He rescued his team against Reyer at the end of regulation and late in overtime
Iverson Molinar stays cold-blooded, lifts Cluj to key win
Game Report
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 4 of 18
Regular Season
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U-BT Cluj-NapocaUBT
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Umana Reyer VeniceURV
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Overview
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Iverson Molinar was the hero for U-BT Cluj-Napoca on Wednesday night, calmly sinking two clutch free throws with 0.5 seconds left to seal a dramatic 103–102 overtime win over Umana Reyer Venice in front of 8,000 thrilled fans.
It was a statement night for Molinar, who is in his first BKT EuroCup season and just the third Panamanian-born player in competition history. With Cluj’s star playmaker Fatts Russell having fouled out in the final minutes of regulation, Molinar stepped up when it mattered most – first to tie the game at the end of the fourth quarter, and then to win it in overtime.
Cluj looked to be in trouble late in regulation. After Russell fouled out in the penultimate minute, Reyer capitalized as Kyle Wiltjer and Carl Wheatle both hit shots from deep to erase Cluj’s lead and put the visitors ahead, 87-89.
But Molinar answered. He drew a foul and knocked down two free throws to tie the game at 89-89, sending the home crowd into a frenzy as the game headed to overtime.
In the extra period, both teams traded blows. With just 7.9 seconds remaining, RJ Cole put Reyer back in front, 101-102, with an off-balanced basket. Cluj called timeout and once again turned to Molinar.
The 24-year-old delivered. He drew another foul and calmly hit both free throws, giving Cluj the final 103–102 edge. Reyer had no time left to respond.
Molinar’s performance was historic. He joins Ruben Douglas and Ruben Garces as the only Panamanian-born players in EuroCup history. Douglas famously led Dynamo Moscow to the 2006 title and hit the championship-winning shot for Fortitudo Bologna in the 2005 Italian League Finals. Garces, a teammate of Douglas at Valencia in 2007-08, helped the team reach the EuroCup Quarterfinals.
And yes – Iverson Molinar is named after NBA Hall of Famer Allen Iverson. After starring at Mississippi State alongside DJ Stewart (now with Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana, Cluj’s next opponent), Molinar played in the G League, Mexico and Israel before arriving at Cluj for his EuroCup debut.
“Both teams could have won it,” Cluj’s head coach Mihai Silvasan said after the game. “We definitely missed Daron Russell in the end when he fouled out – he’s one of our main creators. But we stuck together, made some plays, and Iverson Molinar hit free throws twice in really important moments. We managed to take the win.”
Before Molinar reunites with Stewart, Cluj will aim for its third win of the season when it visits Veolia Towers Hamburg on Tuesday, October 28.
