Euroleague QR: Khimki upset, Banvit moves on

The second day of the Euroleague Qualifying Round is in the books, meaning that four of the original eight clubs have now been eliminated from the competition for the final spot in the 2013-14 Euroleague and will play in the 2013-14 Eurocup. In the first contest of the day, Khimki Moscow Region fell to the hot hand of Pierre-Antoine Gillet, who knocked down five triples in the second half to lead Telenet BC Ostend to round two. In the second game Banvit BK Bandirma stopped CEZ Basketball Nymburk to earn a spot in the QR semifinals.

Telenet BC Ostend – Khimki Moscow Region, 90:79

Telenet BC Ostend used a big fourth quarter where they dropped five of their last six three-point attempts to defeat 2012-13 Eurolage competitor Khimki MR, 90:79. Paul Davis did all he could for the Russian squad by tallying a game0-high 32 points and 7 rebounds, but the timely sharpshooting by Ostend was too much to counter.

We are very upset. Before the game there were a lot of talks that we were the favorites, and I was very alarmed about such thoughts. It seemed that victory was to come into our hands. Yes, we have a name, but we must constantly reaffirm this name and defend it on the court. Today, we have not done our job. BC Ostend may have shown its best game. As you see, attitude, discipline, and desire win mastery. So now our goal is winning EuroCup.
— Rimas Kurtinaitis, BC Khimki head coach

The contest was close for the better part of the first three quarters with the clubs trading the lead and baskets numerous times before the shooting exhibition in the final frame. Davis made his presence known early, dropping eight straight points for Khimki with the score knotted at 10, but Ostend had an answer in Ryan Thompson, who scored seven in a row. At the end of the first 10 Telenet was up a deuce, 20:18.

Davis scored another 12 in the second quarter to keep Khimki with Ostend, but Thompson again countered with a run of his own to keep his team close. Neither team was able to extend a margin more than four points. At the end of the half Thompson was fouled behind the arc, sending him to the line for three singles. After connecting on all three, the club had pulled within one 40:39 as they headed to the dressing rooms for the mid-game break.

To open the third frame Ostend got hot behind the line and put together a 50:44 advantage. Khimki bridged the gap and took the lead back at the end of the quarter, but Ostend got a buzzer beater by Jared Berggren to take the lead 60:59 heading into the fourth.

Ostend built a five-point lead mid-way through the final frame, 72:67. Khimki pulled back to within three shortly after with a lay-up by Davis, but Gillet hit two consecutive triples to push the lead to nine, 83:74, with just over a minute to play. Petteri Koponen hit the long-ball for Khimki, but Sudan Djordjevic and Thompson connected on a pair of free throws each to put Ostend up 10 with a minute to play. Ostend ended scoring in the contest dropping in three of four free throws down the stretch.

Ostend will square off against Banvit on Thursday.

Thompson led Ostend with 19 points, Gillet added 16, Quention Serron hit 10, and Berggren scored 8 while grabbing 11 rebounds.

Khimki got 32 from Davis, and 16 from Koponen.

Banvit Bandirma – CEZ Basketball Nymburk, 87:78
Banvit got 16 points from Keith Simmons, and 9 points and 13 assists from Earl Rowland on their way to an 87:78 win over CEZ Basketball Nymburk and a spot in the next round in a contest against Ostend.

The clubs battled to a 26:24 score at the end of the first 10. A 14:0 run in the second was the difference in the game as they got up 40:28. The lead peaked at 16 a bit later in the quarter after a Klemen Prepelic three-ball bringing the score to 49:33. Nymburk was able to slice the margin to nine at the end of the frame, but Prepelic knocked down another triple to send the clubs into the break with Banvit up 52:40 at the half.

In the third Nymburk was able to get to within eight, but Banvit countered every threat and kept the margin above 10 through the rest of the frame, ending with a 12-point lead as the buzzer sounded to head into the final 10 with Banvit up 70:58.

They traded lay-ups early in the fourth and then went on a four-minute drought. Banvit snapped the scoreless time with a lay-up for Banvit and then Tre Simmons put points up for Nymburk with a long-ball to cut the lead to 11, 74:63. Cevher Ozer hit a triple for Banvit that put them up 14, 79:65, but Nymburk countered with five unanswered to cut the lead to nine, 79:70. The final minute had a flurry of scoring, but Nymburk couldn’t get closer than nine, which was where the context ended, 87:78.

Keith Simmons was high-man for Banvit with 16, Sammy Mejia added 14, and Chuck Davids dropped in 10.

Tre Simmons was game-high with 27 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists and a PIR of 40. Rasid Mahalbasic added 15 points, and Radoslav Rancik contributed 12.