Eurocup Regular Season, Valencia on track
Three home wins ushered in Round 4 of the 2015/2016 Eurocup Regular Season as the week tipped off in style on Tuesday. Tomorrow (November 4th) the rest of the schedule in week four will be completed with another fifteen contests dotted around Europe.
On Tuesday though, Basketball fans on the Old Continent and beyond turned their attention to the three games that opened the round. In Group B the Eurocup Regular Season gathered pace as Ludwigsburg overcame Enel Brindisi, while Reggio Emilia downed Le Mans to continue its solid early season form. There was single game in Group C, with Valencia enhancing its position with a cruising success over Umana Venecia.
Group B
Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia vs. Le Mans Sarthe Basket, 93-82
Reggio Emilia put on its best attacking display of the Eurocup Regular Season so far by outlasting Le Mans through the bucket at home. The Italians improved to 3-1 in Group B, while French outfit Le Mans slipped to 1-3 and its continental campaign is slowly unravelling.
The teams traded baskets in the first quarter, but ultimately the hosts emerged with single points lead, 23-22 after ten minutes. Reggio Emilio matched its first quarter score in the second frame, while Le Mans dropped off with 19 points to hand the Italians a 46-41 lead at the midway buzzer. The scoring consistency continued for the home team with 26 points in the third act, and slowly the visitors were being taken apart. Emilia led 72-57 through thirty minutes, and cruised to victory despite conceding the final stanza.
Amedeo Della Vella led the winners with 20 points, while Achille Polonara doubled up with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Damion James and Mickael Gelabale topped the losing effort with 14 points apiece.
MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg vs. Enel Basket Brindisi, 84-80
The tightest game of the night took place in Germany as Ludwigsburg edged Brindisi in a contest that went to the wire. The win put the home team to 2-2 in the standings, situated in the qualification places, while Brindisi sticks at the bottom of the group without a win.
In front of its own fans, Ludwigsburg paced to a 19-14 lead through ten minutes on the hardwood. In the second frame the hosts went up a gear with a 25 point haul to open a 44-37 advantage through the long break. Brindisi got back into contention in an exciting third quarter display, winning the stanza 16-24 to tie the game through thirty minutes, the scoreboard locked at 60-60. Mustafa Shakur sunk four from the charity strip in the closing seconds to ensure the hosts were celebrating at the end of the game.
Alvaro Munoz-Borchers topped Ludwigsburg with 17 points, followed Rocky Trice added 16 points in the win.
Adrian Banks grabbed a game high 18 points to pace the Brindisi comeback, while Durand Scott added 17 points and Nemanja Milosevic plundered 14 points.
Group C
Valencia vs. Umana Reyer Venice, 88-59
Valencia continued to show its class in the Eurocup Regular Season with a crushing home win over Venice that kept the Spanish team top of Group C with an unblemished record. The winningest Eurocup club is on course for the next round, but Venice will have to pick it up from 2-2 if it is to join Valencia.
Valencia signaled its intentions early and looked slick in a 23-16 winning first quarter. The hosts found more fight from Venice in the second act, edging it 17-16 to lead 40-32 at the midway rest. In the second half Valencia went up some gears and took apart the visiting team, firstly with a 21-13 third act that showcased the Spanish team’s ability at both ends of the court. In the closing frame Valencia surged with another 27 points added to the winning score.
Rafa Martinez set the scoring rhythm for Valencia with 16 points, while Bojan Dubljevic added 15 points in victory.
Phillip Goss was good for 14 points and finished as Venice’s top scorer, followed by Jeff Viggiano with 11 points.