BAXI Manresa wins in Istanbul in a tight final and takes a step towards the play-offs
The Bages team recovered from a bad first half in a great third quarter, and subsequently knew how to overcome the bad moments to beat the final face or cross thanks to a three-pointer from Harding.
76 Bahcesehir College I Hall 7, Smith 10, Baygül 2, Morgan 5 and Boutsiele 23; Arslan 17, Ozdemir 2, Sonsirma, Blazic 3 and Gist 7
77 BAXI Manresa I Dani Pérez, Harding 22, Jou 4, Robinson 12 and Olumuyiwa; Badio 4, Waczynski 9, Dani Garcia 5, Steinbergs 5, Ferrari, Vaulet 10 and Geben 6
Partials: 20-13, 22-17, 18-32, 16-15
BAXI Manresa added their third victory in the second phase of the Basketball Champions League, and did so in their first duel as a visitor, on the court of the Turkish Bahcesehir College in a match that was decided in a tight final by a three-pointer from Harding (76-77).
The home team got off to a better start, dominating the rebounding on both baskets, and nailed an 11-0 opening run that forced Pedro Martínez to stop the game. The visitors were collapsed in attack, and could not score until the seventh minute of play. Later they were able to close the gap and find themselves seven points behind at the end of the first quarter (20-13).
In the second, the Turks were very successful from the three-point line and once again opened up a hole in the electronic, reaching a maximum difference of 18 points (42-24). Again, the coach of the Manresa team asked for a timeout, and then the Bages team scored six consecutive points before the break (42-30).
Returning from the locker room, the visitors improved their game and were very successful in the three-point line, scoring six of the seven they attempted in the third quarter. This allowed them to turn the score around and take a four-point lead (58-62), which Ozdemir cut from the free throw line (60-62).
In the last ten minutes, the uncertainty of the Manresa team appeared again, who did not score until the final five minutes. However, they were still in a game that, although the home team tried to break it up, it had to be decided in a close fight. Then came the figure of a Jerrick Harding who scored the team's last eight points and gave them the victory with a three-pointer, as Jamar Smith's final shot missed the basket.
On Sunday from 18:30 BAXI Manresa will visit one of the most complicated courts in Europe, the Palau Blaugrana, to face Barça.