The Slovenian team produced a flawless second half to advance
Cedevita Olimpija downs Besiktas 96-86 to reach quarterfinals

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana booked a quarterfinal berth in the BKT EuroCup where it will meet Bahcesehir College Istanbul for a spot in the last four after an impressive 96-86 home win over Besiktas Fidabanka Istanbul in the eighthfinals on Wednesday.
Devin Robinson led a pack of five Cedevita players who finished in double figures with 21 points and 11 boards. Brynton Lemar scored 20 points for the hosts, while Devante Jones amassed 14 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. DJ Stewart added 13 points and Joan Beringer chipped in with 12 for the Slovenian outfit, which erased a 13-point first-half deficit to delight a vocal home crowd in the Stozice Arena.
At the other end, Jonah Mathews paced Besiktas with 18 points while Kyle Allman registered 13 points to go with 14 assists. Yigit Arslan netted 14 points, Dustin Sleva added 12 and Uros Plavsic chipped in with 11 for the Turkish outfit.
Game Videos
Besiktas carved out a 23-24 lead at the end of a rollercoaster first quarter, with the lead changing hands several times. Plavsic got off to a flying start for Besiktas with a couple of early dunks as the visitors carved out a 10-13 lead before Cedevita rallied with a 9-2 run only to let the advantage slip through its fingers.
The see-saw battle continued early in the second before Besiktas pulled away to 29-38 and then 34-47 on the back of fast-flowing offense, with Allman pulling the strings. The guard dished out a flurry of assists and his teammates responded with a barrage of dunks as Besiktas benefited from great teamwork, but Olimpija clawed its way back with an 8-2 run which cut the deficit to 42-49 at halftime.
The home team ramped up its defense in the third quarter and Robinson kept roasting his markers from inside, with Stewart’s triple allowing Cedevita to nose ahead 58-57 midway through. Besiktas led 68-69 ahead of the final 10 minutes and was 70-72 in front early in the fourth, but Cedevita turned the tide for good soon after.
The visiting team was still in it midway through the final period as Cedevita led 83-79, but the writing was on the wall for Besiktas after Jones sank a deep three to stretch the home team’s lead to 92-82, effectively sealing the game as a contest.
The Turkish team looked the more likely winner for three-quarters of a captivating battle, but ironclad defense coupled with efficient shooting from the foul line (29 of 35) propelled Cedevita into the last eight of the competition.