By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Gabe Olaseni delivered for the London Lions. The British club got the 83-80 road win over Besiktas Emlakjet in Istanbul and created a tie in Group A standings behind perfect Paris as the two teams share the second place with a 5-2 record.
Olaseni, who played in Turkey from 2019 until last season had 24 points for the winning side, which got an early lead in the first period (25-19) and got even a 13-point advantage early in the fourth (74-61).
However, Besiktas managed to make it a two-point game (82-80) with seven seconds left. Lions’ Jordan Taylor was fouled and made one free throw (83-80), six seconds before the final buzzer. Leyton Hammonds had one last chance for Besiktas to send the game to overtime but missed.
Matthew Morgan also had an amazing game for the winning side with 17 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, while Besiktas couldn’t react despite Jonah Mathews scoring 19 points, Matthew Mitchell adding also 19 points, and a huge double-double by Angel Delgado (18 p. 14 r.).
In the same group, Umana Reyer Venezia also got a road win in Vilnius over the Wolves on a much easier way (93-77) behind 24 points from Barry Brown.
Adas Juskevicius was the top scorer for the hosts with 15 points.
Keeping the same spirit, Hamburg despite leading by 28-point, managed to survive and also get a hard road win (86-83) over disappointing Cedevita.
Aljami Durham led the way with 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists for the winners who got their first “W”, while Jaka Blazic scored 24 points for the winless hosts.
In Group B, U-BT Cluj-Napoca also delivered on the road by destroying Dolomiti Energia Trento. The final score was 98-60 for the up-and-comers from Romania who got 21 points by D.J. Seeley who was first among equals.
Andrejs Grazulis with 15 points was the top scorer of the losing side.
On the last game of the night, Gran Canaria managed to get the 81-77 win over proud Slask Wroclaw. The final score is deceiving, since Gran Canaria got the lead from the first moment and entered the last period having a 68-47 advantage.
The hosts relaxed and thanks to 26 points by Lukasz Kolenda, Slask managed to get a flattering final point difference. AJ Slaughter and Ben Lammers with 12 points each were the top scorers of the winners who remain perfect.
EuroCup Round 6
Group A
Joventut Badalona – Paris Basketball 94-101 (89-89)
Prometey Slobozhanske – Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv 98-89
Wolves Vilnius – Umana Reyer Venice 77-93
Besiktas Emlakjet – London Lions 80-83
Cedevita Olimpija – Veolia Towers Hamburg 83-86
Standings
1. Paris 7-0
2. London Lions 5-2
3. Besiktas Emlakjet 5-2
4. Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv 4-2
5. Wolves Vilnius 3-3
6. Prometey 3-4
7. Joventut Badalona 3-4
8. Umana Reyer Venice 3-4
9. Veolia Towers Hamburg 1-6
10. Cedevita Olimpija 0-7
Group B
7bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys – Turk Telekom 93-86 (86-86)
ratiopharm Ulm – Buducnost VOLI 84-67
Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse – Aris Midea Thessaloniki 72-65
Dolomiti Energia Trento – U-BT Cluj-Napoca 60-98
Dreamland Gran Canaria – Slask Wroclaw 81-77
Standings
1. Dreamland Gran Canaria 7-0
2. U-BT Cluj-Napoca 6-1
3. JL Bourg 5-2
4. ratiopharm Ulm 5-2
5. Aris Midea 3-4
6. 7bet-Lietkabelis 3-4
7. Dolomiti Energia Trento 3-4
8. Buducnost VOLI 2-5
9. Turk Telekom 1-6
10. Slask Wroclaw 0-7
1st-2nd: Quarterfinals
3rd-6th: Eighthfinals
Photo credit: EuroCup