Amadou Sow led his team with a career-high 27 points to secure the win
Chemnitz holds off Besiktas to close out the year in style
Game Report
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 12 of 18
Regular Season
group b
NINERS ChemnitzNIN
9795
Besiktas GAIN IstanbulBJK
group b
Overview
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NINERS Chemnitz said farewell to 2025 with a 97-95 statement win over Besiktas GAIN Istanbul on Tuesday night, delighting its fans and moving to 6-6 in Group B. Chemnitz led most of the way, but the closing minutes turned tense before the hosts held on for the victory.
Amadou Sow set the tone for Chemnitz, delivering a career night with a game-high 27 points. The Malian center dominated the paint for most of the night and provided plenty of offensive energy when the game reached its decisive moments.
‘‘It feels great. It was a collective work,” said Sow after the game. ‘‘We keep staying strong, we keep believing in each other, in the coaching staff and the things that we work on. We just gotta keep doing what we are doing and keep believing and trusting each other. Everything is gonna work out. The season is up and downs, peaks and valleys, and we are making the best out of it right now.’’
Chemnitz leaned on its perimeter shooting throughout the night, finishing 53.6% from beyond the arc, well above its season average of 30.2%. Drawing on their depth, the hosts received three-point contributions from eight different players over the course of the game.
The offensive rhythm carried over into a season-best home performance, as the German side reached 97 points in front of its fans for the first time this season.
''Our fans were exceptional. They pushed us from the first minute to the last. They were the sixth man on the floor today,'' said head coach Rodrigo Pastore after the win.
"This team already went through adversity. We know what it is like to be down, and we made a strength out of that. We've come from a long way, I am very excited about what is in front of us, with everybody healthy and playing the second part of season hopefully with a complete team.’’
The home side opened the game with aggressive defense and controlled the first-half momentum with efficient scoring both inside and from the perimeter. Chemnitz struggled at times in the third quarter, particularly in containing Ante Zizic around the basket, but timely outside shooting allowed the hosts to enter the final minutes of the fourth quarter with the lead.
Nike Sibande emerged as a key contributor for the hosts after the break, scoring 13 of his points in the second half and knocking down 3 crucial three-pointers. Kevin Yebo was another important presence, finishing with 11 points and 3 triples while providing energy on the offensive end.
Besiktas pushed back in the second half behind Zizic, who posted 23 points and 10 rebounds, with Jonah Mathews and Vitto Brown adding 20 points each. The visitors tied the game at 95-95 in the final quarter, but it was not enough.
Next up in Round 13, Chemnitz will hit the road to face the London Lions in their first game of the new year, while Besiktas will host ratiopharm ulm at home.
