Eurocup, five more in Last 32

EurocupThe Eurocup Regular Season entered its penultimate round of competition this week and it was a round of celebration as a further five teams progressed to the Last 32, while a further three ensured first place in their respective groups.

Group A

Paris-Levallois vs. Telekom Baskets Bonn, 87-80 OT
Paris-Levallois booked its place in the Eurocup Last 32 with an overtime home win over Bonn, a victory that pushed the French outfit to third (4-5) and dropped the Germans to fifth (3-6) to leave the competition. The Paris contingent managed to get the better of the first quarter to carve out a 19-17 lead, and a 16-12 run in the second gave the home team command of the scoreboard at halftime (35-29). Bonn emerged in better touch in the third and levelled the six point deficit (18-24) through the quarter before the teams locked Q4 17 apiece to plunge into overtime. In the added stanza the hosts found an extra gear and paced to a 17-10 streak that won the game.

Brose Baskets Bamberg vs. Strasbourg, 63-70
Strasbourg’s dominance in Group A continued as the already qualified French team moved to 8-1 with a road win over Bamberg. The victory ensured first place for Strasbourg, while the German hosts nailed down second despite the loss with a 6-3 record. The hosts set the rhythm in the first quarter to take an 18-13 lead after ten minutes, before extending in the second stanza with a 14-12 flurry that made it 32-25 at the midway buzzer. Strasbourg regained composure in the third to blast 26 points to the board and take a 49-51 into the final split. The visitors ensured victory and eased down the stretch in a winning final act.

Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia vs. CAI Zaragoza, 75-87
Zaragoza stunned Reggio Emilia on the road to progress to the Eurocup Last 32, claiming fourth in the group with a 4-5 record. The Italian hosts leave the Eurocup and currently occupy last place with a 2-7 standing. The home team looked confident on the back of a 22-19 first quarter, but Zaragoza drained 26 points in the second and kept Emilia at 18 points (40-45 at halftime). In the third period the Italians hit back to the tune of 20-15 to tie the game through thirty minutes, the scoreboard reading 60-60. The visitors found a massive 15-27 run in the fourth quarter to shock Emilia and take the win.

Group B

Artland Dragons Quakenbrueck vs. Herbalife Gran Canaria Las Palmas, 81-90
Gran Canaria’s unblemished record went into a ninth round as the Spanish team downed Artland Dragons on the road to consolidate first place in the group. The Dragons were already out of the running for qualification and now hold a 1-8 record. The visitors won the first period 22-25, but the Quackenbrueck home team hit a big 24-19 second to make it 46-44 at the long break. Gran Canaria stepped up a gear with a 17-20 third and 18-26 fourth to claim the win.

ASVEL Lyon Villeurbanne vs. Telenet Ostend, 70-78
ASVEL Lyon’s quest for the Last 32 ended at the hands of Telenet Ostend, with the Belgians progressing to the next stage instead. The teams traded buckets through the first quarter and it was tied 19-19 on the scoreboard. Ostend added another 19 points to their cause in the second period, while Lyon on mustered 15 points to make it 38-34 at the long break. The second quarter score was repeated in the third stanza with another 15-19 run to the visitors that put them in command at the last stint (49-57). Ostend eased to victory by maintaining the eight point gap down a tied fourth frame.

Foxtown Cantu vs. JDA Dijon, 89-63
Cantu moved into the Last 32 with a home win over already qualified Dijon in Italy. A tight first quarter saw the home team edge to a 20-19 lead before Cantu opened Dijon up in Q2 with a 22-15 run that made it 42-34 as the players headed into the locker room. In the third stanza the hosts poured in 25 points and held the French club at just 11-points to all but seal the win after thirty minutes. Foxtown held a 67-45 lead heading into the final act and they won at a canter with a winning frame.

Group C

Seville vs. SLUC Nancy, 85-75
This Spain vs. France clash saw Seville past Nancy in Group C, but both teams are in the Last 3-2 thanks to their equal 5-4 record. The hosts laid a marker in the first quarter by pacing to a 19-16 lead at the first interval. In the second frame Nancy stormed back with a huge 16-25 flurry that handed the French club a 35-41 lead at the midway buzzer. Seville’s defence and attack worked well in the third period and the result was a 24-12 winning stanza that handed the hosts the lead back through three quarters (59-53). A high scoring 26-22 fourth followed, but Seville held the lead and maintained it to qualify.

Virtus Roma vs. CEZ Nymburk, 78-72
Virtus Rome ensured top spot in Group C with a win over CEZ Nymburk. The Czech powerhouse lost this encounter but still holds pole position for the final Eurocup Last 32 qualification place with a 4-5 record in fourth place. The hosts used the first half to build what would ultimately be the winning deficit, taking the first quarter 18-14 and the second 24-21. Nymburk fought back in the second half, starting with a 14-18 run in the third quarter, but Virtus Roma killed the game in the final frame with a 22-19 streak that closed the win.

Proximus Spirou Charleroi vs. EWE Baskets Oldenburg, 62-75
Both of these clubs remain in the hunt for a Last 32 place, but both need things to go their way. Oldenburg downed Spirou to put both teams on a 3-6 record in Group C, with the Germans needing to win next week and for Seville to beat Nymburk. Spirou needs to win the final group game and for Oldenburg and Nymburk to lose. The visitors looked in control for much of this encounter, taking the opening three quarters 15-20, 11-18, and 14-20 to lead by twenty points with the fourth frame left (40-60). Spirou rallied briefly to win the last period, but Oldenburg had enough points on the board to win the game.

Group D

VEF Riga vs. Besiktas, 64-76
Besiktas kept a share of first place by downing already eliminated Riga on the road. The Latvian home team had the better of an exciting first quarter thanks to a 25-20 lead at the first break in play. In the second act the hosts added to their advantage with a 16-14 run that made it 41-34 at the long break. Riga looked in control, but Besiktas emerged from the locker room in attacking mood and blitzed the Latvians with a 12-25 explosion that made it 53-59 at the final split. The visitors had turned the game around in one frame and then in the fourth quarter eased to the win with an 11-17 run.

Szolnoki Olaj vs. Khimki Moscow Region, 65-79
A win next week will ensure already qualified Khimki Moscow Region first place in Group D after the club gunned down Szolnoki on the road. The Olaj team were already eliminated for the Eurocup this season. The Russian club ignored Olaj’s home court advantage and plundered a 17-22 lead in the first quarter before consolidating with 13-14 winning second. The scoreboard read 30-36 at the midway buzzer, and Khimki controlled the second half with steady play, sneaking the third frame 19-21 before adding gloss to the final score with a 16-22 winning fourth stanza.

Zenit St. Petersburg vs. Union Olimpija Ljubljana, 75-74
Both these teams had already qualified so it was a question of jostling for position as Zenit joined Union Olimpija on 5-4 after a narrow home win. The hosts drained 26 points in the first quarter and stopped Union Olimpija at 19 points for a solid early advantage. The Russians extended their advantage by taking the second quarter 19-18, making it 45-37 at halftime. In the third quarter the visitors finally found a winning run with a 14-16 flurry that cut the deficit to 59-53 through thirty minutes. Union Olimpija bombarded Zenit in a 16-21 winning fourth stanza, but the St. Petersburg contingent held on at the death to secure the win.

Group E

Banvit Bandirma vs. Lietuvos Rytas Lietuvos, 66-71
The top two clubs in Group E clashed on Wednesday with Lietuvos winning the game to ensure first place in the standings at the end of the Regular Season. The Vilnius based visitors stormed the Banvit stronghold in the first quarter with a 13-23 message sending first quarter. Bandirma responded well and looked unfazed on the way to a 24-15 winning second that made it 37-38 at halftime. The momentum swung again in the third as Lietuvos Rytas won the period 18-23 to look good through thirty minutes, the scoreboard reading 55-61. In the ultimate showdown Banvit edged the ten minutes 11-10, not enough to win the game.

Partizan NIS Belgrade vs. Krasny Oktyabr Volgograd, 84-70
Partizan’s torrid Eurocup season had a brief respite as the team outthought Krasny Oktyabr at home, but still the club props up the table with a 2-7 record. The Volgograd visitors had already qualified for the Last 32 last week. Partizan started well with 23-16 winning first quarter, but Krasny responded well to snatch the halftime lead (41-42) on the back of an 18-26 run. In the third frame Belgrade found consistent buckets to pace 25-14 through the quarter and with the final act remaining the hosts led 66-56. Partizan eased down the straight by winning the closing period.

Hapoel Jerusalem vs. CSU Asesoft Ploiesti, 110-112 2OT

The undoubted game of the round was this high scoring double overtime clash between Hapoel Jerusalem and Ploiesti. The Romanians punched their ticket to the Last 32 by winning the mini classic, while Jerusalem was eliminated. Ploiesti won the first three frames (15-20, 23-25, and 21-22), but Hapoel fought back in the fourth with a 25-17 run that tied proceedings through regulation (84-84). The teams continued to trade baskets and the lead in the first added period, locking it 12 apiece. In the second overtime segment the visitors found a narrow edge and slipped through it to take the vital win.

Group F

Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar vs. Buducnost VOLI Podgorica, 79-76
Lokomotiv had already qualified but the Russians ensured first place in Group F and maintained their winning record (9-0). Despite losing, Buducnost can celebrate tonight after booking its place in the Last 32 despite a losing 3-6 record in fourth place. The Podgorica contingent had the better of the first half thanks to a 17-19 first and 14-22 second that made it 31-41 at halftime. The double digit lead was quickly taken out in the third quarter thanks to a 29-16 run from Lokomotiv that gave the hosts a 60-57 lead at the last break. The Russian club had turned it around and held Buducnost to 19-19 through the fourth to win the game.

Stelmet Zielona Gora vs. Pinar Karsiyaka, 71-69
Thrilling is an apt description of this close encounter as Stelmet ZG took out already qualified Pinar Izmir at home. The Polish team had already been eliminated but started well here with an 18-15 winning first quarter, and then extended 19-13 through the second to lead 37-28 at the midway interval. In the third quarter the Turkish visitors went big with a 14-24 run to take the lead (51-52), but Stelmet took the fourth 20-17 to win its second game of the competition.

PAOK Thessaloniki vs. Ventspils, 76-62
PAOK clinched a Last 32 berth win a home win over the already out Ventspils. The Greek team built on its 14-12 first quarter lead by winning the second frame 20-19 to lead by three points at the long break (34-31). Ventspils edged the third stanza 15-16 to make it 49-47 through thirty minutes, before the hosts exploded with a 27-15 run that made the game a formality in the final act.

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