By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Maccabi Tel Aviv wanted to make a fresh start under new coach Ainars Bagatskis. However, Vitoria was not the ideal place for that. Baskonia had things under control and got the 101-88 win.
Shane Larkin (13 p. 13 as.), Toko Shengelia (22 p.) and the magnificent Johaness Voigtmann (23 p. 9 r.) were just too much for the guests who managed to trail by two points at half time (42-40), got a 45-44 lead at the start of the third quarter, but couldn’t do much after that.
Baskonia got the lead, Maccabi Tel Aviv cut it to three (73-70) at the start of the last period, still the hosts with a 15-3 run (88-73) closed the game the right way. With the exception of the second quarter, during which Baskonia was held to 12 points, Maccabi’s effort was lackluster.
Quincy Miller’s return in action was not enough, as he couldn’t score in 14 minutes of action, while Victor Rudd (20 p.) Sonny Weems (13 p.) and Andrew Goudelock (13 p.) scored in double digits for the losing side.
Chase Budinger had also his best game in Euroleague yet, adding 12 points and 6 rebounds for Baskonia, French guard Rodrigue Beaubois added 14 points, while Andrea Bargnani was missing because of an injury once more.