By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Martin Hermannsson scored a game-high 25 points plus the game-winning free throws with seconds left, as Alba Berlin beat Rytas Vilnius 87 – 85 to improve its EuroCup Group E record to 3-1 and climb at the top of the standings.
DJ Seeley, Rytas’ top scorer with 16 points, missed the game-tying attempt at the buzzer. The Lithuanian side dropped to 1-3.
Rok Stipcevic (12 points, six assists) had given the lead to Rytas with a layup for the 84 – 85 and 28 seconds left to play. His team had wasted a 21-point lead, 39 – 60, they got at the beginning of the first half.
Alba unleashed a major comeback thanks to Hermannsson scoring 15 points in almost five minutes during the third period and went up 71 – 70, 40 seconds into the fourth quarter. The German team remained ahead until the aforementioned basket by Stipcevic.
Apart from Hermannsson, former Vilnius player Rokas Giedraitis scored 16 points and grabbed five rebounds. Earlier in the day, Partizan got the big win over Monaco.
| Group E | W | L | PTS+ | PTS- | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. ALBA Berlin | 3 | 1 | 315 | 316 | -1 |
| 2. AS Monaco | 2 | 2 | 289 | 292 | -3 |
| 3. Partizan NIS Belgrade | 2 | 2 | 291 | 286 | 5 |
| 4. Rytas Vilnius | 1 | 3 | 314 | 315 | -1 |
Photo: Lokomotiv via EuroCup Basketball