By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Medi Bayreuth became the first team to advance to the Basketball Champions League quarterfinals after a tie at 84 against Besiktas Sompo Japan. The winners protected the five-point difference from their win in the first leg.
Gabe York led the guests to the Top 8 with 17 points -5 triples- while Assem Marei was also impressive with 15 points.
DJ Strawberry and Cady Lalanne combined for 42 points but couldn’t avoid the upset.
The visiting side thought that the best way to defend their five-point advantage was winning the game. A strong start resulted in a 20 – 13 (9′) lead. It seemed that Besiktas was going to turn things around after an 11 – 0 run (20 – 24, 12′) but the guests answered with their three-point shooting, finishing the game with 9-of-18 from beyond the arc.
Bayreuth had an 8-point lead in the fourth quarter (67 – 59, 31′) and despite Besiktas’s effort to come back, the visiting side got the ticket for the next round.
Photo credit: BCL