By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Besiktas beat 2023 EuroCup champions Gran Canaria 80 – 78 on the road in a knockout game for the eighthfinals of the competition to advance to the next stage.
After a game full of ups and downs for both teams and a very close fourth quarter, Marko Simonovic put Besiktas up 80 – 75 with a putback basket and 11 seconds remaining. Nicolas Brussino quickly hit a 3-pointer to keep Gran Canaria in the game.
Simonovic was fouled but went 0 – 2 from the line, giving the hosts a chance to tie or win it. There were five seconds left on the clock and Gran Canaria didn’t manage to cross the court and find a good shot in time as Ben Lammers’ Hail Mary attempt went off target. The Spanish side was eliminated after starting the regular season with 10 straight wins and finishing third in Group B at 12 – 6.
Jonah Mathews scored 14 points for Besiktas while Angel Delgado had 11 points. Simonovic finished with 10 points plus nine rebounds and Kyle Allman scored 10 points as well. Derek Needham dropped five out of his nine points in the last three minutes, including the bucket for the 78 – 75. He also dished out five assists.
Lammers led Gran Canaria with 14 points plus five rebounds. Brussino had 11 points and Ethan Happ posted 10 points.
The 2023-24 EuroCup quarterfinal pairs are the following:
Paris Basketball – Joventut Badalona
Cluj Napoca – London Lions
JL Bourg en Bresse – Prometey
Hapoel Tel Aviv – Besiktas