Olimpija survives in Bonn, edges closer to Last 32

Union Olimpija Ljubljana held off Telekom Baskets Bonn on the road 88-93, making its push towards a spot in the Last 32. Olimpija improved to 4-4 in at least a share of the third place in Group A, while Bonn dropped to 2-6 in the last place. The visitors pulled away to a double digit lead behind Sava Lesic after only 7 minutes of play. Olimpija held 40-46 at halftime, and Bonn came within a single possession early in the third, but the visitors quickly pulled away to double figures, and a 2-9 run to start the fourth quarter helped push the margin to 18 points. Bonn rallied in the final 5 minutes, using a 16-0 run to get within 82-84 and 87-89, but Olimpija prevailed as Lesic finishe with 24 points. Zach Wright scored 14, Miha Lapornik 13, and Ronalds Zakis 11 in victory. Tadas Klimavicius amassed 25 points and 11 rebounds for Bonn. Dirk Madrich scored 13, an Jimmy McKinney netted 11 in defeat.

Olimpija got off to a quick start behind Lesic scoring 7 points, including a three-point play, and Luka Rupnik adding a three-pointer to help open 7-14 lead. The visitors increased the lead with Zakis scoring twice, and after Madrich hit a triple for Bonn, Sasa Zagorac replied with on from downtown, making it 14-25. The hosts went 6 of 6 from the foul line, which helped them get within 5 points, but Wright made sure Olimpija had 22-31 after 10 minutes, and 24-35 after 3 minutes in the second quarter. Lesic and Zakis extended it to 26-39, but McKinnes hit from long range before Klimavicius scored 7 points, and with contribution from Aaron White and Madrich, Bonn got within 40-43 before Lapornik buried a three-pointer to make it 40-46 at halftime.

Michal Chylinski and Klimavicius cut the deficit to 44-46 early in the third, but Wright and Zakis kept Olimpija in front, then Lapornik went 5-for-5 from the foul line in less than 40 seconds to open 48-58. A three-pointer from Lapornik and baskets from Lesic and Gregor Hrovat kept the lead in double figures, while Bonn scored on three consecutive possessions at the end of the third through Madrich, Eugene Lawrence and McKinney, making it 60-69 after 30 minutes. However, at the start of the fourth, back-to-back threes from Zagorac and Lesic, and a three-point play from Wright opened 62-78 margin. Blaz Mesicek hit a triple, and another basket-plus-foul from Wright extended it to 18 points, 66-84, midway through the fourth. However, Chylinski and Klimavicius combined to scored 9 points in the next 2 minutes, Florian Koch added a triple, and Rotnei Clarke's fastbreak basket got Bonn within 82-84 with 80 seconds to go. After Mahkovic split free throws, Bonn had a possession to tie the game, but Wright came up with a steal, and also scored a basket with 36 seconds left on the clock. Lesic added two free throws, 82-89. There was still half a minute left to play, and McKinney hit a triple followed by Clarke's two free throws, 87-89. But Lapornik, who previously missed two foul shots, this time hit both, and Hrovat made two more free throws to seal the deal.