CAI Zaragoza downs Venice for its third straight win

CAI Zaragoza finished its Eurocup Regular Season in strong fashion by winning at home over Umana Reyer Venice 82-72. Both teams had already qualified for the Last 32 from Group C. Henk Norel scored 21 points while Stevan Jelovac had 12 points and 9 rebounds as Zaragoza picked up its third straight victory to move to 7-3. Nate Linhart collected 12 points and 8 rebounds, and Sek Henry added 7 points and 6 rebounds in the victory. Venice suffered its third straight defeat and fell to 4-6 despite getting 17 points from Hrvoje Peric, 16 from Mike Green and 11 points from Stefano Tonut.

Norel scored the first 4 points of the game for CAI with Peric’s three-pointer getting the guests on the scoreboard. Four straight points from Pere Tomas had the hosts ahead 10-5 and Linhart’s triple made it 13-9. Green answered right back with a three and 2 Peric free throws gave Venice its first lead, 13-14. Zaragoza’s Sergi Garcia nailed a three that had the team up 18-14 after 10 minutes. Tonut scored the first 7 points of the second quarter to build an 18-21 lead. Tonut’s next score had it 20-23 before Garcia’s next three-pointer evened it at 25-25. Michele Ruzzier put Venice back ahead with the next basket but the guests scored just 2 free throws from Josh Owens in the next five minutes, allowing Zaragoza to go ahead 36-29 thanks to 5 points from Issac Fotu and 4 from Norel. Venice shrugged off the struggles and scored the final 6 points of the half including a Jarrius Jackson three-pointer to close the gap to 36-35 at the break.

After Norel’s score started the second half, Michael Bramos hit his first basket and Green’s foul shots put Venice ahead 40-41. Henry’s three-point play to put CAI back ahead 43-41 was followed by two ties. Jelovac and Tomas Belas both hit free throws for a 48-44 lead before Tonut’s basket. Venice failed to score in the final 3:38 minutes and Linhart made 2 free throws, a three-pointer and scored after an offensive rebound to give the hosts the lead, 57-46, through three quarters. Peric finally snapped the streak to start the fourth quarter, but Venice failed to score over the next 2:25 minutes in watching Marc Marti hit for three points and Norel increase the cushion to 64-48. Benjamin Ortner hit for the guests, but CAI scored on three of its next four possessions to move ahead 70-54 with five minutes left. Venice would not give up and Green, Peric and Jackson knocked down back-to-back-back three-pointers to cut the deficit to 72-63 with three minutes remaining. Jelovac hit a three for the hosts, but Peric nailed another triple to make it 77-70 with 1:22 minutes to play. Jelovac followed with 2 free throws and Bramos missed his three-point attempt before Norel’s three-point play with 42 seconds left decided the game for good.