He defeated Paris with hero Cowan and Prometheus “locked” an advantage

Home advantage, at least in the first round of the Euro Cup playoffs, was secured by Prometheus. The team of Yiannis Christopoulos prevailed over Paris with 84-81 in the “D. Tofalos” for the 17th matchday of the second group, matched his victories over the French team and “captured” at least fourth place, one matchday before the finale of the first phase.

Leading the way for the Patriots was Anthony Cowan with 38 points and 5 assists, but also the three-pointer that decided the match with 4.3” left after the French team with an 0-10 had tied it at 81-81 from 81-71 with 2′:16” left.

The match

Cowan took the offensive initiatives for the Patriots at the beginning of the match and kept +2 to +4 with the nice individual actions inside the French racket. The American forward made it 11-6, taking advantage of the good defense of his teammates in the corresponding period and the failure of the French in long shots. Kulboka’s three-pointer made it 14-8 and the Lithuanian assisted Cowan for +4 to +6. The latter brought +7 with 16 personal points and the first quarter ended at 27-22.

The effortless mistakes of the players of Yannis Christopoulos at the start of the second period helped Paris to reduce to -1 and there Tsairelis “woke up” aggressively and helped his team maintain +3 to +5. Kulboka’s three-pointer brought +8 and Cowan, who was “silent” in the first five minutes of the second quarter, brought +10. Paris went on a 5-0 run to cut it to -5, but Cowan was “hot” again and made it 41-33, with Murat’s 3-pointer ending the first half at 46-34. Prometheus had 5/8 three-pointers, 11/11 shots and 17 rebounds, while Paris had 12/17 two-pointers and 10 rebounds.

Dennis’ two 3-pointers at the beginning of the third period reduced it to 46-42 for Paris, but Cowan took action from the perimeter and racket and kept +5 to +6 for Prometheus and he himself made it 55-45 with a three-pointer. Paris responded with a 4-0 run to make it 55-50, but another 4-0 run by the French cut it to 58-54. The Patrinos had found many solutions in the attack and, with a 4-0 run, it became 64-56, to end the third quarter at 66-59.

Gegich cut it to 66-63 early in the fourth period, but a 5-0 run by Prometheus made it 71-63 and, led by Cowan, another 5-0 run for +11. The miss and several fouls on both sides in the next two minutes kept the score at 76-67 with 3’23” left. Cowan’s 3-pointer made it 79-69 and the difference went back and forth between +8 and +10 in the next minute. Evans cut it to 81-75, Cowan missed a 3-pointer and Sims’ layup cut it to 81-77 with 1:14 left as Paris went on a 6-0 run. The pressure of the French all over the court created a problem in the circulation of the ball and gave the opportunity for a steal and 81-79 by Gegics.

Dangubic missed a 3-pointer and Wallace drew a foul and made two shots to tie the game at 81-81 at 28”. Cowan took the situation into his own hands and made it 84-81 with a three-pointer in the 4th minute. Denis missed the three-pointer in Paris’ last attack and Prometheus goes to the “16” with an advantage.

Anthony Cowan calls GAME ??????@promitheasbc pic.twitter.com/qIfx4LlaIq

— 7DAYS EuroCup (@EuroCup) March 22, 2023

The quarters: 27-22, 46-36, 66-59, 84-81

The statistics