Austria: Kapfenberg gets 10th straight win

The ECE Kapfenberg Bulls traveled to Vienna on Thursday to take on Austria A Bundesliga league leader BC Vienna.

Kapfenberg was riding a nine game winning streak and were tied for second in the league standings at 12-3, while Vienna was 13-2 at game time. When the final buzzer sounded, the Bulls came away with their 10th straight and a share of the top step of the league with a 73:78 victory.

Vienna got out to an early lead, 10:4, but their guests countered and the fought to a 15:15 tie at the end of the first frame. The clubs exchanged baskets and mini scoring runs in the second with Kapfenberg taking a two-point margin into the break, 33:35.

The Bulls came out of the intermission on fire and had a 6:17 run to get up 39:52. The hosts took a time-out and ran off five unanswered when they came back out to get the gap into single digits. At the end of the third frame Kapfenberg held a 1o-point advantage, 47:57.

The visitors connected with a quick three point play to bump the lead to 13, then the hosts roared back with eight from Ray Boylan during a 21:8 run to take the lead, 71:70. Back-to-back triples for Kapfenberg gave the Bulls a five-point margin, which, after a Vienna layup and a pair of Kapfenberg singles, was enough to give the Bulls their tenth consecutive celebration.

Mark Sanchez led the Bulls with 19,Demetrius Nelson added 16 points and 8 rebounds, Quentin Pryor contributed 15 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.

Ian Boylan’s 19 paced Vienna, while Jean Francois, Zarbo Rakocevic and Stjepan Stazic added 13 apiece. Stazic also contributed 12 rebounds and six assists.