Karsiyaka cruises to third straight win

Pinar Karsiyaka Izmir grabbed its third consecutive win in Group F by downing Stelmet Zielona Gora 83-67 at home on Wednesday. Karsiyaka improved to 3-1 in Group F while Zielona Gora dropped to 0-4. Juan Palacios led the winners with 17 points and 9 rebounds. Bobby Dixon added 15 points and 7 assists while Jon Diebler and Baris Hersek each had 12 points for Karsiyaka. Maciej Kucharek led Zielona Gora with 13 points. Daniel Johnson added 12 while Lukasz Koszarek had 11 for the guests. Palacios and Dixon fueled a 14-0 run which gave Karsiyaka the lead for good, 26-11, late in the first quarter. An outstanding team effort made the hosts boost their margin to 50-27 at halftime. Quinton Hosley and Kucharek shined after the break, allowing Zielona Gora to get within 53-45. The guests managed to get as close as 64-58 but Palacios, Inanc Koc and Dixon stepped up to seal the outcome minutes before the final buzzer.

Kenny Gabriel got Karsiyaka going with back-to-back three-pointers and a layup by D.J. Strawberry gave the hosts an 8-0 lead. Johnson stepped up with a layup and Koszarek soon brought Zielona Gora within 8-7. Palacios followed a jumper with free throws but Johnson and Kamil Chanas kept the guests as close as 12-11. Palacios kept pacing Karsiyaka with 6 points in a game-breaking 14-0 run in which Diebler and Dixon struck from downtown to give Karsiyaka a 26-11 margin. A triple by Koszarek fixed the score at 26-14 after 10 minutes. Dixon and Diebler stayed on fire and a layup by Mutlu Demir made it a 15-point game, 33-18. Zielona Gora kept struggling to score and Gabriel gave Karsiyaka a 40-22 margin. Hersek followed a layup with consecutive three-pointers and Ceyhun Altay allowed the hosts to reach halftime with a 50-27 margin. Adam Hrycaniuk and Chevon Troutman stepped up after the break, bringing Zielona Gora a bit closer, 52-35. Yunus Sonsirma split free throws but Hosley led a 0-10 run which Kucharek capped with a layup that brought the guests within single digits, 53-45. Karsiyaka found a go-to guy in Diebler, who had 7 points in a 9-0 run that made the guests call timeout at 62-45. Johnson and Aaron Cel allowed Zielona Gora to get within 62-51 after 30 minutes. Johnson and Kucharek kept pacing Zielona Gora, bringing the guests closer at 64-58. Palacios stepped up with a layup and a jumper and Koc made Karsiyaka restore a double-digit edge, 73-63, with 3 minutes left. A three-pointer by Altay sealed the outcome, allowing Karsiyaka to celebrate a big win.