ALBA comes back to down unbeaten Gran Canaria

ALBA Berlin rallied from a 16-point first half deficit, then used a huge third quarter and a big game-ending run to beat Herbalife Gran Canaria Las Palmas 84-71 on Wednesday night at the Mercedes-Benz arena in the German capital. Both teams now hold 3-1 record, and a three-team share of the lead in Group B. Gran Canaria opened the game with 10-26 lead, and held a comfortable margin until the second half. But the hosts made a 25-5 run in the third quarter to grab the lead. The game was going down to the wire, but ALBA broke a 71-71 tie and finished the game with a 13-0 run for its third consecutive win. Elmedin Kikanovic scored 24 points in victory. Dragan Milosavljevic had 11 points, and Niels Giffey had 10 in victory. Kevin Pangos was the only Gran Canaria scorer in double figures with 18 points. Albert Oliver and Alen Omic had 9 points apiece in the losing effort.

Gran Canaria stormed out of the gate. Xavi Rabaseda and Pangos each hit a triple, and Omic contributed with a pair of baskets to get 4-16. Another basket from Omic, and triples from Oliver and Oriol Pauli extended it to 10-26 after 8 minutes. Giffey and Kikanovic cut it to 17-28 at the end of the first, and Kikanovic added 5 quick points to start the second quarter, 22-28. But Pangos hit for two and for three, and Brad Newley scored his first basket, helping make it 24-39. But Kikanovic scored six points for ALBA, while baskets from Alex King and Cherry in the last two minutes of the half made it 35-47 at halftime.

The hosts had a much better start of the third quarter, as Kikanovic scored again, Cherry nailed a triple cutting it to 42-49. It was only a sign of things to come, as Milosavljevic sparked an 8-0 run that got ALBA within 50-51. The visitors were without a single basket for more than 3 minutes before free throws from Eulis Baez, but Jordan Taylor scored twice to give ALBA its first lead, and help reach 60-54 margin after three quarters. Oliver and Newley quickly made it 60-59 in the fourth. After a basket from Milosavljevic, Pangos hit from downtown and 62-62. Loncar and Giffey kept ALBA in front, but Sasu Salin hit a three-pointer for the visitors and 66-69. After a timeout for ALBA, Kikanovic scored a put-back, and followed it what a basket-plus-foul that made it 71-70. Oliver split free throws to tie the game, but Gran Canaria did not score another basket. King and Cherry nailed triples that gave the hosts 77-71 and started a game-ending 13-0 run. Milosavljevic hit from long range in the final minute, and Kikanovic rounded out the score in the final seconds.