Buducnost blasts Jerusalem and climbs to second place

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica started the fourth quarter on a 13-0 run to pull away for a convincing 92-75 victory over Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem on Wednesday in the capital of Montenegro. Petar Popovic erupted for a career-high 20 points as Buducnost snapped a three-game losing streak, completed the season sweep of Jerusalem and took over sole possession of second place in Group B with a 4-3 record. The game was close for three quarter until the hosts turned it into a rout. Buducnost also outrebounded Jerusalem 41-29. Kyle Gibson and Nikola Ivanovic added 15 points apiece for the winners, Nemanja Gordic scored 12 and Aleksa Ilic posted 9 points and 8 rebounds. Jerome Dyson paced Jerusalem with 19 points, Tarence Kinsey scored 11 and Austin Daye and Kalin Lucas had 10 each.

Ilic started strong for the hosts with 5 points in the first three minutes as Buducnost took a 7-6 edge. Gordic’s floater put the hosts up 13-10, but Alen Omic scored three times and Stratos Perperoglou added a three-pointer in a 0-9 Jerusalem run. Popovic’s jumper brought Buducnost within 17-19 after 10 minutes. Dyson started the second quarter with a deep three and Ronald Roberts scored free throws in his first EuroCup action, but Ilic tied it at 24-24. The teams traded shots for the next several minutes with Filip Barovic putting the hosts up 33-31 midway through the quarter. A steal and layup by Dyson helped Jerusalem briefly regain the lead, but Ivanovic free throws and a Zoran Nikolic layup made it 43-40 at the break.

Kinsey blocked a shot at one end and hit a jumper at the other to spark the visitors at the start of the second half. Daye came through with 4 points in a 3-8 start to the half that put Jerusalem in front 46-48. Daye free throws stretched the difference to 49-54 midway through the third quarter, but Gibson quickly responded with his third triple and Ivanovic banked in a pull-up jumper to bring the hosts within 1. A three by Popovic restored a Buducnost lead and after Ivanovic free throws and a Lucas layup, the third quarter ended at 62-60. Gordic’s three-point play one minute into the fourth quarter stretched the Buducnost lead to 7. Popovic added a put-back that gave Buducnost the game’s first double-digit lead, 70-60. Nearly four minutes passed before Dyson split free throws to end a 13-0 Buducnost run. Popovic free throws gave Buducnost its biggest lead, 77-61. When Jerusalem finally found its way offensively, it had no answers on defense and the hosts marched to victory.