The Romanian side benefited from another result going its way after losing to Lietkabelis.
Helping hand from Buducnost pushed Cluj into quarterfinals
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U-BT Cluj-Napoca advanced to the BKT EuroCup Quarterfinals in the most fortuitous fashion after a 92-87 defeat at 7bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys had knocked the Romanian team’s fate out of its hands in the final round of the competition’s regular season.
Cluj was left sweating on the outcome of the game between Buducnost VOLI Podgorica and Dreamland Gran Canaria, as victory for the Spanish side would have seen the defending champion overhaul Cluj on a better head-to-head record and clinch the runner-up spot in Group B.
However, Buducnost won that game 90-77, despite the fact that the Montenegrin team had no chance of making the playoffs, leaving Gran Canaria in third place while Cluj finished second by the skin of its teeth and thus earned a bye in the first knockout round.
A night to forget in Panevezys
Under pressure to deliver at the end of an impressive regular-season campaign, Cluj looked jittery for the lion’s share of the contest against Lietkabelis, which had only pride to play for after losing any chance of reaching the postseason.
Instead, it was the Lithuanian outfit which looked like a playoff team with its quick movement of the ball on the offensive end as well as more aggressive defense, although Cluj thrived on long-range shooting as the visitors sank 9-of-14 shots from downtown in the first half.
Cluj briefly redressed the balance early in the fourth quarter when it levelled the score at 73-73, only for the battling Lietkabelis to pull away again, 81-75. The hosts stood their ground in the home stretch to come away with a season-ending victory, while Cluj could only hope for a Buducnost win to avoid getting leapfrogged by Granca in the runner-up spot.
Buducnost delivered the goods for Cluj, with the Romanian side now able to focus on potential rivals for a berth in the competition’s last eight, having enjoyed a huge slice of good fortune in the regular season’s dramatic climax.