EUROLEAGUE – Maccabi, Madrid both win at the buzzer

KHIMKI (Euroleague) - Maccabi Tel Aviv and Real Madrid claimed narrow victories in Thursday night's Euroleague action.

David Blu's three-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining gave Maccabi a 78-76 victory at Khimki Moscow Region while D'Or Fischer’s put-back on a missed Sergio Llull lay-up at the buzzer in overtime lifted Madrid past visiting Brose Baskets Bamberg, 83-81.

With the visitors trailing 76-75 in the waning seconds, Maccabi's Jeremy Pargo missed a lay-up but Doron Perkins grabbed the loose ball and passed to Blu who took one step back and launched a buzzer-beating, game-winning three-ball.

The victory was a third straight for the Israeli giants.

"Perkins did a great job getting that last loose ball and I don’t know how he found me, but I’m glad that shot went in," Blu said.

"That was the first time since I was in high school that I scored a game-winning shot at the buzzer.”

Khimki had trailed by 15 points but battled back in the second half.

"In the third quarter we forgot for a bit who we are, but the important thing is that we came back and showed character,” Maccabi coach David Blatt said.

There was also drama in the Spanish capital where Madrid won

Carlos Suarez had made just one of two free-throws at the of regulation for Madrid and Predrag Suput then sank two for Bamberg to knot the contest at 73-73.

Llull was then off target for Madrid and the game went to overtime, with Fischer ultimately winning the contest for the home side which improved to 3-1.

"Sergio Llull did all the work on the last play," Fischer said. "I only had to put my hand in there."

Brian Roberts had a game-high 21 points for Bamberg, who are now 2-2.

In other games, Cholet improved to 2-2 with an 84-71 victory at Cibona Zagreb (0-4) and Regal Barcelona (3-1) defeated Lietuvos Rytas (0-4), 69-55.

Lithuania international Jonas Maciulis poured in 18 of his game-high 26 points in the first half as Armani Jeans Milano stormed to an 80-69 victory at Power Electronics Valencia.

The Italian club led by as many as 25 points in the blowout and after the rout, Valencia decided to part ways with coach Manuel Hussein with the team 1-3 in the competition and 1-5 in the Spanish ACB.

Panathinaikos bounced back from last week's setback at Union Olimpija by beating Efes Pilsen 84-61 in Athens.

FIBA