This article is part of our EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Picks series.
Round 17 will be the final one of the first half, and an important fact to note before starting a deep dive into the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge picks is that before Round 18 we will have unlimited trades -- yes, one of the rare opportunities during the season. This means we can forget about planning ahead and focus solely on this Round.
If you have any questions or comments about strategy or the picks below, feel free to drop those at the bottom of this article or reach out on X via @RotoWireEuro.
And now, for the final first-half list!
Guard
Tamir Blatt, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (9.7 credits)
Blatt is having a career year, putting up 11.3 points and 8.6 assists over 25 minutes per night. He has missed time twice with injuries, but those don't seem to be affecting his performance when he's out there. Blatt and Maccabi will next face Red Star, and it's a bit of a red flag that he will be facing Codi Miller-McIntyre, who will not be an easy opponent. However, the rate and output still make Blatt a strong candidate to consider.
Devon Hall, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (7.4 credits)
Hall just returned from injury, and in Round 16 he logged 20 minutes, nine points, eight field-goal attempts, two assists and 3 PIR -- not exactly a standout performance. However, Wade Baldwin IV is out for Round 17, and in the last game Baldwin missed that Hall played in he tallied 12 points, 10 FGA, seven assists and 14 PIR over 30 minutes. That's just one contest of course, but Baldwin's minutes will need to be distributed, and with a game under his belt and Arturs Zagars also out, Hall has a shot to see 30 minutes in Round 17. Head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius might not want to put too much on Hall right away, but he also might have to, and the price is right.
Maodo Lo, Paris Basketball (7.7 credits)
Lo is a potential pick if T.J. Shorts remains unavailable, although this seems unlikely. Keep an eye out for updates leading up to tip-off, but note that Paris will not play the first game on the schedule.
Terry Tarpey, AS Monaco (5.0 credits)
Tarpey's minutes skyrocketed in recent Rounds, possibly due to the coaching change and possibly due to the absence of Alpha Diallo. Over the last three Rounds, Tarpey averaged a fantasy-friendly 5.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.0 blocks. He could be worth a gamble barely above the minimum price, but Monaco will be tested by Real Madrid in Round 17, and a Furkan Korkmaz return could impact Tarpey's role.
Malte Delow, ALBA Berlin (4.6 credits)
Delow has helped fill in for Gabriele Procida, who is currently sidelined. If Procida remains out, Delow could be worth a shot. However, ALBA could have its hands full with Olympiacos, and that adds some risk to this selection.
Forward
Sasha Vezenkov, Olympiacos Piraeus (18.9 credits)
There's not much to say here, as Vezenkov sandwich a pair of EuroLeague double-doubles around a 30-point, nine-rebound night in his club's last domestic contest. Olympiacos will next have a home game against ALBA -- the team allowing the most PIR to opponents this season. The only potential pitfall is the fact that Vezenkov's minutes could be limited if Olympiacos runs away on the scoreboard.
Nigel Hayes-Davis, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (15.7 credits)
Hayes-Davis has played at least 30 minutes in seven straight Rounds and is averaging 34 minutes per night since the start of that span, and with Baldwin out he could be even busier than he has been. Fenerbahce will next take on Paris, and if the French club can get its opponent to match its pace, Hayes-Davis could see added opportunities to rack up stats.
Tarik Biberovic, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (6.0 credits)
Biberovic is going through a shooting slump, hitting just 32.4 percent of his shots over the last four Rounds. However, he still averaged 21 minutes and 8.5 FGA per game over that span. He could see a boost in both departments with Baldwin unavailable, but Fenerbahce will be playing on the road, so Biberovic will be a low-cost, high-risk option.
Ercan Osmani, Anadolu Efes Istanbul (6.5 credits)
Osmani checks in at a cheap rate, and since the start of December he is averaging 18 minutes, 9.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 12.8 PIR while shooting 56.5 percent from the field. That's a lot to like for a player in this range.
Center
Tyrique Jones, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (12.8 credits)
Jones would again be in a favorable position if Brandon Davies remains sidelined, but unless the latter is ruled out it will be tough to tell if that's the case, as Davies suited up for Round 16 but did not play. Efes has a couple centers who will be tough for Jones to overcome, but he figures to have some extra juice in his first matchup with the team he spent last season with.
Joel Bolomboy, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (11.6 credits)
Bolomboy's price dipped a bit during an extended absence, which makes him a potential value pick. Plus, he and Red Star will next see Maccabi, who will be down Jasiel Rivero and perhaps Wenyen Gabriel.
Head Coach
Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus
Olympiacos is nearly at full strength and will be facing ALBA at home, and chances are they will be the biggest favorite on the board in Round 17. Even if Procida plays, the German team will have a tough time keeping pace with an Olympiacos club that has lost just once in eight EuroLeague games at home.
Andrea Trinchieri, Zalgiris Kaunas
Zalgiris is on a three-game winning streak, and while ASVEL is also performing well, the Lithuanian club will benefit from home-court advantage.
Drop Candidates
Martin Hermannsson, ALBA Berlin (8.3 credits)
Hermannsson shined in October, but since picking up an Achilles injury in early November he has lost both his rhythm and his jumper.
Salih Altuntas, Anadolu Efes Istanbul (4.0 credits)
Altuntas remains the fourth most popular player in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge, but he has not played a single minute this season and will not anytime soon. It's time to move on and find another bargain for the second half of the campaign.
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