ZAGREB (Basketball Champions League) - Missed some of the 16 games this week? Don't worry, we got your back, with our Help-side column, giving you the highlights of the entire Gameday.

The second Gameday seemed to be having a bit more lopsided results than the first one. But then you turn and realize we had TWO double overtime games, and four more finished within six points' difference. Again, Basketball Champions League doing Basketball Champions League stuff.

Obama's Pen Pal

When was the last time you received something important in your mailbox? Not in your email inbox, but a real life letter, hard paper, in the box, delivered by a real postman. Can't remember, huh?

Jordan Morgan remembers. After all, how many of us received a letter from Barack Obama himself?

Yes. The former President of the United States of America congratulated a basketball player for his academic achievements. And you can go and ask any of Jordan Morgan's teammates - or Mr. Obama if that's easier for you - they will all tell you that the letter is genuine, and that Jordan is the kind of guy who deserves it. A nice and a smart guy, just like former POTUS noticed it when he spoke at Morgan's University of Michigan in 2014. 

Fast forward to 2018, Obama's pen pal is having a career year. Last season at Petrol Olimpija showed a glimpse of his potential, but it was clouded by a rain of defeats of the Slovenian Champs. At Banvit, he opened up his Basketball Champions League campaign with 27 points last week, then followed it up with 23 points this week, taking the Turkish side to 2-0.

There are, however, a couple of bizarre twists. Despite all of his heroics, he missed out on a spot in our Team of the Week both times, and even more concerning is the fact that Banvit are 0-2 in the Turkish Super Ligi.

But, with a manufacturing engineer in their roster, they will surely figure it out soon. Basketball is not that different from it, you still have to develop tools and equipment; then integrate the systems for producing quality product; all done with the optimum expenditure of capital. Sounds like Banvit 2018-19 in a nutshell.

Don't take Neptunas for Granted

Any team that can go and defeat Zalgiris in the Lithuanian League, then follow it up with a 15-point win over Besiktas Sompo Japan in the Basketball Champions League deserves the highest amount of praise. Neptunas have done it, led by Jerai Grant, who looks even better than when he dropped to his knee in 2016:

Grant isn't afraid of anybody, it was his dunk over two players that sealed the deal when Besiktas were trying to make a comeback, and his 13 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals and a block did not go unnoticed. He opted for a different path compared to brothers Jerami and Jerian, dad Harvey or uncle Horace, but we are more than happy to have him here.

Neptunas have had their troubles in keeping the star players in Klaipeda, when richer clubs knock on their door and lure talents away from the coastal city. Seems like they could get a call about Grant from Zenit-Kazan, winners of four consecutive CEV Volleyball Champions League titles...

New Kids on the Block

The sad part is that none of the guys that I'm about to mention know about the New Kids on the Block. The fine part is that they are taking Step by Step, towards being European elite players.

Banvit's trio of Ridvan Oncel (1997, 12 pts), Sehmus Hazer (1999, 14 pts) and Ragip Berke Atar (1999, 10 pts) played a huge part in their win over Le Mans, 18-year-old Alessandro Pajola helped Virtus get a win over Oostende, and 2000-born Luka Samanic was inserted in Petrol Olimpija's starting lineup, playing huge minutes in a close one away at Promitheas Patras.

Then there is Bamberg's trio of 20-year-olds in Louis Olinde, William McDowell-White and Arnoldas Kulboka, who combined for 0 fouls in just under 40 minutes of playing time between them, provoking yet another iconic press conference by coach Ainars Bagatskis.

With new kids arriving, it would be easy to forget that Tamir Blatt is just 21, too. His 14 points and 6 assists against Lietkabelis made him look like a seasoned veteran, and playing in front of fans like those in Jerusalem, that's what builds a player. Keep going, TB.

Speeding Ticket

Not even the speeding ticket which arrived eight months after the drive can diminish my love for Italy and their basketball. In fact, turns out I was speeding just outside of Venice, driving 96.5 km/h in a 90 km/h zone - it was dumb of me, so don't tell anyone - fitting in with the fast paced basketball played over there.

Umana Reyer Venezia are still unbeaten in four games in all competitions this season, and they went to double overtime against UNET Holon, making it the fourth Basketball Champions League game in which both teams scored 100+ points: 

• Avellino v Nanterre 102-106;
• Venezia v AEK 101-103;
• Venezia v Banvit 108-101;
• Venezia v Holon 111-104.

That explains it. "Sorry, Mr. Officer. I keep seeing number 100+ next to 'Venezia' and I just got carried away..."

Team of the Week

Rather than just selecting All-Star Five kind of team, allow me to select an actual team as the team of the week. This time, it's the defending champs AEK. In desperate need of a win to avoid an 0-2 hole in the Basketball Champions League, The Queen showed what a true team looks like.

Giannoulis Larentzakis and Jonas Maciulis were hitting everything from deep, Tyler Roberson was there to throw down everything that rimmed out, Dusan Sakota made clutch shots again, Xavier Rathan-Mayes dished out 11 assists, and Vassilis Xanthopoulos came up with a big one-on-one defensive play to protect the lead in the second OT.

Just what they needed. Especially with Brose Bamberg coming to OAKA next week. Can't wait!

The Basketball Champions League's columnists write on a wide range of topics relating to basketball that are of interest to them. The opinions they express are their own and in no way reflect those of FIBA or the Basketball Champions League.

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