By Antonis Stroggylakis / info@eurohoops.net
By scoring 45 points in Olympiacos Piraeus’s 112-69 win over FC Bayern Munich last week, Sasha Vezenkov registered the third-highest scoring output in the modern Turkish Airlines EuroLeague annals.
Only two players have scored more than Vezenkov in a game: Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul forward Nigel Hayes-Davis with the all-time record of 50 points and Anadolu Efes Istanbul guard Shane Larkin with 49.
When it comes to the last 20 years there are just two more players who have reached the 41-point mark: Tyrese Rice with Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens and Bobby Brown of Montepaschi Siena.
The rareness of 40-point games is a testament to how difficult it is to put up such numbers in the EuroLeague. It requires a lot of talent, skill, effort and – when it comes to breaking records – a fair amount of team coordination as well.
It’s no coincidence that all players who appear on the list have some notable individual distinctions, ranging from multiple All-EuroLeague selections to the Alphonso Ford Top Scorer award and Final Four MVPs.
While all these feats are impressive in their own right, some carry more significance than the rest for reasons outside of sheer numbers. Eurohoops ranked the highest-scoring performances of the last 20 years based not only on how stunning they were but also on their importance, difficulty, how much they mattered in the game they took place in, how each player made buckets, and how organically they reached their record.
1) Tyrese Rice’s 41 points for Panathinaikos in a 99-93 overtime victory over Olympiacos on December 6, 2019
In the final EuroLeague season of his very decorated career, 2014 EuroLeague Final Four MVP Tyrese Rice recorded his most productive output ever in a professional game with 41 points to lead Panathinaikos past Olympiacos in overtime.
How important was the game?
It was a regular-season affair with Panathinaikos sitting at 7-4, but the Greek derby is far more than “another game”. The special clash between the two Greek powerhouses and archrivals always holds a certain gravity regardless of what’s at stake on paper. Players are expected to deliver and there’s pressure, particularly for the hosts – the Greens on this occasion.
The result didn’t affect anything in the long run since the COVID-19 outbreak caused the cancellation of the season.
What was the opponent’s condition?
Olympiacos went to OAKA with a 5-6 record and was looking to extend their streak to 3-0 after two wins in a row against ALBA Berlin on the road and Olimpia Milano at home.
Was the game close?
It couldn’t have been much closer down the stretch. After a game with multiple ups and downs for both sides, Olympiacos came back from 13 points down in the second half to get the lead in the fourth quarter. Georgios Papagiannis forced overtime three seconds before the end of regulation and Panathinaikos closed the extra session with 10-2 run to get the win.
Shot selection/How many shots did he need?
It was a quite solid shooting night for Rice as he went 5 for 7 on two-pointers, 8 for 16 on threes and didn’t miss any of his 7 free-throw attempts. He initiated scoring with his trademark floaters and slick dribbles to dispatch his opponents.
How much did his final tally affect the result?
This is one of the main reasons that Rice’s performance ranks atop of the list. Every single bucket he made and every point he scored were of massive importance and were vital for Panathinaikos. The Greens wouldn’t have won if he wasn’t constantly in the zone and didn’t step up in the final lap of both the 40-minute period and the extra 5.
You also have to take into account that Rice operated and set his own record in a high-pressure situation throughout the game. Every time the American guard took any shot, especially in the last period and overtime, the ball weighed a ton since there wasn’t any 20-point cushion for example, unlike in other games appearing on the list. All possessions were critical, there were no “garbage minutes” for any of the two teams and Rice always had to face defenders on high alert.
Among his key moments were the 11 points he had in over two and a half minutes in the fourth quarter – a triple for to make it 81-81 and then 89-86 upon start of the overtime. He reached the 41-point mark thanks to a tough bucket over Nikola Milutinov to make it 96–91 1:43 minutes before the end of the game.
2) Bobby Brown’s 41 points for Siena in a win at Fenerbahce on January 4, 2013
Perhaps one of the most underrated scoring performances ever in EuroLeague. En route to claiming the Alphonso Ford Top Scorer trophy in 2013, Bobby Brown had a fantastic night of 41 points as Montepaschi Siena defeated Fenerbahce on the road.
What sets him apart is also the fact that this is the only performance on the list that took place on the road. In this case, amid a very loud, unfriendly atmosphere in Ulker Sports and Event Hall.
How important was the game?
It was Round 2 of the Top 16 where the teams were divided into two groups, with the four sides with the best record advancing to the playoffs. While a loss wasn’t exactly devastating that early into the stage, it’s bigger than the regular-season games in which the other four performances of the list happened.
What was the opponent’s condition?
Fenerbahce had finished the group stage with a 5-5 record and was coming off a crushing loss at FC Barcelona. Still, this was a quality roster featuring 2012 EuroLeague scoring king Bo McCalebb, three-time champion Mike Batiste, emerging star Bojan Bogdanovic and the experienced David Andersen, among others.
Was the game close?
Very much so. Fenerbahce held a minor advantage for most of the first half (49–45) before jumping out to 69–58 lead. Siena kept trailing until Brown made 3 out of 3 free throws to tie the score at 85-85 with 4:28 remaining. The Italian side took a small lead and retained it until the final buzzer.
Shot selection/How many shots and free throws did he need?
Not that many. Brown hit 8-of-12 two-pointers, 4-of-6 three-pointers, and 14-of-14 free throws. Most of his attempts and moves were well-calculated and part of the team’s offensive plan, which was built around him.
How much did his final tally affect the result?
Immensely. Brown spent 39:21 minutes on the floor and all of his points were crucial as Siena had to play catch up for the large part of the game. Twelve of his points arrived in the last 8:24, starting with five straight after his team was down 79–72. He gave his squad a two-possession edge at 90–94 with 28 seconds to play to hit, hitting 41-point mark in the process.
3) Shane Larkin’s 49 points for Anadolu Efes in a 109-86 victory over Bayern on November 29, 2019
The 2019-2020 Anadolu Efes team was an unstoppable Kaiju of a team before COVID-19 happened and Shane Larkin was the undisputable MVP favorite. While he didn’t reap the fruits of this tremendous run with any team or individual end-of-season awards, he managed to make some history by putting up 49 points in a performance for the ages.
How important was the game?
Before Round 11 of the regular season and the game against Bayern, Efes was dominating with an 8-2 record. A defeat for the Turkish team would’ve been a big surprise, although such an outcome wouldn’t hurt their overall position.
What was the opponent’s condition?
Since we are inevitably comparing a lot in this piece, let’s just say that this Bayern team was completely unlike the one that is now a legit competitor for a direct playoff spot. The German side traveled to Istanbul with a 3–7 record and was winless on the road.
Was the game close?
Barely. Efes held mostly double-digit leads in the first 30 minutes and Larkin’s scoring kept Bayern at bay before the margin became wide in the fourth quarter.
Shot selection/How many shots and free throws did he need?
Larkin needed just 19 shots as he almost couldn’t miss. He torched Bayern from downtown by nailing 10-of-12 three-pointers and also made 5-of-7 two-pointers and 9-of-10 free throws. It was a pure spectacle of an offensive clinic by the American guard, with supersonic moves and execution in harmony within the system.
How much did his final tally affect the result?
Behind Larkin’s early ignition of 25 points in the first half, Efes went to the locker room ahead 57–40. He kept raining buckets until he was substituted with the score 88–66 and 4:24 to play after dropping 38 points.
It then became apparent that he was just four points away from a new EuroLeague record and that there were heaps of time to get the achievement. After catching his breath, he returned to the floor and scored 5 quick points to get to 43 before draining another pair of torpedoes from distance.
4) Sasha Vezenkov’s 45 points for Olympiacos in a 112-69 victory over Bayern on January 10, 2025
Sasha Vezenkov is the most recent addition to the club of top individual scoring displays after leading Olympiacos’s offense in spectacular fashion versus Bayern.
How important was the game?
With the second leg of the regular season in full swing, every game is a must-win, especially at home for an Olympiacos team that wants to remain in first place of the standings. The contest against Bayern was no different.
What was the opponent’s condition?
Bayern entered the second round of the regular season with two straight losses that had dropped them to 11-8. In general, they weren’t as strong on the road overall, with a 3-6 record.
Was the game close?
Olympiacos managed to impose their rhythm from early on and held leads beyond double figures for most of the first 25 minutes. Bayern fell apart afterward as the Reds turned the game into a blowout.
Shot selection/How many shots and free throws did he need?
Here’s the argument for Vezenkov’s case, one that is reflected in his numbers: 18 out of 20 shots from the field, including 8 out of 10 triples. This is bananas, even for the sky-high efficiency standards that Vezenkov has already set for himself.
In the meantime, he didn’t force any attempt as all of his shots were a product of Olympiacos’s playbook, and he remained faithful to his “no dribbles” dogma. He just let it fly without second thought in the fourth period and when the game was more or less over, with the hosts already rolling over their opponents.
He went to the line just once – as part of a three-point play. That one free throw was point No. 45. Seriously, he scored 45 with just a single free throw.
How much did his final tally affect the result?
Vezenkov had 16 points by the end of the first half to boost Olympiacos toward a 51–37 lead. He added 12 in the third quarter as the Reds were turning it into a rout with a 78–57 advantage, and when he got 33 for a new career high, his team went up 86–57 with 8:13 remaining.
The outcome would’ve obviously been the same even if he stopped right there and saw the rest of the game from the bench, but he stayed in to drain a couple of more threes. If he didn’t exit the game with 2:22 to play, it’s quite possible that he would’ve scored the 6 points he needed to set a new all-time record.
Olympiacos Sports Director Christos Bafes joked after the game that Strength and Conditioning coach Andreas Gantzoulis would’ve fainted if Vezenkov continued playing until the end.
5) Nigel Hayes-Davis’s 50 points in a 103-63 victory over ALBA Berlin on March 29, 2024
Inspired by NBA star Dejounte Murray, Nigel Hayes-Davis set his mind to be as aggressive as it can get and achieving something big that day. He was hell-bent on making some history and that’s exactly what he did by becoming the first player to score 50 points in a EuroLeague game.
How important was the game?
With three games remaining until the end of the regular season, Fenerbahce was at 19-12 and needed the win over ALBA Berlin to fight for a potential top-four finish, which would’ve guaranteed home-court advantage in the playoffs.
What was the opponent’s condition?
Bottom-placed ALBA was in the midst of an eight-game losing skid. They hadn’t won a game since January.
Was the game close?
Almost never, thanks to Hayes-Davis. He was responsible for keeping Fener well ahead in the first half and his outburst in the third period finished the game very early.
Shot selection/How many shots and free throws did he need?
It took Hayes-Davis a fair number of attempts before he reached the 50-point mark with 18 seconds remaining: he converted 9-of-11 two-pointers, 9-of-16 triples and 5-of-7 free throws, spending 29:56 on the floor.
But, hey, Murray took 44 shots for 44 points, so maybe Hayes-Davis didn’t shoot the ball enough.
How much did his final tally affect the result?
Hayes-Davis was automatic from early on with 18 points in the first quarter, a portent that this can be a special night for him. He had 21 when Fener took a 52–40 halftime lead.
After the break he went ablaze once more, hitting all kinds of shots to move to 36 points and put Fenerbahce in a dominant 83–51 game-ending distance with 10 minutes to play. He was taken off the floor with 43 points and 3:27 to play to receive the deserved ovation from the crowd, but he returned when everyone realized – notably Fenerbahce Communication & Media Relations Manager Ilker Ucer – that the job isn’t over and there’s a record to catch.
From that moment onward, it was obvious that the entire Fener team was focused on him breaking the record.
While Hayes-Davis scored a couple by basically just waiting on the other side of the floor – no harm their mind you – the basket for the 50-point mark was one befitting of a new record holder: a beautiful Euro-step move against the ALBA players and a tough yet majestic finish at the rim.