Partizan NIS beats Krasny Oktyabr

Partizan NIS Belgrade overpowered Krasny Oktyabr Volgograd 84-70 to finish its Eurocup campaign with a victory in front of its fans. Dragan Milosavljevic scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half on 5-of-6 three-point shooting to lead Partizan. The victory improved Partizan’s record to 2-7, while Oktyabr, which had already clinched a Last 32 spot, fell to 5-4. The visitors led 41-42 at halftime, but Partizan opened the second half with a 10-0 run in which Milosavljevic hit a pair of threes and the hosts never trailed again. Milosavljevic added another three in a 10-0 fourth quarter run to make it 80-60 as Partizan finished off the victory in style. Sasha Pavlovic added 14 points, Nikola Milutinov posted 11 points and 9 rebounds and Milan Macvan posted 10 points and 12 boards for the winners. Randy Culpepper led Oktyabr with 14 points and DeAndre Liggins added 12 in defeat.

Anton Ponkrashov drained a three to open the scoring, while Macvan scored twice to keep Partizan even. Liggins gave Oktyabr a 9-10 lead before Partizan made its move. Macvan and Pavlovic each scored twice for an 8-0 run. Liggins connected from behind the arc to bring Oktyabr within 2, but Pavlovic converted a basket-plus-foul and Djordje Gagic fre throws made it 23-16 after 10 minutes. After a pair of Culpepper baskets kept the visitors close, Marcus Cousin’s layup and Romeo Travis’s three-point play evened the game at 27-27. Artem Komissarov’s three-pointer gave Oktyabr the lead, 28-30. Partizan tied the game at 30, 32 and 34 before Milutinov’s three-point play put the hosts back on top, 37-36. Vanja Marinkovic boosted the lead to 5, but baskets by Travis, Culpepper and Fedor Likholitov left the visitors on top 41-42 at halftime.

Partizan came out for the second half motivated; Milenko Tepic put the hosts ahead and Milosavljevic nailed back-to-back threes capped a 10-0 run to lead 51-42. After a Liggins jumper, Milosavljevic’s third three put Partizan ahead by double figures. Oktyabr halved the deficit on a Komissarov triple, but Milutinov free throws kept the hosts in control at 58-49. Free throws by Cousin and Travis made it a 5-point game, but Partizan reeled off 8 straight points to pull ahead 66-53. Free throws by Likholitov made it 66-56 through three quarters. Partizan looked to put the game away in the fourth as Milosavljevic and Marinkovic drained back-to-back threes in a 10-0 run to take an 80-60 lead and Oktyabr never came closer than 14 the rest of the way.