In-form Avtodor hand Bakken Bears first defeat; Wurzburg pounce on Szolnok
MUNICH (FIBA Europe Cup) – Many teams tried and many failed, but Avtodor Saratov put an end to the uncontested Bakken Bears reign in the FIBA Europe Cup, with Dusan Alimpijevic's men finding a chink in the Danish armor on Wednesday.
A defensive-minded approach proved to be the key in derailing the competition-best eight-game winning streak, as the Russian side club moved to 3-0 in Group L after downing the mighty Danes in a low-scoring 71-60 contest that turned Avtodor's way in the fourth quarter.
Perrin Buford paced the victors with 17 points and Trae Golden collected 14 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists, but it was work on the other end of the floor that got the most praise from the side's Serbian playcaller.
Hunting season is open! An 11-0 run to start the quarter paves the way for @AvtodorSaratov, as they hand @bakkenbears their first #FIBAEuropeCup loss of the season!
— FIBA Europe Cup (@FIBAEuropeCup) January 9, 2019
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"This win makes me happy because it was undoubtedly our best defensive performance so far that helped us beat a really strong opponent. We conceded just 60 points from a team that was previously averaging 106 points," stressed Alimpijevic.
"It's a very important win for us to stay in the top position in the group and to make a big step towards the next round of the FIBA Europe Cup."
Despite a well-rounded 14-point, 8-rebound, 2-steal and 3-block effort from Michel Diouf, Bakken Bears could not salvage the game after ending up on the wrong side of an 11-0 run at the start of the fourth quarter.
Dusan ALIMPIJEVIC: “We Changed Our Rhythm In Offense In The Beginning Of The Last Quarter”.
— BC Avtodor Saratov (@AvtodorSaratov) January 9, 2019
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Avtodor head coach press conference after a 71-60 win over @bakkenbears in the @FIBAEuropeCup home game.
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The Steffen Wich-coached Danish club maintained a strong grip on the second place in the standings, holding a one-game lead over ZZ Leiden who earned their first win of the Second Round by defeating Kataja Basket 87-72 in the other Group L fixture of the day.
In a day that saw a flurry of lopsided scores, the only single-digit contests took place in Group K. The top-of-the-pack Pallacanestro Varese shook off Donar Groningen at the MartiniPlaza for a 73-67 victory, while their Italian compatriots Dinamo Sassari overcame a 29-point effort from Kyle Vinales in a 96-89 win over Petrolina AEK.
Elsewhere, s.Oliver Wurzburg forward Xavier Cooks stole the spotlight in a 118-71 rout of Szolnoki Olaj with 25 points and 5 boards, as the German side finished the first half of the Second Round with a 3-0 record in Group I. The 23-year-old Australian connected on 10-of-12 attempts from the field, including an incredible 5-of-6 from three-point range.
.@soliver_wue soar for a monstrous victory at home, hitting triple-digit scoring and demolishing @SzolnokiOlaj in the process! #FIBAEuropeCup
— FIBA Europe Cup (@FIBAEuropeCup) January 9, 2019
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In spite of not having some of their newest signings available, Pinar Karsiyaka had little trouble against Z Mobile Prishtina, claiming a 107-85 victory behind 22 points, 6 rebounds and 11 assists from Sek Henry to stay hot on Wurzburg's heels at 2-1.
In Group J, victories by Balkan and Alba Fehervar forced a three-way tie at the top of the standings with Ironi Ness Ziona. All three teams share an identical 2-1 mark, while winless Lukoil Levski remained at the bottom of the pileup.
The Nebojsa Vidic-coached Botevgrad side treated the home fans to an 81-57 win over local rivals Lukoil Levski in a Bulgarian derby after swinging the balance in their favor with a 19-0 spurt in the final frame. Meanwhile, Alba Fehervar secured a 93-70 road victory against a short-handed Ness Ziona squad in Israel.
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