John Goldsberry's last-second basket gave Artland Dragons an 80-78 victory over Unics Kazan in their ULEB Cup Last 16, first leg game on Tuesday. Artland bounced back from a nightmare first quarter before building and then relinquishing a 15-point third-quarter lead to continue its fairytale ULEB debut season. Terrance Thomas scored 17 points and Darious Hall tallied a season-high 15 as the Dragons survived a 34-24 rebounding deficit. Adam Chubb chipped in 13 points and Chad Prewitt had 11 for the winners, who received only 4 points from Leon Rodgers. Darjus Lavrinovic had another impressive game for Unics with 23 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks. But he was whistled for an unsportsmanlike foul in the final minute, which helped Artland to the victory. Dusko Savanovic scored 16 points and Sergei Chikalkin added 15, while Tariq Kirksay was held to 9 points and 8 rebounds - 19.5 points fewer than his average during the Last 32 against Turk Telekom. Unics will host the return leg next week in Russia.

Lavrinovic opened the game with a three-pointer, but was matched by Prewitt. Chubb scored back-to-back baskets – the second a three-point play – in opening an 8-5 lead. Dmitriy Sokolov tallied his third score of the first quarter and then Chikalkin drained a triple for an 8-12 advantage. Prewitt evened the game at 12-12 but Artland failed to convert on its final 8 possessions and Lavrinovic scored 5 points in a 0-10 run to close the quarter with Unics ahead 12-22. Savanovic's three-pointer to start the second period pushed the lead to 13 points, 12-25. But Hall answered with a three-point play and the hosts worked much harder on defense as a Thomas three finished a 10-0 run. Virgil Stanescu stopped the bleeding initially, but EJ Rowland and Thomas both converted three-point plays and Hall's basket gave Dragons the lead at 30-29. Another Hall score made it 34-31 before Marko Tusek trimmed the margin to 1 point. But Chubb and Rodgers both scored 4 as Artland closed the half with 14-6 run for a 48-39 lead.

Goldsberry made sure Artland got off to a good start to the second half with a three-pointer for a 12-point lead. Baskets by Kirksay and Chikalkin made it 51-43. Kirksay and Prewitt swapped long balls before Sokolov and Lavrinovic scored two-point baskets and Chikalkin drained a three to make it 59-53. Artland answered with a 10-1 run including two three-point plays by Hall to open a 69-54 advantage. Kirksay's basket brought Kazan to within 69-57 after three periods. Savanovic scored two baskets and Lavrinovic's score made it 69-63 to start the fourth. Chubb finally scored Artland's first points of the quarter, but Lavrinovic nailed a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 71-66. Thomas answered with a three-point play of his own only to see Lavrinovic score another basket and a three-point play to tie the game at 74-74 with two minutes remaining. Hall continued his outstanding game with a basket before Chikalkin and Savanovic both made 1 of 2 foul shots to even things at 76-76. Lavrinovic was called for an unsportsmanlike foul in the final minute and Chubb made 2 foul shots, but Rowland turned the ball over on the resulting possession and Lavrinovic made 2 foul shots to make it 78-78. But Goldsberry gave the Dragons the victory by putting back an offensive rebound in the final seconds.