Alba Belrin advanced to the Last 16 and clinched the top spot in Group A after a thrilling 65-66 away win over Banca Tercas Teramo on Tuesday in Group A. Alba improved to 4-1, while Teramo dropped to 2-3 and is tied with Azovmash and Galatasaray heading into the regular season finale. Teramo visits Galatasaray in a must-win Week 6 contest, while Berlin hosts Azovmash. Big man Blagota Sekulic scored the game-winning basket and blocked the last shot attempted by Bobby Jones of Teramo to seal the win. Julius Jenkins led the way for Alba Belrin scoring 17 points, while Jurica Golemac and Sekulic added 11 apiece. Jones was the top scorer on the night with 22 points plus 7 rebounds and 5 steals, while Valerio Amoros bagged 14 and Jesse Young 10 for Teramo.
The game started balanced with the two teams exchanging leads before Virgil Stanescu
scored a pair from the line to give the hosts a slim 16-12 cushion. Jenkins from downtown reduced the difference to 18-17. A layup by Young and a long jumper from Amoroso gave to Banca Tercas a 23-17 margin at the end of the first quarter. Jones found two easy points on the break to cap a 10-0 run that bridged the two quarters to make it 28-17 early in the second, but the answer of Alba was another 0-10 run to get back
on track and make it 28-27 when Immanuel McElroy nailed a three pointer at the
midway point of the quarter. An unstoppable Jones and Young fueled Teramo for a 35-27 lead, before Jenkins tried to take charge for Alba with a pair of penetrations, copied by Derrick Byars from beyond the arc to get within 39-36 at halftime.
McElroy tied the score at 41-41 scoring from beyond the arc early in the third quarter, but Beppe Poeta with his first three of the night gave Teramo a 49-44 advantage, exciting the crowd. Adam Chubb got the visitors within 49-47 answered by Ryan Hoover from beyond the arc to go up 52-47. Then Rashad Wright and Hoover one free throw each to fix the score at 53-48 after 30 minutes. Hoover raised the advantage to 55-48 to begin the last quarter but the guests did not give up and McElroy fueled his side to 55-54. Sekulic put Berlin ahead 55-56. Golemac from the foul line scored a pair to go to 57-60. Amoroso tied the game from three-point land. Jenkins assisted Chubb to get again a
62-64 margin, but again Amoroso completed a three-point-play for a 65-64 advantage for Banca Tercas with just a minute left in the game. Sekulic become the hero of the night, scoring the game-winner and blocking the following attempt of Bobby Jones, before Hoover missed a three-pointer for the win.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
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