In a battle between two of the 2022-23 BKT EuroCup semifinalists, Joventut Badalona edged Prometey Slobozahsnke 79-76 at home in Group A on Wednesday.
Joventut rallies past Prometey, 79-76
Andrew Andrews led the winners with 15 points and Pau Ribas scored 14, all of which came in a game-changing third quarter. Tyler Cook added 10 for Joventut. Issuf Sanon and Ronald March paced Prometey with 15 points apiece. Ondrej Balvin and Caleb Agada each contributed 12. Balvin also grabbed 12 rebounds. Both teams now have 4-5 records in this group.
Agada, Sanon put Prometey ahead
Agada followed a three-point play with a big basket down low for a 2-7 Prometey lead. Balvin dunked, March struck from downtown and Agada soon made it a double-digit game, 4-14. Tai Odiase followed a jump hook with an alley-oop slam, getting plenty of help from Issuf Sanon to boost the guests' lead to 7-22. DeShaun Thomas stepped up with a three-point play, Pep Busquets dunked and Kenny Chery got Joventut a bit closer, 15-26, after 10 minutes.
Andrews keeps Joventut alive
Cook followed a jump hook with a dunk early in the second quarter. Sanon and march each struck from beyond the arc. Then Odiase's fastbreak layup set a 19-34 Prometey margin. Joventut found a go-to guy in Andrews, who scored in penetration and added consecutive jumpers. He got help from Ruben Prey to give the hosts hope at 32-38. Illia Sydorov hit a triple for a 33-41 Prometey lead at halftime.
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Agada swished a jumper soon after the break and March sank a three-pointer for a 35-46 Prometey lead. Ribas struck three times from downtown and Busquets added a jumper and a layup in a 15-0 run that put Joventut ahead, 50-46. A red-hot Ribas downed his fourth triple, Andrews hit a jumper and Michael Ruzic boosted the hosts' lead to 57-51. Oleksandr Lypovyy and Sanon joined the three-point shootout. Then Balvin's jump hook put the guests ahead, 60-61. Andrews's layup fixed the score at 62-61 after 30 minutes.
Down to the wire!
Sanon, Guillem Vives and Sydorov each hit a three-pointer early in the fourth quarter. Cook soon gave Joventut a 69-67 lead with over 6 minutes left. Lypovyy and Rob Gray stepped up for Prometey. Balvin hit a jump hook and fed March for a layup and a 74-76 Prometey lead with under 3 minutes remaining. Andrews split free throws and Ruzic put Joventut in charge, 77-76, with 1:21 left. Agada's shot went in and out and Prey dunked at the other end. March could not get a shot up in time to force overtime, allowing Joventut to celebrate a hard fought win!