By winning at KK Partizan, FC Bayern Basketball gave its hopes of making the EuroLeague Play-In Showdown a big boost.

FC Bayern Basketball bounced back in style at Stark Arena

It takes true strength of character to beat Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade at Stark Arena, especially in a game where the hosts have been in control for the majority of the first three quarters.

[FC Bayern Munich, however, showed in Round 26 that it has plenty of fighting spirit and a never-say-die attitude](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-live-blog-kk-partizan-vs-fc-bayern-basketball/), which came to the fore in Serbia on Thursday night.

Last week saw Pablo Laso’s Bayern fall at home to Olympiacos Piraeus, meaning it was the team’s second defeat at BMW Park in its last three games. After losing to LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, Bayern edged past Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in overtime before then succumbing to the Reds.

### Making a statement in Belgrade

Hence, morale was not at its highest ahead of a trip to Partizan, as Bayern dropped to a 10-15 record and saw its play-in hopes take a dent. The game in Belgrade suddenly became a must-win fixture – and Bayern demonstrated in the first quarter that it would be a tough opponent to break down.

The guests outscored Partizan 23-26 in the first 10 minutes, but an extraordinary Frank Kaminsky came to the fore in the second quarter. The Partizan center went 4-for-4 from beyond the arc and recorded a PIR of 19, which is the best PIR registered in a single quarter of a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague game by a Partizan player in a game since 2014, when Tarence Kinsey recorded a 21 PIR in the second period of a game against, curiously enough, Bayern.

“I think it was very important for the players to tell them during the game that they were doing the things that we told them to do,” Coach Laso explained during the post-game press conference. “They needed to follow the plan, despite Kaminsky popping against [\[Serge\] Ibaka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/serge-ibaka/003583/) and [\[Danko\] Brankovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/danko-brankovic/007639/) and taking some jumpers. He went 4-for-4. \[I told them:\] ‘Keep believing, we will solve that problem. We have our solutions for that. Let’s see if he keeps making \[triples\].’ But we followed the plan and the team was very good both offensively and defensively.”

<center>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🧐 We are now 3-0 with Schweinsteiger Courtside. No pressure, <a href="https://twitter.com/BSchweinsteiger?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BSchweinsteiger</a> 😂 <a href="https://t.co/edhQ1PU8ek">pic.twitter.com/edhQ1PU8ek</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/1755717944250699777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Having taken a 45-41 cushion into the second half, Partizan remained in control after the break and even took a double-digit lead, 61-51, with 3:42 left on the clock in the third quarter. With the Partizan fans buzzing, the hosts looked eager to extend their lead heading into the fourth.

### A timely contribution

Enter [Sylvain Francisco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sylvain-francisco/007975/), who scored 19 of his 20 points in the last 13 minutes of the contest, including a game-winning three-pointer to silence the packed crowd.

“We spoke before the game and we said that it will be very tough until the end,” Laso noted. “We were trailing but we were still fighting. We were coming back, but we made some mistakes. It looked like the game was slipping out of our hands. We were able to come back and we played really smart in the last few possessions. We’ve got a lot of credit for winning in this arena, where not a lot of teams are able to win.”

Partizan's Kevin Punter endeavours to maintain his magnificent form after scoring 28 and 22 points in losses in Monaco and Bologna, whilst German-giants Bayern have Sylvain Francisco in great shape with double-digit scoring in six consecutive games, having also netted 17 in this reverse fixture.

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade-FC Bayern Munich | Round 26 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Mid-range jumpers created trouble for Bayern’s defense all night, with Kevin Punter and PJ Dozier dealing blow after blow in the closing stages. Yet, Bayern didn’t give up and responded in the form of Francisco and Ibaka, who combined for 17 of their team’s 20 points in the last quarter.

“We stuck together,” the Bayern center said after the win. “We knew that coming here would not be easy. Them playing here at home with these fans, it’s crazy. I’ve never seen something like this before in my life in 18 years playing professional basketball. This is a very important victory for us, especially coming from the last game that we lost at home. Winning here is big for us.”

Serge Ibaka spoke after FC Bayern Munich's win at Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade.

Ibaka's post-game interview vs. Partizan

### Play-in goals

Indeed, winning at Stark Arena can’t be taken for granted, but Bayern proved on Thursday night that it has the mentality to fight back against all odds. “We still have chances to get in play-in positions and we will fight until the end,” Laso added.

Bayern will dispute five of its last eight games of the season at home, with its three road duels taking place at playoff-chasing Anadolu Efes Istanbul, Valencia Basket and AS Monaco. However, the German side demonstrated on Thursday night that it has what it takes to defy the odds, which should put it in good stead entering the home stretch.

More Bayern News

The FC Bayern Munich players celebrate together after defeating Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in Round 26 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

The German side gave its hopes of making the Play-In Showdown a big boost in Round 26.

Bayern bounced back in style at Stark Arena

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v FC Bayern Munich (2024-02-08T19:30:00.000Z)

Another high-powered matchup will see fifth-placed AS Monaco Basket (15-10) aim to become the first visiting team since October to triumph at third-placed Virtus Bologna (16-9). 

Preview: Virtus Bologna vs. AS Monaco Basket

[Rosters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/virtus-segafredo-bologna-as-monaco/E2023/234/#roster) | [Facts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs26-game-facts-vir-mco/) | [Notes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs26-game-notes-vir-mco/) | [Quotes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs26-prequotes-vir-mco/) |[ TV](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/tv-listings-el/) | [Fantasy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fantasy-challenge-tips-round-26/)

Monaco is in great form with four straight victories, but was shocked by the Italian team, 59-83, when the teams met in October. Virtus claimed a massive 46 rebounds in that game, so the visitors will look for [Donta Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/donta-hall/011196/) and [Donatas Moteijunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/donatas-motiejunas/lcz/) to protect the backboards more strongly as they confront [Bryant Dunston](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/bryant-dunston/003048/) and [Toko Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/). The game also features two of the league's most potent long-range shooters, [Marco Belinelli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/marco-belinelli/bcn/) (2.8 triples per game) and [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) (2.7).

[Virtus Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/statistics/vir/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases) | [Monaco Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/statistics/mco/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases)

Shane Larkin vs. Elie Okobo: Two guards with the clutch gene face off in Round 26.

Virtus Segafredo Bologna pulled off a big surprise on the road as it hammered AS Monaco 59-83 after hitting a club record 16 three-pointers.

Last game: AS Monaco-Virtus Segafredo Bologna | Round 2  Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Another high-powered matchup will see fifth-placed Monaco (15-10) aim to become the first visiting team since October to triumph at third-placed Virtus (16-9). 

Virtus, Monaco ready to go to battle in Bologna

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v AS Monaco (2024-02-09T19:30:00.000Z)

Second hosts second-bottom as Barça Basket (17-8) looks for a sixth straight home win with a visit from ALBA Berlin (5-15), which has just one road victory all season.

Preview: Barça Basket vs. ALBA Berlin

[Rosters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/fc-barcelona-alba-berlin/E2023/232/#roster) | [Facts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs26-game-facts-bar-ber/) | [Notes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs26-game-notes-bar-ber/) | [Quotes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs26-prequotes-bar-ber/) |[ TV](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/tv-listings-el/) | [Fantasy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fantasy-challenge-tips-round-26/)

The Spanish side won't be taking the task lightly after suffering a shock defeat in Berlin, 74-70, in December. Barca will look to control the outside shooting threat of [Matt Thomas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/matt-thomas/008967/), who led ALBA with 13 points on that occasion and has netted multiple triples in seven of the last 11 games. The host will also hope that shooting guard [Dario Brizuela](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dario-brizuela/009992/) can stay in his sweet moment after scoring 20 points on 6-of-7 three-point shooting in last week's solid win at Zvezda.

[Barcelona Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/statistics/bar/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases) | [ALBA Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/alba-berlin/statistics/ber/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases)

Jabari Parker vs. Louis Olinde: Two star forwards will go to battle at Palau Blaugrana.

Barça wish to restore its usual defensive high standards after allowing at least 80 points in each of the last five, with former ALBA forward Oscar Da Silva likely to play a key role. Berlin hope that Johannes Thiemann can continue his great season and dominate the inside battle to help secure a shock win.

Last game: ALBA Berlin-FC Barcelona | Round 15 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Second hosts second-bottom as Barcelona (17-8) looks for a sixth straight home win with a visit from ALBA (5-15), which has just one road victory all season.

Barcelona looks to put on a show against ALBA

FC Barcelona v ALBA Berlin (2024-02-09T19:30:00.000Z)

A big matchup with a playoff feel will see fourth host sixth as Panathinaikos (15-10) welcomes Fenerbahce (15-10). 

Preview: Panathinaikos B.C. vs. Fenerbahçe Beko

[Rosters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2023/233/#roster) | [Facts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs26-game-facts-pan-ulk/) | [Notes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs26-game-notes-pan-ulk/) | [Quotes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs26-prequotes-pan-ulk/) |[ TV](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/tv-listings-el/) | [Fantasy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fantasy-challenge-tips-round-26/)

The Turkish team claimed a commanding victory when the teams met in Round 3, with 15 points from [Georgios Papagiannis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/georgios-papagiannis/005844/) leading the way to an 83-69 success. He and the red-hot [Johnathan Motley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/johnathan-motley/011157/), who has five consecutive games of double-digit scoring, will look to give Fenerbahce the physical edge against a Panathinaikos team eager to bounce back from last week's loss at Zalgiris. The Greens have won five straight in Athens and will be able to count upon an electric atmosphere that will also be enlivened by two of the league's most demonstrative coaches, Ergin Ataman and Sarunas Jasikevicius.

[Panathinaikos Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/statistics/pan/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases) | [Fenerbahce Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/statistics/ulk/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases)

Mathias Lessort vs. Johnathan Motley: Two dominant big men come head-to-head at OAKA.

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul bounced back after last week's narrow defeat at Valencia Basket by grabbing a well-deserved 83-69 victory over Panathinaikos Athens in Round 3 of the 2023-24 EuroLeague Regular Season. 

Last game: Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul-Panathinaikos Athens | Round 3 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Excitement guaranteed when Panathinaikos, Fenerbahce face off

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2024-02-09T19:15:00.000Z)

After grabbing two great home wins last week, Zalgiris Kaunas (10-15) will try to keep moving up the standings with a trip to direct rival KK Crvena zvezda (10-15).

Preview: KK Crvena zvezda vs. Zalgiris Kaunas

[Rosters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade-zalgiris-kaunas/E2023/231/#roster) | [Facts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs26-game-facts-red-zal/) | [Notes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs26-game-notes-red-zal/) | [Quotes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs26-prequotes-red-zal/) |[ TV](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/tv-listings-el/) | [Fantasy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fantasy-challenge-tips-round-26/)

The visitors will be wary of the shooting threat posed by [Nemanja Nedovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nemanja-nedovic/000848/), who netted 27 and 21 points in last week's two games, helping to beat Valencia, but not enough to overcome Barcelona. Zalgiris can rely on the inside presence of [Laurynas Birutis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/laurynas-birutis/005504/), who has averaged 14.3 points in the last four games. [Rolands Smits](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/rolands-smits/007109/) was the key man in the Round 2 meeting between the teams, netting 18 points with 7 rebounds to set up a 79-74 Zalgiris victory.

[Zvezda Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/statistics/red/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases) | [Zalgiris Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/statistics/zal/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases)

Milos Teodosic vs. Keenan Evans: A wily veteran and an on-fire sharpshooter face off in Belgrade.

Zalgiris Kaunas remains undefeated in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season after downing Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 79-74 in front of a sellout crowd at Zalgirio Arena. 

Last game: Zalgiris Kaunas-Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade | Round 2 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

After grabbing two great home wins last week, Zalgiris (10-15) will try to keep moving up the standings with a trip to direct rival Zvezda (10-15).

Crvena Zvezda, Zalgiris have their sights on the play-in

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Zalgiris Kaunas (2024-02-09T19:00:00.000Z)

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan used an extraordinary first half to down Real Madrid 81-76 at the Forum in Round 26. When Milan came back, its two main pillars in offense lived up to the expectations. 


Telling numbers: Milan's first half is critical 

Milan trailed 10-17 midway through the first quarter. Up to that point, Milan had made 2 of 4 two-pointers and 2 of 6 three-pointers without getting to the foul line, plus 3 assists and 2 turnovers. Real Madrid had been much more effective, making 3 of 4 two-pointers and 2 of 3 three-pointers with 5 assists and 0 turnovers.

Then Shavon Shields rescued the hosts, first with a step-back jumper and then with a three-point play. It was the start of a mammoth 26-2 run in which Nikola Mirotic took center stage. He came off the bench and immediately delivered, making 4 of 4 three-pointers and getting 14 of those points. By the time Maodo Lo struck from downtown, Milan led 36-19 and had been in one of the biggest runs in EuroLeague history.

By halftime, Milan had grabbed twice as many rebounds as its opponents, 26-13. The hosts pulled down 11 offensive rebounds and only allowed Real to get 5 of those. In the final 14 minutes of the first half, Real made just 1 of 9 two-pointers (11.1% 2FG) and 2 of 11 three-pointers (18.2% 3FG), getting just 4 assists against 7 turnovers. Milan buried 6 of 9 three-pointers (66.7% 3FG) in those minutes, leading to a 48-29 margin at the break.

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan edged Real Madrid 81-76 in Round 26, and went on a 26-2 run, from 10-17 to 36-19!

Milan's 26-2 run against Real

"I said nothing \[at the break\] because the less I talk, the better it is," Coach Messina said at halftime. "We just need to continue to play with the same intensity on both ends: move the ball fast but more important, defend like we did in the first 20 minutes."

Milan ended up outrebounding Real 40-31, finishing the game with a lower PIR (84) than its opponent (85) despite leading 60-24 in that category at halftime. Mirotic made a critical turnaround jumper with 2:30 left and Shields put the victory on ice with free throws with 19.8 seconds remaining. The two players combined for 50 points against Real.

"The team played very, very well in the first half. In the second half, we limited the damage in the third quarter, because on the other side, we had the EuroLeague champions. Then in the fourth quarter I think we were tired and didn't take so many good decisions, but we had very good defense in the last 3-4 minutes," Coach Messina said after the game. "We always created very good situations defensively and on offense, we made free throws and a couple of big plays on the break. I am very happy for the players, they deserved a win like this."

Game Videos

Game News

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan used an extraordinary first half to defeat Real Madrid 81-76 at the Forum in Round 26. 


Milan's first half was critical to beat Real Madrid

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v Real Madrid (2024-02-08T19:30:00.000Z)

Sylvain Francisco became the hero as FC Bayern Basketball defeated KK Partizan in Round 26 of the 2023-24 EuroLeague season.

Sylvain Francisco stepped up big in second half to shock Partizan

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade’s defense did a great job containing [Sylvain Francisco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sylvain-francisco/007975/) for 27 minutes. After all, the FC Bayern Munich guard had not managed to net a single field goal, having recorded just 1 point with 02:48 left on the clock in the third quarter.

One second later, Francisco would hit his first triple of the night, but it wouldn’t be his last.

“It was really tough, especially with this atmosphere,” Francisco said in the flash interview after the game. “I was trying to find the right balance. I was really quiet in the first half, but in the second half every time they gave me a little opportunity, I took this opportunity.”

Sylvain Francisco stepped up big for FC Bayern Munich on the road at Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, including hitting the game-winning shot.

Francisco's best shots vs. Partizan

### He helped swing the momentum

Before hitting that shot, Partizan was up by 61-51. Yet, the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague rookie would go on to make a couple of free throws before drilling another shot from deep to cut the difference to 63-59 heading into the closing quarter.

Then, the two teams’ defenses tightened up and they went scoreless for the first 2:30 minutes of the fourth quarter. In fact, Partizan and Bayern had scored just 3 points each with 6 minutes remaining, but when it mattered most, veteran [Serge Ibaka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/serge-ibaka/003583/) and Francisco combined for 17 points [to lead Bayern to a 78-79 victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-live-blog-kk-partizan-vs-fc-bayern-basketball/).

<center>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">WHAT. A. GAME. 🥵 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PARBAY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PARBAY</a> <a href="https://t.co/PvtpNuxkxo">pic.twitter.com/PvtpNuxkxo</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/1755710347141378335?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Ibaka ended up netting 6 of his 14 points in the last quarter while Francisco added 11 points to stun the hosts.

### Becoming the hero

Following a missed [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/) triple with the score at 78-76 and 19 seconds to go, [Nick Weiler-Babb](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nick-weiler-babb/010391/) collected the defensive rebound and handed the ball to the safe hands of Francisco.

“To be honest, I wanted to drive to get it overtime first, but \[Partizan center [Frank\] Kaminsky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/frank-kaminsky/012743/) anticipated my drives so as soon as he flipped his hips, that’s when I came back for a step-back \[triple\] and I shot the ball,” Francisco explained. “I was like: ‘It’s either going in, or if it’s not going in, at least I shot it’. I don’t regret anything.”

Sylvain Francisco's post-game interview vs. Partizan

Francisco's post-game interview vs. Partizan

And with that make, Francisco silenced the Stark Arena crowd and inspired scenes of the Bayern players celebrating ecstatically on the floor. Punter, who ended the game on 22 points, managed to get an open look with 1 second left on the clock, but he missed and Bayern sealed its fourth road victory of the season to improve to an 11-15 record.

Most importantly, the German side bounced back from last week’s home defeat to Olympiacos Piraeus and proved that in Francisco it has a clutch player that can hit winning shots – just like the one he drilled in Belgrade on Thursday night.

Sylvain Francisco is embraced by FC Bayern Munich teammate Dino Radoncic after their team's win against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in Round 26 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

The Frenchman first helped Bayern stay in the game, before becoming the hero in the final seconds.

a stellar second-half defensive effort earned Olympiacos Piraeus a 65-78 road win that not only provided a two-game margin over Valencia, but also secured the head-to-head advantage between the teams. 

Defensive domination delivered key win for Olympiacos 

With two defensively strong teams going toe to toe in a key matchup, it was no surprise that the resulting tussle wasn’t particularly pretty. In fact, at times, it was downright ugly if you’re looking for fast and free-flowing offensive basketball. 

But for Olympiacos, the outcome was nothing short of beautiful as a stellar second-half defensive effort earned a 65-78 road win that not only provided a two-game margin over Valencia, but also secured the head-to-head advantage between the teams.

Coach Georgios Bartzokas had no doubt about the main reason for the victory, saying: “Our defense in the third quarter was really solid. They only scored 9 points and this was the key of the game. 

“We expected Valencia to respond and adjust, and they did, but our defense was solid and especially versus \[Chris\] Jones, who we kept to 2 points. We believed before the game that he was the key player.”

Another important element was the rebounding battle, as Olympiacos took advantage of Valencia’s lack of big bodies – with centers Brandon Davies and Boubacar Toure both injured – to take 36 rebounds against just 30 for the host.

Alec Peters led the way with a new personal best 11 boards and afterward commented: “They were missing some key players, most of them are 5s or 4s, so that was a point of emphasis, especially with Moustapha \[Fall\] back for this game and Moses \[Wright\] coming along pretty well since joining the team. 

“So it was huge for us to make sure we were living in the paint today and we did a good job. Sometimes it’s my scoring that can help the team win, sometimes it’s rebounding. Those are two things I try to pride myself on and bring to the team, and tonight happened to be a good night.”

The Reds also provided enough offense to ensure that defensive effort wasn’t wasted, with Isaiah Canaan delivering 16 points and Thomas Walkup celebrating his 200th appearance in the competition by providing 7 points, 5 assists and 2 steals.

Shaq McKissic (10 points), Moses Wright (10) and Nigel Williams-Goss (9) also contributed significantly to a win that shows Olympiacos is collectively very much heading in the right direction.

And Bartzokas reacted to his team’s all-around strong performance by sounding a warning for the rest of the league as he concluded: “If we are in step, we’re going to be a very difficult opponent for any team.”

The pressure was on as Valencia Basket hosted Olympiacos Piraeus in a meeting of direct rivals at La Fonteta on Thursday night. 

Valencia Basket v Olympiacos Piraeus (2024-02-08T19:30:00.000Z)

Sylvain Francisco's game-winning triple saw KK Partizan beat FC Bayern Basketball 78-79 in Round 26 of the 2023-24 EuroLeague season.

Sylvain Francisco stuns Partizan as Bayern grabs 78-79 road win

<incrowd-live-blog id="65c48bc08c3acca28c0c4844" client-id="EUROLEAGUE" server="standard"></incrowd-live-blog><script src="https://live-blog.incrowdsports.com/index.js"></script>

Sylvain Francisco of FC Bayern Munich shoots a three-pointer over the arm of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade's Frank Kaminsky in Round 26 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

The Frenchman showed that he had no fear by not only taking the final shot, but hitting a step-back triple.