The Game of week 24:
Fenerbahçe vs Milano
Fenerbahçe didn’t exactly start this one in their usual rhythm. Turnovers piled up, mistakes mounted, and Milano was quick to capitalize. By the end of the first quarter, the visitors were leading 23-17, their pace proving too much for the Turkish champs to contain. On 5-on-5 sets, Fenerbahçe was switching every screen, which opened easy avenues inside for Neebo, Leday, and even Booker. Milano’s biggest lead came with just two minutes left in the second quarter, a 14-point gap that looked like it could snowball.
Then came the spark: a three-pointer from Talen Horton-Tucker. It was simple, clean, and suddenly Fenerbahçe had a lifeline. Fresh legs hit the floor, defense started flying, and a few steals turned into dunks that flipped the momentum entirely. In just five minutes, Fenerbahçe had erased the deficit. Milano looked overwhelmed, suddenly their transitions were gone, their pace neutralized, and the Turkish team carried the energy with them for the rest of the game.
That run defined the second half. Milano tried to claw back, but it was too much. Fenerbahçe’s defense was sharper, tighter, and smarter than it had been in the first half. Even though they only won one quarter, the third, they made it count, dominating 28-15.
Efficiency inside was another huge factor: Fenerbahçe shot 62% at the rim compared to Milano’s 48%. And the bench? They poured in 50 points, turning the game into a full-team effort that Milano simply couldn’t match.
By the final buzzer, it was clear: Fenerbahçe had weathered the early storm, found their footing, and turned a potential scare into a statement win.
Key Performances of the Past Week:
Nigel Hayes-Davis vs Crvena Zvezda
Last year’s Final Four MVP reminded everyone why he earned that honor. In a crucial EuroLeague clash, Hayes-Davis poured in 21 points while posting a game-high plus/minus of +16. His impact extended well beyond scoring: three steals led the game and anchored his defensive presence.
Efficiency defined his performance: 4/7 from two, 3/5 from three, and a mix of off-ball movement, self-creation, and low/mid-post touches. Ataman leaned on him in creative ways, using him as a screener alongside Kendrick Nunn, sliding him into a five-man role, and letting his gravity stretch Crvena Zvezda’s defense. Hayes-Davis didn’t always have the ball in his hands, but his positioning changed how the entire court functioned. If this is the level he maintains, every other team in the EuroLeague has reason to be wary.
Talen Horton-Tucker vs Milano
Talen Horton-Tucker turned a game that looked like a loss into a win for Fenerbahçe, showing the kind of versatility and scoring instinct that makes him a nightmare for defenses. He attacked the rim with his usual aggression, mixed in reliable threes off screens, and finished 9/15 from the field including three triples. Most crucially, his third-quarter surge helped ignite a Fenerbahçe run that broke the game open and carried the momentum for the rest of the contest.
Both performances tell the same story: elite scoring can come in many forms, whether it’s Hayes-Davis manipulating space and defense with smart cuts and off-ball movement, or Horton-Tucker turning his team’s fortunes with aggressive finishing and timely shooting.
Standings Watch:
The top 10 in the EuroLeague remain the same, but the margins are razor-thin. Valencia’s home loss to Barcelona cost them their home-court advantage, while the Catalans cling to a Play-In spot. Every game now carries the weight of a playoff series.
Outside the bubble, Dubai is still breathing down the neck of the top 10, just one win shy, with a game in hand. Milano’s road loss to Fenerbahçe pushed them two games back; they’re far from eliminated, but the margin for error has evaporated.
Valencia is worth keeping an eye on. They sit fifth, two games clear of the sixth spot, but Zalgiris has momentum after a statement win over Real Madrid. Confidence in Kaunas must be sky-high. Behind Valencia, the logjam stretches all the way to the 10th spot. For a team that was once comfortably in the 1st–2nd seed conversation, back-to-back losses to Spanish teams are a stark reminder of how quickly things can shift. The next few rounds will tell whether Valencia can steady the ship or if the standings shakeup continues.
Games to Watch Week 25:
Real Madrid vs Hapoel
Madrid hosts a matchup that feels more like a playoff preview than a regular-season game. Both teams are jockeying not just for wins but for positioning and the luxury of home-court advantage. On paper, this is EuroLeague star power at its peak: former NBA players, EuroLeague champions, MVP candidates.
Then there are the coaches. Dimitris Itoudis and Xavi Pascual aren’t just tacticians, they’re architects of modern European basketball. This game will be a chess match, and every possession matters. Can Real Madrid protect their court, or will Hapoel become only the second team to steal a win in Madrid this season?
Dubai vs Panathinaikos
Maybe it won’t get the hype of Madrid, but the stakes are just as high. Dubai trails by a single game and a win here would tie them with Panathinaikos in the playoff race. The question is whether the newcomers can rise to the occasion and deliver when the margin for error is razor-thin.
What’s at Stake:
Fenerbahçe is on the verge of securing its EuroLeague postseason berth. Barring a historic collapse, the defending champions are in a position where only a total meltdown could knock them out.
From a numbers perspective, a perfect double-week would lock it in for them, but even just one win could be enough to stamp their ticket. The question now is about handling pressure: will Fenerbahçe close the deal this week, or will the weight of expectations finally show?
Biggest News Around EuroLeague
March is here, and with it… March Madness. Yes, the NCAA tournament usually dominates the headlines, but this week European hoops had its own flavor of the chaos. Rumors are swirling that a couple of EuroLeague players could be making the leap across the Atlantic next season.
Quinn Ellis, the British guard for EA7 Milano, is drawing interest from Duke, Louisville, and Kentucky. He’s an older guard, which means if he does make the jump, he’d arrive with just one or two years of eligibility. This season in Milano, he’s been solid, averaging 8.2 points and 4.1 assists per game, and a key contributor to their rotations.
Then there’s Matteo Spagnolo at Baskonia. He’s got a multi-year contract but a release clause that could open the door to college hoops. Nothing’s official, but the whispers are out there. Both players bring skill and experience, and if they do land in the NCAA, it could be a very interesting story for both sides of the Atlantic.
Paris has made a change at the top. Francesco Tabellini, the Italian coach who embodied the team’s identity, fast-paced, intense, three-point happy, has been let go in what came as a bit of a surprise.
It’s not hard to see why the decision was made, but the story isn’t entirely on him. Paris sits at 12-21 in EuroLeague play, and while that’s below expectations, domestically they’ve been competitive. Tabellini inherited a roster that has declined in both talent and defensive versatility. Injuries didn’t help, and consistency was always the problem, flashes of promise, but never sustained.
The Italian coach leaves behind a team that still carries the DNA he helped shape. The bigger question now is how Paris reinvents itself and who steps into that high-octane identity moving forward.
This article was written by the European Hoops team: Tiago Cordeiro, João Caeiro and André Lemos. Make sure you give us a follow on Twitter at @EthosEuroleague!
