EUROCUP - BC Strumica advance to next round
STRUMICA (EuroCup) - BC Strumica produced a stunning comeback against Cedevita Zagreb to book their place in the second elimination round of the EuroCup. Having gone down 76-72 in Croatia, the Macedonian side needed to win by five points but that looked unlikely when they went 36-27 down on the night two minutes before half-time to trail by 13 points on ...
STRUMICA (EuroCup) - BC Strumica produced a stunning comeback against Cedevita Zagreb to book their place in the second elimination round of the EuroCup.
Having gone down 76-72 in Croatia, the Macedonian side needed to win by five points but that looked unlikely when they went 36-27 down on the night two minutes before half-time to trail by 13 points on aggregate.
However, Eftem Bogojev scored 23 points and with Cedevita managing just 42% from the free-throw line, Strumica managed to produce a 76-69 victory.
Dnipro stunned Elba Timisoara with a late comeback to win 82-71.
Having been ten points behind from the first leg, the Ukrainian's looked down and out with two minutes remaining as they trailed by eight points.
A stunning 10-1 run culminated with Viktor Kobzystyy's free-throw two seconds from time to give them a 146-145 aggregate victory and send them through to the second round.
Kobzystyy led the way with 23 points and seven rebounds while Dmytro Markov added 10 and nine for Dnipro.
Spartak St. Petersburg also advanced by holding off BC Odessa 88-86 for a 12-point aggregate victory.
Joseph Smith scored 23 points and Milovan Rakovic added 19 for the Russians, who now face Greek side Maroussi.
KK Igokea Partizan did just enough to beat Bakken Bears over two legs and advance to the next phase.
After a 68-62 success in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Partizan progressed after tying the second leg 71-71.
Wright finished with a game-high 23 points for the winners while the man Bakken singled out as the key to Partizan success, guard Aleksandar Subara, managed 11 points but missed with all five of his efforts from behind the arc.
Olympias Patras overcame a five-point deficit from the first leg to beat Bulgarians Spartak-Pleven with an 85-71 win, Julius Jefferson scoring 26 points.
My Guide Amsterdam destroyed Energy Invest Rustavi 101-63 as they eased to a 48-point aggregate victory, with Jeron Roberts and Peter van Paassen scoring 18 points apiece for the Dutch.
Jeff Taylor
FIBA