Budivelnik Kiev has lead against Belgrade

The Eurocup Quarterfinals are underway as all clubs turn their attention to reaching the Semifinals on April 1st. The stage was started on Tuesday evening as Budivelnik Kiev downed Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade 82-79 to take a 1-0 lead in their two game series.

The game was played in Zalgiris Arena in Lithuania as the ongoing troubles in Ukraine prevent any home ball being played there. Kiev may not have had home advantage, but they carved out a tight lead in the series, with the aggregate score tallied up after two games to send one of the teams through.

Despite the loss in game one, Crvena Zvezda Belgrade only has a three point deficit to make up as the series descends upon the Serbian capital next week. In a hard fought game both head coaches will be relatively pleased, but it is certainly Budivelnik who stole the imitative in Kaunas.

Budivelnik Kiev vs. Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade, 82-79

First quarter
Dajuan Summer opened the scoring with a lay-up for the “hosts”. The teams traded nets until the score was locked at 4-4 early in the game, before a minute drought hit the court. The scoring recommenced when Ivan Radenovic laid up for Belgrade to put the score at 6-4. Kiev reeled off a mini 5-0 run courtesy of two lay-ups and a free throw from Janis Sterlnieks to reclaim the lead at 9-6. The Ukrainian powerhouse held the initiative through the middle of the 10minutes, although a dunk from Radenovic sparked Crvena Zvezda back into life. A follow up from DeMarcus Nelson retook the lead for the visitors with the board reading 13-14. Summers headed the Kiev response as the home team held out and outscored Belgrade 9-2 to build a 4 point cushion after 10 minutes (22-16).

Second quarter
Jaka Blazic hit the basket first in the second quarter for the Serbian giant, but Budivelnik kept pace with a two from Blake Ahearn, who also responded with a triple after a Charles Jenkins lay-up for the visitors (27-20). Ahearn was proving a pace setter for Kiev in the second period as he hit another from downtown to snap a minute without the scoreboard moving. Rasko Katic replied with a two pointer for Belgrade to keep the away team in the game, but the two teams went quiet again and failed to score for two minutes. Katic broke the barren spell with two from the line, while Marko Simonovic sunk from beyond the arc to draw Crvena to within 5 points (32-27). Katic was vital for the visiting team in Q2 and kept Belgrade ticking with consistent baskets, so much so that the deficit had been reduced to 41-39 at halftime.

Third quarter
Katic continued his hot streak by sinking two free throws to open the second half and draw Crvena Zvezda level at 41 apiece. However, the equality did not last long as Sterlnieks hit two to reclaim the lead for the hosts. Darjus Larinovic dunked to extend the lead but was matched with a slam from Radenovic for Belgrade. Ahearn returned to the game and scored the next three points for Kiev, before Katic continued to impress by nailing a slam dunk (48-45). A lay-up by Michalis Anisimov and another for Ricky Minard for Kiev sandwiched a Branko Lazic triple for the visitors. Tadija Dragicevic nailed one from downtown to draw Crvena to within one point, with the score reading 52-51. Ahearn once again stepped up for Kiev with a giant three point play to fuel a 14-7 run that put the home team in charge. With just the fourth quarter to play the score read 66-58 in Budivelnik´s favor.

Fourth quarter
Nelson hit a jumper to start the fourth quarter and give Belgrade hope at 66-60 and laid up again to keep the team in the series after Minard had scored two for Kiev (70-62). Jenkins and Simonovic hit from beyond the arc to put the Serbian team right back in the thick of the game with the board reading 70-68. However, once again Kiev responded thanks to slam dunks from Summers and Artur Drozdov and another two free throws from Summers. The score was now 76-68 and it had become clear that the hosts would win. However, Belgrade win the remainder of the game 11-6 to hold hope heading into next week´s deciding game.

Strelnieks led the way for Kiev with 20 points and 5 rebounds, but Ahearn´s 16 point contribution proved just as vital throughout the game. Summers was in fine touch and collected a double-double 13 points and 10 rebounds. Lavrinovic secured 11 points and Minard claimed 10.

Katic scored 14 points in the second quarter to keep Crvena Zvezda in the game and he eventually hauled 20 points in the losing effort. Nelson paced the team down the stretch with 10 points in the last stanza and 16 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals overall.