EuroCup: Gran Canaria makes Quarterfinals

There were three games as the EuroCup Top 16 continued on Tuesday. Round 5 will be completed on Wednesday with another five games. We are now on the road towards the quarterfinals, so every game and win is hugely important. Gran Canaria joined Lokomotiv in the quarterfinals of the EuroCup by beating the Russian club in its own court.

Murcia missed its chance to qualify as Fuenlabrada used a big second half in an all-Spanish tie. In Group D, Valencia continued its procession to the next round with a cruise over Cedevita Zagreb in a dead rubber contest.

Group A

Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar vs. Gran Canaria Las Palmas, 66-68

The game of the day came in Krasnodar as Lokomotiv played host to Gran Canaria. Considering its two-game losing start to the Top 16, Gran Canaria has roared back into contention and this win meant the club swept into the Quarterfinals with three consecutive wins. Lokomotiv was handed its first loss of the Top 16, but the Russian club was already through and now guarantees first place at 4-1. This game went to the wire, with Bo McCalebb draining winning free throws with 7.7 second left. McCalebb finished with 13 points in the winning effort.

Fuenlabrada vs. Murcia, 85-69

A Murcia win here would have left Gran Canaria waiting on qualification. As it was, this all-Spanish clash went in favour of the hosts and ensured neither of these clubs will be in the last eight of the EuroCup. Despite losing 44-47 through halftime, Fuenlabrada actually cruised to victory on the back of a 41-22 winning second half. The visitors were in position but simply collapsed in the fourth quarter. Pako Cruz led the win with 16 points, while Namenja Radovic impressed for Murcia with a game-high 26 points.

Group H

Valencia Basket vs. Cedevita Zagreb, 71-58

Valencia eased passed Cedevita Zagreb to continue its unbeaten march at the top of the Group D standings. The Spanish club had already qualified and confirmed home advantage in first place, so this was a stroll at home against an already eliminated Cedevita team. The game was close at 35-34 through the long break, but Valencia started controlling the pace in the third act. The hosts eased down the straight in a fashion that showed the gulf in class.