Nizhny Novgorod rallies past Besiktas

Nizhny Novgorod completed an outstanding achievement by rallying from a 17-point defeat in Game 1 to advance to the Eurocup Quarterfinals at Besiktas Integral Forex Istanbul’s expense. Nizhny routed Besiktas 95-71 at Druzhba Multipuropse Arena for a 166-159 aggregate victory and a spot in the next stage. A crazy third quarter started with a 16-5 run for the home team to lead 57-38, Besiktas answered with 7 consecutive points before Nizhny stormed to a 17-point lead after 30 minutes. A 13-5 final run highlighted by 7 points from Taylor Rochestie sealed qualification for the home team. Rochestie and Vadim Panin paced the winners with 23 points each – and both made 4 for their 5 attempts from beyond the arc. Panin added 9 rebounds and 3 assists, while Rochestie distributed 7 assists. Primoz Brezec added 14 points and Semen Antonov had 13 points with 7 boards and 4 assists. For Besiktas, Chris Lofton scored 22, Bradley Buckman 15 and Ryan Broekhoff 10. Doron Perkins collected 5 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals in defeat.

Panin scored 5 points and Brezec 4 to put together a 9-0 run to open the game. Buckman’s three-point-play fueled the visitors, but Panin from the foul line and a lay-up by Brezec made it 15-6. Mehmet Yagmur finished a break and fixed the score at 15-8 for Nizhny after 10 minutes. Panin hit a three, but was copied soon by Buckman and Lofton, who cut the difference to just 3 points. Antonov’s dunk gave a 23-17 margin to the hosts, before 4 points from Perkins tied the game for the first time at 23-23. Antonov from downtown and Brezec in the paint fueled the home team to a slim margin, but Broekhoff and Lofton answered for the guests to stay within 33-30. Taylor exploded from long distance, but Buckman posted a jumper from mid-range. Another deep three by Pavel Korobkov with seconds left in the half gave a 41-33 advantage to the hosts.

Colton Iverson dunked to open the third quarter before a 10-3 run capped by Dmitriy Khvostov from downtown gave again a 51-36 lead to the home team and they went ahead for the first time on aggregate when Brezec’s short jumper made it a 19-point game. Besiktas responded with a 0-7 run with back-to-back triples from Lofton and Broekhoff to make it 57-46. Panin nailed another shot from three-point range and Rochestie made free throws, 65-48. Perkins split free throws for a 65-49 score at the end of the third quarter. Lofton scored twice from long distance, but Korobkov answered and then Tomislav Ruzic and Panin hit jumpers for a 72-57 Nizhny advantage. A three-point-play by Antonov pushed the hosts to 75-57. Antonov’s jumper gave a 20-point of margin to Nizhny for the first time, 82-61. Broekhoff hit a three to cut the cushion to 85-68, but Rochestie and Savelyev both hit from long distance for a 91-68 advantage with 70 seconds left. Lofton tried to keep alive Besiktas with another three, but a Rochestie jumper and free throws sealed the win and qualification.