BC Donetsk improved to 2-0 in Last 16 Group J and improved its chances to reach the Quarterfinals by edging Aris BSA 2003 81-74 at home on Tuesday. Donetsk will fight for first place against BC Khimki next week while Aris must try to beat Asvel Basket to rejoin the Quarterfinals race. Ramel Curry led the winners with 18 points. Maksym Pustozvonov added 13 while Vyacheslav Kravtsov and Michael Lee each had 12 for Donetsk. Ronald Davis led all scorers with 22 points. Sergio Kerusch added 17 while Dimitrios Verginis had 16 for Aris. Pustozvonov led a 12-2 opening run that helped Donetsk to get a 24-8 margin after 10 minutes. Three-pointers by Davis and San Mavraides brought Aris back to life late in the first half and the guests managed to get within 40-34 at the break. Donetsk stayed ahead throughout the third quarter but Kerusch and Mavraides kept Aris as close as 60-53 after 30 minutes. Darnell Jackson and Lee fueled an 11-0 run that broke the game open, 71-53, as Aris only got closer once the outcome was clear.

Vule Avdalovic got Donetsk going with a jumper and Pustozvonov added free throws for a 4-0 lead. Giorgos Bogris scored for Aris but Oleksandr Lypovyy and Pustozvonov soon gave the hosts an 8-2 edge. Avdalovic hit foul shots and a jumper by Kravtsov capped a 12-2 opening run. Verginis hit free throws but Jackson and Curry made Donetsk get a 12-point margin, 16-4. Davis nailed a jumper and Verginis added more foul shots but a jumper by Vojdan Stojanovski and an outstanding Curry allowed Donetsk to boost its margin to 24-8. A three-pointer by Kerusch got Aris within 24-11 after 10 minutes. Kerush kept pacing the guests with a jumper and Dimitrios Tsaldaris copied him right after that but Ivan Radenovic and Advalovic kept Donetsk way ahead, 29-15. Aris kept trading baskets until three-pointers by Davis and Mavraides brought the guests within 33-25. Donetsk struggled to score midway through the second quarter and Davis capped a 0-9 run with another bomb from downtown. Pustozvonov joined the three-point shootout and Curry sank back-to-back jumpers to give Donetsk some fresh air, 40-29. A three-point play by Davis and free throws by Davis got Aris as close as 40-34 at halftime.

Kravtsov sank a jumper right after the break but Verginis answered from downtown for a 42-37 score. Lee and Davis traded basket but a layup by an unstoppable Curry gave Donetsk a 46-39 edge. Lee scored again and a three-pointer by Pustozvonov made the hosts restore a double-digit edge, 51-41. Davis kept pacing Aris with a three-point play and a layup by Kerusch brought his team within 51-46. Lee hit a jumper and three-pointers by Pustozvonov and Radenovic boosted the hosts' lead to 60-48. Kerusch answered from downtown and a layup by Mavraides gave Aris some hope, 60-53, at the end of the third quarter. Donetsk needed a go-to guy and found two in Lee and Jackson, who combined for 9 points in an 11-0 run that broke the game open, 71-53, early in the fourth quarter. Aris went scoreless for almost 4 minutes until Verginis followed free throws with a layup-plus-foul. Kerusch added a layup for a 71-60 Aris deficit with 6 minutes to go. Kravtsov and Muldrow traded jumpers and another triple by Kerusch got the guests within single digits, 74-65. Kravtsov shined with a three-point play and even when Verginis and Davis krpt trying, Curry made sure to keep Donetsk out of trouble until the final buzzer.