An unlikely victory for her AEK Betsson BC at its premiere in Basketball Champions League!
In a game where it went to wrong itself (16 mistakes and 22 offensive losses), “Union”, showed soul and character in the final, came back from -7 with the improbable Langston Hall in the end and entered with the… right hand in this year’s BCL, winning 84-79 of Ludwigsburg!
Niki, who is first for the “yellow and black” this season, after the two consecutive matches in the Basket League, showing for the second consecutive match – after the one with Olympiakos – good data, but also the work done by Joan Platha. However, she still has a lot to improve on.
The first scorer for the winners was Kuzminskas with 15 points, while closely followed by Tillman (14p., 4r.), the outstanding one tonight McLemore (13p., 3r., 3as.), but also the pivotal one in the finale Hall (12p., 8as.), who in the last three minutes had 6 points, 1 steal, a block, but also an assist!
The match
THE AEK Betsson BC who started the game with Flioni, Randle, McLemore, Kuzminskas and Tillman in the starting five, entered the court strongly and with McLemore and Kuzminskas led 7-3 and 12-9 in 4′. Somewhere in there, some bad choices on offense, but also several missed defensive rebounds, gave Ludwigsburg the right to go on a 10-0 run to make it 12-19 in the 6th minute. Tilman, Hall and Netzipoglou aggressively “unstuck” the “Union”, which gathered the difference, closing the quarter at -1 and 24-25.
A two-pointer by Langston Hall early in the second period put AEK back in front (26-25), with Bere and Hammond going on a quick 7-0 run for Rissen (26-32 at 13′). From the middle of the quarter onwards, AEK increased its energy in defense and attack and with Kuzminskas in the foreground and Cabegele and Tilman close, “gnawed” the difference, reducing it to a point (38-39 at 17′) . A difficult drive by McLemore in the final, sent AEK to the locker room in front of me +3 for 44-43 of half time.
Despite their good finish in the first half, AEK entered the third quarter nervously, making four cheap and effortless mistakes. As a result of the home team’s lack of clarity, Ludwigsburg slipped away again at +6 for 46-52 at 24′. At that critical point, Ben McLemore stepped forward, with the American guard/forward scoring 8 points for the “Union” and overtaking them 55-54 at 26′. Both teams exchanged consecutive baskets in the final, with the quarter ending in absolute balance (61-61)!
In the fourth and final period, AEK continued to miss defensive rebounds, with Ludwigsburg taking full advantage and regaining the upper hand for +7 (62-69) at 34′. Two quick Tillman baskets cut the home team to 66-72 two minutes later, before the visitors pushed the lead back to +7 (68-75) in the 36th minute. In the last part of the match, Langston Hall took the “Union” by the hand and with a terrible performance in defense and attack he was the one who “signed” the overthrow! From his own assist, Randle with a goal-foul tied the match (79-79) at 56”, while, with his own basket a little later, AEK took the lead in the score (81-79), with Kuzminskas end with impressive nailing to shape the final 84-79!
The quarters: 24-25. 44-43, 61-61, 84-79.
Watch the match live here.
Source: Sport Fm
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