Aris escapes from Kazan with thrilling overtime win

Aris Thessaloniki claimed a big upset by escaping from Kazan with an overtime 73-74 victory over Unics in Group D on Wednesday. Now Unics and Aris have the same 2-1 records to share first place in the group with Trabzonspor Medical Park. Kostas Kaimakoglou forced the game to an extra session by scoring a deep three at the buzzer to tie it at 64-64 after Aris lead for all of the fourth quarter. The lead changed hands seven times during overtime, the last when Jerel McNeal hit a jumper to make it 73-74 with a minute left and eventually give the win to the visitors. McNeal was the main contributor for the winners with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, while Jamelle Hagins added 16 points and Okaro White and Dominic Waters scored 10 each. Keith Langford netted 19 points for Unics, Kaimakoglou posted 14 points and 8 boards, Quino Colom totalled 12 points with 8 assists and Arturas Milaknis chipped in 11 in defeat.

McNeal scored from long distance for the only basket of the first five minutes before the Unics attack started to catch fire with Arturas Milaknis and Valeriy Likhodey giving the hosts a 9-5 margin. Milaknis and Kaimakoglou scored for Unics, while a three by Jake Cohen fixed the score at 15-14 for the home team after 10 minutes. Cohen put the visitors in front 17-18. Kaimakogou and Petr Gubanov pushed Unics to a 23-18 lead. Hagins came through with 4 points in a row for a 24-26 Aris lead. The score was tied twice, before Milaknis and McNeal exchanged threes to finish 31-31 at halftime.

Michalis Pelekanos completed from long distance a 7-0 run for Aris to open the third quarter at 31-38. Latavious Williams and McNeal fueled the respective sides and Colom brought Unics within 41-45. Spyrous Mourtos with a long three inspired the guests to finish the third quarter up 42-50. Hagins pushed the difference to 44-52 three minutes into the quarter. Then Aris held a slim margin fueled by White with 5 consecutive points, 55-61. Colom carried Unics within 60-61, but Dominic Waters used an offensive rebound grabbed by Hagins for an easy basket to lead 60-63. He then scored 1 of 2 free throws with 4 seconds left before Kaimakoglou tied the game with an incredible three at the buzzer. Langford put Unics in front early in the extra session, 66-65, and then Kaimakoglou gave a 71-67 edge to Unics, before Pelekanos cut the deficit from downtown and McNeal from mid-range scored what proved to be the game-winner with a minute left.