Euroleague Top 16, Friday roundup

Round 2 of the Euroleague Top 16 was completed on Friday with four more contests around the continent, with the bulk of the action taking place in Group E.

There were three home wins on the night, with Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar, Panathinaikos, and Brose Baskets Bamberg all delivering in front of home support. The sole road win on Friday went to Fenerbahce Istanbul courtesy of another slick Euroleague performance.

Group E
Lokomotiv vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul, 77-76
Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar stayed 100% so far in the Euroleague Top 16 with a narrow victory over Anadolu Efes Istanbul at home. The hosts had trailed by 37-43 at halftime and a locked 16-16 third act meant Anadolu Efes was in charge through thirty minutes on the hardwood, 53-59. Lokomotiv found an extra gear in the fourth quarter and produced a 25-18 rally that saw Ryan Broekhoff drain from beyond the arc to seal the win.

Malcolm Delaney fuelled the comeback with 25 points and 5 assists, while Anthony Randolph offered 16 points.

Thomas Huertal topped Efes with 16 points, while Derrick Brown had a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Crvena Zvezda Belgrade vs. Fenerbahce Istanbul, 65-88
Fenerbahce continued to impress in its hunt for a first Euroleague title as the Turkish team took apart Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade. Consistent offensive prowess saw Fenerbahce claim the win, the visitors plundering more than 20 points in each frame. It included an 8-18 second quarter that handed the Istanbul club a 28-41 lead at the long break. Crvena Zvezda were stunned and could not stop the guests running away with the contest in the second half.

Luigi Datome topped the winners with 21 points, while Bobby Dixon doubled up with 17 points and 11 scoring passes. Jan Vesely also grabbed a double-double as he provided 15 points and 15 boards.

Quincy Miller was the only Belgrade player to register double digits as he scored 21 points.

Panathinaikos Athens vs. Unicaja Malaga, 68-66
Panathinaikos downed Malaga to grab its first Top 16 win of the season. This is not a vintage Panathinaikos team, but the Greek heavyweight still dealt with a Malaga team that waltzed through the Regular Season. The hosts took a 21-17 lead through ten minutes and a tied second quarter (16-16) meant The Greens led 37-33 at the midway buzzer. Malaga won the second half and pushed it to the wire, but James Fedeline drained from downtown to seal Panathinaikos’ win late on.

Dimitris Diamantidis led the winners with 17 points.

Jamar Smith topped the losing effort with 21 points.

Group F
Brose Baskets Bamberg vs. Zalgiris Kaunas, 96-63
Brose Baskets Bamberg turned it on in Germany to crush Zalgiris Kaunas, putting more than thirty points on the Lithuanian champion. The home team poured in 49 points in the first half, but it was the defensive end that was extra impressive as Bamberg stopped Zalgiris at 29 points. That 20 point lead was built on in the second half as the Germans extended during a stunning 25-11 fourth act.

Janis Strelnieks topped Bamberg with 19 points, while Nikos Zisis added 18 points. Nicolo Melli added 15 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double game.

Olivier Hanland led a demolished Kaunas with 17 points.