FIBA Europe - Azovmash draw first blood

MARIUPOL (EuroCup) - Azovmash have one foot in the EuroCup Final Four after destroying DTL EKA AEL Lemesos in the opening game of their quarter-final tie on Tuesday.

The defending champions of Ukraine were tied at half-time but blew away their opponents the rest of the way in securing an 88-63 triumph.

Khalid El-Amin, Panagiotis Liadellis and Kenan Bajramovic each racked up 15 points in a balanced Azovmash attack, while Ryan Randle finished with a game-high 18 in defeat.

Estudiantes drew first blood in their quarter-final against Dynamo Moscow Region.

The Russians led the game by as many as nine points in the first quarter, but were unable to press home the advantage in Madrid, where Estudiantes ultimately won 80-70.

Nikita Morgunov proved to be Dynamo's biggest weapon on offense, scoring 20 points.

For Estudiantes, Sergio Sanchez Cardenas led a balanced attack with 13 points.

In Ankara, Virtus Bologna produced a terrific come-from-behind 95-87 victory against Turk Telekom.

Erwin Dudley finished as the game's leading scorer with 35 points on 13 of 20 (65%) shooting from the floor.

Travis Best had a team-high 24 points for Virtus, who won due in large part to their three-point shooting (nine of 22, 40.9%).

Finally, Akasvayu Girona required an excellent fourth quarter to beat Panionios 76-68.

Gregor Fucka had 13 points and German Gabriel 10 for Akasvayu, who were 19 of 37 (51.3%) inside the arc and six of 13 (46.1%) beyond it.

Panionios got 22 points from Andre Hutson and 16 from Kennedy Winston.

Jamie Strickland
FIBA