Baskonia fell 94-79 to ASVEL on the ninth matchday of the Euroleague, adding up to seven consecutive losses across competitions. Velimir Perasovic, without victories in his six matches at the helm of the Vitoria team, acknowledged the difficulty of the streak after the game.
The Baskonia intensifies its search for reinforcements with Jabari Parker as the main target following his departure from Partizán, while Maccabi's rejection of the offer for Roman Sorkin does not close the doors to new additions in a context of sports crisis.
The Baskonia is going through its worst moment in over a decade with six consecutive defeats in both the Liga Endesa and the Euroliga. Five of them have come under the leadership of Velimir Perasovic, who is yet to know victory in this phase.
Real Madrid defeated Baskonia 86-104 in the eighth round of the Euroleague on Tuesday, October 27. Theo Maledon was a standout with 19 points and 6 assists, while Pedro Martínez warns not to become complacent despite the string of consecutive victories.
Real Madrid faces its visit to Baskonia on matchday 8 of the Euroleague without Nick Smith Jr., who is missing the game this Tuesday at the Buesa Arena due to issues with the sole of his right foot. His presence in the match against Fenerbahçe on Thursday remains uncertain.
The Euroleague focuses this week on a double matchday featuring two Spanish derbies with Real Madrid, Barça, Valencia Basket, and Baskonia taking center stage. The four teams will compete in four matches in less than a week, all broadcast by Movistar Plus+ in Spain.
Michael Ruzic, Croatian power forward trained at Joventut Badalona, remains uncertain about his eligibility in the NCAA. While LSU awaits confirmation, Valencia Basket and Baskonia are already considering signing him if he ultimately cannot compete in the American university.
Baskonia has found in Marcio Santos the missing piece to transform its project into Liga Endesa ACB. Since the arrival of this signing, the team from Vitoria has not known defeat and has substantially improved its defense, allowing them to compete on equal terms against top-level rivals.
Baskonia faces a more complex defensive problem than suggested by the absence of a reference center. The first games reveal that guards and forwards share responsibility for the offensive rebounds conceded, questioning whether the market can resolve an issue that is both collective and structural.
Markus Howard draws attention in Vitoria hours before the league debut against Burgos. The American shooting guard, trained at Marquette, is making waves in Turkey following previous interest from Besiktas, although his contract until 2028 and the absence of Euroleague in the Turkish project complicate any deal.