Pamesa Valencia had a happy return to the ULEB Cup after a two-year absence by thrashing the Deutsche Bank Skyliners 85-63 at home in Group D on Wednesday. Pamesa, the first-ever ULEB Cup champion, joined Azovmash Mariupol and Khimki as Week 1 winners in competitive Group D and visits Sluc Nancy next week. Meanwhile, the Deutsche Bank Skyliners hope to register their first win against Anwil Wloclawek in Frankfurt next week. Stanko Barac led the winners with 14 points. Shammond Williams, Ruben Douglas and Dejan Milojevic each added 11 while Zeljko Rebraca had 10 in his first game with Pamesa. Derrick Allen and Koko Archibong each had 16 points for the Skyliners, who led 29-34 late in the first half. Milojevic and Douglas fueled a game-breaking 19-0 run that bridged between both halves to break the game, 48-34. The Skyliners did not recover, as Pamesa left no doubt about its power and registered its first win even when Vule Avdalovic left the game with a severe knee injury.
The Skyliners had a strong start, as three-pointers by Archibong and Pascal Roller gave the guests a 2-6. Allen and an unstoppable Archibong boosted the Skyliners' margin to 6-12. Douglas beat the guests' zone defense with a triple and a six-meter shot. Second-chance points and a triple by Williams tied the game at 17-17. Archibong answered from downtown for a 17-20 Skyliners edge after 10 minutes. A triple by Avdalovic got the hosts going, but Ilyan Evtimov shined with a tough basket for a 22-26 Skyliners lead. Allen and Jimmy Hunt kept pacing the guests but Rebraca was now unstoppable in offense. Even with that, Archibong allowed the Skyliners to keep a 29-32 edge. Milojevic hit a triple and soon added a put-back layup in a 10-0 run that gave Pamesa a 39-34 lead at halftime. Douglas opened the second half with a layup and Williams added a three-pointer to boost Pamesa's lead to double digits, 44-34. Milojevic capped a game-breaking 19-0 run with a basket that made it a 14-point game, 48-34. Hunt stepped up with a triple but the Skyliners only managed to exchange baskets now. Williams hit a triple and fed Milojevic for an easy layup that broke the game open, 58-39, after a 10-0 run. The Skyliners switched back to zone defense while Roller and Kirsten Zoellner gave his team some hope, 63-48, after 30 minutes. The Skyliners needed a quick comeback to get back in the game, but Albert Miralles had 5 quick points and Fred House dunked it to keep Pamesa way ahead, 72-51. Avdalovic left the game with a severe knee injured. Even with that, everything was said and done, as the Skyliners could not return to the game and Pamesa cruised to a convincing home win.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
ULEBCup.com
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