This is what the protagonists of the game had to say after such a close deal down the stretch.

Post-Game Quotes: Lietkabelis 87-77 Joventut


### Nenad Canak, Lietkabelis Panevezys
“I want to congratulate my players and staff. We played against a big name, a former European champion, and for us it’s a big honour to compete with them. Before the game I said we must take care of our defense. We know how to play basketball, if we play with energy we can play offense too. I’m an old-school coach, everything starts with defense. It was pretty clear that Tomic is their main player, he’s a playmaker and does everything for them. We tried to cut that from them and we did a great job.”


Lietkabelis defense clamps down

Joventut ended the game with 17 turnovers and 16 assists. The visiting team was also not allowed good looks at the basket, converting 14 of only 25 two-point attempts and often forced into long-range shooting, making 13 of 31 three-point attempts. It also helped the hosts to win the rebounding battle, 35 to 27.

Guillem Vives - Joventut Badalona (photo Karolio Kavolelio - Lietkabelis) EC21

Joventut came into the game with the best defensive record in the competition, allowing just 65.4 points per game, but Lietkabelis was quickly able to enjoy a very effective evening on offense by scoring 20 points in the first quarter and maintaining a similar pace throughout.

Radicevic leads winning offense

A big reason was a sparkling individual performance from point guard Nikola Radicevic, who delivered 12 points and 9 assists, many of which were highlight reel plays. The consistency of Lietkabelis’s scoring throughout the game ensured that Joventut was never able to get into the lead.

Nikola Radicevic - Lietkabelis Panevezys (photo Karolio Kavolelio - Lietkabelis) EC21

Errick McCollum had a brilliant second half in Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar's Round 6 game against Dolomiti Energia Trento. McCollum was held scoreless in the opening 18 minutes, but finished the game with 29 points - just 3 away from his career-high.

McCollum gets rare double-double

McCollum, a EuroCup champion and the competition's MVP with Galatasaray Odeabank Istanbul in 2016, added a career-high 13 assists, leading Lokomotiv to a come-from-behind 97-95 victory. It was McCollum's second double-double in his 78-game EuroCup career; he previously had 21 points and 13 rebounds with Galatasaray against Pinar Karsiyaka Izmir on February 24, 2016. 

Errick McCollum - Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar (photo Fedor Aebor - Lokomotiv) - EC21

Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar v Dolomiti Energia Trento (2021-12-08T16:30:00.000Z)

Dolomiti Energia Trento arrived at Basket Hall to face Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar in Round 6 of the 7DAYS EuroCup Regular Season with the worst offensive numbers in the competition. Trento was last in points scored (70.2 ppg.) and two-point (45.8%), three-point (27.7%) and free throw (58.6%) shooting percentage.

Trento improves numbers in Krasnodar

It all changed in Krasnodar, as Trento put together a great offensive performance which allowed the team to keep its chances alive until the final seconds. Trento made 27 of 52 two-pointers (51.9%), 8 of 19 three-pointers (42.1%) and 17 of 19 free throws (89.5%). 

Jordan Caroline - Dolomiti Energia Trento (photo Fedor Aebor - Lokomotiv) - EC21

Johnathan Motley once again proved to be unstoppable in Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar's victory against Dolomiti Energia Trento. Motley finished the game with 33 points, matching the 2021-22 7DAYS EuroCup season-high which previously belonged only to Justin Cobbs of Buducnost VOLI Podgorica.

Motley dominates again

He added 11 rebounds for a double-double and a PIR of 36. Motley already had 24 points on 10-of-14 two-point shooting at halftime for a PIR of 25. Motley ended up making 13 two-pointers, which was 1 shy of Lokomotiv's club record; Derrick Brown made 14 two-point shots against Cajasol Sevilla on January 23, 2013. 

Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar rallied from a double-digit deficit in the final 5 minutes to beat Dolomiti Energia Trento 97-95 at home in Group B on Wednesday. Lokomotiv improved to 5-1 in Group A while Trento dropped to 1-5. 

McCollum rallies Lokomotiv past Trento, 97-95

Johnathan Motley led the winners with 33 points and 11 rebounds, Errick McCollum added 29 points and 13 assists, Darius Thompson scored 12 and Stanislav Ilnitskiy got 10 for Lokomotiv. Wesley Saunders and Desonta Bradford paced Trento with 18 points apiece, Diego Flaccadori added 17, Andrea Mezzanotte 16 and Jordan Caroline 13. Trento's led 66-74 after 30 minutes and 70-83 early in the fourth quarter before an outstanding McCollum rallied Lokomotiv to a 95-93 edge with 40 seconds remaining and Thompson sealed the deal with a critical steal. 

Motley got Lokomotiv going with back-to-back layups and a dunk. Mezzanotte downed a six-meter jumper and Caroline scored down low to make it 6-4. Motley scored in transition and followed Thompson's driving layup with a dunk. Ilnitskiy soon struck from downtown for a 15-6 Lokomotiv advantage. After Flaccadori downed a jumper, Ladurner hit a jump hook and Saunders matched Motley's slam with a driving layup to bring Trento within 17-12. Caroline hit a triple and Saunders followed a jumper with a three-point play to give Trento its first lead, 19-20. Saunders hit a baseline jumper and Mezzanotte drilled a three-pointer to put the visitors ahead 23-25 after 10 minutes.

Caroline and Toto Forray each scored around the basket, which prompted Lokomotiv to call timeout at 23-29. Thompson ignited the crowd with a wild dunk-and-foul, but Caroline and Ladurner kept Trento comfortably ahead, 27-33. Ladurner matched Motley's layup with a dunk and Conti scored in penetration to make it 29-37. Motley stayed on fire with a dunk-and-foul and an alley-oop slam, but Conti scored in the paint and Flaccadori's three-point play boosted Trento's margin to double digits, 34-44. Ilnitskiy and McCollum each buried a triple before Motley added a layup. Mezzanotte struck from beyond the arc, but McCollum drew the hosts within 44-48 at halftime. 

Saunders hit a jumper right after the break and got help from Mezzanotte and Bradford to establish a 44-54 Trento lead. Motley stepped up with a put-back dunk and Stanton Kidd bettered Bradford's floater with a triple. Motley banked in a close shot, but Flaccadori kept Trento in control, 51-58. Thompson dunked off a steal and scored in penetration. Flaccadori followed a jumper with a driving layup and Caroline added a fast break basket and a tip-in for a 55-67 Trento lead. Bradford kept pacing the visitors, however, McCollum buried a couple of three-pointers and added free throws to give Lokomotiv hope at 66-72. Saunders's layup fixed the score at 66-74 after 30 minutes.

McCollum buried a baseline jumper early in the fourth quarter and Kidd added a backdoor slam but Bradford struck three times from beyond the arc to boost Trento's margin to 70-83. Mezzanotte joined the three-point shootout, too. McCollum singlehandedly brought Lokomotiv within 76-86. After Saunders buried a jumper, Motley and McCollum got the hosts even closer, 81-88, with less than 4 minutes left. Kidd buried a triple and Motley added a jumper. Mezzanotte gave Trento fresh air at 86-91. McCollum struck from downtown and Ilnitskiy split free throws, Flaccadori scored in penetration for a 90-93 Trento edge. Ilnitskiy hit a three-pointer and McCollum buried a jumper that completed Lokomotiv's comeback, 95-93, with 40 seconds left. Thompson collected a critical seal and sealed the outcome from the foul line. 

Johnathan Motley - Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar (photo Fedor Aebor - Lokomotiv) - EC21

Post-Game Quotes: Lokomotiv 97-95 Trento


### Evgeny Pashutin, Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar
"I think we changed our character, our desire, our mindset, our effort, our energy and togetherness [in the fourth quarter]. This is an example of what Lokomotiv should be, but all 40 minutes long. We are still in a process but now, the guys showed that they put their heart on the court and they sacrificed for the team. This is the most important thing, this is how big teams build up. And now, from this moment, we have to rise up, step up, everybody, to follow this example. I would like to congratulate the team. It was a tough game but we deserved to win. This is going to help us to get confidence, follow our strategy and follow our targets. I think Trento played a lot of switching situations and put a small-ball lineup without a center. Caroline and Mezzanotte spaced the floor and attacked one-on-one: unusual basketball, not standard basketball, and it was difficult to attack because they switched and have big guards. They started with Flaccadori as point guard and Saunders as shooting guard. For us, it was not easy because they switched and stayed in front, but after that, we found the way to attack with Motley and McCollum. Other guys also helped on the weak side, three-point shots, Stanton Kidd and Stanislav Ilnitskiy, and Alan Williams also. We played all together and I think that is our main weapon, being together."



### Emanuele Molin, Dolomiti Energia Trento
"For sure, Lokomotiv played a better fourth quarter. For sure, having a longer roster, they got the advantage at the end of the game. I am happy with my team because playing without two foreigners, we competed and led for a long time in the game. We made some crucial mistakes in the last quarter, but the team had a good night and I believe that we can even do better."



### Errick McCollum, Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar
"We just played better defense. We were aggressive. In the first half, I couldn't make a shot and I think that kind of put the team in a funk and as a leader, I have to come out and make shots. I think that, in the second half, I was able to do that, be strong mentally but my teammates... I mean, Stats [Kidd] hit great shots, Alan [Williams] gave us energy, Motley carried us in the first half, Thompson with a great steal... I mean, it was just a team effort and we were fortunate to win. We have to do better."



### Wesley Saunders, Dolomiti Energia Trento
"Obviously, they are a very good team with a lot of talent and I think that we played a great game for 35 minutes. We played as a team and they just turned up the intensity a little bit and we weren't able to make a few adjustments at the end to get us the win. But I am proud of my team, we came out and fought. We just came up a little bit short. I think that in the last 5 minutes, they were able to lock down defensively and kind of stopped us from scoring a little bit. And I think that in the second quarter, we were kind of running our offense better and it was more fluid, so we were able to do more of what we wanted to do. But like I said, I am proud of our guys and we played a great game for the first half against a very good team. We just came up a little bit short."


### Desonta Bradford, Dolomiti Energia Trento
"We stopped scoring. We set up some difficult plays, some difficult shots. We kind of got out of what we were doing, and then it allowed them to get in transition and to get some easy baskets. I mean, they have guys who made big shots for them. Credit goes to them for keep fighting."


Darius Thompson 2- Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar (photo Fedor Aebor - Lokomotiv) - EC21

One player was especially excited about Valencia Basket finally returning to the 7DAYS EuroCup court after the long national team break. Mike Tobey could not wait to finally make his EuroCup season debut, and he wasted no time in making a huge impact.

Tobey shined for Valencia in EuroCup season debut

Tobey scored 10 of Valencia’s first 15 points en route to a comfortable 67-81 victory at Umana Reyer Venice. The 27-year-old center finished the game with 16 points and 8 rebounds.

"Besides the win, also big for us was the return of Mike Tobey. Mike is an important player for us," Valencia coach Joan Penarroya said after the game. "Today we saw him on the break, in the block, with the three-pointers. And the energy he brought us was very important too."

Tobey talked more about the team win, saying: "We just played together. We did a good job in the second half. At halftime, we talked about being a little more patient. They adjusted their defense but we did a good job."

Tobey played a major role in Slovenia reaching the semifinals of the Olympic Games in Tokyo this past summer. And then he missed the first five EuroCup games of the season - playing one Spanish League game in late September. He suffered from osteitis pubis, a condition that causes inflammation around the center of the pelvis.

Tobey showed right from the beginning that he was fine in Venice, putting back an offensive rebound for Valencia’s first score. He laid in a Martin Hermannsson pass and added a three-pointer. A second three-pointer gave him 10 points as Valencia jumped out to an early 2-15 lead.

Tobey was less dominant on offense in the second quarter, instead grabbing 4 defense rebounds.

The New York native threw down a dunk on the first possession of the second half. He added two put-back scores and then converted a fastbreak layup for a 36-50 cushion. Tobey would fall into foul trouble and that more or less meant the end of his meaningful contribution. But he had already done his damage for Valencia - a team that is thankful to have Tobey back in the mix.

Just as much as Tobey is happy about being back in the mix.

Umana Reyer Venice v Valencia Basket (2021-12-07T19:00:00.000Z)