BC Azovmash picked up a crucial 74-82 road win at Kalise Gran Canaria that gives it an advantage in the race for a spot in the Last 16 from Group E. With four teams entering the round tied at 2-2, Azovmash now shoots to the top half of the standings and can feel confident as it owns a tiebreaker over Gran Canaria – it also beat the club earlier this season at home – and hosts it last regular season game against Asvel Basket. Meanwhile Gran Canria lost its second straight home game and will need a win at Lietuvos Rytas next week and for other results to go its way to have a chance at advancing. The visitors never trailed after a 0-7 run gave them an early 7-14 advantage. Avovmash led 35-49 at halftime and looked to cruise to victory, but the trio of Carl English, Melvin Sanders and Daniel Kickert all scored timely baskets as the hosts stormed back and got within 2 points in the fourth quarter. However that was as close as it would get. Serhiy Lishchuk drilled a clutch triple and Khalid El-Amin and Simonas Serapinas sealed the win. El-Amin led Azovmash with 19 points, Lishchuk scored 14 and Oleksandr Skutyelnik, Dijon Thompson, Uchenna Nsonwu and Serapinas added 10 points apiece. Nsonwu and Thompson had 9 and 8 rebounds, respectively. Sanders led the hosts with 16 points, Kickert added 12 and English had 11 in defeat.

Richard Guinn and English traded threes for the game’s first points before Lishchuk went to work inside to give the visitors a 3-7 advantage. Gran Canaria soon tied the score at 7-7 only to see Azovmash respond with 7 straight points – including a Skutyelnik triple and an El-Amin layup. James Augustine scored twice for the hosts, but Thompson drilled a three to increase the gap to 8. Sanders took the reins for Granca and with a basket and a three closed the deficit to 22-26 after 10 minutes. Kickert narrowed the gap to 3 early in the second period, but Azovmash stayed calm and slowly pulled away. El-Amin scored twice and Serapinas hit a three as the visitors took a 27-37 lead. A Mario Fernandez three gave Granca hope and Sanders also hit from outside, but Rolandas Jarutis, Thompson and El-Amin scored the last 6 points of the half to make it 35-49 at the break.

A Thompson steal led to a Skutyelnik slam as the third quarter got underway. Back-to-back baskets from Sitapha Savane and Augustine free throws made it a 10-point game, however Zovmash remained comfortably ahead after Nsonwu scored inside and Serapinas made a three. Kickert came back with 5 straight points before El-Amin capped the third period at 51-61. The teams traded baskets at the start of the fourth quarter until Josh Fisher converted a three-point play that jumpstarted a 7-0 spurt to bring the hosts within 61-65 on a Fernandez steal and layup. Sanders cut the gap to 3 with a three-pointer, however El-Amin and Thompson answered and put Azovmash back up 64-73. English came to Granca’s rescue with a layup and three pointer to make it 71-73. Azovmash took a timeout after which Lishchuk came through with a clutch three-pointer. And El-Amin added free throws to pad the visitors lead. Sanders corrected a missed English three that made it 73-78, but El-Amin scored at the other end as Granca started to run out of time. And the hosts’ plans fell apart after Augustine, trying to foul to stop the clock, was whistled for an unsportsmanlike foul on Serapinas, who buried 2 free throws and sealed the win.