U18 Next Generation Team Patras survived a double-overtime thriller against debutant U18 Helsinki Basketball Academy 103-101 to secure its second victory at the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Patras.
NGP outlasts Helsinki in double-OT thriller
Game Report
3 Mins read
NGP finished Group B play with a 2-1 record and will take on U18 FC Barcelona on Sunday for third place in the event. Pacome Dadiet scored 27 points to lead the winners while Illan Pietrus had 25 points and 5 assists, Alexandros Samontourov collected 18 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks and Peteris Pinnis chipped in 11 points in the win. NGP Helsinki took the third spot in the group and will play against U18 ZPA Tbilisi on Sunday for fifth place. Miro Little poured in 37 points to go with 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 15 fouls drawn for a PIR of 30 for Helsinki. Eemeli Yalaho had 17 points and 11 rebounds, Okku Federiko scored 17 points and Viljami Vartiainen scored 14 points.
Dadiet opened the scoring for NGP with Vartiainen hitting four points at the other end. Dadiet added 10 more points and Pietrus had four and the selection team was up 22-13. Helsinki tried to stay close and trailed 27-18 after 10 minutes. Samontourov hit a three-pointer for NGP and the lead was 35-24. Helsinki was able to slow down NGP to just two points over the final 6 minutes of the first half and Yalaho had eight points and it was 37-35 at halftime.
The game was tight in the first half of the third quarter with Little converting a three-point play and Vartiainen hitting a three-pointer as Helsinki led 46-47. NGP turned up the defense though and Pinnis scored six points in a 14-2 run to lead 60-49, and it was 60-51 after 30 minutes. NGP increased the margin to 63-51 early in the fourth quarter, but Helsinki wasn’t done yet. Little scored eight points and Federiko nailed two three-pointers to get within 69-65 with under 4 minutes left. Federiko trimmed it to 71-69 and Little evened things 72-72 with 67 seconds to play. Dadiet split two free throws with 48 seconds and Pietrus made both with 18 seconds remaining and NGP up 75-72 only to see Federiko drain another triple with 8.6 seconds left.
The game went to overtime and the big shot making continued: Dadiet with a three-pointer and three-point play to give NGP an 86-81 lead; and a second three-pointer from Little and two free throws to even the game 88-88 with 7.9 seconds to play. NGP couldn’t score and it was time for a second overtime. Pietrus and Dadiet both hit triples and it was 98-96 when Mohamed Diawara stole the ball from Little, who then fouled out of the game with 58 seconds left. After Vartiainen made it 102-98, Erik Muhonen converted a three-point play and Pietrus hit just one of two free throws with 7.7 seconds remaining for a 103-101 lead. Federiko drove to the rim and just missed a layup and the game was over.