Name: Hifi stuns the crowd! Motorola Magic Moment
Channel: Euroleague Basketball

Hifi stuns the crowd! Motorola Magic Moment

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Paris Basketball (2025-03-25T17:45:00.000Z)

Guduric beats the first-half buzzer! Motorola Magic Moment

Okobo with a classy jumper to close the half! Motorola Magic Moment

AS Monaco v Zalgiris Kaunas (2025-03-25T18:00:00.000Z)

Wong finds Smailagic for the slam! Motorola Magic Moment

Odiase powers in the put-back! Magic Moment

Bahcesehir College Istanbul v Dreamland Gran Canaria (2025-03-25T17:00:00.000Z)

Hazer carves up the Granca defense! Magic Moment

Marko Simonovic highlights run with slam! Magic Moment

EuroLeague Weekly, Round 31-32: Final double-round week

Real Madrid v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2025-03-25T19:45:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2025-03-27T19:30:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v AS Monaco (2025-03-27T19:15:00.000Z)

**Community Partner:**  Corendon Tourism Group, ZİÇEV, and Muratpaşa Municipality

**Social Issue:** Disabilities - Intellectual disabilities

**Ambassador**: Erkan Yilmaz

**Main Life Skills:** Communication, Decision making, Problem solving, Motivation, Respect, Responsibility, Self-confidence, Teamwork

**About the program:**

Anadolu Efes Istanbul 2024-2025 One Team project has been designed to promote disability equality and foster social inclusion among children with intellectual disabilities in Antalya, Turkey. This One Team program aims to harness the healing power of basketball to support participants in developing their social skills and integrating into society. By collaborating with local partners, Corendon Tourism Group, ZİÇEV, and Muratpaşa Municipality, Anadolu Efes seeks to create a meaningful impact on the lives of these children and their families.

The initiative aims to empower families by instilling pride in their children's achievements. By expanding the One Team project to Antalya, Anadolu Efes hopes to increase its impact and convey the spirit of teamwork and inclusion through the involvement of young coaches in the region.

The program will target 20 participants, aged 12 to 25, all from the Foundation for the Education and Protection of Mentally Handicapped Children (ZİÇEV). Sessions will be held in the Muratpaşa District of Antalya, utilizing facilities provided by the municipality. To ensure the program's success, a dedicated team will be assembled, including three One Team Coaches, three Special Education Teachers, and two Psychologists. Volunteers from the Anadolu Efes Fan Club in Antalya and Corendon employees will also play a crucial role, assisting coaches and participants during sessions to create a supportive and inclusive environment.

Through this collaborative effort, Anadolu Efes Sports Club aims to create lasting change for participants, their families, and the community at large. The One Team project in Antalya is more than just a basketball program; it represents a commitment to disability equality, social inclusion, and empowerment. By bringing together experienced partners and a shared vision, this initiative will demonstrate that basketball has the power to heal, unite, and uplift, ultimately proving that everyone deserves a chance to thrive.

Our programs - Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Roberta Meneghel has made significant strides in the world of basketball, not only as a player but also as a dedicated advocate for social inclusion. She joined Umana Reyer Venice in 2010, where she concluded her playing career – she still represented the Italian national team until 2013 – before transitioning into a management role and eventually becoming the Responsible Manager of Social Programs. She is also into her third year as the club’s One Team Manager.

Roberta Meneghel: An ex-pro giving back to society by collaborating with Reyer, One Team

Roberta Meneghel has made significant strides in the world of basketball, not only as a player but also as a dedicated advocate for social inclusion. She joined [Umana Reyer Venice](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/umana-reyer-venice/vnc/) in 2010, where she concluded her playing career – she still represented the Italian national team until 2013 – before transitioning into a management role and eventually becoming the Responsible Manager of Social Programs. She is also into her third year as the club’s One Team Manager.

Reyer’s One Team project has been operating for five years, with the club currently in the fourth consecutive year of its cooperation with Coges Don Milani, which focuses on minors in the community. As Roberta explained in an interview for the One Team website, Reyer placed a focus on those who are at risk of exclusion when it came to deciding which group it wanted to focus its efforts on.

“We started thinking about what groups are in danger of exclusion in our community and we thought that a current theme was the inclusion of foreigners coming to Italy from another country,” she explained. “Basketball is a sport without borders so we thought it could be a good connection. We contacted the social workers of Coges Don Milani, Ms. Valentina Vianello, and explained our One Team project; as she played basketball, she fell in love since the beginning.

“She explained to us the aim of the community and the stories of the kids and how we could be useful for their needs. The community takes care of minors coming from different countries, reported by the authorities, to help them to become new and good citizens. They create a program for each one, helping with the documents, with the language, making them study and ensuring they are independent when they become 18.

“The objective of the program is to make the minors feel part of a community, teaching them how to relate with other people, observing rules, being friendly and polite, focus on learning a new sport and put any effort to solve problems and limits.”

One big positive from Reyer’s One Team work is the real-life impact those involved with the project are able to see among the participants, particularly after sessions. “We can see clearly the benefits of the project at the end of every season," he said. "The most beautiful thing is to see how they thank us after every practice, how they have improved with the language, with the rules.

“For example, being responsible by bringing their One Team T-shirt to every practice (it seems banal, but it isn’t), cleaning the bench, not disturbing while the coach is talking… things that at the beginning were not considered before, but day by day we see how they now think about it. Another positive aspect we noticed increasing day by day is the capacity to trust us and feel comfortable with us. Treating them good but strict when it’s necessary, making them laugh and trying to learn their language helped us to be accepted so they can really feel safe in that space.

“Having every year a new group is itself a challenge, because every year we have to start over without knowing which kind of group we will have,” she added. “The minors come from different countries, with different cultures, different languages, so every year we need to find the right key to communicate with them, to make them communicate with each other and accept their teammates, because we are all One Team. If they see that everyone is treated good, if they act good and all their efforts are rewarded, they will recognize it.”

In order to give the participants added motivation during the session, two first-team players at Reyer have shown their support for the program by making sure they are in attendance whenever they can.

“This year we have two One Team Ambassadors, Davide Casarin and Juan Fernandez,” she stated. “They make an extra effort to be as present as possible at the sessions, like their teammates, since they almost always practice at the same time as us. But when they come, the participants are so happy because they can play with them, take selfies and follow their example. When they understand that they are playing with famous athletes, they look at them with a different eye, and they recognize how blessed they are to have this unique experience.”

For Roberta, her reason for being involved with One Team is clear.

“I love social projects and I love being useful, so when Reyer talked about the One Team project and asked me to be the manager of it I literally fall in love with,” she said. “The idea of helping youth at risk to find a motivation, to believe that the world is not so bad, giving them hope and fun with the instrument of basketball, that is my life. It was a dream for me. Sports teach people to live; most of the participants survived tragedies, so helping them to see a light after the tunnel is an inspiration for me, too.”

It is also important that Roberta and the other One Team Managers at Reyer are able to show the participants something that may not be the norm in the countries they are from.

“The first time I went to take them with the minibus, they looked at me thinking, ‘Oh wow, a woman driving a minibus?’. Then they recognized that I was also good at it and they were fighting to come into my minibus… also because I let them play their music and I sing with them! It’s also funny looking their face when Valentina and I shoot the ball. They are like, ‘Damn, they also good at’. This helps us to show them a different point of view.”

Reyer has already done so much as part of its One Team program, but how is the club hoping to take things to the next level?

“We are thinking about new experiences that can give them something new, not only related with basketball,” Roberta explained. “Fortunately the project has a good visibility on social media and in the newspapers, and a video of the practice with the journalists was also broadcasted on regional TV news. The goal is to implement the activities to have even more impact. We’d like that everyone knows that Reyer is not only a sport club but also a social club, with many activities for the community.”

Given the way in which she has been able to have such a profound impact on many participants’ lives, Roberta is the right person to offer some advice to any other teams that may look to replicate the same level of success.

“First of all, having a good structure is fundamental,” she said. “Also having resources and finding the right people. The coach has to understand the focus of the project and the club has to understand the importance of a social activity. Media outlets and social media are crucial to spreading the voice and helping to find partners. Partners must be involved in practices and activities because they need to know why they are so important. There are many communities or associations to work with, so it’s important to find the one that can fit the club.”

Roberta Meneghel's journey from a professional athlete to a social advocate exemplifies the transformative power of sports. Through Reyer’s One Team program, she is making a lasting impact on the lives of many participants, proving that basketball is indeed a sport that transcends borders and fosters community spirit.

She is positively impacting the lives of many young migrants

Igor Petrinovic explains why he can see Bahcesehir College Istanbul lifting the EuroCup trophy this season.

Why Bahcesehir can win the EuroCup

Defense wins championships, right? And the secret of [Bahcesehir College Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/bahcesehir-college-istanbul/bah/)’s success is the team’s defense.

Coach [Dejan Radonjic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/bahcesehir-college-istanbul/bah/radonjic-dejan/) has put together a roster to his liking, one that will have enough on offense to cause opposition play-callers a headache (Bahcesehir is averaging a respectable 82.2 points), but also one that will shine on defense. And his squad has played some stellar defense this season.

This Bahcesehir side allows the fewest points (75.1 ppg.) in the EuroCup this season. It also holds opponents to a league-low in rebounds (32.6 rpg.), allows the third-fewest assists (16.3) and holds opponents to 51.3% two-point shooting, the third-lowest mark this season.

Bahcesehir has held opponent to 70 points or fewer in eight games this season, and in four more it allowed 76 or fewer.

Jaleen Smith Top Plays of the 2024 Regular Season

Jaleen Smith is the leader for Bahcesehir

Bahcesehir also understands how important it is to take care of the ball as it commits a EuroCup-low 11.2 turnovers. That part of the game is a product of the team’s experience.

The likes of [Jaleen Smith](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jaleen-smith/011192/), [Furkan Korkmaz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/furkan-korkmaz/005763/), [Axel Bouteille](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/axel-bouteille/003840/) and [Mateusz Ponitka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mateusz-ponitka/004172/) have played a lot of EuroCup and Turkish Airlines EuroLeague basketball, so they certainly understand the importance how every possession matters.

Also, those four might be the team leaders, but Bahcesehir has a deep roster and its frontcourt is among the most dangerous in the competition, with the inside force of [Tai Odiase](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tai-odiase/011823/), the long range-shooting of [Tyler Cavanaugh](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tyler-cavanaugh/009601/), and a bit of both from [Marko Simonovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marko-simonovic/012711/).

Add the X-factor called [Sehmus Hazer](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/sehmus-hazer/011201/) into the equation and the importance of getting [CJ Massinburg](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/cj-massinburg/011821/) and Pontika back after long absences, as well as mid-season playmaking addition of [Kenan Sipahi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/kenan-sipahi/005275/) fitting in like a glove, and Bahcesehir seems ready to make a push for the throne.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">👉 BKT EuroCup Yarı Final ilk maçında, evimizde 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚’yı konuk ediyoruz!<br><br>🗓️ 25 Mart Salı<br>⏰ 20.00<br>📍 Sinan Erdem Spor Salonu<br><br>❤️💙 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FlyHighTogether?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FlyHighTogether</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HayalDe%C4%9FilHedef?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HayalDeğilHedef</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/unR3iWWYNs">pic.twitter.com/unR3iWWYNs</a></p>&mdash; Bahçeşehir Koleji Spor Kulübü (@BKBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/BKBasketbol/status/1903701306180550863?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

This group of guys are certainly hungry for success because, among all the names listed above, there are no EuroCup titles next to their name. There are many EuroCup finals, and semifinals and quarterfinals appearances, but no championships.

This team, these players and their head coach have not been flashy, but steady. And showcased they know how to win games. They certainly can win four more and go all the way.

Game News

Igor Petrinovic explains why he can see the club from Istanbul is going all this way

Dreamland Gran Canaria v Bahcesehir College Istanbul (2025-03-28T20:00:00.000Z)

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv announced on Tuesday that swingman Marial Shayok will miss three weeks with a shoulder injury

Maccabi loses Marial Shayok to shoulder injury

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv announced on Tuesday that swingman [Marial Shayok](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/marial-shayok/011202/) will miss three weeks with a shoulder injury, which effectively ends his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague campaign. Shayok, 29, suffered the injury on Sunday in an Israeli league victory over Hapoel Holon and after he underwent an MRI, he was ruled out for three weeks. Shayok appeared in 20 EuroLeague games this season, his first with Maccabi and second in the competition, during which he averaged 5.7 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="iw" dir="rtl">עדכון לגבי מריאל שאיוק &gt;&gt; <a href="https://t.co/UjdyXJoU6o">https://t.co/UjdyXJoU6o</a> <a href="https://t.co/scBLymuhQO">pic.twitter.com/scBLymuhQO</a></p>&mdash; Maccabi Tel Aviv BC 🇮🇱 (@MaccabiTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabiTLVBC/status/1904439304492900864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

More on Maccabi Tel Aviv

The injury effectively ends his EuroLeague season

The final five players to make the All-25 EuroLeague Team are revealed

All 25 members of the All-25 EuroLeague Team are now known as Rudy Fernandez, Saras Jasikevicius, Shane Larkin, Manu Ginobili and Kostas Sloukas have been voted among the 25 greatest players in the history of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.

These legends complete an all-star group that also contains Luka Doncic, Milos Teodosic, Dejan Bodiroga, Georgios Printezis, Walter Tavares, Dimitris Diamantidis, Mike James, Vasilije Micic, Anthony Parker, Sergio Rodriguez, Nando De Colo, Sergio Llull, Ramunas Siskauskas, Vassilis Spanoulis, Nikola Vujcic, Mike Batiste, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kyle Hines, Juan Carlos Navarro and Theo Papaloukas.

The selection process for the All-25 EuroLeague Team combined the votes of EuroLeague head coaches who had won a championship, past All-Decade Team members and MVPs, media representatives and fans. The coaches and playing greats each made up 40% of the final vote, and the media and fans were 10% each.

### Shane Larkin

A dynamic guard who has helped change the EuroLeague landscape, [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/) has never stopped thrilling basketball fans across the continent with his breathtaking performances. Larkin is currently in his seventh season with Anadolu Efes Istanbul, the club he helped lead to back-to-back EuroLeague titles and another championship game appearance. In addition to the trophies and personal accolades, which include two All-EuroLeague selections and three monthly MVP awards, Larkin has left a lasting legacy in the competition with his individual performances along the way.

Often unguardable as he pairs his explosiveness when going to the rim with unlimited shooting range, Larkin has dominated games like no other player in the EuroLeague this century since making his competition debut with Baskonia in 2016-17. Testament to that are his record 18 MVP of the Round honors, including an unprecedented four in a row in January 2020. Larkin is the only player in competition history who twice scored at least 40 points and twice made at least 10 triples. He also set a Final Four single-game record when he accumulated a 43 PIR in the 2019 semifinal win over Fenerbahce.

### Manu Ginobili

His time in the EuroLeague was short, but what an impact [Manu Ginobili](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/emanuel-ginobili/akx/) made. The Argentine was a major part of the legendary Virtus Segafredo Bologna side that became the first EuroLeague champion in 2001, averaging 15.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.6 steals in the EuroLeague Finals as the Italian giant downed Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 3-2 in a five-game series. His performances in that series – and the fact he scored more points than anyone else – saw him named as the EuroLeague Finals MVP.

The next season, Ginobili led the EuroLeague in steals and was named to the 2001-02 All-EuroLeague First Team as Virtus made it back to the title decider, this time played as a one-legged championship game. While his team ended up losing to Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, Ginobili stood out by posting game-high totals of 27 points and a 34 PIR. That ended up being his final appearance in the EuroLeague, but the Argentinian guard finished with career averages of 15.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.8 steals in 44 games, having played an important role as one of the competition’s first star players.

### Rudy Fernandez

Few players have made such a big impact in the EuroLeague at such a young age as [Rudy Fernandez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/rudy-fernandez/bmt/), who averaged 15.8 points for Joventut Badalona in his rookie season as he took home the 2006-07 EuroLeague Rising Star award. The NBA lockout in 2011 allowed Rudy to return for his second campaign in the EuroLeague, playing the first eight games of the 2011-12 season with Real Madrid, but that stint lit the fuse for what would become a lasting relationship. In the summer of 2012, the Spaniard signed for *Los Blancos* and stayed there for a further 12 seasons, winning the EuroLeague championship in 2015, 2018 and 2023.

A legendary figure among Real Madrid fans, Fernandez was named to the All-EuroLeague First Team in back-to-back seasons, in 2012-13 and 2013-14, before being voted to the All-EuroLeague Second Team in 2014-15. The do-it-all forward, who ranks joint fifth all-time in threes made (594) and third in steals (367), was a staple of the Real Madrid side that reasserted the club’s dominance in European basketball, with *Los Blancos* reaching eight Final Fours during his time at the club.

### Kostas Sloukas

When the lights shine the brightest, [Kostas Sloukas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kostas-sloukas/001926/) really comes into his own. A four-time EuroLeague champion, the Greek guard is just the second player in competition history to have lifted the EuroLeague trophy with three different clubs (Olympiacos Piraeus 2012, 2013; Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 2017; Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens 2024). Sloukas has made 20 appearances at the Final Four, the joint most all-time, and ranks in the top three in points (191, third), assists (67, third) and PIR (203, first) at European basketball’s showpiece event. Whether it has been with Olympiacos, Fenerbahce or Panathinaikos, Sloukas has put his fingerprints all over the Final Four.

For his career, Sloukas ranks eighth all-time in points scored (3,963), third in assists (1,843), and fourth in accumulated PIR (4,953). He spent eight EuroLeague seasons with Olympiacos across two spells, sandwiched between five campaigns with Fenerbahce, but his switch from the Reds to Panathinaikos in the summer of 2023 stunned the entire basketball world. It ended up providing dividends for Sloukas, who played an instrumental role – particularly as the Final Four MVP – in ending the Greens’ 13-year wait to become European champion.

### Saras Jasikevicius

A charismatic point guard with an off-the-charts basketball IQ, [Saras Jasikevicius](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/saras-jasikevicius/adg/) was one of the first superstars in the EuroLeague before becoming a successful head coach. Jasikevicius remains the only player to have won three consecutive EuroLeague titles this century. He helped FC Barcelona to win its first EuroLeague crown in 2003, then after moving to Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, where he led arguably one of the best teams in the competition history, he raised back-to-back EuroLeague titles in 2004 and 2005.

The Lithuanian guard was named to the 2003-04 and 2004-05 All-EuroLeague First Team and earned 2005 Final Four MVP honors, getting 22 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists in the championship game against Baskonia. Jasikevicius added a fourth EuroLeague title with Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens in 2009, becoming the first-ever player in European basketball history to win the EuroLeague with three different teams. Saras went on to play for Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius, then had a second stint with both Barcelona and Panathinaikos before finishing his career with Zalgiris Kaunas. Always ambitious, Jasikevicius set the bar high when it came to elite playmakers.

Fernandez, Jasikevicius, Larkin, Ginobili and Sloukas are the last individuals to be honored among the EuroLeague's 25 greatest players

Geoff Gillingham explains why he can envisage Jaka Lakovic’s CB Gran Canaria going all this way in the EuroCup this season.

Why Gran Canaria can win the EuroCup

Been there, done that, got the postcard. That’s certainly the message [Jaka Lakovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dreamland-gran-canaria/can/lakovic-jaka/) will be stressing to his [Dreamland Gran Canaria](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dreamland-gran-canaria/can/) players ahead of the BKT EuroCup Semifinals.

Just two years ago (yes, time does fly when you’re having fun), Gran Canaria lifted its first major trophy by winning the EuroCup. That team, led by Coach Lakovic, really was the crème de la crème of the EuroCup in 2022-23, and five players on the current roster were part of that triumph: [Andrew Albicy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/andrew-albicy/003425/), [Nico Brussino](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/nicolas-brussino/008121/), [Miquel Salvo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/miquel-salvo/005005/), [John Shurna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/john-shurna/006588/) and [Jovan Kljajic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jovan-kljajic/007560/).

Remembering the 2023 EuroCup Final!

Immediately, that is something that should play in Gran Canaria’s favor at this stage of the campaign. Experience and know-how are what teams lean on during the playoffs and, in that sense, the Canary Island side have it in abundance. [Mike Tobey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mike-tobey/008966/), one of the new recruits last summer, is another who knows what it takes after winning the 2019 EuroCup title with Valencia Basket, a team Gran Canaria may meet in the finals.

But first, Bahcesehir College Istanbul. The Turkish club has lofty ambitions, yet this is its first year back in the EuroCup. To date, Bahcesehir has played 29 games in the competition. Gran Canaria? 267, the most all-time. The 2023 champion knows the EuroCup inside out, and that’ll become clear during its series with Bahcesehir.

These two teams did already meet in the regular season, splitting the series, but the playoffs are a different beast altogether. This is when the real Gran Canaria comes to play.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PermitidoSo%C3%B1ar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PermitidoSoñar</a>. Conocemos el camino. Esfuerzo, sacrificio y trabajo en equipo. El martes arranca una batalla que llegará el viernes a nuestra casa ⚔️🔥 <a href="https://t.co/6BccL4cEYn">pic.twitter.com/6BccL4cEYn</a></p>&mdash; Dreamland Gran Canaria (@GranCanariaCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/GranCanariaCB/status/1903794192179945799?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

On top of the experience that Gran Canaria can offer, it has such a deep roster that any player could step up on any given night. So far in this postseason, we’ve already seen big games by [Mehdy Ngouama](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mehdy-ngouama/009556/), a EuroCup champion with Paris Basketball last season, Tobey, Brussino and [Joe Thomasson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/joe-thomasson/012095/) in the last 16, then [Caleb Homesley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/caleb-homesley/011251/) and the trio of Tobey, Thomasson and Brussino once again in the quarterfinals.

The impressive thing about Gran Canaria is that, in any of the semifinal games, it wouldn’t come as a shock if Salvo, Shurna, Albicy, [Pierre Pelos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/pierre-pelos/010452/) or [George Conditt](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/george-conditt-iv/012016/) had a telling impact on the contest. That variety makes Coach Lakovic’s group a scary proposition for any team.

For now, Gran Canaria will be wanting to take it one game at a time. That said, if we end up getting an all-Spanish finals against Valencia Basket, the Canary Island outfit is 1-0 against Pedro Martinez’s men in the Spanish League this season. As they say in Spain, *ojo*.

Ever since winning the EuroCup title in 2023, Gran Canaria has been sponsored by Dreamland, which feels fitting given that’s exactly where their fans will be if – as I suspect – they witness another championship run.

Geoff Gillingham explains why he can envisage Jaka Lakovic’s side going all this way this season

Vasiliki Karamouza makes her long-awaited return to the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Podcast for Episode No. 24. Reunited with co-hosts Javier Gancedo and Frankie Sachs of Euroleague.net, the gang discusses what worked – and didn't in Round 30 – as well as who's hot, who's hurt and, of course, who they believe in for Rounds 31 and 32.

The Fantasy Challenge Podcast gang reunites for the double week

Vasiliki Karamouza makes her long-awaited return to the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Podcast for Episode No. 24. Reunited with co-hosts [Javier Gancedo](https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2Fganchetto&data=05%7C02%7Cgeoff.gillingham%40euroleague.net%7Cd5538e3885f74e148dae08dd6ad32641%7C2b3d64f0329542979f1528435f0a62ce%7C1%7C0%7C638784177282492773%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=cqHvS%2Fo%2BuTedtCFtxT8V7ee%2FvopzX1kyjXZD0oLgatI%3D&reserved=0) and [Frankie Sachs](https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2FMrEuroleague&data=05%7C02%7Cgeoff.gillingham%40euroleague.net%7Cd5538e3885f74e148dae08dd6ad32641%7C2b3d64f0329542979f1528435f0a62ce%7C1%7C0%7C638784177282517913%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=jYTqaHWOmXpdpUJew4Ihsp615bj%2Fc8Hyn4kpubedxxM%3D&reserved=0) of [Euroleague.net](http://Euroleague.net), the gang discusses what worked – and didn't in Round 30 – as well as who's hot, who's hurt and, of course, who they believe in for Rounds 31 and 32.

Once again centers were a hot topic with [Daniel Theis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/daniel-theis/004132/) of AS Monaco, [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) of Real Madrid and [Moustapha Fall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/moustapha-fall/008811/) of Olympiacos Piraeus among the names mentioned. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade big man [Filip Petrusev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/filip-petrusev/011194/) was also universally recommended.  

The gang also discussed which teams have advantages you may want to exploit for the second set of games this week. Javi, Frankie and Vasiliki share their lineups for Round 31, including who are their choices for captain (#VezforPrez), too. Time is of the essence in this double round, with the action beginning at 18:45 CET on Tuesday when Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul hosts Paris Basketball, so be sure to have your lineups set before then! Good luck, fantasy fans.

Vasiliki, Javi and Frankie are together again to offer their best insights for Rounds 31 and 32

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Paris Basketball (2025-03-28T19:15:00.000Z)

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Real Madrid (2025-03-28T19:00:00.000Z)

ALBA Berlin v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2025-03-28T19:00:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2025-03-28T17:45:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2025-03-28T17:30:00.000Z)

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v FC Barcelona (2025-03-27T19:30:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v Zalgiris Kaunas (2025-03-27T19:00:00.000Z)

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2025-03-26T19:05:00.000Z)

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2025-03-26T19:00:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2025-03-26T17:30:00.000Z)

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v ALBA Berlin (2025-03-25T19:45:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v Olympiacos Piraeus (2025-03-25T19:45:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona v FC Bayern Munich (2025-03-25T19:30:00.000Z)

Javier Gancedo goes into what makes Valencia Basket the favorite, not just in its series against Hapoel Tel Aviv but also overall.

Why Valencia Basket can win the EuroCup

Sometimes, things are meant to be and the best team takes home the trophy. It's as simple as that.

[Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/valencia-basket/pam/) has consistently proved to be the best team in the BKT EuroCup this year. It comes into the semifinals with just two losses to its name, which came when the team was already on the right track to be first in its regular-season group. It has dominated the competition in style, playing great basketball. It has scored 100 points or more in 11 of its 19 games this season and even reached 127 points in the Spanish League this past weekend, a new club record. Good momentum is everything in a playoff series, and Valencia heads into the most decisive games of the season at full speed.  

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🔥🇪 🇸🔥<br>🔥🇱 🇦🔥<br>🔥🇭 🇴 🇷 🇦🔥<br><br>Fonteta... ¿Estamos preparados para lo que viene? <br><br>🏆 P1 1/2 <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a><br>🏡🆚 <a href="https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HapoelTLVBC</a><br>⌚ Martes-20:30h<br>📺 <a href="https://twitter.com/MovistarPlus?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MovistarPlus</a><br>🤝🏻 <a href="https://twitter.com/pamesaceramica?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pamesaceramica</a> <a href="https://t.co/QulWaHCXQM">pic.twitter.com/QulWaHCXQM</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1904226637962527006?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Sure, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv has the star power and a two-time EuroLeague-winning coach like Dimitris Itoudis. It managed to bounce back from [Patrick Beverley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/patrick-beverley/001927/)'s departure by bringing back homegrown hero [Yam Madar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/yam-madar/011052/), a former EuroLeague Rising Star award winner. Valencia has everything else in its favor: know-how, depth and home-court advantage.

This is Valencia's 10th EuroCup semifinal appearance and it is aiming to lift its fifth title. No other team has won the EuroCup more than twice. Every time Valencia played a semifinal under the current format, it went through: against Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem in 2017 and UNICS Kazan in 2019. Valencia means serious business when is this close to the goal.

Valencia has a really deep roster and the fact that I didn't mention any of its players until now is not a coincidence. Anyone can step up and contribute. As many as nine players average over 7.0 points per game, led by small forward [Semi Ojeleye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/semi-ojeleye/011982/) (12.8 ppg.). [Matt Costello](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/matthew-costello/010444/) and [Jean Montero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jean-montero/010042/) have stepped up in recent games, but it could be just anyone. Hapoel has very well-defined scoring options and in that sense, coach Pedro Martinez's team is way more unpredictable... in a good way.

Semi Ojeleye of Valencia Basket averages 12.8 points so far in this 2024-25 BKT EuroCup season.

Semi Ojeleye: Valencia's top scorer

Home-court advantage means a lot to Valencia as it has won 86.6% of all EuroCup games played at La Fonteta. Only four teams have ever beaten Valencia in postseason action: Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar in the 2013 semifinals, Khimki Moscow Region in the 2015 quarterfinals, Unicaja Malaga in Game 3 of the 2017 Finals and Virtus Bologna in the 2022 semifinals. Valencia rarely loses at home, and it has an extra motivation. 

At the end of this season, the club will move to the bigger, brand-new Roig Arena. There is no better way to say goodbye to La Fonteta than winning the EuroCup and opening Roig Arena in the EuroLeague, the best stage possible.

Coach Martinez is looking to reach his third EuroCup Finals. In 2008, his Akasvayu Girona side lost against Joventut Badalona in Turin, Italy. In 2017, his Valencia squad had everything in their favor, leading by 13 points with 9 minutes left but ended up losing a do-or-die Game 3 against Unicaja Malaga. This is the kind of painful memory that never goes away, and I think Valencia can use it as an extra motivation, like it did in the 2019 Finals against ALBA Berlin. Given Valencia's strength at home, it is unlikely that it loses twice against any opponent this season.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🗣️ Habla Pedro<br>&quot;𝘚𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘫𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰 𝘺 𝘭𝘢 𝘪𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘪ó𝘯 𝘦𝘴 𝘮á𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘢. 𝘝𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘫𝘶𝘨𝘢𝘳 𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘴&quot;<br><br>🏆 P1 1/2 <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a><br>🏡🆚 <a href="https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HapoelTLVBC</a> <br>⌚ Martes-20:30h<br>📺 <a href="https://twitter.com/MovistarPlus?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MovistarPlus</a> <br>🤝🏻 <a href="https://twitter.com/pamesaceramica?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pamesaceramica</a> <a href="https://t.co/sKKNYNNTSv">pic.twitter.com/sKKNYNNTSv</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1904134348607041814?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

If you want numbers, Valencia has them all. It leads the competition in scoring (96.5 ppg.), defensive rebounds (27.7 drpg.), assists (23.6 apg.), three-point shots attempted (34.6) and accuracy (39.1% 3FG). The faster Valencia plays the better chance it has to win, and with such depth and physicality, it will make sure to speed up the game tempo as often as possible.

Four excellent teams made it to the EuroCup Semifinals and any of them could lift the trophy at the end of the season. But, personally, I would be surprised if that team is not Valencia.

Javier Gancedo goes into what makes Valencia the favorite, not just in its series against Hapoel Tel Aviv but also overall

Why Valencia can win the EuroCup

Valencia Basket v Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (2025-03-25T19:30:00.000Z)

Hear from Georgios Printezis and his Olympiacos BC teammates Vassilis Spanoulis and Kyle Hines, as well as CSKA Moscow center Nenad Krstic, is this third episode of the EuroLeague 25 Moments series.

EuroLeague 25 Moments: Olympiacos and its historic 2012 comeback

Every championship is special, but for [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/), nothing can compare with its triumph in Istanbul.

In 2012, the Reds completed an unthinkable comeback from 19 points down to defeat CSKA Moscow 61-62 on a last-second floater by [Georgios Printezis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/georgios-printezis/amm/) in the championship game in the Turkish metropolis.

CSKA was considered the favorite as Olympiacos was the younger team with only one former champion on the roster. But the Reds turned out to be the team of destiny.

Hear from Printezis and his teammates [Vassilis Spanoulis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vassilis-spanoulis/juo/) and [Kyle Hines](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kyle-hines/002812/), as well as CSKA center [Nenad Krstic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nenad-krstic/auo/), is this third episode of the EuroLeague 25 Moments series as they break down that special night that launched an Olympiacos dynasty that continued with another crown the following year.

You can also watch [episode one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTOQS-w-PNs&t=86s) and [episode two](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHqpRVU6VVs&t=518s) now.

More Olympiacos News

CSKA Moscow v Olympiacos Piraeus (2012-05-13T18:00:00.000Z)

Frankie Sachs breaks down why he likes Hapoel’s chances to go all the way this season, starting with the semifinal series against top-ranked Valencia.

Why Hapoel Tel Aviv can win the EuroCup

Do you believe in destiny? Because the good folks at [Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/hta/) do.

What do [Johnathan Motley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/johnathan-motley/011157/), [Bruno Caboclo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/bruno-caboclo/012096/), [Noam Yaacov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/noam-yaacov/011386/) and [Yam Madar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/yam-madar/011052/) have in common? They all played in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague last season – two of them even reached the Final Four – and they chose to take a proverbial step back to the BKT EuroCup and accept the challenge of making history with Hapoel. Add to them former EuroLeague champion head coach [Dimitris Itoudis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/hta/itoudis-dimitris/) and [Ish Wainright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/ishmail-carzell-wainright/013284/), who spent the last three seasons in the NBA, and you have a team determined to make noise regardless of the opponent.

Hapoel has certainly faced some ups and downs, including two players pegged for meaningful roles ([Patrick Beverley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/patrick-beverley/001927/) and [Ben Bentil](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/benjamin-bentil/009818/)) being released during the season. But the team seems to be peaking at the right time, having now won eight straight games in all competitions.

Talk to the players on the team and they will tell you how the mid-season introduction of Coach Itoudis has made them better. The numbers will show you how the mid-season signing of Madar has made the offense better. Another late addition, [Marcus Bingham](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marcus-bingham/013506/), has made the team deeper and more dangerous on defense.

Marcus Bingham: Hapoel's X-factor

Between Motley, Caboclo and Bingham, Hapoel has as deep a big-man rotation as any EuroCup side, including the dangerous Valencia trio of [Jaime Pradilla](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jaime-pradilla/010393/), [Matt Costello](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/matthew-costello/010444/) and [Amida Brimah](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/amida-brimah/012075/). Between [Marcus Foster](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marcus-foster/010386/) and [Antonio Blakeney](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/antonio-blakeney/013402/), there is a lethal scorer on the floor at all times. With Madar, Wainright, [Guy Palatin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/guy-palatin/013283/) and Bingham, there are stud defenders. And thanks to [Joe Ragland](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/joe-ragland/005181/), [Bar Timor](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/bar-timor/004846/) and Madar, playing with multiple ball-handlers is always an option for Coach Itoudis.

Championships are naturally won on the court. But the amount of work off the court to get a team there cannot always be measured. And this Hapoel team has been putting in the work all season long, even when it wasn’t trying to.

Unable to play home games in front of its raucous crowd in Tel Aviv, Hapoel has been on the road all season. Its home games have been played in tiny Samokov, Bulgaria. So, in addition to road games in Spain, Serbia, Italy, Lithuania, Montenegro and Germany, the players have boarded a flight to the Balkans 10 times. All of that time together on planes and buses has forged a chemistry that makes the team better on the court.

<center>
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHi3Sl8Ns_U/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHi3Sl8Ns_U/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHi3Sl8Ns_U/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by 𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗲𝗹 𝗔𝘃𝗶𝘃 𝗕𝗖 (@hapoeltlvbc)</a></p></div></blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

Something to prove? You betcha! Hapoel management did an excellent job of convincing players to join the project, but Motley, Caboclo, Madar and Wainright all checked to see if there were better options before putting their names on the dotted line. Ragland, 35, wants to show everyone that he's still got it. Bingham and Yaacov want to prove that they have stardom in front of them, And Timor and [Tomer Ginat](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tomer-ginat/010550/), like Madar, want to reward the Hapoel faithful.

I could go on with numbers to show how good Hapoel can be. But I don’t think numbers will make the difference against Valencia in the semifinals. I think Hapoel has the advantage in terms of chemistry, depth and, thanks to Coach Itoudis, defense and tactical acumen. And that should be enough.

All four teams still standing have good reasons to believe that they can capture EuroCup glory. Hapoel may just have more reasons.

Frankie Sachs breaks down why he likes Hapoel’s chances to go all the way this season, starting with the semifinal series against top-ranked Valencia