Renfroe misses triple-double as Galatasaray downs Reggio Emilia

Galatasaray Odeabank Istanbul boosted its chances in the race for Top 16 by downing visiting Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia 82-72 on Wednesday night. The win did not only improve Galatasaray’s record to 2-5, but by overcoming a 3-point Round 2 defeat, Galatasaray also won the potential tiebreaker over Reggio Emilia, which dropped to 3-4. In a game that went back and forth for three quarters, Alex Renfroe starred with 10 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds in victory. Galatasaray, which pulled away with a 13-2 fourth-quarter run, saw Dwight Hardy score 20, Richard Hendrix collect 18 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists, and Scotty Hopson add 17 points. Jalen Reynolds had 19 points and 7 rebounds, while Julian Wright finished with 16 points and 8 rebounds for Reggio Emilia. James White scoread 13, and Manuchar Markoishvili posted 10 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds in defeat.

The visitors scored first two baskets of the night, but Galatasaray made the first big run. Hardy had a steal that fueled things and Hopson had a pair of baskets in a 7-0 run, before a three from Hardy and a put-back from Renfroe sparked an 11-2 run, capped by an alley-oop from Renfroe to Hendrix that made it 18-9. But Reggio Emilia replied as Markoishvili hit a three and the visitors scored last 7 points of the first quarter, before Reynolds. Wright and Amedeo Della Valle with a mid-range jumper gave Reggio Emilia a 20-22 edge early in the second. Reynolds scored inside to extend it to 24-29, but the hosts scored the final 8 points of the half as Hardy and Hopson put Galatasaray back in front and Renfroe scored on a breakaway that made it 32-29 at halftime.

Emir Preldzic hit a triple early in the third for the hosts, but Reynolds dominated around the baskets, scoring quick 7 points, and White’s jumper made it 36-38. Ege Arar and Hardy helped Galatasaray regain a slim lead and Hopson drove the baseline to make it 48-43. Hardy and Wright traded three-pointers, before Markoishvili converted a three-point play and Wright made consecutive put-backs that cut it to 56-55 late in the third quarter. Federico Mussini’s triple tied it at 59-59 early in the fourth, but Galatasaray needed only two minutes to gain separation; Hopson and Hendrix scored inside and Preldzic knocked one down from long range, making it 66-59. A tip-in from Renfroe and a close-range banker from Hopson extended the difference to 72-61 for the first double-digit lead of the night. Mussini hit another three for the visitors, but Preldzic, Hendrix and Renfroe found their way to the basket on consecutive possessions to restore a double-digit margin, 78-68. In the final minute, Wright scored inside, but Renfroe dished his 10th assist for Hopson to help the hosts win the tiebreak battle, too.