Euroleague Regular Season, week 5
The fifth round of the Euroleague Regular Season tipped off with seven games on Thursday, including an all-Russian clash and plenty of other mouth-watering match ups. The group campaign is now in full swing as we reach the midway point and the tables are starting to reveal the teams in the mix for qualification, as well as those struggling and those cruising. As expected, the giants of the European game are in rude health, but below the group leaders the action is tight and exciting.
Group A
Unics Kazan vs. Nizhny Novgorod, 73-79
Unics Kazan and Nizhny Novgorod provided the talking point in Group A as the Euroleague Regular Season entered its fifth round. Nizhny shocked the home team to move to 2-3 in the table, while Unics continues to struggle with just one victory so far.
The travelling team had the better of the play during the first quarter and managed to claim a 16-21 lead at the first interval. The teams could not be separated as they went bucket for bucket through the second quarter, locking the frame 18 apiece (34-39 at halftime). The visitors extended their advantage through the third period with a 14-15 run and with 10 minutes remaining Nizhny led 48-54. The game opened up in a back and forth final split, but once again the teams tied 25-25 and Novgorod won the game. Taylor Rochestie led the winners with 25 points, followed by Artsiom Parakhouski with 19 points and 9 rebounds.
Group B
Unicaja Malaga vs. Maccabi Tel Aviv, 66-70
After last week’s shock home defeat at the hands of Cedevita Zagreb, reigning Euroleague title holders Maccabi Tel Aviv got back on track with a road win over Unicaja Malaga. The victory helped the Israeli powerhouse to a 3-2 record in Group B, putting them in the same boat as Unicaja.
Maccabi went hot in the opening minutes to take a 0-8 lead and through the first quarter the champs never looked back, taking the frame 13-21. The Malaga contingent narrowed the deficit through a winning second term, but nevertheless the hosts trailed 29-35 heading into the locker room. The Spanish club continued to claw its way back into contention with a 21-19 run in the third, making it 50-54 through three quarters. The home team had the momentum, but Maccabi Tel Aviv held on to tie the last quarter and win the game. Devin Smith led the success for the visitors with a double-double of 24 points and 10 boards.
Group C
Bayern Munich vs. Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul, 86-93
Both of these clubs had lost the last two and needed a win here to get their Euroleague Regular Season campaigns back on track. Hosts Bayern were soundly beaten by Fenerbahce, with the Turkish club moving to a 3-2 record, while Munich is really finding the going tough this season at the foot of Group C with a 1-4 record.
The German team had the better start though, grabbing the initiative in the first quarter to hold a 22-19 lead at the first break in play. Fenerbahce found a rich scoring vein in the second period to pour in 31 points and hold Bayern to 21, enough for a sizeable 44-50 lead at the midway buzzer. The visitors rolled with the momentum during the third frame to extend the lead to nine points at the final interval (60-69). Bayern attempted a rally with 26 last quarter points, but Fener kept pace with 24 points of their own to ensure the victory. Andrew Goudelock exploded at the bucket for the winning effort, streaming in 34 points for the Turkish giant.
EA7 Armani Milano vs. PGE Turow Zgorzelec, 90-71
PGE Turow grabbed its first Euroleague win last week, but there were no repeat heroics in Round 5 as the Polish champs were demolished by EA7 Milano in Italy. The home team found its second win of the competition, while keeping Zgorzelec at the bottom of the group.
A bookended game gave Milan the victory, and the hosts started in fine touch by outscoring PGE Turow in the first stint, leading 26-16 after 10 minutes. The visitors hit back and tore into the double digit deficit with a 14-22 second quarter. At halftime it was anybody’s game with the scoreboard reading 40-38. The third quarter saw PGE Turow continue to control the scoring, winning the period 18-19 to make it a one point game through 30 minutes (58-57). The Italian hosts went hot in the final quarter to ensure victory, capping the game with a big 32-14 final effort.
Group D
Neptunas Klaipeda vs. Valencia, 94-87
Neptunas piled woes on Spanish visitors Valencia by issuing the club’s fourth defeat of the competition. Both of these teams entered this encounter on 1-3 records, but the hosts used home court advantage to take the win that places them on 2-3, while Valencia props up Group D with a 1-4 record.
Despite the relatively close final score, Neptunas Klaipeda actually impressed and controlled the hardwood throughout, leading the game from the opening tip to the game ending buzzer. The hosts paced to a solid seven point advantage through the first stint, leading proceedings 24-17 after 10 minutes. Neptunas capitalised on their lead in the second quarter with a 29-25 flurry that made it 53-42 at the long break. Eurocup champs Valencia took the third quarter 20-21 and then won the fourth 21-24 to at least make the contest interesting down the final stretch.
Laboral Kutxa Vitoria vs. Crvena Zvezda Belgrade, 66-86
Both teams have enjoyed solid seasons so far and this was a tight clash to call. However, Serbian heavyweight Crvena Zvezda went to Laboral Kutxa’s backyard and smashed them by 20 points to move to second place in Group D.
The teams could not be separated for much of the first quarter as they traded baskets, but by the buzzer Vitoria had managed to carve a 22-21 advantage. The one point lead was soon taken care of by the Belgrade based club as the visitors went on a scoring and defending rampage, winning the second stanza 12-20 to make it 34-41 at the long break. An even bigger frame followed in the third as Crvena Zvezda all but ensured victory with a 16-25 run to make it 50-66 with ten minutes remaining. The Spanish hosts had no reply for the Red Star attack as the away team won the final act to wrap a convincing win.
Olympiacos vs. Galatasaray, 93-66
Olympiacos took its highest point’s haul of the season so far as the Greek powerhouse smashed Galatasaray at home to remain unblemished in Group D. The Turkish visitors still have room to manoeuvre in the group with a 2-3 record in third place.
The Greek contingent stormed in front and dictated the pace of play on the hardwood to emerge with a 26-13 lead at buzzer one. The writing was already on the wall for Galatasaray, but the visitors did well to respond with hot scoring, winning the second 26-24. Despite the return from the Turks, Olympiacos controlled the board at 49-39 during the long break. A 19-14 charge in the third quarter and a big 25-13 finale gave the Greek’s their biggest win of the campaign. Othello Hunter doubled up with 17 points and 10 rebounds in the win, while Vassilis Spanoulis was typically dangerous with 16 points and 7 dimes for Olympiacos.