Metropolitans beats Trento in OT thriller
In an intense showdown that needed more than 40 minutes to determine a winner, Boulogne Metropolitans 92 stayed undefeated in Top 16 Group F by downing Dolomiti Energia Trento 92-86 at home in Marcel Cerdan arena on Tuesday. Metropolitans improved to 3-0 and has won 10 of their last 11 EuroCup games. Trento, which led 77-80 and had possession with a few seconds left, dropped to 1-2. Anthony Brown became the Metropolitans' hero by hitting a buzzer-beating corner three-pointer that sent the game to overtime, 80-80. David Michineau and Archie Goodwin made the difference in the extra period. Michineau led the winners with 23 points. Goodwin added 21 and Brown 19 for Metropolitans. Trento got 22 points from Luke Maye, 21 from JaCorey Williams and 11 from Kelvin Martin.
Brown sank a jumper and Michineau a triple in 7-0 opening run for Metropolitans that Neal Sako capped with a layup. Gary Browne and Jeremy Morgan each struck from downtown for Trento while Williams followed a layup with a dunk in a 0-16 run that Maye capped with a tip-in to give Trento a 7-16 lead. Goodwin scored in penetration but Maye did better with a three-pointer and Martin added a put-back basket for a 9-21 Trento advantage after 10 minutes. Bastien Pinault and Maxime Roos buried corner triples early in the second quarter for the hosts and Michineau dunked to make it 18-25. Vitalis Chikoko scored down low and Roos added a fastbreak slam to force a Trento timeout at 22-25. Browne stepped up with an off-balance jumper for the visitors and Williams followed a layup with a jump hook, but Michineau and Chikoko kept Metropolitans as close as 28-31. Roos and Michineau each buried a triple but Maye kept Trento ahead, 34-35, at halftime.
Lahaou Konate sank a three-pointer to put Metropolitans ahead, 37-35, soon after the break. Martin rescued Trento with 6 unanswered points, igniting a 2-13 run in which Maye followed a triple with a layup for a 39-48 margin. Metropolitans found a go-to guy in Brown, who got help from Goodwin to keep their team within 48-50. Toto Forray sank a three-pointer and Williams added a layup but Chikoko held Metropolitans within 53-57 after 30 minutes. Maximilian Ladurner scored inside for Trento to start the fourth quarter while Michineau and Goodwin kept Metropolitans close at 58-59. Michineau and Pinault buried three-pointers for another lead change before Williams and Morgan helped Trento tie it at 64-64 with 6 minutes left. Goodwin scored 4 short baskets that Victor Sanders answered with a triple while Williams stayed unstoppable and Forray sank a floater for a 72-73 Trento lead. Brown came back with a three-point play for the hosts, but Williams and Martin provided another lead change, 75-76. Forray hit free throws, Michineau scored in penetration and Morgan drew a foul with 22.2 seconds left. He buried both free throws and Goodwin turned the ball over, but the hosts got the ball back with 2.0 seconds remaining and Brown swished the game-tying triple right at the buzzer.
Early in overtime, Brown made foul shots and Goodwin dunked for an 84-80 Metropolitans lead. Maye sank a turnaround jumper but Michineau had 4 points, including a huge put-back slam, in a 6-0 run that Goodwin capped with a layup, sealing the outcome at 90-82 as Trento never recovered.
Pivotal performer
Michineau finished the game with a career-high 23 points, hitting 5 of 8 two-pointers, 3 of 6 from downtown and 4 of 4 free throws while adding 4 rebounds, 4 assists and a block for a PIR of 21.
Game-changing moment
Trento led 77-80 and had the ball with a few seconds left. Martin attacked the rim and Roos stopped him with a big block. Metropolitans got the ball back with 2.0 seconds left, called timeout, and Brown hit the three-point shot which forced overtime and eventually allowed the hosts to win the game.
Stellar stat
Metropolitans finished the game with 8 blocks, tying a club record. It also had 8 blocks against Partizan NIS Belgrade last week. For the second consecutive game, Roos had 5 blocks, tying his career best, which is also a Metropolitans club record.
Did you know?
Metropolitans can qualify to the playoffs in Round 4 if it beats Trento on the road and Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar beats Partizan at least once in their two upcoming showdowns.
Next game
Both teams face each other again in Top 16 Round 4 next week. This time, Trento hosts Metropolitans on Tuesday, February 2.
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Eurocupbasketball.com