BC Azovmash survived a stubborn Hapoel Gilboa Galil team for a 92-88 victory in overtime on Tuesday. It was Azovmash second straight win in Group D – both game at Galil’s expense – lifting the Ukrainian champs to 2-2. The game went down to the wire both in the fourth quarter and overtime. But after Azovmash failed to make the winning shots at the end of regulation, Ramel Curry stepped forward and sank 4 free throws to secure victory in overtime. Fred House finished with 17 points and 8 rebounds to lead the winners, Curry had 16 points, 8 rebounds and 6 steals, Maksym Pustozvonov and Demetrius Alexander added 15 points apiece and Chris Owens scored 10. Jack McClinton scored 20 and Warren Carter 19 for Galil, which dropped to 1-3 and must win both its remaining games to have a chance at the Last 16. Tyler Wilkerson finished with 16 points and 8 rebounds, Dagan Yivzori scored 12 and Gal Mekel tallied 10 points and 8 assists for Galil.

House opened the scoring with a three-pointer, Curry matched him and a layup from Pustozvonov pushed the hosts to an early 11-2 lead. Galil reacted immediately with a 0-7 push capped by Carter with an easy lay up in the open court. Yivzori from downtown tied the score at 15-15 and a put back from Anton Kazarnovski gave the first advantage of the night to his side. However back-to-back triples by Maxym Ivshyn and Pustozvonov made it 21-17 for Azovmash. Another layup from of Ivshyn fixed the score at 25-17 for the home team at the end of the first quarter. Tyler Wilkerson’s tip-in made it 27-21, but Curry hit a rocket from beyond the arc to set the first double-digit margin of the game, 32-21. House from downtown and McClinton exchanged three-point-plays and fueled their respective sides to 35-26. Carter and Curry exchanged layups, before baskets by Carter and Rodney Green cut the halftime deficit to 39-35.

Galil came out for the second half in great form and after a triple from House, McClinton and Yivzori hit back-to-back threes and Wilkerson made his presence felt insider during a 0-12 charge that put the visitors up 42-47. Oleksandr Skutyelnik answered with a triple and Charles Thomas used a three-point play and another 2 free throws to put Azovmash back on top. The switched hands a few more times and remained close going into the fourth quarter at 57-57. McClinton opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer but Alexander’s first 4 points of the game made it 62-60. Mekel led a 0-6 Galil spurt with free throws and an assist to Wilkerson, but in no time Owens tied the score and Curry put Azovmash ahead. Neither team led by more than 2 the rest of regulation. Carter knotted the game at 73-73 in the final minute and Azovmash missed on its final two possessions, sending the game to an extra period.

Yivzori fired in a three at the start of the overtime session, but was bettered by Owens who dunked on the offensive glass and drilled a three. Mekel and Carter tied the game on successive possessions for Galil, but a basket by Carter and free throws from Alexander made it 84-80. Galil kept the pressure on as Carter and Mekel scored to keep Galil close and Kazarnovski made it 88-88, but the visitors’ defense did not come up with any stops. In the end, Mekel fouled Curry, who made 2 free throws – and 2 more for a technical on Galil – to win the game.