NBL Round 19 (Regular Season): Cherno More edge Beroe by two points

There are only two more rounds left in the Regular Season in NBL. Here is the last round review presented by Job Market.

Sixth-ranked Beroe (8-11) made lots of trouble for third ranked Cherno More (14-5) in Stara Zagora on Sunday. The visitors from Varna managed to secure only two-point victory 86-84. However their fans expected easier game. Cherno More looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists. British-Jamaican point guard Jelani Watson-Gayle (184-1998, college: Fresno Pacific) fired 20 points and 8 assists for the winners. American forward Alonzo Gaffney (206-2000, college: Arizona St.) chipped in 21 points and 4 assists. American forward Brett Reed (204-1996, college: St.Martin's) produced 18 points and 8 rebounds for lost side. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Cherno More have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain third place with 14-5 record behind leader Balkan. Beroe at the other side dropped to the seventh position with 11 games lost. Cherno More will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Beroe will play on the road against the league's leader Balkan (#1) in Botevgrad and is hoping to prove to their supporters that this time they can win.
We should mention about the upset which took place in Plovdiv, where 6th ranked Spartak Pleven (8-10) was outleveled in a road game by ninth ranked Akademik (7-11) 83-62. Worth to mention a great performance of American forward Jacquez Yow (198-1999, college: Limestone) who helped to win the game recording 18 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Vasil Bachev contributed with 16 points and 6 assists for the winners. Naturalized Serbian swingman Martin Sotirov (201-1999, agency: 011 Sports) answered with 15 points for Spartak Pleven. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Akademik have a solid series of three victories in a row. They moved-up to eighth place, which they share with Minyor 2015. Spartak Pleven lost third consecutive game. They keep the sixth position with ten games lost. Akademik will play against league's second-placed Rilski in Samokov in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Spartak Pleven will play at home against Lokomotiv Pl. (#4) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
The game with biggest result difference took place in Plovdiv. Local Lokomotiv Pl. (11-7) outscored 10th ranked Levski (3-14) 115-80 on Saturday night. Worth to mention a quality performance of Grant Singleton who helped to win the game recording 29 points, 8 assists and 4 steals (made all of his seven free throws). At the losing side Dimitar Marincheshki responded with 21 points and 8 rebounds. Since the result was very predictable, it gave the chance for the coaches to test many bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Newly promoted Lokomotiv Pl. maintains fourth place with 11-7 record. Loser Levski keeps the tenth position with 14 games lost. Lokomotiv Pl. will meet Spartak Pleven (#6) on the road in the next round. Levski will play against Botev (#5) and hope to secure a win.

In the last two games of round 19 Minyor 2015 was defeated by Botev in Vratsa 89-81. Bottom-ranked Shumen was beaten by Balkan at home 83-101.



Akademik P. - Spartak Pleven 83-62

We should mention about the upset which took place in Plovdiv, where 6th ranked Spartak Pleven (8-10) was outleveled in a road game by ninth ranked Akademik (7-11) 83-62. Akademik forced 20 Spartak Pleven turnovers. Their players were unselfish on offense dishing 22 assists. Worth to mention a great performance of American forward Jacquez Yow (198-1999, college: Limestone) who helped to win the game recording 18 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. The former international Vasil Bachev (195-1992, college: Cuesta JC) contributed with 16 points and 6 assists for the winners. Five Akademik P. players scored in double figures. Naturalized Serbian swingman Martin Sotirov (201-1999, agency: 011 Sports) answered with 15 points and guard Nikolay Titkov (186-1998) added 14 points in the effort for Spartak Pleven. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Akademik have a solid series of three victories in a row. They moved-up to eighth place, which they share with Minyor 2015. Spartak Pleven lost third consecutive game. They keep the sixth position with ten games lost. Akademik will play against league's second-placed Rilski in Samokov in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Spartak Pleven will play at home against Lokomotiv Pl. (#4) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Spartak Pleven: M.Sotirov 15+4reb+2ast, N.Titkov 14+2reb+2ast, N.Brown 10+4reb, K.Scott 9+4reb, P.Ivanov 7+5reb+5ast, M.Rusev 5+3reb+3ast
Akademik P.: Y.Jacquez 18+6reb+6ast, B.Vasil 16+4reb+6ast, T.Obrad 14+7reb+2ast, M.Nikolay 14+11reb, S.DeMarcus 12+5reb+4ast, P.Ralchev 3

Lokomotiv Pl. - Levski 115-80

The game with biggest result difference took place in Plovdiv. Local Lokomotiv Pl. (11-7) outscored 10th ranked Levski (3-14) 115-80 on Saturday night. Lokomotiv Pl. made 26-of-30 free shots (86.7 percent) during the game. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 28 assists. Worth to mention a quality performance of American point guard Grant Singleton (183-2000, college: FDU, agency: Octagon Europe) who helped to win the game recording 29 points, 8 assists and 4 steals (made all of his seven free throws). His fellow American import guard Devearl Ramsey (180-1997, college: UCSB) helped adding 13 points and 12 assists. At the losing side power forward Dimitar Marincheshki (200-1990) responded with 21 points and 8 rebounds and swingman Mario Boyanov (197-2004, agency: BIG) scored 21 points and 4 assists. Five Lokomotiv Pl. and four Levski players scored in double figures. Since the result was very predictable, it gave the chance for the coaches to test many bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Newly promoted Lokomotiv Pl. maintains fourth place with 11-7 record. Loser Levski keeps the tenth position with 14 games lost. Lokomotiv Pl. will meet Spartak Pleven (#6) on the road in the next round. Levski will play against Botev (#5) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Levski: M.Boyanov 21+2reb+4ast, M.Dimitar 21+8reb+2ast, A.Vachev 13+7reb, C.Raines 12+5reb+3ast, L.Dimitrov 5+2reb+5ast, Z.Georgiev 4+3reb+5ast
Lokomotiv Pl.: S.Grant 29+2reb+8ast, A.Shaw 17+5reb, M.Khalil 15+5reb+1ast, R.Devearl 13+2reb+12ast, T.Minkov 13+3reb+2ast, M.Krastomir 11+3reb+2ast

Botev - Minyor 2015 89-81

There was no surprise in Vratsa where 8th ranked Minyor 2015 (7-11) was defeated by fifth ranked Botev (9-9) 89-81 on Monday. It was a great evening for the former international guard Georgi Gerganov (192-2003) who led his team to a victory scoring 27 points and 8 rebounds. American power forward Courtney Alexander (203-1997, college: Tenn Tech) helped adding 19 points and 9 rebounds. Four Botev players scored in double figures. At the losing side Serbian center Igor Kesar (210-1992) responded with 23 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists and the former international swingman Lachezar Toshkov (187-2002, agency: BIG) scored 18 points and 6 assists. Newly promoted Botev maintains fifth place with 9-9 record. Minyor 2015 lost fifth consecutive game. They keep the eighth position with 11 games lost. They share it with Akademik. Botev will meet Levski (#10) in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Minyor 2015 will play against Shumen and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Minyor 2015: I.Kesar 23+6reb+4ast, L.Toshkov 18+3reb+6ast, J.Talley 14+1reb+6ast, F.Bakic 10+1reb+2ast, S.Lazar 8+6reb+1ast, M.Murphy 6+8reb
Botev: G.Georgi 27+8reb+2ast, A.Courtney 19+9reb+1ast, K.Mihail 16+3reb+6ast, S.Mihaylov 12+4reb+2ast, H.David 8+5reb, M.Shopov 3

Shumen - Balkan 83-101

No shocking result in a game when second ranked Balkan (15-3) defeated on the road bottom-ranked Shumen (2-15) 101-83 on Saturday. Balkan made 25-of-30 free shots (83.3 percent) during the game. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists comparing to just 10 passes made by Shumen's players. It was a great evening for American center Demond Robinson (206-2000, college: KSU) who led his team to a victory scoring 24 points and 6 rebounds. His fellow American import point guard Jack Pagenkopf (191-1997, college: Utah Tech) helped adding 13 points and 6 assists. At the losing side guard Kostadin Lazarov (193-2000, agency: BIG) responded with 30 points and 6 rebounds and American swingman Jalen Barr (193, college: Flagler) scored 17 points and 7 rebounds. Five Balkan and four Shumen players scored in double figures. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. Balkan keeps a position of league leader, which they share with Rilski. Loser Shumen stay at the bottom place with 15 games lost. Balkan will meet at home Beroe (#7) in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Shumen will play against Minyor 2015 (#8) in Pernik and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Shumen: K.Lazarov 30+6reb+3ast, B.Jalen 17+7reb+2ast, M.Marsh 17+5reb+1ast, W.Ellis 14+2reb+3ast, D.Miroslav 3+2reb+1ast, V.Nikola 2
Balkan: R.Demond 24+6reb+2ast, B.Jamari 18+2ast, P.Iliyan 15+3ast, P.Jack 13+2reb+6ast, D.Dimitar 12+7reb+1ast, I.Andrey 8+7reb+1ast

Beroe - Cherno More 84-86

Sixth-ranked Beroe (8-11) made lots of trouble for third ranked Cherno More (14-5) in Stara Zagora on Sunday. The visitors from Varna managed to secure only two-point victory 86-84. However their fans expected easier game. Cherno More looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists. British-Jamaican point guard Jelani Watson-Gayle (184-1998, college: Fresno Pacific) fired 20 points and 8 assists for the winners. American forward Alonzo Gaffney (206-2000, college: Arizona St.) chipped in 21 points and 4 assists. American forward Brett Reed (204-1996, college: St.Martin's) produced 18 points and 8 rebounds and swingman Aleksandar Matushev (197-2000) added 23 points respectively for lost side. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Cherno More have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain third place with 14-5 record behind leader Balkan. Beroe at the other side dropped to the seventh position with 11 games lost. Cherno More will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Beroe will play on the road against the league's leader Balkan (#1) in Botevgrad and is hoping to prove to their supporters that this time they can win.
Top scorers:
Beroe: A.Matushev 23+3reb+1ast, B.Reed 18+8reb+2ast, D.Quisenberry 12+3reb+1ast, J.Benjamin 10+3reb+4ast, M.Zahariev 8+3reb+1ast, D.Williams 8+6reb+4ast
Cherno More: G.Alonzo 21+3reb+4ast, W.Jelani 20+1reb+8ast, W.Lamont 18+4reb+1ast, B.Georgi 15+6reb+4ast, K.Ivan 9+7reb, C.Tsvetomir 2+6reb