PGE Turow Zgorzelec advanced to the ULEB Cup Final Eight by winning its series against BC Kyiv on points differential. Turow became the first Polish team to reach this high in the ULEB Cup despite a 58-67 home loss against Kyiv in the second leg of the two-way series in Liberec, the Czech Republic on Tuesday. Turow had downed Kyiv 59-71 in the first leg in the Ukrainian capital and that happened to be decisive in the outcome of the series. David Logan led Turow with 15 points, including a key driving layup with 15 seconds to go. Thomas Kelati added 13 for Turow. Pooh Jeter led Kyiv with 19 points, 15 of them in the second half. Marko Maravic added 15 while Artur Drozdov had 10 for the guests, that trailed 37-36 at halftime. Drozdov and an outstanding Jeter allowed Kyiv to get back in the series, 47-58. Kelati and Andres Rodriguez kept Turow ahead in the series but a three-pointer by Jeter turned the game into a thriller, 56-67, with 37 seconds to go. Logan scored for Turow while Manu Markoishvili missed a three-point shot from the top of the key at the buzzer.

Marcus Faison got Kyiv going with a jumper while Ryan Stack fed Maravic for an easy basket, good for a 0-4 lead. Slobodan Ljubotina and Logan quickly rescued Turow while Kelati's first basket gave the hosts a 5-4 lead. Faison kept pacing Kyiv, igniting a 0-7 run that Stack capped with a put-back layup for a 5-11 Kyiv lead. Vjekoslav Petrovic and Stack traded baskets while Kelati brought Turow within 9-13. Markoishvili stepped up for Kyiv while free throws by Maravic brought the guests back in the series, 9-17. Rodriguez tried to change things for Turow while Logan followed a triple with free throws for a 16-19 deficit. Rodriguez and Maravic traded baskest to fix the score at 18-21 after 10 minutes. Maravic scored again right at the start of the second quarter but Logan had 5 points in a 7-0 run that put Turow back ahead, 25-23. Robert Witka stroke from downtown but Maravic and Josh Davis kept Kyiv within 29-28 midway through the second period. Skecic and Dragisa Drobnjak made free throws, as Turow kept excelling in defense. Kyiv only scored from the foul line, but Stack still managed to tie it at 31-31. Maravic stayed unstoppable while a three-pointer by Drozdov provided another lead change, 34-36. Petrovic answered from downtown to restore a 37-36 Turow edge at halftime.

Kyiv needed a major run to get back in the series, but Turow kept controlling the game with outstanding defense. Both teams went scoreless in the opening 2 minutes after the break, as Turow tried to get Kelati and Logan involved. Drobnjak finally got Turow going with a layup but Drozdov and Jeter immediately answered for a 39-40 Kyiv edge. Faison stroke from downtown but Logan and Kelati kept Turow within 42-43. Kelati buried his first three-pointer but a red hot Jeter followed a triple with another basket for a 45-48 Kyiv lead. Back-to-back baskets by Faison and Drozdov capped a 0-9 run that gave the guests a 45-52 lead after 30 minutes. A three-pointer by an unstoppable Maravic and a free throw by Jeter gave Kyiv a 47-58 lead, a one-point deficit in the series. Kelati made free throws that Rodriguez followed with a layup-plus-foul for a 52-58 Turow deficit with 5 minutes remaining. Davis sank a baseline jumper that Jeter followed with free throws but Rodriguez scored in penetration and Drobnjak added a jump hook to keep Turow within 56-62. Kyiv did not right away but free throws by Jeter gave the guests a 56-64 lead with under 2 minutes to go. Jeter stroke from downtown to get Kyiv within striking distance, 56-67, with 37 seconds to go. Logan shined with a driving layup that made Kyiv call timeout with 15 seconds remaining. It all came down to the final play but Markoishvili missed a three-point shot in the final seconds that allowed Turow to advance to the Final Eight!