A 0-12 run to open the fourth quarter made the difference
Gran Canaria rallies past Besiktas, 74-76
Dreamland Gran Canaria came from behind in the fourth quarter to edge Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul 74-76 on Wednesday night. The win improved Gran Canaria to 6-2 on the season, while Besiktas dropped to 4-4 in Group A.
The hosts entered the fourth quarter with a 4-point lead, but Gran Canaria used a 0-12 run to take a 61-69 lead, which it preserved down the stretch. Caleb Homesley led the winners with 17 points, Nicolas Brussino scored 13, John Shurna had 12 points and 7 rebounds, and George Conditt scored 10 in a winning effort. Jonah Mathews scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half, Derek Needham had 18 points, and Kelan Martin finished with 10 in defeat.
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Needham scored the first 8 points for Besiktas, including pair of three-pointers, but Brussino nailed a pair from outside for the visitors and a layup from Conditt capped a 0-9 run to make it 10-13. Emanuel Terry scored twice inside for the hosts, and his steal and dunk make it 18-17 but Pierre Pelos and Carlos Alocen ensured Gran Canaria held an 18-21 edge after 10 minutes.
A wide-open three-pointer from Salvo and close-range baskets from Homesley and Conditt opened a 20-28 lead, but Besiktas answered with a 0-8 run, as Berk Ugurlu and Needham each made a triple. After a Gran Canaria timeout, there were no points on either side for full 3 minutes before Brussino's layup. The visitors remained in front through Shurna. A three-pointer from Homesley helped Gran Canaria to a 33-38 halftime lead.
Layups from Mike Tobey and Andrew Albicy and a tough runner from Homesley opened 37-44, But Mathews got going with a jumper and Martin hit a corner triple to get within 45-48. Homesley scored 5 more points, including a three-point play, but Besiktas scored the last 9 points of the quarter, run during which Connor Morgan nailed a three and Needham had a three-point play, and the hosts led 57-53 after 30 minutes.
Alocen made a layup and set up Conditt's monster dunk, but Martin and Mathews kept the hosts ahead. However, Homesley's triple put Gran Canaria ahead and Brussino got some luck on a corner triple to make it 61-67. Shurna's jumper extended the margin to 8 points and after Martin's floater ended a 0-12 run, a triple from Tobey out of a timeout made it 63-72 with 1:39 to go. But Mathews scored the next 6 points and Needham's fastbreak layup made it 71-73. Pierre Pelos only split free throws, but the visitors got the offensive rebounds that helped them preserve the win.