With Javier Gancedo and Frankie Sachs unavailable this week, Sport 24's Vasiliki Karamouza goes through the options with unlimited trades this week, but also looks back at Round 17, which brought total chaos to EuroLeague Fantasy Basketball. Kevin Punter was the one who stole the spotlight with a historic performance, exploding for massive fantasy points output in a triple-overtime thriller.

Vasiliki covers the biggest fantasy traps, injury updates, and late-game risks that managers must consider heading into Round 18 to help you make smarter, and safer, fantasy decisions.

Fantasy Challenge Podcast: Unlimited trades are here again!

With Javier Gancedo and Frankie Sachs unavailable this week, Sport 24's [Vasiliki Karamouza](https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2Fkaramouza_vas&data=05%7C02%7Cgeoff.gillingham%40euroleague.net%7C8f23c17ba6e24a938a4c08ddff3a0ce8%7C2b3d64f0329542979f1528435f0a62ce%7C1%7C0%7C638947346960937569%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=RuVg%2FRj%2BbH%2FiJbU%2BYkpXVo6vX%2B39lXvvomI9gNtMJLs%3D&reserved=0) goes through the options with unlimited trades this week, but also looks back at Round 17, which brought total chaos to EuroLeague Fantasy Basketball. Kevin Punter was the one who stole the spotlight with a historic performance, exploding for massive fantasy points output in a triple-overtime thriller.

Vasiliki covers the biggest fantasy traps, injury updates, and late-game risks that managers must consider heading into Round 18 to help you make smarter, and safer, fantasy decisions.

Virtus Bologna v Olympiacos Piraeus (2025-12-26T19:30:00.000Z)

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (2025-12-26T17:00:00.000Z)

AS Monaco v Real Madrid (2025-12-26T18:30:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2025-12-23T19:45:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-12-23T19:45:00.000Z)

Valencia Basket v Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2025-12-23T19:00:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich v Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (2025-12-23T18:30:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2025-12-23T18:00:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v FC Barcelona (2025-12-23T17:45:00.000Z)

Dubai Basketball v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2025-12-23T16:00:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich has decided to bring back Svetislav Pesic as its new head coach, with the 76-year-old agreeing to take over until the end of the 2025-26 season. He takes the place of Gordie Herbert, who parted ways with the club on Saturday.

Svetislav Pesic replaces Gordie Herbert as Bayern head coach

[FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/mun/) has decided to bring back Svetislav Pesic as its new head coach, with the 76-year-old agreeing to take over until the end of the 2025-26 season. [He takes the place of Gordie Herbert](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bayern-coach-gordon-herbert-part-ways/), who parted ways with the club on Saturday.

Having previously coached Bayern from the fall of 2012 until 2016, Pesic is well remembered for his time in Munich after bringing a first German League title to the club in 2014.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">🚨 Coach Svetislav Pešić kehrt zurück <br><br>Er übernimmt bis Saisonende - Mehr dazu auf unserer Website.<br><br>📰 <a href="https://t.co/WkTuk1tvxa">https://t.co/WkTuk1tvxa</a><br>_____<a href="https://twitter.com/freelanceDE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@freelanceDE</a> wünscht viel Erfolg im neuen Job. <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBayern?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FCBayern</a> Basketball Update <a href="https://t.co/7lWDrxWACX">pic.twitter.com/7lWDrxWACX</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/2003130505550758195?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“Svetislav knows Munich, he knows Bayern and both leagues; some of us also know him very well – so his adjustment period should be short. That, along with his enormous experience, gives us a good feeling about this decision,” said Bayern sporting director Dragan Tarlac.

With a 102-71 career record in the EuroLeague, Pesic led Bayern in its first three EuroLeague seasons between 2013 and 2016. He also coached FC Barcelona on two occasions in the competition – from 2002 to 2004, then 2017 to 2020 – and Valencia Basket in 2010-11.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">Auf geht&#39;s. <a href="https://t.co/LVYK5Zt5A4">pic.twitter.com/LVYK5Zt5A4</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/2003137117527191823?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

More recently, he has been the head coach of the Serbian national team, a role he held between 2021 and 2025. He stepped down after EuroBasket 2025 this past summer.

Pesic has worked with current Bayern players Vladimir Lucic and Stefan Jovic during his time with Serbia, even naming Lucic as the team’s captain at one point, while he also overlapped with Tarlac, who worked for the Serbian federation before becoming Bayern’s sporting director.

More Bayern News

The veteran play-caller has penned a deal until June 30

I know, I know… You were expecting to see Javier Gancedo or maybe even Frankie Sachs in this column, right? Well, as the calendar throws us a curveball and the EuroLeague schedule tightens, it’s my turn to step in. Think of me as the sixth man off the bench, ready to provide a spark when it’s needed most.

Fantasy tips, Round 18: Navigating the festive schedule

I know, I know… You were expecting to see Javier Gancedo or maybe even Frankie Sachs in this column, right? Well, as the calendar throws us a curveball and the EuroLeague schedule tightens, it’s my turn to step in. Think of me as the sixth man off the bench, ready to provide a spark when it’s needed most.

This is a strange week for [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/) managers, with the competition going into full end-of-year mode. We have seven games on Tuesday, December 23, followed by just three on Friday, December 26. With that in mind, what I’ve tried to do – at least for guards and forwards – is offer one recommendation for Turn 1 (Tuesday) and another for Turn 2 (Friday). So, without further ado, let’s unwrap this week’s fantasy picks.

### McKinley Wright, Dubai Basketball (14.4 credits)

Sometimes the smartest move is simply to ride the hot hand. [McKinley Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mckinley-wright-iv/012606/) has been on fire lately, posting fantasy scores of 30.8, 42.0 and 38.5 over the last three rounds. Facing EA7 Emporio Armani Milan at Coca-Cola Arena, a venue where he has been particularly impressive, Wright looks primed for another big performance. If you’re searching for a reliable spark, he ticks all the boxes.

### Luca Vildoza, Virtus Bologna (9.3 credits)

Do you believe in revenge games? Because I certainly do. [Luca Vildoza](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/luca-vildoza/007947/) racked up 27.0 fantasy points last week on the road at Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, one of his former clubs. On Friday, the Argentinian guard comes up against another of his former employers in Olympiacos Piraeus. For just 9.3 credits, Vildoza offers strong value – and late-December EuroLeague nights have a habit of adding a little extra drama.

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border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; 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transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DRknKkvDXxi/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Luca Vildoza (@lucavildoza)</a></p></div></blockquote>
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### Joel Parra, FC Barcelona (6.7 credits)

History has a funny way of repeating itself, and [Joel Parra](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/joel-parra/007464/) could be in line for another memorable showing on the road at Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul. Last season, Barcelona’s masked man – currently wearing protective gear once again – delivered a career-high 26 PIR, along with 15 points and a career-best 12 rebounds, as the *Blaugrana* escaped with a win. Having logged more than 30 minutes in each of Barcelona’s last two games, Parra looks excellent value at 6.7 credits.

### Jaylen Hoard, Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (15.1 credits)

He may sit at the higher end of the price range, but [Jaylen Hoard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jaylen-hoard/006835/) remains one of the safest bets in the game. His importance to Oded Kattash’s team is clear, and he enters Round 18 averaging 21.5 fantasy points across his last four outings. With Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade enduring a difficult stretch – including a 20-point home loss in Round 16 and a 41-point defeat on the road in Round 17 – Hoard could pile on the pressure once again. In a round full of uncertainty, sometimes boring is beautiful.

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### Richaun Holmes, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (10.9 credits)

For the first time in months, Ergin Ataman has all three of his centers available following [Richaun Holmes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/richaun-holmes/014011/)’s return from injury. In his first game back, Holmes played 26 minutes and scored 19 points in a Greek League win over the weekend, suggesting he could see solid minutes on the road at Zalgiris Kaunas. [Listed as available for Round 18](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/injury-report-round-18-el2526/), Holmes could prove a major differentiator if he reestablishes himself as Panathinaikos’s first-choice center ahead of Kenneth Faried and Omer Yurtseven – something I’m expecting to see.

More Fantasy Challenge News

Geoff Gillingham is on hand to offer his recommendations for this week

A festive slate of fixtures in Round 18 of the regular season is headlined by the reigning champ hosting the current co-leader, along with lots more exciting meetings in the race for the playoffs. Don’t miss your overview of the upcoming games.

At a glance: A festive slate packed with thrilling matchups

A festive slate of fixtures in Round 18 of the regular season is headlined by the reigning champ hosting the current co-leader, along with lots more exciting meetings in the race for the playoffs. Don’t miss your overview of the upcoming games.

## Tuesday, December 23

### Dubai Basketball vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (17:00 CET)

The round begins with a key matchup between direct rivals in the middle of the standings as Dubai (8-9) welcomes Milan (9-8). Dubai boosted its confidence with a hard-fought win at Efes last time out, and is led by arguably the league’s hottest player with guard McKinley Wright recording an average PIR of 35.0 in the last three games. Milan is aiming to bounce back from a defeat to Fenerbahce and will look to contain Wright through the energy of Quinn Ellis, while Shavon Shields will look to recover his usual accuracy after going 3-of-14 from the field in last week’s loss. On that note, Dubai is currently ranked last in the league in three-point shooting (31.7%), despite veteran shooter Davis Bertans finding form with six triples in the last two games.

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. FC Barcelona (18:45 CET)

Co-leader Barcelona (12-5) will look to make it five wins in a row by overcoming reigning champ Fenerbahce (10-6) and former coach Saras Jasikevicius. After somehow surviving last week’s record-breaking triple overtime thriller against Baskonia, Barca will hope that Kevin Punter can continue the sharpshooting which saw him net 43 points in that game. The visiting team will have to cope without injured Will Clyburn, while former Fener big man Jan Vesely faces a fitness battle to take part. Fenerbahce will be led by a red-hot Talen Horton-Tucker, who has averaged 23.0 points in the last three games and now faces a great matchup with Punter. The hosts will also look for Tarik Biberovic to continue his upturn in form, after netting seven triples in the last two games.

### Zalgiris Kaunas vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (19:00 CET)

An all-green affair will see Zalgiris (10-7) attempt to climb into the top six at the expense of inconsistent Panathinaikos (11-6). Zalgiris got its home form back on track by blitzing Partizan last time out, and big man Moses Wright will relish the opportunity to continue his strong form after recording 17 points and 6 rebounds in that win. He faces a bruising battle with Panathinaikos star Kenneth Faried after his 8 points and 11 rebounds helped defeat Hapoel in Round 11. The backcourt features an all-star showdown between the league’s leading distributor Sylvain Francisco (6.9 assists per game) and third-highest scorer Kendrick Nunn (19.1 points per night). Zalgiris boasts the second-best defense in the league (81.5 points allowed), and can also count on a crackling atmosphere for this crucial matchup.

### FC Bayern Munich vs. Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (19:30 CET)

After finally ending a seven-game road odyssey, Bayern (5-12) will hope for home comforts as it welcomes co-leader Hapoel (12-5). The German team won no games on its extended road trip, leading to the departure of coach Gordie Herbert on Saturday. Bayern needs to improve defensively after allowing 103 points against Monaco last week, but it does have a shooter in fine form with Spencer Dinwiddie netting at least 10 points in eight straight games. Hapoel is looking to bounce back from last week’s defeat at Panathinaikos and will hope for another strong performance from guard Tyler Ennis, who took advantage of extended playing time by netting 16 points with four triples. The visitors rank second in two-point shooting accuracy (59.4%), so Bayern will need strong interior defense as it begins its new coaching era.

### Valencia Basket vs. Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (20:00 CET)

Valencia (11-6) will attempt to get back on the winning track against hungry Baskonia (6-11). The visiting team is still looking for its first road win after last week’s triple-overtime heartache at Barcelona, and will cross their fingers that key scorers Timote Luwawu-Cabarrot and Markus Howard will recover from injuries sustained in that game. Valencia’s five-game winning run was ended by a narrow defeat at Maccabi last week, but the Taronjas boast the EuroLeague’s best home record (7-1) and will look for in-form big man Matt Costello to deliver another strong performance against his former club. He is part of a Valencia unit which ranks second in the league in offensive rebounding (13.6 per game), and Braxton Key is another physical presence waiting to unsettle Baskonia after grabbing 4 offensive boards last time out.

### Paris Basketball vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (20:45 CET)

Paris (5-12) will attempt to turn around its recent freefall against a Zvezda team (10-7) fighting hard to stay in the playoff places. The French team will need to recover its morale after a fourth-quarter collapse led to last week’s loss at Real, but knows it can rely on another scoring alternative to Nadir Hifi following a great start from new signing Jared Rhoden, who netted 19 points in Madrid. Zvezda last’s game saw the Serbian team show great spirit – helped by a double-double from chief orchestrator Codi Miller-McIntyre (21 points, 10 assists) – to edge out Virtus and snap a three-game losing streak. But that game took place in Belgrade and Zvezda has desperately struggled on its travels, losing four straight, and knows it will need maximum intensity to survive Paris’s whirlwind style.

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (20:45 CET)

Two teams struggling in the lower reaches of the standings are looking for a boost with ASVEL (4-13) hosting Efes (6-11). Pablo Laso’s honeymoon as Efes coach was cut short by last week’s home loss to Dubai, although the performance of do-it-all Nick Weiler-Babb (12 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds) suggests that he might be starting to find top form. ASVEL will hope that at least one of its key trio of Nando De Colo, Armel Traore and Zac Seljaas will recover from injury, and it needs big man Mbaye Ndiaye to stay strong in the paint after averaging 5.3 rebounds in the last three games. This is a meeting between the league’s lowest and third-lowest scorers (77.0 and 80.4 points per game respectively), pointing towards a tight and defensively dominated encounter.

## Friday, December 26

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (18:00 CET)

Partizan’s (6-11) troubled season faces its latest test with a visit from a Maccabi team (7-10) flying up the standings after four straight wins. The Israeli team’s latest success saw recent signing Iffe Lundberg exert his growing influence with 12 points and 7 assists, and he’ll be keen to shine once more against his former team. Partizan fans will be impatient to see a big improvement from their team’s 41-point loss at Zalgiris on Friday, with particular improvement needed in the long-range shooting department after netting only five triples in that loss. Partizan ranks last in the league in rebounding (31.4 per game) and faces a Maccabi which excels in crashing the glass (12.5 offensive boards per night), so denying the likes of Jaylen Hoard will be a point of emphasis for the hosts.

### AS Monaco vs. Real Madrid (19:30 CET)

Two ambitious teams currently locked in a tie for sixth place go head-to-head as Monaco (10-7) welcomes Real Madrid (10-7). Monaco showed its collective potential as seven different players scored in double digits as a two-game losing streak was snapped against Bayern on Friday, with Alpha Diallo once again proving his all-round value by combining 12 points with 7 rebounds and 7 assists. Real Madrid is increasingly leaning on the talents of Theo Maledon, who scored 21 points – including a history-making one millionth EuroLeague point – to inspire Round 11’s comeback win over Paris. But *Los Blancos*, who rank first in defensive rebounding (26.3 per night) need to sharpen up defensively as they prepare to face a Roca Team which leads the league in both assists (20.8) and turnovers (10.4).

### Virtus Bologna vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (20:30 CET)

The round concludes with another clash of direct rivals as Virtus (8-9) looks to start another home winning streak against Olympiacos (9-7). Get ready for a bombardment from two of the league’s most prolific three-point shooters, with Carsen Edwards (2.7 triples per night) hoping to outscore Reds marksman Tyler Dorsey (2.8 per game). Dorsey’s 22 points were accompanied by 21 from fellow long-ball expert Evan Fournier as Olympiacos shrugged off poor previous form to ease past ASVEL last week, and the Greek giant will now look to embark upon a long winning run as the regular season’s midway point approaches. Doing that against a Virtus team which has the third-best defense in the competition – 82.2 points per game – will not be easy.

Andy West previews the upcoming round of fixtures in the EuroLeague campaign

It took 55 minutes of game action, but the EuroLeague single-game combined points record fell last Friday night as FC Barcelona survived three overtimes to beat Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 134-124 at Palau Blaugrana. The game was doubly significant as the victory pulled the hosts equal with Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv atop the standings with 12 victories while entering the records book almost two years after the previous single-game record was set in a quadruple-overtime affair in January 2024.

Stats review: Barcelona, Kevin Punter went to new heights on a record-breaking night

It took 55 minutes of game action, but the EuroLeague single-game combined points record fell last Friday night as [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/) survived three overtimes to beat [Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/bas/) 134-124 at Palau Blaugrana. The game was doubly significant as the victory pulled the hosts equal with Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv atop the standings with 12 victories while entering the records book almost two years after the previous single-game record was set in a quadruple-overtime affair in January 2024.

It was also an offensive clinic as the teams combined to create 104 points out of pick and rolls, shoot a combined 46% from three and 85% at the line, and average 1.14 points per possession – way ahead of the top efficiency mark for a team in a single season on record. This was offensive basketball at its finest in a Round 17 game in late December. While the contest featured elite execution and shot-making overall, there were several particularly notable accomplishments on both sides to make the league’s first three-overtime finish special.

Playing nearly 45 minutes to lead both sides, [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/)’s 43-point effort was perhaps not all that surprising – that’s a long work day for one of the most dangerous shot-makers in the EuroLeague over the last handful of years. However, the fact that he scored 43 points while attempting only 19 shots and turning the ball over only once puts his performance among the most efficient volume scoring games in EuroLeague history. That’s no small feat at this point in the league’s history, before even mentioning his heroics to keep Barcelona alive at the end of the second overtime.

Barcelona needed every one of his baskets to take down Baskonia as they put together the gutsiest performance of their season on the road. Getting outscored 18-0 in transition, they had to earn every point against a set defense but were able to keep pace nonetheless. With [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/) enjoying his most explosive scoring output in over a year before leaving the game with an injury, Baskonia found an encouraging rhythm away from Buesa Arena, where they have notched all six of their wins this season.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">TRIPLE OT - ABSOLUTE CINEMA 😳<br><br>The highest scoring game in EuroLeague history ✅ <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FCBbasket</a> vs <a href="https://twitter.com/Baskonia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Baskonia</a> thriller last night was one of the WILDEST games ever 🔥<br><br>From <a href="https://twitter.com/markushoward11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@markushoward11</a> 11/11 FG in regulation to <a href="https://twitter.com/KPJunior_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KPJunior_</a> OT takeover… <br><br>This is EuroLeague basketball. <a href="https://t.co/C7rgZRoFPr">pic.twitter.com/C7rgZRoFPr</a></p>&mdash; EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/2002385186764255426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Overall, this game was a masterclass in pick and roll play with both sides producing quality looks for their ball handlers, roll men, cutters, and shooters consistently. Howard set the tone for Baskonia with both his scoring and passing, with [Trent Forrest](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/trent-forrest/013367/) using his ability to get downhill to create steadily for others. For Barcelona, the scoring of Punter and [Tomas Satoransky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tomas-satoransky/002939/) helped them chip away at an early deficit while [Nico Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nicolas-laprovittola/006435/) did a lot of the playmaking to get everyone else involved.   

The play that led to records falling in this game epitomizes the efficiency and parity driving the drama in the EuroLeague at the moment. Nights like that are inevitable in the current climate as there are no easy wins at this stage, and every game really does matter.

Sportradar's Matt Kamalsky reflects on last Friday's memorable triple-overtime classic at Palau Blaugrana

FC Barcelona v Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2025-12-19T19:30:00.000Z)

EuroLeague top photos of the week

Look back at all the action from Rounds 16 and 17 of the regular season by checking out the best photos of the week! 

Top 10 photos of the week: Round 16 and 17

FC Bayern Munich announced on Saturday it is parting ways with head coach Gordie Herbert with immediate effect.

Bayern, coach Gordon Herbert part ways

[FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/mun/) announced on Saturday it is parting ways with head coach Gordie Herbert with immediate effect.

“The 66-year-old Canadian and the German champions mutually agreed to end their cooperation early after a constructive discussion on Saturday”, the club explained in the official announcement on its website, adding that both parties agreed that the decision was made “in the best interests of the team and the club.”

Bayern is currently on an eight-game losing streak, but has played its last seven games on the road. The team sits in 19th place with a 5-12 record.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🇬🇧📰Coach Gordon Herbert to leave Bayern Basketball: <a href="https://t.co/xAylkwCq6O">https://t.co/xAylkwCq6O</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/2002404124130775222?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Herbert joined Bayern just after the 2024 Summer Olympics, having left his head-coaching post with the German national team. In three years in that position, Herbert led Germany to a gold medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup and a bronze medal at EuroBasket 2022.

Last season, under Herbert’s guidance, Bayern came within a win of the EuroLeague Playoffs, losing in the second round of the Play-In Showdown on the road at Real Madrid. Last season, playing under Herbert, Nick Weiler-Babb was chosen as the EuroLeague Best Defender, while Carsen Edwards finished the season second in scoring, as he averaged 20.4 points.

But over the summer, Weiler-Babb joined Efes, Edwards went to Virtus while star big man Devin Booker departed to joined EA7 Emporio Armani Milan. Meanwhile, Johannes Voigtmann and Justus Hollatz came back injured from the EuroBasket, while Kamar Baldwin suffered an injury in November and is still missing in action.

Bayern also announced that the team will be led by the current assistant coaching staff, but that it “hopes to clarify the succession plan by Tuesday evening’s next EuroLeague home game at \[home\] against league leaders Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv."

Bayern is the sixth team to change a coach this season, following Efes, Milan, Barcelona and the Belgrade duo of Crvena Zvezda and Partizan.

This is the sixth coaching change this season in the EuroLeague

An epic performance on a record-breaking night saw FC Barcelona’s Kevin Punter post a PIR of 40, snatching MVP of the Round honors for the first time since joining the club and the fourth time in his career.

On a night when Barcelona set a new EuroLeague scoring record in a 134-124 triple-overtime win over Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, Punter netted 43 points, becoming just the ninth player this century to score more than 40 points in a EuroLeague game.

Round 17 MVP: Kevin Punter, FC Barcelona

An epic performance on a record-breaking night saw FC Barcelona’s [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/) post a PIR of 40, snatching MVP of the Round honors for the first time since joining the club and the fourth time in his career.

On a night when Barcelona set a new EuroLeague scoring record in a 134-124 triple-overtime win over Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, Punter netted 43 points, becoming just the ninth player this century to score more than 40 points in a EuroLeague game. Logging 44 minutes and 59 seconds, he set a club record by making 12 two-point field goals on 19 attempts. He also went 4-of-7 from three-point range and a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line, while adding 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.

Two players finished Round 17 with a PIR of 35: Baskonia’s [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/) and Dubai Basketball’s [McKinley Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mckinley-wright-iv/012606/). Howard shined with 33 points on 6-of-8 shooting from two-point range and 6-of-7 from beyond the arc, along with 6 assists, in Baskonia’s loss to Barcelona. Wright, meanwhile, recorded 17 points, 15 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals in Dubai’s come-from-behind 76-80 road win over Anadolu Efes Istanbul.

The next-best PIR of the round, 32, belonged to Barcelona’s [Tomas Satoransky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tomas-satoransky/002939/), who finished the triple-overtime thriller with 23 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Rounding out the top performers is Olympiacos Piraeus forward [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/), who posted a PIR of 28 behind 17 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in a 107-84 win over LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne.

### Individual highs: McKinley Wright, Dubai, 15 assists

Punter led all scorers with 43 points in this round. Baskonia’s [Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/timothe-luwawu-cabarrot/012080/) is the new scoring leader with 20.1 points per game.

Two players had a round-best 11 rebounds: [Kenneth Faried](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kenneth-faried/011284/) of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens and [Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/) of Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv. [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) of Olympiacos remains the league rebounding leader with 7.5 boards per game.

Dubai’s McKinley Wright dished a EuroLeague season-high 15 assists. Wright and Zalgiris guard [Sylvain Francisco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sylvain-francisco/007975/) are the EuroLeague co-leaders in this category, each averaging 6.9 assists per game.

Real Madrid’s [Facundo Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) led all players in Round 17 with 4 steals. [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/) of AS Monaco tops the steals charts, averaging 1.7 per game.

Real Madrid’s [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) had 4 blocks, more than any other player in this round. Tavares improved his season-best average to 2.1 rejections per contest.

There were two double-doubles in Round 17: McKinley Wright with 17 points and 15 assists, and [Codi Miller-McIntyre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/codi-miller-mcintyre/009048/) of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade with 21 points and 10 assists.

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Round 17 winner

EuroLeague fans, we have our 17th winner in this season's [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/)! Fotis Kondylopoulos beat everyone else in Round 17 with his team fotaras theoulis, which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 254.90.

Fotis had the following lineup: Sasha Vezenkov of Olympiacos Piraeus as team captain, Walter Tavares of Real Madrid, Kameron Taylor of Valencia Basket, McKinley Wright of Dubai Basketball and Iffe Lundberg of Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv as his starters. Kevin Punter of FC Barcelona was his sixth man. Fotis's bench players were Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens duo of Panagiotis Kalaitzakis and Alexandros Samodurov, Virtus Bologna's Momo Diouf and Olympiacos's Tyler Dorsey. Olympiacos play-caller Georgios Bartzokas was Fotis's head coach.

The prize for finishing first in Round 17 is a VIP EuroLeague TV Subscription for the 2026-27 Season, and an automatic entry to a lottery to win two tickets to the 2027 Final Four.

Trades are now open for Round 18 of the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/), and the number of trades is unlimited.

The first game of Round 18, Dubai Basketball vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, is scheduled to tip off on Tuesday, December 23 at 17:00 CET. This marks the next round's deadline.

Make new teams now or improve your existing ones and try to become our next round winner! To help with that, watch the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge podcast weekly on the [EuroLeague's YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@euroleague) and on all audio platforms.

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge offers weekly prizes to the top team manager. 