Reggio Emilia rallies to sweep season series from UNICS

Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia fought back from a 17-point deficit to beat UNICS Kazan for the second time in a week with a 76-75 win at home in Group H. Amedeo Della Valle poured in 21 points while Julian Wright collected 17 points and 8 rebounds for Reggio Emilia, which improved to 3-1. Stephane Lasme (18 points and 10 rebounds) and Quino Colom (17 points, 6 rebounds and 11 assists) both had double-doubles for UNICS, while Melvin Ejim chipped in 13 points in the loss that dropped the Russian side to 2-2 in the group. UNICS outrebounded Reggio Emilia 35-26 and made 20 of 21 free throws, but allowed Reggio Emilia to make 61.8 percent of its two-point shots and failed to hold a 12-point fourth quarter lead.

UNICS was more efficient, stronger on the boards and on target from long range in opening a 4-14 lead thanks to three-pointers from Ejim and Colom. Reggio Emilia’s leading scorer Della Valle did not start the game, but came on and scored 3 points as the home side tried to get closer at 10-18. But Lasme converted his second three-point play and Ejim nailed another three-ball in a 3-12 surge for a 13-30 UNICS lead. Reggio Emilia made it 17-30 after 10 minutes. Reggio Emilia continued its charge back into the game in the second stanza with a 14-2 start with 7 points from Della Valle to pull within 31-32. Colom stopped the rut, some hard work earned Ejim 5 points and Lasme added back-to-back baskets in a 4-13 answer to send UNICS back ahead by double digits 35-45. Wright made it 38-45 at the intermission.

Reggio Emilia was able to trim the deficit to 42-47, but Trent Lockett knocked down a three and Colom hit a layup and 2 free throws in upping the lead to 43-54. The margin was 48-60 shortly before the end of the third quarter, which ended with UNICS up 50-60. Lasme increased the lead to 12 points to start the fourth quarter, but Reggio Emilia charged back with a 10-0 run with Riccardo Cervi scoring 4 points to make it 60-64. Della Valle knotted it at 64-64 and Garrett Nevels’s three-pointer put the host side up 67-64. Jamar Smith answered with a three-pointer and Lasme’s layup made it 68-69. But Wright converted a layup at the other end and Reggio Emilia picked up 4 points on two unsportsmanlike fouls within two seconds for a 74-69 cushion with 12 seconds left. After Colom raced back to hit a three, Manu Markoishvili countered with a layup with 3.9 seconds and it was needed as Lockett knocked down a three-pointer off the glass at the buzzer to set the final score at 76-75.