Azovmash Mariupol did its best to stay alive in the race for the Eurocup Final Eight by using an 18-0 third quarter run for a 89-71 victory at home over Hemofarm Stada in Last 16 Group K. Azovmash staved off elimination - at least for the moment - as a loss would have sent Hemofarm to the Final Eight. Mariupol improved to 2-3 while Hemofarm dropped to 3-2. Hemofarm however will advance along with Pamesa Valencia if Pamesa win later Tuesday. Hemofarm started the game on a 2-11 run, but watched Azovash answer with a 15-6 surge. The guests took a lead again with a 2-11 second quarter push. But Hasan Rizvic and Khalid El-Amin combined to score 16 points in the decisive 18-0 run late in the third quarter to build a 12-point lead. Hemofarm would not get closer than 7 points the rest of the way. El-Amin, who was held to 7 points last week in a loss, bounced back big time with 30 points and 9 assists. Dijon Thompson tallied 17 points and 6 rebounds while Rizvic exploded for 16 points and 5 rebounds after having totaled 23 points in his previous six Eurocup games. Richard Guinn chipped in 7 points and 6 rebounds. Miljan Pavkovic drained 3 three-pointers in leading Hemofarm with 17 points and 6 assists. Milan Macvan had 16 points and 7 rebounds while Marton Bader and Bojan Krstovic both hit for 10 points in a losing effort.

Azovmash started off in poor fashion with just one score in its first six possessions, including three turnovers. Macvan scored the first 4 points of the game, Krstovic knocked down a three-ball and Nebojsa Joksimovic made it 2-11. El-Amin got his first score of the game and then Guinn and El-Amin hit back-to-back triples to knot the game at 17-17 and complete a 15-6 answer. Serhiy Lishchuk's only basket of the game gave Azovmash its first lead of the contest at 21-19. But Krstovic hit a three and converted the 4-play play for a 21-23 Hemofarm advantage after one period. Rizvic's dunk to start the second quarter was followed by two straight El-Amin baskets for a 27-23 Azovmash cushion. Two Macvan scores gave Hemofarm the lead back before Rizvic made it 32-29 with a foul host. But Bader completed a three-point play, Milivoje Bozovic had two baskets and Pavkovic drained a triple to complete a 2-11 surge for a 34-40 advantage. And the guests led 36-42 at intermission.

Pavkovic extended the lead to 36-44 and it was 40-46 after Boban Marjanovic's basket. But that's when Rizvic and El-Amin took over the game. Rizvic converted a three-point play and the playmaker hit back-to-back baskets, forcing a Hemofarm timeout with the score 47-46. Rizvic scored two more baskets and El-Amin made a score and 3 foul shots as the two combined for 16 points in an 18-0 Azovmash push for a 58-46 advantage. Stefan Markovic's layup snapped an 11-possession scoring drought for Hemofarm. And Mariupol's cushion was 60-48 after three periods. Two Rizvic free throws and Guinn's basket twice pushed the lead to 14 points before Pavkovic hit a three-ball, Bader converted a three-point play and Bozovic nailed a triple to bring the margin to 66-59. But El-Amin answered with a long ball of his own. Pavkovic and Macvan both hit triples as the lead was back down to 73-65. But Thompson scored three straight baskets and El-Amin and Rolandas Jarutis knocked down long balls as Azovmash pulled away.