BAXI Manresa starts the BCL Top16 on the right foot
Diego Ocampo's men ended up getting rid of a Petkimspor gunner in the final minutes. Cate and Alston Jr., the most outstanding players for the Bages team.
96 BAXI Manresa I Obasohan 10, Hunt 13, Sagnia 6, Alston Jr. 17 and Cate 14; Vescovi 5, Reyes 5, Massa 4, Steinbergs 10, Hustak 2, Saint-Supery 2 and Dani Pérez 8
87 Aliaga Petkimspor I Russell 14, Tyree 20, Dotson 20, Aldridge 3 and Echenique 9; Van Beck 9, Williams 8, Sav, Gultekin 4 and Efeoglu
Partials: 28-32, 23-20, 26-16, 19-19
BAXI Manresa started the Top16 of the Basketball Champions League with a victory at the Nou Congost faced a Turkish side Aliaga Petkimspor in a duel that was decided in the final minutes (96-87).
After some good initial defenses, the game was level, with both teams exchanging the lead on the scoreboard. The Reds stayed close to the Turks, who were very successful from the three-point line: they scored seven and closed the first quarter with a four-point advantage (28-32).
In the second, the match remained even. The locals were able to stop the opponent's outside shooting and achieved a maximum five-point difference (51-46). Then, two triples scored by Aldridge and Russell, the latter at the buzzer, made the Turks take the lead at half-time (51-52).
Coming back from the changing rooms, the Manresans took control, but were unable to open up a significant gap. The Bages team played a choral game, with all players scoring at least one basket, and closed the third quarter with a nine-point lead (77-68).
In the last ten minutes the visitors did not give up and tied the score at 84 with just under three minutes remaining. During these minutes the Reds were more in tune and scored ten consecutive points to seal their first victory in the second phase of the BCL.
On Sunday, starting at 17:00, BAXI Manresa will play a new Catalan derby, in this case on the complicated court of a Euroleague team, Barça.