In the 12th round of the EuroCup, Cedevita Olimpija hosted Besiktas, led by head coach Dusan Alimpijevic, while Lietkabelis faced off against Ulm.
Besiktas secured their seventh victory of the season, with the final score in the “Stozice” arena ending 88-83 in favor of the Turkish team.
Interestingly, at one point, the free-throw ratio was 20-0 in favor of Cedevita Olimpija. In the end, the home team shot 27/36 from the free-throw line, while the guests managed 10/16. Despite this free-throw discrepancy, Besiktas managed to clinch the triumph.
In the opening quarter, Coach Alimpijević’s team launched a barrage, taking a 20-10 lead with excellent shooting percentages. They hit five three-pointers out of seven attempts, and after the first quarter, Besiktas led 29-20. Cedevita Olimpija managed to regroup in the following quarters, limiting their opponent to just 14 points in one quarter and even taking the lead at one point. However, at halftime, the Turkish team was still ahead, leading 43-42.
Besiktas showed fluctuations in the third quarter, taking a 55-47 lead, then allowing a significant turnaround and a 13-2 run by the opponent (60-57). However, they regained momentum at the end of the quarter, leading 67-61.
In the early stages of the final period, Besiktas increased their lead to a double-digit margin. This proved to be sufficient in the penalty shootout to end their three-game losing streak in the EuroCup, which cannot be said for Cedevita Olimpija, as their struggles continue.
Angel Delgado led the winning team with a double-double performance of 19 points and 10 rebounds. Jonah Mathews added 18 points. For Cedevita Olimpija, Karlo Matkovic stood out with 22 points, while Justin Cobbs contributed 19.
Cedevita Olimpija currently holds a 0-12 record, while Besiktas is at 7-5. In the next round, the Slovenian representative will face Prometey, while the Turkish representative will host BC Wolves.
Lietkabelis secured a victory against Ulm with a score of 94-90 on their home court after an exceptionally suspenseful and interesting game.
They led for the initial 18 minutes of the first half, at one point even holding a seven-point lead. However, at the halftime break, Ulm had a 47-43 advantage.
The second half showcased a much-improved performance from Nenad Canak’s chosen players. Not only did they manage to make up the deficit, but they also led 68-65 heading into the decisive final ten minutes. When they opened the fourth period with a good shooting rhythm, reaching a double-digit lead for the first time, it became clear that Lietkabelis would secure the triumph, which indeed happened.
Paulius Valinskas was the top scorer for the winning team, contributing 24 points along with 10 rebounds. Gediminas Orelik stopped at 17 points, Deividas Syrvidis scored 16, and Nikola Popovic added 11 points. In the losing team, Karim Jallow stood out with 24 points, and LJ Figueroa scored 13.
Lietkabelis currently holds a 5-7 record, and in the next EuroCup round, they will travel to Italy to face Trento.
Results of other games in the 12th round of the EuroCup played tonight:
- Cluj-Napoca 89-98 Bourg
- Turk Telekom 85-94 Aris
- Gran Canaria vs. Trento – TBA