Alba Fehervar clinch top spot in Group J, hinder Egis Kormend's Play-Off hopes
SZEKESFEHERVAR (FIBA Europe Cup) - Alba Fehervar did not take their foot off the gas pedal despite securing early qualification and clinched the top spot in Group J with an 88-68 victory over Egis Kormend.
SZEKESFEHERVAR (FIBA Europe Cup) - Alba Fehervar did not take their foot off the gas pedal despite securing early qualification and clinched the top spot in Group J with an 88-68 victory over Egis Kormend on Tuesday evening.
It was the fifth consecutive victory in the FIBA Europe Cup for the Brasnislav Dzunic-coached Szekesfehervar club, who will enter the Round of 16 with a 5-1 record from the Second Round.
Turning Point: After staying close for more than two quarters, the visitors from Kormend fell behind by double figures midway through the third period following a 13-4 run that put the Trevis Simpson-led Alba Fehervar in charge with a 65-49 lead.
Alba Fehérvár - Egis Körmend 88 - 68
— Alba Fehérvár Basket (@alba_fehervar) February 6, 2018
Great win tonight! 🙌🏼👊🏼💪🏼#AlbaFehervar #AlbaCsavok #Best16@FIBAEuropeCup pic.twitter.com/mQ7n6343D2
Game Hero: Peter Lorant, the captain of the Szekesfehervar side, did not even need to get into double figures in scoring to make a game-changing impact, finishing the game with 9 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists. During the 21 minutes the big man spent on the court, Alba outscored their opponents by 27 points.
Stats Don't Lie: In many ways, Kormend shot themselves in the foot with their carelessness handling the ball. Having committed 17 turnovers, they allowed the home side to outscore them by double figures in fast-break points, 12-2.
Bottom Line: Despite failing to punch their ticket to the Play-Offs against Alba Fehervar, Kormend could still finish second in Group J if Nevezis were to defeat Demir Insaat on the road in Turkey on Wednesday. Alternatively, a 3-3 record puts them in a position to contend for a spot in the Round of 16 as one of the best third-placed teams.
They Said: "I am extremely happy that we won the game. I think we have deserved to win this game. We made a lot of steals and made easy shots." - Alba Fehervar center Akos Keller.
"Congratulations to Alba. I think they are the best team in the Hungarian league. My team played hard, but we couldn't control the game, we didn't focus enough and didn't play the game we were practicing." - Egis Kormend head coach Gasper Potocnik.
FIBA