Alba Berlin secured a win over Zalgiris with a score of 64:62 in the 12th round of the EuroLeague, and the absolute hero of the game was Jonas Mattiseck.
Edgaras Ulanovas scored the first points in this game, and the Lithuanians quickly reached a 7-0 lead. Matteo Spagnolo finally broke Alba’s scoring drought. Dovydas Giedraitis hit his second three-pointer for a 12-4 lead and then made free throws for a ten-point advantage. The Albatrosses consolidated a bit, hitting several three-pointers and narrowing the gap to seven points. The first quarter ended with a 20-13 lead for the Lithuanian giant.
Finally, Edmond Sumner ended the scoring drought. Those were his first points in the EuroLeague. Tomas Dimsa scored for a plus 11, a new maximum lead. Spagnolo and Procida led Alba at that moment, and the yellow-clad team closed the gap to minus six. Zalgiris struggled, and Alba took advantage, returning to a respectable lead. The green and white team were their own worst enemies, losing the ball a staggering 15 times. They somehow maintained their lead, and after a lackluster first 20 minutes, the score was 28-25 in favor of the team from Kaunas.
The stagnant period of the game was finally interrupted by Ulanovas with a three-pointer, followed by a smooth layup from Evans. Tim Schneider hit the first three-pointer, igniting a bit of a skirmish. It was a back-and-forth game, with Zalgiris maintaining the lead. Rolands Smits reached 1000 points in the EuroLeague. After a series of good moves, the ‘Green Forest’ extended their lead to plus seven. Then, Johannes Thiemann scored a few points, bringing the margin back to 3 points. In the end, the team from Kaunas held onto the lead, and the score was 45:39.
Khalifa Koumadje scored the first points in the final quarter, immediately answered by Danielius Lavrinovicius with a three-pointer. Justin Bean responded a few possessions later. Dimsa had his 5-0 run for a seven-point lead, and the pace picked up a bit. Alba then earned points from free throws, and the green and white team fell into a scoring slump again. Yani Wetzell equalized, marking the first tie since the tip-off. Giedraitis then hit a crucial three-pointer. However, Mattiseck made a three-pointer for the first lead under Israel Gonzalez’s leadership and Alba’s win.
The standout performer was Johannes Thiemann with 16 points, followed by Wetzell with just nine points. Giedratis scored 15 on the other side, and Dimsa contributed 11. Alba will face Anadolu Efes in the next round, while Zalgiris will host Monaco.
Venue: Mercedes Benz Arena, Berlin
Referees: Mogulkoc, Zamojski, Gordon
ALBA BERLIN-ZALGIRIS 64:62 (20:13, 12:8,14:17,25:17)
Alba Berlin: Thiemann 16, Wetzell, Mattisseck 8, Procida 8, Delow 6, Spagnolo 4, Bean 3, Koumadje 3, Rapieque, Schneider.
Zalgiris: Giedraitis 15, Dimsa 11, Evans 8, Ulanovas 8, Lavrnovicius 6, Smits 4, Sumner 4, Birutis 2, Hayes 2, Lekavicius.