Trento opens semifinals with win at Strasbourg

Dolomiti Energia Trento continued its historic debut Eurocup campaign by winning the first leg of its two-game total-points semifinals series on the road over Strasbourg 68-74. Trento led from tap to buzzer and now takes a 6-point edge home for the return leg next Wednesday. A victory – or a loss by fewer than 6 points – would make Trento the first team to ever reach the Eurocup Finals in its first season in continental competition. Tuesday’s game featured an eventful first half with Trento dominating early and leading by 20 points early in the second quarter before Bangaly Fofana led the home team on a 17-0 charge to get back in the game. Trento led 37-40 at halftime and protected its slim lead throughout the second half. Strasbourg got the gap to 2 in the closing minute, but the final two baskets belonged to Trento. Julian Wright led the winners with 16 points on 3-of-3 three-point shooting, 7 rebounds and 2 steals; Trent Lockett scored 14 points; Davide Pascolo totaled 13 points, 7 boards and 5 assists, Andres Forray scored 11 and Giuseppe Poeta dished 6 assists. Fofana posted 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Kyle Weems also scored 15 and Louis Campbell 11 in defeat.

Trento struck first behind Lockett and Pascolo, before Weems got Strasbourg on the scoreboard with a pair of free throws. Back-to-back triples by Forray and Wright – both thanks to assists from Pascolo, made it 2-10. Weems hit from downtown for Strasbourg’s first basket, however Wright and Forray had answered to that basket and a three from Campbell. Paul Lacombe also connected from deep for the hosts only to see Pascolo and Lockett push the Trento advantage to double figures. Sutton’s steal led to a Luca Lechthaler layup before Pascolo capped a 0-9 run with a put-back plus foul. Jeremy Leloup and Diego Flaccadori traded threes to end the opening quarter at 16-31. Wright scored the first 5 points of the second quarter to give the visitors a commanding 20-point lead. Just when it seemed all was lost for Strasbourg, Coach Collet’s men reeled off 17 unanswered points – 7 of which Fofana scored – to rally to within 33-36. Flaccadori and Lockett helped Trento recover after a four-plus minute drought to remain ahead 37-40 at halftime.

Strasbourg got as close as 2 points early in the second half on a three-pointer by Weems, but a pair of baskets by Lockett helped Trento open a 42-50 advantage. Strasbourg fought right back through Fofana and Campbell, but the visitors remained ahead and extended the lead once more on 5 quick points from Giuseppe Poeta. Baskets by Leloup and Pascolo made it 51-59 through three quarters. After Flaccadori set a double-digit Trento lead with the first basket of the fourth quarter, Strasbourg Romain Duport and Rod Beaubois set each other up for baskets in a 7-0 run. Flaccadori ended the Trento dry spell and Wright made it 60-65 with less than four minutes remaining. Free throws by Fofana made it a 3-point game just inside the two-minute mark and it was 68-70 after Beaubois netted foul shots in the final minute. Late baskets by Poeta and Pascolo sent Trento home with a 6-point cushion.