By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Valencia dropped an early 12-point lead but still beat AX Armani Exchange Milan, 86-81.
Sam Van Rossom fired in his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague-high 21 points behind 6/12 field goals, including 4/7 threes. The fourth made long-range shot created a key four-point cushion to start the final minute of the Round 7 contest. The Belgian point guard went on with a free throw for 16 second-half points.
“Above all, I am happy for the win,” he said after the match, “I think we played a great game as a team and found a better way to attack the switch in the second half. An important win for us.”
Klemen Prepelic poured eight points in the decisive fourth period to improve his game tally to 14. Nikola Kalinic produced ten points, all in the second half.
“I think we showed that we are a good team. We played like a team, which is most important, as I always say,” mentioned Bojan Dubljevic after contributing with nine points and seven rebounds, “It is a big victory for us but bad things happened.”
Early exits for Derrick Williams and Mike Tobey may supplement a packed injury list consisting of Vanja Marinkovic, Fernando San Emeterio, and Joan Sastre. “I am very worried about our injuries,” mentioned head coach Jaume Ponsarunau, “It is the most important problem in professional sports, injuries. These players work every day, and this is bad luck.”
Nevertheless, Valencia improved to 4-2 ahead of the trip to Germany to face FC Bayern Munich in one week. Prior to the next EuroLeague challenge, the Spanish outlet will host Hereda San Pablo Burgos Sunday in ACB action.
The opposite side fell to 3-2 with a second consecutive defeat on the road. Malcolm Delaney, Kevin Punter, and Riccardo Moraschini were out, but Vladimir Micov returned to action with 12 points powered by a second-quarter buzzer-beater. Shavon Shields scored 17 points and Kyle Hines 13. Zach LeDay and Michael Roll finished with ten apiece.
“It could have gone both ways,” claimed head coach Ettore Messina, “I think we missed two or three layups and a couple of free throws down the stretch that cost us a lot. I think we competed but our defense was not at the level required for 40 minutes. Too many ups and downs and too many dribble penetrations that we allowed. But we had a chance, it was a balanced game but we take the loss and move on. It has been a good game and I go home preparing the next one.”
A domestic league home match against Germani Brescia follows Sunday before a Russia trip to face Zenit Saint-Petersburg Wednesday and Khimki Moscow Region Friday.