Azovmash Mariupol earned a crucial 76-66 victory at home on Tuesday over Lietuvos Rytas to improve to 2-1 in the Eurocup Group E. With all four teams in the group even at 1-1 coming into the game day, defending its home court was of the highest importance for Azovmash. And Khalid El-Amin made sure the hosts would not fail, collecting 32 points, 7 assists and 4 steals in the victory. Marc Salyers added 15 points and 5 rebounds while Dijon Thompson chipped in 7 points and 9 rebounds. L. Rytas, which was playing just two days after head coach Antanas Sireika resigned, dropped to 1-2 in the group. Mindaugas Lukauskis led the way for L. Rytas with 19 points while Branko Milisavljevic had 15 points and Chuck Eidson chipped in 10 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals in a losing effort. L. Rytas turned the ball over 18 times compared to just 10 by Azovmash.

Serhiy Lishcuhk opened the scoring for the hosts and was answered by two foul shots from Eidson. El-Amin drained a three-pointer and then Lishchuk’s dunk made it 7-2 early. L. Rytas found itself a rhythm as Lukauskis made three straight baskets - including a three-point play - in a 0-9 surge to pull ahead 7-11. El-Amin and Lishchuk hit layups to tie the game before Simonas Serapinas knocked down a trey for a 14-13 Azovmash lead. And it was 18-13 after two Rolandas Jarutis foul shots and a Serapinas layup. But L. Rytas closed to within 18-16 with a Milko Bjelica dunk and free throw to close the first quarter. The second period started with three Lukauskis foul shots and Milisavljevic's score made it 18-21 for Rytas. Salyers and Milisavljevic swapped baskets before El-Amin knotted the game with a three-ball at 23-23. Donatas Zavackas answered with a triple of his own and another after a Serapinas turnover and L. Rytas was back in front 23-29. After Milisavljevic made it 25-31, the hosts started to come back. Thompson hit his first basket and then El-Amin made two foul shots and converted a three-point play in a 9-1 run to pull ahead 34-32. Milisavljevic knotted the game again with a dunk but El-Amin and Jarutis both made two free throws for a 38-34 Azovmash lead at the break.

Salyers opened the second half and the lead grew to double digits for the first time on Thompson's triple, 46-36. Lukauskis answered with a basket but El-Amin hit after three offensive rebounds in a single possession for Azovmash, resulting in a L. Rytas timeout trailing 48-38. El-Amin continued his superb night with two more baskets to keep the hosts ahead 52-42. And Salyers hit a lay-up and three-pointer and Serapinas converted a lay-in as the lead grew to 59-45, which Steponas Babrauskas cut to 59-47 with two free throws going into the fourth period. Babrauskas hit two baskets to open the final period but El-Amin answered and Salyers had two lay-ups as Azovmash was back ahead 65-49. Eidson knocked down a three-pointer and Lukauskis followed with a trey of his own to cut the margin to 10 points 65-55 with six minutes left. Thompson and Lukauskis swapped baskets and then neither team could score for two minutes until El-Amin knocked down back-to-back triples and Mariupol led 73-57 inside of two minutes. Milisavljevic answered with a three-pointer but El-Amin was on target yet again from long range for a 76-60 lead. Eidson made two free throws, Marius Prekevicius hit a lay-up and Lukauskis hit two foul shots to limit the damage in the end.