By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv opened the 2023/24 season in BKT EuroCup in a dominant manner, defeating Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana at home 100-73.
Xavier Munford led the hosts with 21 and six assists for a PIR of 21, while Jaylen Hoard and Tomer Ginat were on the verge of double-doubles with 18 points and eight rebounds each, with the American recording a game-high PIR of 27. J’Covan Brown added 15, and Braian Angola 11 points for the winning side.
Justin Cobbs, with 15 points, was the top scorer of Cedevita Olimpija; Jaka Blazic added 13 points, while DJ Stewart and Karlo Matkovic added 11 points apiece.
Hapoel opened the game in a strong fashion, taking a double-digit lead midway through the first period. Cedevita Olimpija responded briefly, but Hapoel was in control and went to halftime with a 48-36 advantage.
The hosts stayed comfortably in front throughout the third quarter and punched the ticket in the first few minutes of the final period, quickly gaining an unassailable 78-55 lead.
New look, same old habits for Ulm
German champions Ratiopharm Ulm started the season in the BKT EuroCup with an 80-70 win over Dolomiti Energia Trento.
Dakota Mathis led the scoring for Anton Gavel’s newly formed side with 18 points, but Trevion Williams stole the show with a mighty double-double of 13 points and 16 rebounds. The successor of Bruno Caboclo and Yago Dos Santos, Brazilian Georginho De Paula, added 11 points for the German team.
Davide Alviti was the top scorer for the Italian side with 15 points, Andrejs Grazulis added 14 with seven rebounds, while Kamar Baldwin finished with 11, and Prentiss Hubb with 10 points.
Paris and Shorts too strong for debutants Wolves
Paris Basketball opened the second consecutive season in the BKT EuroCup with a bang, defeating debutants from Lihuania, Wolves, with a final score of 105-78.
Basketball Champions League winner and MVP T.J. Shorts was unstoppable, leading the French side with 20 points and nine assists for a PIR of 30. Collin Malcolm added 16, Mikael Jantunen 12, Nadir Hifi 11, and Tyson Ward 10 points.
For Wolves, Rasheed Sulaimon had 15 points, Eigirdas Zukausas followed him with 14, while World Cup standout Arturs Zagars added 10 points.