KK Bosna showed it is ready to battle hard in the ULEB Cup Last 32 round by downing Kalise Gran Canaria 89-82 in front of 5,300 fans at the Mirza Delibasic Sports Hall in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday night. As such, Bosna has a seven-point lead in the two-way series, that now travel to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, but the 2nd leg, in which Kalise will try to reach the next round in front of its fans. Goran Ikonic paced the winners with 22 points. Lance Williams added 17, Dzenan Rahimic had 16 while Suad Sehovic got 11 for Bosna. Nick Caner-Medley led Gran Canaria with 17 points. Carl English added 16, including a final three-pointer which could well become the key to the series, Kornal David had 14 and Roberto Guerra 13 for the guests. It was a close game for 15 minutes, but David and an outstanding Guerra fueled a 2-16 run that Sergio Perez capped with a triple for a 36-49 Gran Canaria margin. It didn't last long, however, as Ikonic, Quemont Greer and Sehovic brought Bosna within 50-51 at halftime. Both teams kept trading baskets at full speed, as David allowed Gran Canaria to tie the game for the last time, 74-74. Sehovic and Williams fueled a 7-0 run that put Bosna ahead for good, 81-74, while Ikonic gave Bosna a 89-79 margin in the final seconds. English stroke from downtown to get Gran Canaria closer in the two-way series.
Gran Canaria ran its offense through Caner-Medley in the opening minutes while a three-pointer by English gave the guests a 4-7 edge. Edin Bavcic answered from downtown but a layup-plus-foul by Joel Freeland and a big triple by Caner-Medley kept Gran Canaria ahead, 9-13. Bryan Bailey and Rahimic stepped up for Bosna to keep the hosts as close as 14-15. Ikonic tied the game with a triple and soon added a layup for a 21-19 Bosna edge. Greer stepped up wioth a big basket but English immediately stroke from downtown for a 23-22 Gran Canaria deficit. Ikonic and Perez joined the three-point shootout to fix the score at 26-25 after 10 minutes. Greer scored again while Williams added free throws to keep Bosna ahead, 30-27, early in the second quarter. Back-to-back baskets by Sitapha Savane and David provided another lead change, 30-31. Williams stepped up with consecutive layups but David and Guerra fueled a 0-6 run that gave Gran Canaria a safer lead, 34-39. Guerra kept pacing the guests with back-to-back baskets, making Bosna call timeout at 36-43. An unstoppable Guerra and a three-pointer by Perez made it a 13-point game, 36-49. Bavcic and Ikonic stroke from downtown in an 11-0 run that Greer capped with a basket that got the hosts within 47-49. Guerra made free throws by a triple by Sehovic brought Bosna ever closer, 50-51, at halftime.
English sank a three-pointer right after the break but Bosna soon got in track. A layup by Williams ignited a 7-0 run that Sehovic capped with his second triple, good for a 57-54 Bosna lead. Norris answered from downtown while Jim Moran followed Caner-Medley's layup with another bomb from downtown to put Gran Canaria back ahead, 57-62. Bosna improved its defense, while Rahimic had 4 points in a 8-0 run that allowed the hosts to restore a 65-62 edge. Gran Canaria opted to attack the basket to go to the foul line often, but Bailey and an unstoppable Ikonic still allowed Bosna to keep a 69-65 edge. Free throws by Guerra, Rahimic and English fixed the score at 71-68 after 30 minutes. Ikonic and David traded baskets at the start of the fourth quarter. Rahimic shined with a power layup but Perez and David helped Gran Canaria to tie the game, 74-74. Both teams have improved their defenses but Bosna had more patience in offense. As such, Ikonic scored again while Sehovic took over with another triple to give Bosna a 79-74 edge. Williams capped a 7-0 run with a key basket but Gran Canaria was not done. Caner-Medley and Norris got the guests within 81-77 but Ikonic hit one from downtown and Sehovic added free throws to give Bosna a 86-77 lead already in the final minute. Medley scored inside but Ikonic buried a triple to give Bosna its biggest margin, 89-79, seconds before the final buzzer. A final triple by English may have an important factor in the outcome of the series.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
ULEBCup.com