Euroleague Basketball is pleased to announce that Aleksander Balcerowski of Herbalife Gran Canaria has been chosen as the 7DAYS EuroCup Rising Star Trophy winner for the 2020-21 season. Balcerowski improved as the EuroCup season went on to become one of his team's pillars in the playoffs. The EuroCup Rising Star Trophy recognizes the most outstanding player in the competition who was younger than 22 years of age on July 1 of the summer before the season started. Balcerowski, who will turn 21 in November, helped Gran Canaria reach the EuroCup Semifinals for the first time since 2016. The 2.15-meter center averaged 6.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 15 EuroCup games this season in less than 14 minutes on court. He made 65.6% of his two-point shots, which was eighth-best in the EuroCup, and ranked 11th in the competition in both offensive rebounding (2.1 orpg.) and blocks.

The Rising Star Trophy is part of an expanded end-of-season awards structure launched before the 2008-09 season to enhance the recognition of the finest EuroCup players for their efforts on the basketball court. Apart from the EuroCup Rising Star, Euroleague Basketball and its in-house experts also select the EuroCup Coach of the Year, while fans add their help by voting for the All-EuroCup First and Second Teams and the EuroCup MVP. The EuroCup Finals MVP will be announced after the completion of the playoffs.

Balcerowski started to see significant playing time by the end of the regular season and posted 11 points and 4 rebounds in Round 9 against Frutti Extra Bursaspor. He continued to make the most of his playing time in the Top 16. Balcerowski posted 12 points on 6-of-9 two-point shooting in Round 1 against Mornar Bar and finished this stage with 11 points and 6 rebounds in a must-win Round 6 showdown against UNICS Kazan. Balcerowski averaged 8.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in the quarterfinals against Boulogne Metropolitans 92, and had a career-high PIR of 17 in Game 1 of the semifinals against AS Monaco, which he finished with 9 points and 7 rebounds. Balcerowski contributed 12 points and 5 rebounds in Game 2 against Monaco, which Gran Canaria lost and was eliminated. His per-40-minute averages were impressive with 18.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and a PIR of 24.0.

Born in Swidnica, Poland, Balcerowski started to play basketball in his native country with Stowarzyszenie Gornik Walbrzych. In 2015, at the age of 14, Balcerowski joined Gran Canaria's Spanish youth system. On December 3, 2017, Balcerowski became the youngest Gran Canaria player to make his first-team debut; he was 17 years and 14 days old. He played the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Ciutat de L’Hospitalet twice, averaging 12.3 points and 6.0 rebounds in 2018. Balcerowski made his EuroCup debut against Tofas Bursa on December 6, 2017, and played in the 2018-19 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. He has earned EuroCup Rising Stars honors in his first season as a full-time member of Gran Canaria's first roster.

Balcerowski joins a select list of Rising Star trophy winners that also includes Victor Claver of Power Electronics Valencia, Milan Macvan of Hemofarm Vrsac, Donatas Motiejunas of Benetton Basket Bwin, Jonas Valanciunas of Lietuvos Rytas, two-time winner Bojan Dubljevic of Valencia Basket, Kristaps Porzingis of Baloncesto Seville, Mateusz Ponitka of Stelmet Zielona Gora, Rolands Smits of Montakit Fuenlabrada, Dzanan Musa of Cedevita Zagreb and the 2018-19 winner, Martunas Echodas of Rytas Vilnius.

7DAYS Rising Star Trophy winner: Aleksander Balcerowski, Herbalife Gran Canaria

Rob Gray is the go-to scorer on AS Monaco, the only team to sweep its 7DAYS EuroCup Semifinals series this season. Gray led all scorers with 25 points in Monaco's 82-77 Game 1 victory over Herbalife Gran Canaria and his buzzer-beater to win Game 2 sent Monaco to its first EuroCup Finals. Gray's exploits paved the way for Euroleague Basketball to name him the 7DAYS EuroCup Semifinals MVP. His 17.0 points per game were second among players on winning teams in the semifinals and Gray's 71.4% three-point accuracy was tied for second-best in the quarterfinals behind only teammate J.J. O'Brien.

The Semifinals MVP award was introduced for the 2017-18 season. Scottie Wilbekin of Darussafaka Istanbul was the maiden award-winner and Peyton Siva of ALBA Berlin was chosen in 2018-19. The semifinals were not played last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This season, Virtus Segafredo Bologna guard Milos Teodosic was chosen as the 7DAYS EuroCup Regular Season MVP and his Virtus teammate Vince Hunter was the Top 16 MVP. Monaco players have won the other two awards with Mathias Lessort capturing the Quarterfinals MVP and now Gray getting the semifinals nod.

A EuroCup rookie, Gray raised his already impressive numbers in almost every statistical category in the semifinals. He had averaged 16.3 points on 50% three-point shooting and 77.8% free-throw shooting plus 2.2 rebounds in 13 games through the quarterfinals. The first five of those games came playing for Boulogne Metropolitans 92 in the regular season before he moved to Monaco. Gray shined with 17.0 points on 71.4% three-point shooting and 90% on free throws plus 2.5 rebounds in the semifinals.

Gray scored 13 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter in Game 1 of the semifinals to help Monaco hold off Gran Canaria 82-77. After John Shurna drew Gran Canaria within 6 with the first basket of the quarter, Gray scored the next 5 points and kept pacing Monaco. His final basket was a three to make it 71-61 with 3 minutes to go before fouling out. Gray finished with a season-high 25 points on 5-of-6 three-point shooting plus 4-of-4 from the foul line. In Game 2, Gray scored 5 second-quarter free throws and did not have his first basket until 2 minutes into the third when he made it 37-50. Gray watched from the bench as Gran Canaria rallied and he was called on in the final minute. After Andrew Albicy tied the game at 74-74, Coach Mitrovic called Gray's number on Monaco's final possession and he made a jumper over Shurna to win the game and series.

Gray made his EuroCup debut this season in what was his third as a professional player. He played college basketball at Howard College and the University of Houston before beginning his professional career in the G-League. Gray first came to Europe in March 2019 to play for JL Bourg-en-Bresse. He returned to France to play for Metropolitans last season and began the current season with the same club before joining Monaco in November. Gray will seek his first team trophy when he leads Monaco into the EuroCup Finals against UNICS Kazan.

7DAYS EuroCup Semifinals MVP: Rob Gray of AS Monaco

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UNICS Kazan is well identified with the 7DAYS EuroCup as the competition's all-time leader in games played and victories. This season it has even furthered cemented its place in EuroCup history by rallying from a difficult start to capture memorable wins in the playoffs and now reach the EuroCup Finals, where it will look for its second crown – one decade after its first.

Coach Dimitris Priftis's squad started the season on the left foot with a loss at Umana Reyer Venice and was starting a second straight loss before Jamar Smith saved the day with a last-second game-winner in Round 2 against Bahcesehir Koleji Istanbul.

Smith was still making history in Round 6 when he became the EuroCup's all-time leader in three-pointers made. In that game, UNICS avenged its season-opening loss in Venice thanks to a dominating rebounding effort by its bigs.

After losing at Partizan to fall to 4-3 and injuries to Nate Wolters and John Holland depleting the backcourt, the team brought in Jordan Theodore, who would prove to be a key player as the season progressed. UNICS saw its passage into the Top 16 thanks to other results before its Round 9 game and then Isaiah Canaan erupted with 33 points, including 8 three-pointers, and MVP of the Week honors in a 76-71 home win over JL Bourg en Bresse.

UNICS came up short in its Round 10 visit to Joventut Badalona when a 3-point win would have placed it first in Group A. Instead, Coach Priftis's side placed second with a 6-5 record.

Any struggles UNICS saw in the regular season disappeared with the start of the Top 16. First came a 66-73 road win at MoraBanc Andorra and then a 73-62 victory over eventual semifinalist Herbalife Gran Canaria. Its next win made it the winningest team in competition history with 155 EuroCup victories.

UNICS became the first quarterfinalist when it beat Mornar Bar 86-61 to improve to 4-0 in the Top 16. A Round 5 win over Andorra clinched first place in Group H, however, a loss in the Top 16 finale in Gran Canaria denied it the overall top seed for the playoffs.

A quarterfinals-record 19 three-pointers paved the way for UNICS to win the opener of its series against Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar. However, Lokomotiv evened the series at home and forced a deciding Game 3. UNICS triumphed in a close game to reach the semifinals for the second time in three seasons.

UNICS lost Game 1 of the semis against undefeated Virtus Segafredo Bologna, but went home for Game 2 with confidence and got big games from Canaan and Theodore to even the series. Despite an injury to Jordan Morgan, UNICS found the winning recipe in Bologna to stun the hosts and win 100-107 in what was the highest-scoring non-overtime playoff game to date in either competition organized by Euroleague Basketball since 2000.

Having now secured its return to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague for the 2021-22 campaign, all eyes in Kazan are on winning the EuroCup for the second time – and first since 2011 when it defeated Cajasol Seville in the championship game. UNICS hosts AS Monaco in Game 1 of the best-of-three finals on Tuesday, April 27.

Road to the EuroCup Finals: UNICS Kazan

Game 3 of the 7DAYS EuroCup Semifinals will go down in history as the highest-scoring non-overtime playoff game to date in either competition organized by Euroleague Basketball since 2000.

The final score of 100-107 not only saw UNICS Kazan returned to the EuroCup Finals seven years after its last appearance, become the first team to win a Semifinals Game 3 on the road, and earn the right to play in the 2021-22 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.

The combined total of 207 points between UNICS and Virtus amounted to the most that have fallen in any non-overtime playoff game in either the EuroCup or the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague this century.

Indeed, they exceeded the scoring total of any Euroleague Basketball playoff game this century except for one double-overtime eighthfinals EuroCup game between Aris Thessaloniki and Panionios back in 2006, which ended 112-105 after 50 minutes but featured at least 24 points by each team after regulation time.

By pouring in 107 points in 40 minutes, UNICS tied the scoring record in any non-overtime game ever at the quarterfinal stage or later in the EuroCup or the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. That accomplishment is shared by Hemofarm Vrsac, which downed Makedonikos Kozani 107-84 in the first leg of the two-game 2004-05 semifinals. Interestingly, Makedonikos bounced back to win 96-65 win in Game 2 to reach that season's championship game on an aggregate score of 180-172. As such, UNICS now possesses the highest scoring ever produced in a do-or-die non-overtime playoff game this century.

Since best-of-three playoffs were introduced to the EuroCup in the 2016-17 season, only two teams had broken the 100-point barrier before UNICS and Virtus did it together. ALBA Berlin hit the century mark twice in 2019, downing Unicaja Malaga 81-101 in Game 2 of the quarterfinals and MoraBanc Andorra 102-97 in Game 1 of the semifinals. Before UNICS on Wednesday, Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia had held the previous scoring mark in a 105-99 home win over Zenit St Petersburg in Game 3 of their 2017-18 quarterfinal series.

UNICS's 107 points tie the most for any team at this stage, and no other squad had scored that many points in a EuroCup semifinal in over 16 years.

The competition's all-time combined scoring record, of course, took place on December 4, 2007, as ALBA Berlin downed Bosna Sarajevo 141-127 after five overtimes in a classic. Those teams combined for 268 points that night!

Coincidentally, in the EuroLeague, the most points by any one team in a playoffs game was by Virtus in the 2001 eighthfinals, beating Adecco Estudiantes 113-70 on its way to that season's title. The most points by two teams were 203, when Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated host Scavolini Pesaro 103-100 in Game 2 of the 2004-05 playoffs.

One record UNICS does not have to share is playoff scoring in a non-overtime game by any road team in either competition's history. Its 107 points surpassed the previous mark by Anadolu Efes Istanbul in the 2018-19 EuroLeague Playoffs, when it won 68-102 at FC Barcelona's court.

UNICS hosts Game 1 of the best-of-three EuroCup Finals against AS Monaco at Basket Hall Kazan on April 27, 2021.

Game 3 between UNICS and Virtus shattered playoffs scoring marks

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UNICS Kazan and AS Monaco will meet in the 2021 7DAYS EuroCup Finals. Each was tested in tough semifinals series. Monaco swept Herbalife Gran Canaria, while UNICS dropped the opener before taking Games 2 and 3 to oust previously undefeated Virtus Segafredo Bologna. The best-of-three finals series is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, April 27 in Monaco with UNICS hosting Game 2 and - if necessary - Game 3 at Basket Hall in Kazan.

### UNICS Kazan vs AS Monaco

UNICS boasts an advantage in experience as it will play on the EuroCup's big stage for the third time. It won the EuroCup in 2011 and reached the finals in 2014. UNICS Kazan has played (228) and won (160) the most games in competition history. Monaco is in just its third EuroCup campaign and had never played an elimination-round game before this season. Coach Zvezdan Mitrovic's men enter the finals in great form having won four straight games and seven of their last eight. These two are among the best offensive rebounding teams in the competition; Monaco tops the charts with 13.7 per game and UNICS ranks third with 12.5. They are also among the best at taking care of the ball; with 12.1 turnovers per game each, which have them among the best four teams this season. These teams met twice last season in the EuroCup Top 16 and Monaco was triumphant in both games. Dee Bost averaged 16.0 points and 5.0 assists and J.J. O'Brien had 13.5 points in those games. That duo and Wilfried Yeguete are the only players remaining from the Monaco roster from those games. UNICS has five players back from last season.



7DAYS EuroCup Finals at a glance

A winning effort in a truly historic game has earned UNICS Kazan forward John Brown his first EuroCup MVP of the Week honor. Brown led UNICS to a 100-107 road victory in must-win Game 3 of the semifinals, sending his team to the EuroCup Finals for the third time in club history. He came off the bench and finished the game with a personal best of 20 points, hitting 7 of 10 two-point shots and 6 of 7 free throws. Brown added 8 rebounds, an assist, 2 steals and 8 fouls drawn for a performance index rating of 31, another high in this, his first EuroCup season. Milos Teodosic of Virtus followed with a PIR of 29 based on his 25 points, 3 rebounds, 9 assists and 10 fouls drawn in a losing effort. Jamar Smith of UNICS pushed his team off the bench, too, getting 24 points and 5 assists for a PIR of 23. Okaro White of UNICS (22 PIR) and Marco Belinelli (20) completed the top individual performances for the game and the week.

### Individual highs: Teodosic, Virtus, 9 assists

Smith and Belinelli led all scorers this week with 24 points apiece. Belinelli was also the semifinals' top scorer at 23.0 points per night. Brown led all rebounders by pulling down 8, twice as many as anyone else. Matt Costello of Herbalife Gran Canaria led this category in the semifinals, with 8.0 rebounds per game. Teodosic had 9 assists to lead the weekly standings and also was first in the semifinals with an average of 7.7 per game. Four players – Brown, John Holland and Isaiah Canaan of UNICS, and Vince Hunter of Virtus – each collected 2 steals this week. Holland, Alessandro Pajola of Virtus, Stan Okoye of Gran Canaria and Wilfried Yeguete of AS Monaco averaged 2.0 steals in the semifinals. Five players – Stefan Markovic, Hunter and Giampaolo Ricci of Virtus, Holland and Jordan Morgan of UNICS – each recorded a block this week. Costello was the best shot-blocker in the semifinals (3.5 bpg.). There were no double-doubles in the EuroCup this week.

MVP of the Week: John Brown, UNICS Kazan

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Game 3 of the 7DAYS EuroCup Semifinals between Virtus Segafredo Bologna and UNICS Kazan was one of the very best in competition history. It was already highly anticipated for many reasons. First, the winner would face AS Monaco in the EuroCup Finals. Second, Games 1 and 2 were outstanding basketball showdowns. Both games went on the wire and either team could have won.

Earlier this week, Zenit St Petersburg beat Panathinaikos OPAP Athens to qualify for the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs, thus leaving Valencia Basket, the still-reigning EuroCup champion, out of that. It meant that both of the EuroCup finalists would be eligible to play in the 2021-22 EuroLeague, turning the game between UNICS and Virtus into a do-or-die showdown to be in the top European competition next season.

The game did not disappoint any basketball fan: both teams gave their best, fought hard and when the dust settled, UNICS was the last team standing, recording a 100-107 road victory that allowed the Russian powerhouse to keep fighting for EuroCup glory.

UNICS had to fight through adversity, however, as Jordan Morgan left the game with a knee injury midway through the second quarter. Morgan slipped as he was trying to defend Virtus guard Marco Belinelli behind the three-point line and was helped off the floor. He did not return and all of a sudden, UNICS was without its leading rebounder and one of its best scorers.

Coach Dimitris Priftis was forced to turn to a small lineup, playing John Brown at center and Okaro White at power forward. White, who was playing against his former team, was one of the best players on the floor and finished the game with 22 points on 5-of-7 two-point shooting, 2-of-3 on three-pointers and 6-of-6 on free throws. He added 4 rebounds and 5 fouls drawn for a PIR of 22.

White came up big in crunch time, too. He hit a three-pointer and added a couple of close-range baskets in helping UNICS take a 77-79 edge to a promising 84-94 cushion. Virtus fought back, but Isaiah Canaan sealed the outcome with a wild shot from almost midcourt.

"We came to play our heart out," White said after the game. "We played our heart out and played with a great mentality. And we won the game!"

Brown had 20 points on 7-of-10 two-point shooting, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals and 7 fouls drawn for a PIR of 31. Both White and Brown played over 33 minutes in Game 3.

"We just stuck with our game plan and executed well down defensively," Brown said. "Of course, they got some calls, but we stuck with it, didn't bicker with the referees like in the past and just held it together."

UNICS joined Unicaja Malaga and MoraBanc Andorra as the only teams to ever win EuroCup Game 3s on the road. In 2017, Unicaja won Game 3s against FC Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals and against Valencia in the EuroCup Finals. Andorra edged LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in Game 3 of the 2019 quarterfinals.

One of the players who helped Unicaja win those Game 3s in 2017 was Jamar Smith, who also played a decisive role for UNICS in Bologna. Smith came off the bench to get 24 points and 5 assists. He now needs 62 points to become the EuroCup's all-time leading scorer. Bojan Dubljevic leads the table with 1,445 points and Smith is second at 1,384.

"It is a unique moment for us, for me personally, for the guys and for the club. We will participate next season with the top teams, in the EuroLeague. I am very thankful to my guys, to my players, to the staff, to the whole staff, to the people of my team," UNICS coach Dimitris Priftis said after the game. "Of course, this is not obviously done; we have the finals in front of us, but this is a very important achievement."

UNICS has the home-court advantage in the EuroCup Finals and will host AS Monaco on Tuesday, April 27 for the series opener at Basket Hall Kazan.

Small ball sent UNICS to the finals

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When Virtus Segafredo Bologna hosts UNICS Kazan on Wednesday in a do-or-die clash for a spot in the 7DAYS EuroCup Finals – and 2021-22 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague eligibility, the home team knows that small forward Kyle Weems is a player it can rely on under pressure. Weems reached the EuroCup Finals with Strasbourg in 2016 and wants to get there again. He is averaging 10.5 points on strong shooting percentages (67.0% 2FG, 41.3% 3FG, 83.3% FT), 3.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 20 EuroCup games this season. Weems hopes to take advantage of this opportunity and bring Virtus back to the EuroLeague, as he said in this EuroCupBasketball.com interview. "One of the main goals of this club, when I signed here two summers ago, was to was to be able to get this club to the EuroLeague, back where they wanted to be," Weems said. "And to be so close, there is only one way to do it: that is to come out with extreme energy, extreme focus and just be ready to go to battle for 40 minutes until the buzzer sounds. And when it does, hopefully, we will be on top."

**Hello, Kyle. First of all, how does it feel to be part of such an amazing playoff series?**

"It is awesome, especially because the body of work that we have had up until this point just kind of makes for a special stage. UNICS has a great team of great athletes, great shot-makers, great playmakers and a great coach, so we need to be focused, concentrate on our game plan, and play tough. And hopefully, we can get the job done tomorrow night."

**How do you approach a do-or-die game like this, with the EuroCup season on the line?**

"I think it's important to obviously understand the stakes of the game. I think everybody pretty much understands that from both teams, from both clubs. But I think as a player, it's important to keep your routine, keep your game day routine the same, kind of treat it as any old game and don't do anything out of the normal. Do all the things that have got you here to this point individually and collectively. And that's just going to be my own individual outlook on the game. Just treat it as another game. We have to go out and play physical. It's going to be a tough game. And like we have told ourselves all year long, we have to rely on our defense because we feel like we can score at any given time. But we need to rely on our defense and hopefully, that'll be enough to get the job done." 

"We need to rely on our defense and hopefully, that'll be enough."

**In Game 2, Virtus fought back from 18 points down to tie the game in the final minute. Despite the loss, is that a good sign going forward?**

"For sure, because I think we kind of took the momentum back a little bit if that makes sense. I don't really believe in moral victories, but watching the game film and seeing the mistakes that we had, we had a lot of, I call them 'killing turnovers'. When we turned it over, they were able to score. They also had some really big offensive rebounds that hurt us as well. And also, we didn't shoot at our best. Obviously, Belinelli was fantastic, but Teodosic wasn't able to make a three and I wasn't able to make a three on my own attempt. These are just some things we have to look forward to and hold our head high about."

**Game 1 was also really close. Were you a bit confident because of Virtus's amazing winning streak?**

"I don't know if it's necessarily that we hadn't lost the game; I think we have just been in so many close games like battling back in Monaco earlier in the season, around Christmas time. A few weeks ago, we had a similar type of game down 7, I believe, under 2 minutes against Cedevita Olimpija. Then against Joventut Badalona, it was tied with about 7 minutes to go in Game 1, them battling back in Game 2 in Badalona and us being able to close it out. So we have seen those types of close games before. I thought we did a good job of kind of staying poised and just kind of staying in the moment. And like I said earlier, really focusing on defense. We were able to get some key stops and Teodosic had a huge bucket. We had some free throws late and we were able to close it out."

**After two years playing with Teodosic, does he still surprise you sometimes?**

"Honestly, nothing that he does anymore surprises me, just because he is such a great talent. His basketball IQ is out of this world, his passing ability, his courage, honestly, I think is one of his best attributes. I mean, the guy is never scared at the moment. Like in the last game, we get the jump ball and he immediately breaks it down and just goes right to the bucket for a layup. So just his courage, his talent and obviously his IQ is something that I have never seen before."

**UNICS is a very physical team top to bottom. Is matching its physicality the biggest key to Game 3?**

"For sure. You have to be ready physically, just like you need to be ready mentally for this series They hit, and we like to think that we play physical and hit, too. So it is just going to be who can hit in the smartest way without fouling, obviously, and not make bad fouls in the bonus. I think that has been key for both games. They dealt with some bad fouls in the bonus in Game 1, we dealt with some bad fouls in different quarters of Game 1. And just trying to keep them off the free-throw line, but playing smart and playing physical within the confines of the rules of basketball, I think is definitely going to be huge for this game."

**You played the EuroCup Finals with Strasbourg in 2016. What do you remember about it?**

"I think it's very similar in effect to Galatasaray. They were physical as well and had a great group of foreigners, of guys on a team similar to this UNICS team. They were athletic, liked to throw the ball inside and did a lot of switching. And that's kind of similar to what UNICS is doing now. So just being able to slow down, not panic, not rush, read the game, take as smart shots as possible and also keeping UNICS out of transition, similar to what my Strasbourg team needed to do with Galatasaray, with those athletic guys that they had. The atmosphere in Game 2 was amazing. There is nothing that tops that game. Even though we lost it, was a great game to be a part of something that I'll never forget, pulling up to the arena and walking down the tunnel. It was already sold out between 12,000 to 15,000, whatever that arena [Abdi Ipekci] held. I could hear the fans screaming over my headphones. I have noise-cancelling headphones and I could still hear them! But that's what you live for, and that's what this time of the season is all about. These are the type of games that you want to be a part of. I really wish that our fans could be a part of this season with us on a physical basis. They've been great support, always sending a lot of messages on Instagram and Twitter and all social media and following us. But them being there during the games would definitely help, as I believe it helped UNICS in Game 2 – and that game was also fun to be a part of. But we definitely wish our fans could be in Virtus Segafredo Arena with us for Game 3." 

"You have to be ready physically, just like you need to be ready mentally." 

**You were really close to the EuroCup title once. Is that an extra motivation to try to go all the way in 2021?**

"For sure. The only title that I've been able to win over here in my nine years is the EuroChallenge title with no disrespect to the competition. It was a great competition last season. I had a lot of fun playing in it. I have been in the EuroCup now for, I believe this is my fourth year, and with this type of team, we have to take advantage of this opportunity. But first things first, it's all about the team. You have known me for years, I don't like to bring any of my own individual thoughts or accolades or goals to the table. It's all about winning. So I just want our team to be successful and play one of our best games of the year on Wednesday. And whatever the future holds, it holds."

**You played against Monaco earlier this season. Did you expect to see them in the Finals?**

"I am not really too surprised. That other side of the [playoff] bracket, it could have been a crazy toss-up. I felt the same about Gran Canaria, I thought they could have got there. I felt even Paris [Boulogne Metropolitans 92] could have got there. They had been playing well up until that point. Even Buducnost was playing well towards the end of the Top 16. But I think for me, Monaco is very well-coached. We played them twice in those close games, last season in our group stage and also this season. So it doesn't really surprise me: the coach and that organization have done a good job up to this point, so congratulations to them. They won the games that were in front of them and they deserve to be in the finals."

**Finally, the game has also become a do-or-die showdown to earn the right to play in the 2021-22 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. Does it change anything, in terms of pressure?**

"No, I don't think that it puts any more pressure to the game. I think that any time you have a chance to compete for a championship, that's all you could ask for. But obviously, one of the main goals of this club, when I signed here two summers ago, was to be able to get this club to the EuroLeague, back where they wanted to be. And to be so close, there is only one way to do it: that is to come out with extreme energy, extreme focus and just be ready to go to battle for 40 minutes until the buzzer sounds. And when it does, hopefully, we will be on top."

Before Virtus Segafredo Bologna and UNICS Kazan meet for a spot in the 2021 7DAYS EuroCup Finals, Kyle Weems of Virtus spoke to EuroCupBasketball.com about this do-or-die Game 3.

Kyle Weems, Virtus: 'It's all about winning'

First of all, it's been a great playoff series between us and Virtus and it's amazing to be a part of it. This is what you play for! These are the moments, two great teams going at it, just trying to give everything they got to win and obviously, it's going to be a good one on Wednesday. We won Game 2 and took the series back to Bologna. I think it all really starts from our defense, just being locked in and aggressive. Throughout the year, that's what we've relied on. Obviously, we have great, great defensive players. We have Zhbanov, John Brown... We have guys like that, but everybody is helping each other and bringing energy to the defensive end. It has been our focus all year, so we just have to keep that up.

Nate Wolters was a great, great boost for us, and he's a real professional. To take all that time off, come back and kind of not miss a beat, that's a real testament to his work ethic. His professionalism is really amazing! He was able to come in and be so effective. Isaiah Canaan also stepped up big. It is easy because we've been rolling with him all year. He's been there for us all year, so we are going to be with him to the end. He is going to keep shooting. We just tell him to keep shooting because we knew it was not going to last. Everybody has his back and we are going to roll with him. So it is not hard to stick with him because that's our guy and he has been our guy all year. 

With Nate back, I think Game 2 was one of the first games in a while that we had a whole team. It's just something that we need to win, our guards are really important, and especially in this series going up against some great, great guards. So we definitely need everybody to step up and I think you saw that in Kazan. JT [Jordan Theodore] stepped up big, Nate stepped up big, Sip [Isaiah Canaan] stepped up big, and that's what we are going to need on Wednesday.

We will need to be more focused, too, because we were up by 18 in Game 2 and Virtus came back. I just think we kind of let our foot off the gas a little bit. I think we might have started looking at the score and us being up instead of just keep going, and there was still a lot of time left, obviously, in the game. We kind of let them back in because we stopped being as aggressive, I think. So we got to just keep on them, keep our foot on the gas and continue to play. They are a great team and have a lot of pride, so they are not just going to back down. We have to weather the storm and keep going.

We have no choice now. I am just happy we got the win, that we were able to pull it out and. Right now, it's all about one game on Wednesday where anything can happen, and hopefully, we'll come out on top. Virtus is a great team... and great victories require great opponents, and I think we have a great one, so we have an opportunity for a great victory and to do something special. 

"Great victories require great opponents." 

In Game 1, Teodosic kind of took over down the stretch. We made some mistakes and they capitalized. And so we weren't able to get the win, but that's what they do. They are a good team and we can't make those mistakes. We have to capitalize on their mistakes and have to do a better job of execution, just trying to finish out the game at the end. We had a little trouble, even in Game 2, finishing it out. But we have been working on it and hopefully, we will be able to get the job done. 

Belinelli played really well in Game 2. I think we understand what he and Teodosic bring and what they can do. I mean, it's obvious. So there are no secrets anymore, it is going to be the third time we play them. We understand what we're trying to do. We understand the things that they are looking for and we just have to stop it. And obviously, we have great players on our side. It's easier said than done, that's what it is, that's the type of game it is going to be. It is going to come down to it and hopefully, at the end of the day, we will do the things that we have to do to get the win.

It is a chance to win a European title and maybe to go to the EuroLeague. I mean, not like we need any more motivation, but that's another factor, that's something that is out there. I think we are focused on the task at hand and that's just trying to beat Virtus. That's the only thing that really is on our mind, just to be locked in for that. All of the other stuff that comes with it, with the win, is great, and that's going to be there, but right now, none of it happens without the win!

John Holland of UNICS Kazan checks back with a blog post right before the most important game so far this season. "We have no choice now," he explained in his blog ahead of Game 3.