EUROLEAGUE – Partizan’s young Czech Vesely bounces Unicaja in OT; CSKA rout Siena
MALAGA (Euroleague) - Partizan Belgrade followed up their Serbian domestic cup triumph over Red Star at the weekend by surprising Unicaja Malaga in overtime on Wednesday night in the Euroleague Top 16. The 78-74 result in front of a large 9,450 crowd all but decided that Partizan and Panathinaikos (3-0) will advance to the last eight from ...
MALAGA (Euroleague) - Partizan Belgrade followed up their Serbian domestic cup triumph over Red Star at the weekend by surprising Unicaja Malaga in overtime on Wednesday night in the Euroleague Top 16.
The 78-74 result in front of a large 9,450 crowd in Spain all but decided that Partizan (3-1) and Panathinaikos (3-0) will advance to the last eight from Group G.
Unicaja, who suffered an overtime defeat to Tau Ceramica in Sunday's Copa del Rey final, dropped to 1-3.
Pana travel to Italy on Thursday to face Lottomatica Roma (0-3) and victory for the Greens will seal the top-two spots in the group for them and Partizan.
In Malaga, Unicaja did not have the services of Spain international Berni Rodriguez.
The critical play that decided victory for Partizan came late in overtime after a Boniface Ndong basket for Unicaja had cut the deficit to 76-74.
Aleksandar Rasic went to the other end for Partizan and missed, but teammate Jan Vesely grabbed the offensive rebound and was immediately fouled with four seconds remaining.
He then clinched victory at the free throw line.
The 18-year-old Vesely only had three points and three rebounds in more than 27 minutes, but he is a player to watch in Europe.
The 2.1m power forward averaged 20.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game last summer for the Czech Republic at the U18 European Championship Division B tournament in Hungary.
Stephane Lasme had 20 points and Serbia internationals Uros Tripkovic and Novica Velickovic scored 17 apiece for Partizan.
Senegal international Ndong finished with a team-high 14 points and eight rebounds for Unicaja.
In other games on Wednesday, defending Euroleague champions CSKA Moscow routed Coppa Italia winners Montepaschi Siena 95-71 in Russia to improve to 3-1 in Group H.
Slovenia international Matjaz Smodis poured in 22 points and JR Holden 18 for CSKA.
Montepaschi are now 2-2, level with Cibona Zagreb who claimed a huge 86-64 triumph at Fenerbahce Ulker.
Croatia international Davor Kus poured in 22 points for Cibona.
Tau Ceramica top Group E at 3-1 following a 107-74 mauling of Armani Jeans Milano (2-2) in Italy.
The Copa del Rey winners and defending ACB champions stormed out to a 31-16 lead by the end of the first quarter and never looked back.
Brazil international Tiago Splitter scored 19 points and corralled seven rebounds for Tau.
FIBA