Partizan NIS Belgrade booked its spot in the playoffs by knocking off MoraBanc Andorra 95-70 at home on Wednesday.
Partizan beats Andorra and grabs playoff spot



The victory gave Partizan a 9-4 record in Group A. After losing its previous two games, Partizan pulled away for good with a 12-0 fourth-quarter run. Zach LeDay paced Partizan with 20 points and Mathias Lessort collected 18 points and 12 rebounds. Kevin Punter poured in 16 points, Yam Madar chipped in 15 and Uros Trifunovic added 12 points in the victory - Partizan’s sixth in six home games. Andorra dropped to 6-6 with its fourth loss in the last five games. Clevin Hannah scored 17 points in defeat, Victor Arteaga added 16 and Oriol Pauli contributed 13.
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Punter’s free throws to start the game were matched by Hannah’s jumper for the guests. Partizan was strong early, especially with Punter and LeDay, who combined for 9 points as the hosts opened a 16-7 lead. Andorra went inside to the big man Arteaga and pulled within 18-14. Punter scored another jumper and Partizan led 24-16 after 10 minutes.
Codi Miller-McIntyre opened the scoring in the second quarter for Andorra while Partizan needed nearly 2 minutes before its first points, coming on the first points in the EuroCup by newly-acquired teenage talent Tristan Vukcevic. Lessort began to impose his will with back-to-back baskets for Partizan and the big man’s putback had Partizan back up by 9. Lessort picked up another score off an offensive rebound and then assisted on Aleksa Avramovic’s three-pointer - Partizan’s first triple after missing its first 8 attempts from long range - to open a 39-27 advantage. Hannah hit a second three-pointer for Andorra and Arteaga scored just before the buzzer to make it 45-35 at the break.
Mario Nakic scored the first points of the second half to give the visitors a good start. Trifunovic answered with a dunk only to see Hannah and Nakic both hit three-pointers. Trifunovic responded with a triple and Partizan led 56-45 after 4 straight points from LeDay. A triple by LeDay increased the gap to 14 points. Pauli hit a three-pointer for the visitors, but LeDay and Madar both drained triples and Partizan led 69-54 after 30 minutes.
Madar picked up right where he left off with a three-pointer to start the fourth quarter. LeDay added free throws and the cushion swelled to 20 points. Andorra tried to chip away with Nacho Llovet and Pauli both converting three-point plays and Pauli making free throws to make it a 10-point game with just under 6 minutes left. Llovet was charged with a technical, which Punter converted from the line and then made a jumper to start the run that would decide it, with Lessort adding 4 points and Punter draining a three-pointer in a 12-0 surge to make it 88-66 and end all doubts.






































































































