After losing 113-85 on their visit to Maccabi, the Vitorians will look for a place in the playoffs at home to face Real Madrid
MADRID, 16 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Baskonia lost this Tuesday by 113-85 in its visit to Maccabi Tel Aviv, in whose ranks the Spanish point guard Lorenzo Brown stood out to give the Israeli team a safe place in the Euroleague playoffs, sending the Vitorian team to the last ‘play-in’ option.
At the Stark Arena in Belgrade, with about 250 spectators to watch Maccabi’s exile, Brown started with two triples that whetted the appetite and sent a warning to Baskonia. The Spanish international then made it 10-5 with a drive to the basket, answered by a triple from Vanja Marinkovic.
However, Maccabi had its second great offensive asset in Wade Baldwin IV; He replicated the previous triple and Brown connected with another one. To make matters worse, Antonius Cleveland joined the festival from beyond the arc and increased the lead for Oded Kattash’s pupils (19-10).
Almost nothing went right for Baskonia, which conceded a 7-0 run before closing the first quarter (28-15). As if that were not enough, secondary guarantees such as Tamir Blatt and Jasiel Rivero joined at the beginning of the second period, giving another growth spurt in favor of Maccabi (33-17).
At 6:30 before halftime, and with the score at 37-21, Baskonia witnessed another piece of bad news when Chima Moneke sprained an ankle during a drive to the basket. The Nigerian power forward grabbed his left leg from the ground, with obvious gestures of pain.
Medical assistance helped him leave the field, limping, and he never returned to the game. He was a sensitive casualty for the Baskonista coach, Duko Ivanovic, who also did not see the correct version of Markus Howard. Only Nikolaos Rogkavopoulos and Codi Miller-McIntyre held their own, insufficient to seek a comeback.
MILLER-MCINTYRE SCORES INSUFFICIENT POINTS
In addition, Bonzie Colson contributed in key moments for a Maccabi where Brown continued to be overwhelming with long shots. The 55-36 lead at halftime seemed unaffordable for Baskonia, which at the beginning of the third period only reduced its deficit to 55-41 after a triple by Howard and two free throws made by Miller-McIntyre.
Tadas Sedekerskis appeared in attack, but no one could stop the Israeli team. A triple from Blatt closed that third quarter with +25 (86-61) for Kattash’s team, who in the last quarter dedicated themselves to temporizing and giving rest to their best men of the afternoon.
This victory, knowing that it was a single-game tie, helped Maccabi avoid ghosts and meet Panathinaikos in the quarterfinals of the tournament. Meanwhile, the team led by Ivanovic will host Anadolu Efes or Virtus Bologna; and whoever wins the last playoff ticket will play against Real Madrid.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: MACCABI TEL AVIV, 113 – BASKONIA, 85 (55-36, at halftime).
–EQUIPMENT.
MACCABI TEL AVIV: Brown (29), Baldwin IV (26), Cohen (3), Colson (14) and Nebo (4) –starting quintet–; Cleveland (11), Rivero (8), Webb III (8), Thomasson (-) and Blatt (10).
BASCONY: Miller-McIntyre (32), Marinkovic (5), Sedekerskis (11), Moneke (-) and Kotsar (6) — starting quintet–; Chiozza (-), Ten (-), Rogkavopoulos (10), Costello (5), Howard (14), Raieste (-) and Theodore (2).
–PARTIALS: 28-15, 27-21, 31-25 and 27-24.
–REFEREES: Rocha, Boltauzer and Lottermoser. No eliminated.
–PAVILLION: Stark Arena, 250 spectators.