Article by David Istrate – Published on Wednesday, 15 October 2025 22:10 / Updated on Wednesday, 15 October 2025 22:23
U-BT Cluj-Napoca was defeated in the 3rd stage of the BKT EuroCup, although they led Slask Wroclaw by 16 points. The Poles came back in the 3rd quarter, dominated their opponent and won 94-93.
Having the same record in the EuroCup (1-1) and being neighbors in the standings, Slask Wroclaw and U-BT Cluj-Napoca faced off in a game that was announced to be extremely important. The Romanian champion was defeated by a single point and received the second official defeat of this season.
U-BT Cluj-Napoca controlled the first 25 minutes, but conceded in the next 15
Missing Iverson Molinar and Karel Guzman, U-BT had an excellent start to the game in Hala Orbita, taking advantage of Daron Russell's assists and Mitch Creek's efficient play. Cluj dominated the first minutes, but Slask Wroclaw came back and, at the end of the opening act, the difference was 2 points in favor of the guests: 22-24.
In the second sequence, U-BT played much better, started to dictate the pace, thanks to consistent developments from all players. At halftime, Mihai Silvășan's team led 50-38, and Russell had 11 decisive assists.
After returning from the locker room, the naturalized defender of the black and whites took over the offense on his own, and the visitors reached a 16-point advantage. The situation gradually changed, with the hosts refusing to give up the fight.
The gap became smaller and smaller, and U-BT's offensive game stopped working. Kadre Gray, the former CS Vâlcea 1924 basketball player, and Issuf Sanon, the talented Ukrainian defender, made some very difficult shots, while Noah Kirkwood constantly attacked the basket.
At the end, U-BT Cluj-Napoca had a chance to equalize, but Trey Woodbury made a wrong decision on the counterattack, and Slask Wroclaw won 94-93.
Mihai Silvășan, at the end of the game: “I made some easy mistakes”
Leading the way for the win were Stefan Djordjevic (19 points, 8 rebounds), Noah Kirkwood (15 points, 7 rebounds), Kadre Gray (14 points, 6 assists) and Jakub Niziol (14 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists).
On the other side, Daron Russell (21 points, 15 assists, 8 rebounds), Trey Woodbury (20 points), Mitch Creek (18 points) and Dusan Miletic (13 points, 13 rebounds) stood out.
It's hard to say now (no what made the difference), just after the game, but we definitely didn't have good enough intensity at times when they started to be more aggressive. We made some easy mistakes, lost the ball when we shouldn't have and gave them offensive rebounds. It shouldn't have happened like this.
All in all, it was a balanced game, I think we controlled a good part, but that's basketball. The team with more points at the end of 40 minutes wins. We have to move on, there is nothing we can do. We have to up our game and be tougher
– Mihai Silvasan
Final. Slask Wroclaw – U-BT Cluj-Napoca, in the 3rd stage of the EuroCup: 94-93
Final match. 94-93 for Slask Wroclaw.
Min. 40. 94-93. Incredible comeback by U-BT who came within a point. The hosts have possession with just over 3 seconds left in the game.
Min. 38. 92-86. Kadre Gray, the former player of CS Vâlcea 1924, scores two 3-point baskets and the hosts are favorites to win.
Min. 37. 86-85. Maximum tension in Hala Orbita in Wroclaw.
Min. 35. 82-80. Sanon scores a basket from 2 meters from the 3-point line.
Min. 33. 75-77. Miletic and Woodbury score 4 points. Black and white are back in charge.
Min. 32. 75-73. Kirkwood gives Slask Wroclaw the lead. Complicated times for U-BT.
The start of the decisive act.
End of quarter 3. 70-73. Memorable comeback by Slask Wroclaw, which nullified the comfortable advantage of the “students”.
Min. 30. 66-73. Two 3-point baskets for U-BT. Kulvietis and Woodbury.
Min. 28. 63-67. Russell stops Bagatskis' team run.
Min. 27. 61-65. The Poles manage to come back from -13 to -6. Silvășan asks for a rest time and tells his students “at this moment, we are losing the match, I don't care about the score, but at this moment we are losing the game because they are more aggressive than us”.
Min. 26. 52-62. Slask Wroclaw does not give up the fight and closes to 10 points. Long range basket for Niziol.
Min. 24. 44-60. 5 more points for U-BT's defender who is dominating these moments. +16 for Cluj.
Min. 22. 42-55. 5 points quickly scored by Russell, who is already in the double-double: 12 points, 11 assists.
The start of the second half.
At halftime, the leaders of the black and white are Mitch Creek (13 points), Dusan Miletic (10 points, 8 rebounds), Trey Woodbury (10 points) and Daron Russell (7 points, 11 assists).
The end of the first half. 38-50. U-BT Cluj-Napoca dominated the second sequence, thanks to a spectacular offensive.
Min. 19. 34-48. Back on the field, Russell passes decisively to Dusan Miletic, who has no mercy on his former team.
Min. 17. 32-41. 5-0 run for Slask Wroclaw and Silvășan still uses a time-out, being dissatisfied with the defensive intensity of his students.
Min. 15. 25-37. Dominant minutes for the Romanian champion.
Min. 13. 25-32. 3-pointer for Saulius Kulvietis, in his first game in black and white. Trey Woodbury also scores from long range.
Min. 11. 25-24. Partially 3-0 for the hosts. Guests can't find the basket yet.
The start of the second quarter.
Russell ➡️ Miletic ✈️@UBTCluj | #RoadToGreatness pic.twitter.com/DQHFTK197S
— BKT EuroCup (@EuroCup) October 15, 2025
End of the first quarter. 22-24. Difference of only 2 points in favor of U-BT Cluj-Napoca, after a first act in which they even led by 10 points.
Min. 9. 20-22. 5 more points for Slask Wroclaw and it's Mihai Silvășan's turn to ask for a time-out.
Min. 8. 15-22. Issuf Sanon reduces the gap with an impressive basket from distance.
Min. 6. 10-18. Another perfect combination between Russell and Creek, and Ainars Bagatskis calls for a time-out and taunts his players, telling them not to fall asleep.
Min. 6. 10-16. The black and white defender continues to coordinate the game very well and U-BT distances itself to 6 points before the first time-out of the match.
Min. 4. 7-12. Mitch Creek makes it 4 points in a row, being excellently served by Daron Russell.
Min. 2. 4-5. Captain Patrick Richard scored Cluj's first 5 points.
Start of the match in Hall Orbita.
The holders of the two formations:
Slask Wroclaw – Kadre Gray, Noah Kirkwood, Jared Coleman-Jones, Jakub Niziol, Dejon Davis
U-BT Cluj-Napoca – Daron Russell, Patrick Richard, Jeffery Taylor, Mitch Creek, Nathan Mensah
