ALBA Berlin's Gabriele Procida scored all of his points in a dominant third quarter, which saw Italy trample Hungary 9-28 en route to a 62-83 victory in the teams’ EuroBasket 2025 qualifier in Szombathely . 

Gabriele Procida paved the way in Italy victory

Italy trailed 37-36 at the break in the teams’ EuroBasket 2025 qualifier in Szombathely and needed a spark to turn things around and finish the two-game window with a perfect record. That spark was provided by [Gabriele Procida](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/gabriele-procida/008384/), who scored all of his points in a dominant third quarter, which saw Italy trample Hungary 9-28 en route to a 62-83 victory.

Procida tallied 9 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists and 2 steals as he had a hand in nearly half of Italy’s points in the quarter. He missed his first shot of the quarter, but collected the rebound and fed Amedeo Tessitori for a three-point play. Procida soon added two more baskets, including a fastbreak slam, as the difference reached double figures.  

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Gabriele 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 Procida 🥵<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MakeYourMark?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MakeYourMark</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroBasket</a> <a href="https://t.co/1vUywC6fGW">pic.twitter.com/1vUywC6fGW</a></p>&mdash; FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket/status/1761820323949719569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“We were focused, but a little bit tired in the first part of the game and then in the third quarter, we didn’t let them score,” Italy head coach Gianmarco Pozzecco summed up after the game. “Defensively we were really tough and we were fighting on every screen. We put them in trouble. And offensively, we made all the right decisions.” 

Alessandro Pajola of Virtus Segafredo Bologna joined Procida on the floor midway through the third quarter and contributed 4 points and 2 assists – including one for a Procida triple – as Italy raced to a 46-64 cushion at the end of the quarter.

Procida finished the game with 9 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals. He wound up leading the team in +/- with +28 in just 25 minutes played. Pajola tallied 9 points, 4 boards and 6 assists in 18:15 minutes. He led the team in performance index rating with 16 and had a +/- of +20.

Tessitori, who plays for Umana Reyer Venice, and EA7 Emporio Armani Milan’s Giordano Bortolani led the Italian attack with 12 points. Tessitori also had a team-high 7 rebounds. Virtus forward Achille Polonara added 10 points. Zoltan Perl paced Hungary with 12 points.

ALBA Berlin’s 21-year-old star stepped up in Italy’s road win over Hungary (PHOTO: FIBA). 

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv announced on Saturday afternoon that big man Roman Sorkin will be sidelined for the next month with a knee injury. 

Maccabi's Roman Sorkin to miss a month

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv announced on Saturday afternoon that big man [Roman Sorkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/roman-sorkin/011219/) will be sidelined for the next month. Sorkin, 27, suffered a knee injury while playing for the Israeli national team against Portugal on Thursday night in a EuroBasket 2025 qualifying game. After returning home, he underwent an MRI which revealed a strained ligament. The expected recovery is four weeks.

Sorkin is in his third season with Maccabi and his third in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. He had played in all 26 games to date and averaged a career-high 7.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 17:25 minutes.  

Magic Moments: Sorkin swats Papagiannis

The big man hurt his knee while playing for Israel on Thursday.

Dozens of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and BKT EuroCup players took the floor on four different continents on Friday, and were in main roles as they were trying to help their national teams get to a good start in the qualifiers, each with a goal of reaching final tournament.

Continental qualifiers roundup: EuroLeague players in main roles

Dozens of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and BKT EuroCup players took the floor on four different continents on Friday, and were in main roles as they were trying to help their national teams get to a good start in the qualifiers, each with a goal of reaching final tournament.

### EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers

In Group E, France with eight players coming from EuroLeague clubs, downed Croatia that featured three EuroLeague players. France protected its home court in Brest, winning 73-61 as [Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/timothe-luwawu-cabarrot/012080/) of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne paced the winners with 15 points. [Matthew Strazel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/matthew-strazel/008099/) of AS Monaco scored 12, [Guerschon Yabusele](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/guerschon-yabusele/010357/) of Real Madrid had 11 points and 5 rebounds, while [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/) of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens had 10 points for France. One the other end, Real's [Mario Hezonja](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mario-hezonja/003108/) had 22 points leading Croatia, while [Jaleen Smith](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jaleen-smith/011192/) of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade added 13 in defeat.

In the other game of Group E, Bosnia and Herzegovina cruised to a 66-99 road win against Cyprus. Real's [Dzanan Musa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dzanan-musa/006540/) scored 16 of his 26 points in the first half, and also had 8 assists and 5 rebounds for the night. Buducnost VOLI Podgorica center [Kenan Kamenjas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/kenan-kamenjas/008325/) collected 13 points and 10 rebounds in a victory.

In Group F, Greece with its nine EuroLeague players downed Czech Republic 72-64 in Piraeus. [Konstantinos Mitoglou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/konstantinos-mitoglou/007866/) of Panathinaikos led Greece with 22 points and 7 rebounds, while Olympiacos Piraeus duo of [Kostas Papanikolaou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kostas-papanikolaou/001255/) and [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/) each scored 16. Walkup flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 8 assists and 8 rebounds, and Papanikolaou also grabbing 8 rebounds as EuroLeague Legend Vassilis Spanoulis made his debut in a role of Greece national team head coach. for the visitors, [Ondrej Balvin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/ondrej-balvin/002644/) of EuroCup side Prometey Slobozhanske had a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds, while FC Barcelona's [Tomas Satoransky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tomas-satoransky/002939/) collected 9 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in a loss.

In that same group, Great Britain held off the Netherlands 98-94 as London Lions point guard [Luke Nelson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/luke-nelson/004773/) orchestrated British offense with 12 assists, while also scoring 14 points. Joventut's [Yannick Kraag](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/yannick-kraag/010161/) had 11 points in defeat.

In Group G, Serbia rallied to beat Finland 77-61. [Luka Mitrovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/luka-mitrovic/002553/) of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade led the way with 19 points and 9 rebounds, while Partizan's [Aleksa Avramovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/aleksa-avramovic/003983/) had 18 points. Olympiacos center [Filip Petrusev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/filip-petrusev/011194/) collected 8 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists in a victory. [Mikael Jantunen](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/mikael-jantunen/012613/) of EuroCup Playoff top seed Paris Basketball led all Finland's scorers with 11 points. In the other game of this group, [Denmark beat Georgia 75-69](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/iffe-lundberg-set-denmark-on-path-to-history/).

In Friday's only Group H game, Estonia went on the road to beat North Macedonia 69-74. [Maik Kotsar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/maik-kotsar/004603/) of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz had 16 points in a victory. For the hosts, Dreaamland Gran Canaria big man [Ethan Happ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/ethan-happ/009864/) collected 18 points and 10 rebounds. In the first game of this group, [Lithuania beat Poland on Thursday](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/eurobasket-qualifiers-roundup-euroleague-players-star-in-big-wins/).

### AmeriCup 2025 qualifiers

Argentina held off Chile 90-78 to start off its Group A campaign. [Nicolas Brussino](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/nicolas-brussino/008121/), of last year's BKT EuroCup champion Dreamland Gran Canaria, led the way with 19 points. Real Madrid's [Gabriel Deck](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/gabriel-deck/009005/) and [Facundo Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) dominated, as Deck had a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds while Campazzo had 15 points and 8 assists. FC Bayern Munich guard [Leandro Bolmaro](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/leandro-bolmaro/008985/) had 7 points in a victory.

In Group D, United States beat Cuba 100-79, and the visitors had Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv center [Jasiel Rivero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jasiel-rivero/011214/) collect 16 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds in a loss.

### AfroBasket 2025 qualifiers

Friday marked the start of the AfroBasket qualifiers. Cote d'Ivore opened Group C action with a 77-69 win over Madagascar in which [Alex Poythress](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alex-poythress/009960/) of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan dominated with 26 points, making 10 of 12 two-point shots, with 7 rebounds and 4 assists.

Joventut Badalona's [Shannon Evans](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/shannon-evans/010677/) played all 40 minutes and had 26 points and 6 rebounds in Guinea's 76-70 road loss against Angola in Group E.

For the second night in a row, EuroLeague stars shined bright for their national teams. (PHOTO: Dragana Stjepanovic/FIBA)

In a showdown between national teams led by two Virtus Segafredo Bologna teammates, Iffe Lundberg led Denmark in a comeback 75-69 win against the visiting Georgia and Toko Shengelia on Friday night. It was the opening night of action in Group G of the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers, and an outcome that now allows Denmark to dream of making history.

Iffe Lundberg set Denmark on path to history

In a showdown between national teams led by two Virtus Segafredo Bologna teammates, Iffe Lundberg led Denmark in a comeback 75-69 win against the visiting Georgia and Toko Shengelia on Friday night. It was the opening night of action in Group G of the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers, and an outcome that now allows Denmark to dream of making history.

The two Virtus players starred for their respective teams. And while Shengelia led Georgia in the first three quarters, Lundberg took over midway through the third stanza, orchestrating a comeback that turned a 13-point deficit into a win which Denmark hopes to use to reach its first EuroBasket since 1955.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">One tiny step away last time...<br><br>Can Denmark make their dreams come true in 2025? 🇩🇰<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroBasket</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MakeYourMark?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MakeYourMark</a></p>&mdash; FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket/status/1761073911679045947?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

Denmark and Georgia are in a group with Finland and the 2023 World Cup runner-up Serbia. Finland, as one of EuroBasket 2025 co-hosts, is automatically qualified while the other three teams will fight for two spots that lead to the main event.

**Lundberg led big rally**

Protecting home floor is of great importance, but things looked glim for Denmark down 36-48 midway through the third quarter. That is when Lundberg, who has scored 6 points up to that point, knocked down his only triple on 8 attempts on this night.

However, that one long-range shot sparked a 22-5 spurt bridging third and fourth quarters. Denmark closed within 50-53 at the end of the third quarter, then scored the first 8 points of the fourth, including Lundberg stringing 6 to open a 58-53 lead.

Shengelia, who scored 20 points in the first three quarters, kept the visitors in it with a pair of three-pointers, and Joe Thomasson of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv helped Georgia keep its hopes alive, but Lundberg was not done. He had a pair of assists, including one for an important triple from Bakary Dibba, picked up a steal that led to a fastbreak basket, and also made 4 free throws, helping Denmark hold on to a massive win.

When all was said and done, Lundberg had a team-high 19 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals. On the other end, Shengelia finished with 27 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists, while Thomasson had 16 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds in defeat.

**Satisfaction for Virtus fans**

The end outcome might have been a disappointment for Shengelia, but his performance should certainly put a smile on faces of Virtus fans.

Two Virtus teamates, Iffe Lundberg and Toko Shengelia, squared off as Denmark edged Georgia. (PHOTO: Tom Andreasen/FIBA)

The team from Bologna currently has 16-10 record, tied for the third best in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with eight rounds to go. Lundberg has been arguably club's best and the most clutch performer over the last four rounds, while Shengelia slowed down after a strong start which earned him October MVP award.

In recent weeks, Shengelia missed three games with an injury and has scored in double figures only once since the first week of January.

But Shengelia's return to form in a jersey of Georgia is certainly great news for Virtus, as the team will be fighting in a tight playoff race, as well as battle for home-court playoff advantage in the next two months.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tornike Shengelia in a 🇬🇪 uniform is always a sight to behold.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroBasket</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MakeYourMark?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MakeYourMark</a> <a href="https://t.co/pZ0mIpRFkj">pic.twitter.com/pZ0mIpRFkj</a></p>&mdash; FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket/status/1761087264988271026?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

Lundberg played all 40 minutes, leading Denmark in a thrilling comeback win over Georgia in a EuroBasket qualifier opener. (PHOTO: Tom Andreasen/FIBA)

The Blaugrana are looking to make their fourth straight Final Four appearance.

Case for the Final Four: FC Barcelona

Can we make it simple? [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/roster/bar/?season=2023-24) currently has the second-best record in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. And could be about to add [Ricky Rubio](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/ricky-rubio-seals-return-to-the-euroleague-with-barca-basket/). 'Nuff said. 

### A championship-caliber roster

Let’s dig a little deeper. The starting point is that Barcelona knows what it takes to get to the Final Four. It has been to three in a row and brings back nine players from last season, including seven who featured in the Final Four. The most significant change from last year is at head coach, though Roger Grimau brings with him championship-winning experience as a player. Among the key additions to last season’s roster, [Willy Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/willy-hernangomez/003196/), [Jabari Parker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jabari-parker/012745/) and [Dario Brizuela](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dario-brizuela/009992/) have all delivered some of their best games since the calendar switched to 2024, showing that they – and, as a result, the team – are trending up. 

### So far, so good

Barca is second in the league with an 18-8 record. The last time a team finished in the top two in the standings and did not reach the Final Four was… never. This is the eighth season under the current round-robin format and every team to finish the regular season in first or second place has won its playoff series and reached the Final Four. Barcelona has a two-game gap over the teams tied for third. 

### The one-two punch in the paint

The success has come following a simple plan: Use its powerful frontline to wear down opponents. Barcelona, which is second in the league in average PIR (95.6), leads the league in two-pointers made (22.2 per game), is third in rebounding (36.1 rpg.) and tied for third in assists (19.3 apg.). All that despite not having a player in the top 20 in rebounds and with its assist leader, [Nicolas Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nicolas-laprovittola/006435/), ranking 10th (5.1 apg.). 

Vesely, Hernangomez have been a force for Barça

The duo of [Jan Vesely](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jan-vesely/000925/) and Hernangomez is as good a center pairing as there is in the league. Vesely leads the charts with 5.0 two-point baskets per game and Hernangomez is eighth with 4.2. On a per-minute basis, Hernangomez leads the league (10.0 over 40 minutes) and Vesely is second (9.6), which means that opposing defenses must always account for them inside – and that creates opportunities elsewhere. But it’s not just about their scoring threat; Hernangomez is the league leader in per-minute PIR (31.7 over 40 minutes) and Vesely is second (31.5). 

### Palau Blaugrana excellence

Barcelona has won six straight home games and is 13-1 at Palau Blaugrana this season. Its lone home loss came in Round 14 against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan. Among the teams currently in the top 10 in the standings, Barcelona has a 7-0 record with games remaining against AS Monaco and Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv. With such an outstanding home-court record, as long as Coach Grimau’s men finish the regular season in fourth place or higher, they will have a huge home-court advantage. 

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Culers 🫶 <a href=https://t.co/wBYZBgdQiV>pic.twitter.com/wBYZBgdQiV</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href=https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1758582289057902902?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>February 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src=https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js charset="utf-8"></script>

### Is Rubio going to play? 

All signs are pointing to yes, especially after he returned to action with the Spanish national team on Thursday night. [Alex Abrines](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alex-abrines/003478/), who has played alongside Rubio for Spain in the past and has been practicing with him in recent weeks with Barca, dropped a teaser [in a recent interview with Catalan radio station RAC 1](https://www.rac1.cat/tu-diras/20240215/118786/alex-abrines-redebut-ricky-rubio-barca-1-marc-ell-te-cap.html) by saying that playing in Round 27 against Monaco is “the idea \[Rubio\] has in mind.”

Assuming that’s true, what does Rubio bring to the table? In his first appearance with Spain against Latvia, [Rubio looked quite rusty early before picking up the pace late](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/ricky-rubio-return-is-good-news-for-basketball/) and finishing with 11 points and 5 assists. Not too shabby for his first game in nearly a year. 

It may not be fair to expect him to step in and play major minutes right away for Barcelona, but when on the floor, Rubio brings premier playmaking ability. He has always been a fantastic penetrator and a wiz at breaking down defenses. Rubio should be able to help all those around him get good looks, whether in the halfcourt or in transition, and his defense has always been top-notch. The odds are that as the season continues, Rubio’s role will grow, which could make Barcelona a lot more dangerous come the playoffs.  

The Blaugrana are looking to make their fourth straight Final Four appearance

Barça Basket center Jan Vesely has signed a one-year contract extension, which will keep him at the club until the end of the 2025-26 season.

Jan Vesely inks contract extension at Barça Basket

FC Barcelona fans were treated to some good news on Friday, as [Jan Vesely](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jan-vesely/000925/) signed a one-year contract extension at the club. As such, he will remain at Palau Blaugrana until the end of the 2025-26 season.

<center>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">⭐ 𝐕𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐘 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 ⭐ <a href="https://t.co/1pGXRt42Wz">pic.twitter.com/1pGXRt42Wz</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1760975610158178448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Vesely joined Barca in the summer of 2022](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fc-barcelona-lands-former-mvp-vesely/), penning a three-year deal at the time, and helped lead the team to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Semifinals in his first season in Spain. Through the 2022-23 campaign, his averages stood at 9.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and an 11.6 PIR in 20:02 minutes across 38 appearances, 18 of which were as a starter.

### Vesely is back to his best this year

The addition of Willy Hernangomez last summer brought more competition for Vesely, but the 33-year-old has been back to his best this season, posting 12.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists and a 16.6 PIR in 21:04 minutes through 25 games. He has been named in the starting five 24 times. Importantly, Vesely’s play has helped Barca to an 18-8 record, including 13-1 at home, which is good for second spot in the EuroLeague standings.

After [scoring a high of 26 points](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-playoffs-live-blog-game-report-game2-barcelona-zalgiris-tae2223/) in his first campaign at Barca, which came in an 89-81 win in Game 2 of the club’s playoff series against Zalgiris Kaunas, he has twice bettered that score this year. He [netted 27 points in an 83-78 El Clásico triumph](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/jan-vesely-dominance-inspired-barca-basket-to-victory-el-clasico-real-madrid-baloncesto/) over Real Madrid in Round 18 and then improved that mark by [pouring in 28 in a 74-70 defeat](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-live-blog-olimpia-milano-vs-barca-basket/) at EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in Round 23. Those are his third- and fourth-best scoring marks in the competition, as he scored [31](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/stats/db/E2017/61/#boxscore) and [32](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/stats/db/E2021/118/#boxscore) for Fenerbahce in the 2017-18 and 2021-22 seasons, respectively.

The best plays of FC Barcelona center Jan Vesely through the first 26 rounds of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Jan Vesely's top plays this season

### A EuroLeague legend

The 2018-19 EuroLeague MVP, who became a EuroLeague champion with Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in the 2016-17 campaign, is currently in his 13th season in Europe’s premier club basketball competition. He spent three years with Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2008-11), eight years at Fenerbahce (2014-22) and just over one and a half years with Barca (2022-present). Vesely is a three-time All-EuroLeague First Team selection, too (2015-16, 2017-18, 2018-19).

Having been selected with the sixth overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Vesely also played 162 games in the NBA between 2011 and 2014. He suited up for the Washington Wizards, where he played the first two seasons of his NBA career before splitting the 2013-14 campaign between Washington and the Denver Nuggets.

More Barcelona News

Jan Vesely in action for FC Barcelona in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

His previous deal was set to expire at the end of the 2024-25 campaign

Jan Vesely inks contract extension at Barcelona

After playing in back-to-back Final Fours and making it to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game last season, Olympiacos Piraeus is fighting to again advance to the playoffs and claim home-court advantage once there to punch its ticket to Berlin 2024.

Case for the Final Four: Olympiacos Piraeus

Over the last few years, [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/roster/oly/?season=2023-24) has had to shake up its team as it looked for new leaders after the previous ones either retired or went elsewhere. It took the Reds some time to work as a unit, but their values are non-negotiable: character, team-oriented attitude and high intensity at both ends.

Making the case to reach the Final Four for Olympiacos is relatively easy. Most of the players and head coach Georgios Bartzokas have been there and know what it takes to be competitive over the coming three months.

### Defense usually takes you there

It is one of the clichés in basketball: offense wins games, defense wins championships. In this case, Olympiacos's defense has allowed the Reds to be in the fight to reach yet another Final Four. Statistically speaking, Olympiacos is the best defensive team in the competition, allowing just 75.2 points per game. On the flip side, Olympiacos is 8-1 when scoring 80 points or more, only losing in Round 23 against Real Madrid, 90-85. 

Statistically speaking, Olympiacos Piraeus is the best defensive team in the competition, allowing just 75.2 points per game.

Olympiacos: the best defense until now

What makes Olympiacos's defense so great? It forces opponents into 13.4 turnovers on average. Only AS Monaco (14.1 per game) has better numbers. The Reds collapse the paint well, as their opposition only take 34.5 two-point shots on average, with a low percentage (52.3% 2FG). Olympiacos allows its rivals to shoot many three-point shots (26.5 per game, fifth overall), in addition to allowing just 9.4 offensive rebounds per game and grabbing 24.1 defensive boards on average. That means Olympiacos gets 71.9% of all rebounds under its rim. A focus on steals, boxing out and contesting a lot of shots has allowed Olympiacos to be a rock-solid team on defense until now.

### Deeper than last season

Olympiacos has turned each injury into an opportunity to sign somebody else who has helped the team. [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) and [Moustapha Fall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/moustapha-fall/008811/) went down within a matter of days, and Olympiacos was quick enough to land [Moses Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/moses-wright/012878/), who contributed right away. Before that, Olympiacos landed [Filip Petrusev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/filip-petrusev/011194/), who can see playing time at the “four” and “five” positions due to his shooting range, athleticism and quickness. As such, Olympiacos has four elite-level players at center, which gives Coach Bartzokas endless options in each and every game.

Filip Petrusev and Moses Wright arrives to Olympiacos Piraeus midway through the season.

Petrusev, Wright give Olympiacos a boost

Some of the new signings battled injuries and should be ready to bring out their best version towards the end of the season. [Naz Mitrou-Long](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/naz-mitrou-long/011965/) is slowly getting into the team's rotation, meanwhile [Ignas Brazdeikis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ignas-brazdeikis/011983/) and [Luke Sikma](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/luke-sikma/006589/) have proven to be very reliable options when seeing extended playing time. [Nigel Williams-Goss](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nigel-williams-goss/007982/) needed a few adjustments, having last played for the Reds in the 2018-19 season, but being a EuroLeague champion with Real Madrid should help his confidence when the most important games arrive.

### Strong in the home straight

With Coach Bartzokas, Olympiacos has enjoyed good runs towards the end of the regular season. He and his coaching staff know how to handle the schedule and it is no coincidence that Olympiacos has had a late push in his five full seasons as the Reds' boss. Last year, Olympiacos won seven of its last 10 games to rank first at the end of the regular season with a 24-10 record. One season earlier, Olympiacos had a 19-9 regular-season record and reached that mark by winning eight of its last 10 games. Even in the 2020-21 campaign, when Olympiacos did not make the playoffs, the Reds won five of its last seven games.

This good form right when it matters goes back to Coach Bartzokas's first stint with Olympiacos. In the 2012-13 season, after a 1-3 start, Olympiacos won eight of its last 10 Top 16 games to qualify for the playoffs and lock up home-court advantage. A year later, Olympiacos won its last four Top 16 games to finish 8-6 and make the playoffs. That type of growth late in the season is crucial in a 34-game calendar and is a big reason to believe that Olympiacos will have a strong final push again that may lead to home-court advantage in the playoffs.

### Redefined roles work

One of the biggest question marks hovering over Olympiacos at the start of the season was who would lead the way in the post-Kostas Sloukas and Sasha Vezenkov era. Olympiacos solved that problem in a very organic way, as some of its veterans on the team have seen increased roles and made the team just as competitive as before. [Alec Peters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alec-peters/008829/) is a perfect example. Last season, Peters averaged 4.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and a PIR of 4.5 as a backup power forward. With Vezenkov gone, Peters has enjoyed twice as much playing time as last season, starting every game to average 14.3 points on 54.8% three-point shooting (third overall), 5.2 rebounds and a PIR of 16.1.

Isaiah Canaan of Olympiacos Piraeus averaged 6.3 points on 38.2% three-pointers and a PIR of 3.4. This season, Canaan boosted those numbers up to 12.7 points on 46.6% three-pointers and a PIR of 10.0.

Canaan plays a much bigger role

[Isaiah Canaan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/isaiah-canaan/010612/) and [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/) combined for an average of 41 minutes per night last season, and are up to 51 minutes per game in the current campaign. Walkup and Canaan are two of eight players who have started all 26 games so far this season and are the only teammates to do so. Walkup improved his scoring average from 7.4 points to 8.8 from one season to another. In the 2022-23 season, Canaan averaged 6.3 points on 38.2% three-pointers and a PIR of 3.4. This year, he has boosted those numbers up to 12.7 points on 46.6% three-pointers and a PIR of 10.0. In short, Olympiacos successfully reinvented itself without changing its structure.

There were many EuroLeague and EuroCup players who shined in the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers on Thursday night.

EuroBasket Qualifiers roundup: EuroLeague players star in big wins

### Slovenia 87-73 Ukraine

In the absence of 2017-18 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague MVP Luka Doncic, Slovenia’s trio of [Jaka Blazic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/jaka-blazic/003452/) (Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana), [Ziga Samar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ziga-samar/007550/) (ALBA Berlin) and [Mike Tobey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-tobey/008966/) (Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade) came to the fore by combining for 39 points and 19 rebounds. Blazic led the way with 18 points and 8 rebounds, Tobey came close to a double-double with 11 points and 9 boards, and Samar had 10 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists.

### Slovakia 60-75 Belgium

Although it came in defeat, Joventut Badalona’s [Vladimir Brodziansky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/vladimir-brodziansky/010458/) had an impressive night for Slovakia, amassing 17 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists.

### Lithuania 83-64 Poland

Zvezda’s [Rokas Giedraitis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/rokas-giedraitis/006436/) and Zalgiris Kaunas duo [Tomas Dimsa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tomas-dimsa/003211/) and [Edgaras Ulanovas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/edgaras-ulanovas/002329/) stepped up to ensure that Lithuania secured a comfortable victory on Thursday. Giedraitis had 13 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal, while Dimsa recorded 10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block, and Ulanovas posted 8 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists. For Poland, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens’s [Olek Balcerowski](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/aleksander-balcerowski/007553/) amassed 11 points and 8 rebounds, and Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade’s [Mateusz Ponitka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mateusz-ponitka/004172/) had 13 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.

### Sweden 84-70 Bulgaria

[Codi Miller-McIntyre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/codi-miller-mcintyre/009048/) of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz was in action for Bulgaria on Thursday night, posting 21 points, 1 rebound and 2 assists, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Balkan nation from falling to defeat.

### Germany 85-61 Montenegro

[Oscar da Silva](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/oscar-da-silva/011244/) of FC Barcelona had a dream debut for Germany, recording 19 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals and 1 block in a convincing win over Montenegro. FC Bayern Munich’s [Nick Weiler-Babb](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nick-weiler-babb/010391/) joined him in double figures with 10 points, in addition to dishing 5 assists, while ALBA Berlin pair [Louis Olinde](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/louis-olinde/006919/) and [Malte Delow](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/malte-delow/008211/) had 13 points apiece. [Vladimir Mihailovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/vladimir-mihailovic/002740/) of Buducnost VOLI Podgorica netted 10 points in defeat for Montenegro.

### Spain 75-79 Latvia

[Rihards Lomazs](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/rihards-lomazs/005553/) of Virtus Segafredo Bologna inspired Latvia to a win over Spain with game highs of 18 points and 7 assists. Dolomiti Energia Trento’s [Andrejs Grazulis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/andrejs-grazulis/005738/) scored 13 points, too, for Latvia. FC Barcelona duo [Dario Brizuela](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dario-brizuela/009992/) and [Ricky Rubio](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/rubio-ricky/lfw/) had 16 and 11 points, respectively, while Valencia Basket pair [Jaime Pradilla](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jaime-pradilla/010393/) and [Xabi Lopez-Arostegui](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/xabi-lopez-arostegui/005356/) recorded 14 and 10 points, respectively.

### Portugal 70-72 Israel

Israel was led by Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv’s [Tomer Ginat](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/tomer-ginat/010550/), who scored 17 points, and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul’s [Yam Madar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/yam-madar/011052/), who netted 16 points. Joventut youngster [Ruben Prey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/ruben-prey/010708/) had 10 points for Portugal.

### Iceland 70-65 Hungary

[Martin Hermannsson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/martin-hermannsson/008780/) of ALBA was the hero for Iceland on Thursday night, pouring in 17 points in the win. Zvezda’s [Adam Hanga](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/adam-hanga/005099/) posted 7 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists for Hungary.

### Italy 87-80 Turkiye

Three EA7 Emporio Armani Milan players came to the fore for Italy in Pesaro, with [Nicolo Melli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nicolo-melli/002849/) leading the way with 17 points and 7 rebounds. [Stefano Tonut](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/stefano-tonut/006509/) added 12 points and [Giampaolo Ricci](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/giampaolo-ricci/001518/) 11. Umana Reyer Venice’s [Marco Spissu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/marco-spissu/004381/) chipped in with 12 points, too, while ALBA’s [Gabriele Procida](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/gabriele-procida/008384/) recorded 7 points and 10 rebounds. [Tarik Biberovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tarik-biberovic/006961/) of Fenerbahce shined on his Turkiye debut, despite falling to defeat, by netting 27 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. His club teammates [Melih Mahmutoglu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/melih-mahmutoglu/002969/) and [Sertac Sanli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sertac-sanli/002968/) had 14 and 10 points, respectively.

Oscar da Silva celebrates for Germany against Montenegro (Felix Steiner/FIBA).

Check out the EuroLeague and EuroCup players who shined in FIBA play on Thursday night (PHOTO: Felix Steiner/FIBA)

Barça Basket guard Ricky Rubio returned to action for Spain on Thursday night, 319 since his last appearance on a basketball court.

Ricky Rubio return is good news for basketball

The basketball world tuned in for one of the feel-good stories of the 2023-24 season on Thursday night, as [Ricky Rubio](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/rubio-ricky/lfw/) featured for Spain in the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket Qualifiers, 319 days on from the last time he was seen on a basketball court.

While Spain ended up falling to defeat against Latvia, losing 75-79 in Zaragoza, basketball fans were able to rejoice in seeing the 33-year-old on the floor after what has been a difficult period for him. There were positive signs for FC Barcelona supporters, too, ahead of Rubio’s potential second debut for the club against AS Monaco on March 1.

[Rubio officially rejoined Barca on February 6](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/ricky-rubio-seals-return-to-the-euroleague-with-barca-basket/) and had been training with the team since January 29, but his last basketball game was back on April 9, 2023, when he was playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA. Such was the difficult moment that Rubio was going through that he renounced his place in the Spanish national team for last summer’s FIBA World Cup, so seeing him playing again naturally brought plenty of smiles and positivity.

Some young Spain fans with a printout of Ricky Rubio's head (PHOTO: Alberto Nevado/FIBA)

### Rubio started on his return

Sergio Scariolo defied his pre-game comments, in which he stated that Rubio is “far from his best shape”, by naming the current Barca guard as a starter against Latvia. Naturally, there was a bit of rust to Rubio’s play early on, but the fans inside the Pabellon Principe Felipe were there to support him in whatever way they could. When Rubio shot an airball with his first attempt from the field, he was met by applause. The 10,533-strong crowd knew that they had to be there for him.

The first sign of the Rubio we have all come to love came with 8:07 remaining in the first quarter, as he used his basketball IQ to pick out Valencia Basket’s [Xabi Lopez-Arostegui](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/xabi-lopez-arostegui/005356/) with a smart pass from an inbound situation. Then, when he went to the bench with 4:36 left in the quarter, he was once again met by applause. Even if he was showing signs of frustration with his own play, the fans were on hand to show their support.

Ricky Rubio during Spain's EuroBasket Qualifier against Latvia (PHOTO: Alberto Nevado/FIBA)

After a 10-minute spell on the bench, Scariolo called Rubio’s number once more. He dished a couple of assists in the second quarter before getting his first points since his return, going 2-for-2 from the free-throw line with 49.2 seconds on the clock after being fouled while attempting a fadeaway jumper.

Just like in the first half, Rubio started the third quarter and moved to 5 assists with a dish to Valencia’s [Jaime Pradilla](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jaime-pradilla/010393/), who scored from mid-range with 5:30 remaining. When he went to the bench with 5:00 left in the third, there was another round of applause for the 2019 FIBA World Cup winner. Let’s not forget that Rubio also won a gold medal with *La Roja* at EuroBasket 2009 and EuroBasket 2011.

<center>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ricky gets his first bucket from the floor! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroBasket</a> <a href="https://t.co/X2nwIdWHC5">pic.twitter.com/X2nwIdWHC5</a></p>&mdash; FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket/status/1760768370549383283?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Rubio almost became the hero

When Rubio came back into the game, there was 4:52 to go in the fourth quarter and Spain trailed Latvia, 64-66. It felt like a storybook ending was on the cards. After netting a mid-range jumper — his first field goal of the night — to make it 66-68 with 2:53 left, he added a couple of free throws to keep things close, 68-70.

Rubio was again on hand to respond for Spain, knocking down a triple with 58.2 seconds remaining to set a 71-73 score. Once more, Rubio added to his own personal run by going 2-for-3 from the line after being fouled by Virtus Segafredo Bologna’s [Rihards Lomazs](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/rihards-lomazs/005553/), who had just hit a three down the other end, as the score read 73-76. That 9-point spurt by Rubio meant that Spain had a chance to grab the win with 38.5 seconds remaining.

<center>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ricky Rubio made his return. <br>It was a good day for basketball. <a href="https://t.co/Vsf4JyCzeI">pic.twitter.com/Vsf4JyCzeI</a></p>&mdash; FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket/status/1760774679701209284?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Things did not quite go to plan, however, as Latvia came away with a 75-79 victory. Nevertheless, given that this was Rubio’s first game in 10 and a half months, there were plenty of signs of what he could offer Barcelona: an elite-level playmaker who knows how to step up in crunch time.

Rubio should get some more minutes under his belt when Spain faces Belgium on the road in Charleroi on Sunday, and that can only be good news for all basketball fans.

Ricky Rubio in action for Spain against Latvia. (Alberto Nevado/FIBA)

Despite Spain falling to defeat, the 33-year-old showed glimpses of what he can offer Barcelona in the EuroLeague (PHOTO: Alberto Nevado/FIBA)