Gray's late heroics make Dijon win in Bamberg

JDA Dijon grabbed its first-ever Eurocup Last 32 win by edging Brose Baskets Bamberg 81-86 in Group K on Wednesday. Both teams now tie for second place with Union Olimpija Ljubljana, each with a 1-2 record. Steven Gray paced the winners with 22 points, including back-to-back triples which sealed the outcome in the final two minutes. Erving Walker added 21 and 9 assists, Andre Harris had 15 points while Kris Joseph had 12 for Dijon. Bradley Wanamaker led Bamberg with 21 points. Ryan Thompson added 19, Janis Strelnieks had 12 while Josh Duncan and Trevor Mbakwe each got 10 for the hosts. Mbakwe added 12 rebounds for yet another double-double. Thompson led a 13-0 run which gave Bamberg a 26-13 lead after 10 minutes. The hosts kept a double-digit margin, 41-29, at halftime but Walker and Harris shined after the break to make Dijon get the lead, 51-52. It all came down to the final 2 minutes, as Wanamaker brought Bamberg within 75-76. Gray hit a three-pointer, Duncan and Wanamaker managed to tie it at 79-79 but Gray insisted from downtown and Walker added free throws to make Dijon seal a valuable road win.

Antoine Mendy got Dijon going with a layup but three-pointers by Duncan and Thompson soon gave Bamberg a 6-2 lead. Gray sank a jumper and struck from downtown but Wanamaker and Mbakwe kept the hosts ahead, 13-7. Gray hit another triple and Joseph copied him to tie the game, 13-13. It didn't last long, however, as Thompson had 8 points in a 13-0 run that made it a double-digit game, 26-13, after 10 minutes. Ferdinand Prenom and Harris stepped up for Dijon early in the second quarter and a three-pointer by Walker gave the guests hope at 28-21. Strelnieks and Wanamaker fueled a 6-0 run that gave Bamberg out of trouble, 34-21. Joseph insisted from downtown and Gray kept pacing Nancy but Wanamaker, Strelnieks and free throws by Thompson made Bamberg keep a 41-29 margin at halftime. Gray and Harris brought Dijon within single digits, 43-34, soon after the break. Zach Moss shined with a put-back layup and consecutive triples by Walker made it a six-point game, 48-42. Duncan tried to change things for Bamberg but Walker struck againt from downtown and Harris followed a layup with a triple to complete the guests' comeback, 51-52. Wanamaker and Thompson rescued the hosts and a jumper by Strelnieks restored a 58-56 Bamberg egde after 30 minutes. A three-pointer by Karsten Tadda gave the hosts fresh air, 63-58, early in the fourth quarter. Walker scored again and a three-pointer by Harris tied the game again, 63-63, with 7 minutes left. Stelnieks took over with a layup-plus-foul and Daniel Theis hit a jumper but Harris struck from downtown for a 68-68 tie. A three-point play by Joseph and a triple by Gray put Dijon back ahead, 71-74. Mbakwe dunked, Walker made free throws but Wanamaker kept Bamberg within 75-76 with 1:49 left. Gray sank a big three-pointer, Duncan made free throws and a layup by Wanamaker tied it at 79-79 with 33 seconds left. Gray sank another critical triple and free throws by Walker sealed the outcome down the stretch.