Eurocup newcomer Maccabi Haifa Bazan clinched a spot in the Last 32 after Ike Ofoegbu’s last second basket lifted the Israeli champs over VEF Riga 74-72 on Wednesday. Haifa improved to 6-2, while dropped Riga into a tie for third place at 4-4. The visitors stormed back from an 18-point deficit – and down 10 in the fourth quarter – to take the lead late. With the game tied in the final minute, Riga missed twice from downtown before Haifa got the ball and Ofoegbu made himself the hero by putting Donta Smith’s miss in the basket. The fourth quarter featured eight lead changes! Dagan Yivzori made 4 of 5 threes for Haifa en route to 16 points. Brian Randle also scored 16, Smith filled the stat sheet with 11 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks and Ofoegbu tallied 10 points and 9 boards for Haifa, which outrebounded Riga 40-30. Kristaps Janicenoks paced Riga with 17 points and 5 assists, Kenan Bajramovic scored 15, Arturs Berzins posted 12 points and 8 rebounds and Derrick Nix and Dee Brown each added 10 points.

A pair of Nix baskets kept Riga in the game early, but soon Haifa took control as Ido Kozikaro and Ofoegbu each scored 4 points in a 13-1 charge. Even with a Berzins triple and 2 free throws by Nix, the hosts led 24-11 after 10 minutes. Dee brown opened the second quarter with a triple, but Yivzori matched him as the hosts continued to roll. Yivzori’s third three boosted the lead to 15 midway through the quarter. Ofoegbu’s tip-in made it 39-22 and a steal and slam by Smith saw the lead hit 18 before Bajramovic clawed Riga within 45-29 at the break. Berzins scored 7 points in the first three minutes of the second half to bring his team closer, 47-38. Randle tried to change the momentum, but a three by Janicenoks and a bucket inside from Bajramovic drew the visitors within 6. Randle’s dunk with two minutes left in the third quarter proved to be the last basket before the buzzer sounded, making it 56-48 with 10 minutes to play. Kozikaro restored Haifa’s double-digit led only to see Janicenoks and Brown connect on back-to-back threes. Nix made it a 2-point game and Bajramovic completed the comeback with a steal and layup, 60-61, with six-plus minutes to go. The lead changed hands twice more before Bajramovic free throws boosted Riga to 62-66. Haifa brought the crowd to its feet as Yivzori netted his fourth three of the night and Smith dunked on the offensive glass, 67-66. Brown connected from deep to put Riga up 70-72. Smith tied the game from the line with a minute to play. After Brown and Janicenoks both missed threes, Ofoegbu tipped in a Smith miss with 0.7 seconds remaining to win the game and lift Haifa into the next stage.