Top 16 Game 5 - March 15, 2007 CET: 20:45 Local time: 20:45 - PALACIO DE LOS DEPORTES J.M. MARTIN CARPENA

Records

Ave.   Ave.
0-0 Final Four 0-0
0-0 Playoffs 0-0
0-0 Top 16 0-0
0-0 Regular Season 0-0
10-8 Overall 13-5

Referees

Crew Chief
KOUKOULEKIDIS, STELIOS, Greece
Referee
PUKL,SASA, Slovenia
Umpire
SAHIN, TOLGA, Italy

Team Stats

Ave.   Ave.
72.8 Points 82.2
31.9 Rebounds 33.0
8.3 O. Rebounds 8.5
23.6 D. Rebounds 24.5
12.9 Assists 10.8
9.9 Steals 13.7
2.9 Blocks 2.6
17.3 Turnovers 15.7
53.3 % 2PT 52.9 %
35.1 % 3PT 37.6 %
69.0 % FT 74.6 %
77.8 Index 93.5

Player Stats

Ave.   Ave.
12.0 / RODRIGUEZ, BERNI Points 14.7 / Fotsis
4.9 / SANTIAGO, DANIEL Rebounds 6.7 / Fotsis
1.4 / Pietrus OR 2.3 / Fotsis
3.9 / SANTIAGO, DANIEL DR 4.4 / Fotsis
2.8 / RODRIGUEZ, BERNI Assists 2.0 / POPOVIC, BOJAN
1.4 / Welsch Steals 1.9 / POPOVIC, BOJAN
1.1 / SANTIAGO, DANIEL Blocks 0.9 / PAPADOPOULOS, LAZAROS
2.6 / Welsch Turnovers 3.1 / PAPADOPOULOS, LAZAROS
64.5 % / Pietrus 2PT 66.7 % / Khvostov
47.1 % / Welsch 3PT 47.6 % / Fotsis
81.5 % / SANCHEZ, PEPE FT 90.0 % / Monya
14.0 / SANTIAGO, DANIEL Index 18.2 / Fotsis

THE TAKE

A big showdown that could even produce a Group G champion takes place on Thursday, when Unicaja welcomes Dynamo Moscow to Malaga, Spain. Both teams share the top spot in this group with a 3-1 records, so the winner of this crucial game will take sole possession of first place going into the final week of the Top 16. In fact, Unicaja will advance to the Quarterfinal Playoffs with a victory and will mathematically clinch first place if it beats Dynamo by 7 points or more, as it will have the tie-break advantage against any possible direct opponent or even in a three-way tie involving Dynamo and Benetton. In their first Top 16 encounter, two weeks ago in Moscow, Dynamo won 86-80 in a game of wide swings on the scoreboard. The duel at point guard could be the key tactical position in this highly-anticipated game, with crafty Pepe Sanchez (6.5 ppg., 2.6 apg.) sharing the playmaking role for Unicaja with tough Carlos Cabezas (9.1 ppg., 2.2 apg.). Both players will have the mission to stop Bojan Popovic (11.7 ppg., 83.8% FT, 1.9 spg.), who ranks second on the Top 16 index rating list, and Eddie Gill (6.6 ppg., 82.5% FT). Both teams are really deep at the wings, where Unicaja has a go-to guy in Berni Rodriguez (12 ppg., 41.9% 3FG, 2.8 apg.), who had 22 points in the loss against Dynamo and is also a great defensive assett. Do-it-all swingman Jiri Welsch (10.5 ppg., 47.1% 3FG), who scored a season-high 21 points in a victory at Benetton last week, rounds out a powerful backcourt along with shooting specialists Marcus Faison (5.3 ppg.) and Costas Vasileadis (6.4 ppg.). Rodriguez will have the tough mission to guard Taquan Dean (10.8 ppg., 43.8% 3FG), while Faison and Vasileadis will go against Sergey Monya (3.6 ppg., 44.4% 3FG) or team captain Dmitry Domani (5.7 ppg., 44.4% 3FG). Dynamo runs its offense through its star frontcourt, Euroleague January MVP Lazaros Papadopoulos (15.5 ppg., 7.3 rpg.) and Top 16 Week 4 MVP Antonis Fotsis (14.7 ppg., 47.6% 3FG, 6.7 rpg.). Papadopoulos is set to have a big matchup against Daniel Santiago (11.7 ppg., 4.9 rpg.), even when Ignacio De Miguel (2.9 ppg.) is ready to help down low. Fotsis, who earned MVP-of-the-week honors in a win against Aris last week, will try to keep that momentum going against Carlos Jimenez (6.7 ppg., 4.6 rpg.), Marko Tusek (5.8 ppg.) and Florent Pietrus (3.4 ppg., 3.3 rpg.). Since big man Obinna Ekezie (6.3 ppg., 85.7% FT) is out again for Dynaymo, Yuri Vasilyev (2.9 ppg.) and Andrei Trushkin (3.9 ppg.) will need to be ready to help Papadopoulos and Fotsis. Fans can count on a dramatic game, one of those that simply cannot be seen elsewhere: Euroleague Basketball at its best!
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Euroleague.net

Quotes Head Coaches

SCARIOLO, SERGIO
Unicaja
"We are completely aware of the importance of the moment and the game, and we are getting ready to face a first-level team in Europe that is packed with talented youngsters, plus a great coach. Dynamo has been one of the Euroleague protagonists so far. As such, we will have to show our best face on defense against some of their best offensive performers. We will also have to excel on offense, trying to read all the situations, turning the ball over as little as possible and insisting on good shot selection. A week of debate about the influence of the Martin Carpena crowd on our visitors has fired up the city and the fans so it will be a great occasion to see the best from our supporters - always correct towards the rival, but also helping their team catch fire, especially in the difficult moments that are surely going to happen since we are facing a great team."
IVKOVIC, DUSAN
Dynamo Moscow
"In Malaga, we will have two opponents: a very experienced team in Unicaja and its fantastic 9,000 fans. We will try to adapt to this unusual atmosphere for our players and play a good game, without pressure. The obligation to win, this time, is on Unicaja’s side and we will try to take some advantage of this situation. One more time, our roster will not be complete: Ekezie and Raicevic are still out, but its good news that Ekezie is back from the United States. He feels better and he started to work with the team already."

Players

SANCHEZ, PEPE
Unicaja
"The truth is that it is a very important game because, in case we win, we would qualify directly to the next phase. If, in addition, we can win by more than six points, we will clinch first place. They play real hard. They change defenses a lot. They protect the paint and protect their most important players, the big men. I think that in Moscow, had they not pulled away so soon, we would have had a chance to win, so we hope that at home, with the fans on our side and playing at 100 percent, we can take the win."
FOTSIS, ANTONIS
Dynamo Moscow
"After the regular season, our target in the Top 16 was the Quarterfinal Playoffs and we are now only one step away from that. We have two opportunities, but if we win in Malaga, we will also open way to first place in our group. Unicaja is a very good team, especially in the backcourt. Its point guards and shooting guards move the ball very quickly. The second problem for us can be the crowd. I played there when I was in Real Madrid and I can say that the fans of Unicaja are some of the best in Spain. But, for me it’s better to play against 9,000 fans than in an empty gym. We are in a good moment and I hope that we will continue this way."
Daniel Santiago - Unicaja Unicaja made club history on Thursday, becoming a Top 16 group champion for the first time and reching the Quarterfinal Playoffs by thrashing Dynamo Moscow 73-62 in front of a sellout crowd of 10,000 wild fans in Malaga, Spain. Unicaja improved to 4-1 while Dynamo now ties with Benetton Treviso for the second spot at 3-2. Since Dynamo hosts Benetton in Game 6 and Unicaja has the tie-break advantage against both teams, the Spanish side claimed first place already. As such, Unicaja will have the home court advantage in the three-game Quarterfinal Playoffs series against Winterthur FC Barcelona, which will finish second in Group F. Meanwhile, Dynamo faces a do-or-die showdown against Benetton in the Russian capital next week, with the winner advancing to the playoffs to face Panathinaikos. Unicaja's hero was Marko Tusek, who came off the bench for 19 points while Marcus Faison added 10 as a balanced Unicaja offense saw three other players score 9 points. Dynamo didn't have a single double-digit scorer as Sergey Bykov, Sergey Monya and Andrei Trushkin each had 9 points. Unicaja broke open the game midway through the second quarter, when Tusek poured in 11 points. Unicaja led 46-33 at halftime and boosted its margin to 65-41 after 30 minutes, enough to give its loyal fans reason to dream now about the Final Four.

Eddie Gill - Dynamo MoscowLazaros Papadopoulos opened the scoring with a free throw but surprise starter Ignacio De Miguel answered with a layup for a 2-1 Unicaja lead. Jiri Welsch made foul shots while Carlos Cabezas hit a triple from the top the key to cap a 7-0 Unicaja run. Eddie Gill steped up with a layup-plus-foul but Berni Rodriguez scored for a 9-4 Unicaja lead. Bojan Popovic and Rodriguez traded layups while free throws by Dmitry Domani and Papadopoulos got Dynamo within 11-9 midway through the opening quarter. Domani scored in transition but Daniel Santiago answered with free throws. Unicaja kept struggling in offense, so it carried on attacking the basket to go to the line often. Popovic and Carlos Jimenez traded foul shots while Trushkin shined with a three-point line to tie it at 16-16. Santiago dunked, igniting a 7-0 run in which Faison followed a triple from the right wing with a baseline jumper to give Unicaja a 23-16 lead after 10 minutes.

Trushkin scored around the basket early in the second quarter but Rodriguez answered from downtown, igniting a 7-0 run that Marko Tusek capped with a driving layup for a 30-18 Unicaja lead. Trushkin stepped up with a layup and Yuri Vasilyev shined with a floating jump hook, making Unicaja call timeout at 30-22. Tusek took over with an off-balance three-point play while Kostas Vasileadis scored off a midcourt steal to make it a 13-point game, 35-22. Monya tried to rescue Dynamo with a big triple and Popovic added free throws in a 0-7 run that Papadopoulos capped with a put-back layup. Faison shined with a layup-plus-foul but Popovic answered with a driving basket for a 38-31 Dynamo deficit. Tusek hit a triple and Jimenez added a layup to restore a 12-point Unicaja margin, 43-31. Free throws by Papadopoulos and another triple by an outstanding Tusek fixed the halftime score at 46-33.

Marko Tusek - UnicajaUnicaja improved its defense right after the break while Tusek hit one from downtown and added an easy layup to give the hosts a 51-33 margin. Dynamo went scoreless for more than 2 minutes until Gill buried a triple but Rodriguez shined with a drving layup to keep Unicaja ahead, 53-36. The hosts kept finding good options, so Dynamo called timeout to fix its many problems. Sanchez banked in a short jumper right before picking up his fourth foul while Welsch hit a corner triple for a 22-point Unicaja lead, 58-36. Antonis Fotsis found his first points on an easy layup but Tusek bettered it with another three-pointer, good for a 61-38 Unicaja margin. Dimitriy Khvostov and Cabezas traded layups while Welsch buried a jumper for another game-high margin, 65-41, at the end of the third quarter.

The outcome of the game was already clear, but Dynamo tried to ignit a quick rally to at least lose by 6 points or less and keep its options to finish first in Group G. Unicaja had other ideas in mins, however, as it managed to trade baskets early in the final period. Santiago banked in a short jumper for a 69-45 Unicaja margin. Bykov shined with a three-point play but Unicaja had started to use long possessions, backed by an incredible crowd. Faison shined with a layup off a steal but Monya answered from downtown to get Dynamo within 71-51. Everything was said and done already, as Unicaja now has a historical chance to make it to its first-ever Final Four, while Dynamo needs another win to keep fighting for Euroleague glory.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Euroleague.net
Referees: KOUKOULEKIDIS, STELIOS (GRE), PUKL,SASA (SLO), SAHIN, TOLGA (ITA)
Attendance: 10000
By Quarter1234
Unicaja2323198
Dynamo Moscow1617821
End of Quarter1234
Unicaja23466573
Dynamo Moscow16334162
Head coach: SCARIOLO, SERGIO
Unicaja
# Player Min Pts 2FG
M-A
3FG
M-A
FT
M-A
Rebounds As St To Bl Fouls PIR
O D T Fv Ag Cm Rv
4 SANCHEZ, PEPE 18:15 2 1/4     1 1 2 1 1 1   1 4 1 -2
5 RODRIGUEZ, BERNI 30:30 9 3/6 1/3         2   1     3 1 3
7 VASILEIADIS, KOSTAS 3:00 2 1/1             1 2     1    
9 WELSCH, JIRI 21:15 7 1/1 1/3 2/2   3 3     2     4 2 4
10 CABEZAS, CARLOS 26:00 9 3/7 1/1     2 2 2 1 3   1 3 3 6
11 PIETRUS, FLORENT 4:15         1   1     2     1   -2
15 DE MIGUEL, IGNACIO 6:00 2 1/2       1 1           3   -1
17 TUSEK, MARKO 27:15 19 3/6 4/8 1/1 2 1 3     1   1 2 1 12
20 JIMENEZ, CARLOS 26:15 4 1/1 0/1 2/2 3 8 11 3 2 1     1 2 19
24 FAISON, MARCUS 20:45 10 3/5 1/3 1/1 1 3 4   4 2     2 2 12
25 SANTIAGO, DANIEL 16:30 9 3/3   3/4 1 4 5 4   1     1 6 21
Team                   1 1          
Totals 200:00 73 20/36 8/19 9/10 9 23 32 12 10 17 0 3 25 18 72
55.6% 42.1% 90%
Min: Minutes played; Pts: Points; 2FG M-A: 2-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); 3FG M-A: 3-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); FT M-A: Free Throws (Made-Attempted); Rebounds: O (Offensive), D (Defensive), T (Total); As: Assists; St: Steals; To: Turnovers; Bl: Blocks (Fv: In Favor / Ag: Against); Fouls: Cm (Commited), Rv (Received); PIR: Performance Index Rating
Head coach: IVKOVIC, DUSAN
Dynamo Moscow
# Player Min Pts 2FG
M-A
3FG
M-A
FT
M-A
Rebounds As St To Bl Fouls PIR
O D T Fv Ag Cm Rv
4 POPOVIC, BOJAN 21:15 8 2/5 0/1 4/5           1     1 6 7
5 IVANOV, ANDREI DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
7 KHVOSTOV, DIMITRIY 12:15 2 1/2 0/1   1 2 3           1 1 3
8 GILL, EDDIE 22:45 6 1/4 1/4 1/1 2 2 4 1 2 4 1   3 2 3
9 DEAN, TAQUAN 23:45 4 1/1 0/3 2/2   1 1   1 4     2 3  
10 BYKOV, SERGEY 12:15 9 2/3 1/2 2/3 1   1 2 2 2       3 12
11 MONYA, SERGEY 14:00 9   3/3   1 3 4     2     2 1 10
12 PAPADOPOULOS, LAZAROS 26:15 7 1/6   5/6 1 3 4 3 1   1   2 4 12
13 TRUSHKIN, ANDREI 13:45 9 4/6   1/1 2 1 3   1       5 1 7
14 DOMANI, DMITRY 20:00 4 1/3   2/4 1 2 3           1 2 4
15 FOTSIS, ANTONIS 24:15 2 1/3 0/2     2 2   1 2       2 1
17 VASILYEV, YURI 9:30 2 1/1           1   3 1   1    
Team           1 3 4   2           6
Totals 200:00 62 15/34 5/16 17/22 10 19 29 7 10 18 3 0 18 25 65
44.1% 31.3% 77.3%
This game is not yet played

Head Coaches

SCARIOLO, SERGIO
Unicaja
"I am happy about experiencing this and also making the fans happy. I want to thank the club, because of the way it helped the team, and the fans who controlled the rhythm of the game and could enjoy it. Having made the top eight teams in Europe is something unbelievable. The game had many good things and some bad things, like our relaxing in the final minutes. But there was a celebration atmosphere, however we kind of forgot about the basket average. Santiago was decisive and he was a nightmare for their defense. Jimenez was key in stopping Fotsis and Faison was also important with his steals and rhythm. It was a team win."
IVKOVIC, DUSAN
Dynamo Moscow
"Tonight, Unicaja was a better team than us and they deserved the win. Our main problem was game control and the 18 turnovers. In the first quarter, there was an important moment in which we tied at 16-16 but then, a 7-0 run allowed them to jump ahead, and that hurt us. Congratulations to Unicaja, they are in their best form and they shot well from three-point range. Now we will have to give our all against Benetton."

Players

CABEZAS, CARLOS
Unicaja
"Dynamo is a totally unpredictable team for us. But we worked hard and took our chance. We are happy to make history with Unicaja."
RODRIGUEZ, BERNI
Unicaja
"It was a serious game and I think we were its fair winners. We have been getting better and further after some years and now we are in the Quarterfinals. This is beautiful. It was a great basketball game and party day for Malaga. We can say that, after a long road, we are a great team."
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