visiting coach Obradovic was left perplexed and bewildered by his team’s latest capitulation.

“I believe after the first quarter we shot something like 0-17 for three-pointers,” he shrugged. “A lot of them were open shots, very bad. So what is the reason for this? The problem is for sure something that in that moment… I don’t know what is the real reason. Honestly, I don’t know…

“The same players that played in the first quarter scored 31 points, in the third quarter, we scored 6. The same people. How to understand this is very difficult.”

The final scoreline, however, was easy to understand and fully reflects Panathinaikos’s superiority in a time of sharply contrasting fortunes for these two famous clubs.

Game News

The Greens powered past desperate Partizan with a dominant second half in Athens

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2025-11-25T19:15:00.000Z)

Real Madrid grabbed a 74-75 win over Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv at Arena Botevgrad in Bulgaria in Round 13 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague.

Super Mario Hezonja shows the way as Real Madrid edges Hapoel in Bulgaria

After recording double digits in scoring across his first six games of the 2025-26 EuroLeague campaign, a rough stretch saw [Mario Hezonja](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mario-hezonja/003108/) average just 7.5 points in [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/)’s last six duels heading into the clash against [Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/hapoel-ibi-tel-aviv/hta/) at Arena Botevgrad in Bulgaria. In fact, the 30-year-old forward netted just 2 points against Zalgiris Kaunas and another 5 against Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens off the bench in the last two games.

Yet, on Tuesday night, Real Madrid head coach Sergio Scariolo decided to introduce Hezonja into the starting five and the veteran delivered from the off.

A red-hot Hezonja took advantage of his size to open the scoring and went on to net half of his team’s 22 points in the first quarter by going 4-for-4 from inside the arc and 1-for-2 from deep, with the visitors securing an important 4-point lead after 10 minutes.

The game was so tight that Hapoel managed to outscore Real Madrid in each of the last three quarters, but in the end it was the Spanish side that grabbed a 74-75 win.

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv-Real Madrid | Round 13 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

“I think that the coaches and the staff prepared the game extraordinarily well,” Hezonja told EuroLeague TV. “I think that all of us, as a team, stepped forward. We managed to not make their \[Hapoel's\] impact so big. Everybody was very serious and we deserved to win today.”

An 8-0 run late in the third quarter allowed Hapoel to grab a 58-52 cushion – Hapoel’s largest lead in the game. Yet, Real Madrid showed character and bounced back with a 0-8 surge to end the period before going on a 0-5 run to make it 58-65 early in the fourth.

“I think that we won the game there,” Scariolo stressed. “When they went 6 up, we didn’t panic and kept clear ideas of what we had to do, and we responded with a great run. From then on, it was still a good game, open and close at the same time, but we had gotten the confidence that we could respond to their runs.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">✨ <a href="https://twitter.com/mariohezonja?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mariohezonja</a> | MVP del partido frente al <a href="https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HapoelTLVBC</a> ✨ <a href="https://t.co/VnoQc4eYzK">pic.twitter.com/VnoQc4eYzK</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1993412576944996773?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

In fact, a 7-0 spurt by Hapoel saw the hosts tie things up at 67-67 with 6:21 left on the clock. But Real Madrid tightened up its defense, reducing the hosts to just 7 points in the remaining minutes and clinched its second road victory of the 2025-26 season. Scariolo’s side managed to hold EuroLeague’s hottest offense to 18 points below their average.

“I think it’s a big win for the level of the opponent, the control we had during the 40 minutes and the fact that we arrived here at 3:00 in the morning after some complications yesterday,” Scariolo added.

“Hell of a job by the players. I think that our defense was overall more than good against the best offense so far in the competition. And it could probably be a push forward in terms of confidence, in terms of ability to play on the road like we are normally playing at home.”

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A rough road stretch to open the season saw Real Madrid lose five of its first six games away from home, with Tuesday’s victory serving as a boost in morale ahead of a tough game at Anadolu Efes Istanbul next week.

“We know what we are capable of,” Hezonja noted. “Obviously, we beat a team that is very hot right now in the EuroLeague, but we need to treat everybody like this: go out and kill. We need to take a step forward both offensively and defensively if we want to be where we want to be at the end of the season, which is with the trophy.”

Setting the tone from the offset, Hezonja recorded team-highs on points scored (19), offensive rebounds (3) and steals (3). More importantly, the Croatia international sent his message on and off the court, and it was heard loud and clear. Real Madrid wants to go all the way and its win at Hapoel is a step in that direction.

The Real Madrid forward led the charge from the off, ending the game on 19 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv v Real Madrid (2025-11-25T18:00:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas returned to winning ways in the EuroLeague with an ultimately comfortable 82-67 home victory against Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, as the Lithuanian side put behind a tough 100-99 loss at Real Madrid in the previous round and improved to 8-5.

Sylvain Francisco remains on fire to propel Zalgiris past Baskonia

[Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/zal/) returned to winning ways in the EuroLeague with an ultimately comfortable 82-67 home victory against [Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/bas/), as the Lithuanian side put behind a tough 100-99 loss at Real Madrid in the previous round and improved to 8-5.

[Sylvain Francisco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sylvain-francisco/007975/), the competition’s October MVP, once again took center stage, racking up 23 points and 11 rebounds as Zalgiris put together a 20-2 run in the fourth quarter to blow away Baskonia, which dropped to 4-9 after leading for the lion’s share of the contest.

For Francisco, it was merely business as usual after he amassed a season-high 33 points and 11 assists at Real, but Zalgiris looked disjointed for much of the game after trailing 12-24 late in the first quarter and picking a single offensive board in the first half.

Zalgiris Kaunas-Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | Round 13 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

However, Zalgiris shored up the leaks in the second half, allowing the visitors only 25 points while nailing an impressive 14 of 23 from downtown through the contest.

“We are super happy as we set the tone and after three straight losses away, we won and it’s amazing. We let in less than 70 points tonight as we converted good defense into offense and I am really happy with the guys,” a delighted Francisco said in his post-game comments after Zalgiris ran riot in the fourth quarter. 

“That’s my quarter and |I know where I can be efficient for my team too,” he said. “It’s a super important win and it’s really good to have it.”

Head coach Tomas Masiulis acknowledged the run of defeats had taken their toll on Zalgiris as the home team looked out of sorts for much of the first half before it got going in the second and steamrolled Baskonia.

“We were nervous after three straight losses and gave too much away in the first half, but we are happy to go into the \[international\] break with a victory,” he said. “Now we can rest a little beat without the ball for three or four days and then it’s back to work.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">MVP MVP MVP 🔥<br><br>📊: 23 PTS | 11 AST | 32 EFF <a href="https://t.co/BE2aNEIfWF">pic.twitter.com/BE2aNEIfWF</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1993427183537471868?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Ignas Brazdeikis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ignas-brazdeikis/011983/) also played a key role in the outcome, contributing with 13 points, 2 rebounds and a steal to complement the efforts of Francisco and [Azuolas Tubelis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/azuolas-tubelis/008192/), who stood out among the support cast as he netted 15 points to go with 7 boards.

Brazdeikis, who made 3-of-4 three-point attempts, stressed that ramping up the fourth-quarter defense was crucial.

“I think we really picked up the defensive intensity in the fourth quarter, went for loose balls and the rebounds we needed. We competed hard and that made the difference,” he said. “Francisco is such a talented player, he affects the game in so many ways and we are hoping he can continue that.”

The home team’s impressive shooting from downtown compensated for a mere 16 of 40 from inside, as Zalgiris also dished out 19 assists against 11 turnovers and restricted Baskonia to just 6 of 27 from long range and forced 16 turnovers.

The French guard produced yet another stellar performance as he registered an impressive double-double

Zalgiris Kaunas v Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2025-11-25T18:00:00.000Z)

“This team has been through a little bit of adversity, so coming out of November with perfection, heading into the break is a morale booster, an upward swing for this team,” stated Wade Baldwin, minutes after he led his Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul team to a 66-64 win over Virtus Bologna.

Fenerbahce finishes perfect November with victory over Virtus

“This team has been through a little bit of adversity, so coming out of November with perfection, heading into the break is a morale booster, an upward swing for this team,” stated [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/), minutes after he led his [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) team to a 66-64 win over [Virtus Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/vir/).

The nail-biting victory moves the reigning champion Fenerbahce to 8-5 for the season, marks its fifth win on the bounce and bolsters the hopes of a title defense. After falling to 3-5 to start the season, a 5-0 record in the month of November has turned the tide for Saras Jasikevicius and his men. The Lithuanian coach was a little surprised by the style of game that played out.

“We expected a very difficult game, we didn’t expect such a difficult and ugly game,” Jasikevicius said. “But when you go home with a win, it makes everything better.”

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul-Virtus Bologna | Round 13 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

As he mentioned, the crowd at Ulker Sports and Event Hall was not treated to an aesthetically pleasing contest. Defense won out, as the game remained cagey throughout, with both teams struggling to put the ball in the hole, but locking in on the other side of the floor. The game remained close until the nail-biting final moments, when a [Nicolo Melli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nicolo-melli/002849/) tip-in clinched the 2-point victory.

Baldwin stood out with 18 points to drag his team over the line. He was also the only winning player to reach double figures, but [Devon Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/devon-hall/011205/) backed him up with 9 points of his own, all scored from beyond the arc.

The result was tough on Virtus's [Matt Morgan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/matthew-morgan/012585/), who offered a 13-point scoring punch from the bench. Their primary offensive weapon, [Carsen Edwards](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/carsen-edwards/011987/), struggled from the field, making just 3 of his 16 attempts. The loss makes it five road losses in a row for Virtus, as it slips to 6-7.

<center>
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The score was uncharacteristically low for both teams and Baldwin alluded to a potential reason for that – schedule fatigue.

“It’s very tiring,” Baldwin said. “The competition has gotten tougher, with the schedule, adding two teams. An undefeated November was exactly what we needed, after a shaky start.”

Jasikevicius seemed to agree but appeared enthused by the way his team gutted this one out. “We have a couple of days to regroup, refresh and hopefully keep working, keep getting better. Third game in five days, legs were not there, it’s one of those games in a 10-month season, where you have to dig deep, find a way and the guys did.”

As they enjoy their well-earned rest, both teams can’t afford to get too comfortable. Fenerbahce is set to travel to Greece to face Olympiacos Piraeus next Thursday, while Virtus will face off against Dubai Basketball the following evening.

Wade Baldwin stood out for the winners with 18 points

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Virtus Bologna (2025-11-25T17:45:00.000Z)

In desperate need of a response, Filip Petrusev delivered 11 second-quarter points as Dubai Basketball outscored Paris Basketball 29–13 to take a 46–45 lead into halftime. After the break, and especially down the stretch, McKinley Wright took over, guiding the UAE-based side to a 90–89 victory.

McKinley Wright’s career night pulls Dubai past Derek Willis-led Paris

Things did not look good for [Dubai Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/dubai-basketball/dub/) after the first 10 minutes against [Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/).

Trailing 17–32, with Paris setting its season high for points in a quarter, Dubai was stuck in third gear.

In desperate need of a response, [Filip Petrusev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/filip-petrusev/011194/) delivered 11 second-quarter points as Dubai outscored Paris 29–13 to take a 46–45 lead into halftime. After the break, and especially down the stretch, [McKinley Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mckinley-wright-iv/012606/) took over, guiding the UAE-based side to a 90–89 victory.

Wright, who entered the final frame with 8 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists, showed why Dubai was so keen to bring him in last summer. He erupted for 16 fourth-quarter points, plus 2 rebounds and 2 assists, finishing with career highs in points (24), rebounds (5) and PIR (30).

Dubai Basketball-Paris Basketball | Round 13 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

“Huge win for us,” Wright told EuroLeague TV afterward. “They’re a different type of team – they have the fastest pace in the EuroLeague for a reason.

“As you could see in the first quarter, they had a great start. All they do is run and gun, so it’s very difficult to defend that.

“But we did a great job of staying together for 40 minutes. They made runs, we made runs, and we did a great job of coming out at the end.”

Wright’s heroics ultimately overshadowed an excellent showing from Paris’s [Derek Willis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/derek-willis/009664/), who kept his team in the fight with a career-high 22 points. Wright and Willis traded blows early in the fourth, but as the game tightened, it was Wright who provided the more decisive contributions – helped in key moments by his teammates.

<center>
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[Nadir Hifi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nadir-hifi/012640/)’s buzzer-beating three with less than one second remaining made the final score look closer than the game felt, as Wright had repeatedly got to the line and converted. Inside the final minute, a crucial [Justin Anderson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/justin-anderson/012795/) triple was followed by four free throws from Wright as Dubai flipped an 83–86 deficit into a 90–86 lead.

“Justin and our captain \[[Klemen Prepelic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/klemen-prepelic/002661/)\] did a great job,” Wright added. “We were down 15 in the first quarter, and they kept telling us there were three quarters left and it’s a long game – just stay together and weather the storm. It showed at the end.”

With the win, Dubai maintained its perfect record at Coca-Cola Arena this season, improving to 5–0 at home. Its only “home” loss came against Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv in a game played in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Paris, meanwhile, dropped to 2–4 on the road, suffering a similar fate to its Round 12 game at Olympiacos Piraeus: a fast start followed by a late fade.

The week-long FIBA break will give both teams a moment to reset. Paris visits AS Monaco next Thursday, December 4, while Dubai travels to Italy to face Virtus Bologna next Friday, December 5.

The guard stepped up in the second half to maintain his team’s 100% record at Coca-Cola Arena

Dubai Basketball v Paris Basketball (2025-11-25T16:00:00.000Z)

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan announced on Monday that Ettore Messina has stepped down as the club head coach and that Peppe Poeta, formerly Messina's assistant, has been promoted to take his place

Ettore Messina steps down as Milan head coach, to be replaced by Peppe Poeta

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan announced on Monday that Ettore Messina has stepped down as the club head coach and that Peppe Poeta, formerly Messina's assistant, has been promoted to take his place. 

The decision was made by mutual agreement with club president Leo Dell’Orco. Messina will remain within the organization in an executive capacity, ensuring continuity and leadership.

Messina leaves the bench after guiding Milan through one of its most successful modern eras. Since joining the club in 2019, he led the team to two Italian championships, three Italian Cups, and three Supercoppa titles, while also steering Milan to the EuroLeague Final Four in 2021, its first appearance in nearly three decades. Widely regarded as one of Europe’s most accomplished coaches, Messina previously won four EuroLeague crowns with Virtus Bologna and CSKA Moscow.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">Ettore Messina lascia l’incarico di allenatore; Peppe Poeta subito Head Coach<br><br>🇮🇹 Comunicato ufficiale 👉🏻 <a href="https://t.co/ICxBxXOWhb">https://t.co/ICxBxXOWhb</a><br><br>Ettore Messina stepped down; Peppe Poeta takes the Head Coach position<br><br>🇬🇧 Official statement 👉🏻 <a href="https://t.co/rdVZ5KIh76">https://t.co/rdVZ5KIh76</a> <a href="https://t.co/jo7hHaGMJ4">pic.twitter.com/jo7hHaGMJ4</a></p>&mdash; Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936/status/1993036703423144019?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Poeta, 40, now takes the reins in his first head coaching role at the EuroLeague level. A former Italian national team guard, Poeta enjoyed a distinguished playing career spanning nearly two decades, including stints with Virtus Bologna, Turin, and Reggio Emilia. Known for his leadership and basketball IQ on the court, Poeta transitioned to coaching after retiring in 2022. He served as an assistant on the Italian national team and with Milan before taking over head coaching duties with Brescia last season. Poeta returned to Milan this summer to apprentice under Messina with an eye to eventually replacing him. His appointment marks a new chapter for the club as it looks to build on recent successes.

Team president Leo Dell’Orco expressed gratitude for Messina’s contributions: “I want to sincerely thank Ettore Messina for the successes we achieved together, from league titles to cups and reaching the Final Four in 2021. At the same time, I wish Peppe Poeta the best, confident he will lead the team with passion and determination.”

Poeta will make his head coaching debut on Wednesday night in Belgrade against Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv.

More Milan News

Messina will remain with the club in an executive capacity

Ettore Messina steps down as Milan head coach, replaced by Peppe Poeta

Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2025-11-26T17:00:00.000Z)

The EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Podcast debates all the hot-button issues as we head into a short week for Round 13 games. Co-hosts Javier Gancedo and Frankie Sachs of EuroLeague.net and Sport 24's Vasiliki Karamouza talk about Round 12's winners, losers and question marks to help us all prepare for this week's clashes. 

Fantasy Challenge Podcast: Is it time to move on from Vezenkov? 

The EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Podcast debates all the hot-button issues as we head into a short week for Round 13 games. Co-hosts [Javier Gancedo](https://x.com/ganchetto) and [Frankie Sachs](https://x.com/MrEuroleague) of [EuroLeague.net](http://EuroLeague.net) and Sport 24's [Vasiliki Karamouza](https://x.com/karamouza_vas) talk about Round 12's winners, losers and question marks to help us all prepare for this week's clashes.

The topic of whether it is time to move on from [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) of Olympiacos or [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) of Panathinaikos was discussed, as well as if Real Madrid's [Theo Maledon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/theo-maledon/007027/) and Panathinaikos big man [Kenneth Faried](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kenneth-faried/011284/) were must-have players. Javi, Frankie and Vasiliki talk about their favorites for the MVP and MVP of the Month awards, too!

Like every week, the trio of hosts share their own fantasy teams – and comment on each other's – and react to questions and comments sent in by Fantasy Podcast viewers in the “Get Featured, Get Rewarded” segment. If you need help preparing for Round 13 and want a few laughs while doing so, you have come to the right place.

Sasha's Corner is back this week on the Fantasy Challenge Podcast

One of your favorite podcast hosts recommends doing exactly that!

FC Barcelona v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2025-11-26T19:30:00.000Z)

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Olympiacos Piraeus (2025-11-26T18:30:00.000Z)

AS Monaco v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-11-26T18:30:00.000Z)

Valencia Basket v FC Bayern Munich (2025-11-25T19:30:00.000Z)

Javier Gancedo shares his recommendations for Round 13 in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge

Fantasy tips, Round 13: Another chance to improve

All of a sudden, we are heading into Round 13 of the EuroLeague Regular Season. At the end of it, more than one-third of the round-robin stage will be in the books. Of course, another round is another opportunity for all EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge managers to improve in the overall standings and in hundreds of private leagues featuring friends, family teammates and maybe even people you may not like that much and you want to beat badly.

Before I share my recommendations for Round 13, let's see how my tips worked out last week. Well, TJ Leaf of Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv was injured and did not play. That is not my fault, so I won't count him. Nick Weiler-Babb of Anadolu Efes Istanbul had 12 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists and a fantasy core of 20.9. He earned 0.3 credits. Kenneth Faried of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens had another rock-solid performance (9 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks), for 25.3 fantasy points and gained 0.6 credits.

Aleksa Avramovic of Dubai Basketball was hurt in the first half of his team's game against Panathinaikos and ended up getting a negative score of -1. Bad call. Ognjen Dobric of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade saw less playing time and lost -0.1 credits. So that's two wins, two losses and one DNP. Take into account that I have not been recommending superstars lately, so I would say it was a 50-50 week.

Theo Maledon, Azuolas Tubelis, Ercan Osmani, Kobi Simmons and Armoni Brooks are featured in this week's article. 

EuroLeague Fantasy tips: Round 13 

Here are five players I like this week, leaving room for you to keep your most expensive players:

### Theo Maledon, Real Madrid (14.1 credits)

All of a sudden, [Theo Maledon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/theo-maledon/007027/) looks exactly like the player he was in ASVEL last season: fast, aggressive, getting to the foul line a lot and being extremely productive. He had 25 points and a PIR of 34 in less than 22 minutes against Zalgiris. Playing against high-scoring Hapoel should help, too.

### Azuolas Tubelis, Zalgiris Kaunas (10.0 credits)

When it comes to basketball, versatile left-handed forwards are my weak spot. [Azuolas Tubelis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/azuolas-tubelis/008192/) is exactly that, a very mobile forward who is able to do a little bit of everything. In the last two games, Tubelis averaged 20.5 points on 14-of-15 two-point shooting and 5.0 rebounds for a PIR of 23.5. Just sensational!

Ercan Osmani is a must-have player!

### Ercan Osmani, Anadolu Efes Istanbul (9.4 credits)

Owned by almost 20.0% of fantasy teams, [Ercan Osmani](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ercan-osmani/012710/) is proving everybody right this season, going from 6.3 to 9.4 credits so far this season. Efes has frontcourt injuries and he is seeing more playing time, averaging 12.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and a PIR of 18.0 in the last three games. A must-have player!

### Kobi Simmons, Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (9.6 credits)

It is no coincidence that Baskonia has improved a lot since [Kobi Simmons](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kobi-simmons/014152/) joined the team. He has been extremely effective, giving his team the extra scoring punch it needed. In seven games, Simmons has averaged 10.3 points on great shooting (67.9% 2FG, 40.0% 3FG, 90.9% FT), 4.0 assists and a PIR of 11.7.

### Armoni Brooks, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (8.3 credits)

A scoreless night against Efes was a turning point for [Armoni Brooks](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/armoni-brooks/013384/), who has done great since then. Over the last three games, Brooks has averaged 16.7 points on 10-of-21 three-point shooting (47.6% 3FG) and 3.7 rebounds for a PIR of 15.3. If he starts getting to the foul line more often, his value should skyrocket.

More EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge News

Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv announced on Monday afternoon that Jeff Dowtin Jr. will be sidelined for approximately six weeks after suffering a torn ligament in his foot 

Maccabi: Jeff Dowtin out six weeks with foot injury

[Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/maccabi-rapyd-tel-aviv/tel/) announced on Monday afternoon that [Jeff Dowtin Jr.](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jeffrey-dowtin-jr/014123/) will be sidelined for approximately six weeks after suffering a torn ligament in his foot during the Israeli League game against Hapoel Holon on Sunday night. The guard is scheduled for a follow-up examination in about three weeks to assess his recovery.

Dowtin, 28, is in his first season with the club and in the EuroLeague and comes off another strong showing on the road last week in which he scored 18 points at Virtus Bologna. He has averaged 9.9 points on 42.9% three-point shooting and 2.9 assists over 11 EuroLeague appearances this season as a key backcourt contributor and an important piece in the rotation.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="iw" dir="rtl">עדכון לגבי כשירות שחקנים &gt;&gt; <a href="https://t.co/DTS1GJFVNu">https://t.co/DTS1GJFVNu</a> <a href="https://t.co/6T9LI5KUKO">pic.twitter.com/6T9LI5KUKO</a></p>&mdash; Maccabi Tel Aviv BC (@MaccabiTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabiTLVBC/status/1992925307238793461?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Iffe Lundberg](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/iffe-lundberg/010781/) could step into Dowtin’s role as he continues to practice with the squad and will travel to Belgrade for Wednesday’s game against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan. The Danish guard, who joined the club earlier this month, is a game-time decision. Lundberg’s presence could provide much-needed depth with Dowtin out.

[T.J. Leaf](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-leaf/014012/), who was already dealing with a calf strain before the team’s trip to Bologna, will undergo another evaluation on Tuesday. The results will determine the next steps in his recovery plan.

More Maccabi News

The club also provided updates on the status of Iffe Lundberg and TJ Leaf 