Banvit BK lived to fight long-term in Group E as it handed Gran Canaria its first loss of the season with a resounding 79-54 decision at home in Bandirma, Turkey on Tuesday. Banvit took over the game the second quarter and never looked back while running its record to 2-2. Gran Canaria, which could have qualified early for the Last 16 with a victory, fell to 3-1. Keith Simmons led four double-digit Banvit scorers with 18 points. Kenan Bajramovic added 14 and 10 rebounds for a double-double. Cliff Hammonds had 11 points and dished 7 assists, while Chuck Davis scored 10. Gran Canaria got 13 points from Juan Palacios, but he was the only visiting player to score more than 8 points as Banvit's defense stopped the rest. Banvit outplayed the visitor’s in several categories, especially three-pointers, where it knocked down 11 of 22 shots compared with 7 of 31 by Gran Canaria.
Simmons reeled off Banvit's first 5 points to answer Javier Beiran's early three-pointer for the visitors. After free throws added to the Banvit lead, Gran Canaria found 3 consecutive triples - from Tomas Bellas, Juan Palacios and Beiran - to suddenly pull ahead 8-12. Bajarmovic nailed a shot in response from the arc, while Davis added free throws. After an exchange of layups, the game was knotted at 16-16. Scoring seesawed as Bajramovic buried another triple on the heels of a layup by Marquez Haynes to close the first 10 minutes with the teams still tied 20-20. Izzet Turkyilmaz hit the ground running in the second quarter with a triple among his 5 quick points for Banvit, but Spencer Nelson downed a basket to keep Gran Canaria close 25-22. The hosts bumped the lead to 33-26 as Baris Ermis and Simmons drained shots from downtown, then Cemal Nalga added a layup. Banvit stayed on the gas to open a 41-26 gap, scoring the next 8 points on baskets by Turkyilmaz, Hammonds, Davis and Simmons as Gran Canaria fell silent offensively. The visitors ended their drought with Laurence Experigin's free 4 points, however, Bajramovic's free throws and Nalga’s dunk helped Banvit kept a healthy distance, 45-30, at the half.
Haynes and Xavi Rey scored for Gran Canaria early in the third quarter, but Banvit was unfazed as Ermis and Hammonds put in layups and Simmons shot another laser from downtown for a 52-35 lead. Palacios took over for Gran Canaria, burying 5 straight points, but the Banvit could do no wrong as Hammonds drained a triple while Ermis and Simmons hit layups on the way to a 66-45 advantage after 30 minutes. Taurean Green opened the final 10 minutes with a triple and Michael Bramos another as Gran Canaria sliced the deficit to 68-51. But the visitor’s could only manage 3 points in the game’s next 4 minutes while Banvit continued its barrage from downtown, coasting to 79-54 victory.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Eurocupbasketball.com