By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
The all-time Basketball Champions League leader in double-doubles, Joe Ragland added to his tally on a special occasion for Peristeri bwin.
On Wednesday, the 34-year-old point guard produced 25 points and 15 assists in the 110-92 victory versus Rytas in ASG Arena. His side went up to 1-0 in the Play-In series with Game 2 at home next week.
Including Ragland netting 4/7 three-pointers in Game 1, the team coached by Vassilis Spanoulis finished with 17/25 from beyond the arc, rejecting all comeback bids of the hosts.
Kenny Williams hit four more triples building a 12-point effort. Leonidas Kaselakis tallied 15 points. Nemanja Dangubic and Jermaine Love with 13 points each. Jaylen Hands (foot) stayed on the injury list.
The team coached by Giedrius Zibenas was coming off four straight wins at home in the Champions League. Another streak snapped was eight consecutive wins across all competitions, including climbing up to first place in Lithuania’s Betsafe LKL with a 13-2 record. The domestic efforts for Spanoulis’ side draw a 7-5 record in Greece’s Stoiximan Basket League.
Margiris Normantas piled up 20 points in the losing effort for Rytas. Returning Marcus Foster followed with 16 points. Keith Hornsby and Javin DeLaurier were sidelined.
The winner of the best-of-three series will join Lenovo Tenerife and Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem in Group K of the Round of 16. Pinar Karsiyaka or Rio Breogan will also enter the six-game schedule leading to the Quarterfinals.
Postgame press conference
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League