Union Olimpija edges Oldenburg to advance

Union Olimpija Ljubljana edged EWE Baskets Oldenburg 75-77 to advance to the Last 32 from third place in Group A. Sasa Zagorac led the way with 23 points, including what proved to be the game-winning free throws with 16.8 seconds to go. Olimpija improved to 5-5, while already-qualified Oldenburg fell to 4-6 and fourth place. The visitors led by 15 at halftime; Oldenburg rallied in the third quarter to close the gap and the fourth to tie it, but never took the lead. Sava Lesic added 18 points, Zach Wright scored 14 and Mitja Nikolic 10 for the winners. Brian Qvale led EWE Baskets with 17 points, Dennis Kramer scored 16 on 4-of-5 three-point shooting, Vaughn Duggins added 14 points and Dominic Lockhart and Rickey Paulding netted 10 apiece, while Scott Machado dished 9 assists.

Wright’s jumper that made it 6-7 after three minutes was already the fifth lead change of the game. A pair of Wright threes soon had Olimpija up 10-15. After Robin Smeulders scored for the hosts, Blaz Mahkovic connected from downtown and Lesic gave the visitors a double-digit advantage. Philipp Schwethelm’s basket-plus foul closed the gap to 15-22 after 10 minutes. A Schwethelm triple sparked a 9-0 Oldenburg run that saw Kramer score 4 points and tied it at 24-24. But Zagorac scored from the line to start a 0-9 Olimpija response that he capped with a three. Zagorac knocked down two more triples to extend the lead to 28-39. A basket by Paulding changed little as free throws by Wright and Zagora’s fifth three-pointer made it 30-45 at the break.

An 8-0 run early in the second half fueled by Qvale and Duggins drew Oldenburg within 43-50, but Lesic answered with a triple to restore a double-digit Olimpija lead. Soon Paulding knocked down a three and Qvale scored twice to trim the gap to 50-55. Wright and Zaroric re-extended the difference to 10 before Lockhart’s free throws brought Oldenburg within 56-64 through three quarters. Kramer opened the fourth with a triple, but Nikolic and Lesic hit back-to-back threes for Olimpija to lead 59-70. Threes by Kramer gave the hosts hope as 65-72. Qvale three-point play made it a 4-point game with two-and-a-half minutes to go. Oldenburg came back to tie it at 75-75 on a Kramer three and a Duggins shot. Zagorac sank what proved to be the game-winning free throws with 16.8 seconds to go as Oldenburg was unable to get off a final shot.