Bilbao hangs on to win its third on the road

Dominion Bilbao Basket remained undefeated on the road, holding on to 75-80 win over Dolomiti Energia Trento on Wednesday. Both teams now hold 3-2 record, in a share of a three-team tie with JSF Nanterre in the first place of Group A. Bilbao led by as many as 16 points in the fourth quarter, but Trento went on a 19-2 run to grab a slim lead. But a triple from Alex Mumbru, baskets from Clevin Hannah, and couple of defensive plays secured the victory for the visitors. Hannah led Bilbao with 22 points. Mumbru scored 11, Axel Hervelle collected 10 points and 7 rebounds, while Shaw James had 6 rebounds and 5 blocked shots in victory. Jamarr Sanders had 14 points for Trento. Julian Wright had 12 points and 10 rebounds, Trent Lockett also scored 12, while Filippo Baldi Rossi and Giuseppe Poeta each scored 11 in the losing effort.

Sanders scored on consecutive possessions, including a triple for 7-0 lead, but Mumbru buried a three on the other end, sparking a 0-7 run for Bilbao. Sanders and Hannah traded triples, before put-backs from Wright and Davide Pascolo gave Trento 15-10. But Alex Suarez hit a triple for Bilbao, and a pair of baskets from Alex Rouff late in the first quarter helped cut the deficit to 21-19 after 10 minutes. Poeta hit from downtown for the hosts early in the second, and Trento had 26-21, but couple buckets from Giorgos Bogris, and a three-pointer from Raul Lopez tied things at 28-28, before Hannah's triple capped a 2-10 run, giving Bilbao lead. A three-point play from Hervelle and a triple from Dairis Bertans helped made it 32-41. Lockett ended the spurt with a three-pointer, but Bertans scored his seventh consecutive point, and Hervelle added a three-pointer that put Bilbao up 36-46 at halftime.

Lockett and Wright helped the hosts get within 42-47, but Lopez hit from long range, and James had a put-back to re-open double-digit margin. Poeta hit his second three of the night for the hosts, and Lockett helped cut the deficit to 48-52, but Hannah and Hervelle put together a 0-7 run, to make it 48-59. In the final minute of the quarter, Baldi and Hannah trade triples, and Hannah made it 52-65 in the opening minute of the fourth quarter. A three-pointer from Ruoff extended it to 55-71, as Bilbao was in control of the game. However, Sanders and Wright scored to give the hosts slim hope, and triples from Baldi and Dominique Sutton cut it to 66-71 with 4 minutes to go. Hannah snapped an 11-0 run with free throws, but Poet sparked another Trento’s run, Baldi hit another three, and Wright made a put-back, giving Trento 74-73 advantage with 2 minutes left to play. After Bilbao’s timeout, Mumbru answered with a three-pointer, and after Wright split free throws, Hannah made it 75-78. Mumbru blocked Poeta’s attempt, and after Hannah made both free throws, James also blocked Poeta, sealing the deal.