Neptunas stops Galatasaray's winning streak in Group F

Neptunas Klaipeda sent a message that echoed all around the competition by downing previously undefeated Galatasaray Odeabank Istanbul 76-82 on the road in Group F on Wednesday. Neptunas improved to 3-3 in Group F while Galatasaray still leads the standings at 5-1. Daniel Ewing led the winners with 21 points. Travis Bader added 15 on 5-of-5 three-point shots while Donatas Zavackas had 13 for Neptunas. Errick McCollum led Galatasaray with 30 points on 8-of-8 two-point shots and 14-of-14 free throw attempts. Vladimir Micov added 16 points for the hosts. Ewing shined early and got plenty of help from Zavackas and Arnas Butkevicius to give Neptunas a 20-25 lead after 10 minutes. Neptunas still led 26-34 midway through the second quarter but an outstanding McCollum allowed the hosts to get a 45-42 edge at the break. Ewing had 8 points in a 2-14 run which restored a 47-56 Neptunas margin right after halftime. Ewing kept Neptunas way ahead, 68-76, midway through the fourth quarter. Harvey Grant and Bader took over in crunch time to make Neptunas seal a very important road win.

Micov got Galatasaray going with consecutive baskets but Martynas Mazeika and Arnas Butkevicius tied it at 4-4. Stephane Lasme hit free throws and a three-pointer by Caleb Green gave the hosts a 9-6 lead. Grant found his first points and a layup by Ewing gave Neptunas its first lead, 9-10. Zavackas buried a triple and Vytautas Sarakauskas bettered Joey Dorsey's dunk with his own bomb from downtown for a 11-16 score. Micov joined the three-point shootout, Butkevicius scored again and free throws by McCollum kept Galatasaray within 16-18. Bader nailed a running triple, Sarakauskas dunked and Grant gave Galatasaray a 20-25 lead after 10 minutes. Guler scored again early in the second quarter and a three-point play by McCollum tied it at 25-25. It didn't last long, however, as a three-pointer by Bader ignited an 1-8 run which Ewing capped with another one from beyond the arc, good for a 26-34 Neptunas lead. McCollum stepped up for Galatasaray with 6 points in an 8-0 run which tied it at 34-34. Zavackas sank a corner triple, Micov took over with an up-and-under layup and Lasme put Galatasaray back ahead, 38-37. McCollum shined with a big three-point play, hit free throws and found Micov for a layup but Ewing and Zavackas kept Neptunas within 45-42 at halftime.

Butkevicius made free throws immediately after the break for a 45-45 tie, as Galatasaray struggled to score for 3 minutes. A three-pointer by Mazeika made Neptunas regain the lead, 45-48. Lasme downed a six-meter jumper that Ewing bettered with back-to-back triples to make the hosts call timeout at 47-54. Ewing capped a 2-14 run with another basket, as Guler tried to change things with a big basket for a 49-56 Galatasaray deficit. McCollum hit 4-of-4 free throws but Bader sank consecutive three-pointers for a 54-62 Neptunas lead. McCollum kept pacing Galatasaray but Mindaugas Girdziunas and Zavackas made it a double-digit game, 58-68, after 30 minutes. Blake Schilb found his first points early in the fourth quarter, igniting an 8-0 run which he capped with another basket for a 66-68 Galatasaray deficit. Ewing stepped up with back-to-back layups but Dorsey scored down low for a 68-72 score. Grant and Ewing gave Neptunas plenty of fresh air, 68-76. McCollum made free throws and a layup by Micov kept Galatasaray within 72-76 with under 3 minutes left. Grant took over with a backdoor layup and fed Bader for a corner triple that sealed the outcome, 72-81, as Galatasaray never recovered.