Javier Gancedo shares his recommendations for the coming week in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge.

Fantasy tips, Rounds 20-21: Four bargains and a star

The first double-round week of 2026 is here, and EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge managers know what that means: time to make smart moves. I’m Javi Gancedo, back with five picks to help you maximize value — four affordable players who can deliver big returns and one superstar primed for a monster game. But first, let’s quickly recap last week’s tips.

I recommended Talen Horton-Tucker of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, who had a PIR of 15 before being ejected from the game. It was going well and he still earned 0.2 credits, so I am going to call it a win. I also recommended Matt Costello of Valencia Basket instead of Kameron Taylor. Given the fact that Taylor had a PIR of -3 and Costello had 8.8 fantasy points, it was a pretty good tip. Costello lost 0.1 credits but I will call it a tie, given the circumstances. I went for Cesi Osman of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens: he had 10 points and lost 0.2 credits, so that was not a good tip. Despite his team's loss, Nick Weiler-Babb of Anadolu Efes Istanbul had a huge game: 28 points and an increase of 0.6 credits. Finally, Nigel Williams-Goss of Zalgiris Kaunas had 11 fantasy points and his price didn't change, so it's a tie. Two wins, two ties, one loss.

Here are my recommendations for Rounds 20 and 21. Remember, I only went for one really expensive player and everyone else is 10.5 credits or less.

Derrick Alston, Kendrick Nunn, Jared Butler, Tarik Biberovic and Mbaye Mdiaye are featured in this week's article. 

EuroLeague Fantasy tips: Rounds 20-21

### Mbaye Ndiaye, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (8.3 credits)

[Mbaye Ndiaye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mbaye-ndiaye/012731/) has been rock-solid in the last three games, averaging 9.3 points on 75.0% two-point shooting, 7.3 rebounds and a PIR of 19.0. Nando De Colo left the team to join Fenerbahce, so Ndiaye should see even more responsibilities on offense. If he keeps crashing the boards like he has lately, he has a lot of value.

### Tarik Biberovic, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (7.0 credits)

It took him some time, but [Tarik Biberovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tarik-biberovic/006961/) is bringing out his best version lately. Over the last four games, Biberovic has averaged 15.3 points and 4.0 rebounds for a PIR of 13.3 without getting to the foul line often (1.7 fouls drawn, 9 pf 9 free throws). In Round 19, he had a season-high PIR of 19. It is Tarik time!

### Jared Butler, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (10.5 credits)

After a much-needed adjustment period, [Jared Butler](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jared-butler/014163/) has finally taken off. He has scored at least 20 points in three of the last five games and reached a PIR of 29 twice. In Round 19 against Efes, Butler had 10 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists for a PIR of 14. Butler is seeing more playing time and is making the most out of it.

Jared Butler has scored at least 20 points in three of the last five games.

### Derrick Alston Jr, Virtus Bologna (8.9 credits)

[Derrick Alston](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/derrick-alston-jr--/014005/) leads the EuroLeague in three-point shooting, having made 60.0% of his attempts from downtown (27 of 45). Alston comes off a really good game in the Italian derby, with 20 points and a PIR of 17. With more rebounds (2.3 rpg.) and fouls drawn (0.9) his value should skyrocket soon.

### Kendrick Nunn, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (17.4 credits)

I know, he is the second-most expensive player in the game after Sasha Vezenkov. I am recommending [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/), especially in Round 20: He had a PIR of 40 in a losing effort last week and Panathinaikos plays at home again and faces Milan. Last season, Nunn had 21 points against Milan... In the first quarter alone. He is my Round 20 MVP candidate!

More EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge News

Javier Gancedo shares his recommendations for the coming week in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge

Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2026-01-09T19:30:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2026-01-09T18:00:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Virtus Bologna (2026-01-08T19:15:00.000Z)

Dubai Basketball v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2026-01-08T16:00:00.000Z)

Virtus Bologna v Zalgiris Kaunas (2026-01-06T19:30:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2026-01-06T19:15:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v Real Madrid (2026-01-06T19:00:00.000Z)

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Valencia Basket (2026-01-06T19:00:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Olympiacos Piraeus (2026-01-06T17:45:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich adds guard Nenad Dimitrijevic for the remainder of the season. The North Macedonian playmaker arrives from Zenit St Petersburg after averaging 11.5 points and 5.7 assists, and brings EuroLeague experience from Milan plus a VTB title and Playoff MVP with UNICS.

Bayern reinforces backcourt with Nenad Dimitrijevic

FC Bayern Munich has strengthened its backcourt with the signing of guard [Nenad Dimitrijevic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/neno-dimitrijevic/006085/). The deal is for the remainder of the season with an option for a second season. The move comes on the heels of the announcement that [Spencer Dinwiddie has left the team](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/spencer-dinwiddie-leaves-bayern/). Dimitrijevic (1.90 meters, 27 years old) arrives from Zenit St Petersburg, where he averaged 11.5 points and 5.7 assists across 10 VTB United League games this season.

“Munich is a great and highly respected organization, and when Coach Pesic calls you, it’s an honor and a no-brainer,” he told the club's website. “I really wanted to return to the EuroLeague and want to help win as many games as possible right away. The team wants to win the league, the cup, and fight for a playoff spot in the EuroLeague until the very last game. I will bring all my energy and fighting spirit so that we have a chance to win every game.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">👋 𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄, 𝐍𝐄𝐍𝐎<br><br>Wir verpflichten den EuroLeague-erfahrenen Combo Guard Neno Dimitrijevic: <a href="https://t.co/QC1actP2US">https://t.co/QC1actP2US</a><br><br>We have signed EuroLeague-experienced combo guard Neno Dimitrijevic: <a href="https://t.co/UlMyUHzMEN">https://t.co/UlMyUHzMEN</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FCBB</a> | Kaderupdate by <a href="https://twitter.com/freelanceDE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@freelanceDE</a> <a href="https://t.co/UmEXBwtbNY">pic.twitter.com/UmEXBwtbNY</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/2008169504438960330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Dimitrijevic made his EuroLeague debut last season with EA7 Emporio Armani Milan. Over 27 appearances in Europe’s premier competition – including 7 starts, he contributed 7.6 points and 2.9 assists per game. He averaged 9.5 points and 3.0 assists in 17:28 minutes in two games against Bayern. Dimitrijevic previously starred for UNICS Kazan, where he helped the team win the 2023 VTB championship and was named MVP of the playoffs.

A Joventut Badalona academy product, Dimitrijevic played five senior seasons there – including two EuroCup campaigns – before moves to Valencia Basket, UNICS, Milan, Zenit, and now Bayern. A regular with the North Macedonia national team, he brings Bayern a blend of shot creation, floor spacing, tempo management, and leadership – qualities poised to deepen the backcourt rotation and sharpen the team’s late-season ambitions.

More Bayern news

The North Macedonian guard debuted in the EuroLeague last season with Milan

With the EuroLeague having reached the halfway point of the 2025-26 regular season, attendance figures underline just how strong the competition’s connection with fans remains across Europe.

Belgrade sets the pace as Crvena Zvezda tops EuroLeague attendance charts

With the EuroLeague having reached the halfway point of the 2025-26 regular season, attendance figures underline just how strong the competition’s connection with fans remains across Europe.

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade tops the league in average attendance, drawing 18,762 spectators per game at Belgrade Arena. City rivals Partizan are a close second with 18,739, further confirming Belgrade as the EuroLeague’s most passionate basketball city.

Panathinaikos rounds out the top three with 18,578 fans per game, as OAKA Arena continues to stand among the competition’s most imposing venues.

At this stage of the season, seven teams are averaging more than 11,000 spectators per game, a clear sign that packed arenas are no longer a rarity in Europe’s top competition.

Read more [HERE](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1915274/belgrade-sets-the-pace-as-crvena-zvezda-tops-euroleague-attendance-charts/).

Average crowds remain strong across Europe, with seven teams drawing over 11,000 fans per game

The second half of the regular season gets underway with the first double round week of 2026 on Tuesday and Wednesday. Here’s a summary of everything you can enjoy in Round 20.

At a glance: Old faces in new places as Round 20 gets underway

The second half of the regular season gets underway with the first double round week of 2026 on Tuesday and Wednesday. Here’s a summary of everything you can enjoy in Round 20.

## Tuesday, January 6

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (18:45 CET)

A big battle between top-tier title candidates will see Olympiacos (11-7) visit reigning champ Fenerbahce (12-6). Last week’s Greek derby victory – inevitably powered by Sasha Vezenkov (24 points, 9 rebounds) – showed that the Reds will have no fear, but Fener is also in a sweet moment after winning tree straight and turning on the offensive style to triumph at Baskonia last week. Wade Baldwin was the architect of that victory with 24 points, but Olympiacos will also have to deal with the Turkish team’s outside shooting power after Bonzie Colson and Nicolo Melli both made 4 triples in Vitoria. The visitors will also look to control the paint through league leading rebounder Nikola Milutinov, whose ability to grab offensive boards – in tandem with livewire Donta Hall – could be crucial. Both teams made big signings over the last few days with Fenerbahce bringing back Nando De Colo and also landing Chris Silva, while Olympiacos bolstered its options at center with the addition of Tyrique Jones. At the time of publishing, all three players are yet to be registered, however.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Pardon, bu saatte başka bir iletişim planımız vardı 😏<br><br>Nando De Colo yeniden Fenerbahçe Beko’da! 💛💙✍️ <a href="https://t.co/xFHZLJUAj2">pic.twitter.com/xFHZLJUAj2</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/2007906096439275851?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">✍️🏾Η ΚΑΕ Ολυμπιακός ανακοινώνει την απόκτηση του <a href="https://twitter.com/TyriqueJones_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TyriqueJones_</a> . Ο Αμερικανός σέντερ υπέγραψε με την ομάδα μας συμβόλαιο συνεργασίας διάρκειας 2.5 ετών.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> announces the signing of Tyrique Jones. The American center has signed a 2.5-year contract with our team.…</p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/2008084073210872293?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### AS Monaco vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (19:30 CET)

Monaco (12-7) will attempt to keep climbing the standings by showing no mercy to struggling Partizan (6-13). The Roca Team – which has won three straight – will look to repeat the stellar collective display delivered in last week’s impressive win at Barcelona. Kevarrius Hayes played a big part in that victory with 15 points and 4 offensive rebounds, and he’ll try to have the same impact against a Partizan frontcourt now without the departed Tyrique Jones. In the backcourt, former Monaco playmaker Nick Calathes will attempt to limit the influence of old teammate Mike James, while Partizan will be without the ill Duane Washington, whose 22-point performance helped give his team a narrow home win over Monaco in Round 10. The Serbian team has lost four straight and needs a big improvement to hand new coach Joan Penarroya a first win.

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. Real Madrid (20:00 CET)

Improving ASVEL (6-13) hopes to maintain its recent home form by dishing more punishment to road strugglers Real Madrid (11-8). The French team has won three in a row on its own floor, but will now have to rely heavily for backcourt leadership on Thomas Heurtel following the departure of Nando De Colo to Fenerbahce. That also places even more scoring responsibility on Glynn Watson, who averaged 20 points in his team’s recent home successes. Real showed it is also capable of offensive fireworks by blasting 107 points past Dubai last week, powered by 17 points and 6 helpers from Facu Campazzo, who will hope to exploit De Colo's absence. The Spanish team is 3-7 on the road – the worst record in the top 10 – so can’t take anything for granted.

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. Valencia Basket (20:00 CET)

Two of this season’s dark horses are gunning for another victory as Zvezda (11-8) welcomes co-leader Valencia (13-6). The Serbian team has struggled for consistency in recent weeks but boosted its confidence with an authoritative win at Efes last time out, helped by key shooter Jordan Nwora returning to his best with 24 points. His long-range scoring threat will be met by a Valencia team which has netted more triples than any other (12.5 per game), most recently helped by Brancou Badio continuing his strong form with 4 triples to overcome Partizan last week. The game features a showdown between two of the league’s most effective do-it-all guards as Darius Thompson faces Codi Miller-McIntyre, whose 23 points were not enough to stop Valencia from edging a tight encounter over Zvezda in Round 12.

### Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv vs. Dubai Basketball (20:05 CET)

Co-leader Hapoel (13-5) will attempt to maintain that status by overcoming dangerous Dubai (9-10) in Tel Aviv. Dimitris Itoudis’s men have suffered a blip by losing two of their last three games, and will look to show more intensity after being outmuscled by Zalgiris last week. Dubai is also aiming to bounce back from defeat after suffering a bad second half in Madrid, and will look for more scoring heroics from Dwayne Bacon after netting 25 and 26 points in the last two games. Hapoel playmaker Chris Jones has found his best form of the season with double-digit scoring in five straight games, while the visitors need no reminder of the threat posed by Elijah Bryant after he netted 25 points to give Hapoel a high-scoring win in Dubai in Round 9.

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (20:15 CET)

Panathinaikos (12-7) will look to bounce straight back from the disappointment of last week’s Greek derby defeat by downing struggling Milan (9-10). Greens boss Ergin Ataman was directly critical of Juancho Hernangomez for failing to score in the loss against Olympiacos, so he will be particularly keen to make amends. Milan is also looking for a reaction after suffering three straight losses, and needs to fix a defense which allowed 97 and 99 points in the last two games. At the other end, Armoni Brooks has happy memories of facing Panathinaikos after netting 8 triples to inspire a victory over the Greens less than a month ago, while in-form Josh Nebo (11-of-12 two-point shooting in the last two games) will go to battle inside the paint with Kenneth Faried.

### Virtus Bologna vs. Zalgiris Kaunas (20:30 CET)

Virtus (9-10) will attempt to strengthen its challenge for the top 10 by overcoming determined direct rival Zalgiris (11-8). The Italian team notched its seventh home win of the campaign by taking last week’s Italian derby over Milan, powered by dangerous Matt Morgan (13.4 points per game) netting a season-high 5 triples. But Zalgiris proved it is one of the league’s better road teams by triumphing at Hapoel last time out, partly thanks to the physicality of Azuolas Tubelis (12 points, 8 rebounds). Zalgiris claimed a comfortable home win over Virtus in Round 7, and the Italian team will ask veteran defensive ace Daniel Hackett to help slow down playmaker Sylvain Francisco after his double-double (23 points, 10 assists) in that game.

### FC Barcelona vs. Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (20:30 CET)

Two teams determined to bounce back from big losses go head-to-head as Barcelona (12-7) welcomes Maccabi (8-11). The Spanish team suffered the first serious setback of the Xavi Pascual era with defeat against Monaco last week, despite in-form Dario Brizuela giving another demonstration of his scoring power with 25 points. Maccabi's battering at Bayern came at a heavy cost with star scorer Lonnie Walker ruled out by injury, and the visitors need Jimmy Clark to step up in his absence after scoring in double figures just once in the last six games. Barca has won seven straight against Maccabi including a 71-92 road triumph in October powered by control of the backboards (40 rebounds to 33), so the visitors need to show more physicality this time.

## Wednesday, January 7

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Paris Basketball (18:30 CET)

Two lowly teams in need of a morale-boosting victory meet in Istanbul as Efes (6-13) welcomes Paris (6-13). Efes has lost three straight with new coach Pablo Laso watching his players make just 4 three-pointers in last week’s home loss to Zvezda, and improving that statistic will be crucial against a Paris team which ranks second in the league in long-range conversions (12.2 per game). Nadir Hifi leads the assault with a league-high 20 points per game, but the visitors are continually hindered by defensive problems after allowing more points than any other team (92.8 per night). That weakness was exploited when Efes took an 80-90 Round 7 road victory in Paris, and Ercan Osmani would love to repeat the 18 points he netted in that game as he seeks a return to form.

### FC Bayern Munich vs. Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (20:30 CET)

Rejuvenated Bayern (6-13) will look for more momentum by denying direct rival Baskonia (6-13) a first road win. The German team – now without Spencer Dinwiddie, whose departure was confirmed on Sunday – discovered its defensive identity under new coach Svetislav Pesic to smother Maccabi last week, led by long-serving Vladimir Lucic (17 points, 7 rebounds). Wednesday’s defensive attentions will focus on Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, whose insane consistency continued with 20 points in last week’s loss to Fenerbahce – TLC has netted between 18 and 21 points in 12 games this season. In the paint, Bayern’s David McCormack will look to continue his dramatic improvement under coach Pesic by subduing the threat of visiting center Eugene Omoruyi. Baskonia enjoyed its biggest win of the season (22 points) when the teams met in November, so revenge will be in the Munich air.

Andy West previews the first half of the opening double-round week of 2026

FC Bayern Munich v Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2026-01-07T19:30:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Paris Basketball (2026-01-07T17:30:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona v Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (2026-01-06T19:30:00.000Z)

AS Monaco v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2026-01-06T18:30:00.000Z)

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv v Dubai Basketball (2026-01-06T19:05:00.000Z)

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade adds Nigerian center Tonye Jekiri for the remainder of the season. The EuroLeague veteran arrives from CSKA Moscow, bringing rebounding strength and championship experience.

Partizan adds presence in the paint with Tonye Jekiri 

[Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/) has reinforced its frontcourt by signing Nigerian center [Tonye Jekiri](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tonye-jekiri/009733/) for the remainder of the season. The move comes hours after the club released [Tyrique Jones to sign with Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-overhauls-frontcourt-with-tyrique-jones/). Jekiri (2.12 meters, 31 years old) arrives from CSKA Moscow, where he spent the past two and a half seasons and helped the club win two VTB United League championships and two VTB Supercups. This season, he averaged 7.7 points and 4.7 rebounds in 11 games.

Jekiri returns to the EuroLeague after last playing for [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) in the 2022-23 campaign, when he averaged 4.9 points on 67.0% two-point shooting and 3.2 rebounds in 13:29 minutes per game. Over four EuroLeague seasons with Fenerbahce, [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/), [Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/kosner-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/bas/) and UNICS Kazan, Jekiri has appeared in 111 games, posting career averages of 6.7 points and 5.4 rebounds.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Tonje Džekiri je novi košarkaš Partizana Mozzart Bet!⚫️⚪️<br><br>🔗 <a href="https://t.co/IY4H4yC2N7">https://t.co/IY4H4yC2N7</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKPartizan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKPartizan</a> <a href="https://t.co/FoiptAJDNb">pic.twitter.com/FoiptAJDNb</a></p>&mdash; KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC/status/2008114333113577750?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

A dominant rebounder, Jekiri ranked second in the EuroLeague in boards during his rookie season with ASVEL in 2019-20 (7.5 rpg.) and was fourth in 2021-22 with UNICS (6.5 rpg.), including 2.9 offensive rebounds per game. His physical presence and ability to control the glass have made him one of the most reliable big men in Europe.

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Jekiri played college basketball at the University of Miami, where he was a teammate of [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/) guard [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/) in his first season and [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/red/) center [Ebuka Izundu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ebuka-izundu/014029/) in his final season. Jekiri began his professional career in Turkiye with Bandirma Kirmizi and Gaziantep Basketbol and also played for Telenet Ostend in Belgium before joining ASVEL in 2019. He led Ostend to the 2018 Belgian championship as the league’s top rebounder and finals MVP. Jekiri has represented Nigeria at the international level and now brings his experience and toughness to Partizan.

More Partizan news

Known for his rebounding and efficiency, Jekiri adds size and toughness to the Partizan frontline 

EuroLeague transition scoring is on the rise at midseason, with Valencia leading the fast-break charge and Barcelona excelling in defensive stops. Discover how pace and efficiency are shaping the standings.
EuroLeague stats review, transition scoring, Valencia Basket, FC Barcelona defense, EuroLeague trends, fast break efficiency, basketball analytics


Stats Review: Valencia’s fastbreak formula and Barça’s defensive wall

The midpoint of the EuroLeague Regular Season has arrived and now is a good time to check in with the trends shaping the league at the moment.  With parity as healthy as ever - with two wins separating first and 10th place and league-wide offensive efficiency rebounding from a brief lull to once again sit within striking distance of the modern record, the league’s two defining trends have held as well as could be expected through the first half of the season.

The source of that offensive rebound in recent rounds, however, was perhaps not as predictable, nor was its subsequent impact on the standings.

It is extremely difficult to push tempo in the EuroLeague. Defenses are simply too competitive to allow for the slippage in intensity that tends to lead to easy opportunities in the open floor.  However, since the move to 18 teams during the 2019-20 regular season, transition scoring has risen incrementally. That was not surprising when efficiency took some time to recover in the years following the pandemic and with several of the new teams joining since then, but even with efficiency at peak levels this year, transition scoring has continued to climb. 

While 12.2 points per game in transition is only a modest jump from the 11.6 per game teams averaged a year ago, the fact that teams are finding success pushing the ball is surprising. It cannot be traced to the new additions to the league. While [Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/valencia-basket/pam/) leads all teams in scoring 17.9 transition points per game, [Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/hapoel-ibi-tel-aviv/hta/) is scoring only 7.7 points per game - the lowest mark of any team since the 2022-23 season. There are a few more subtle factors at play: teams have been marginally more aggressive to push off misses and makes and have done a better job taking care of the ball when they have looked to run.

The growth of transition play, however subtle, has nonetheless opened the door for teams to build an advantage there, and no team has done a better job pushing to score and preventing their opponents from doing so than Valencia, which rose to the top of the standings last week. Leading all teams in transition scoring while ranking fifth in points allowed, its consistency shooting the three in the open floor and efforts to get back and identify shooters on the perimeter has already helped Valencia nearly eclipse its total win count from the team's most recent EuroLeague season.

[FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/) falls on the other end of the spectrum in terms of how it has built its scoring margin; Barça has allowed only 7.6 points per game in transition - one of the better efforts over the last decade.  Given that it ranks right around average in offensive turnover rate and all teams are vulnerable to the occasional fast break runout, the work Barcelona has done on the margins to not only prevent teams from finding opportunities in early offense but force turnovers as well is nothing short of spectacular. 

While speed is a key characteristic of Paris Basketball’s offense as it plays at the fastest pace in recent EuroLeague history, teams like [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/), [Virtus Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/virtus-bologna/vir/), and [Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/zal/) have been able find an advantage with their tempo as well. Efficiency plays a role in the success of those teams as Zalgiris, in particular, has shot the lights out when it has pushed, and Monaco has managed to protect the rim at an exceptional level when running back on defense. 

Although transition opportunities remain difficult to come by many nights in the EuroLeague, the teams above have found multiple routes to a rare advantage.

Valencia leads the charge in transition scoring while Barcelona locks down the fast break

Stats review: Valencia’s fastbreak formula and Barça’s defensive wall

Olympiacos Piraeus strengthened its interior presence by signing athletic center Tyrique Jones, who arrives after a standout season and a half with Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade

Olympiacos overhauls frontcourt with Tyrique Jones

[Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) strengthened its interior presence by signing athletic center [Tyrique Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tyrique-jones/011981/), who arrives after a standout season and a half with [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/). 

Jones (2.06 meters, 28 years old) brings proven EuroLeague experience and physicality to the Reds’ frontline. The sides agreed on a contract through the end of the 2027-28 season.

Jones appeared in 17 EuroLeague games this season for Partizan, averaging 10.6 points on 67.0% two-point shooting, 6.1 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 0.6 blocks in 23:36 minutes per game for a PIR of 16.2. His performance included a 17-point, 7-rebound effort against Olympiacos. However, Jones is one of the players who fell out of favor with the Partizan fans after the departure of beloved head coach Zeljko Obradovic.

In his first season with Partizan, Jones played in 32 games and posted 6.0 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 0.7 blocks per contest while ranking among the league’s most efficient scorers.

Before joining Partizan in 2024, Jones made his EuroLeague debut with Anadolu Efes Istanbul during the 2023-24 campaign. He first burst onto the continental scene with Turk Telekom Ankara as a 2022-23 All-EuroCup Second Team selection. Jones was also that season’s Turkish League MVP and helped the club reach the EuroCup Finals.

The American big man played college basketball at Xavier and began his professional career in 2020 with Wonju DB Promy in Korea. He later played for Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel and Victoria Libertas Pesaro in Italy before moving to Turkiye.

More Olympiacos News

Jones arrives after a season and a half in Belgrade, where he ranked among the EuroLeague’s most efficient scorers and rebounders

FC Bayern Munich announced on Sunday that guard Spencer Dinwiddie’s contract has been terminated by mutual agreement

Spencer Dinwiddie leaves Bayern

FC Bayern Munich announced on Sunday that guard [Spencer Dinwiddie](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/spencer-dinwiddie/014162/)'s contract has been terminated by mutual agreement. Dinwiddie, 32, originally left the team before Christmas due to a serious illness in his family and with the consent of the sporting management. It has now been decided that he will not return.

The guard made his EuroLeague debut this season with Bayern after playing 11 seasons in the NBA. He averaged 11.7 points and 2.7 assists in 11 EuroLeague games.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">🤜🤛 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐋𝐔𝐂𝐊, 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐑!<br><br>Spencer Dinwiddie kehrt nicht zu den Bayern zurück, aus persönlichen Gründen wurde der ursprünglich bis Saisonende gültige Vertrag des 32-Jährigen soeben einvernehmlich aufgelöst: <a href="https://t.co/wrM45b8agv">https://t.co/wrM45b8agv</a><a href="https://twitter.com/SDinwiddie_25?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SDinwiddie_25</a> will not return to… <a href="https://t.co/Mmn57tjiaX">pic.twitter.com/Mmn57tjiaX</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/2007913498916143236?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“I would like to thank the organization, the team, and the fans. Despite the recent challenging phase of the season, I felt very comfortable in Munich. Unfortunately, I am currently not in a position to play,” Dinwiddie said in a statement released by the club.

“We thank Spencer for the commitment he gave us. But sometimes other things are more important than sport. Health comes above everything else, and we sincerely hope that everything will turn out well for Spencer and his family in 2026,” Bayern sports director Dragan Tarlac said.

More Bayern basketball news

The guard was the team's second-leading scorer

Virtus Bologna has locked up one of the top prospects in Italian basketball with the signing of Francesco Ferrari to a multi-year deal. 

Virtus invests in top prospect Francesco Ferrari

Virtus Bologna has locked up one of the top prospects in Italian basketball with the signing of Francesco Ferrari to a multi-year deal. Ferrari (2.04 meters, 20 years old) was the MVP of the U20 EuroBasket 2025 tournament last summer in Greece after averaging 15.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. He shined brightest with 26 points and 2 late three-pointers in the final against Lithuania to lead Italy to the gold medal.

Ferrari arrives from UEB Gesteco Cividale, where he spent the past season and a half. He averaged 13.9 points and 6.7 rebounds so far this season in the Italian second division. Ferrari played in the youth system at College Basketball Borgomanero before joining Cividale. He has played for Italy's youth teams at the U18 and U20 levels and debuted for Italy’s senior national team last month.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">𝐇𝐄’𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐘 🌪️<br>Francesco Ferrari è un nuovo giocatore dei Campioni d’Italia 🤍🖤 <a href="https://t.co/1pywDmFMDd">pic.twitter.com/1pywDmFMDd</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Bologna (@VirtusBo) <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusBo/status/2007844555773854106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

More Virtus Bologna news

The forward was the MVP of last summer’s U20 EuroBasket