After coming up short in the 7DAYS EuroCup Semifinals last season, Virtus Segafredo Bologna starts afresh with big goals for 2021-22. There will be a new legendary figure on the sidelines in head coach Sergio Scariolo, who himself makes his return to European club coaching for the first time since 2013-14 with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz. Scariolo, who led Spain to the gold at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, will have plenty of weapons at his disposal and the club must be considered a favorite for the EuroCup crown.

### BACKCOURT

Scariolo has an embarrassment of riches and his backcourt troops will allow him to do a lot of things style-wise. Milos Teodosic is back and, as always, will set up people - even if they don’t realize they are being set up. The club made a big splash in the backcourt with the addition of Italian national team player Nico Mannion, who will be playing in Europe for the first time. However, Mannion may miss the start of the season. Virtus made major headlines last season when it added Marco Belinelli, and the veteran is back as team captain - and scoring ace to go to whenever the team needs a basket. Shooting guard Ty-Shon Alexander will make his European debut as another serious scoring weapon for the Virtus attack. The backcourt also features Alessandro Pajola, who is an absolute menace on defense. His 4.72 steals per 40 minutes last season was tops in the EuroCup. Point guard Michele Ruzzier and shooting guard Marco Cerron complete the incredibly deep backcourt rotation.

### FRONTCOURT

The team’s frontcourt is also loaded despite the injuries to former All-EuroLeague First Team selection Ekpe Udoh and small forward Awudu Abass. Power forward Kevin Hervey showed last season what he can do in his European debut, helping Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar reach the EuroCup quarterfinals. French big man Mouhammadou Jaiteh led the Turkish league in rebounding last season with Gaziantep Basketbol and will look to dominate the glass in the EuroCup. Amedeo Tessitori and Amar Alibegovic are back to help patrol the proceedings around the basket. Jakarr Sampson was the latest addition. The aggressive big man will make his EuroCup debut after playing parts of six seasons in the NBA. With Abass sidelined, Kyle Weems, who doesn’t seem to be slowing down at 32 years of age, will play most of the minutes at small forward, though it is only natural to expect Virtus to use some three-guard lineups, too.

### PLAYER TO WATCH

Virtus surprised many observers when it announced the signing of Nico Mannion, who shined for Italy at the 2020 Olympics. Mannion will make his debut in Italy, where his father Pace Mannion played for many years and helped Cantu to the 1991 Korac Cup title. After a virus sidelined him for training camp and Mannion lost some weight, he will have an uphill climb to get back to top form. Even then, Mannion might have some early stumbles as he gets used to the European style. But the guard should thrive with his dynamic game - featuring a lethal drive to the basket and ability to finish above the rim. Also working day in, day out with the likes of Milos Teodosic and Marco Belinelli will do wonders for his understanding of the game and his place in the offense. When he gets going, Mannion may be one of the most exciting players to watch this season in the EuroCup.

### OUTLOOK

It’s hard not to think that the mindset for Virtus entering the season is championship - and getting the storied club back to the EuroLeague – or bust. New head coach Sergio Scariolo knows how to win and the likes of Teodosic, Belinelli and Mannion definitely give Virtus the weapons to get it done. This team has loads of offensive firepower and it will be up to the defense to deliver when it matters most. But it seems like a certainty that the club will have a say in who wins the trophy.

Roster rundown: Virtus Segafredo Bologna

players-virtus-bologna-photo-virtus-ec21.jpg

Frutti Extra Bursaspor announced the signing of point guard Andrew Andrews for the coming season. Andrews (1.88 meters, 28 years old) had previously signed with fellow 7DAYS EuroCup side Turk Telekom Ankara, but the teams parted ways durring training camp. Last season Andrews played for Darussafaka Tekfen Istanbul, for which he averaged 16.1 points and 3.5 assists in the Turkish League in helping his team reach the playoffs. He improved those numbers to 18.2 points and 3.8 assists in the Basketball Champions League. Andrews has also played for Best Balıkesir and Buyukcekmece in Turkey, VEF Riga in Latvia, Hapoel Afula and Maccabi Haifa in Israel, and Delaware in the G-League.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Andrew Andrews Frutti Extra Bursaspor’da⚡🏀<br><br>Takımımız, 28 yaşındaki ABD&#39;li point guard ile anlaşma sağladı. Oyuncumuz geçtiğimiz sezonu Darüşşafaka’da 15 sayı, 2.8 ribaund ve 3 asistle tamamladı.⛹🏻<br>Andrews’a yeşil-beyaz forma altında başarılı bir sezon geçirmesini diliyoruz. 🐊 <a href="https://t.co/B4xkNBefqC">pic.twitter.com/B4xkNBefqC</a></p>&mdash; Frutti Extra Bursaspor (@BsBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/BsBasketbol/status/1443942105437679621?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>




Bursaspor signs Andrews at point guard

Boulogne Metropolitans 92 announced that it has signed veteran small forward Nobel Boungou-Colo to a short-term deal as a medical replacement for the injured Bandja Sy. The six-week contract runs through the middle of November. Boungou-Colo (2.02 meters, 31 years old) returns to the EuroCup after playing four seasons in the past for Le Mans, Limoges CSP and Khimki Moscow Region. He averaged 8.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in 32 career EuroCup appearances. Last season Boungou-Colo played for Paris Basketball in the French second division and posted 16.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists for a performance index rating of 14.8, which was second best in the league. This will be his second stint with Metropolitans, which he first joined in January 2019, also as a medical replacement. 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">🚨[OFFICIEL] <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Effectif?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Effectif</a><br>Nobel Boungou-Colo rejoint l&#39;effectif des Metropolitans 92 comme pigiste médical de Bandja Sy, sorti sur blessure samedi dernier face à Orléans, pour une durée de six semaines !🏀💪<br>➡️<a href="https://t.co/Cw2PWIpicC">https://t.co/Cw2PWIpicC</a><br>𝐁𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 <a href="https://twitter.com/Nobeezy16?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Nobeezy16</a>🤝<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoMets92?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoMets92</a> <a href="https://t.co/15sh6tX1pY">pic.twitter.com/15sh6tX1pY</a></p>&mdash; Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 (@Metropolitans92) <a href="https://twitter.com/Metropolitans92/status/1443455489258438663?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Metropolitans add Boungou-Colo 

Turk Telekom Ankara is back in the 7DAYS EuroCup after a two-season hiatus and the club will not be an easy team to beat with a good mix of foreign and domestic players – including several with winning experience.

### BACKCOURT

Coach Burak Goren can rely on a strong and experienced backcourt led by Alex Perez, Aaron Harrison and Aubrey Dawkins. Perez had several magnificent performances in the EuroCup last season both as a scorer and playmaker with Bahcesehir Koleji last season before finishing the campaign in the EuroLeague with Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul. Can Ugur Ogut provides the team with a natural point guard. Last season he ranked second in the Turkish League in assists with Gaziantep. Harrison played last season in the EuroLeague with Olympiacos Piraeus, and he has flashed his scoring ability for two seasons in the EuroCup with Galatasaray Istanbul. Dawkins is an elite shooter and tough defender at the small forward position. He could turn a lot of heads in his first season in the EuroCup. Tyler Ennis, who is recovering from a torn Achilles Tendon last season, is progressing in his rehab and could strengthen the lineup at some point during the season. Dorukan Engindeniz is expected to add scoring punch off the bench. Engindeniz, who does most of his damage from downtown, four times last season tallied more than 16 points for Socar Petkimspor including 22 in the season finale. Burak Gozeneli, 21, will fight for minutes in his third season with the club's senior squad, while teenager Batuhan Acar will gain experience in his first season at this level.

### FRONTCOURT

One of the frontcourt leaders will be JaJuan Johnson, who last season helped FC Bayern Munich make history by reaching the EuroLeague Playoffs for the first time. The 32-year-old Johnson is also a former EuroCup champion, having won the competition with Darussafaka Istanbul in 2018. All that experience will be a big help for the club. One player who will benefit is Octavius Ellis, who played the last season and a half with Olympiacos Piraeus after previously playing in the EuroCup with Promitheas Patras. Elis is a rebounding machine and a shot-blocking presence. Samet Geyik is back after a strong first season with Turk Telekom. The 28-year-old brings a low-post presence to the club. Berk Demir has 33 games of EuroLeague experience with Anadolu Efes Istanbul and Darussafaka, with whom he also played in the EuroCup in 2019-20. The power forward will help stretch the floor with his shooting, too. Back in the EuroCup after five years away is Erdi Gulasan, whose energy and outside shooting will help the team off the bench. Another player who could help out in the low blocks is Saadettin Donat, a 20-year-old former Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul center prospect who was with Galatasaray last season.

### PLAYER TO WATCH

While Turk Telekom is loaded in the backcourt, center Octavius Ellis could be the key to the team’s season. The 28-year-old big man has excelled when given the chance to play. He ranked 11th in rebounds in the EuroCup in 2019-20 with Promitheas and was sixth in rebounds per 40 minutes with 12.3 boards. In the EuroLeague last season, Ellis corralled 4.1 rebounds in just 14 minutes a game - which stretched out over 40 minutes ranked second best at 12.3 rebounds. Ellis also was seventh in blocks per 40 minutes with 2.04 rejections. The fact that Ellis likes to play around the basket will free up more space for JaJuan Johnson, who likes to take jump shots. Ellis will also be reuniting with Aaron Harrison after playing with him last season at Olympiacos.

### OUTLOOK

Half the roster has experience in the EuroCup and Coach Goren has five players back from last season. The team is filled with hungry players looking for a chance to prove themselves in bigger roles. Turk Telekom has no limits and may get even stronger with the potential mid-season return of Ennis. The start of the season will not be easy for the team, but once it gets rolling Turk Telekom could become a team its opponents start to fear.

Roster rundown: Turk Telekom Ankara

Virtus Segafredo Bologna bolstered its frontcourt by inking forward Jakarr Sampson to a two-year contract, the club announced Monday. Sampson (2.06 meters, 28 years old) arrives from Indiana of the NBA, where he averaged 4.5 points and 2.6 rebounds in 30 games last season. He started his career with Delaware of the G League, and has also played for Philadelphia, Denver, Sacramento and Chicago of the NBA, Iowa, Reno, Windy City and Fort Wayne also of the G League, as well as for Shandong Golden Bears of China. Sampson is set to make his 7DAYS EuroCup debut with Virtus next month.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">🔊 JAKARR SAMPSON È BIANCONERO ⚪️⚫️<br><br>🇮🇹 <a href="https://t.co/bOOMhB0AKv">https://t.co/bOOMhB0AKv</a><br>🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/hxktYZ2TyP">https://t.co/hxktYZ2TyP</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlackisBack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BlackisBack</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeJaKarr?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeJaKarr</a> <a href="https://t.co/405wY1VZuC">pic.twitter.com/405wY1VZuC</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Segafredo Bologna (@Virtusbo) <a href="https://twitter.com/Virtusbo/status/1442505301068898310?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Virtus adds big man Sampson

Virtus Segafredo Bologna announced that small forward Awudu Abass will undergo surgery on his right knee. Abass suffered the injury during his team's Italian League victory over Dolomiti Energia Trento on Sunday and further exams showed it to be the anterior cruciate ligament. He will undergo surgery after which a timetable for his recovery will be communicated. Abass, 28, is in his second season with the club. He averaged 5.7 points on 42.4% three-point shooting in the EuroCup last season. 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">Aggiornamento sulle condizioni di Awudu Abass ⬇️<a href="https://t.co/oTiZB2llDf">https://t.co/oTiZB2llDf</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlackisBack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BlackisBack</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Segafredo Bologna (@Virtusbo) <a href="https://twitter.com/Virtusbo/status/1442471494026731520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Virtus: Abass out with ACL injury

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Slask Wroclaw returns to the 7DAYS EuroCup for the first time since the 2007-08 campaign. Coach Petar Mijovic and his team hope to play the underdog role to perfection to advance past the regular season and into the elimination rounds.

### BACKCOURT

Strahinja Jovanovic should be Slask's floor general and starting point guard. He is a pass-first playmaker who also attacks the basket and has a high basketball IQ. Lukasz Kolenda arrives after a good season with Trefl Sopot (11.4 ppg., 3.8 apg.). A good scorer with great ambition, Kolenda has a chance to test his skills against more experienced guards. Justin Bibbs, however, should be Slask's main option at shooting guard. An athletic all-around player, Bibbs could surprise a lot of people. Veteran Jakub Karolak has both EuroCup and EuroLeague experience from his time with PGE Turow Zgorzelec, which could prove valuable. He should be another important source of points for the team. Kacper Gordon is an up-and-coming talent with good passing skills who could have a key role off the bench. Combo guard Kacper Marchewka has excelled in youth competitions and should fight for playing time to showcase his scoring skills. Swingman Kodi Justice is expected to play a big role due to his size, deep shooting range and experience.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="pl" dir="ltr">Justin Bibbs zostanie nowym zawodnikiem Śląska Wrocław! ✍️✅<br><br>25-latek wzmocni skład Trójkolorowych na pozycji rzucającego po zakończeniu sezonu w <a href="https://twitter.com/AucklandHuskies?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AucklandHuskies</a>. Witamy we Wrocławiu! 🤝<br><br>Więcej ➡ <a href="https://t.co/KasLUyG5pa">https://t.co/KasLUyG5pa</a><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/2biLai4JdT">pic.twitter.com/2biLai4JdT</a></p>&mdash; WKS Śląsk Wrocław - koszykówka (@WKS_SlaskBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/WKS_SlaskBasket/status/1413113204658614274?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### FRONTCOURT

All signs point to Kerem Kanter being Slask's frontcourt leader. He is a modern power forward with deep shooting range, post skills and great determination. Kanter rebounds well at both ends and should give Slask the scoring punch it needs around the baskets. Cyril Langevine provides outstanding rebounding skills and a great feel for the game. He led the Swedish League in rebounds (11.9 rpg., 4.2 orpg.) and blocks (1.8 bpg.) last season, his first as a professional. Ivan Ramljak is the most experienced player on the team, a versatile forward with excellent shooting range and a great feel for steals. Aleksander Dziewa is an interesting player who can score in many ways and provide aggressiveness at both ends. He may be a key player for Coach Mijovic. Maciej Bender, Michal Gabinski, Szymon Tomczak and Jan Wojcik - son of the late Polish legend Adam Wojcik - give Slask countless options around the baskets.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="pl" dir="ltr">Najlepszy center szwedzkiej <a href="https://twitter.com/sbl_herr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sbl_herr</a> w Śląsku! 💪<br><br>Cyril Langevine podpisał roczny kontrakt z WKS-em. Welcome to Wrocław! 🤜🤛<br><br>Więcej ➡ <a href="https://t.co/Pna8IdXi4f">https://t.co/Pna8IdXi4f</a><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://twitter.com/hashtag/7DAYSEuroCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#7DAYSEuroCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/eoUvZgtg2O">pic.twitter.com/eoUvZgtg2O</a></p>&mdash; WKS Śląsk Wrocław - koszykówka (@WKS_SlaskBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/WKS_SlaskBasket/status/1415597033080098816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### PLAYER TO WATCH

Justin Bibbs is a young, ambitious shooting guard who could make things happen in Wroclaw. A former star in high school, Bibbs helped the USA national team win a gold medal at the 2015 U19 World Cup. He started his professional career in the G League and comes off a breakout season in New Zealand, where he averaged 18.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists for Auckland. He is a natural athlete; his uncle Mike Haynes is an NFL Hall of Famer. Bibbs uses his power and explosiveness to blow past his defenders and gets to the foul line often. He also rebounds well on the defensive end to start fastbreaks. Bibbs has a chance to get to the next level by competing in the always-demanding EuroCup.

### OUTLOOK

The Polish powerhouse has been away from the EuroCup for more than a decade and put together a team that does not have a lot of experience in the competition. It can go either of two ways: Slask has the potential to surprise a lot of teams because most of its main players are not known at this level. However, the team needs to adjust to a different level of basketball and may need some time. Taking one game at a time is critical for Slask, as is being strong in front of its fans at Hala Orbita. Like every inexperienced team, Slask should get better as the competition goes on and the new format gives it better chances to stay in the fight to reach the knock-out rounds.

Roster rundown: Slask Wroclaw

players-slask-wroclaw-in-preseason-photo-slask-ec21.jpg

Partizan NIS Belgrade announced on Sunday that it has signed shooting guard Gregor Glas for the next three-seasons. Glas (1.97 meters, 20 years old) had already played for Partizan in the preseason before signing his deal. He arrives from fellow Belgrade side Dynamic, where Glas averaged 18.1 points and 4.2 rebounds per game last season. Before that, played for Koper Primorska in his native Slovenia. Glas became the youngest player to ever play for the Slovenian national team when he debuted as a 17-year-old in September 2018. 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">I Gregor Glas je jedan od nas! <br><br>📑<a href="https://t.co/mEgs9UQwks">https://t.co/mEgs9UQwks</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://twitter.com/hashtag/KKPartizan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKPartizan</a> <a href="https://t.co/oLAaL2SoJG">pic.twitter.com/oLAaL2SoJG</a></p>&mdash; KK Partizan NIS (@PartizanBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC/status/1442035004108787722?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Partizan pens Glas to three-year deal

Valencia Basket is the most successful club in 7DAYS EuroCup history and the Spanish team goes into 2021-22 shooting for its record fifth title. Valencia will have a new man patrolling the sidelines after Joan Penarroya took over as head coach from Jaume Ponsarnau. But the team is still loaded with much of the roster still intact from last season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.

### BACKCOURT

The core of the backcourt is back with the excellent trio of Klemen Prepelic, Martin Hermannsson and Sam Van Rossom. Prepelic remains one of the deadliest outside shooters in Europe and the 28-year-old comes back to Valencia after helping Slovenia qualify for the 2020 Olympics and then reach the semifinals in Japan. Just like Prepelic, Hermannsson was new to the club last season and the Icelandic playmaker shined setting up his teammates while also making defenses pay for letting him shoot from long range. Van Rossom has been one of the faces of Valencia for ages and he still can lead an offense over stretches at 35 years of age. The main addition to the backcourt was Nenad Dimitrijevic on a four-year deal from Joventut Badalona. The playmaker averaged double figures in scoring plus more than 3.5 assists in both of the last two EuroCup seasons with Joventut, flashing a strong drive to the basket.

### FRONTCOURT

The frontcourt is rock solid with Bojan Dubljevic, Louis Labeyrie and Mike Tobey all back while the team also added Victor Claver, Xabi Lopez-Arostegui and Jasiel Rivero. Dubljevic is the EuroCup’s all-time leading scorer (1,445 points) and rebounder (648) and ranks sixth in games played (119) - despite the fact that he only turns 30 on October 24. Power forward Labeyrie showed he can take over games offensively at times, having scored 15 points or more 10 times in the EuroLeague and Spanish League. Tobey had eight such games and also gained the invaluable experience of playing for Slovenia at the Olympics alongside Prepelic. As if that trio wasn’t strong enough, Valencia added some major reinforcements. Rivero comes from San Pablos Burgos and will be making his EuroCup debut in the blocks, where he is a beast. Claver brings a wealth of experience and at 32 can still help his former team, with which he won the 2010 EuroCup crown. Valencia also added Lopez-Arostegui on a long-term deal and he will thrive on the wing as he does his thing: draining open three-pointers.

### PLAYER TO WATCH

Jasiel Rivero is a new face for the EuroCup, but the Cuban big man is no stranger to European basketball as he played a major role in Burgos winning back-to-back Basketball Champions League titles. Even though the 27-year-old is joining a new club, Coach Joan Penarroya knows Rivero very well as he was Burgos’s coach the past two seasons. Rivero is highly efficient around the basket and also has some flair. Expect him to have a big role in the Valencia frontcourt.

### OUTLOOK

Valencia has won the EuroCup four times (2003, 2010, 2014 and 2019) and reached the finals two more times (2012 and 2017), which has meant going back and forth between the EuroCup and EuroLeague. In its 12 seasons in the EuroCup, Valencia only once failed to reach at least the quarterfinals (the Last 32 in 2016) and the team’s goal going into 2021-22 is nothing less than getting back to the finals. Penarroya has shown he’s a winning coach and also comes to a Valencia team with eight players back from the team that played in the EuroLeague last season. Accordingly, Valencia should be considered a favorite to challenge for the title.