By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Bonzie Colson drained a 3-pointer with less than a second to play, handing Pinar Karsiyaka an 86 – 84 road win over Hapoel Jerusalem in the first round of the Basketball Champions League regular season.
Colson, the reigning BCL MVP, finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds while scoring eight in crunch time. He made a 3-point play for the 81 – 79 and then made the dunk for the 83 – 81 to keep Karsiyaka at a shooting distance with seconds remaining.
After Kaiser Gates went 0 – 2 from the line for Jerusalem with seven seconds remaining, Colson grabbed the rebound and hit the game-winner that decided the outcome.
Former No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett had 22 points and eight rebounds in his BCL debut which would be more memorable if not for Colson’s late heroics. Sean Kilpatrick added 16 points plus six assists and Jalen Adams scored 12 for Jerusalem. Thon Maker finished with five points on 1-5 shots.
James Blackmon had 19 points for Karsiyaka and Michael Roll dropped 12 points, including the pair of free throws before Colson’s big 3-pointer. The Turkish side went up 71 – 76 with 3:27 remaining but a 0-10 run by Jerusalem got them down by five themselves, before turning the game around again.