July 04, 2008
NBA Europe Live report: Lottomatica Roma 87-93 Toronto Raptors
Stats | Quotes
Chris Bosh - Toronto RaptorsAnother night of NBA Europe Live drama was enjoyed by fans in Rome, Italy on Sunday, when local hero Andrea Bargnani led the Toronto Raptors to a 87-93 victory over hosts Lottomatica Roma. A game that featured 16 lead changes and 10 ties, the last of those mid-way through the final quarter, held the crowd at Palalottomatica in suspense until Jason Kapono of Toronto hit his third three-pointer in the closing minutes to foreshadow the outcome. Chris Bosh led Toronto with 23 points and pulled rebounds. Kapono added 15 off the bench, while Bargnani posted 13 and Jorge Garbajosa 10. For Roma, Christian Drejer nailed 4 three-pointers on his way to 23 points. Jon Stefansson added 17 points, Allan Ray 15 and Erazem Lorbek 12. Roko-Leni Ukic had 10 points and 9 assists for Roma.

Bosh scored just 1 of 2 free throws to open the scoring, then Ukic hit a layup and assisted Ray for a triple that pushed Roma ahead 5-3. Lorbek extended that cushion to 10-4 with back-to-back baskets from mid-range, before Carlos Delfino nailed a three-pointer for Toronto and TJ Ford drove to the rim to reduce the difference to 10-9. Toronto went ahead again at 10-11 when Bosh slammed after grabbing an offensive rebound, but Drejer answered from downtown and Roma lead 15-14. Jorge Garbajosa's foul shots gave the Raptors another turn in front, before Gregor Fucka tied on a pick-and-pop basket, 17-17. With 2 minutes left in the quarter, however, Toronto took charge as Kris Humphries scored 4 points in a row and Jose Calderon sealed the final 19-23 scoreboard after 12 minutes.

Christian Drejer in Rome - NBA Europe Live 2007Humphries pushed Toronto ahead 19-25 early in the second quarter, before Roma increased its defensive pressure to come closer, at 23-25, as Jacopo Giachetti stole and scored. Bargnani assisted by Calderon on a big dunk at 23-27, then Jon Stefansson got Roma, now going to a zone defense, within 26-27. The Raptors had difficulty finding open shots until Bosh changed hands in the air for a layup-and-free throw to make it 26-31. Delfino pushed Toronto further ahead at 27-33 but the zone defense helped Roma to spark a 7-0 run in capped by Stefansson's go-ahead shot from beyond the arc at 34-33. Bargnani from mid-range gave another slim lead, 34-35, to Toronto before Drejer tied it up and Ray assisted Lorbek for an easy layup to put Roma back in front, 39-37. Bargnani answered with 5 consecutive points and Ford added a jumper from mid-range as Toronto escaped 39-44. But Drejer scored a three-pointer from the corner and got a free throw with it to lift Roma up by 45-44 at halftime.

Anthony Parker scored his first basket of the night to open the second half and Bosh copied him with a fastbreak a new 45-49 Toronto advantage. Stefansson erased that quickly, measuring off back-to-back bombs from downtown tied it up 51-51. The teams exchanged free throws, and after Bosh gave a 52-56 cushion to Toronto, Drejer posted another shot from long distance and threw a layup over the big men to vault Roma in front, 57-56. A mid-range jumper by Jason Kapono wasn't enough for the Raptors to make a move because a triple by Ukic helped Roma stay in front at 60-58. Ray extended the margin to 63-58 at the foul line and Lorbek copied him as Roma attempted to escape on 65-58. Toronto stopped the slide right there, however, as Kapono scored a triple and 4 free throws in a 1-9 Toronto run that put the Raptors up again, 66-67 after 36 minutes.

Andrea Bargnani - Toronto RaptorsToronto extended its run to 1-11 and its lead to 60-66 to open the final quarter, but Stefansson steadied Lottomatica with a mid-range jumper. Garbajosa answered with the same shot for Toronto before Ray tied it up again at 71-71. Garbajosa was perfect on 3 free throws, but Roberto Gabini kept Roma close from the corner, while Drejer forged a new tie at 75-75 by going to the hoop against Bosh. Roma's comeback was short-lived, however. Kapono arrived as a trailer in the open court and knocked down his shot, then Bosh added free throws to give Toronto a 75-82 difference. Parker followed with a three-pointer good for the first double-digit cushion in the game, 75-85. Roma refused to die as a three-point-play of Stefansson cut the difference to 85-80, but Bosh remained dominant under the glasses with dunk before Kapono hit one more triple to virtually decide matters at 80-90. Ukic tried to rally Roma with another triple and Stefansson popped again from mid-range, but Calderon sealed the Raptors' win on a late layup.
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Euroleague.net
Contact us copyright EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL 2008