Limoges finishes Euroleague campaign with road win

In a clash of two eliminated teams, Limoges CSP held off EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 69-77 on the road on Friday night. Both teams finish Group B with 3-7 record, with Limoges placing fifth due to a sweep of Milan. The visitors took control behind 8 first half triples and held 41-48 at halftime. Behind Nobel Boungou-Colo, Limoges opened a 14-point margin late in the third quarter, and the hosts never came closer than 4 points the rest of the way. Boungou-Colo paced the winners with a career-high 21 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Frejus Zerbo collected 16 points plus 8 rebounds while Heiko Schaffartzik and Leo Westermann each chipped in with 9 in victory. Milan Macvan had 15 points for the hosts. Kruno Simon had 14 and 7 rebounds, while Bruno Cerella added 10 in the losing effort.

First quarter: The visitors take slim early lead

Charles Jenkins opened the scoring with a long jumper, but Frejus Zerbo opened Limoges account scoring inside. Milan's Stanko Barac hit a jumper, but Will Daniels bettered it with a triple, 4-5. Zerbo added to the tally, scoring on a power drive for layup, and after Milan Macvan scored from close range, Mathieu Wojciechowski blocked Macvan's dunk attempt which led to a fastbreak and a dunk by Daniels, giving the visitors 4:41 8-9. Simon had a put-back for Milan, but after a timeout, four points from Yakhouba Diawara, including a fastbreak basket, gave Limoges 10-15. Macvan had a three-point play and Bruno Cerella scored points on a fast break to tie, but Heiko Schaffartzik fed Ousmane Camara with a no-look pass for a layup and 00:51, 15-17. Jamel McLean hit u jumper for the hosts, but Nobel Boungou-Colo made a tough triple 00:13, and the visitors held 19-20 after 10 minutes.

Second quarter: Limoges hits from downtown to stay in front

Boungou-Colo hit a triple to open second quarter, and after Cerella scored a fastbreak layup, Schaffartzik's corner triple helped Limoges to 21-29. Andrea Cinciarini made a step-back jumper, and Kruno Simon nailed a three-pointer in a 7-0 run. Westermann banked one in from close range, before Schaffartzik and Simon traded triples to make it 34-36. Schaffartzik hit another three from way downtown, and after couple free throws on both ends, Boungou-Colo buried a corner three to make it 37-43 and force a Milan timeout. Zerbo scored inside to extend the margin to 8 points. In the final minute of the first half, Simon had a layup and Macvan a fastbreak dunk, but Westermann knocked down a triple to end the quarter, giving Limoges 41-48 halftime lead.

Third quarter: Boungou-Colo leads Limoges to +14

Westerman and McLean each scored from close range, before Mark Payne and Lafayette traded baskets from the long range. A corner triple from Diawara opened 46-56 margin. McLean finished a fast break with a layup, but that was the only Milan basket in more than 5 minutes. Payne had a put-back to restore a double-digit margin as Limoges outhustled the hosts. Lafayette got a lucky bounce on a corner triple to end Milan's drought, but Boungou-Colo's tip in made it 51-60. Boungou-Colo scored some more, hitting a triple, then following it with a basket-plus-foul to make it 52-66. Cinciarini scored a runner just before the buzzer, making it 54-66 at the end of the third quarter.

Fourth quarter: Milan rallies, but Limoges holds on

Macvan had a fastbreak dunk to start the fourth period, but Zerbo nailed a jumper. Cerella added a runner to Milan’s tally, but Daniels drove to the hoop to keep the margin in double figures. The hosts finally inched closer when Cerella hit a baseline floater, then McLean and Macvan each made a pair of free throws. Macvan’s put-back capped an 8-1 run and got Milan within 66-71. Westerman made a pair of foul shots for Limoges, but Simon had a baseline floater and Barac split free throws. Milan had another possession entering the final minute and down 69-73, but was forced into a shot-clock violation, before Zerbo and Boungou-Colo sealed it from the free throw line.