Zavier Simpson stuffed the stats sheet in another strong effort for the winners
Cluj thrashes Hamburg on the road, 67-103
In a clash of two previously winless teams in Group B, visiting U-BT Cluj-Napoca beat Veolia Hamburg Towers 67-103 on Tuesday night. Cluj improved to 1-3 in the group, while Hamburg registered its fourth loss in as many games this season.
Cluj had control from the start, and trailed just once, for one possession in the first quarter. The visitors pulled away with couple of big second-quarter runs to build a 20-point halftime lead, and never looked back.
Zavier Simpson paced the winners with 28 points and 8 assists. Adam Mokoka had 13 points, Sasu Salin netted 12, De'Shawn Stephens collected 11 points and 9 rebounds and DJ Seeley had 10 points for Cluj. Jordan Barnett scored 15 points, Brae Ivey had 13 and Osaro Rich 10 points in defeat.
Cluj had the better start, scoring the first 6 points, but Ivey and Osaro, who each made a three-pointer, got Hamburg going, and the hosts took a 12-11 lead. But Stephens sparked a 0-6 run that helped the visitors restore their lead, which stood at 16-19 after 10 minutes.
Adam Mokoka scored 5 points early in the second for the visitors, and his three-point play started Cluj's surge. Mokoka and Stephens led the charge, and Seeley's corner triple opened a 24-36 lead. That triple also fueled a 3-16 run, as Cluj finished the half with 3 consecutive three-pointers, 2 from Sasu Salin and 1 from Simpson that made it 27-47 at halftime.
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The teams traded baskets to start the third quarter and an Ivey to Barnett alley-oop helped cut the margin to 37-53. But Seeley answered with a triple that fueled a 9-0 run, which Salin capped with a three-pointer. The visitors continued adding points, and Simpson's three-pointer made it 43-70.
Cluj scored the final 6 points of the third, to break the 30-point barrier, and the first basket of the fourth to open a 48-83 lead. The visitors never let down in the fourth and led by as many as 40 points, 57-97, in cruising to a huge win.