The playoff race is starting to heat up
Game Center: While five teams win at home, Turk Telekom, Reyer strike on the road
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Wednesday, December 18
Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana 74-80 Turk Telekom Ankara
Turk Telekom took an important step forward in the race to reach the playoffs from Group B by topping Cedevita in the Slovenian capital on Wednesday. Both teams now have 7-5 records in the standings. Turk Telekom has a 2-0 record against Cedevita, which could be critical for both teams in tie-break situations. Yoan Makoundou led the winners with 22 points while Kyle Alexander totaled 11 points, 10 rebounds, 5 steals and 6 blocks. Devin Robinson paced Cedevita with 23 points.
Buducnost VOLI Podgorica 110-108 Dolomiti Energia Trento
Buducnost managed hold off Trento in overtime. Both teams came into Round 12 with identical records, yet this result means Buducnost improves to 5-7 while Trento fell to 4-8. Kenan Kamenjas was Buducnost’s star performer with an 18-point, 11-rebound double-double, while Rasheed Sulaimon netted a team-high 19 points. For Trento, Jordan Ford had a game-high 20 points and Myles Cane scored 19.
ratiopharm Ulm 114-91 Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius
Ulm continued to apply pressure on the top teams in Group A by setting a club scoring record in a victory over Wolves to extend its winning streak to four games. Ulm saw its 25-point lead drop to 8 points early in the second half and then went on a 22-2 run to decide the game. Ulm improved to 8-4 in the group including 4-1 at home. Marcio Santos led Ulm with 20 points while Alfonso Plummer scored 15. Wolves have now lost three of the last four games for a 6-6 record. Anthony Cowan was Wolves’ top scorer with 15 points.
Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv 109-101 Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul
Hapoel needed overtime before beating Besiktas at Samokov Arena in Bulgaria. Both team now hold 7-5 records in Group A, but Hapoel has swept their regular-season series. Hapoel seemed in control and had a 10-point lead late in the fourth quarter, but Besiktas finished the regulation with a 2-12 run to send the game into overtime. However, Hapoel scored the first 12 points in the extra session to claim an important win. Antonio Blakeney led the winners with 27 points and Johnathan Motley had 20 for Hapoel. Kyle Allman netted 26 points along with 6 rebounds and 6 assists for Besiktas.
Valencia Basket 108-80 U-BT Cluj-Napoca
Valencia remained undefeated by downing Cluj at La Fonteta. Valencia improved to 11-0 in the standings and set a record for most points in a half, leading 73-47 at the break. Cluj dropped to 6-6. Josep Puerto, Jean Montero and Semi Ojeleye paced Valencia with 14 points apiece. Sasu Salin led Cluj with 18 points.
Joventut Badalona 92-89 Trefl Sopot
Joventut snapped a three-game losing streak thanks to a win over visiting Trefl at Palau Olimpic. The hosts, who improved to 4-8 to keep dreaming of extending their season to the playoffs, saw Trefl come back from a 44-17 deficit early in the second quarter and had to wait till the final whistle to secure the outcome. With this loss, Sopot chained together 12 defeats in as many games and remains last in Group A. Yannick Kraag scored 17 of his total 20 points in the first half to lead the winners and Devon Dotson followed with 14 points and 6 assists. Jaroslaw Zyskowski paced Sopot with 25 points.
Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse 99-102 Umana Reyer Venice
Reyer got back to winning ways by defeating Bourg on the road at Ekinox. The game was knotted at halftime before the visitors tightened up their defense and outscored Bourg 9-27 in the third to take an 18-point lead into the closing quarter. But the hosts pulled off an incredible comeback to get back in front, 89-88, midway through the fourth. Reyer showed character and turned the game around to improve its record to 6-6 – the same as Bourg following its home loss. Mfiondu Tshimanga Kabengele led all scorers with 26 points plus 10 rebounds for yet another double-double and Jordan Parks chipped in with a double-double of his own by recording 13 points and 10 boards for the winners. Jordan Usher paced Bourg with 24 points.
Tuesday, December 17
Bahcesehir College Istanbul 73-65 Dreamland Gran Canaria
In a battle for first place in Group A, Bahcesehir downed Gran Canaria 73-65 at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall in Round 12 on Tuesday. Bahcesehir improved to 10-2 and earned the tiebreak advantage over Gran Canaria, which dropped to 9-3. Tai Odiase led the winners with 16 points. Axel Bouteille added 15 and Mateusz Ponitka 11. Joe Thomasson paced Gran Canaria with 17 points.
Aris Midea Thessaloniki 81-66 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys
Aris stepped up in the second half to take control of the game, scoring 49 points after the break and holding Lietkabelis to just 12 fourth-quarter points. Trey Woodbury led the way for Aris with a game-high 25 points, followed by Sharife Cooper with 12, D'Moi Hodge with 11 and Landers Nolley with 10. Lietkabelis's highest scorer was Martynas Varnas with 11, while Dovis Bickauskis and Georgios Kalaitzakis had 10 apiece.
Veolia Towers Hamburg 82-80 Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem
Hamburg notched its third win of the EuroCup season by overcoming Jerusalem 82-80 in what was a very even game throughout. Jaizec Lottie netted 18 points, Kur Kuath had a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double, Brae Ivey and Niklas Wimberg scored 12 points apiece, and Johnathan Stove finished with 10 points. Jerusalem, which had just eight minutes play more than one minute, had Jared Harper net 26 points, Tarik Phillip score 13, Khadeen Carrington add 11, and Derek Ogbeide contribute 10.