For Round 9 of the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge, it would be wise to base our strategy mainly on picking forwards since there are numerous injury updates, particularly among centers. Therefore, going with one costly center and one guard seems to be the most reasonable approach. Spending the remaining credits on forwards would likely bring the best outcome, which is why we focused on recommending a higher number of forwards this week.
Let's hope the strategy pays off and helps everyone maximize the scores!
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.
Guard
Sylvain Francisco, Zalgiris Kaunas (15.6 credits)
Francisco had an excellent double-game week while Nigel Williams-Goss was sidelined due to a hamstring injury. During that stretch, he posted PIRs of 35 and 22 in two Zalgiris wins and sewed up the EuroLeague MVP of the Month honor for the first time in his career. In Round 9, facing a Valencia that has a tough time containing guards, Francisco should remain the focal point on the offensive end for Zalgiris.
Talen Horton-Tucker, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (10.2 credits)
Unlike his team which collapsed during the double-game week, Horton-Tucker managed to deliver 22 PIR and 10 PIR and was one of the few players on his roster who stood out. If the EuroLeague rookie is going to gain momentum and take a step to the next level, the upcoming two games against ASVEL and Maccabi are promising the perfect opportunity. Earlier in the season he played with a stronger scoring focus and struggled to fill other parts of the stat sheet, but in Rounds 7 and 8 -- both away games -- he seemed to have paid more attention to rebounding as he collected five and six rebounds respectively, which contributed significantly to his PIR production. If he continues performing in this way he is likely to remain an indispensable piece for head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius.
Sebastian Herrera, Paris Basketball (5.6 credits)
We had already mentioned Herrera as a suggestion before the start of the double-game week, and it seems worthwhile to continue recommending him. Since he is a low-cost player who provides a surprisingly strong contribution, you should definitely include him in your team without hesitation. His playing time has been fixed around the 20-minute mark under head coach Francesco Tabellini and with his natural tendency to play in a more scoring-oriented way, he recorded 17, 17, and 11 points in his last three games. Scoring those numbers in a team that features a leader like Nadir Hifi is quite challenging, yet Herrera's self-confidence allowed him to overcome that and his performance appears to be on an upward trend.
Forward
Filip Petrusev, Dubai Basketball (15.1 credits)
Those who have been picking Petrusev over Sasha Vezenkov, especially since the last period with unlimited trades, seem to have come out ahead so far. Petrusev has stood out as the most in-form player in recent weeks, has also significantly increased his playing time, now averaging around 30 minutes per game. For head coach Jurica Golemac, who addressed Dubai's painted area defensive weaknesses by shortening the rotation, having a big at the four position has become a central part of the solution. Dubai will play its next three games at home and these matchups against Hapoel Tel Aviv, Red Star and Zalgiris will be highly decisive for the remainder of the season since all three teams are currently in strong form. If Dubai wants to navigate this tough stretch with a winning streak, continuing a system that keeps Petrusev at the forefront is a must.
Juancho Hernangomez, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (13.8 credits)
For those looking for a captain for T1, this is a chance you should not miss. With all of Mathias Lessort, Richaun Holmes and Omer Yurtseven sidelined, Panathinaikos has been left without many alternatives in its frontcourt rotation. EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge players had reason not to trust Hernangomez earlier, as he showed a very inconsistent performance at the start of the season, but now all dimensions have changed due to external factors and it is the perfect time for him to start a new chapter.
Isiaha Mike, FC Bayern Munich (9.5 credits)
Mike played a legendary role in Bayern's 2-of-2 double-week performance, producing PIRs of 30 and 24, which has firmly established him as an indispensable player for head coach Gordon Herbert. At the beginning of the season the forward was averaging around 20 minutes per game, but recently his playing time has increased to the 28-30 minute range. Having faced Paris multiple times in the past and knowing the team well from his JL Bourg days, his performance against them is likely to have a direct impact on his team's outcome.
Konstantinos Mitoglou, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (8.2 credits)
Ideally you would have enough credits for Hernangomez, but if that is not possible and you still want a similar opportunity transfer, can be used it on Mitoglou. He did not start the season in strong form and has yet to record a game with 15 PIR or more, but the injury news mentioned earlier will almost certainly increase his minutes significantly. The most notable red flag for the Greek forward is Panathinaikos' upcoming consecutive away games, where it is more reasonable to expect the team's stars rather than role players to step up. Still, for those following a strategy focused on forwards, he can remain on the bench as an optional player.
Ercan Osmani, Anadolu Efes Istanbul (8.3 credits)
Osmani's shoulder injury against Panathinaikos in Round 5 looked serious, but he returned to the court the following week in Round 6 against Fenerbahce without missing a game, leaving many wondering how it was possible. Although he might not still be 100 percent, head coach Igor Kokoskov continues to give him significant playing time due to his crucial role in the team's frontcourt rotation. For Round 9, a potential challenge is that Milan's frontcourt rotation has returned from injury in order to Leday and Nebo getting minutes in the most recent domestic league exhibition, but from another perspective this only increases the team's reliance on Osmani.
Center
Nikola Milutinov, Olympiacos Piraeus (14.9 credits)
It would not be wrong to say that Milutinov has been the most in-form player for Olympiacos over Vezenkov in recent weeks. The Serbian center produced PIRs of 24 and 25 during the previous double week and will now face his home-country team Partizan in Round 9. When we look at the defensive statistics of teams that concede the most fantasy points, Partizan ranks among the top three in the EuroLeague in terms of allowing production from opposing centers much like Maccabi. This makes Milutinov one of the usual suspects for a strong Round 9 performance.
Mbaye Ndiaye, LDLC Asvel Villeurbanne (7.5 credits)
After selecting your main center, let's move on to the alternative option. In previous weeks we mostly recommended Donatas Motiejunas here, but his recent decline has been a disappointment and pushed us to look for new options. Although Ndiaye did not finish Round-8 with an ideal performance, it is worth noting that he is showing momentum that makes him worthy of a give-a-shot approach. He completed Rounds 6 and 7 with impressive stats and his playing time rarely drops below 20 minutes. If he delivers a committed performance without backing down against Fenerbahce, he has the potential to exceed expectations significantly.
Head Coach
Sarunas Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (6.8 credits)
Jasikevicius is a choice you will see in almost everyone's coach selection, much like last week with Zalgiris coach Tomas Masulis, and he is this week's safe pick. After suffering blow-out losses in both away games in Spain during the double week, Fenerbahce now has a favorable fixture as they host ASVEL -- one of the weakest teams in the EuroLeague -- on their home court, which can be considered a recovery session for Jasikevicius and his players.
Drop Candidates
Donatas Motiejunas, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (7.7 credits)
During the recent double week, Motiejunas saw reduced playing time and produced PIRs of only 5 and 6, falling well below expectations. In Round 9, Red Star will face Panathinaikos, one of the best defensive teams for centers, and instead of a matchup between similar players like Motiejunas and Mitoglou, Coach Sasa Obradovic may prefer Ebuka Izundu, who can create a mismatch with his athletic attributes throughout the game.
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