Bayern, Real win openers of domestic finals; Virtus evens things against Milan

### Bayern tops ALBA in Game 1 of German finals

FC Bayern Munich took charge late to beat ALBA 79-67 on Saturday in the first game of the German League best-of-five finals. Vladimir Lucic starred with 17 points and 5 assists, Andreas Obst scored 15 on 5-of-8 three-point shooting, Carsen Edwards also scored 15 and Devin Booker and Serge Ibaka added 10 points apiece. For ALBA, Sterling Brown contributed 15 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, Matt Thomas scored 14 and Tim Schneider 10.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">Sieg im ersten Finale! 💪 Wir behalten den Heimvorteil und siegen auch dank überragender Defense im letzten Viertel, in dem wir bis eine Minute vor Schluss keinen Punkt zulassen.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FCBB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeStillHaveATeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeStillHaveATeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBBER?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FCBBER</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/1799539224313540902?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Threes by Malte Delow and Thomas gave ALBA an early 2-6 lead, but Lucic erupted for 8 points in a 14-2 Bayern response. A triple by Obst gave the hosts a double-digit lead which settled at 26-19 after 10 minutes. ALBA twice rallied to within 1 in the second quarter before Lucic led a 7-0 run to make it 39-31 midway through the quarter. Once again, Thomas and Jonas Mattisseck rallied ALBA to within 1 before Booker ended the half with Bayern ahead 46-43.

ALBA tied it on threes by Schneider and Thomas before Brown gave the visitors a 52-54 edge. Edwards and Obst helped Bayern regain the lead and Niels Giffey made it 69-62 at the end of the third quarter. Bayern clamped down on defense to hold ALBA scoreless for most of the fourth quarter and cruised to victory.

 

### Real Madrid romps past Murcia in Spanish finals opener

Real Madrid took charge of the Spanish League finals with an 84-76 victory over UCAM Murcia in Game 1. Dzanan Musa paced a balanced Real Madrid effort with 16 points and 8 rebounds and Mario Hezonja and Facu Campazzo scored 11 each. Campazzo also dished 7 assists. Troy Caupain was Murcia’s top scorer with 16 points and Howard Sant-Roos posted 13 points and 8 rebounds in defeat.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">🏁 FP: <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RMBaloncesto</a> 84 - 76 <a href="https://twitter.com/UCAMMurcia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UCAMMurcia</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayoffLigaEndesa?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayoffLigaEndesa</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/UnicajaBanco?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UnicajaBanco</a> <a href="https://t.co/VYHqULNLaJ">pic.twitter.com/VYHqULNLaJ</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1799537219767505163?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


With the score tied 10-10, Musa led an 8-0 Real Madrid run to take control and – after a triple by Sant-Roos – the hosts led 18-13 at the end of the first quarter. The momentum switched to Murcia, which scored the first 6 points of the second quarter and eventually led 22-27 after a Sant-Roos triple. Real Madrid scored the last 9 points of the half – including 6 from Guerschon Yabusele – to take a 37-33 advantage into the break.  

After Murcia narrowed the gap to 1, Walter Tavares scored twice to push Real Madrid ahead 46-39. Hezonja increased the margin to double figures during an 11-0 run in which Musa also stood out to make it 60-43. The difference reached 18 before Jonah Radebaugh made it 64-48 through three quarters. Back-to-back threes by Radebaugh and Ludde Hakanson helped draw Murcia within 69-60. Real survived the run thanks to Sergio Rodriguez and Vincent Poirier and  

### Virtus evens series against Milan 1-1

Virtus Segafredo Bologna used an 11-0 fourth-quarter run to pull away from EA7 Emporio Armani Milan for a 72-64 win to even their best-of-five Italian League finals at 1-1. Toko Shengelia shined with 21 points and 8 rebounds to lead the winners, Jordan Mickey added 11 points and Achille Polonara scored 10. Nikola Mirotic paced Milan with 13 points and 7 rebounds and Devon Hall also scored 13 in defeat.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fi" dir="ltr">WIN WIN WIN ⚪️⚫️<br>La Virtus vince e impatta 🤜🏼🤛🏼<br><br>🔢 Shengelia 21, Mickey 11, Polonara 10, Cordinier 9, Belinelli 8, Hackett 5, Lundberg 4, Pajola 4<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmarsiAncora?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AmarsiAncora</a> <a href="https://t.co/1kuJpYZ0j5">pic.twitter.com/1kuJpYZ0j5</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Segafredo Bologna (@VirtusSegafredo) <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusSegafredo/status/1799536783690006569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The teams traded baskets early with Kyle Hines’s free throw to make it 12-17 marking the largest lead for either team in the opening quarter. The momentum remained with the visitors, who held Virtus scoreless for the first 4-plus minutes of the second quarter, during which Hall scored 5 points in pushing the lead to 12-24. Mickey and Shengelia led a 12-0 Virtus run as the hosts closed within 27-28. Polonara completed the comeback to put Virtus up 32-21 at halftime.

The teams went back and forth in a tough third quarter that featured six lead changes. A three by Shengelia and a free throw by Isaia Cordinier gave Virtus a 55-51 advantage at the end of the third. Milan scored the first 6 points of the fourth to take the lead through Shavon Shields. The momentum then swung the other way as Cordinier and Polonara keyed a run of 11 straight Virtus points to make it 66-57. That run proved to be too much for Milan to overcome as Virtus won the game and evened the series.

### Fenerbahce blasts Efes to close in on Turkish crown

Scottie Wilbekin erupted for 24 points on 7-of-9 three-point shooting to lead Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul to a 101-70 romp over Anadolu Efes Istanbul and a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five Turkish league finals. Nick Calathes added 13 points and 8 assists and Dyshawn Pierre also scored 13 for the winners. Dan Oturu stood out for Efes with 21 points and 9 rebounds and Elijah Bryant added 11 points, 9 boards and 4 assists.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Final serisinde 2-0 öne geçiyoruz! 💪<br><br>Tebrikler Fenerbahçe Beko! 👏<br><br>Maç Sonucu | Anadolu Efes 🆚 Fenerbahçe Beko: 70-101 <br><br>Skor dağılımımız: Wilbekin 24, Calathes 13, Pierre 13, Hayes-Davis 9, Şehmus 9, Biberovic 9, Papagiannis 8, Sertaç 5, Melih 4, Ömer Ege 3, Metecan 2,… <a href="https://t.co/Q7RnnBK982">pic.twitter.com/Q7RnnBK982</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1799520634013151512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Crvena Zvezda inks big man Uros Plavsic

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade added frontcourt depth by signing center [Uros Plavsic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/players/uros-plavsic/006240/) on a three-year deal, the club announced Saturday. Plavsic (2.17 meters, 25 years old) arrives from a fellow Serbian club Mega MIS Belgrade, where he shined in the ABA League last season.

In ABA League action, Plavsic averaged 15.4 points, making 68.5% on two-pointers, and also pulled down 7.7 rebounds, including 2.8 on offensive glass. He helped the club reach playoff semifinals.

Plavsic grew up with Mega, and was moved to the club's first team in the 2015-16 campaign, before getting his feet wet in professional basketball as a teenager the following season with Smederevo in the Serbian League. He then moved to USA, where he spent four seasons playing NCAA basketball at the University of Tennessee.

Last summer, after finishing his collegiate career and tasting NBA Summer League action with Atlanta, he returned to his native country and joined Mega. He is now set to make his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut.

Barça Basket has parted ways with head coach Roger Grimau, who spent one year on the bench at Palau Blaugrana.

Barcelona sacks Roger Grimau as head coach

FC Barcelona has decided to part ways with head coach Roger Grimau, the club confirmed Saturday. Grimau was promoted to the role of head coach last June, having formerly worked with Barcelona’s youth team, but he lasted just one year in the role.

"FC Barcelona wants to express publicly its gratitude towards Roger Grimau for the professionalism, commitment and dedication he showed while leading the club's coaching staff," Barcelona said in a statement. "Palau Blaugrana will always be his home."

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">Roger Grimau no seguirà a la banqueta blaugrana. 𝐌𝐨𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐚̀𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢 𝐦𝐨𝐥𝐭𝐚 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭, 𝐑𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐫 💙❤ <a href="https://t.co/5QQb73T07e">pic.twitter.com/5QQb73T07e</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1799381742601781302?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

In his only season at the helm, Grimau led Barcelona to a 22-12 regular-season record in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, good for fourth spot and home-court advantage in the playoffs. However, the *Blaugrana* could not make their home-court advantage count against Olympiacos Piraeus, falling 59-63 in Game 5 at Palau Blaugrana to lose the series 3-2. After three straight trips to the Final Four, Barcelona failed to make this year’s event in Berlin.

Earlier in the 2023-24 campaign, Grimau’s Barcelona had lost 96-85 to archrival Real Madrid in the Spanish Cup final. Then, following the end of its EuroLeague season, Barcelona advanced past Tenerife in the quarterfinals of the Spanish League playoffs, winning 3-0, but came unstuck against Real Madrid in the semifinals as *Los Blancos* swept the series, 3-0.

Due to Barcelona’s inability to lift the Spanish League, the Spanish Cup or the EuroLeague titles, it has resulted in the first trophyless season for the club since the 2016-17 campaign. 

More Barcelona News

Roger Grimau on the sideline during an FC Barcelona game in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

The 45-year-old spent just one year in charge of the Blaugrana

### Greece: Olympiacos wins again 

Olympiacos Piraeus got within one victory of winning its third consecutive Greek League title by downing reigning Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens 92-86 in Game 2 of their best-of-five series at the Peace and Friendship Stadium. Olympiacos has a 0-2 lead and Panathinaikos hosts Game 3 on Monday. Nigel Williams-Goss paced the winners with 19 points. Nikola Milutinov added 17, Isaiah Canaan had 16, Alec Peters 15 and Kostas Papanikolaou 11 for Olympiacos. Mathias Lessort led Panathinaikos with 21 points. Kendrick Nunn added 13, Kostas Sloukas 12, Juancho Hernangomez 11 and Jerian Grant 10. 

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">Final 🏀 Final - F2: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> - <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAOBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAOBC</a> 92-86 (40&#39;) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OLYPAO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OLYPAO</a> <a href="https://t.co/UBoRxg6Spr">pic.twitter.com/UBoRxg6Spr</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1799177791021453472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

Sloukas and Hernangomez each struck from downtown to give Panathinaikos an early 2-8 lead. They got help from Ioannis Papapetrou and Lessort to boost the Greens' margin to 17-24. Williams-Goss singlehandedly brought Olympiacos within 21-24 at the end of the first quarter. A 0-87 run that Nunn capped with a layup restored a 28-36 Panathinaikos margin. Williams-Goss, Shaquielle McKissic and Peters fueled a 10-0 run that briefly put Olympiacos ahead, 38-36, before Marius Grigonis's three-pointer fixed the halftime score at 38-39. 

Olympiacos found a go-to guy in Canaan right after the break, as he scored all points in a 9-0 run that put the Reds ahead for good, 50-43. Nunn tried to change things for Panathinaikos but Papanikolaou and Thomas Walkup each struck from beyond the arc to boost the hosts' lead to 60-46. Lessort and Grant brought Panathinaikos a bit closer, 62-55, after 30 minutes. Filip Petrusev dunked to boost his team's margin to 74-62 with over 6 minutes remaining. Grigonis and Lessort stepped up in crunch time and Hernangomez gave the Greens hope, 79-74. Canaan and Williams-Goss each buried a three-pointer to seal the outcome down the stretch. 

### Lithuania: Zalgiris in make-or-break situation

Rytas Vilnius took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five Lithuanian League finals by downing Zalgiris Kaunas 104-94 in overtime in Game 2 of their series. Zalgiris is now in a do-or-die situation and hosts Game 3 on Monday. Margiris Normantas paced the winners with 26 points. Martynas Echodas added 18 for Rytas. Laurynas Birutis led Zalgiris with 24 points on 8 of 9 two-pointers and 8 of 9 free throws. Edgaras Ulanovas added 18 points while Lukas Lekavicius had 17 for Zalgiris. 

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Finals series are going back to Kaunas. <a href="https://t.co/uI3jBeug3G">pic.twitter.com/uI3jBeug3G</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1799145737684418669?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

The guests used a 0-10 run highlight by Tomas Dimsa's three-pointer to get an early 7-17 lead. He got help from Lekavicius and Arnas Butkevicius to boost Zalgiris's lead to 19-30 after 10 minutes. Rytas got within 36-37 late in the first half but Lekavicius and Demetre Rivers found answers from downtown to restore a 44-50 Zalgiris lead at the break. Ulanovas and Birutis gave Zalgiris its biggest lead, 50-62, late in the third quarter but Rytas used a 19-3 run to take the laad, 69-65. The game turned into a thriller went Echodas tied it at 87-87 but none of the teams scored in the final minute of regulation. Once in overtime, Rytas build a 98-91 margin and kept full control of the game until the final buzzer. 

Olympiacos defeated Panatninaikos to take a 0-2 lead in the Greek League finals. Zalgiris Kaunas is now in a must-win situation in the Lithuanian League finals. 

Olympiacos gets closer to Greek League title!

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz reached a new agreement with small forward Sander Raieste to keep working together next season, the club announced Friday. 


Baskonia re-signs forward Raieste

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz reached a new agreement with small forward Sander Raieste to keep working together next season, the club announced Friday. Raieste (2.04 meters, 25 years old) joined Baskonia's academy in 2016 and has been a member of its first team roster since the start of the 2020-21 season. Last season, Raieste averaged 0.9 points and 0.6 rebounds in 30 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games, helping his team qualify for the playoffs. 

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">¡Se queda un año más! 🤝🇪🇪<br><br>✍️ Sander Raieste y Baskonia, juntos hasta 2⃣0⃣2⃣5⃣<br>📋 <a href="https://t.co/IZEGvyaZeY">https://t.co/IZEGvyaZeY</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Raieste2025?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Raieste2025</a> 🔵🔴 <a href="https://t.co/PNEyQ2fzWi">pic.twitter.com/PNEyQ2fzWi</a></p>&mdash; Baskonia (@Baskonia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Baskonia/status/1798992080393715811?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

He has also played for Audentese SG Noortelkoondis and BC Kaleb Cramo of his native Estonia, as well as for Fundación 5+11 of Spain. Raieste has also been a member of the Estonian national team. In 69 EuroLeague career games with Baskonia, Raieste averages 1.1 points and 0.9 rebounds.

Baskonia re-signs forward Sander Raieste

The detailed dressing up of Uber Arena for the Final Four started early in the week.

Uber Arena was in full Final Four theme even behind the scenes.

Players of each team had a pretty good idea about which locker room belonged to their team.

Players met the press on Uber Arena's floor before each game.

The Uber Platz in front of the arena was the place to be for all basketball fans.

Fenerbahce fans were vocal in the support of their team, back at the Final Four for the first time since 2019.

Panathinaikos fans came in big numbers.

Panathinaikos beat Fenerbahce in the opening game of the Final Four on Friday.

Real Madrid had a corner with its own passionate group of supporters.

Olympiacos fans attended their third straight Final Four.

Real Madrid beat Olympiacos on Friday to reach its third straight championship game.

Ubera Arena was also a place for old teammates to catch up, like Thomas Walkup and Tyler Dorsey.

Olympiacos beat Fenerbahce in the third-place game.

Euroleague Basketball President Dejan Bodiroga and CEO Paulius Motiejunas spoke to the media at Uber Arena.

Ubera Arena was also a place of the championship game press conference on Saturday morning.

The pregame show on Sunday was impresive as always.

The dancers had the crowd bouncing.

The tip off of the championship game, however, was what everyone was waiting for.

As usual, Final Four was sold out and Uber Arena was packed the entire weekend.

In the end, Kostas Sloukas earned Final Four MVP honors for leading Panathinaikos to the title.

Panathinaikos earned the confetti at the end.

The final event of the Final Four week at Uber Arena was the winning coach's press conference. Ergin Ataman won the EuroLeague for the third time in the last four years.

Berlin became the first city, and Uber Arena became the first venue to host the EuroLeague Final Four for the third time this century. 

Uber Arena in Photos

Three games, three road winners in domestic playoff finals action on Thursday night, as Fenerbahce, Milan and Paris all picked up huge wins away from home. 

Hayes-Davis, Shields shine in big road wins for Fenerbahce, Milan

### Italy: Shields shines as Milan pulls out OT road win

In a rollercoaster game in which both team took turns taking control, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan downed Virtus Segafredo Bologna 75-86 after overtime to grab a 1-0 lead in the Italian League finals on Thursday night. Shavon Shields and Devon Hall combined for 15 of Milan's 18 points in overtime, paving the way for a big win and getting Milan a step closer to a title defense.

Shields finished with 25 points on 6-for-7 three-point shooting, Shabazz Napier netted 21 and Devon Hall had 18 points. Those three players accounted for all 13 of Milan's triples, as the team shot 13-for-27 from long range on the night. For the hosts, Tornike Shengelia scored 12 of his 16 points in the first half, while Marco Belinelli and Isaia Cordnier scored 14 apiece in a loss.

Virtus jumped ahead behind Shengelia, and a triple from Cordinier opened 18-9 after 7 minutes of play, before a triple apiece from Awudu Abass and Shengelia made it 25-14 early in the second quarter. But Milan stepped up defensively, allowing just 8 more points the rest of the quarter, and cut the deficit to 6 points, before Virtus took 33-25 halftime lead. After the break, however, Milan closed the gap some more, before Napier and Hall sparked a 0-9 run. Shields, Nikola Mirotic and Hall made sure Milan took 48-54 lead into the final quarter, but Iffe Lundberg led Virtus's charge in the fourth. The hosts took a 68-65 lead into the final minute, but a triple from Napier with 33 seconds left in regulation took the game into overtime. In the extra session a three-pointer from Shields opened 68-73, then two more threes from Shields made it 70-79 and Milan never looked back, securing a win in the series opener.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">Milano ribalta subito il fattore campo, GARA 1 È NOSTRA 🔥🤍❤️ <br><br>Shields 25 pts, Napier 21, Hall 18 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/insieme?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#insieme</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ForzaOlimpia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ForzaOlimpia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LBAFinals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LBAFinals</a> <a href="https://t.co/nuluCs43pO">pic.twitter.com/nuluCs43pO</a></p>&mdash; Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936/status/1798819271285592081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

### Turkey: Hayes-Davis, Fenerbahce open finals series in style

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul had a dream start to the Turkish League finals with a resounding 74-85 road win over Anadolu Efes Istanbul in their best-of-five series on Thursday night. Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday, again at Sinan Erdem Arena.

Both teams made runs early in the game, with Nigel Hayes Davis starting a Fenerbahce's 0-10 run late in the first quarter to make it 14-22, only for Efes to respond with an 11-2 spurt and re-take the lead, 25-24. But the visitors managed to strike right back, scoring the next 9 points, then Hayes-Davis's three-point play, a driving dunk by Ercan Omani, sparked another Fenerbahce push which saw the team take 36-51 margin into the break after a three-pointer from Tarik Biberovic.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Uçuşa geçen <a href="https://twitter.com/NIGEL_HAYES?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NIGEL_HAYES</a> çok sert smaçladı! 😤<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <br><br> <a href="https://t.co/tUHjVMPUXS">pic.twitter.com/tUHjVMPUXS</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1798782044253900989?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

Hayes-Davis scored the first 5 point of the third quarter to open a 20-point margin, and advantage was extended to 45-68 late in the third quarter and 51-75 early in the fourth. With the final outcome sealed and out of hands, Efes halved the deficit before game's end. Hayes-Davis scored 18 of his 28 points in the first half, and finished shooting 4-for-6 behind the arc. Dyshawn Pierre scored 16, Biberovic had 10 point, while Nick Calathes collected 8 points, 11 assists and 5 rebounds for the winners. For Efes, Osmani scored 18, Shane Larkin had 16 points plus 8 assists, and Dan Oturu also scored 16 in defeat.

### France: Paris sinks Monaco on the road

BKT EuroCup champion Paris Basketball beat AS Monaco 70-77 in Game 2 of their best-of-five French League finals series, tying it at 1-1 as the series now moves to Paris. Nadir Hifi netted 24 points on 5-for-7 three-point shooting, EuroCup MVP TJ Shorts had 21 points and 6 rebounds. Justin Simon scored 14 points while Enzo Shahrvin pulled down 10 rebounds in a victory. Elie Okobo paced Monaco with 15 points, Alpha Diallo scored 14, Petr Cornelie had 11 points and 6 rebounds while Turkish Airlines EuroLeague MVP Mike James scored 10 in defeat.

Paris opened the game with a 1-12 run behind Tyson Ward and Hifi, before 6 straight points from Simon made it 4-18. The hosts did not score their first field goal until 2:28 left in the first quarter, and were held to that just 1 field goal as Paris held 11-25 lead after 10 minutes. But Monaco picked up its offense in the second quarter with Cornelie and Donta Hall giving it a spark, and Jordan Loyd and Diallo each hitting a triple during an 11-0 run that tied it at 31-31.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">⚪️⚪️⚪️⚫️ 9’<br><br>NADIR HALFBAOSHDIAJDVDLAJSVLAHDVFKFEKF T’ES CARRÉMENT INCROYABLE MEC !!!!!!! <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ASMonaco_Basket</a> 66<a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ParisBasketball</a> 75 <a href="https://t.co/rsiEuGiZzY">pic.twitter.com/rsiEuGiZzY</a></p>&mdash; Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball/status/1798782682005946761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

TJ Shorts and Hifi made sure Paris took a 36-38 lead into halftime, but Matthew Strazel opened the third with a triple that gave Monaco its first lead. However, Paris had a quick response, a 1-13 run with Hifi and Simon in main roles. Monaco cut this double-digit deficit to 51-55 at the end of the third quarter, and tied it at 62-62 in the fourth. But Paris had another answer, this time a 0-6 run behind Shorts, before sealing the game on a long jumper by Hifi in the final minute, making it 66-75 and securing a big win.

Three games, three road winners in domestic playoff finals action on Thursday night, as Fenerbahce, Milan and Paris all picked up huge wins away from home.

The Panathinaikos forward helped the Greens to their seventh star and in doing so confirmed that Berlin is a special city for him.

Juancho Hernangomez and his special connection to Berlin

[Juancho Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/juancho-hernangomez/012712/) is a distinguished member of a big basketball family with German roots. His mother, Wonny Geuer, was born in Sevilla, Spain, to German parents, who had moved to that city for work. She had a long basketball career, including 158 appearances with the Spanish national team, which she helped win a gold medal at EuroBasket 1993. Juancho's father Guillermo Hernangomez started his career with Real Madrid's junior teams and played professional basketball for a decade. Juancho's brother Willy plays for FC Barcelona and his sister, Andrea, is playing college basketball at Fairfield University.

Juancho already knew what it took to win at Uber Arena. In 2022, the Hernangomez brothers led Spain to the EuroBasket 2022 crown. Willy earned tournament MVP honors and Juancho was unstoppable in the gold medal game against France, leading Spain to an 88-76 victory. He sank 7 of 9 three-pointers on his way to 27 points plus 5 rebounds for a PIR of 30.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">There ain&#39;t nothing like your first 🏆 <br><br>A thread of <a href="https://twitter.com/paobcgr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@paobcgr</a> players celebrating their first <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F4GLORY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F4GLORY</a> Championship <a href="https://twitter.com/juanchiviris41?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@juanchiviris41</a> 📸 <a href="https://t.co/b744AWbsEI">pic.twitter.com/b744AWbsEI</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1795810554948227505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

Last month, Hernangomez returned to Berlin and heped Panathinaikos beat Real Madrid 80-95 in the EuroLeague championship game with 5 points and 4 rebounds in less than 20 minutes. By doing so, Hernangomez became just the second Spanish-born player to win the EuroLeague with a foreign team. Sergio Rodriguez was the first with CSKA Moscow in 2019.

"I love Berlin. I have already bought an apartment in Berlin and I am going to live here!" Hernangomez joked after the game. "It's the most beautiful city in the world. Two victories and two championships! I have to say I am very happy."

It was Hernangomez's first season in European basketball after seven years in the NBA. He had never played in a European club competition before, but added to his EuroBasket 2022 crown with Spain, Hernangomez helped his national team win the 2019 World Cup, too. Juancho, however, sees Panathinaikos's EuroLeague title as something different, given the amount of years that the Greens had been away from the Final Four.

"I think everyone accepted their roles, and this is why we won. I have won the World Championship, the EuroBasket, but this is different," Hernangomez said. "All the fans have been waiting for this for 12 years. This is a historic club that deserves the best," he added.

It was not an easy season for Juancho, who battled injuries and struggled to find his rhythm in a different brand of basketball. Hernangomez delivered when it mattered, getting 11 points in 14 minutes in Game 5 of the playoffs against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, and playing an important role in the championship game. When Hernangomez talked to the Spanish media, he also had a funny quote about Panathinaikos head coach Ergin Ataman, which is hard to translate.

Juancho Hernangomez is now a World Cup, EuroBasket and Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion!

2024 Final Four highlights Juancho Hernangomez, Panathinaikos

"Ataman, I don't know what he has... He has an aura, a flower in his ass. He has it," Hernangomez said. In Spanish, having a flower in someone's ass means to be very lucky. Hernangomez, however, went on about Ataman's unique winning mentality as one of the keys to the Greens' success in Berlin.

"I don't know how to explain it. He is a winner. He doesn't do any magic tricks but he wins. He believes in it. The good thing about him is that he really believes it," Hernangomez said. "He said it at the beginning of the season when he arrived and put us all on the same page. If you are saying it and believing in it, in the end, you are learning about it. He has an aura."

Hernangomez also starred in Panathinaikos's celebrations in Athens, joining center Mathias Lessort on top of the double-decker bus and imitating Ataman's signature gesture, showing his fists to a see of green fans who were celebrating in the streets. At age 28, Hernangomez is right at the prime of his career and has three big titles in his roll of honors: World Cup, EuroBasket and EuroLeague. Up next: trying to win the Greek League with Panathinaikos and then returning to the Spanish national time to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.

Even if the Olympics are not in Berlin, what a time to be alive for Juancho Hernangomez! 

Real Madrid v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2024-05-26T18:00:00.000Z)

Olympiacos wins opening game in Greek finals

Olympiacos Piraeus struck first in the Greek League finals with an 84-89 victory over freshly crowned Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens. The Reds took over with a big second-quarter run and never trailed in the second half. Thomas Walkup led six Olympiacos scorers in double figures with 17 points and 5 assists. Nigel Williams-Goss added 16 points and Nikola Milutinov dominated the paint with 12 points, 13 rebounds and 3 blocks. Kostas Papanikolaou and Shaq McKissic contributed 11 points each and Filip Petrusev 10. Kendrick Nunn scored 21 to lead the Greens, Kostas Sloukas netted 16 with 5 assists and Mathias Lessort posted 14 points and 7 rebounds in defeat.

<center> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">Final 🏀 Basket League - Finals - Game 1: Παναθηναϊκός ΑΚΤΟΡ - <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> 84-89 (40&#39;) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAOOLY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAOOLY</a> <a href="https://t.co/qX9EWUEHII">pic.twitter.com/qX9EWUEHII</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1798447997602378151?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The game had early swings as Milutinov’s three-point play punctuated a 9-18 start for the Reds. Back-to-back threes by Sloukas triggered a response as Panathinaikos rallied to within 17-19 after 10 minutes and Nunn gave the Greens the lead with a triple to open the second quarter. Petrusev netted 6 points in a 0-11 Olympiacos run that made 31-40 and a Milutinov slam pushed the margin to double figures. The margin stood at 37-46 at the break.

Juancho Hernangomez scored 5 straight points in the third quarter to bring Panathinaikos within 56-59, but Olympiacos responded quickly and Williams-Goss free throws at the end of the quarter left the visitors up 56-66. Threes by Walkup and Kostas Papanikolaou made it 57-72. Nunn heated up to breathe new life into the game and Sloukas got Panathinaikos within 3 in the closing seconds, but free throws by Walkup sealed the win for Olympiacos.

### Lithuania: Zalgiris falls to Rytas in OT in Game 1

Rytas Vilnius upset Zalgiris Kaunas 88-89 after overtime in the opening game of the Lithuanian League finals at Zalgirio Arena in Kaunas. Gytis Radzevicius made the go-ahead three for Rytas with 2 minutes left and – though Lukas Lekavicius and Dovydas Giedraitis twice brought the hosts within 1 – Zalgiris ran out of time to catch up. Radzevicius led five Rytas scorers in double figures with 19 points, Justin Gorham tallied 15 points and grabbed 9 rebounds and R.J. Cole also scored 15 to for the winners. Lekavicius paced Zalgiris with 21 points, Giedraitis added 16 and Laurynas Birutis 14. Rytas hosts Game 2 of the best-of-three series on Friday.