Fenerbahçe beat Partizan with a record 14 blocks, the EuroLeague dreams of 3.4 billion euros, and MZT stay perfect

Fenerbahçe beat Partizan with a record 14 blocks

Fenerbahçe beat Partizan 74-65 in the sixth round of the EuroLeague and broke the record for blocks in a single game: 14, against the previous 12 that Žalgiris managed twice, in 2000 and in 2008. Marcus Bingham Jr. had five on his own. Coach Šarūnas Jasikevičius joked at his own team's expense: "Imagine how badly we defend when we constantly have to come back and block. If you defend well, you don't need a block." For Partizan, who dropped to three wins and three losses, the joke is less funny - Fenerbahçe are 5-1, their best start since 2023. Shavon Shields top-scored with 17 points.

The EuroLeague draws up a 3.4-billion-euro plan - and waits for an answer from the NBA

After the meeting of the 13 shareholder clubs at Lake Como, the EuroLeague unveiled its ten-year business plan: 3.4 billion euros for the clubs, 2.2 billion from revenue and 1.2 billion from fees for new franchises. By year ten the league wants 648 million euros in commercial revenue a year. Valencia, Dubai, Paris and PAOK are favourites for permanent spots, with an entry ticket starting at 50 million euros per club. The most honest number in the whole document is a different one: only around 40% of licensed clubs are financially sustainable today. Expansion to 24 teams also depends on talks with the NBA about a joint competition, and the NBA, according to information from the negotiations, wants a smaller league. Is this a business plan or a negotiating position?

Phoenix owner: "I just threw money at the problem"

Mat Ishbia, who bought the Suns in December 2022, admitted in an interview with CNBC that the trade for Kevin Durant in February 2023 was a rush job with no plan: "I just threw money at the problem. There was no defined culture." The result is well known: defeat to Denver in the Western Conference semi-finals, 0-4 against Minnesota in the first round the following season, then 11th place and no play-in in 2024-25. Durant left for Houston in summer 2025, and Phoenix without him reached eighth place - and another 0-4, this time against Oklahoma City. An owner rarely admits publicly that the expensive star was his mistake, not the coach's. How many club bosses in the Balkans would say the same about their "big transfer"?

MZT win the derby with TFT and stay unbeaten

Champions MZT Skopje Aerodrom beat TFT at the Jane Sandanski hall in the third round of the Superleague and are on three wins from three games, after Kumanovo and Kozhuv. They made the difference in the first quarter, 25-10, and led 41-28 at half-time. TFT came back in the last quarter and got within a few points in the closing stages, but no closer. The top scorer on the floor was TFT's Sekou Sylla with 19 points and 13 rebounds, while for MZT Danilo Nikolić had 15. Rabotnichki visit Pelister in Bitola on Sunday and with a win can join them at the top - the league is already looking for whoever can catch the champions.

Debutants Shtip still waiting for a first win, Kozhuv celebrate on the road

Kozhuv from Gevgelija beat Shtip 85-77 at the Jackson hall - Gevgelija's second win of the season, both away from home. The hosts won the first half 40-39, but the visitors made the difference in the third quarter with a 12-1 run. Bojchev, with 31 points, was the best on the floor, Burris added 22, and for Shtip Hamilton had the same. Shtip are debutants in the top flight and, after Kumanovo and Tikvesh, suffered their third straight defeat. Their first-ever Superleague win will have to wait.