Shuler, Travis lead Khimik to eighthfinals 

Khimik Yuzhne made it the Eurocup eighthfinals by downing Strasbourg 74-63 at home in Group N on Wednesday. Khimik finished Group N with a 3-3 record and advance due to Alba Berlin's home win against Radnicki Kragujevac, which allowed the Ukrainian powerhouse to finish second. Strasbourg was fourth in Group N with a 2-4 record. Jamal Shuler paced the winners with 16 points. Romeo Travis and Paul Delaney each added 14 while Rolands Freimanis had 13 for Khimik. Romain Duport led Strasbiurg with 18 points on 8-of-8 two-point shooting. Antoine Diot had 15 and 6 assists for the guests. Khimik forced Strasbourg to 7 first-quarter turnovers and a three-pointer by Freimanis gave the hosts a 12-8 lead after 10 minutes. Duport and Diot tried to change things for Strasbourg but consecutive driving layups by Delaney boosted Khimik's lead to 36-30 at halftime. Shuler took over after the break to make it a double-digit game, 45-32. Khimik managed to keep a safe margin from that moment until the final buzzer.

Stanislav Zavadskyi and Travis shined early to give Khimik a 7-2 lead. Bootsy Thornton sank his trademark fallaway jumper and a five-meter shot by Duport brought Strasbourg within 7-6. Khimik went scoreless for more than 4 minutes until Oleksandr Riabchuk stepped up with a put-back basket. Diot scored in transition but Freimanis struck from downtown for a 12-8 Khimik lead after 10 minutes. Duport and Jeremy Leloup brought Strasbourg as close as 13-12 early in the second quarter. Shuler scored in penetration and Matt Gatens hit a corner triple for a 18-14 Khimik lead. Paul Lacombe and Louis Campbell tried to change things for the guests and a triple by Diot made it a two-point game, 23-21. Delaney and Vitaliy Kovalenko answered from downtown and a close basket by Travis boosted Khimik's lead to 32-26. Ricardo Greer scored down low and Duport added a jump hook but back-to-back baskets by Delaney fixed the halftime score at 36-30.

Duport and Delaney traded jumpers right after the break and a floater by Shuler made it an eight-point game, 40-32. Sergiy Popov hit a three-pointer and a layup by Shuler broke the game open, 45-32, after a 7-0 run. Duport stepped up with consecutive baskets but free throws by Travis kept Khimik way ahead, 49-36. Diot sank foul shots and Leloup scored again to give the guests some hope at 51-41. Diot nailed a step-back triple but Travis scored around the basket for a 53-44 Khimik edge after 30 minutes. Kovelanko took over with a three-point play early in the fourth quarter. and a big triple by Freimanis kept the hosts out of trouble, 59-46. Tim Abromaitis and Campbell brought Strasbourg within single digits, 59-50, with 7 minutes left. Abromaitis and Shuler struck from downtown and a three-point play by Freimanis gave Khimik a 66-55 lead with 4 minutes to go. Nothing changed from that moment, as Travis, Delaney and Freimanis made sure Khimik kept a safe margin for good.