Zvezda dominates the boards, defeats Milan

Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade kept its slim playoff hopes alive with a comfortable 100-89 win over visiting AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan on Friday in the Serbian capital. Zvezda matched its club record for points in a non-overtime game and improved to a 9-13 record, which is three games behind the eighth and final playoffs place in the standings. Zvezda, which dominated the boards 31-21 and pulled down 14 offensive rebounds, took control with a 12-0 second-quarter run, and Milan barely threatened despite a balanced attack with six double-digit scorers. Mathias Lessort had 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Stefan Jankovic also scored 15. Taylor Rochestie had 14 points and 9 assists. Alen Omic added 11 points, while Nemanja Dangubic and James Feldeine contributed with 10 apiece in victory. Mindaugas Kuzminskas had 17 points for the visitors, Andrew Goudelock added 15, and Jordan Theodore had 13 points and 8 assists. Vladimir Micov with 11 and Dairis Bertans with 10 were also in double figures for Milan, whose record dropped to 7-15.

Milan opened the game with Theodore, Micov and Goudelock knocking down a triple apiece to make it 4-9, but Zvezda answered right back with a 11-2 run during which Milko Bjelica and Rochestie hit from long range to put Zvezda in front 15-11. Omic and Bjelica helped the hosts to a 23-20 lead after the first quarter, but Curtis Jerrells took it to the rim twice in the second, before Bertans helped Milan regain the lead, 27-28. Zvezda replied by scoring the next 12 points, however, as Lessort and Dangubic combined layups and dunks before a triple-plus-foul by Ognjen Dobric made it 39-28. Bertans snapped the run with a triple, and Goudelock had a three-point play to cut into the deficit. After Rochestie and Kuzminskas traded three-pointers, Micov and Goudelock scored from close range to make it 50-45 at halftime.

Dejan Davidovac hit a three-pointer and a tough runner to increase Zvezda's lead to 57-49 after the break. Micov hit a pair of baseline jumpers on the other end, but the hosts increased the margin even more with fastbreak layups from Dangubic and Bjelica that made it 64-53. Kuzminskas answered with a three-pointer, and even though Jankovic hit one from way downtown for the hosts, Gudaitis with a dunk and Kuzminskas with another triple trimmed the lead to 69-65 in the final minute of the third quarter. But Lessort took it to the hoop before that minute ended and Jankovic scored 4 points in the opening 40 seconds of the fourth quarter. Then Feldeine's triple and Lessort's dunk opened 82-69 lead with 7 minutes to go. Bertans had a four-point play, but Jankovic and Branko Lazic lifted the margin to 93-77 and the hosts continued cruising to victory.