By Antonis Stroggylakis / info@eurohoops.net
After beginning the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup Regular Season with five losses over the first seven games, Umana Reyer Venice seems to be picking up the pace right when it matters.
Reyer has won its last three games against Turk Telekom Ankara at home and 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys and Aris Midea Thessaloniki on the road to now balance their record at 5-5, build momentum and gain considerable optimism and positivity in the decisive second half of the group stage, which is now in full swing.
While the streak began before the national team break, this interval was quite beneficial to the team as it is now performing as a tighter and more cohesive unit on the floor.
“We’ve had a couple of practices together after the FIBA window, and I think we worked well,” Reyer star big man Mfiondu Kabengele said just before his squad’s successful trip to Lithuania. “I found my teammates in great shape; they’ve been working hard these past days while I was with the Canadian national team.”
“After this break for the FIBA window, we are fresher, even though some players were busy with their national teams,” commented Reyer coach Neven Spahija. “We’re getting Tyler Ennis back, and that means a lot to us.”
It’s safe to assume that with Ennis playing in all of the previous games, Reyer would have at least a better record. It’s no small coincidence that three out of the four games that the Canadian guard has played in this EuroCup season saw his team emerge victorious. He is Reyer’s second-highest scorer overall with 16.0 points, leads the team in assists with 5.8 and grabs 6.2 rebounds, being behind only EuroCup rebounding king Kabengele, who has 10.4.
In his first game after his return from a knee injury, Ennis was also the man who hit the layup with 11 seconds left in regulation at Lietkabelis before his team took the victory in overtime.
Apart from Ennis’s absences, Reyer has been dealing with other injury problems of key players as guard Xavier Munford has been out since his debut and guard Rodney McGruder was also sidelined in the last two matches.
These issues are also one of the reasons Kabengele emphasized, with the 27-year-old making clear that Reyer just needs the opportunity of having everyone available and ready to go.
“I expect guys to first get healthy. Health first and then get good practices,” Kabengele mentioned after the win over Turk Telekom. “Health is the main thing.”
Dominating the boards
With Kabengele leading the way, Reyer has absolutely raised the level of its rebounding game.
Before Round 8, the Italian side wasn’t really famed for its efficiency in that area. In fact, Reyer was outrebounded by its opponents 33.2 to 31.5 overall, with the gap in losses being particularly bigger at 36.2 to 30.6.
These kinds of ratios have greatly changed over the last three games. Not only did Reyer catapult its own rebounding average to 40.3, but rival teams collected just 27.0 against them.
Taking care of the boards is obviously a major aspect of the game. Turning them into buckets is another deal and Reyer managed to get 17 vital second-chance points in each of its two wins over Lietkabelis and Turk Telekom.
The one and only Kabengele showed again and again how he’s the EuroCup boss of rebounds, with 12.0 over the last three rounds. A reminder: no player in the competition other than him is averaging a double-double.
Despite being among the shortest players on the floor, Ennis also provided quite the helping hand in this stretch with 5.5 rebounds versus Lietkabelis and Aris.
Different protagonists
It’s a blessing for every coach to have a multitude of players who can step up big time in every game. During the recent 3-0 run, Neven Spahija saw different guys emerging as leading scorers in each game and others providing plenty on the offensive end as well.
Reyer began its streak with a win over Turk Telekom behind 20 points (on 9-of-13 shooting) and 6 rebounds courtesy of Rodney McGruder. It was a precious offensive performance in a mostly defense-dominant affair, at least in the first half.
What Reyer lacked at that moment was not only a win on the road but also a strong statement performance. Against Lietkabelis, the Italian team had two men leading the way on offense in Kyle Witljer, who posted 22 points plus 6 rebounds, and usual suspect Kabengele, who poured in 21 points to go with his 11 boards.
A week later and in his second game after returning from a knee injury, it was Ennis who took charge at Aris with a team-high 19 points on 8 out of 14 shooting from the field.
No three-pointers? No problem
Three-point shooting has been a particular pain for Reyer so far this season as the team is ranked second to last (above only Dolomiti Energia Trento) in triples made with 6.9 on 22.6 attempts.
In the last three games, Reyer shot even worse with 5.0 out of 20.7. Yet despite this virtually lack of perimeter threat, the team managed to score 85.3 points thanks to a fine 61.3% shooting on two-pointers and feasting in situations inside the paint.
Photo: EuroCup Basketball