 ASK Riga registered its first Eurocup win this season by downing Zadar 106-94 in the Latvian capital on Tuesday. Both teams join a four-way tie in Group A along with Maroussi Costa Coffee and Chorale Roanne, all with a 1-1 record. Bruno Sundov paced the winners with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Corey Brewer added 21 points on 4-for-4 three-pointers, Uvis Helmanis had 16 also on 4-for-4 from downtown, Milutin Aleksic got 13, Andrius Mazutis tallied 11 while Raitis Grafs contributed 10 for ASK. Rok Stipcevic led Zadar with 24 points. Hrvoje Peric added 20, Juby Johnson had 17 while Todor Gecevski and Deyan Ivanov each got 11 for the guests. Sundov and Aleksic shined late in the first quarter to give ASK a 35-26 lead after 10 minutes. Peric took over late in the first half to make Zadar get a 46-49 margin at the break. Peric gave Zadar its biggest margin, 55-63, but Helmanis and Mazutis fueled a 13-0 run for a 68-63 ASK edge. Zadar managed to tie it at 71-71, but Sundov and Brewer stepped up to make ASK register a key win.
Helmanis got ASK going with a second-chance layup while Sundov and a three-pointer by Sandis Valters allowed the hosts to get a 7-4 edge. Ivanov hit a jumper while Marlon Garnett and Johnson fired in consecutive triples to give Zadar a 10-12 lead. Sundov scored inside while Brewer struck from downtown to put ASK back ahead, 15-14, as both teams traded baskets at full speed. Helmanis and Brewer stayed on fire but Stipcevic and Johnson tied the game again, 20-20. Sundov and Aleksic joined the three-point shootout while Grafs gave ASK an eight-point lead, 30-22. Aleksic boosted the hosts' lead to 35-26 after 10 outstanding minutes. Garnett and Stipcevic combined for 4 quick points early in the second quarter while a put-back layup by Peric got Zadar within 39-34. Aleksic and Valters took over with consecutive baskets but Johnson and Peric combined for all points in a 0-9 Zadar run that tied the game at 43-43. Brewer sank a triple but Peric completed the guests' comeback, 46-47. A layup by Tomislav Ruzic fixed the halftime score at 46-49.
 Brewer buried a triple and Helmanis added free throws to restore a 51-49 ASK edge immediately after the break. It didn't last long, however, as Peric had 6 points in a 0-9 run that made Zadar regain the lead, 51-58. A three-pointer by an unstoppable Peric made it an eight-point game, 55-63. Mazutis followed a triple with a layup, igniting a 13-0 run in which Helmanis struck twice from downtown for a 68-63 ASK edge. Ivanov scored inside while Stipcevic nailed back-to-back triples for a 71-71 tie. Aigars Vitols joined the three-point shootout while Grafs gave ASK a 76-72 edge after 30 minutes. Sundov and Aleksic nailed consecutive three-pointers to boost the hosts' margin to 84-76 with 7 minutes remaining. A layup-plus-foul by Valters made it a double-digit margin, 87-77. Stipcevic brought Zadar within 89-84 but Sundov had 4 points in an 8-1 run that sealed the outcome, 97-85, with 3 minutes to go. Zadar kept trying, but ASK had already sealed an important home win.
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Eurocupbasketball.com
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