Regular Season Game 3 - November 05, 2008 CET: 19:45 Local time: 19:45 - OLIVIA SPORT HALL

Records

Ave.   Ave.
0-0 Final Four 0-0
0-0 Playoffs 0-0
0-0 Top 16 0-0
1-1 Regular Season 0-2
1-1 Overall 0-2

Referees

Crew Chief
GARCIA GONZALEZ, JUAN CARLOS, Spain
Referee
PILOIDIS, ANASTASIOS, Greece
Umpire
JURAS, MARKO, Serbia

Team Stats

Ave.   Ave.
81.0 Points 59.0
38.5 Rebounds 38.5
12.5 O. Rebounds 14.0
26.0 D. Rebounds 24.5
14.5 Assists 11.5
7.5 Steals 5.0
2.5 Blocks 2.0
9.0 Turnovers 22.0
51.3 % 2PT 47.3 %
42.0 % 3PT 24.3 %
63.0 % FT 48.8 %
85.5 Index 51.0

Player Stats

Ave.   Ave.
21.5 / Logan Points 16.0 / WOODS, LOREN
7.5 / BURRELL, RONNIE Rebounds 12.0 / WOODS, LOREN
3.0 / BURRELL, RONNIE OR 4.5 / WOODS, LOREN
4.5 / BURRELL, RONNIE DR 7.5 / WOODS, LOREN
4.0 / Logan Assists 2.0 / Salenga
2.0 / Logan Steals 1.0 / Klimavicius
1.0 / BURRELL, RONNIE Blocks 1.0 / Maciulis
2.0 / BURKE, PAT Turnovers 3.5 / DEANE, WILLIE
100.0 % / Szczotka 2PT 80.0 % / Janavicius
66.7 % / BURRELL, RONNIE 3PT 66.7 % / Jankunas
100.0 % / Dylewicz FT 100.0 % / Jankunas
20.0 / Logan Index 25.0 / WOODS, LOREN

THE TAKE

A pair of national champions from neighboring countries will clash in a crucial Group B battle on Wednesday when Asseco Prokom Sopot hosts Zalgiris Kaunas. The Polish champs are coming off a big home win over SLUC Nancy, led by Dan Ewing’s 32 points, which improved its record to 1-1. Zalgiris meanwhile slipped to 0-2 with a 26-point loss to Montepaschi. Zalgiris led at halftime, but scored only 24 points in the entire second half as the game slipped away. Making matters worse for the Lithuanian champs, they will compete in Sopot without starting point guard Willie Deane, who suffered a broken nose in last week’s contest. Head coach Gintaras Krapikas will look to a trio of young guard to lead his team this week. Teenager Zygimantas Janavicius and Mantas Kalnietis figure to start with Rolandas Alijevas, who made his Euroleague debut last week, serving as their prime backup. They must improve the standard of play, since Zalgiris ranks last in the Euroleague with just 10 steals and it has committed 44 turnovers – more than any other team. Small forward Dainius Salenga may also help out a bit as Zalgiris aims to keep up with Prokom’s dynamic backcourt of Ewing and David Logan – the highest scoring duo in the Euroleague at a combined 40 points per game. Their efficiency has been supreme, as Prokom no team has committed fewer than Prokom’s 18 turnovers this season. Do-it-all forward Ronnie Burrell and veteran center Pat Burke provide points inside, while Koko Archibong and reserve forward Filip Dylewicz balance the squad with their athleticism and defense. Zalgiris may look to pound the ball inside as much as possible to make the most use of Loren Woods and Paulius Jankunas, the team’s only two scorers in double figures last week. Tomas Masiulis, who spent the past six seasons with Prokom, could be a key figure off the bench for Zalgiris, as could veteran center Eurelijus Zukauskas if Ratko Varda’s shoulder keeps him sidelined. Thus far, the big men, led by Woods, have been successful on the glass, but have also struggled from the line, converting a Euroleague-low 48.8% from the free-throw line. As the second-lowest scoring team so far (59 ppg.), Zalgiris will need to extend itself, keep turnovers at a minimum and press the Prokom backcourt to have a chance at the hosts’ high-scoring attack (81 ppg.). Still, with the Polish champs having seen their confidence rise while winning four in a row at home, Prokom is the clear favorite to improve to 2-1.

GAME QUOTES

Asseco Prokom
  • Guard David Logan has played all 40 minutes in both of his team’s games so far.
  • Guard Daniel Ewing's 32 points in Week 2 were the most in Euroleague history for a player who attempted no free throws in a game.
  • If the club wins its Week 3 game against Zalgiris, it will mark the first time the club has had a winning record in the Euroleague since starting the 2005-06 season with a 2-1 record.
Zalgiris
  • Forward Tomas Masiulis returns to face his former team this week. Masiulis spent six seasons with Prokom, in which he won five Polish championships and two Polish Cups. He also played in 65 Euroleague games over four campaigns with the club.
  • Zalgiris swept its Week 3 opponent, Asseco Prokom, in two regular season games last season. They were the first two meetings ever between the clubs.
  • Center Loren Woods enters his team’s Week 3 game averaging 12 rebounds per game, the most in the Euroleague so far this season.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Euroleague.net

Quotes Head Coaches

PACESAS, TOMAS
Asseco Prokom
"It's one of the most important games in our group. for us, for sure. If we want to qualify for the Top 16, we're supposed to win this kind of game at home. We know that. Zalgiris is in trouble with a couple players injured, but we can't care about that. We have to be focused on the game, and know that their young Lithuanian players are ambitious and athletic and know how to play basketball. We're really focused on this game because it's very important. It's only a 10-game regular season now and we have the three big teams in our group to play - Barcelona, Panathinaikos and Siena. For sure we will play hard and try to beat them, too, but it will be much, much harder against them than against Zalgiris or Nancy, so we need to use this chance. It's just 10 games and six teams, so all games are important. We are healthy, not injured and, since we played home last weekend in the domestic league, I gave David Logan and Pat Burke the day off to rest. Everybody should be ready."
KRAPIKAS, GINTARAS
Zalgiris
"One might say that Prokom has a lower budget this season but, in fact, they just got better. Two very good players arrived from Khimki. They also added a top notch player like David Logan to their roster. He is in good shape right now and was able play without substitution in both Euroleague games. Despite the fact that their offseason roster formation took some extra time, they look really great. I think my players know the situation in our group and understand that Prokom is our main contender for the fourth place in group. However, our game is still swinging and every team is big challenge for us."

Players

BURKE, PAT
Asseco Prokom
"Our team is a young team, very athletic, and that's a strength we have to use. With my experience level - I'm playing my 11th year now - us being a young team gets me a little nervous, but if it's all focused and moving in the right direction, this team could surprise a lot of people who might think that with Panathinaikos and Barcelona in our group, we'll have it very tough. Hopefully, we'll show that we can play against those types of teams. In this game coming up against Zalgiris, it's just a matter of wanting to go to the next level and the next stage. We have to fight very hard in our own place and take care of all our home games. Zalgiris comes here as a tough team, with big guys who took something like 20 offensive rebounds against Panathinaikos. That's something we have to focus on and try to stop. We need to put all our energy in the right spots."
MACIULIS, JONAS
Zalgiris
"Prokom had a great game last week and it seems they are in a good shape. They are playing at home and we consider them as a very strong team. We watched a few Prokom games and it's obvious that they play smoothly and understand each other very well. They have two very strong players in David Logan and Daniel Ewing. We have to isolate them and limit their ability to run plays or shoot. If we do that, we can expect a success. Another thing that we have to fix is our physical condition. If we manage to keep playing on the same pace until the buzzer, we can beat anyone."
Ronnie Burrell - Asseco Prokom A huge second half from Dan Ewing sparked Asseco Prokom to a 65-61 win over Zalgiris Kaunas on Wednesday evening. After a scoreless first half, Ewing drilled 5 triples in the second en route to 19 points to lead his team to its second straight win in Group B. Prokom trailed by 3 at halftime, but Ewing teamed with Pat Burke to score all the points as the Polish champs opened the third quarter on a 12-0 tear. However Zalgiris didn’t quit and came back to make a game of it. The start of the fourth quarter featured three lead changes and four ties, but again it was Ewing that put Prokom ahead and Zalgiris, which shot a woeful 8 for 19 from the line and committed 21 turnovers, did not have enough left in the end to come back once more. David Logan added 14 points and Ronnie Burrell had 11 and 9 rebounds for the winners. Dainius Salenga led the Lithuanian champs with 17, Jonas Maciulis posted 15 points and 11 rebounds and rookie Zygimantas Janavicius scored 10 in defeat.

Paulius Jankunas scored the game’s first points for Zalgiris before Burrell got the hosts on the board from the line. Burrell and Woods were taking the game inside for their respective teams. Burrell put Prokom up 7-5, but Zalgiris answered with a basket from Jankunas, a Mantas Kalnietis slam and a Salenga three-point play for a 7-12 lead. Pat Burke answered for the hosts and Aleksej Nesovic added a free throw to cap a low-scoring opening period at 10-12.

Dainius Salenga - Zalgiris Nesovic's three-pointer returned the lead to Prokom to open the second quarter, while layups by Filip Dylewics and Logan kept the run going until Burke dunked for a 19-12 advantage after a 9-0 run. Salenga calmed Zalgirs with a big triple to which Maciulis added a layup on a nice spin move. Maciulus came back with a fastbreak triple to get the visitors within a point and repeated his shot from the arc a couple plays later to launch Zalgiris ahead on the scoreboard, 23-25. The Prokom defense broke down as Janavicius went coast-to-coast untouched, while Zalgiris settled into a zone that stalled the hosts. Logan finally broke through for a layup but missed the free throw that came with it, while Loren Woods hit 1 of his 2 foul shots to preserve a 25-28 advantage for Zalgiris at the half.

Ewing finally got on the scoreboard with a triple as the second half got underway. Burke made his presence felt on the offensive glass with follow-up baskets on consecutive possessions to help Prokom establish control. Zalgiris head coach Gintaras Krapikas called for a timeout, but it didn’t change much as Ewing hit another three and Burke cut through the visitors’ defense for a layup that capped a 12-0 run to start the period. Janavicius hit a three to end the Zalgiris drought and Woods added a long jumper as Zalgiris stayed within 37-33. Logan finished a fast break with a slam, but Zalgiris had regained its footing by now as triples by Salenga and Maciulis closed the gap to 2 and Woods tied it at 41-41 from the line. Filip Dylewicz restored Prokom’s slim lead, but another Janavicius triple put the guests on top before a Nesovic free throw made it 44-44 heading into the deciding period.

A Nesovic jumper was matched by a Salenga layup as the score remained knotted. Logan’s layup was followed by one from Kalnietis as neither team could pull away. Maciulis put the visitors ahead with a triple only for Ewing to drill one at the opposite end. Maciulis drew a foul, but missed twice from the line, while at the other end Ewing heated up with a basket and a three that put the Polish champs up 60-53. Zalgiris used another timeout after which Janavicius was fouled. However he missed twice. Jankunas grabbed the rebound and drew a foul, but he only made 1. Prokom kept Zalgiris alive by missing a number of wide-open shots and Salenga gave the visitors hope with a long jumper that made it 62-57. But Ewing's fifth three-pointer of the game with two minutes to go gave Prokom an 8-point lead. Salenga added one last three with 35 seconds left, but there would not be a happy ending for the visitors as prokom ran out the clock and celebrated the win.   
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Euroleague.net
Referees: GARCIA GONZALEZ, JUAN CARLOS (ESP), PILOIDIS, ANASTASIOS (GRE), JURAS, MARKO (SRB)
Attendance: 2200
By Quarter1234
Asseco Prokom10151921
Zalgiris12161616
End of Quarter1234
Asseco Prokom10254465
Zalgiris12284460
Head coach: PACESAS, TOMAS
Asseco Prokom
# 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
7 ARCHIBONG, KOKO 21:19   0/3 0/1   1 1 2 2   2   1 3   -6
8 DYLEWICZ, FILIP 20:25 4 2/4 0/1   1 5 6   2 1     4   4
10 NESOVIC, ALEKSEJ 23:04 9 1/2 1/4 4/6 2 2 4 4 3 1     3 4 14
12 LOGAN, DAVID 33:10 14 7/14 0/4 0/1   3 3 1 3 6     2 1 2
15 SWIETONSKI, TOMASZ DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
16 LAPETA, ADAM DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
17 ZAMOJSKI, PRZEMYSLAW DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
20 SZCZOTKA, PIOTR 7:30                 1         1 2
30 BURRELL, RONNIE 28:58 11 4/7 0/1 3/5 6 3 9 3 1 2 1   3 5 19
31 BURKE, PAT 24:30 8 4/6 0/1   4 1 5     1     3   6
32 EWING, DANIEL 34:57 19 2/8 5/8     6 6 1 1 3   1 2 6 18
34 HRYCANIUK, ADAM 6:07   0/1     1 2 3     1       1 2
Team             1 1   1           2
Totals 200:00 65 20/45 6/20 7/12 15 24 39 11 12 17 1 2 20 18 63
44.4% 30% 58.3%
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: KRAPIKAS, GINTARAS
Zalgiris
# 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
7 WOODS, LOREN 33:44 9 2/5   5/8 1 3 4 1 1 4 2   2 5 10
8 MACIULIS, JONAS 38:19 15 1/5 4/7 1/4 3 8 11   1 2     3 4 16
9 KALNIETIS, MANTAS 21:19 4 2/4 0/2     2 2 2 1 5     2   -2
10 JANAVICIUS, ZYGIMANTAS 31:26 10 2/4 2/2 0/2 1 3 4 2 1 3   1 3 3 9
11 ZUKAUSKAS, EURELIJUS 1:56                              
12 KLIMAVICIUS, TADAS 4:51                   1     1   -2
13 JANKUNAS, PAULIUS 33:00 5 2/7 0/2 1/2 1 6 7 3 3 2     2 3 9
15 MASIULIS, TOMAS 6:29           1 1 2 1       2   2
20 SALENGA, DAINIUS 23:13 17 5/7 2/5 1/3 1 1 2   2       2 5 17
33 ALIJEVAS, ROLANDAS 5:43                 1 4     1   -4
Team                                
Totals 200:00 60 14/32 8/18 8/19 7 24 31 10 11 21 2 1 18 20 55
43.8% 44.4% 42.1%
This game is not yet played

Head Coaches

PACESAS, TOMAS
Asseco Prokom
"For the second Euroleague game in a row, our first half was quite bad for us. I can't find the reason, but I will try to solve the problem. I am really happy with this win because it put us in a quite comfortable situation and opens the way to the Top 16."
KRAPIKAS, GINTARAS
Zalgiris
"We knew how to play against Asseco Prokom, but it is impossible to win a Euroleague game when you miss 11 free throws and committ more than 20 turnovers. Our situation is difficult, but we still hope that the end of regular seazon will be a better time for us. We lost to Asseco Prokom by only 5 points, so we will try to overcome that difference when we meet again in Kaunas."
No pictures yet
There is no video yet
Poland: CANAL+ SPORT HD
Internet: EUROLEAGUE.TV
Lithuania: TV3