Baskonia moves away from the ‘Top 6’ in Belgrade, after losing 87-83 against Partizan
He Baskoniadespite another good game by the American guard Markus Howardlost this Tuesday to the Partizan in Belgrade (87-83) on the thirtieth day of the Euroleague Regular Phase. This result complicates their goal of finishing in the ‘Top 6’, which gives direct access to the Playoff. Therefore, the team from Vitoria will have to fight to guarantee Play-In positions.
In a meeting in which they were always in tow, those of Dusko Ivanovic They ran into a Serbian team that was much more in need and led by the Bruno Caboclowho finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds and a PIR of 28, and for Frank Kaminskywith 20 points.
Not even Howard’s 26 points were enough to avoid a defeat that ended a streak of four consecutive victories, two of them in the top continental competition. With this, they further compress the table, in which they are now ninth, penultimate ‘Play-In’ position, just before completing the last double day of the Regular Phase, in which they will visit Zalgiris Kaunas.
Baskonia seemed somewhat stuck at the beginning, in which the Serbian team played with more urgency and more success. At the end of the first quarter, the Vitoria team lost 23-16. Zeljko Obradovic’s team continued to increase its lead, but even so, Baskonia did not leave the game, and managed to reduce its disadvantage to just two points at the end of the second quarter (44-42).
A 10-2 run after the restart made things difficult again for Ivanovic’s team (54-44). Only Howard, with 20 points and kept the team afloat, nine points down heading into the final quarter (69-60).
Nerves took over Partizan in the final stretch, with two lethal losses that made the Basques get dangerously close with 39 seconds remaining (85-83). A basket by Dozier ended the uncertainty and condemned Baskonia to defeat (87-83).
Data sheet
Partizan: Dozier (6), Punter (18), Ponitka (6), Caboclo (18) and Kaminsky (20) -starting quintet-; Avramovic (9), Andjusic (3), Jaramaz (2), Nunnally (3), Smailagic (-), Trifunovic (2) and Koprivica (-).
Baskonia: Miller-McIntyre (4), Howard (26), Sedekerskis (6), Marinkovic (11) and Kotsar (2) -starting quintet-; Costello (13), Moneke (13), Theodore (4), Raieste (-), Díez (-), Rogkavopoulos (2) and Chiozza (2).
-Partzialak: 23-16, 21-26, 25-18 and 18-23.
-Epaileak: Lottermoser, Vilius and Vyklicky.
-Pabiloia: Stark Arena.
Source: Eitb
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