The 7DAYS EuroCup Top 16 will reach the ultimate climax as one of the most dramatic rounds in competition history is set to take place next Tuesday and Wednesday as 11 teams battling to decide five playoffs berths.

Never in the five-year history of Top 16 have so many spots been open this late, never have so many teams been eligible to take them, and never has at least one playoffs berth been open in all four Top 16 groups entering the final round.

Things are quite simple in two groups where do-or-die pairings between contenders will directly decide which of them clinch second place and punch their tickets to the quarterfinals, due to start on March 23.

In Group E, Nanterre 92 (2-3) hosts Joventut Badalona (3-2) and will be hunting for a victory of 6 points or more in regulation time to overcome an earlier 95-90 loss in Round 2 and qualify for its first-ever EuroCup Quarterfinals. If 2008 champion Joventut wins that game or loses by fewer than 6 points in regulation time, it will advance to a quarterfinals matchup with unbeaten Virtus Segafredo Bologna (5-0), which has clinched first place in Group G.

A nearly identical situation exists for the second playoffs berth from Group G, where a clash between regional foes Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (2-3) and Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (3-2) will decide which of them faces Group E winner AS Monaco (4-1) in the quarters Olimpija edged Buducnost 74-71 in their first meeting, and Olimpija enters Round 6 with a better point-difference, which means that Buducnost needs to win by more than 3 points in regulation to move to the quarterfinals. Any other result will send Olimpija through.

Things get more complicated in Group H, where three teams are aiming for the as-yet unclaimed second ticket to the playoffs. Herbalife Gran Canaria (2-3) has destiny in its own hands because it will book a quarterfinals spot if it beats group winner UNICS Kazan (5-0). MoraBanc Andorra (2-3) will go through if it beats Mornar Bar (1-4) by at least 10 points in regulation time and if Gran Canaria loses. If Mornar wins in regulation time by a margin between 1 and 9 points, however, Gran Canaria reaches the playoffs regardless of its own outcome. Andorra can become this group's second quarterfinalist with a victory, but only if Gran Canaria loses.

Finally, Group F is set to deliver unprecedented Top 16 drama. None of the four teams have qualified, no team is eliminated, and each of the four can still win the group. Dolomiti Energia Trento (3-2) and Boulogne Metropolitans 92 (3-2) each go through with respective victories, and Trento will take first place if that happens. But both teams will be away from home. Trento is visiting Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar (2-3) which, in turn, knows that a win by 12 or more points makes it a quarterfinalist. Metropolitans will play Partizan NIS Belgrade (2-3) on a neutral floor in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Partizan might need to win by 17 in regulation, or could end up in a position where any win would qualify it, depending both on the winner and the margin of the outcome of the Lokomotiv-Trento game, which tips off three hours earlier in Krasnodar.

Keep in mind, too, that the only two undefeated teams in the Top 16, Virtus and UNICS, will be competing with each other for the best record in this phase, which comes with home-court advantage throughout the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals, should either of them make it so far. If they are tied on record, the team with the highest point difference within its group will get that privilege.

Brace yourself because ultimate basketball drama is guaranteed in next week's finale of the 7DAYS EuroCup Top 16!

Historic final Top 16 round next week!

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Heading into its final road game of the Top 16, Buducnost VOLI Podgorica faced a very simple equation: win or suffer elimination.

On paper, it might have appeared that the Montenegrin team would have few problems doing just that: after all, it was going up against a JL Bourg en Bresse team which had lost all four games in this phase of the competition and was heading into the contest with little more than half a roster due to several injuries.

However, Bourg was desperate to claim a victory in its first-ever season in the 7DAYS EuroCup and played with incredible spirit throughout the game – especially an inspired Zachery Peacock, who set club records for both scoring and three-pointers by knocking down 29 points on 6 of 11 attempts from beyond the arc. Hugo Benitez also set a couple of competition records for Bourg, dishing 7 assists and claiming 3 steals.

Against such inspired opposition, it was never going to be easy for Buducnost to get the win it needed. But instead of panicking or trying to force the game, Coach Dejan Milojevic’s men kept their composure and proceeded to deliver a perfectly balanced offensive performance which yielded a steady flow of points at all times of the contest.

Buducnost’s first shots of the game were all from beyond the arc, suggesting a long-range bombardment lay in store. But having established its deep game, the Montenegrin team then focussed its attention inside, netting six consecutive two-point attempts to finish the first quarter with 24 points.

A similar approach continued throughout and a consistent ability to score at all times saw Buducnost’s points-per-quarter tally read 24, 23, 20 and 25. This ensured that Bourg was never allowed to feel comfortable or put together a run that could have changed the game, with Buducnost repeatedly shrugging off its defensive issues to keep on scoring at the other end.

At the conclusion of a thrilling finale, Buducnost had made 22 of 34 two-point attempts (64.7%) and 12 of 30 (40%) from long range, displaying accurate shooting and almost perfect balance which was further complemented by 19 assists with just 9 turnovers. The offensive efficiency was slightly spoiled by a disappointing record of 12 of 20 from the foul line (60%), which could have made the victory come more easily.

But at least that leaves room for improvement and now Buducnost can prepare for its final game of the Top 16 knowing that a win of 4 points or more over Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana will be enough to advance, by leaving both teams with a 3-3 record and overturning a 74-71 road defeat in Round 2.

It won’t be easy, but with the relentlessly consistent offense it showed on Wednesday night, anything is possible.

Balanced Buducnost battled to stay alive

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Early elimination from the Top 16 did nothing to prevent ex-champion Unicaja Malaga's pride from shining through in Round 5 nor point guard Jaime Fernandez from seizing the first MVP of the Week honor in his five-season 7DAYS EuroCup career. Fernandez set or matched three career highs -- a performance index rating of 33, 10 assists and 6 rebounds -- in leading Unicaja past host Joventut Badalona 77-90 on Tuesday. His 22 points fell one short of tying another personal mark. Will Cummings of Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar was second this week with a PIR of 32 on near-perfect shooting in a do-or-die 61-83 road win at Boulogne Metropolitans 92. Cummings made 3 of 5 two-point shots, his only triple, and 9 of 9 free throws for 18 points to go with 4 assists and 2 steals. Two of the remaining top performances this week faced off in the same game, Buducnost VOLI Podgorica's season-saving 89-92 road win at JL Bourg en Bresse. Zachery Peacock of Bourg had career highs of 29 points, 6 defensive rebounds and a 31 PIR despite the loss, while the center he played against, Willie Reed of Buducnost, recorded a 28 PIR on perfect 6-for-6 two-point and 2-for-2 free throw shooting. Matching his 28 PIR were two more players. Vince Hunter's 14 points on 5-for-5 two-point and 4-for-5 free throw shooting and 10 rebounds helped assure of Virtus Segafredo Bologna a 98-108 overtime road win against Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana. And Marcos Knight had 19 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists as AS Monaco won 98-94 over Nanterre 92 to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals.

### Individual highs: Williams-Goss, Lokomotiv, 6 steals

Peacock of Bourg and Jaka Blazic of Olimpija were the week's top scorers with 29 points apiece. Blazic is also atop the Top 16 scoring chart with 21.8 points per game. Lokomotiv's Drew Gordon pulled down the most rebounds this week, with 12. Jordan Morgan of UNICS Kazan leads the Top 16 with 8.8 boards per game. Milos Teodosic of Virtus had 12 assists against Olimpija, matching his career high in the EuroCup and giving him the Top 16 lead with 8.0 per game. Nigel Williams-Goss of Lokomotiv made 6 steals this week, the second-most in the EuroCup this season. Marcquise Reed of Nanterre 92 leads all Top 16 stealers with 2.5 per game. And the top shot-blocker this week was Taylor Smith of Buducnost with 4. Maxime Roos of Metropolitans heads the Top 16 charts with 2.6 rejections per game.

MVP of the Week: Jaime Fernandez, Unicaja

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Hello again EuroCup fans!

It's good to be back. I had an injury that caused me to miss a few games. I developed an infection in my heel and at a certain point, the pain was too great for me to play through. I underwent an MR1 and it showed that the infection had worsened and I needed to rest for it to heal. In the end, it took less time than expected and after about three weeks I was able to get back to playing.

Any player can tell you how difficult it is to sit on the side and watch his team play. Fortunately for me, we played excellently when I was out and came up with some big wins, including in Kuban and against Partizan and Trento at home. Those wins give us a big push going forward and I hope now that I'm back, we can continue the momentum, finish the job and advance to the quarterfinals. 

"I have extended my contract… and I'm really happy to have the privilege to play here for a second season." 

Getting back in shape, like after any injury, wasn't easy. Regaining my conditioning and getting back to the team's pace took a little bit of time. But now I already feel much better and I'm glad the injury is behind me.

Mine was the latest in a string of injuries the team has gone through. I think one of the things that makes us so strong as a team is that in any given game, we have so many players who can step up. Also, we play with a well-defined style and it doesn't matter which player goes out, the player who comes in knows what to do. And the connection between the players is very strong, so when one player is out, we all know what we must do to pick up the pieces.

I have extended my contract and will play for Metropolitans also next season. From the moment I got here, I have found a connection with the club management and the employees, who made me feel welcome. I love my neighborhood where I live and I'm really happy to have the privilege to play here for a second season.

From a professional point of view, I feel like I've improved as a player and I’m already a different player than I was when I first got here and I'm really happy about that. I think I've specifically improved as far as aggressiveness and movement off the ball. I have grown in my understanding of the offense, which is much different than what I had been previously used to. Because of that, I am playing with a lot more confidence than when I first arrived. 

"I want our fans to know that we feel their support and it means a lot to us." 

We've had a lot of time to practice and prepare for this next game against Lokomotiv, which is critical for us. We come into this game determined. The key for us will be to stop their transition game. We have to be aggressive and play our brand of basketball on offense and defense. We know it won't be easy, but if everyone comes and does his job, if we play together, we can get it done and that's our goal.

Fans are still not allowed into games in France. All of us hope that the situation will improve soon and fans will be able to attend. In the meantime, I want our fans to know that we feel their support and it means a lot to us. Whether it's on social media or even people I meet on the streets, I am grateful for the support of the fans and I hope we can repay them with wins.

We have won some games this season that maybe other people didn't expect us to win. I think that's because we approach every game with a measure of modesty, determined to work hard to get the job done. If we stick to that approach and take one game at a time, I think we can do something special this season. For now, we are only thinking about Kuban on Wednesday and hopefully, we will win and then start thinking about the next game. 

With Boulogne Metropolitans 92 one win away from securing a quarterfinals berth for the second time in club history, the team's big man Tomer Ginat checks in with the second edition of his EuroCupbasketball.com blog.

Tomer Ginat, Metropolitans: 'We can do something special'

If you follow 7DAYS EuroCup highlights, you have seen Isaia Cordinier of Nanterre 92 quite often. Cordinier has been pleasing fans all around the world with his high-flying blocks, show-stopping dunks and a variety of energetic plays, night in and night out. Calling Cordinier a human highlight film, however, would be an understatement, as he has improved in every aspect of the game in his second EuroCup campaign. Cordinier, 24, was already great in his first EuroCup season with 13.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals in eight games. He has boosted those numbers to 15.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 11 games this season, improving his shooting percentage to 55.9% inside the arc and 43.2% from downtown. Cordinier knows it is do-or-die time in the EuroCup Top 16 and is ready to stand out, as he told EuroCupBasketball.com in this interview. "We built our chemistry and worked to improve our team," Cordinier said. "I think it is going to be really interesting to see what we are capable of, to show the level that we are at right now."

**Hello, Isaia. Congratulations on a great season. Are these two wins against Unicaja the turnaround you needed to compete for a playoff spot?**

"Thank you. I think these were two must-win games because we lost our first two. I feel like we were not ready in the first game against Monaco and we bounced back against Joventut. We lost in Badalona, too, but I felt like we were close against Joventut and played well. The two wins against Unicaja Malaga show that we can compete at this level and we have all of our chances to go to the next round." 

"My dad showed me basketball and I never stopped." 

**Like you said, you lost by 28 at home against Monaco. Is that game in your mind now that you will face them again?**

"Yes because I think that comparing the level that we showed against Monaco in the first Top 16 game and the level we have now is completely different because we just kept improving and learned a lot. We built our chemistry and worked to improve our team. I think it is going to be really interesting to see what we are capable of, to show the level that we are at right now."

**Your father Stephane played handball professionally. You played handball as a kid; what led you to choose basketball?**

"It is really funny. I was not supposed to switch to basketball. My parents just wanted me to switch youth teams in handball, so we decided to switch clubs. And during this summer, my dad showed me basketball and we played basketball with the family, once. And then I said 'I want to do basketball next year', so that is how I went to basketball. My dad was a basketball fan, too, he showed me basketball and I never stopped. I never stopped!"

**You lived in Martinique for three years, from 2006 to 2009. How was life there? Are they into basketball?**

"The life there was great as a kid. I had the chance to know my family, who are from Martinique, and it was an unforgettable experience. Basketball-wise, the level is lower than in France, the basketball skills and everything, but I think there is a lot of potential because people are really big athletes. We can see that some of the best players come from Martinique, Guadeloupe... the French islands. There are a lot of great athletes over there." 

"This is a historical club in France and we just have to give everything and compete." 

**Nanterre is truly a family club like no other in Europe. How would you explain that to someone who doesn't know its history?**

"When we talk about Nanterre, you have to understand the history of the team. It came from the lowest level possible in French basketball to win the championship. You have to respect that. It is a good illustration that in sports, anything is possible. This is a historical club in France and we just have to give everything and compete."

**The club is doing a great job developing young players like Ivan Fevrier, Samuel Eyango-Dingo and Victor Wembanyama. How great is it for the club?**

"I think it is great. Young players need that confidence that the team and the club show them to have their chance. At the same time, they have the chance to practice every day and play some minutes, which is good for their development and their future careers. I think it is just good for French basketball."

**Wembanyama is amazing. We've only seen him play here and there, but his upside is tremendous.**

"The time he was practicing with us, at least once every day, you would see a crazy action, like, 'wow'. You see him and say 'wow, how did it do it?' This is unbelievable. He is a talent that comes out once every 20-30 years, once in a generation. They are doing a good job with him and the kid has a great mentality. His family, his parents and everyone around him take care of him the right way, which is very important. The kid is so special! He can do everything on the floor and wants to do everything on the floor! That's one of his strengths and also the confidence he plays with, no matter if he is with INSEP, U21 or with us. He just plays hard. This kid is the future." 

**Speaking about highlights, you are an explosive player and big plays come to you naturally. How much do you miss the fans to celebrate with them?**

"Well, the time I miss our fans the most is when we win! It is true that when I dunk or make a big play, I miss our fans, but first, I play to compete and win games. But yes, we miss the interaction with fans. As a player, as a competitor, everybody feels the same. We feel the energy from the fans, from the crowd. It is a strange situation, but at least we can play and that is something that we have to have in mind, but for sure, nothing compares to playing in front of a full arena. That is one of the strengths in sports." 

**You are shooting much better this season, up from 29% to 43% from three-point range. How did you improve so much?**

"I felt like I had a really bad shooting year last season. I always kept my confidence and kept working. I just kept shooting. I don't think about it too much. I was not happy with my percentage last season, but I stayed confident, kept working and now I am shooting well. I know there are going to be a lot of ups and downs, but I want to be the most regular possible and this year is the first step."

**How big would it be for Nanterre to reach the EuroCup playoffs?**

"That is what we play for and it would be a great accomplishment. This is the first time that I've reached the Top 16 and we want to keep going. We don't want to stop. We know it is not going to be easy, but we play to win games, game after game. We are ready to compete and play hard."

Isaia Cordinier of Nanterre 92 has impressed all of Europe with his outstanding play and incredible highlights all season long. Before his team's pivotal clash with AS Monaco, Cordinier was interviewed by EuroCupBasketball.com.

Isaia Cordinier, Nanterre: 'We want to keep going'

The 7DAYS EuroCup is back for its most decisive games at the end of the Top 16 and we are very positive. We have some guys injured, but hopefully, we will be close to full strength as soon as possible, by next Wednesday, but we know we have a home game against Gran Canaria that is do-or-die for us and are very positive about playing it at home. We haven't played a lot in February. We had some time off earlier, around February 8 for a couple of days, but we have been in the gym going really hard. We are dying to play basketball again.

I think we played one game in the whole of February, so we are tired of looking at each other and playing against each other. We are ready to see some new faces, work together and get a W. We already beat Gran Canaria on the road. I think we had that game in our hands until the end, but we really messed it up. We almost lost it for ourselves. We know that beating a team two times is hard, so we are glad to have this game on our court where we get a bunch of energy on our baskets and try to get another win because we desperately need it. 

"We are dying to play basketball again." 

I expect a very different game because Gran Canaria – and also UNICS and Andorra – did not play in the cup week, so all teams will be with a different rhythm this time. Earlier, when we played them, everyone was in rhythm and had played a bunch of games two times a week, so this will be different. Gran Canaria played an ACB game before they played us and we had an ABA League game, too. But other than that, it would be a fresh game for both of us coming off this break.

We have to not turn the ball over and contain their guards. AJ Slaughter killed us in that last game, so we've got to make sure we pay high attention to him. I know him well and he is a great shooter. He plays for the Polish national team as a point guard, so he has played in that position before and even though they also have Andrew Albicy, he has the ball in his hands a little bit towards the end of the game. So he's very dangerous on and off the ball.

The good thing for us is that Gran Canaria and Andorra have to face UNICS, which is fighting for the home-court advantage in the playoffs, not just quarterfinals, but maybe beyond that. They have a very strong team. They are 10 to 12 deep and play with a bunch of energy. Their energy is amazing! So they're definitely high contenders to win the whole thing and I like the way they play. We need them to keep doing what they've been doing - keep winning! And then we need to go ahead and grab two wins ourselves, so hopefully, they come out to play both their games and take care of business.

If UNICS and Virtus are first, they may face each other in the semifinals. Whoever plays smarter would win. Athletically, UNICS is not a team Bologna wants to play against, but I think if it comes down to tactics in playing smart, I think Virtus can get them. 

"It would be a fresh game for both of us." 

Isaiah Whitehead had a great game in Gran Canaria and I am sure they watched a lot of video to try to stop him. He is such a big guard that moves very well for his size. His outside game is good, but his ability to get to the basket is just undeniable. When he is ready to get to the basket, there are not many players who can stop him. That had been huge for us and he is one of our go-to players out there.

Johnny Hamilton is a great mid-season addition for us; I am surprised we got him. But we got him kind of in a rest between games, so having this break has probably been very good for him just to get acclimated with the guys and with the chemistry. I expect big things from him for sure. And Taylor Smith has been our anchor for our bigs. He's been playing amazing all season. He's definitely like Kyle Hines. He has the same thing - athleticism, big hands. He doesn't play his size, he plays way bigger than his size and he is mobile. So that's definitely our Kyle Hines.

Of course, we still miss our fans, but we have to get used to it because these games are starting to mean more and more and they could become more important. So the lock-in and the focus is almost as if the fans were there because it doesn't matter. These games are do-or-die for us. The pressure is fine. If we are in this situation, it's because we made it to the Top 16 and if you have pressure, it means that your team is doing good. So to actually be in these types of situations, our team has been doing something well all year. So it's no pressure. You got to come out and protect home court.

Mornar Bar heads into its final home game of the Top 16 facing a do-or-die contest against Herbalife Gran Canaria. That makes it a perfect time for Derek Needham to check in with his latest blog post.

Derek Needham, Mornar: 'We are very positive'

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana announced on Friday signing its head coach Jurica Golemac to a contract extension, which will keep Golemac on the club's bench for at least the next two seasons

Cedevita Olimpija extends coach Golemac

Cedevita Olimpija and its head coach agreed to stay together until the end of the 2022-23 season, with an option for another year. Golemac, 43, arrived at Cedevita Olimpija's bench in January 2020, after spending a little over two years as head of bench of a fellow Slovenian side Primorska Koper. Before that, Golemac has also served as a head coach with Tajfun Sentjur in Slovenia, and as an assistant with Cibona Zagreb of his native Croatia and with the national team of Georgia. This extension comes during Goelmac's debut head coaching season in the 7DAYS EuroCup, where he has guided Cedevita Olimpija to 10 wins in 14 games, and the team currently holds second place with a 3-1 record in Group G of the Top 16.

"We are extremely happy that we reached an agreement to continue collaboration with Jurica, as he has proven that he is one of the most talented young head coaches in Europe", Cedevita Olimpija sports director Sani Becirovic said. "The results of the teams he led so far speak for themselves, and he has shown his knowledge also on the bench of Cedevita Olimpija. Although this 2020-21 season is very specific, all the players bought into his system, and in each game, on and off the floor, we see that players breathe for each other."

Golemac is a former player who played with his current club, then called Union Olimpija at the turn of the century. During almost a two-decade-long professional career he also wore the uniform of Anadolu Efes Istanbul, Cibona, Panathinaikos Athens, making 72 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague appearances with those clubs, and has been with ALBA Berlin, Panellinios Athens and Hapoel Jerusalem, playing a total of 30 EuroCup games, helping ALBA to the 2010 EuroCup Finals.

<div style="display: grid; place-items: center;">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="sl" dir="ltr">Jurica, presrečni smo, da ostajaš z nami! 💚🧡 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ZmajevoSrce?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ZmajevoSrce</a> <a href="https://t.co/l44kJ9x2Df">pic.twitter.com/l44kJ9x2Df</a></p>&mdash; Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (@KKCedOL) <a href="https://twitter.com/KKCedOL/status/1365223577755267076?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana announced on Friday signing its head coach Jurica Golemac to a contract extension, which will keep Golemac on the club's bench for at least the next two seasons.

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When looking for career-changing moments for Khalifa Diop, it's not that hard to find one of the biggest ones so far. The Herbalife Gran Canaria youngster was a tender 17 years old when he made his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut. That day showed him that hard work pays off and he has been living by that adage ever since.

Diop remembers well March 28, 2019, when Gran Canaria head coach Pedro Martinez called his name to enter the EuroLeague home game against Maccabi Tel Aviv.

"I suddenly got a chill when I heard my name and got up because the whole arena was standing up and giving me an ovation. I felt alive," said Diop, who ended up playing 7:20 minutes and scoring 3 points to go with 4 rebounds and 1 steal. "I was very happy because I took a big step. But I haven't achieved anything yet." 

"I learn a lot during practice every day with such great players." 

But the message was clear: "All the hours you invest in the arena and gym every week make sense because of moments like that."

That ended up being the only EuroLeague game he played that season, and the 2.08-meter big man did not play much with Gran Canaria’s senior team last season, but the Senegalese native has shown in 2020-21 that the club can count on him. He is averaging 3.2 points and 2.1 rebounds in 9:53 minutes thus far in the EuroCup with his top performance coming in Round 8 when he collected 14 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks in 21 minutes against Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana.

"I played well, but I wanted to do even better. Still, the main thing is all the work I put in place before that game and how it means nothing if I don't keep improving my game and body," Diop said.

A big help in that improvement is him facing the best competition day in and day out in the Spanish League, whether in games and in practice.

"With my age, I learn a lot during practice every day with such great players. I gained confidence after playing in the Spanish League and learned to play tougher. When I played in the [third division] LEB Silver, I saw the great difference between both competitions and that helped me a lot," said Diop, who averaged 9.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 2019-20 playing in the third division.

Another major learning ground for Diop has been playing for his country at international youth competitions, where Senegal also has been successful. In December 2020, Senegal reached the final of the FIBA U18 African Championship and Diop was one of the team’s leaders with 12.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 3.4 steals and 1.2 blocks per game.

"I went to the tournament thinking that we were winning this time, but things didn't go as we expected," said Diop, referring to Senegal's loss to Mali in the final a second straight U18 tournament by 2 points. "But I learned a lot despite the game being very different from the Spanish League and EuroCup."

Diop was playing for Senegal the second time after appearing in the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup in 2019, where he played against players two years old than him. 

"When you play basketball in Senegal, your dream is to go to Europe and play pro basketball here." 

"It was a great experience to play versus teams like United States because the confidence in your game grows after playing against the best players of your generation. You feel every aspect and minute of the game because you are 100 percent focused in these types of games," said the big man, who averaged 13.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks while playing against countries like the United States, Lithuania, Greece and Canada.

Despite Senegal having many good talents, the team slumped to 15th place among 16th teams. Still, it was a great chance to develop.

"Sometimes the results don't come, but we all learned a lot from that tournament and now can focus on our mistakes to not repeat it the future," he said.

That Senegal team featured a number of players who, just like Diop, arrived in Spain as youngsters and worked their way up the youth ranks in their adopted home country.

"When you play basketball in Senegal, your dream is to go to Europe and play pro basketball here. I am trying to follow the example of many players from my country to achieve their goals or even bigger," said Diop, who played soccer before he first picked up basketball in early 2017. 

Diop has also already seen success with Gran Canaria as he helped the club’s U18 team take first place at the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Valencia in 2019 to earn a spot at the ANGT Finals, which ended up being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It was very important for my career and my teammates. It helped me a lot last year and this one," said Diop, who averaged 13.0 points 9.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in the tournament.

It was also just another experience along the way that has helped Khalifa Diop do his part to help Gran Canaria excel in the EuroCup.

All the hard work that Herbalife Gran Canaria teenager Khalifa Diop has been putting in behind the scenes is paying off with the big man becoming part of the team's rotation this season.

Spotlight on Khalifa Diop, Herbalife Gran Canaria 

French basketball has a strong history in Europe, with the top showings including Limoges CSP winning the 1993 EuroLeague and SIG Strasbourg finishing second in the 2015-16 7DAYS EuroCup. In this, its first season of international play, JL Bourg en Bresse has already opened a lot of eyes, too. Just four years removed from France's second division, the team from east-central France between Geneva and Lyon has made up for a lack of experience by using togetherness and savvy to become a rare EuroCup debutant to walk tall into the Top 16.

Bourg was founded in 1910 and its basketball section in 1947 with the first local Ain department championship coming in 1956. Bourg jumped to what is now the fifth division in 1963 and earned promotion in 1969. The club began producing better young French talent such as Jean-Luc Roediger and Thierry Maitejean and the first American players came to the club in 1973. Bourg was relegated back and forth between the fourth and fifth divisions for the next couple of decades, but made a big jump in 1994 by winning the fourth-division title with top names such as Jerome Monnet and Jean-Luc Tissot.

Tissot, the then-21-year-old captain, was just starting a legacy at the club that would later see him become its head coach. Also in 1994, a five-year-old Bourg-en-Bresse native by the name of Antoine Diot would join the club's youth ranks, where he would remain until 2004 when he left for the INSEP/CFBB academy. In just its second season in the third division, Bourg captured that title and entered the second division in 1996, thanks in part to future French international and Olympic silver medallist Crawford Palmer.

The club reached the top French League in 2000 by winning the second division title and stayed there for seven seasons, highlighted by a trip to the French Leaders Cup final in 2006. Among the players who were with Bourg in the top flight were future All-EuroCup selection Tariq Kirksay in his European first-division debut, Victor Samnick, Branko Sindelic, Jerome Schmitt, Ludovic Chelle, Andre Owens and DeRon Hayes – the father of future NBA lottery pick Killian Hayes.

After finishing 10th in its first French League season, Bourg dropped to last place in 2001-02 but was not relegated. The team finished 11th in 2005 and 12th in 2006, though just one win below the last playoff team. Current sports director Frederic Sarre was head coach from 2004 to 2006. When his successor, Francois Peronnet, was let go in December 2006, his replacement was Nedeljko Asceric, father of current player Luka Asceric. Nonetheless, the club finished 17th and was dropped to the second division, where it stayed seven seasons before earning promotion again in 2014, with Sarre having returned as coach in 2012. His 2013-14 team included Philippe Braud, Kevin Corre, Jerome Sanchez and future EuroLeague standout Devin Booker, who was named the MVP of the 2014 playoffs.

It was a short-lived stay in the first division, though, as Bourg was relegated after the 2014-15 season. Sarre stepped down in January 2015 and was replaced by Tissot until the end of the season. The club underwent a major shift in the summer of 2015 that can still be felt today. Management brought in two key players: Maxime Courby, a U20 European Championship winner in 2010 who had played for new coach Christophe Denis at Rouen the previous season; and big man Zachery Peacock. Both have remained with Bourg ever since. Together with mainstay Braud, they won the French ProB Leaders Cup crown in 2016.

The next major cornerstone was laid that summer with the choice of Savo Vucevic as head coach. The Montenegrin play-caller had guided Spirou Charleroi to a pair of Belgian League crowns and the EuroCup quarterfinals in 2005 and also had helped AS Monaco climb out of the lower ranks to the second division in 2014. In the first season under Vucevic, Bourg claimed the second-division title thanks also to the additions of Garrett Sim and Youssou Ndoye. Peacock was named the season MVP.

Back in the French first division, Bourg beefed up the roster with Chase Simon and Lance Jeter, showing right away that it was ready for the challenge. The team missed the post-season by one victory, finishing in ninth place in 2018. Peacock led the league in scoring and index rating and was named MVP. For 2018-19, Vucevic added a third key player for its future in 33-year-old veteran Zack Wright. Bourg finished ninth again in the French League, but also reached the 2019 French Leaders Cup final, losing to Strasbourg. For the 2019-20 season, Vucevic brought in a fourth pillar of the current team as veteran Danilo Andjusic brought with him five seasons' worth of EuroLeague and EuroCup experience. Meanwhile, Pierre Pelos rejoined Bourg, with whom he had played during the 2016-17 promotion season, but had remained in the second division to help Provence make the jump to the top flight in 2018-19. Last season, Bourg was on its way to finally reaching the playoffs, holding fifth place in the French League standings with a 16-9 record, when the COVID-19 pandemic caused the season to end prematurely.

For this, its debut EuroCup season, Bourg sought strong leaders, led by former EuroCup champion and All-EuroCup First Team selection Alen Omic, who also has five years of EuroLeague experience. Also new to the team were Thomas Scrubb and Luka Asceric, while Croatian national team big man Ivan Buva was added during the season. Armed with a long-time core and new blood, Bourg showed its mettle right away, finishing the regular season with a 6-4 record, including sweeps of Partizan NIS Belgrade and Umana Reyer Venice, to reach the Top 16. The showing also resulted in Bourg being named as the Most Surprising Team in the EuroCup's mid-season general managers' survey. Not many true debutants to the EuroCup reach the Top 16 right away, but Bourg has already made history and plans to establish itself as a continental force for years to come.