Banvit BK - Budivelnyk 94-85 Charles Davis (205-C-84, college: Alabama) scored 24 points and grabbed 9 rebounds to lead Banvit to a key victory over Budivelnyk in EuroCup Last 16 Group I. Both teams are now tied at 3-2 record on top of the standings. Budivelnyk lived up to the challenge from the hosts in the opening quarter. The visitors led by a single point at the first intermission 25:24. But Banvit gradually took over. The Turkish team fired 31 points in the second term and gained a 55:45 halftime lead. Budivelnyk did not allow Banvit to clear off in the third quarter. The Ukrainian team went on a 10:0 run to narrow the gap at just 2-point mark 67:69. Budivelnyk entered the fourth frame down by just two points 69:71. Rihards Kuksiks levelled things up at 77 midway through the fourth frame. Leo Lyons (206-F-87, agency: Edge Sports, college: Missouri) followed with a three-pointer to put the visitors in front. But Banvit immediately answered with 9:0 run to surge ahead. The hosts then crowned the regulation with eight points in a row to seal the victory. Kalin Lucas (185-PG-89, college: Michigan St.) provided 14 points, while Sammy Mejia netted 13 points in the win. Leo Lyons answered with 20 points and 11 boards for Budivelnyk. Artur Drozdov chipped in 14 points in the losing case.
Triumph - Buducnost 76-66 Triumph came from behind in the third quarter and rallied to an important home win over Buducnost in EuroCup Last 16 Group I. The Russian team thus improved at 2-3 record and caught up with the Montenegrin champions in the standings. The teams stayed close throughout the first half. Triumph gained a narrow 18:16 lead ten minutes into the game. Buducnost stiffened defensively and erased the deficit in the second quarter. The scoreboard read 30:30 at the interval. Gerald Lee and Marko Popovic (200-SG-85) helped the visitors to a 42:32 lead midway through the third term. However Tywain McKee (188-PG-86, college: Coppin St.) and Sergey Karasev (202-SG-93) dragged Triumph in front 51:50 late in the period. Dusko Bunic capped the quarter with a layup as Buducnost ensured a 52:51 lead. Sergey Karasev scored 11 points in a 13:0 run from the hosts as Triumph grabbed a 64:52 lead early in the fourth quarter. Triumph kept their opponents at bay throughout the final stanza and raced to the vital victory at the end. Sergey Karasev provided 24 points to pace the hosts. Tywain McKee added 16 points in the win. Marko Popovic answered with 18 points for Buducnost. Dusko Bunic had 11 points in the loss.
Group J
CEZ Nymburk - Gescrap BB 69-83 Uxue Bilbao clinched a valuable road victory in EuroCup Last 16 Group J. The Basque team stunned Nymburk in Czech Republic to enter three-team tie on top of the standings. Bilbao are now tied with VEF Riga and Valencia in the group. Milovan Rakovic (208-C-85) provided 18 points to lead the winners. Uxue Bilbao stormed into this one. They posted a 24:15 lead after ten minutes. Bilbao stayed hot offensive in the second frame. They unloaded 54 points in the first half to take an 18-point lead. Nymburk came back to life after the big break. The hosts held Bilbao to 11 points in the third term to cup the deficit at 9-point mark. But Bilbao did not give too many chances for the hosts. The Spaniards held Nymburk to 13 points in the fourth period and rallied to the victory at the end. Kostas Vasiliadis (200-G/F-84, agency: FCM) produced 17 points, while Nikolaos Zisis added 11 points for the winners. Radoslav Rancik (207-F/C-79, agency: Beo Basket, college: St.Cloud St.) answered with 19 points and 7 rebounds for Nymburk. Petr Benda had 17 points in the loss.
VEF Riga - Valencia 96-103 OT Valencia completed an impressive comeback en route to a tough crucial victory in Riga tonight. The Spanish team upset VEF for 3-2 record in EuroCup Last 16 Group J. VEF Riga and Valencia are now tied on top of the standings. Justin Doellman (206-F-85, college: Xavier) provided 23 points to lead the visitors. It was all about VEF Riga in the first quarter. The hosts stunned the visitors with a 30:13 run in the opening period. Javovics gave the hosts a 37:15 lead midway through the second quarter. But Valencia slowly recovered and trimmed the deficit at 11-point mark at halftime 38:49. Valencia slowly cut the deficit in the third term. Justin Justin Doellman put the visitors within two 65:67 late in the period. Earl Rowland (188-G-83, college: St.Mary's, CA) sank a three-pointer but Pau Ribas (193-PG-87) answered with a layup as Valencia trailed by just three points heading into the fourth frame 67:70. Thomas Kelati opened the final quarter with a triple to deny the deficit. The teams went neck and neck throughout the fourth term. Earl Rowland made it 89:86 for the hosts with 29 seconds remaining in regulation. Pau Ribas hit two free throws to keep Valencia close. Earl Rowland got fouled but sank just one free throw and Pau Ribas punished the hosts on the other hand tying things up at 90 with 6 seconds to go. Earl Rowland missed a potentially winning shot as the teams headed into overtime. VEF Riga and Valencia exchanged several buckets before the visitors went on a 5:0 run to take a 99:94 lead. Bojan Bojan Dubljevic (205-PF-91, agency: Beo Basket) then hit three free throws in the crucial seconds and Valencia sealed an important road win at the end. Pau Ribas and Bojan Dubljevic provided 18 points each for Valencia. Rodrigo San Miguel added 12 points for the visitors. Earl Rowland answered with 29 points, 6 boards and 5 assists for VEF Riga. Kristaps Janicenoks delivered 14 points in the loss.
Group K
Cajasol - Stelmet ZG 81-85 Stelmet Zielona Gora revived their EuroCup campaign with a road win in Seville tonight. The Polish team came from behind late in the game to steal the victory over Cajasol. Stelmet ZG improved at 2-3 record in the third position in Group K. Cajasol suffered the fifth straight loss in Last 16 stage. Walter Hodge (183-PG-86, college: Florida) stepped up with 31 points to pace the visitors. Cajasol started the game strong. They rallied off to a 26:16 lead after ten minutes. Stelmet Zielona Gora stopped the rot pretty quickly though. The Polish side outscored the hosts 23:17 in the second stanza to get within 4 points at the big break 43:39. The visitors maintained the pressure throughout the third term. Stelmet trailed by just three points heading into the final frame 58:61. Walter Hodge tied things up at 72 with just under five minutes to go. Luka Bogdanovic answered with a three-pointer and Brian Asbury followed with a layup to put Cajasol up by 5 points 77:72. However Oliver Stevic (204-F/C-84, agency: Beo Basket) and Walter Hodge dragged the Polish team within one 80:81 with 68 seconds remaining. Marcin Sroka followed with a layup and then Walter Hodge sank two free throws to seal the victory for Stelmet Zielona Gora. Oliver Stevic provided 18 points, while Dejan Borovnjak added 11 points in the winning case. John Holland (195-G/F-88, college: Boston U.) answered with 15 points for Cajasol. Brian Asbury delivered 12 points in the loss.
Lokomotiv - Spartak SP 77-72 Lokomotiv Kuban clinched the fifth straight win in EuroCup Top 16 stage. They outgunned Spartak Saint Petersburg in Krasnodar to remain perfect on top of Group K. Spartak suffered the second loss and slipped at 3-2 record. Derrick Brown (203-F-87, college: Xavier) nailed 18 points for the winners. Lokomotiv dominated defensively in the first half. They earned a 16:13 lead after ten minutes. The lead changed hands for several times throughout the second term but Lokomotiv kept it calm and finished the first half up by 5 points 36:31. Aleks Maric (211-C-84, college: Nebraska) gave the hosts a 38:31 lead early in the third term. Lokomotiv used a 9:0 run to stretch the lead to 13 points 48:35. Soon the hosts enjoyed a 59:41 advantage. Darius Johnson-Odom capped the third term with four points in a row to put Spartak within 14 points 45:59. Josh Carter (200-F-88, college: Texas A&M) and Zach Wright made it a six-point game with under five minutes remaining in regulation. However Lokomotiv quickly responded with five points in a row to boost the margin. Josh Carter drained two triples and Dragicevic added a layup as Spartak revived the intrigue at 68:71. Aleks Maric and Calathes stepped up for the hosts in the dying minutes and Lokomotiv snatched the win at the end. Aleks Maric delivered 16 points, while Simas Jasaitis added 15 points for the winners. Josh Carter responded with 20 points for Spartak Saint Petersburg. Loukas Mavrokefalidis posted 12 points in defeat.
Group L
Crvena Zvezda - Ratiopharm 78-92 Ratiopharm Ulm claimed a confident road win in Belgrade tonight. Allan Ray (188-G-84, college: Villanova) scored 26 points to pace Ulm past Crvena Zvezda. The victory propelled Ulm at 3-2 record in Group L. Crvena Zvezda fell at 2-3 record. Ratiopharm Ulm jumped ahead early in the encounter. The German side finished the first quarter up by three points 22:19. The visitors maintained it throughout the second term. Ulm accounted for a 46:38 halftime lead. Ratiopharm Ulm did not allow Crvena Zvezda to turn things around in the third quarter. The visitors stayed ahead and entered the final frame up by 11 points 67:56. Ratiopharm Ulm exploded with 25 points in the final frame and sealed the victory at the end. Steven Esterkamp (198-F-81, agency: Limelight Hoops, college: Ohio) nailed 20 points and grabbed 6 boards, while Lance Jeter accounted for 15 points for the winners. Igor Rakocevic (191-G-78) answered with 24 points for Crvena Zvezda. Mike Scott and Rasko Katic had 11 points each in the loss.
Unics - Galatasaray 64-57 Unics clinched an important win in EuroCup Top 16 Round 5. They held off visiting Galatasaray to improve at 3-2 record in a highly-contestant L. Vladimir Veremeenko (208-F-84) posted 15 points and 9 rebounds to pace the winners. Galatasaray fell at 2-3 record after the loss. Unics opened the game confidently. The hosts went on a 21:14 run in the first term. But Galataray adjusted defensively in the second quarter. The Turkish team limited Unics at 11 points in the period to narrow the deficit at 4-point mark. The teams traded baskets in the third quarter as Unics remained ahead. The hosts entered the final period up by 5 points 47:42. Macvan and Arroyo dragged Galatasaray within one point 47:48 midway through the fourth frame. However Wilkinson, Eidson and Kaimakoglou knocked down eight points in a row to give Unics a 58:49 lead with under four minutes remaining. Kaimakoglou followed with a pair of free throws to make it 60:49 for the hosts. Galatasaray narrowed the gap to 5 points but could not get any closer in the final seconds. Terrell Lyday (191-G-79, college: BYU) produced 14 points and 8 rebounds, while Mire Chatman added 12 points, 8 assists and 8 rebounds for the winners. Engin Atsur (193-G-84, agency: Beo Basket, college: N.Carolina St.) responded with 12 points for Galatasaray. Manuchar Markoishvili had 11 points in defeat.
Final Four MVP: Richard Hendrix (204-C/F-86) of Lokomotiv Player of the Year: Nick Calathes (198-PG-89) of Lokomotiv Guard of the Year: Nick Calathes (198-PG-89) of Lokomotiv Forward of the Year: Justin Doellman (206-F-85) of Valencia Center of the Year: John Bryant (208-C-87) of Ratiopharm European Player of the Year: Nick Calathes (198-PG-89) of Lokomotiv Import of the Year: John Bryant (208-C-87) of Ratiopharm Coach of the Year: Fotis Katsikaris of Gescrap BB
Behind a strong double-double showing of 12 points and 10 rebounds, courtesy of 6-11 Australian center Aleks Maric, and thanks to a dominate Most Valuable Player performance by interim big man Richard Hendrix, who contributed 14 points and 9 boards, Russian Lokomotiv Kuban secured its first ever Eurocup title with a 75-64 triumph over Spanish Uxue Bilbao [read more]
Behind a strong double-double showing of 12 points and 10 rebounds, courtesy of 6-11 Australian center Aleks Maric, and thanks to a dominate Most Valuable Player performance by interim big man Richard Hendrix, who contributed 14 points and 9 boards, Russian Lokomotiv Kuban secured its first ever Eurocup title with a 75-64 triumph over Spanish Uxue Bilbao.
Both Maric (Panathinaikos) and Hendrix (EA7 Milan), shown the door by their recently respected Euroleague homes, have managed to come alive in Russia, upped their statistics, and resurrect their stardom, en route to returning to Euroleague action next season.
While Maric is locked in with Kuban for the upcoming 2013-14 season, Hendrix, who is on a loan from Milan, will get shipped back to Italy to honor the second year of his deal.
Kuban Coach Evgeny Pashutin utilized his massive inside presence to the maximum. Maric playing the center, and Hendrix at power-forward revealed to be a killer duo combining for 19 boards, five of them offensive, and five assists.
"Our strategy offensively was to go inside to Richard Hendrix and Aleks Maric," a victorious Pashutin said. "They both dominated and we were able to get a lead, go from there and have a good game," the 44-year-old Russian-born coach added.
Awkwardly enough, Israeli power Maccabi Tel Aviv, currently trailing Real Madrid 0-2 in the best-of-five Euroleague quarter-finals series, is getting demolished inside the paint by its Spanish rival.
Seeing that Maccabi sent 7-footer Giorgi Shermadini to Greece on December 2012, and waived high-flying 6-8 power-forward Malcolm Thomas, who is now hooping for the Chicago Bulls, Shawn James' outstanding performances remain no match against Madrid's inside firepower. Dating back to March 2013, Maccabi targeted and engaged in conversations with Maric, who eventually preferred the Russian currency. Upon joining Kuban on January 2013, David Blatt heavily pursued Hendrix, and urged Tel Aviv officials to re-sign the Alabama alumnus. Yet Maccabi executives eventually inked Croatian Euroleague-rook Darko Planinic to a multi-year deal.
Planinic is far from being the coaching staff favorite Hendrix was, or Maric could have been, registering just 3.5 points and 1.5 boards during 6.5 minutes per versus Madrid.
As Madrid outrebounds Tel Aviv 85-44 over the first pair of series contests, Maric, tailing a miserable four points in seven minutes for Panathinaikos under former coach Zeljko Obradovic last season, has jump-started his international career, revisiting his dominance from when playing in Serbia with Partizan Belgrade.
"Our target from the beginning was to win this cup. We are now going to the play in the Euroleague. We conquered our goal of taking Kuban to the next level. It is an amazing feeling," said Maric, completing his Eurocup debut season with double-digit scoring figures of 11 points and 7.3 rebounds nightly.
Hendrix's season upside has also been remarkable. The 264-pounder who took home Israel's Center of the Year honors, discovered unfamiliar territory earlier this season under Sergio Scariolo, barley logging double-digits in minutes, which by default, meant failing to adapt to the Italian system.
In Russia, Hendrix revived his brand, doubled his scoring averages, and tripled his European competition statistics. For Kuban's defensive anchor, winning the Eurocup title was simply the icing on the cake.
Lokomotiv Kuban crowned new champions! - Apr 13, 2013
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Gescrap BB - Lokomotiv 64-75
Lokomotiv Kuban are the new EuroCup champions. They knocked down Bilbao Basket in Charleroi tonight to clinch the trophy. Aleks Maric (211-C-84, college: Nebraska) paced balanced effort from the Russian team finishing with a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds. The teams went neck and neck throughout the opening quarter. Bilbao Basket eked out a narrow 17:16 lead after the starting quarter. But Lokomotiv took over in the second frame [read more]
Gescrap BB - Lokomotiv 64-75 Lokomotiv Kuban are the new EuroCup champions. They knocked down Bilbao Basket in Charleroi tonight to clinch the trophy. Aleks Maric (211-C-84, college: Nebraska) paced balanced effort from the Russian team finishing with a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds. The teams went neck and neck throughout the opening quarter. Bilbao Basket eked out a narrow 17:16 lead after the starting quarter. But Lokomotiv took over in the second frame. They used a 15:2 run to secure a 37:28 lead. Kostas Kostas Vasiliadis (200-G/F-84, agency: FCM) stopped the rot with a jumper but Lokomotiv entered the second half up by 8 points 38:30. Derrick Brown (203-F-87, college: Xavier) and Calathes extended the lead to double digits early in the third term. Lokomotiv stayed in front throughout the third term. The Russian team entered the fourth quarter up by 9 points 54:45. Lokomotiv opened the fourth stanza with 11 straight points to shock Bilbao. The Basque team fought desperately till the final seconds and cut the deficit to 7 points but it was as close as they could get. Lokomotiv stayed calm and escaped with a triumphant victory at the end. Richard Hendrix (204-C/F-86, college: Alabama) finished with 14 points and 9 rebounds, while Derrick Brown added 11 points for the winners. Kostas Vasiliadis answered with 11 points for Bilbao Basket. Milovan Rakovic had 11 points in the losing effort.
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