By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Gran Canaria became the last team to advance in the Eurocup semifinals, despite their 83 – 86 home defeat by Zielona Gora. The team from Las Palmas had won the first quarterfinal with a difference of eleven points and that was more than enough, as it was proven in the re-match.
Coach Aito Reneses’ players were superior than their opponents in this game as well, entering the final quarter ahead of the score 70 – 58, having practically built a 23-point safety zone around them, counting the result of the first quarterfinal.
Perhaps that made the hosts a bit relaxed near the end, something that Zielona Gora took advantage of. Thanks to a 13 – 28 partial score in the last period, the Polish found themselves in front of their opponents, when the final buzzer sounded.
This result did not change anything in the grand scheme of the quarterfinals, but allowed the Polish to say farewell to the competition with a smile. After all, they achieved victory in an arena where few other teams have gotten a positive result this year.
Lukasz Koszarek scored 15 points and delivered 7 assists to his teammates, finishing the game as the top performer of Zielona Gora. For Gran Canaria, Alen Omic dominated the paint, as usual, with 14 points, while he won 8 fouls.
After this results the semifinals of the Eurocup are the following: Gran Canaria – Galatasaray and Strasbourg – Trento. At this point only Galatasaray which considered early one of the main title contenders is still alive in the race.