By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
David Blatt returned to Europe in order to build a Euroleague contender. And Dogus Darussafaka proved in Belgrade that they have both talent and heart. Crvena Zvezda made them suffer but the guests got the hard 73-70 win.
The hosts opened the game with a 24-17 first quarter and had a 44-30 advantage at half time with captain Luka Mitrovic scoring 8 points, while former Warrior Ognen Kuzmic had already 10. In the third period it was time for the guests to make their come back and they did with a 16-8 partial score in the quarter.
Zvezda entered the last 10 minutes of the game leading (52-46) and kept this lead almost until the end. Dogus Darussafaka got its first lead of the game with 31 seconds left (69-68) as Will Clyburn led the charge and scored 19 points, having crucial help by Dairis Bertans (13 p.).
Luka Mitrovic made a turnover in the following play, Scottie Wilbekin made two free throws (71-68) which were his first points in the game and Stefan Jovic with 7 seconds left was also fouled and scored two from the charity line (71-70) cutting the lead of the Turks to one point.
Brad Wanamaker was fouled, he also scored two (73-70) with six seconds on the clock and nothing changed after that. Will Clyburn turned this game into his own Euroleague coming out party, French forward Andrien Moerman had a double double for the winners (10 p., 11 r.) while from the losing side Kuzmic finished the game with 16 points and 9 rebounds.