FIBA Basketball Champions League Qualifying 3

FIBA Basketball Champions LeagueThe third qualifying round for the FIBA Basketball Champions League got underway on Tuesday with four first leg contests. We are down to the last eight stage of the competition to see which club will participate in the first ever FIBA Basketball Champions League.

The spoils were split between home and away teams and not a single game looks buried. Instead, we have close score lines heading into the second leg in two days’ time.

Tsmoki-Minsk vs. Ironi Nahariya, 66-70

Ironi Nahariya stunned Tsmoki-Minsk on the road. VTB League club Minsk is more than capable of turning this four point deficit around in leg 2, but make no mistake, Ironi Nahariya has gone a long way to making the final four. The second leg will be compelling, that’s for sure. The guests were clinical from the charity strip, draining 84.2% (16 from 19) free throws. Those easy points made the difference when Tsmoki-Minsk rallied in the fourth quarter.

Jonathan Skjoldebrand topped the winners with 15 points, while Yancy Gates produced 13 points and 8 rebounds. Marquis Teague added 11 points in the victory and Tyrone Nash plundered 8 points and 10 boards.

Dru Joyce paced Minsk with a game high 16 points, followed by Laimonas Kisielius with 14 points, and a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds by Djorde Gagic.

TU/Rock – Bakken, 67-75

The Bakken Bears also put in a big road effort to see off TU/Rock and put eight points between the clubs heading into the second leg. The hosts actually got off to a flying start and managed to lead 23-14 through the first quarter. The Bears started to make their way back into the game in the second quarter, using a 15-19 run to make it 38-33 at halftime. Bakken had the momentum and drained a massive 27 points in the third act to see off TU/Rock for good. The visitors rode out the fourth on the way to victory.

Michel Diouf was hot for Bakken as he scored 18 points and added 9 rebounds. Dwayne Benjamin followed with 13 points and Thomas Learke with 12 points.

Jenky Jois kept the hosts in the game at times, he went on to 15 points and 17 rebounds in an impressive double-double display.

Usak – UBT Cluj Napoca, 93-90

A contest that looks like going to the wire in the second leg is between Usak and Cluj. The clubs played out a high scoring and entertaining game on Tuesday, which Usak edged by three points for a slight advantage to take on the road. Usak scored heavy, beating 20 points in each quarter. Cluj almost kept pace, but lapsed in the third act with 17 points. That really was the difference as the hosts used the window to take the win.

Mark Lyons scored 24 points for the winning effort, with Shaquielle McKissic adding 16 points.

Kyndall Dykes and Aleksandr Rasic scored 22 points apiece to lead the Cluj offence.

Lukoil Acad. – Oradea 75-72

Lukoil Academic snatched a narrow lead to take back to Oradea. The Bulgarian outfit trailed 53-57 through thirty minutes, but used a big 21-15 push in the final act to seal the game. The hosts built the win on an unselfish offence, dishing out 21 assists during the game.

Maxym Korniyenko set the offensive tone in the win, grabbing 18 points and reeling in 9 rebounds. Hristo Zahariev scored 17 points.

Martin Zeno scored 18 points in the losing effort, along with Sean Barnette in 15 points.

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