“I remember times when it was much more difficult to win away from home,” said Oded Kattash about the challenge of away games in Europe. “Today, the level of many teams is pretty close, everything is open, and we see surprising results. It’s a game against a very good opponent and a true test of our intensity and concentration.”

For Wade Baldwin, the game against the Basques will be particularly emotional, as Maccabi’s excellent guard played for Baskonia last season. “I have a lot of history there – my son was born there,” Baldwin shared before flying to Spain. “It feels good to be back there, but it is also one of the toughest places in the EuroLeague. The game can get unpleasant very quickly if you’re not well prepared”.