ALBA thrived as Smith kept Howard at bay

ALBA Berlin forced Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz into submission, 85-84, in a thrilling clash with a mixture of inspired offense through the opening three quarters and some determined defending in the fourth, with playmaker Tamir Blatt shining with 11 points and 9 assists. The Israeli point guard’s all-round performance personified selfless teamwork which saw a stack of home players finishing the game in double digits.
As the game ebbed and flowed, reaching a dramatic climax with Baskonia missing a chance to force the final twist in their its possession, Jaleen Smith emerged as the unsung hero of ALBA’s victory against the more heralded visitors.
The versatile guard, who averages 12.2 points per game, excelled at both ends of the court as he led his team with 18 points while he also contained Baskonia’s top scorer Markus Howard.
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Howard displayed his attacking potential and talent during a Baskonia blitz midway through the second quarter, when his lethal shooting briefly helped turn a 27-14 deficit stretching back to the first period into a 37-34 lead for the visitors. However, that was as good as it got for Baskonia’s driving force, who racked up 17 points but shot only 2-of-8 from two-point range, having sank 3-of-6 from behind the arc.
With Smith in his face throughout the night, Howard was forced to take a barrage of tough shots and missed most of them, with his night ending in a squandered opportunity to snatch it at the death for Baskonia when Ben Lammers swatted away his layup in traffic.
Smith, much like Howard acclaimed for his offensive prowess, was delighted to complement that with an impressive defensive performance after winning his personal battle against one of the league’s most feared guards.
"Credit to my teammates, they find me when I am open. If we have open shots, let’s just take it,” Smith, who shot 5-of-10 from the field and 5-of-6 from the foul line, said in a courtside interview after the contest. “I am always taking my pride in defense, Markus Howard is one of the top guards. I always want to take on the best and show that I can stay with those guys."