DKV Joventut vs. Union Olimpija - Game - Welcome to 7DAYS EuroCup

2008-09Regular SeasonRound 1

October 23, 2008 CET: 20:45

Local time: 20:45 PALAU OLIMPIC DE BADALONA

DKV Joventut beat Union Olimpija 81-64

DKV Joventut marked its return to the Euroleague with a strong result by downing Union Olimpija 81-64 in Badalona, Spain, on Thursday. The hosts dominated the second half and took advantage of the visitors’ 21 turnovers to record a big win in front of their fans. Pops Mensah-Bonsu paced the winners with 14 points and 9 rebounds, while Demond Mallet, Bracey Wright and Pau Ribas each had 11 for Joventut, which travels to the Italian capital to face Lottomatica Roma next. Mirza Begic had 17 points, 7 rebounds and 4 blocks for Olimpija, Vlado Ilievski added 15 and Marko Milic had 13 for the guests, who host Tau Ceramica in Week 2. Begic, Milic and a three-pointer by Ilievski allowed Olimpija to take an early 6-16 margin, but Henk Norel and Edu Hernandez-Sonseca brought Joventut within 17-18 after 10 minutes. Olimpija stayed in the game in the second quarter, as free throws by Milic tied it at 29-29, but 5 quick points by Jan Jagla gave Joventut a 34-31 edge at halftime. Mensah-Bonsu and Ribas took over in the third quarter and a three-pointer by Simas Jasaitis gave Joventut a 59-53 lead after 30 minutes. Joventut dominated as the fourth quarter began, using a 12-1 burst to boost its margin to 71-54 en route to a well-deserved win.

Olimpija came out on fire as Begic used his big frame to get some good looks for the game’s first two scores and Damjan Rudez triple made it 0-7. Mensah-Bonsu finally got Joventut on the board from the free-throw line, but Begic again and then Ilievski made it 2-11. The lead hit double figures on an Ilievski triple before Joventut started to get its feet. Slams by Norel and Hernandez-Sonseca charged the crowd. Then a Ribas three-point play cut even further into the deficit before another Hernandez-Sonseca slam and a Norel basket capped an 11-2 run that saw Joventut creep back to within 17-18 after 10 minutes.

Mallet drilled a three to open the second period and give Joventut its first lead. Begic tied the game inside and then traded baskets with Mensah-Bonsu. Jaka Klobucar and Begic gave the visitors a narrow lead only to see Joventut bounce back on a Mallet layup and a Pere Tomas three – the first points of his Euroleague career. Milic would tie the score at 29-29 from the line, but Jan Jagla hit another three and soon added free throws and Joventut would not trail again. Milic had another 2 free throws in him to make 34-31 at halftime.

Joventut stretched its lead as the third quarter got underway with a pair of Mensah-Bonsu free throws and a Tomas three-pointer to go ahead 39-31. Milic and Ilievski answered quickly though to keep Olimpija in the fight. A Rudez triple soon cut the gap to 41-38 and after a Mensah-Bonsu slam, Ilievski hit from downtown to make it a 2-point game. Mensah-Bonsu and Rudez traded scores before Wright was fouled shooting a three and proceeded to make all 3 free throws and give Joventut a little cushion. Ferran Lavina also came through from beyond the arc as the lead stretched to 51-44. Milic and Saso Ozbolt combined to cut the lead to 4 before Ribas and Ilievski swapped threes. With the period drawing to a close and after a botched Olimpija possession, Jasaitis beat the buzzer for a key three that made it 59-53 heading into the fourth quarter.

A Milic free throw opened the fourth-period scoring, but a Wright layup kept the hosts in control. The Olimpija offense ran into some turnover troubles and a Mallet triple punished them to make it 64-54. A timeout didn’t solve Olimpija’s scoring woes, while Wright attacked the basket for a basket and then dunked on the break to cap a 9-1 run and put Joventut up 14 midway through the final period. Ribas added another three that was like a dagger through the Olimpija hearts as the hosts put the game on cruise control, enjoying the closing minutes of a solid 81-64 win in front of their fans to open the Euroleague season.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Euroleague.net

No results found.

Referees: MOUZAKIS, COSTAS; JOVCIC, MILIVOJE; ROCHA, FERNANDO

Attendance: 3781

By Quarter	1	2	3	4
DKV Joventut	17	17	25	22
Union Olimpija	18	13	22	11

End of Quarter	1	2	3	4
DKV Joventut	17	34	59	81
Union Olimpija	18	31	53	64

DKV Joventut

							Rebounds						Blocks		Fouls
#	Player	Min	Pts	2FG	3FG	FT	O	D	T	As	St	To	Fv	Ag	Cm	Rv	PIR
00	MALLET, DEMOND	29:00	11	1/2	3/6		1	1	2	7	2	2			2	2	16
4	RIBAS, PAU	20:29	11	1/2	2/3	3/4		1	1		1	1			2	3	10
6	WRIGHT, BRACEY	25:32	11	4/11	0/1	3/4		2	2	2		1			1	3	7
10	BOGDANOVIC, LUKA	7:13	2	1/2	0/1		1	2	3		1	1	1		1	1	4
13	JASAITIS, SIMAS	21:46	6	0/1	2/3			1	1	2	3						10
14	JAGLA, JAN	15:02	5	0/2	1/2	2/2		1	1	1		2	3	1	3	1	2
15	EYENGA, CHRISTIAN	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
16	HERNANDEZ-SONSECA, EDU	21:27	6	3/7	0/1		3	1	4	1	2	1	2		3	1	7
17	NOREL, HENK	9:30	4	2/3			3	1	4						2	1	6
18	LAVINA, FERRAN	13:44	5	0/1	1/1	2/2		1	1	1		1	1		3	1	4
19	TOMAS, PERE	10:49	6	0/1	2/2					1	1				1	1	7
21	MENSAH-BONSU, POPS	25:28	14	5/14		4/4	6	3	9	2	1	2	3	3	4	4	15
	Team						1	5	6		4						10
	Totals	200:00	81	17/46	11/20	14/16	15	19	34	17	15	11	10	4	22	18	98
				37%	55%	87.5%

Head coach: ALONSO, SITO

Min: Minutes played; Pts: Points; 2FG M-A: 2-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); 3FG M-A: 3-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); FT M-A: Free Throws (Made-Attempted); Rebounds: O (Offensive), D (Defensive), T (Total); As: Assists; St: Steals; To: Turnovers; Bl: Blocks (Fv: In Favor / Ag: Against); Fouls: Cm (Commited), Rv (Received); PIR: Performance Index Rating

Union Olimpija

							Rebounds						Blocks		Fouls
#	Player	Min	Pts	2FG	3FG	FT	O	D	T	As	St	To	Fv	Ag	Cm	Rv	PIR
5	WALLACE, JONATHAN	7:04						1	1			1			1		-1
6	ILIEVSKI, VLADO	35:41	15	3/6	3/8			2	2	1	2	3		1	3	1	6
8	KLOBUCAR, JAKA	28:22	5	1/4	0/2	3/5	1	6	7	2	1	5		1	2	7	7
9	RUDEZ, DAMJAN	22:17	8	1/1	2/5		2	4	6	1		1			2		9
12	MILIC, MARKO	27:12	13	3/6		7/10	2	2	4	2	1	1			2	7	18
15	BEGIC, MIRZA	25:48	17	8/9		1/3	4	3	7	2		1	4	1	2	3	26
16	SARAJLIJA, MIRZA	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
20	RADOJEVIC, DEJAN	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
21	GOLUBOVIC, VLADIMIR	8:17		0/2			1		1			1		1	2		-5
23	SIRNIK, MATIC	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
24	ZUPAN, MIHA	17:20	1	0/5	0/2	1/2	3	4	7		1	1		5	1	2	-4
31	OZBOLT, SASO	27:59	5	0/1	1/3	2/2	2	2	4	1	1	3		1	3	2	3
	Team						3		3			4					-1
	Totals	200:00	64	16/34	6/20	14/22	18	24	42	9	6	21	4	10	18	22	58
				47.1%	30%	63.6%

Head coach: DZIKIC, ALEKSANDAR

Head Coaches

ALONSO, SITO

DKV Joventut

"We had a slow start in this game, especially in defense, just as it recently happened in the Spanish League. We were nervous in the beginning but stayed focused despite trailing in the opening minutes. We managed to stay in the game in the first half and play our best basketball after the break. We improved our defense and that allowed us to collect some steals. Milic hurt us at power forward, as his versatility is dangerous, especially because Olimpija has good outside shooters. I want to congratulate my players for the effort they put out there. I am sure we will improve in the near future."

DZIKIC, ALEKSANDAR

Union Olimpija

"I want to congratulate DKV Joventut because they never thought they would lose the game, and they created a good basketball atmosphere at home. We fought until the final minutes but we ran out of stamina in the fourth, when DKV was better than us. We made too many mistakes and that is something you cannot do if you want to win a Euroleague game. We managed to stay in the game against DKV in Badalona, but paid a high price for our mistakes. I am not satisfied with the way we played in the fourth quarter. We have a young, unexperienced team and Simas Jasaitis hurt us with his three-pointers. DKV Joventut plays well and I have to congratulate them for that. We will see what happens when they come to play against us in Ljubljana."

Players

LAVINA, FERRAN

DKV Joventut

"We kept playing hard until the end, without caring about our slow start. We never gave up and that allowes us to get a valuable win in our first Euroleague game. The key was our defense, especially in the second hald. Olimpija did a good work before the game and knew our weaknesses. It was hard to play against them in the beginning, even when we knew they have a good team and that it wouldn't be an easy game."

MILIC, MARKO

Union Olimpija

"DKV was the best team in the end, they play good basketball even when we stayed in the game for 30 minutes. Our lack of experience makes us committ some turnovers and we paid a high price for that. DKV is an aggressive team in defense that was the key to their win. I hope that we can keep learning in every game to add wins at home. We have a big room for improvement and must fight until the end."

No results found.