Besiktas IF hangs on for road win at Szolnoki Olaj


Besiktas Integral Forex Istanbul dominated early and rallied late to defeat Szolnoki Olaj 70-73 and keep a share of first place in Group D. Besiktas won its fourth straight game to improve to 4-1, while dropping Olaj into a tie for bottom of the group at 1-4. The visitors scored the game’s first 10 points and seemed to have everything under control at 9-26. Olaj fought back to 28-37 at the half and, behind Marko Brkic’s three-point shooting, to within 52-53 through three quarter. The hosts stormed in front 67-63 on a David Vojvoda triple, but Besiktas recovered in time and Ryan Broekhoff, scoreless until the closing minutes, buried a clutch go-ahead three to send Besiktas to victory. Chris Lofton paced the winners with 19 points and 7 assists. Jajuan Johnson added 18 points, Hilton Armstrong tallied 12 points and 8 rebounds and Engin Atsur finished with 9 points and 6 assists. Lazeric Jones paced Olaj with 14 points, Vojvoda and Strahinja Milosevic scored 13 and Brkic 12 in defeat.

Kerem Tunceri assisted Armstrong and drilled a pair of threes as Besiktas took charge from the start with a 0-10 run. Marko Brkic got Olaj on the board with a triple, and Vojvoda and Jones closed the gap to 7-14. Johnson heated up to put the visitors back up by double digits and closed the opening quarter at 7-20. Lofton sank 3 free throws and Atsur connected from downtown as the visitors darted ahead 9-26. Back-to-back threes by Peter Lorant and Krisztian Wittmann led an Olaj spurt to get within 19-28. Vojvoda’s first three and an Akos Keller bucket on the offensive glass trimmed the gap to 6. Lofton took charge to keep the visitors rolling with the next 5 points. Vojvoda scored in the final minute of the half to make it 28-37 at the break.

Marton bader made it a 7-point game with the first bucket of the second half. Armstrong took charge with baskets on three of the next four Besiktas possessions, but Jones prevented Besiktas from pulling away. Milosevic’s basket plus foul made it 39-46 midway through the quarter before Jones closed the gap to 5. Lofton hit back with a three and Johnson extended the difference to 9, but three Brkic triples had the arena rocking at 52-53 at the end of the third quarter. Lofton opened the final stanza with 5 quick points, but Olaj stayed close through its big men and evened the score at 58-58 on a basket by Jones. Atsur put the visitors up 3, but Milosevic scored on the offensive glass, then added free throws for Olaj’s first lead of the night and a Vojvoda three made it 67-63. Johnson and Broekhoff each split free throws to make it 69-67 in the final minute. However Broekhoff drilled a triple on the next possession. Atsur made it 69-72 with free throws. Besiktas sent Vojvoda to the line to prevent a three-point shot. He made the first, but missed the second. Broekhoff finished the win with a free throw for a 70-73 victory.