Ukraine Superleague: Top 3 have lost 7 of 9

Ukraine SuperleagueSeven of the last nine games… That’s how many losses the top three teams in the Ukraine Superleague have lost recently.

Currently sitting at the top of the standings, BC Budivelnyk has gone 1-2 over their last three games, with a home win on Sunday over BC Khimik, 89:67; a devastating home loss to then last-place BC Odessa in Jan. 11, 78:80; and a road loss to third-place BC Azovomash on Dec., 30, 87:78.

In the No. 2 position Ferr-ZNTU also went 1-2: two road losses to BC Dnipro-Azot on Sun. (81:75) and BC Cherkaski Mavpy on Jan. 11 (94:83) and a home win over BC Odessa on Dec. 28 (80:73)

Holding on to the No. 3 spot is BC Azovmash Mariupol, who lost all three of their last three games: on the road against MBC Mykolaiv on Jan. 11 (79:75), BC Hoverla on Jan. 4 (107:98 OT) and BC Polytechnica on Jan. 2 (80:78).

With all these losses, someone’s got to be charging up the standings and that club is PC Polytechnica, who’s won six straight now, including wins over No 2 Ferro-ZNTU, No. 3 Azovmash, and current No. 5, BC Donetsk.

Friday, Jan. 11, was a rough day for ‘favorites’ as four teams in the top six lost:

BC Budivelnyk – BC Odessa, 78:80
The hosts, the top ranked club in the Superleague, took one on the chin with a 78:80 defeat to the last-placed club in the league, BC Odessa on Friday. The loss gives Budiveknyk a 19-7 record and the win bumps Odessa out of the cellar with a 7 – 17 record, just ahead of Kyiv.

Tyrone Breyzelton hit two sets of singles, 10 seconds apart to tie, then put the visitors ahead by two, 78:80 with 15 seconds to play in the game. Leo Lyons had shot to tie it at the buzzer, but had his last-second shot blocked to preserve the Odessa victory.

BC Cherkaskі Mavpy – BC Ferro-ZNTU, 94:83
BC Cherkaski Mavpy handled the No. 2 club in the Superleague, BC Ferro-ZNTU, with a 94:83 home win. The win improves  Cherkaski Mavpy to 12-12 and a half a game ahead of MBC Nikolaev and in 8th place, the last spot that’s available to make it into the quarterfinals. The loss drops Ferro to 17-8.

The hosts used the first (25:16) and third quarters (28:15) to build a substantial advantage heading into the final 10, 81:61.

Ferro fought back in the fourth, outscoring their hosts 13:22, but it still left an 11-point margin at the end…

MBC Mykolaiv – Azovmash Mariupol, 79:75
Despite the fact that the final score was close, the game wasn’t nearly as close as the score would indicate. Azovmash would never hold the lead in the second half and the last lead they did hold was at the end of the first quarter, when they were briefly up 16:18.

Mykolaiv tied the score at 18 with a buzzer-beater, then proceeded to put a six-spot on No. 3 club in the Superleague to head into the break up 41:35.

Azovmash was able to cut the gap to two-points with eight seconds to play, but Josh Mayo hit two singles to cap his big day with 34 points and an upset win.

The win improves Mykolaiv to 9th place and a 12-13 record, the loss drops Azovmash to 17-8 and 3rd in the league.

BC Kyiv – BC Khimik, 81:69
The last-place visitors got out to a big early lead, with Khimik winning the first and second quarters, 18:22 and 16:22, to be up 34:44 at the half.

Kyiv stormed back in the third with a 23:11 advantage to also take the lead 57:55 with a quarter to play. The home squad kept on the pressure and again won a quarter by 10 to wrap up a big win for them as they currently inhabit the basement of the league with a 6-20 record. The loss dropped Khimik to 13-11 and 6th place in the league.

Ukraine Superleague Standings

Standings[standings league_id=24 show_website=false template=nolink]

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