Asefa Estudiantes outlasted Chorale Roanne 89-93 Tuesday for a tough road win. Nik Caner-Medley scored 21 points including a clutch triple in the closing minute and Pancho Jasen added 18 as Estudiantes improve to 2-0 in Group F. The visitors led much of the night and went up 53-62 in the third quarter, but Roanne never quit and behind K.C. Rivers climbed back to tie the score twice in the fourth quarter. But the hosts could get no closer and had to settle for a tough loss. Ty Ellis made 5 of 7 three-pointers and added 16 points for Estudiantes, which hosts Benetton Basket Bwin next week in a battle of undefeated Group F leaders. Rivers paced Roanne with 20 points, Uche Nsonwu added 12 and 6 assists, Souleyman Diabate had 11 and 5 assists and Jean-Michael Mipoka tallied 11 and 6 rebounds in defeat. Roanne visits PAOK BC next week with both teams seeking their first win.

Estudiantes jumped out to an early lead on an Ellis triple and a Jiri Welsch steal that led to a Caner-Medley slam. Rivers got Roanne on the scoreboard, but soon Ellis had the visitors up 2-8. Roanne eventually found its rhythm and was back in the game after Diabate fed Rivers and then converted a three-point play of his own. Luka Bogdanovic kept the momentum with the home team and Rivers nailed a three to cap a 10-0 surge for an 18-12 Roanne lead. Caner-Medley brought Estu right back and Jayson Granger tied the game at 18-18. The teams swapped baskets with triples from Alex Gordon and Jasen making it 25-25 after 10 minutes. Jasen continued to shine with a triple, a steal and dish to Caner-Medley and a steal and layup of his own to push the visitors ahead 25-32. Alexis Tanghe responded, but the lead was now in Estudiantes’ hands. Mipoka got it to 36-40 as Roanne fought back. Bogdanovic nailed a three and Nsonwu stepped up inside in a 9-0 push that gave the home team the lead once more. A pair of free throws by Welsch made it 46-47 for Estudiantes at halftime.

The back-and-forth of the game continued when Ellis and Philip Braud exchanged threes at the start of the second half. Another Ellis three, followed by Josh Asselin’s basket-plus-foul and 3 free throws by Granger put the visiting team up 53-62. Souleyman got to the line to keep Roanne close and Rivers got the crowd on its feet with a three to make it 67-70. However Estu regained control when Ellis nailed another triple and Jasen put the visitors up 69-75 at the end of the third quarter. Mipoka hit from behind the arc and made a basket-plus foul as Roanne continued to fight. Rivers completed the comeback with a three to knot the game at 79-79, but Estu quickly regained the lead through Jasen. Nsonwu tied the game again at 83-83 only to see Sergio Sanchez and Caner-Medley combined for 4 free throws to keep Estudiantes up 4 with two minutes left. Nsonwu scored inside, but a Caner-Medley triple silenced the locals.