Coach Pascal Meurs

The EuroLeague tips off tonight.

One trend that stood out in the Super Cups: forwards as rim runners in transition.

Jantunen. Kraag. Abalde.
Running the middle and flowing into the ball screen — a role traditionally reserved for the 5.

Another step towards positionless basketball?

With the European season getting underway, the Supercups offered an early look at what top teams have been working on. One detail caught my eye during Valencia Basket’s game against Barça.

In a timeout in the final minute, Xavi Albert asked for a “perfect wall” on a possible last shot. It was a reminder of something Valencia had been doing throughout the game: closing out on shooters with a wide base, feet on the floor and both hands high.

As three-point volume and efficiency continue to shape the game, how teams defend those attempts deserves a closer look. Valencia’s approach aims to contest the shot without jumping or fouling, while making it harder for the shooter to follow their own rebound.

By my count, Barça made 3 of 10 three-pointers against these close-outs, compared with 7 of 16 on their other attempts. Far too small a sample to draw conclusions, but an interesting detail to follow.

I broke it down in the short video below. Watch until the end: the same “perfect wall” Albert asks for in the timeout was already taking shape on the practice floor.

I’ll be analysing how other top teams approach these close-outs as the season unfolds. More breakdowns to come — I’ll keep you posted on my platforms.

Video session at EuroProBasket !

The worst feeling after a loss?
Knowing you didn’t try anything.

Fribourg had been trailing for almost the entire game in the Basketball Champions League qualifiers. Coming out of a timeout, they came up with a defensive special play.

The ex*****on was very mediocre.
But it worked.

Not necessarily because the defense itself was perfect, but because the change disrupted the opponent’s rhythm, confidence and ATO plan.

Fribourg gave themselves a shot at winning the game. Which wouldn't have happened without trying anything.

These very early BCL qualifiers add an interesting layer to coaching.

It’s September. Teams are still building their identity and simply cannot be prepared for everything yet.

We saw the same thing with Batumi, playing zone defense for large parts of their game and forcing the opponent to find solutions they probably hadn’t spent much time preparing.

Sometimes, especially this early in the season, the surprise itself has value.

It might not work.

But when the game is slipping away, doing nothing rarely changes it.

At we regularly use video sessions to help players understand the game.

Showing players what happened is one thing. Helping them understand why it happened — spacing, timing, reads and decision-making — is where video becomes really valuable.

A short glimpse into one of our video sessions in Valencia.

BELGIAN CATS 2026 — QUICK PLAY

Floppy into a quick backdoor action, with Emma Meesseman operating as the playmaker at the four.

A simple way to use her basketball IQ and passing ability—not only her scoring.

Summer programs with EuroProBasket