2015/2016 Euroleague, Round 3 begins

Six games tipped off the third round of the 2015/2016 Euroleague season, with some big clashes and giant clubs getting back on track.

Group B

Limoges CSP vs. Laboral Kutxa Vitoria, 71-107
Laboral Kutxa Vitoria ignited its 2015/2016 Euroleague campaign by taking apart Limoges CSP on the road in an impressive display. The Spanish visitors were hot from the start, blazing through the first quarter to lead 12-26 through ten minutes. Limoges picked it up in the second quarter with 22 points, but Vitoria were unstoppable to 34 points. The guests had drained 60 points in the first half and used the second to stroll and control the hardwood to victory. The Spaniard claimed 13 three-pointers, dished 28 assists and forced 21 turnovers in a hugely potent display.

Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Cedevita Zagreb, 75-81
Anadolu Efes was handed its first loss of the season by a spirited Cedevita Zagreb effort in the Turkish city of Istanbul. It was Zagreb’s first victory of the season to breathe life into their campaign in this 2015/2016 Euroleague term. The hosts were on course for a third successive victory through halftime, leading 41-36 during the long break. Cedevita Zagreb edged the third act 17-18, but still trailed 58-54 through thirty minutes of the game, putting in control of Anadolu Efes. However, the guests rallied in the fourth by draining 27 points to snatch the victory late on.

Group C

Pinar Karsiyaka Izmir vs. Zalgiris Kaunas, 66-68
Zalgiris is improving and from its maiden win this season last week the club visited the Turkish TBL champs from Karsiyaka and came away with a two point win. Zalgiris Kaunas actually dominated big parts of the game, and in the first quarter notched a 15-23 lead. It was 33-38 through halftime and the guests surged again in the third with a 19-20 winning frame that made it 52-58 at the final split. In the fourth act Pinar Karsiyaka Izmir rallied with a 14-10 run but could not use the momentum to swing the scoreboard in their favour.

FC Barcelona vs. Panathinaikos Athens, 77-52
A clash of two of Euroleague’s giant clubs saw Barcelona sweep aside Panathinaikos at home. After opening losing its opening game Barcelona has improved a lot and took apart the Greek giants who were visiting the Catalan city. The hosts charged ahead in the first quarter, using a 17-11 run to open a tidy advantage, while the lead was enhanced through a 25-17 second that made it comfortable at 42-28 through halftime. From there Barca cruised and killed the contest in the final act with a 22-9 surge.

Group D

CSKA Moscow vs. Brose Baksets Bamberg, 83-77
The CSKA Moscow train keeps rolling as the Russian club moved to a 3-0 record at the top of Group D with a win over Bamberg. CSKA is sometimes an efficient well-oiled machine, but the Russians get the job done and in the first frame the hosts edged the stanza 16-15. A 21-13 run in the second act was enough to give CSKA a 37-28 lead during the midway break. In the second half Brose Baskets struggled to get into the game against a professional Moscow outfit, and in the end the hosts simply shut the hardwood down.

Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. Dinamo Banco Di Sardegna Sassari, 79-63
After getting destroyed last week, Maccabi Tel Aviv re-navigated its 2015/2016 Euroleague season with a cozy home win over Italian club Sassari. The visitors actually led 15-17 through the first quarter, but that was as close as Sassari got as Tel Aviv went up a gear to win the nest three quarters 20-16, 22-14, and 22-16 to rip apart the game and win the game.