Bursaspor earns its first EuroCup victory

Frutti Extra Bursaspor collected the first 7DAYS EuroCup victory in club history as it erased a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit and prevailed in overtime 90-91 over Nanterre 92 in a makeup game from Round 5. Bursaspor blew a 13-point lead and then raced back from 11 points down in the final 7 minutes to send the game to overtime, where Malik Newman decided the game with 2 free throws with 11 seconds left. Kenny Kadji led the way with 21 points and 8 rebounds for the EuroCup debutant, while Xavier Munford had 19 points, Lamar Peters 17 points, Newman 15 and Oguz Savas 14, giving the club a 1-7 record. Nanterre, which had already qualified for the Top 16 before the game, was officially hosting the contest though it was played at Bursaspor’s home Tofas Spor Salonu arena. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak and dropped Nanterre’s record to 4-5. Johnny Berhanemeskel poured in a career-high 22 points in the loss while Chris Warren had 20 points and Tyler Stone added 17 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists. The two teams will play again on Wednesday in Round 10 action.

Kadji opened the scoring for the guests with Berhanemeskel hitting his first three-pointer for Nanterre’s first lead, 5-2. After Berhanemeskel’s second triple made it 10-8, Perry Jones hit from deep to start a 3-12 close to the first quarter for a 13-20 advantage. Brian Conklin’s jumper started the second quarter for Nanterre, but Peters hit a three-pointer and Munford downed back-to-back triples as the advantage grew to double figures, 19-29. Peters added three-pointers on three straight possessions to stretch the difference to 25-38. The main thing keeping Nanterre in the game was offensive rebounds, with 6 such boards resulting in 8 points - 4 by Ivan Fevrier. Berhanemeskel scored 5 points in the final minute for the hosts and Bursaspor led just 38-46 at the break.

Kadji got the second half going in and pushed the lead to 38-48, but the Bursaspor offense stalled with 4 turnovers while Berhanemeskel hit a three-pointer and Warren had a pair of baskets to go ahead 49-48 with an 11-0 run. Kadji ended the drought of nearly 6 minutes to start four straight lead changes before Warren’s layup made it 57-52. It was 57-53 after 30 minutes. Kadji once again scored to start the quarter, but Berhanemeskel knocked down a three-pointer as did Fevrier and Stone and Nanterre’s lead was 68-57. Bursaspor raced back with Newman draining back-to-back three-pointers and a layup in a 0-13 run to put the Turkish side up 72-75 with less than 3 minutes left. Warren stepped up with a three-pointer and 3 free throws and Stone’s putback made it 80-77 with 42 seconds remaining. Kadji answered with a layup, but missed the bonus free throw with 32 seconds to play. Warren split free throws at the other end allowing for Peters to score a layup and even the game at 81-81 with 5.2 seconds to go - sending the game to overtime.

Munford’s three-pointer early in the extra session had Bursaspor up 81-86 only to see Warren tie the game on a three-point play, 86-86. Savas got a big tip-in off a missed free throw and Bursaspor went up 86-89. Kaba responded with a score, but then turned it over with 14 seconds to play and Newman hit 2 free throws with 11 seconds to win the game.

Three-pointers when they count

Malik Newman connected on just 2 of 12 three-pointers, but they were timely triples, going back-to-back in the fourth quarter to start the turn-around when Nanterre was leading by 10 points with less than 6 minutes left.

Off target

Johnny Berhanemeskel drained 6 of 11 three-pointers for Nanterre, but the trio of Damien Bouquet (0 of 8), Chris Warren (1 of 6) and Tyler Stone (1 of 4) combined for just 2-of-18 shooting from long range in the loss.

Telling numbers

Bursaspor converted 64.7% of its two-pointers and held Nanterre to just 26.5% shooting on three-pointers. Nanterre could not take advantage of 18 offensive rebounds or a 21-10 advantage in second-second points.

Next games

Nanterre and Bursaspor will face off again on Wednesday, December 23, for their Round 10 game.