After a three-week break in the competition, ratiopharm Ulm resumes its fight to reach the 7DAYS EuroCup Top 16 from Group B on Tuesday. Ulm has a 3-5 record but sits fourth in the group thanks to a tie-break advantage against Mornar Bar, which is 3-5, too. Ulm's last two games, against Buducnost VOLI Podgorica at home and Unicaja Malaga on the road, will determine its fate. Ulm's leader until now has been big man Dylan Osetkowski, who ranks second among all EuroCup players with an average performance index rating of 21.5. In his first EuroCup season, Osetkowski is averaging 17.1 points on 55.6% three-point shooting, 5.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists as a full-time starter. Osetkowski knows his team's game on Tuesday against Buducnost is a do-or-die showdown and his team is really focused on it. "This could be the most important game for us in the EuroCup so far, and it's not going to be easy by any means," Osetkowski told EuroCupBasketball.com. "They are a quality team. They have got a lot of weapons, offensively and defensively. So I think the biggest thing right now is just making sure we are aware of what we face."

**Hello, Dylan. This is your first EuroCup season, a new experience for you. How challenging is it?**

"So far, I am loving it. Coming overseas, I always had in my mind that I wanted to be playing internationally. So obviously – this being my first year in the EuroCup, being able to travel and go to different countries and play some of the top teams from leagues around Europe – it's definitely a lot of fun being able to travel, play good competition. As far as everything I wanted coming overseas, I think the EuroLeague is definitely next on my list of aspirations and goals. But right now, to be playing the way I am and the way we are as a team in EuroCup, it's a lot of fun."

**How have you adjusted so well to playing twice a week and to a new competition like the EuroCup?**

"Last year, playing once a week was a little tough in my eyes. You know, as basketball players, as professional athletes, everything we want to do is to play in the games, to actually compete against real competition rather than being in practice every day. Practice can get lethargic and you start to know people's tendencies, and it can get a little monotonous. But games are where you're at and only playing one game a week last year was definitely challenging at times. It definitely gave me an opportunity to work on my game, work on my body, on basketball, on the mental side of the game. But playing two games a week now with the German League starting to get into full swing, it is challenging in the sense that you have got to take care of your body a little more than if you were just playing one game a week. But I have no complaints as far as playing two or three days a week. Like I said, for basketball players, the game is the most important thing." 

"this could be the most important game for us in the EuroCup so far."

**Ulm is making 40.1% of its three-point shots as a team. Coach Jaka Lakovic was a great shooter. Has he given you tips to shoot better?**

"Coach does a really good job of letting the players figure it out themselves, letting them go through their good times or bad times on their own. But obviously, him being a player and him playing on some pretty high-level teams and high-level stages, it allows him to have the opportunity to coach us and speak to us on a – not a personal level by any means, because I think every coach has an ability to speak on a personal level – but just from experience. He can say to some of the guys, 'This is what I did when I played,' or 'This is how I see good shooters do things.' Or what the right play is. So because of his experience and who he was as a player, I think it allows him a unique perspective that not all coaches have."

**You were the EuroCup's MVP of the Week last month after scoring 32 points against Germani Brescia. Was it the best game of your pro career so far?**

"Yeah, I would definitely say one of the best for sure, being that efficient. I think I made 4 threes in that game. I think that's the second-most I've made in my career. In college, I made seven in one game. But yeah, it was a good performance for myself. That was a pretty important game for us to win, to really allow ourselves to be in position to move to the Top 16. We really wanted to get the last game in Paris (against Metropolitans) and only having two games left. Myself, team included, we're going to have to continue to play well if we want to move to the Top 16. The biggest thing in my head going into the Brescia game was to put ourselves in a position to move on in the EuroCup." 

**Ulm plays a critical game now against a team that already beat you, Buducnost. How much are you looking forward to it?**

"Very much so. Like you said, this could be the most important game for us in the EuroCup so far, and it's not going to be easy by any means. They are a very good quality team. They have got a lot of weapons, offensively and defensively. So I think the biggest thing right now is just making sure we are aware of what we face, how they guard ball screens, what threats they have offensively inside, outside, and also progress to working on everything that they do as far as plays, concepts and things like that."

**You have 10 German teammates in Ulm. How did they help you adjust to the city and the club?**

"They have been a big help, as far as inside the city and things like that, just helping myself and a lot of the Americans kind of figure out where things are, where to go, things like that. But as far as myself, now being a German citizen, the biggest thing that they're helping with helping me with is the language and the language barrier. There's not a day goes by that I don't ask, you know, three or four guys, multiple things a day on. What does this mean? How do you say this? You know, they're talking to each other in practice in German. I'm trying to listen and try and pick out words that I understand. So I think for me, personally, I think that's the biggest thing that these guys are helping me with, is trying to understand and trying to immerse myself into this German language." 

**You and your girlfriend Annie started a traveling blog, Duke's Destinations, named after your dog. Can you tell us a little bit more about it?**

"My girlfriend, Annie, she had started it. You know, I'm not going to take any credit for any of the posts or anything like that. She's the brains behind it and everything on the blog has been great so far, just trying to put it out in the world to family and friends, and hopefully it catches on. It's just our tips and guides and dos and don'ts of traveling. Being in Europe and playing overseas, especially coming from the U.S., is a really unique opportunity, but an amazing opportunity in our eyes. We drive two hours in the States and we're still on the same state. You drive two hours here in Europe, and you're in a completely different country. It is a very unique and a very rewarding opportunity to be able to go somewhere on an off day and take an hour drive and feel like you're in a completely different place that you haven't been in before. So I think the biggest thing with the travel blog is just sharing our experiences and continuing to make memories as a family with my girlfriend and our dog." 

"In our eyes, we're just two kids living in another country having a blast."

**How important is it to share that experience with her, that she is there for good and bad times?**

"One of the biggest struggles that a professional athlete can have, in my opinion, is not having somebody with you. If I didn't have Annie here with me, you know, I would definitely be more lonely. I wouldn't have my rock, my partner that I'm used to having all the time just to experience life with me. So to have her here is great. It brings me happiness on a daily basis. And I know she enjoys being out here. It can be very tough at times with the language barrier and not being in a place that we've lived for 20-something years of our lives. But to experience a whole nother country, to experience the opportunity to travel, deal with Germans and them not speaking English, and we're trying to speak with them... We go to a grocery store and we don't know where anything is. You know, in our eyes, we're just two kids living in another country having a blast."

**Has any EuroCup player or team in particular impressed you so far?**

"I don't have the EuroLeague pass, so it is tough to watch some EuroCup games, but just watching Unicaja on film, they seem like a pretty well put together team. A lot of weapons offensively and it seems like they have a good coach. But a lot of those Spanish teams in the EuroLeague games that I've seen always seem pretty diverse and pretty well-accustomed to European play."

**How important would it be for you, and especially for Ulm, to make it to the Top 16?**

"It would be very important. I think it would be a great step for myself to continue to play better teams in the EuroCup and continue to put myself on a platform to to show, you know, EuroLeague teams, EuroCup teams and obviously teams back in the U.S. that I am a high-level player, and that guys on our team are high-level players, as well, that we deserve to be playing in the Top 16 and further." 

Second-year pro and 7DAYS EuroCup rookie Dylan Osetkowski has helped lead ratiopharm Ulm to the brink of the Top 16 at the same time that he and his girlfriend Annie have developed a travel blog named after his dog Duke.

Dylan Osetkowski, Ulm: 'We deserve to be playing in the Top 16'

Gytis Masiulis knows there is more than one way to the final destination and the Lithuanian big man has regularly taken the road that leads to more development - just like this season with Lietkabelis Panevezys.

Masiuilis joined Lietkabelis in the summer on a one-year deal looking to take the next step in his career. And the 22-year-old has been excellent in his maiden campaign in the 7DAYS EuroCup. He is averaging 12.6 points and 6.0 rebounds to go along with 0.8 assists and 0.8 steals in five games. Masiulis's highlight by far came in Round 4 as he collected 26 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks for an index rating of 38 in a crucial 80-73 home victory over Telenet Giants Antwerp.

"It felt amazing. We knew that it was a do-or-die game for us if we want to advance to the Top 16. I'm really happy that my performance helped us get a win in that crucial game," said Masiulis. 

"I'm really happy that my performance helped us get a win in that crucial game." 

The victory remains Lietkabelis's only one in Group C; the team has a 1-6 record and is trying to chase down MoraBanc Andorra, which currently stands fourth in the group at 3-3 for the final spot in the Top 16.

"We have a pretty strong group this year, but our chances to advance are still not lost. Our team is still young and we try to learn from our mistakes and we hope we will advance to the next round," said Masiulis, who has missed Lietkabelis's last two games.

In that big game against Antwerp, Masiulis drained 3 of 5 three-pointers as the 2.06-meter big man is showing off the work he put in over the off-season on his outside shot.

"I keep working on my shots every day and for me, it's not a surprise that they are going in," said Masiulis, who is shooting 36.4 percent from three-point range in the Lithuanian LKL and 42.1% in the EuroCup; both numbers are much higher than in past years.

Masiulis knows that his outside shooting makes him a more dangerous player as defenders must go out to guard him on the perimeter while also facing the threat of him dribbling past them to the basket.

"It's a lot easier to play when the opponents know that you are a good shooter because they have to guard you closer and that leaves more gaps for penetration," he explained.

It's all about developing his game and Masiulis has not been afraid to take a different path to get that additional work. The son of Tomas Masiulis, a 1999 EuroLeague champion with Zalgiris Kaunas, Gytis joined Zalgiris in the youth ranks. He played in the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament in 2014-15 and 2015-16, but struggled to find a regular rotation spot with Zalgiris's senior team. He did, however, appear in 12 EuroLeague games in 2017-18, during which he collected a total of 14 points and 9 rebounds in 38 minutes over those games.

Having already turned 20 by the end of that season, Masiulis and Zalgiris agreed to a loan deal with Neptunas Klaipeda, allowing him to get much more playing time while also competing in the Basketball Champions League for two full seasons.

"Those two years in Neptunas were very important to me because I wanted to be loaned to a team where I could get a lot of playing time and play in a European competition. So Klaipeda was the best place for that. It helped me improve my basketball skills and I got a lot of confidence," he said.

Masiulis got the chance to play alongside players his age as well as Tomas Delininkaitis, who at 38 years of age at the end of the 2019-20 season had even played against Tomas Masiulis back in 2002 when he was at Neptunas and Masiulis at Zalgiris.

"It helped me improve my basketball skills and I got a lot of confidence." 

"I learned a lot from him because he was a very important player on and off the court. He always has a voice in the locker room and gives great advice to young players," the younger Masiulis said of playing with Delininkaitis.

The COVID-19 pandemic shut down sports across the globe in March, but Masiulis was part of the first league to return when he signed with Fraport Skyliners Frankfurt in June 2020 for the German League's season-ending tournament.

"I wasn't expecting to go play anywhere, but one day my agent called and said that Frankfurt was interested in me. It all happened very fast. I had to make the decision quickly and the next day I had to go to Frankfurt," said Masiulis, who had his first chance to play outside his native Lithuania.

"I'm really glad that I took that opportunity because I wanted to know what it is like to play abroad. I had great teammates there who helped me a lot during that month."

Even though Masiulis is trying to become more of a power forward who can also play outside, he knew Frankfurt was bringing him in to play center - which was another chance for him to test his ability to adapt to different situations.

"I wasn't afraid to face new challenges, even though the German league is known for its physicality. We were able to advance to the playoffs, so we reached our goal," said Masiulis, who averaged 11.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in six German League games.

Masiuilis also reached his goal of continuing the development of his game - both on and off the court - as he finds his way.

Lietkabelis Panevezys big man Gytis Masiulis continues to add weapons to his game as the 22-year-old enjoys a standout season in the 7DAYS EuroCup.

Spotlight, Gytis Masiulis, Lietkabelis: 'I keep working on my shots' 



Legend has it that the first basketball game in the Montenegrin coastal town of Bar took place on an outdoor court on May 11, 1972, between two local high school teams in front of a few hundred spectators. One of the teams, although the one that lost that game, was coached by a legendary high-school professor, Branka Korac.

She would go on to organize her students into a club called Gimnazijalac, which played games around the region. In February 1974, another basketball club, Mladost, was founded and during those years, alongside Korac, basketball enthusiast Petar Pero Blazevic and Ljubo Skokovic were heavily invested in introducing local kids to the sport. Skokovic coached the Mladost team that won the first basket trophy in Bar when the local youth team won the Montenegrin title and then a regional competition within the former Yugoslavia.

The club soon changed its name to Mornar - which translates into Sailor – as the games were first played on the legendary outdoor court of the local Jugoslavija primary school, before moving into the school's gym where the club played until 2008.

Many local basketball legends were part of the club in the late 1970s, including the likes of current head coach Mihailo Pavicevic and brothers Savo and Boro Vucevic, all of whom started off as teenagers with the team. The list of basketball pioneers in Bar also includes Predrag Milovic, Dusan Pavlovic, Vasko Lalosevic, Milovan Obradovic, Rajko Vujovic, Dragan Otasevic, Zoran Jovicevic, Nikola Kovacevic and Branislav Radovic.

The club played in the Yugoslav second division in the 1980s, which was when it reached the peak of its popularity. Mornar battled to reach the Yugoslav elite, arguably the best basketball league in all of Europe at the time, and with current club President Djordjije Pavicevic as its on-court mastermind, Mornar was on the brink of promotion several times in the late 80s. In addition, it twice reached the Yugoslav Cup semifinals – first in the 1986-87 season and again in 1992-93.

Mornar finally reached the Yugoslav first division in 1993 with Mihailo Pavicevic on the bench and his younger brother Djordjije on the floor. That team, which earned legendary status in Bar, also featured brothers Ranko and Rajko Carapic plus Dragoje Spicanovic, Djuro Ostojic and Vinko Bardic, among others.

Mihailo Pavicevic left the bench in 1996 and was first replaced by Slavko Lekic. Led by scorer Bozidar Vukazic, the team secured a Radivoje Korac Cup berth, but never played in the competition due to financial reasons. Djordjije Pavicevic soon took over as a head coach, but the club ended up relegated after finishing in last place in the 1997-98 season.

Those were tough times for Mornar; the club remained alive only thanks to a fusion with a city rival KK Primorka and did not return to prominence until Djordjije Pavicevic returned to his hometown club in 2003, again as a head coach. With the help of local authorities, Djodjije started with a long-term vision of building Mornar into a recognizable basketball name. It took only a year for the club to reach the first division of the Serbia & Montenegro League and when Montenegro declared its independence in 2006, Mornar started participating in the Montenegrin League.

The team moved into the newly-built Topolica Sports Hall and had its first big success when Djordjie Pavicevic guided the team to the 2010 Montenegrin Cup finals, where it fell to Buducnost Podgorica 97-79. Later that spring Mornar reached the Montenegrin League semifinals and the following season it advanced to the league finals for the first time. It was swept 3-0, again by perennial champion Buducnost, but that was the beginning of Mornar’s steady climb to the top of Montenegrin basketball and European prominence.

Mornar made the playoff semifinals in three of the next four years as Djordjije Pavicevic earned a larger-than-coach role with the club. In 2015 he persuaded his brother Mihailo to join him on the bench and in the 2015-16 season the team started its current run of four consecutive Montenegrin League playoff finals and four straight Montenegrin Cup finals. In the 2016 Montenegrin Cup title game, Buducnost topped Mornar 90-80. A couple of months later, Mornar swept the best-of-three playoff series against KK Lovcen and KK Sutjeska, before losing 3-1 in the league finals against Buducnost. But the foundation was in place to attack new challenges.

Reaching the playoff final the previous year allowed Mornar to make its Adriatic League debut in the 2016-17 season, as well as its European club competitions debut by taking part in the Basketball Champions League, but did not get past the group stage and finished eighth in the Adriatic League. Still, the team continued to get closer at home, losing a tight 72-68 decision against Buducnost in the Cup final. It then became the first team in league history to take the playoff finals against Buducnost to the decisive fifth game. Mornar won Games 2 and 4 on its home floor, only to lose the series in the fifth-and-deciding game, 76-73 in Podgorica.

Ahead of the 2017-18 season, in a planned move, Mihailo took over for Djordjie as head of bench, which turned into a historic season by all means for Mornar, which secured the best-ever results in every competition it entered. First, Mornar returned to the Adriatic League and withstood all the challenges to finish fourth in the regular season and reach the playoffs for the first time ever. In a dramatic best-of-three semifinal series, Mornar was ousted by mighty Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade, but not before it snatched a memorable 88-84 Game 2 win at home. Mornar also reached the FIBA Europa Cup quarterfinals and got to the Montenegrin Cup finals, which it lost in an 87-83 thriller to Buducnost. However, Mornar rose to the challenge by doing something it had never done before, beating Buducnost in the best-of-five Montenegrin League playoff finals. Mornar first stole Game 1 of the finals, 77-84 in Podgorica, behind 56 combined points from Derek Needham and Strahinja Micovic. Then Mornar defended its home floor in Game 2 by beating Buducnost 93-85. After nearly coming away with a sweep on the road in the third game, Mornar finished the job with a 75-63 win in front of its fans, clinching the first major title in club history. Coach Mihailo Pavicevic and his brother Djordjie were celebrated after fulfilling their lifelong dreams.

Following that historic season, Mornar made more history with its 7DAYS EuroCup debut. The team had a competition premier at home against mighty UNICS Kazan, finishing with a 74-87 loss, but it won its first-ever road game by downing Fiat Turin 80-84. However, in a group with a couple other former champions, Unicaja Malaga and Rytas Vilnius, as well as Fraport Skyliners Frankfurt, Mornar did not get past the regular season and finished with a 2-8 record, with both wins coming against Turin.

Domestically, Mornar enjoyed being the defending champion as it continued competing with Buducnost and reaching playoff finals, but this time it was ousted 76-72 in the deciding Game 5. Last season, Mornar reached the cup finals for the fifth time since 2010 and once again lost against Buducnost, while only a pandemic stopped its Adriatic League effort as the team led by Needham, Jacob Pullen, Milko Bjelica and Uros Lukovic was destined for a return to the playoffs.

This season, Mornar is back in the EuroCup and as it prepares to celebrate its 50th birthday, is more ambitious than ever and aiming to contend for titles in all the competition it enters.


As the 50th anniversary of the first basketball game in the Montenegrin coastal town of Bar nears, local side Mornar is establishing itself as a bona fide force in the 7DAYS EuroCup.

The Club Scene: Mornar Bar

The first time Luka Asceric played in France’s top division, he was a youngster on the rise. This time around, the 23-year-old is ready to leave his mark while also making his pan-European debut. Asceric returned to France over the summer and signed with JL Bourg en Bresse, a team making its maiden journey in the 7DAYS EuroCup in its fourth season in the French top flight.

"I wanted to take the next step in my career. Even though the pandemic situation brought a lot of difficulties to many players, I had the chance to pick a club on the rise like Bourg that plays on the European stage," Asceric said. "Coach Savo Vucevic contacted me early at the end of last season considering that I would fit well in his team and his basketball philosophy and promised me an important role. That's why I chose this well-organized club." 

While Asceric has not yet filled the stat sheets, he has been doing the little things that help make a winner - and put Bourg in the thick of the Top 6 hunt from Group A with a 3-2 record. 

"My goal is to keep developing as a basketball player at this level." 

"My role is currently to help the team in the best way to win games and is more focused on defense," said Asceric, who is averaging 1.0 points and 0.8 rebounds in 13:20 minutes a game while having taken nine shots through five games.

"It could be better offensively and I know I can have a bigger impact on that end of the floor. I proved it against top European clubs in the Adriatic League the last two seasons where I developed my game. And that's why I hope my contribution to the team will grow as the games go on. However, my goal is to keep developing as a basketball player at this level by trying to use as much as possible the opportunity I get."

Asceric, who is averaging 4.3 points and 1.3 rebounds in the French league, spent the past two full seasons at Mega Bemax Belgrade in Serbia. Last season he was worth 7.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists in the Adriatic League, including three times scoring at least 15 points - and all three times hitting at least 3 three-pointers. That came after he had averaged 7.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists in the Adriatic League in 2018-19. Asceric poured in at least 16 points three times including flirting with a triple-double against Krka Novo Mesto with 24 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists.

"What makes Mega great at developing young talents is, first of all, the team management and the coaching staff. They put you in a situation to practice hard, improve individually and maximize your qualities by the opportunity you get to play professionally at a young age," said Asceric, who moved to Mega when he was 21. "I liked it right away when I arrived at Mega: the coaching staff with great ex-players, the great atmosphere with all the young players and the confidence I got helped me progress. I felt happy and fulfilled in all kinds of ways."

"Playing for my father was both a good and tough experience." 

It was also a chance for Asceric to get more experience with another culture. Asceric’s father is Neno Asceric, who is a Serbian-born former player who played professionally in Serbia, Austria and France from the early 1980s until 2006. His most successful times were in Austria, where he helped Sankt Poelten to five domestic league titles within six seasons and three Austrian Cups. It was also in Sankt Poelten where Luka was born in 1997. But the family moved around France starting in 1998, from Paris to Le Mans, Toulon, Vichy, Bourg, and Neno’s playing career ended again in Austria.

"My father used to bring me to the practices and games. I had to be quiet, sit and watch. That's how I learned many things in basketball because I used to imitate the players' moves when I got back home," he remembered.

Asceric started his professional career with Arcadia in Austria and then went back to France in 2015 to play for Lille in the French second division - playing for his father, who had since become a coach and was the play-caller there.

"Playing for my father was both a good and tough experience. He demanded a lot of me and pushed me every day to get better. But at the end, we managed to do it well since we finished third and I fulfilled a good role that season," Asceric said. 

In 2017, Asceric made the jump to France’s top division and played for Hyeres-Toulon. "Coming to the first division at age 20 was a good step in my career. I had the chance to face off with very good players and teams and it helped me develop and grow as a player at a young age," said Asceric.

After averaging 3.3 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists for Hyeres-Toulon, Asceric received the call from Mega late in the season - in April 2018 - to join Megan and decided to leave France for the opportunity.

"Hyeres-Toulon was in a tough situation and the future was unclear. At that time, I received an offer from Mega and deciding to go to such a perspective club was the best solution at that moment," he said.

This season the time came for Asceric to return to France and take the next step in a promising career. 

JL Bourg en Bresse guard Luka Asceric is using his first season in the 7DAYS EuroCup to take another step forward in a promising career.

Spotlight, Luka Asceric, Bourg: 'My contribution will grow' 

Last week was a tough one for us – we played three road games in three different countries: Greece, Spain and Italy – but it was also a good one because we won two of them and qualified to the 7DAYS EuroCup Top 16. Ever since we had some COVID positives in our team, we couldn't practice with the whole squad because there were just nine of us left. That was the first of several tough weeks that ended with this one. We handled the situation in the best way possible, as you can see. As I said, we made it to the Top 16 with six consecutive wins, faster than any other team in our group.

The go-ahead win was against Promitheas in Patras. That allowed us to handle things better when we played in Gran Canaria. We were calmed down and knew Gran Canaria had lost in France, and so it was a loss that we could take, due to our one-win advantage. Our win against Promitheas was a big one for us. JaCorey Williams got injured in the fifth minute of the game and we had problems during the game, but we won, scoring 89 points. It was probably our best game on offense as we are understanding more to recognize which of us has the best rhythm during each game. Right now, Gary Browne and Victor Sanders are giving us a lot in each game, but the rest of us are understanding what we can offer – Jeremy Morgan, Luke Maye, even myself. The group is growing and learning how to solve our tough situations down the road. 

I am feeling comfortable, too. I am trying to understand what is best for the game at all times, and how I feel. It is important to know what I can do for the team at all times. For instance, in our third game this week, against Germani Brescia in the Italian League, I was really tired, so I tried to focus on defense, and I could help the team. In other games, you have to read the game and see what is best in each moment: assists, defense, outside shooting...

So, we have three EuroCup games left and two of them are at home. If we win those, we will probably finish first in our group. Now that we have qualified, the next goal is to finish as close to first place as possible. If we have the possibility to be first, we will try to take it, starting with our next game, at home against Nanterre on Wednesday. We have to make the most of the opportunities we are given. Of course, being in the Top 16 is satisfying, but I think the fact that we are playing well, with continuity, is even more important. We are understanding what we need to do to win each game, and that means that the team has grown a lot since the start of the season.

We had a tough trip from Patras to Gran Canaria, I believe it is worth telling. It was difficult. We already had to change our tickets on Monday, before traveling. We arrived to Patras and while we were playing the game, one of our next flights was cancelled. That meant we had to leave our hotel in Patras at 2 a.m. to go to the airport and fly to Frankfurt at 5:30 a.m. We had a five-hour transit stop and then flew to Barcelona, where we stopped over for a night. We were all destroyed, but Friday was not much better. We left our hotel at 6:30 am. There was a direct flight from Barcelona to Gran Canaria... which got cancelled, too. We had to fly to Madrid, then to Gran Canaria, arriving at 3:30 pm to play at 8pm. That was an adventure! These things happen to everyone, and obviously, it would be much worse not to play. Our mentality is that this was no-one's fault, it is what it is and at least we get to work, which not everyone can do these days. We have to carry on and if we have to take several flights, so be it. It is part of the situation, for everyone. 

The good news is that Davide Pascolo and Andrea Mezzanotte are back with the team. They joined us in Brescia without practicing with the team. They had been practicing individually for three or four days while we were in Greece and Spain, joining the team on Sunday morning. We will practice all together soon, and I am sure they will catch up and get the right rhythm as soon as possible.

The good thing is that we have two home games – plus a road one in Ljubljana, which is a five-hour drive from Trento – and a two-week break from the competition. We have to make the most out of that, short trips and less games, to improve as a team. Like I said, we will try to finish first and stay competitive in the Top 16!

With Dolomiti Energia Trento already qualified for the 7DAYS EuroCup Top 16, veteran guard Toto Forray is now focused on his team finishing the season as high as possible in Group D.

Toto Forray, Trento: 'The team has grown a lot'

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana took a decisive step forwards towards its goal of reaching the 7DAYS EuroCup Top 16 from Group D by downing Frutti Extra Bursaspor twice last week. Olimpija opted to play its postponed Round 2 home game in Bursa, Turkey, and outgunned Bursaspor 104-88. When both teams met again in the same arena on Wednesday, Olimpija won again, 80-97. Jaka Blazic, a 30-year-old guard with seven Turkish Airlines Euroleague campaigns under his belt, was simply unstoppable in both games for Olimpija. He amassed 33 points and a PIR of 39 on Monday, then had 25 points and a PIR of 32 on Wednesday. In the second season of his second stint with Olimpija, Blazic is posting career-best numbers of 17.7 points on 41.9% shooting from downtown, 5.8 rebounds and a PIR of 20.0, ranking eighth overall in that category. Olimpija had a 0-5 start and missed the Top 16 last season but the team has bounced back and is in a very different situation now. "For now, it is working, and we are going game by game. We are still not on the level we are supposed to be or we want to be on," Blazic told EuroCupBasketball.com. "But I think we are on the right way."

**Jaka, congratulations on the two wins against Bursaspor. What allowed Olimpija to score 104 and 97 points?**

"I think we played two good games, especially on defense. We made some progress, and on offense, we just obeyed the rules that Coach gave us. It was easy, I think, for everybody to play. And I think that's the key, to become a team and play basketball like we did in Turkey. We made some defensive mistakes in the first half of the second game but managed to adjust. In the first half, they were playing pick-and-roll with a back screen in the center and we couldn't defend it. We talked in the locker room, thought how to defend it, came out in third quarter and played better defense. This is very important: to adjust during the game, and I think this can help us also in other games." 

**You scored 33 and 25 points in those games. How do you like your role as one of the team leaders?**

"I mean, everybody wants to be a leader. Every basketball player I know wants to be a leader in one team. So, I accept this role. I will try to help the team as much as I can. Sometimes, when you are in a good rhythm, you score a lot of points. But we have a lot of players on the roster who are very talented. Some day, one guy is hot, another day another guy is hot. That's important in a good team." 

"Every basketball player I know wants to be a leader." 

**Your 17.7-point average is your best ever in the EuroLeague or the EuroCup. Are you in the best moment of your career?**

"Well, I have more experience than I had in the past, and I just try to do my best. Coach give me that role in this team. And like I said, I accepted it and it's working well for now. I like playing, I enjoy when I'm on the court, and I think that's important."

**Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana is the product of an unprecedented merger between teams from different countries. How did this merger benefit the team?**

"I think that was a very good decision, to combine these two teams because Cedevita was a very organized team. They were known for for their good organization, but they didn't have a fan base. And Olimpija has a good fan base, with a of people supporting basketball in Ljubljana and all over Slovenia. And I think that was the best decision to make, to combine these two teams and start a new project. I think that, in the future, we will get the fans back to the arena and we can make a good story out of it."

**After so many years in Serbia and Spain, how is it to play again in Ljubljana, a short ride from your hometown, Bled?**

"Yes, exactly. I came to Ljubljana when I was 19 years old, and this is home to me. I made a home here with my family and it is nice to be back. Here in Slovenia, I enjoy basketball and also enjoy time with my family and friends. It's very, very good."

**Few guards drive to the basket with so much confidence and energy. How did you choose that style?**

"Yes, it is like my signature move, these drives to the basket. I don't know, but I was playing like this since I was young. I don't know how I can explain this. But I like to drive to the basket because in the past I was playing hockey. I started playing hockey as my first sport, and it is very dynamic all the time. You are in fast motion. And maybe because of this, I like to drive that much to the basket. When somebody switches on me, I don't rely on outside shots. I try to beat him. I try to beat centers because they are usually slower than me. And with this, I get advantages. Sometimes, I should search more for open players on the perimeter, and this is part of my game I am trying to improve in the last two years: finding open teammates in the perimeter because if I get an advantage driving, more guys are open, you know? This is the element of the game where I need to work more." 

"I believe in my team. I believe in our team. I believe in Cedevita Olimpija." 

**Olimpija started 0-5 last season and missed the Top 16. Now, the team is 4-2. What did you learn from last season?**

"We had some bad luck last year. We started 0-5 but had some good games in which we were up by 10 or 15 points and in the end we lost. I think that happened because we didn't have good chemistry in the team. We didn't have great chemistry to win when we had the lead, to keep going and to win by 20 in the end. We were always relaxed and loose at the end. This year, I think that with our new coach, we started to realize that when you want to win, you cannot relax. We still need to play defense and be concentrated on offense. For now, it is working, and we are going game by game. We are still not on the level we are supposed to be or we want to be. But I think we are on the right way."

**How important is it for Olimpija to have local, experienced players like you, Roko Ukic and Edo Muric?**

"It is very important, you know, because you have a base of players. You need to have a core every year with domestic guys. And then you just add foreign guys who are hungry. This season, we have foreign guys who are hungry for basketball, who want to prove themselves in Europe, who also want to be in a better situation in the next seasons. I think that's the right kind of roster. Like I said, the core has to be from domestic players. And I think we have a good mixture of players this year." 

**Your play Gran Canaria next and ex-teammates like Andrew Albicy and John Shurna. Having beaten them in Ljubljana, how can do that again?**

"Yeah, they are a good team. They struggled a little bit last month, but are in a good rhythm now. They got rid of two players, Javier Beiran and Amadeo Della Valle, so other players stepped up and started to play better. So we will prepare for them and will be focused on Gran Canaria. I think it is a very important game for both teams. You know, if we win, we almost go to Top 16 and achieve the goal. They will also try to continue to have a good EuroCup season, so it is going to be interesting."

**What would you consider a good season for you, personally, and for Olimpija?**

"I think we have to go game by game. In this strange season, it is important to focus on the present and not to think too much about the future. But of course, the first goal is to go to the Top 16 and then we will see. I believe in my team. I believe in our team. I believe in Cedevita Olimpija. I hope we will have a great EuroCup season."

Veteran guard Jaka Blazic was the driving force behind double victories last week that have put the club he grew up with, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana, in position to achieve its goal of reaching the 7DAYS EuroCup Top 16.

Jaka Blazic, Olimpija: 'We are on the right way'

History was made in the 7DAYS EuroCup in Regular Season Round 6, as Jamar Smith of UNICS Kazan became the all-time leader in three-point shots made. Smith needed to hit 4 triples to go past three-time EuroCup champion Rafa Martinez. Smith downed 6 of 8 attempts to make sure he sealed the milestone. Smith, a EuroCup champion with Unicaja Malaga in 2017, is in his sixth season in the competition and is far from slowing down. In fact, he has buried 20 of 33 three-point shots for a career-best 60.6% so far this season and is averaging personal bests of 18.6 points and 4.8 assists, too. Smith is happy for the record, but knows it is a team effort and credits everyone for it. "I've had coaches and teammates that really believe in me," Smith told EuroCupBasketball.com. "It's definitely a huge honor for me. But I want to keep running that number up."

**Congrats on the win over Umana Reyer Venice. How important was this game for UNICS?**

"It was really important to win this game. The best scenario for us was to have won by 8, but in any case, we know that losing this game would kind of seal our fate in a negative way and put our chance of advancing in the hands of other teams. So everybody came out super focused and confident for the game because they knew what was at stake. So I was super happy with how everybody on our team responded."

**Four of your remaining five regular-season games are on the road. How critical is this time of year for the team?**

"It's super critical. Super important for everyone to stay healthy. For everybody to stay focused because with this many games on the road, it's going to be super tough for us to get into a rhythm of practicing because we'll have so much travel that we won't have a lot of practice. Guys are going to have to be really focused on our scouting reports and the material that coach gives us and just come in every game and compete off of that without having too much practice." 

"It's definitely a huge honor for me. But I want to keep running that number up." 

**You are now the EuroCup's all-time leader in three-point shots made. What does this honor mean to you?**

"It's a huge honor. I have to thank God first that I've been able to play so long and compete in the EuroCup for so long and I've had coaches and teammates that really believe in me. It's definitely a huge honor for me. But I want to keep running that number up."

**You passed Rafa Martinez for the record and Marko Popovic is third. Those are two players you've competed against. How does it feel to beat such legends?**

"That's an honor in itself too, being able to play against both of those guys who were really good players. But the game of basketball is all about competing. When I knew I was close to the record, it wasn't really ever a goal of mine to have the record, but it was always in the back of my mind."

**You've made 20 of 33 three-pointers this season, shooting better than ever. With the long off-season, did you do anything differently? Did you practice more?**

"I practiced less this offseason! Getting into gyms was kind of impossible. I just did a lot of running and conditioning this offseason for the most part. Shooting for me now at this point has become muscle memory. I shoot hundreds of shots a day. So it's really just about muscle memory and confidence at this point. Right now I'm just playing confident and getting good looks."

**Over the last seven years, the shooting guard position at UNICS has been covered by Keith Langford and you. You've now been at the team longer than Langford. How much do you appreciate the relationship you have with UNICS?**

"I don't really think of it like that, in terms of I've been here longer than any other player, but I definitely appreciate the trust that they put in me, that UNICS and the coaching staff and the management have in me. For me to have been here for so long, that's kind of unheard of, especially for Americans to be on one team for so long. I'm definitely thankful for that and I feel blessed." 

"We have a really good team and I still don't think we've been playing our best basketball yet." 

**Your next game is against Bahcesehir Koleji Istanbul and Erick Green in Turkey. The first game between you guys was great. How much are you looking forward to this one?**

"I look forward to every game. At this point in the EuroCup, every game is super vital and important to your chances to advance. I know that the position that they're in right now that they're going to come out fighting with their back against the wall. So I'm looking forward to this game like any other game."

**Could this season be the best EuroCup season for UNICS since you got there?**

"Yeah, I think this one could be. We have a really good team and I still don't think we've been playing our best basketball yet. We've had a lot of problems within the team with COVID and just being able to practice together that I still feel like even in games we're feeling each other out. Once we catch our rhythm and we really start gelling together on the court, I think the sky's the limit for us." 

**The next record you could add to your collection is most threes in a season, which Chris Lofton set with 63. Is that a goal for you?**

"I'm not really a personal goals type of person. I don't even know about any of these things until it's mentioned to me. I'm about the team because at the end of the day if the team doesn't have success, the accolades are okay, but they don't really help your future as much as the team having success does. The thing I'm focused the most on is making sure we advance from this round."

**The last time you played in the EuroLeague was in 2015-16 with Unicaja Malaga. Is getting there next season with UNICS the goal now?**

"It's definitely a goal of mine. It's been a goal of mine since I came here. To win another EuroCup title and get UNICS into the EuroLeague and be able to compete in the EuroLeague again. Knowing what I know now and being the player that I am now, when I first competed in the EuroLeague competition, I wasn't where I'm at now mentally or physically. So I definitely want to get back to the EuroLeague and do that with UNICS." 

The 7DAYS EuroCup's new all-time leader in three-point shots made, Jamar Smith of UNICS Kazan, is playing his best basketball ever and focused on getting his team to the Top 16.

Jamar Smith, UNICS: 'A huge honor for me'

We have been really unlucky in the 7DAYS EuroCup until now. We had very good chances to win four of our six games but couldn't do it. We are a new team, too. None of the players had played with each other before. This is my ninth season as a professional and I feel like getting the early wins, starting really well and then going down towards the end is worse than losing the beginning, learning and progressing every day. I feel like we are progressing pretty well. When you look at the first game against JL Bourg and the UNICS Kazan game, there is a night-and-day difference in us. We try to add something to our basketball in every game, team-wise. And individually, everybody is working hard and there are very good characters on this team. We never had problems with that, and I think this is one of the best teams I've been in so far since I became professional, in terms of friendship and chemistry, on and off the court. 

"We have the potential to be very, very good." 

We are a new team, putting the pieces together; I see it every day. We put something else in every week and, like you saw, we lost some very close games. It takes one possession to decide a game, and the team that has a couple of players who played with each other for a couple years, or teams that have players that played in the same system for a couple years, all that helps you in those crunch moments. We are doing a great job. Everybody knows their role, from the player who plays 35 minutes to the one that never plays. I think that is very important because every season is like a marathon. I am not just talking about the EuroCup, but also about the Turkish League. It's a marathon. We'll hopefully have 10 months of basketball and if you can put something in your game and you can get the chemistry every day, I guess that's the most important thing in a season. And we have potential to be very, very good, a very special team. We are going through that. We are going to be one of the strongest teams in Turkey, and to try to win some EuroCup games that we feel we deserve.

We will play against UNICS at home this week after losing against them in Kazan at the buzzer. I guess that's what I meant when I said these are the things that we think we deserve. Everybody that watched those games has a different opinion. But as players and the coaching staff, we think we deserve those games against Reyer, UNICS, Partizan and our last game Bourg. I feel like we should have beat them but if you feel you deserve something, you have to go out there and show it. I feel like we had that attitude as a team. When you lose, most of the time people get frustrated, especially after these close games. It's heartbreaking. But at the same time, it seemed like, 'OK, you know, we were really close but now let's see what's going to happen.' We think we deserve it. And we've got to go out there to show that we deserve those games. 

"All the games we played have helped us." 

It is no surprise that Erick Green is leading the EuroCup and the Turkish League in scoring. It is always great to have an all-around scorer like Erick. I wouldn't say that he is just a shooter. Of course he can shoot, but his one-on-one game is very strong. He also can finish inside. There's multiple layers to his offense, and as a big man, it makes your job so much easier because you just set a screen and see what he does and then you play off that. Every opposing team has to have some ways to stop him and that always leaves a couple of guys open. All this creates the chemistry that I am talking about. In the beginning of the year, we couldn't find those open guys, especially in crunch situations, but now we do. Now, I see that especially with Alex Perez and Erick, a couple of guys are on them and they see what it is going on. In our last game, Josh Owens found his ways to score and Erick was one of the main reasons for that. I always like to play with guys like that because it makes my job easier! You set a screen, get open and then you see what happens.

We have to try to win as many games as possible and use this experience in the Turkish League. In my opinion, nothing ever goes to waste. Not in basketball, not in life. I don't think anything goes to waste as long as you get the right lessons from the experiences you have. All the games we played have helped us, and still are helping us, to find our chemistry in certain situations. And from now on, like I said, we're going to try to go out there and win those games that we think we deserve and show people that we are here. We just didn't play the last possessions of those games as we wanted. When you play the EuroCup and the Turkish League, you play high-level basketball twice a week. It can be very tiring, but at the same time, it gives you two chances each week to see what works and what doesn't. I feel like we're going to use those experiences and that is going to help us a lot towards the Turkish League. I think will be a very strong competitor in our league because of that.

Some close losses that could have gone either way but have left Bahcesehir Koleji Istanbul winless so far has not dampened the optimism of big man Deniz Kilicli. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Deniz Kilicli, Bahcesehir: 'Nothing goes to waste'

Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar center Alan Williams has posted double-doubles in each of his last three games. Another this week would make him the first player to have four in a row since the 2013-14 season! Williams leads the competition in rebounds (11.8 rpg.) and also led the 2019-20 EuroCup (9.4 rpg.) in that category. He is aware of his strength and how it benefits Lokomotiv, as he explained in this EuroCupBasketball.com interview. "I think I play with a lot of energy and strength. And I think that I go out there and I really focus on getting as many rebounds as I possibly can to help my team win," Williams said. "So when I go in there with that mindset, I don't think there's anybody in the world that's a better rebounder than me."

**Congratulations on beating AS Monaco on the road. You were really strong on offense and defense. Were you aware that it was a pivotal game, maybe even more important than others?**

"I don't know if it was more important than others, but it just happened to be the most important thing at the time, if that makes sense. We knew we had to have a good showing, that they're a good team and that's a tough place to win a game, so if we were able to steal a win there, it may be tough for the rest of the teams in our group to do the same. It would give us an advantage if we went out there and won. And obviously, in a city like Monaco, you can easily get distracted by the beach and all of that stuff. But we were really locked in the whole trip and understand that it was a business trip. We went out there and handled our business." 

**Lokomotiv is 4-1 and on a three-game losing streak. I guess that what happened last season is in the back of your minds and you are trying to avoid it. Did the team learn a lesson from what happened last season?**

"Absolutely. There is no doubt at least in my mind, as one of the guys that came back to this team, that last year's performance was just unacceptable. It is something we do not want to repeat and I feel like everybody that came back kind of had the same mindset and understood and knew why we didn't make it to the next round last season. And we have just been continuing to avoid that by working hard and not looking at the opponent or looking too far ahead into the future, by just staying locked in." 

"Last year's performance was just unacceptable." 

**As you said, this is your second EuroCup season. How do you like the competition and what's the best thing about it?**

"You know, I think the coolest thing is that every game means so much, you know? When you play in the NBA, there are 82 games and a night here and a night there won't really hurt you too bad. But in the EuroCup, and in the EuroLeague for that matter, every game is just so vital and important for making it to the next stage and continuing to advance. So I think that's the coolest part about is, that you really get to lock in and know that there is a really big game every week."

**At 2.01 meters, you are not a big center, but you have been the best rebounder in pretty much every league that you played. What's the secret of rebounding? What do you what so well that you beat players who are bigger than you all the time?**

"I think a lot of it goes into studying shots, so I sit there and watch shooters shoot so I can know where the ball is going and kind of anticipate its trajectory. My dad taught me at a young age that rebounding is a huge thing and it helps every team. So we really drilled it and worked on it. And then I think it's just a matter of wanting it. I think I play with a lot of energy and strength. And I think that I go out there and I really focus on getting as many rebounds as I possibly can to help my team win. So when I go in there with that mindset, I don't think there's anybody in the world that's a better rebounder than me." 

**Lokomotiv's next game is in Belgium. It is the first trip that Loko makes to this country since winning the EuroCup title there. Now that you know, are you going to ask Mantas Kalnietis and Coach Pashutin about it?**

"I didn't even know that! I don't want to ask him about it because I don't want to jinx it. Maybe it's something that hopefully at the end of the year we can talk about and say, 'hey, by the way, we won it in 2013'. And if we win it again in 2021, maybe it's something we'll talk about. But I would try to keep that on a low and just try to focus and make sure that they're locked in and focused, too." 

"My dad taught me at a young age that rebounding is a huge thing and it helps every team." 

**After you play Antwerp, you will host Virtus Segafredo Bologna, the only team that has beaten you until now. Since Virtus and Loko are seen as top contenders, how much of a test is it for both teams going forward?**

"I know that we can't look too far ahead. Obviously, we know that game is coming and we know the importance of that game. But you can't overlook a team like Antwerp who has a solid team, who plays really hard and especially at home, is going to be a tough challenge for us to go on the road and try to get that road victory. So obviously, Virtus is the number one team in our group right now and somebody that we're really looking forward to playing again, but we just can't look that far forward, and I think my team has the same mindset. We got to stay focused on the game and then we'll worry about the next one when that time comes."

**You speak Spanish fluently, but you never lived in a Spanish-speaking country or played on a Spanish team. How is that?**

"Well, I came to Russia, so that's the reason why I haven't been able to play in a Spanish-speaking country. I played a couple of games in Mexico when I was with the Phoenix Suns and that was a really cool experience to be able to be around that culture. But Spain is on my list of countries to go to. Obviously, I love the Spanish language and speak it and the culture there is so rich, and obviously, basketball is such a huge part of what they do there in Spain. So playing against a team from Spain or playing in Spain at some point in my career is definitely on the list."

**In fact, as you said, Lokomotiv has been your only team in Europe until now. How comfortable are you at Lokomotiv and in the city of Krasnodar?**

"I love it. It's home and I made it home. I enjoy being here. I really love the people, the fans and the organization. Obviously, Coach and I... My play really started to elevate when Coach Pashutin came towards the end of the year last year. He and I have just been continuing to build our relationship and trust each other. And I think it's a good thing for me. It's a good thing for Loko, too. I enjoy being here and Krasnodar feels like home." 

**Kevin Harvey has been with the team for just three weeks, but you two look like you've played together for a long time. How much of a great addition is he for the team? And how is he off the court?**

"Super great addition. He's a very smart basketball player, understands the ins and outs of the game, never tries to pressure or force too much. And obviously, as you've seen, he's very talented as well. So I think he comes in and helps us immediately. I mean, he takes us from a very good team to what I believe is an elite team. So on the court, he's great. And obviously off the court, this team, we really gel well together and obviously being on the road so much from and to Krasnodar, every trip is a pretty long one. So we get a lot of time to spend together, and I think that has really helped to build our relationship on the court because you get to spend our time together so much off the court. So it's been really cool."

**And finally, do you believe that what happened last season makes your team more dangerous and ready to go all the way?**

"Yes, that bad taste in our mouth, I think we all feel like we have something to prove. Obviously, Loko is a club that's well-known in the EuroCup and has been known to be very successful in the EuroCup. We want to live up to that name. We want to make our fans proud, the city of Krasnodar proud and our organization proud. And I know that sounds super cliche, but it's definitely something that we really harp on and talk about as a team because we know how good we can be. We just got to continue to try to work hard, not to skip games and just keep our head down and keep pushing. And I think at the end of the day, we'll be really happy with the results."

The top rebounder in the 7DAYS EuroCup - not just this season but in 2019-20, too - is Alan Williams of Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar, who talked about his success and his team's strong start to the season in this week's interview.