By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
NutriBullet Treviso overcame a sluggish start to defeat AEK, 81-69, on Wednesday.
With both Tomas Dimsa and Nicola Akele sidelined, red-hot DeWayne Russell paired 17 points with eight assists. He also chipped in four rebounds and two steals for a game-high 26 efficiency rating in the Basketball Champions League Regular Season Gameday 6 contest.
The winning side connected 16/34 three-pointers to wrap up its Group D run at 4-2. Michal Sokolowski and Giordano Bortolani knocked in four triples each en route for 14-point showings. Matteo Chillo had 13 points. Aaron Jones posted a 10-point, 17-rebound double-double.
The Italian club was on the receiving end of the first five points but gained full control the rest of the way. The 19-point cushion was reduced to a six-point advantage early in the fourth quarter but AEK did not get closer.
The team coached by Massimiliano Menetti ranking second behind Falco Szombathely brings on Lavrio Megabolt in a best-of-three Play-In series stretching through the first three weeks of January. Game 1 will be held at Treviso’s Palaverde.
Orlando-born Eric Griffin scored a game-high 23 points with 9/15 field goals in the losing effort. Ian Hummer and Braian Angola followed with 16 and 15 points, respectively. Nikos Pappas and Dimitris Mavroeidis were out for the team coached by Stefanos Dedas.
Both teams carry evenly balanced records at the domestic level. Treviso at 6-6 in Italy’s LBA Serie A and AEK at 5-5 in Greece’s Stoiximan Basket League. However, the domestic league is the only remaining active competition for the Queen.
Postgame press conference:
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League