Balanced MoraBanc too much for Ulm

MoraBanc Andorra remained undefeated at home in the 7DAYS EuroCup with a 103-95 victory over ratiopharm Ulm in Group A thanks to a big second quarter. John Shurna paced six MoraBanc players in double figures with 18 points while Andrew Albicy collected 17 points and 11 assists, Dylan Ennis scored 16 points, David Jelinek 15, Oliver Stevic 10 and Moussa Diagne had 12 points and 9 rebounds. MoraBanc won the second quarter 29-15 to set the framework for the win, which improved MoraBanc's record to 2-2 in the group - with two wins at home. Ulm dropped to 1-3 with another road loss. Ismet Akpinar tallied a career-high 27 points in the loss with Javonte Green scoring 17, Patrick Miller and Maxi Ugrai 12 each and Katin Reinhardt 11.

The first quarter went back and forth with eight lead changes. Albicy's three-pointer gave him 10 points already and MoraBanc a 15-14 lead. Ulm held the hosts scoreless for nearly three minutes and Akpinar tallied 6 points in an 0-7 run to go up 15-21. Ulm led 20-25 after 10 minutes. Ulm went cold and scored just one basket in the first four minutes of the second quarter, while Michele Vitali had 5 points to help MoraBanc nose ahead 29-27. Green tallied 8 points to keep Ulm close, but MoraBanc finished the first half on a 9-1 spurt to lead 49-40 at the break. Ennis started the second half with a dunk and three-pointer as MoraBanc pushed the lead to 56-40 and it reached 62-45. Reinhardt stepped up for Ulm with a pair of three-pointers before Ennis's back-to-back triples made it 71-55. Ulm refused to give up and threes from Akpinar and Reinhardt left the visitors down just 73-63 after three quarters. Reggie Upshaw increased the advantage to 12, but Ulm fought back to within 80-74. MoraBanc continued to execute on offense with Diagne converting a basket-plus-foul and Jelinek and Shurna both knocking down long balls to make it 94-81 inside the three-minute mark. Akpinar managed a four-point play to cut the gap to 98-91 with just more than a minute, but it was too little, too late.

Waiting two years for a road win

ratiopharm Ulm lost again on the road to extend its EuroCup away losing streak to 12 games dating back to a 77-62 victory at Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar on October 26, 2016 - almost exactly two years ago.

Balanced unselfishness

Not only did six MoraBanc players score in double figures - ranging from 18 to 10 points - but seven players took at least 6 shots. And the team dished out 26 assists, including 6 from selfless Rafa Luz, who went scoreless after missing his only shot.

Pivotal performer

A week after collecting 10 points and 12 assists against Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade, MoraBanc point guard Andrew Albicy picked up 17 points and 11 assists against Ulm. The French playmaker notably assisted on all five of Moussa Diagne's baskets.

Telling numbers

MoraBanc hit 63.4 percent from inside the three-point line and 43.3% beyond it while also committing just 9 turnovers - compared to 17 turnovers for Ulm, which could not take advantage of nailing 10 of 16 three-pointers (62.5%).

Next games

MoraBanc heads back onto the road looking for its first away victory against AS Monaco. Ulm for its part returns home hoping to get back into the win column against Germani Brescia Leonassa.