By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
On the winning end of a low-scoring contest, AEK beat Limoges CSP, 69-63, Tuesday.
A brilliant defensive effort did most of the work at Palais des Sports de Beaublanc, but Brynton Lemar introduced himself to the Basketball Champions League with 16 points, four assists, four steals, and three rebounds over 26 minutes for the biggest offensive highlight of the evening. The UC Davis product put in seven of his points in a 9-0 sprint lifting the Queen to a nine-point lead early in the fourth quarter.
Another recent addition to the squad for the team guided by Ilias Kantzouris, Pierre Oriola recorded ten of his 12 points in the second half of his own Champions League debut. Janis Strelnieks put in 16 more points in the Round of 16 Gameday 4 contest. Captain Dimitris Mavroeidis sat out alongside Antonis Koniaris and Andreas Petropoulos.
Nicolas Lang earned a share of the game-high 16 points in the losing effort. Young guard Lucas Ugolin followed with 12 points and Tomas Kyzlink had 11 points. Mathieu Wojciechowski and Desi Rodriguez were both sidelined for the team coached by Massimo Cancellieri.
It was a close game, but AEK only trailed for about five minutes and pulling away in the fourth period improved to 3-1 in Group K. In contrast, the French club was forced down to 0-4 and out of the race for a ticket to the Quarterfinals of FIBA’s top-tier European club continental competition.
Postgame press conference
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League