By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Jaka Blazic scored 24 points and dished out five assists while Yogi Ferrell added 18 points and seven dimes to lead Cedevita Olimpija to a crucial 97 – 85 win over Valencia on the road. The Slovenian side snapped a five-game losing streak to register their first EuroCup victory since October 27.
Cedevita already had a strong offense in the first half of the game but was near-unstoppable after the break. Valencia, that had taken a 44 – 43 lead at halftime after trailing by double figures early, was unable to match its opponents’ efficiency and fell behind by 10 after Cedevita scored 17 points in the first five minutes of the first half.
There was no turning back for the visiting side that pushed back every effort by the Spanish team to retain an advantage. Cedevita never led below five points in the final quarter and went up 15 with two minutes to play to seal its win.
Four more Cedevita players scored in double figures apart from Blazic and Ferrell. Edo Muric dropped 15 points, Jacob Pullen had 13 points While Zach Auguste posted 11 points plus six rebounds. Melvin Ejim pitched in 10 points.
Sam Van Rossom had 13 points while Klemen Prepelic scored 12 for Valencia.
Three other games were held in Group B Tuesday (21/12). Bursaspor opened the matches by edging Ratiopharm Ulm 68 – 66 behind the performances by Alerik Freeman (20 points) and Derek Needham (20 points).
Mitchell Watt had 13 points and 11 rebounds as Reyer Venezia beat Promitheas 78 – 68 in Patras. Meanwhile in Frane, Buducnost downed Bourg en Bresse 86 – 82, mostly thanks Justin Cobbs (24 points, six assists) and DJ Seeley (21 points).
Group B Standings via EuroCup Basketball (eight teams advance to the next stage):
| Group B | W | L | PTS+ | PTS- | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Buducnost VOLI Podgorica | 6 | 2 | 652 | 588 | 64 |
| 2. Virtus Segafredo Bologna | 5 | 2 | 651 | 599 | 52 |
| 3. Gran Canaria | 5 | 2 | 579 | 544 | 35 |
| 4. Valencia Basket | 4 | 3 | 612 | 598 | 14 |
| 5. Umana Reyer Venice | 4 | 4 | 589 | 584 | 5 |
| 6. ratiopharm Ulm | 4 | 4 | 625 | 626 | -1 |
| 7. Frutti Extra Bursaspor | 3 | 4 | 521 | 561 | -40 |
| 8. Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana | 3 | 5 | 653 | 677 | -24 |
| 9. Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse | 2 | 6 | 640 | 649 | -9 |
| 10. Promitheas Patras | 2 | 6 | 564 | 660 | -96 |