Brown's double-double leads Asesoft past Hapoel

CSU Asesoft Ploiesti improved to 3-1 in Group E by downing Hapoel Jerusalem 83-74 at home on Wednesday. Asesoft joined Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius and Banvit Bandirma in a three-way tie for first place in Group E while Hapoel dropped to 1-3. Dee Brown led the winners with 16 points and 13 assists. Dragan labovic added 15 points, Aljahi Mohammed had 14 while Jarvis Hayes and Gerald Lee each got 10 for Asesoft. Donta Smith led Hapoel with 23 points. Yotam Halperin added 15 while Bracey Wright and Joseph Jones each had 10 for the guests, which led 7-14 midway through the opening quarter. Asesoft took the lead, 19-18, behind an outstanding Brown and extended it to 43-37 on a three-point shot by Marius Runkauskas. Hapoel managed to regain the lead, 53-55, late in the third quarter but Brown took full control of the game since that moment. Hapoel got within 73-70 but Brown and Runkauskas allowed Asesoft to win it down the stretch.

Mohammed got Asesoft going with a three-pointer but Derwin Kitchen and Lior Eliyahu soon gave Hapoel a 3-4 edge. Halperin struck twice from downtown and a dunk by Smith boosted the guests' lead to 7-14. Jonte Flowers and Brown rescued Asesoft and a layup by Christopher Cooper put the hosts back ahead, 15-14, after an 8-0 run. Mohammed followed a dunk with a jumper to restore a 19-18 Asesoft edge after 10 minutes. Wright hit free throws but Labovic had 8 unanswered points, including a big triple that ignited the crowd at 27-20. Kitchen made foul shots, igniting a 7-0 run which Smith capped with a three-point play. Labovic dunked but Wright and Tony Gaffney made Hapoel regain the lead, 29-33. Runkauskas buried a triple, Brown hit a jumper and Mohammed put Asesoft back in charge, 37-36. Gerald Lee and a three-pointer by Runkauskas boosted the hosts' lead to 43-37 at halftime. Lee and Jones traded layups after the break and Flowers gave Asesoft an eight-point lead, 47-39. Jones and Smith took over to bring Hapoel within 49-48. Hayes scored down low but Smith an outstanding Halperin made Hapoel regain the lead, 53-55. Brown and Hayes fueled a 6-0 run but Smith cut Hapoel's deficit to 59-57 after 30 minutes. Back-to-back baskets by Hayes and Lee gave Asesoft fresh air, 63-57, early in the fourth quarter. Wright brought Hapoel within 63-61 but Brown and Mohammed shined to give the hosts a 71-65 edge with 4 minutes left. Gaffney scored in the paint and a three-point play by Smith gave Hapoekl hope, 73-70. Brown sank a jumper and fed Runkauskas for a three-pointer which sealed the outcome, 78-70, as Hapoel never recovered.