Lisch triple lifts CAI over Bamberg

CAI Zaragoza edged Brose Baskets Bamberg 78-76 after coming back from a double-digit deficit in the final regular season game for both teams. CAI finishes with 5-5 record in the fourth place of Group A, while Bamberg has 7-3 record in the second place. Bamberg used a huge 3-21 third quarter run that turned an 8-point deficit into a 45-55 lead. But CAI started melting the deficit from the start of the fourth quarter, and in a dramatic finish, Kevin Lisch hit a three-pointer with 4.4 seconds to go to secure victory for the hosts. Jason Robinson netted 19 points in victory, Stevan Jelovac collected 14 points and 7 rebounds, and Rasko Katic also scored 14 in victory. Game-hero Lisch finished with 9 points. Brad Wanamaker had 12 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds for Bamberg, Joshua Shipp and Janis Strelnieks each netted 11, while Daniel Theis had 10 points plus 7 boards in defeat.

Henk Norel led CAI early, and with help from Pere Thomas’ layup-plus-foul the hosts opened 13-8 lead. Dalibor Bagaric and Janis Strelnieks got Bamberg going, but Stevan Jelovac had a triple and finished the quarter with a basket-plus-free throw for 21-14. Couple reactions from Bagaric and a triple from Strelnieks helped cut the deficit to 23-21, and after a basket-plus-foul from Rasko Katic, Joshua Shipp assisted for Josh Duncan’s triple and Trevor Mbakwe’s dunk, 29-28. But Marcus Landry and Jason Robinson separated CAI once again, and despite Shipp’s triple on the other end, hosts went into halftime up 37-31.

Wanamaker strung together 8 points to start the third quarter, and after baskets inside from Mbakwe and Daniel Theis, Wanamaker assisted Shipp for a three and 43-46. Shipp hit another three-pointer, and Andreas Obst added one from long range to cap a 3-21 spurt for a double-digit lead, 45-55. CAI only managed to score from the free throw line in the last 8 minutes of the quarter, and another three from Obst made it 50-60 going into the fourth. Robinson ended CAI’s field goal drought with a three to open the final period, and Kevin Lisch added his shot from downtown to follow up. A three-pointer from Jelovac cut it to 60-64, and after a triple from Strelnieks, back-to-back baskets from Katic tied it at 70-70. Teams remained tied going into the final minute, with Pedro Llompart giving CAI long awaited lead, but Wanamaker made it 74-74. However Lisch hit a triple with 4.4 seconds on the clock, which proved to be a game-winning shot.