A handful of 7DAYS EuroCup teams have already hit the hardwood to prepare for the 2021-22 season with the opening of training camps. Five teams, Gran Canaria, MoraBanc Andorra, Joventut Badalona, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana and Slask Wroclaw have begun basketball practices, with Slask having already played a pair of preseason games.

With the start of its domestic season slated for early September, Slask players were the first to get going. Slask split games against fellow Polish side MKS Dabrowa Gornicza, losing the first tilt on the road 83-72 on Friday before winning 86-51 at home on Sunday behind 21 points from Aleksandar Dziewa and 15 points plus 10 rebounds from Cyril Langevine. 

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="pl" dir="ltr">Choć to tylko sparing, dzisiejszy wynik jest niewątpliwie miły dla oka... 🤓<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hej%C5%9Al%C4%85sk?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HejŚląsk</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/plkpl?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#plkpl</a> <a href="https://t.co/rk99QCqDtI">pic.twitter.com/rk99QCqDtI</a></p>&mdash; WKS Śląsk Wrocław - koszykówka (@WKS_SlaskBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/WKS_SlaskBasket/status/1424414045050920960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </center>

Andorra, Gran Canaria and Joventut players underwent medical exams last week. Andorra's players started working out together over the weekend to become the second team to begin training camp. Monday saw Gran Canaria and Joventut players also make their first contact with the ball, which marked the start of their respective training camps. 

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">☝️🔝🏀<br>Nyic-nyic...<br>Bam-bam...<br><br>Les vambes xisclen.<br>La bola bota.<br><br>Ja hi tornem a ser amb aquesta incorregible (i per molts anys) mania de tornar-nos a il.lusionar amb el que vindrà.♥️🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MaiSol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MaiSol</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MaiPor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MaiPor</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Preseason2122?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Preseason2122</a> <a href="https://t.co/5lKzdVgn4A">pic.twitter.com/5lKzdVgn4A</a></p>&mdash; MoraBancAndorra (@morabancandorra) <a href="https://twitter.com/morabancandorra/status/1423938501851107328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </center>

Adriatic League side Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana also had players on the floor for the first time, however, the four Slovenian national team players and the team's foreign players will only join the training camp at a later date. 

A handful of 7DAYS EuroCup teams have already hit the hardwood to prepare for the 2021-22 season with the opening of training camps.

Several EuroCup teams open training camp



Lietkabelis Panevezys enters its fourth 7DAYS EuroCup season in six years ready to learn from its previous experience and go past the Regular Season for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign, its first in the competition. The new format should benefit Lietkabelis, as thousands of diehard fans are ready to push the Lithuanian powerhouse to its limits in home games.

Founded in 1964 in the city of Panevezys, it competed in the lower divisions in the former Soviet Union for many years and carried the name of a successful local cable factory. For more than three decades, Lietkabelis was always considered one of the strongest basketball clubs in Lithuania and some of the finest Lithuanian players wore its jersey, including Jonas Kazlauskas, Raimundas Civilis, Rimas Kurtinaitis and Algirdas Brazys. Lietkabellis had its best years in the 1980s when it won Lithuanian League championships within the Soviet Union in 1985 and 1988 and also reached the regional Lithuanian Cup final in 1985 and 1986. During that span, Lietkabelis also played in the USSR’s second division and after Lithuania became an independent state, the club was among the co-founders of its top basketball league in 1993.

The factory stopped sponsoring the club in 1996, which brought the first of seven name changes – Kalnapilis, Sema, Panevezys, Preventa-Malsena, Aukstaitija and Techasas – from 1996 through 2012. The club made its European competition debut in the 1999-00 Korac Cup. During a 16-year span, the club made it to the Lithuanian League playoffs nine times, but its run was stopped in the quarterfinals each time. In 2012, the club went back to its proud name Lietkabelis and after two seasons returned to the Lithuanian League playoffs. In 2015-16, Lietkabelis reached the Lithuanian Cup quarterfinals and the Lithuanian League playoffs, in which it was swept by Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius. Lietkabelis went further than ever in the Baltic League by finishing third overall. The 2016-17 season was the best to date in Lietkabelis history as it not only debuted in the EuroCup, but advanced into the Top 16 before reaching the finals in both the Lithuanian League and Cup, losing against Zalgiris Kaunas. Lietkabelis lost against to Zalgiris in the 2018, 2019 and 2020 Lithuanian Cup semifinals and the 2018 and 2019 Lithuanian League semifinals.

Lietkabelis put together a 16-8 record in the 2019-20 Lithuanian League - including a victory over Zalgiris - for third place in the standings when the season was called due to the COVID-19 pandemic and made it to the Champions League playoffs. Last season, Lietkabelis returned to the EuroCup but did not go past the Regular Season, ranking fifth in its group with a 2-8 record. It made it to the Lithuanian League semifinals, ranking third again, and to the Lithuanian Cup final but once again Zalgiris stood on its way to the trophy with a 76-69 victory.

Lietkabelis proudly represents a basketball-crazy country like Lithuania in a marquee competition like the EuroCup. Expect the team to show that character and commitment on the court.


Lietkabelis Panevezys enters its fourth 7DAYS EuroCup season in six years ready to learn from its previous experience.

Club profile: Lietkabelis Panevezys

Promitheas Patras strengthened its frontcourt by inking point guard Nikos Gkikas, the club announced Friday.

Promitheas brings back playmaker Gkikas

Gkikas (1.86 meters, 30 years old) arrives from AEK Athens, where he averaged 6.9 points and 2.5 assists in 25 Greek League games last season. He helped AEK win the Greek Cup title and reach the Basketball Champions League final in 2020. Gkikas already played for Promitheas from 2016 to 2019, and also worked for several other Greek clubs such as Filathlitikos, Aris Thessaloniki and Nea Kifisia Dimoukas Athens, as well as for Ventspils of Latvia. He has also been a member of the Greek national team. Gkikas is set to make his 7DAYS EuroCup debut with Promitheas in his second stint with the Greek powerhouse.

<div style="display: grid; place-items: center;"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="el" dir="ltr">Γκίκας, η επιστροφή! 🔥<br>Διαβάστε περισσότερα: <a href="https://t.co/WuDYRK3LjN">https://t.co/WuDYRK3LjN</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/promitheaspatras?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#promitheaspatras</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/promitheasbc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#promitheasbc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ourpowerfulfamily?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ourpowerfulfamily</a> <a href="https://t.co/TkEfhcbSD9">pic.twitter.com/TkEfhcbSD9</a></p>&mdash; Promitheas Patras BC (@promitheasbc) <a href="https://twitter.com/promitheasbc/status/1423546338147504129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Partizan NIS Belgrade strengthened its roster by inking power forward Alen Smailagic to a three-year deal, the club announced Friday

Partizan lands forward Smailagic

Smailagic (2.08 meters, 20 years old) arrives from Golden State of the NBA, where he averaged 2.0 points in 14 games last season. He also played for Santa Cruz of the G League, averaging 8.7 points and 5.0 rebounds in 12 games. Smailagic started his career with Beko Belgrade, joining Santa Cruz before the start of the 2018-19 season. He has also been a member of the Serbian U16 national team. Smailagic is set to make his 7DAYS EuroCup debut with Partizan in the upcoming 2020-21 campaign.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Alen Smailagić je šesto pojačanje <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKPartizan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKPartizan</a> ovog leta! <br><br>📑<a href="https://t.co/7UemOfTaIS">https://t.co/7UemOfTaIS</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ABALiga?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ABALiga</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/7DaysEuroCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#7DaysEuroCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/4rgKpBnXIa">pic.twitter.com/4rgKpBnXIa</a></p>&mdash; KK Partizan NIS (@PartizanBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC/status/1423629709280227329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Partizan NIS Belgrade strengthened its roster by inking power forward Alen Smailagic to a three-year deal, the club announced Friday.

Lokomotiv announced on Friday extending forward Sergei Dolinin to a multi-year contract. 

Lokomotiv extends young forward Dolinin

Dolinin (2.04 meters, 21 years old) has been with Lokomotiv since 2018. He has made four limited 7DAYS EuroCup appearances in the past two seasons but has not yet scored a point. Dolinin played in 18 VTB League games, averaging 9 minutes and posting 2.1 points and 1.3 rebounds. Dolinin grew up with Enisey Krasnoyarsk and with CSKA Moscow youth categories before joining Lokomotiv. He also played for Russia at the U19 World Championships in 2019.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ru" dir="ltr">Сергей, добро пожаловать в основу! Форвард подписал контракт по схеме 2+3 ⚡<br>⠀<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lokobasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#lokobasket</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lokofamily?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#lokofamily</a> <a href="https://t.co/9iEEIlNZk9">pic.twitter.com/9iEEIlNZk9</a></p>&mdash; LOKO ЛокомотивКубань (@lokobasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/lokobasket/status/1423568898104991746?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Virtus Segafredo Bologna starts a new era with Sergio Scariolo as head coach. Last season, 19 consecutive wins were not enough for Virtus to qualify for the EuroCup Finals. The Italian powerhouse returns to the competition with the same two goals: qualifying for the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and becoming the first Italian team to win the 7DAYS EuroCup.

Virtus began as a gymnastics club in 1879, formed its first professional basketball team in the late 1920s and proceeded to consistently win championships for more than half a century. Virtus so enjoyed its first Italian title in 1945 that it added three more in a row. It returned to the top in Italy in 1955 and 1956, but that preceded a 20-year drought. Since then, however, trophies have been lifted consistently, starting with four Italian League crowns between 1976 and 1984, the last coming with an Italian Cup victory for the club's first double. The second double came six years later, with an Italian Cup and the first mark made by Virtus on the European stage, the 1990 Saporta Cup; Virtus beat Real Madrid 79-74 in the championship game behind an outstanding Michael Ray Richardson.

It won three consecutive Italian League titles from 1993 to 1995. A shining moment came in 1998 when Virtus won its first EuroLeague crown and doubled up with another Italian championship. Predrag Danilovic, Zoran Savic, Antoine Rigaudeau and Coach Ettore Messina led Virtus to that EuroLeague title. Things got even better in 2001 as Virtus claimed the EuroLeague, Italian League and Italian Cup titles, a first-ever Triple Crown behind Marko Jaric, Manu Ginobili, Rigaudeau, Matjaz Smodis and Rashad Griffith. Virtus lost in the 2002 EuroLeague final and soon after suffered financial troubles, leading to a merge with FuturVirtus Castelmaggiore in the Italian second division to avoid disappearing.

Virtus returned to the EuroLeague for the 2007-08 season and lost four consecutive Italian Cup finals from 2007 to 2010. It lifted the EuroChallenge trophy in 2009 after defeating Cholet Basket 75-77. Virtus slipped to the Italian second division in 2016, but returned to the top tier a year later and won the Basketball Champions League in 2019 by defeating Iberostar Tenerife in the final. It returned to the EuroCup the following season and, led by Milos Teodosic and Marco Belinelli, was undefeated in the 2020-21 EuroCup Regular Season, Top 16 and Quarterfinals, but UNICS Kazan stopped Virtus in the semis. Virtus finished the 2020-21 EuroCup with a 19-2 record, one of the best ever in the competition. No team will be more motivated this time around.


Virtus Segafredo Bologna starts a new era with Sergio Scariolo as head coach. 

Club profile: Virtus Segafredo Bologna



A classic team in the competition, Gran Canaria is set to start its 14th EuroCup campaign - and comes off one of its finest efforts, too. Gran Canaria reached the semifinals in 2021 for the third time in club history and hopes to keep building on such a great result to challenge for its first EuroCup crown.

Founded in 1963, Gran Canaria reached the Spanish first division in 1985, but did not gain a foothold for good until 1995-96. The club played its first Spanish League playoff game in 2000 and competed in the Korac Cup in 2001. Gran Canaria made its ULEB Cup debut in 2003-04 and got to the eighthfinals before losing to Real Madrid. It did not return to the ULEB Cup elimination rounds until 2007 when it lost in the eighthfinals against FMP. Gran Canaria enjoyed a great EuroCup season in 2009-10, but a home loss against Panellinios in a do-or-die game prevented the team from reaching the EuroCup Finals.

Great results finally arrived in the 2012-13 season, when Gran Canaria reached the Spanish Copa del Rey and the Spanish League semifinals for the first time. Another step forward came in 2013-14 when it moved to the magnificent 11,500-seat Gran Canaria Arena. The next season was one to remember as EuroCup Coach of the Year Aito Garcia Reneses and All-EuroCup center Walter Tavares led Gran Canaria to the EuroCup Finals. The team won 21 of its first 22 games, however, Khimki Moscow Region was the better team in the finals. Gran Canaria used a strong season to get back to the EuroCup Semifinals, but lost by 1 point in the two-game total-points series to eventual champion Galatasaray Istanbul. Gran Canaria lifted the Spanish SuperCup, its first title, and went back to the EuroCup playoffs in 2017, but Hapoel Jerusalem stood in its way in the quarterfinals.

Gran Canaria had a strong 2017-18 season, in which it reached the EuroCup Quarterfinals, Spanish Copa del Rey semifinals and clinched a EuroLeague berth through the Spanish League. In 2018-19, the club went 8-22 in its EuroLeague debut. Last season, Gran Canaria rallied from a 0-3 start in the Top 16 to qualify for the playoffs and eventually reach the semifinals, where it was ousted by AS Monaco. In another club first, Aleksander Balcerowski earned EuroCup Rising Star honors. Gran Canaria knows what it takes to be successful in this competition and could be among the main candidates to lift the trophy this season.


A classic team in the competition, Gran Canaria is set to start its 14th EuroCup campaign - and comes off one of its finest efforts, too. 

Club profile: Gran Canaria

Promitheas Patras strengthened its roster for the upcoming season with the addition of swingman Loic Schwartz, the club announced on Tuesday

Promitheas adds Schwartz to the mix

Schwartz (1.98 meters, 28 years old) arrives from Oostende and comes off a career season. He averaged 11.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.2 steals in Belgium League action, and also posted 11.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 steals in Basketball Champions League. Schwartz spent the last four years with Oostende, time during which he helped the team win three Belgian League titles. By joining Promitheas he leaves to play outside his native country for the first time, and gets a chance to return to the 7DAYS EuroCup where he made 19 appearances in two seasons with Spirou Charleroi in 2014 and 2015, with career averages of 3.1 points, 2.5 rebounds. During his professional career, Schwartz also played with Mons-Hainaut and Pepinster, and has been a longtime member of the Belgian national team.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="el" dir="ltr">Παίκτης του Προμηθέα ο Loic Schwartz!<br>Διαβάστε περισσότερα: <a href="https://t.co/tpxlGuNw8j">https://t.co/tpxlGuNw8j</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LoicSchwartz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LoicSchwartz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PromitheasPatras?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PromitheasPatras</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OurPowerfulFamily?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OurPowerfulFamily</a> <a href="https://t.co/AcLU5cX12X">pic.twitter.com/AcLU5cX12X</a></p>&mdash; Promitheas Patras BC (@promitheasbc) <a href="https://twitter.com/promitheasbc/status/1422513748569432074?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Promitheas Patras strengthened its roster for the upcoming season with the addition of swingman Loic Schwartz, the club announced on Tuesday.

Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar added depth and athleticism to its frontcourt by inking forward Johnathan Motley, the club announced Tuesday

Lokomotiv tabs forward Motley

Motley (2.03 meters, 26 years old) arrives from Inchon ET Land Elephants, where he averaged 20.7 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 blocks in 24 South Korean League games last season. He started his career with Dallas of the NBA and also played for Los Angeles Clippers also of the NBA, as well as for Tezad and Agua Caliente of the G League. Before that, Motley averaged 17.3 points and 9.9 rebounds in 34 NCAA games with Baylor University in the 2016-17 campaign. He is set to make his 7DAYS EuroCup debut with Lokomotiv next season.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ru" dir="ltr">«Локо» подписал контракт с Джонатаном Мотли 🔥🔥🔥<br><br>26-летний американский форвард имеет большой опыт игры в NBA и G League, а также отмечен яркой карьерой в NCAA.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lokobasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#lokobasket</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lokofamily?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#lokofamily</a> <a href="https://t.co/YUoGnyomCA">pic.twitter.com/YUoGnyomCA</a></p>&mdash; LOKO ЛокомотивКубань (@lokobasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/lokobasket/status/1422552141999247372?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar added depth and athleticism to its frontcourt by inking forward Johnathan Motley, the club announced Tuesday.

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