Budivelnik holds off Nanterre for series sweep

Despite committing the most turnovers in Eurocup history after the regular season, Budvelnik Kiev held on to beat JSF Nanterre 71-76 in Game 2, sweeping the eighthfinals series and advancing to the Eurocup Quarterfinals for the second year in a row. The Ukrainian champ overcame 29 turnovers in Game 2, just one shy of Eurocup record, to win the series with 162-153 aggregate score, and will play either Lietuvos Rytas or Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade in the next phase. Budvelnik grabbed control early, building a 12-22 lead in the first quarter, and remained in front with 30-39 halftime lead which translated into a 13-point series advantage. Behind DaJuan Summers, margin grew to 48-65 early in the fourth quarter, meaning Budivelnik had a 21-point lead in the series, and after Nanterre rallied to cut within 71-72 in the final minute, Budivelnik held on to sweep the French champs and advance to the next phase. Summers finished with 18 points and 6 rebounds, while Darjus Lavrinovic had 15 points plus 9 rebounds. Dainius Salenga shipped in with 10 for the winners. DeShaun Thomas scored 17 in less than 19 minutes for Nanterre. Will Daniels had 14 points plus 7 rebounds, Johan Passave scored 13, and Trent Meacham 12 in defeat.

Meacham and Passave gave Nanterre 8-5 lead at the start of the game, but the visitors replied with a 0-13 run with triples from Artur Drozdov, Janis Strelnieks and Salenga putting Budivelnik in control. The visitors held 12-22 after 10 minutes, which meant a 94-108 series lead, and despite baskets from Jeremy Nzeulie and Thomas, margin did not decrease. Michalis Anisimov scored twice, and Lavrinovic nailed a triple for 20-33. Meacham and Daniels scored quick baskets for the hosts, and Passave cut the game deficit to 6 points, but Blake Ahearn hit a triple to make it 30-39 at halftime, giving Budivelnik a 13-point series cushion.

Nanterre had a better start to the third quarter, with baskets from Daniels and a triple from Meacham cutting it to 39-43. However, Summer made a basket-plus-foul, added a jumper, made some free throws and contributed on the defensive end, too, fueling a spurt that put Budivelnik in front 44-57 after three quarters. Triples from Summers and Salenga in the opening minutes of the fourth extended it to 48-65, giving Budivelnik a 21-point series lead. But Meacham hit one from downtown, Thomas nailed a pair, and his layup-plus-foul on a fastbreak helped cut it to 63-67, and cutting the series deficit to 145-153. Lavrinovic hit a jumper to give the visitors some breathing room, and despite a jumpers from Daniels and Thomas, Budivelnik stayed in control. Nzeulie’s fastbreak layup got Nanterre to 71-72 with 20 seconds to go, but Lavrinovic and Drozdov sealed it from the foul line.