Promitheas end skid for first Top 16 win
Promitheas Patras snapped a three-game losing streak in knocking off EWE Baskets Oldenburg 81-70 for its first victory in the 7DAYS EuroCup Top 16. Loukas Mavrokefalidis led the way with 19 points for Promitheas, which improved to 1-1 in Group F. Chris Babb chipped in 16 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists, Octavius Ellis and Dimitris Agravanis both had 12 points and Langston Hall added 10 points. The Greek side took control with a 16-5 run in the third quarter. Rasid Mahalbasic collected 18 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals for Oldenburg, which had its two-game winning streak ended. Robin Amaize picked up 16 points off the bench for the visitors.
Mahalbasic started with 4 points as Oldenburg opened an 0-6 lead. Ellis finally got Promitheas on the board with a three-point play after more than 3 minutes of action. Babb added a three-pointer and three-point play in a 14-4 surge to move ahead 14-10. Amaize and Rickey Paulding both hit from long range in keeping Oldenburg close at 17-16. Babb scored again in helping the lead move to 23-17 before two Justin Sears baskets made it 24-20 after 10 minutes. Promitheas kept Oldenburg scoreless for nearly the first 3 minutes in moving ahead 28-20. Amaize’s three-pointer stopped the rot for the visitors before both teams swapped triples - Hall and Babb for Promitheas and Philipp Schwethelm and Mahalbasic for Oldenburg, which got a score from Tyler Larson to close within 38-35. Babb nailed his third triple of the first half as Promitheas surged back ahead 42-35 only to see Schwethelm hit a buzzer-beater to make it 42-38 at the break.
Karsten Tadda’s three-pointer opened the scoring in the second half, but was matched by Agravanis after nearly 3 minutes and Ellis foul shots made it 47-41. Hall added a triple to increase the gap to 50-43. Mahalbasic tried to keep Oldenburg in it with 7 straight points to make it 54-48. Mavrokefalidis came up with 9 points in a row and Agravanis nailed another triple for Promitheas in a 16-5 run for a 66-51 cushion, which was 68-53 after 30 minutes. After Leonidas Kaselakis hit the first basket of the fourth quarter, Braydon Hobbs and Amaize drained threes with the latter adding two more baskets as Oldenburg edged to within 74-63. Agravanis answered for the hosts with a three and Mavrokefalidis continued his strong game with foul shots for an 81-68 lead.
Pivotal performer
Loukas Mavrokefalidis was outstanding in his second game with his new team as he picked up 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting and 7-of-7 free throws to go with 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal in 20 minutes off the Promitheas bench.
Much-needed return
Promitheas guard Langston Hall was a big help as well in his return to the court after missing the last three games - all Promitheas losses - as he collected 10 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists.
Telling numbers
Promitheas shot 60.0 percent on two-pointers while outrebounding Oldenburg 36-24. Oldenburg also only had 3 free throws; it made 2 of them.
What's next?
Promitheas will remain at home and take on Umana Reyer Venice on Tuesday, January 21. Oldenburg faces another road game as it will head to Germani Brescia Leonessa the next night.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Eurocupbasketball.com