Mike James: torn Achilles tendon and out for up to nine months

The all-time top scorer in EuroLeague history went down without anyone touching him. Mike James was injured 2:40 before the end of the third quarter in Anadolu Efes's defeat to Crvena zvezda in Belgrade (77:72): he was running for the ball, grabbed his right leg and was carried off on a stretcher. Efes confirmed a successful Achilles tendon operation and a layoff of seven to nine months, depending on recovery. James is 36, came to Istanbul this summer after five seasons at Monaco, and was EuroLeague MVP in 2024. Last season he averaged 16.4 points and 6.5 assists. Efes wasted no time and immediately signed Cameron Payne until the end of the season, the player who passed through Partizan last winter before returning to the NBA with Philadelphia. The EuroLeague counts James's records - who will now count the weeks until his return?

Partizan from minus 13 to victory in Munich

Partizan were trailing by 13 points in the third quarter at Bayern, then turned the game around to win 86:84 and reach a third win in as many EuroLeague rounds. The key was Carlik Jones: 16 points, 12 of them in the final quarter, and five assists. Tonye Jekiri added 17 points, and Kevarrius Hayes made the stop in the final seconds. "We could easily have given up and let them extend the lead, but we fought, we fought, we fought," Jones said after the game. After a tough previous season, Belgrade now has a team that knows how to survive a bad night, and in the EuroLeague that is often worth more than pretty basketball.

Giannis and Bam: from rivals to teammates in Miami

For years Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo shoved each other under the basket whenever Milwaukee played Miami. This summer the Greek star moved to the Heat, and now the two share practices instead of elbows. "It was hard to play against Bam. I'm happy I don't have to deal with that anymore," said the two-time MVP. Giannis praised Adebayo as a leader who "will never ask us to do something he wouldn't do himself". Miami is building the new season precisely on this pair of big men, and their battles in practice are already part of the preparations. Whether an alliance of two old enemies will be enough for the Eastern Conference, the coming season will show.

MZT open the championship with 85:77 against Kumanovo

The thirty-fifth league season in Macedonian basketball began with a rematch of the Super Cup, and the same winner. MZT Skopje Aerodrom beat MKK Kumanovo 85:77 at the "Jane Sandanski" Sports Centre, and the difference came in the second quarter, won 33:19 for a 52:38 half-time lead. Kumanovo came back to 62:65 in the final quarter, but a three from captain Damjan Stojanovski stopped the charge. The star of the night, however, was on the losing team: national team player Adem Mekić debuted for Kumanovo with 24 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. For MZT, who played without the injured Vojdan Stojanovski, Noah Farrakhan and Dimitrije Nikolić, Tadija Tadić and Leslie Varner scored 15 points each. On October 6 the Aerodrom side host Greece's Iraklis.

Kriva Palanka lift the Super Cup for the first time

For four years in a row the women's "Dragan Vasilov - Cevka" Super Cup went to Makedonska Kamenica. This year Kriva Palanka ended that streak and, in front of their own fans at the "Branitelji 2001" hall, beat Basket Kam 2011 63:51. The game was decided in the second quarter, in which the hosts went on a 22:9 run and led 37:23 at half-time. After a three from Pop-Dimitrovska the visitors closed to 38:43, but Palanka quickly restored the double-digit lead. Tanja Gordon finished with 23 points, eight rebounds and four assists, Marissa Lee had a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Basket Kam's best was Sanja Adamovska with 21 points and nine rebounds. With last season's championship title and now the Super Cup, the centre of women's basketball has, for now, moved to Kriva Palanka.