 Kalise Gran Canaria is the Citta di Roma Tournament champion! Gran Canaria bested Montepaschi Siena 57-68 in Monday’s title game and will head into the Nike International Junior Tournament at the Euroleague Basketball Final Four in Berlin Starting April 30 as one of three champions of the qualifying tournaments. Gran Canaria broke the game open with a 2-16 third-quarter run that gave it a 19-point advantage and Montepaschi never got within 10 points after that. Alejandro Lopez paced the winners with 15 points and 11 rebounds and Oscar Alvarado netted 15 and dished 6 assists. Milan Jaros added 11 points and 3 blocked shots and Samuel Dominguez totaled 9 points and 14 boards for Gran Canaria. Simone Centanni led Montepaschi with 13 points, Nika Metreveli had 12 points and 16 boards, Nunzio Sabbatini also scored 12 and Tomaso Ingrosso added 11 points and 10 rebounds. It was a very balanced game in the early going as neither team led by more than two baskets at any time in the opening period. Fabio Santana changed that as he put Gran Canaria ahead 18-25 early in the second period. Metreveli brough Montepaschi back within 3 before an Alvarado basket made it 27-33 at halftime. Granca made its move after the break as Lopez drilled a three and then dished to Rafael Rodriguez for a basket that gave the team its first double-digit lead. Soon a Jaros triple completed a 2-16 charge run as Granca went up 31-50. Sabbatini and Metreveli helped cut the deficit to 15 entering the fourth quarter and Sabbatini and Centanni had Montepaschi within 11 midway through the fourth quarter, but time was running out and some key points from Alvarado helped Gran Canaria ice the win and the championship.
Monday, December 29, 2008
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