Newley and Gran Canaria gain the edge in Eurocup quarterfinals
Brad Newley was in fine form as he helped Herbalife Gran Canaria earn their first win in the Eurocup quarterfinals, while Ryan Broekhoff’s defense set the tone for Lokomotiv Kuban in their loss to Panathinaikos Athens.
Round 11 of the Euroleague top 16 came to a start as Lokomotiv Kuban took on Panathinaikos Athens. From tip-off both teams competed back and forth as they found themselves tied at 19 apiece by the end of the first quarter. Lokomotiv came back, outscoring Panathinaikos 22-17 and going into the main break up 41-36.
In the second half, Lokomotiv would start to slip up, giving Panathinaikos life and changing the momentum to the game. The Greek side managed to take the lead 80-77 heading into the final break. Lokomotiv would have a chance to tie the game, however Panathinaikos' stifling defense prevented them from getting off any clean looks at the basket and come out victors, 84-79.
Ryan Broekhoff had a good game despite a quiet showing on the offensive end. He found other ways to contribute; instead choosing to make simple winning plays as he did all the little things. His high level of energy and hustle translated to the defensive end, where he did an outstanding job hounding the opposition and forcing turnovers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrIXYE-T-Q0
Zalgiris Kaunas came away with a loss in a one-sided victory to Olympiacos Piraeus. The Lithuanian side looked to pull off an upset victory as they generated a 15-14 early lead. However Olympiacos would come back, outscoring Zalgiris in the second quarter (25-15) and went into halftime up 39-30.
Olympiacos would continue piling on the points in the second half, as they looked to widen the margin. In the end Zalgiris just couldn’t keep up, allowing Olympiacos to come out with a 74-59 win. Brock Motum finished the game hitting one shot from behind the arc in finishing with 7 points (3/4 FG) and 2 rebounds in 19 minutes of action.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8RKOYAoyjo
With the commencement of the Eurocup quarterfinals, Herbalife Gran Canaria faced Stelmet Zielona Gora in what was a shootout between both teams from start to finish. To start the game, Gran Canaria came out taking the lead 23-20, however the Polish side would fight back with a strong second quarter showing, allowing them to go into halftime up 49-44.
In the second half Gran Canaria started to catch fire, outscoring Stelmet 49-33 through the final two-quarters, which in turn helped them come out with the win 93-82. The rebounding disparity was the difference between winning and losing as Gran Canaria out-hustled their opponents 37-28 on the boards, and in the end that was key in getting them the win.
Brad Newley showed off his usual defensive efforts, finishing the game with 6 points (3/6 FG) 2 rebounds and 1 assist on the night. Thanks to his excellent play, Gran Canaria outscored their opponents by 7 points in his 23 minutes of action.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YG-xW-KCh4