BC Hemofarm Stada held off a late charge from Akasvayu Girona to wrap up a 97-93 home win on Tuesday. Miljan Pavkovic scored all 6 of his points on free throws in the final minute to wrap up the win for the hosts, who match the record of Group C leader Akasvayu at 5-2, but still trail them in the chase for the top spot, since Girona won the first meeting between them by 26 points. Galatasaray Café Crown could also make things interesting if it wins its game against the Hanzevast Capitals later in the evening, which would give the trio the same records. Hemofarm seemed on its way to wiping out the big deficit from the first game when it used a 14-0 run bridging the first and second periods to take control. Even though Akasvayu got within 42-34 at halftime, Rawle Marshall and Goran Jagodnik put the hosts up 23 near the end of the third. However Victor Sada erupted and got some help from Marc Gasol as the visitors, who scored just 34 points in the first half, rallied for 37 in the fourth quarter and cut the gap to 2 points several times. But Pavkovic’s clutch free-throw shooting wrapped up the victory for Hemofarm. Marshall led Hemofarm with 29 points, Jagodnik added 18, Stefan Markovic 15 and Vladan Vukosavljevic 12. Marc Gasol paced Akasvayu with 24 points and 8 rebounds, Jackson Vroman scored 14, Branko Cvetkovic 13 and Sada finished with 13 points and 5 assists.
Hemofarm won the opening tip and quickly went ahead on a Marshall three-pointer. A minute later, Arriel McDonald answered for Akasvayu. The teams continued to trade baskets, with Marshall and Vukosavljevic firing away for the hosts and Cvetkovic until Vukosavljevic scored the last two baskets to put Hemofarm ahead 22-17 after 10 minutes. The hosts pulled away in the second period, with Marshall and Milos Borisov playing key roles as Hemofarm scored 10 unanswered points for a 15-point advantage. Even after Gasol ended the Akasvayu drought, Boris Savovic kept Hemofarm going and the lead grew to 38-20. Gasol stepped up with the game’s next 6 points and McDonald and Jarod Stevenson drilled back-to-back threes to end the first half with Akasvayu within 42-34. Marshall hit a pair of triples early in the third quarter to rebuild a comfortable lead. Gasol and Cvetkovic got Akasvayu back within 9, but another run, this time 11 unanswered points. The lead reached 23 on a Jagodnik bucket late in the third before Vroman and Cvetkovic got the visitors within 71-56 at the end of the third period. Akasvayu continued to cut the difference in the fourth, with a Stevenson three and an Ivan Radenovic bucket making it a 10-point game and later a Roman Montanez three making it 77-68. Sada took over, scoring 7 straight points for the visitors and assisting on another as the gap closed to 83-81. Jagodnik and Marshall tried to make it safe for Hemofarm, however Gasol kept Akasvayu within 89-87 with a basket-plus foul with a minute to go. However 6 clutch free throws by Pavkovic in the final minute helped Hemofarm wrap up a crucial win.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
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