BAXI Manresa overcomes another coin toss and will be in the Eurocup round of 16
Diego Ocampo's team, despite having absences in the squad, defeated a very good rival by 101-99 with Retin Obasohan again as leader (29p and 33val).
101 BAXI Manresa | Brooks 7, Fernández, Reyes 13, Steinbergs 8, and Akobundu-Ehiogu 3; Gaspà, Bassas 8, Knudsen 4, Olinde 18, Paulicap 4, Oriola 7, and Obasohan 29
99 U-BT Cluj-Napoca | Russell 22, Woodbury 9, Guzman 7, Creek 27, and Miletic 19; Molinar 9, Ceaser 1, Kulvietis, Altit, Richard 5, and Taylor
Quarter Scores: 17-30, 35-22, 22-27, 27-20
BAXI Manresa secured another Eurocup victory, defeating Romania's U-BT Cluj-Napoca in a game decided in the final seconds (101-99).
The visiting team got off to a strong start, shooting with great accuracy, and went on an initial 2-11 run, which they later extended to 11-25 thanks to twelve consecutive points. At the end of the first quarter, the Romanians held a thirteen-point lead (17-30).
In the second quarter, Diego Ocampo's men responded, hitting three consecutive three-pointers to tie the game at 41. From then on, the game remained close until halftime, which ended in a 52-52 tie.
Coming out of the locker room, neither team could pull away on the scoreboard. Cluj-Napoca found their rhythm in the final stretch of the third quarter, allowing them to enter the final ten minutes with a five-point lead (74-79).
In those final ten minutes, nothing changed, and the game came down to the final possessions. Obasohan, clearly the best player on his team, scored the decisive basket, as on the next play the visitors missed a three-pointer and Brooks sealed the victory from the free-throw line.
On Sunday at 12:00 PM, BAXI Manresa will begin the second half of the Liga Endesa season at the Nou Congost arena, hosting Unicaja, coached by Ibon Navarro and featuring players Tyson Pérez and David Kravish.