Last 16 Game 5 - March 02, 2010 CET: 20:15 Local time: 20:15 - Bizkaia Arena/BEC

Records

Ave.   Ave.
0-0 Final 0-0
0-0 Quarter Final 0-0
4-0 Last 16 0-4
6-0 Regular Season 4-2
10-0 Overall 4-6

Referees

Crew Chief
LOPES, LUIS, Portugal
Referee
OZOLS, ARNIS, Latvia
Umpire
KALPAKAS, APOSTOLOS, Sweden

Team Stats

Ave.   Ave.
81.9 Points 78.6
30.3 Rebounds 30.2
8.6 O. Rebounds 8.9
21.7 D. Rebounds 21.3
15.4 Assists 12.8
7.9 Steals 9.3
1.9 Blocks 1.2
13.6 Turnovers 12.9
62.2 % 2PT 51.7 %
37.8 % 3PT 37.3 %
78.6 % FT 71.1 %
95.3 Index 78.9

Player Stats

Ave.   Ave.
14.0 / Banic Points 19.6 / NEAL, GARY
4.2 / Banic Rebounds 6.0 / Wallace
1.3 / Markota OR 2.0 / Wallace
3.3 / Banic DR 4.0 / Wallace
3.2 / SALGADO, JAVIER Assists 3.3 / Kus
1.2 / Seibutis Steals 2.0 / NEAL, GARY
1.1 / MOISO, JEROME Blocks 0.6 / NICEVIC, SANDRO
1.7 / Markota Turnovers 2.3 / Wallace
75.0 % / Markota 2PT 62.3 % / Wallace
100.0 % / MOISO, JEROME 3PT 100.0 % / SANDRI, DANIELE
100.0 % / SALGADO, JAVIER FT 100.0 % / HUKIC, JASMIN
14.9 / Banic Index 18.6 / NEAL, GARY

THE TAKE

Two teams with two different goals in Last 16 Group K are ready to battle each other in the Basque Country, Spain on Tuesday night, as Bizkaia Bilbao Basket hosts Benetton Gioco Digitale at 20:15 CET. Bilbao is the only undefeated team left in the competition - and also the only one that already sealed its ticket to the next round. Bilbao will clinch first place and get the home court advantage in the two-way Quarterfinals if it wins and Brose Baskets (1-3) beats Panellinios (3-1). Meanwhile, Benetton is still looking for its first win and is mathematically out of chances to advance to the Quarterfinals. Benetton, however, lost all its Last 16 games by no more than 10 points, so it is ready to put out a good battle in Bilbao. Even without injured big man Andrea Renzi, Benetton relies on a experienced, versatile frontcourt. CJ Wallace is ready to rebound at both ends, Sandro Nicevic offers post skills, mid-range shots and know-how, Donatas Motiejunas is displaying his talent, determination and aggressivity while versatile forward Jasmin Hukic can help the team in many ways. Wallace is ready for a physical test against Jerome Moiso, who is seeing extended playing time since head coach Fotis Katsikaris arrived in Bilbao. Nicevic will have the tough mission to guard All-Eurocup big man Marko Banic, as both players know each other very well from the Croatian national team. Motiejunas hopes to show his rebounding skills against a specialist like Axel Hervelle. Damir Markota can open the floor for Bilbao with his mobility and shots from downtown. Bilbao must be ready to stop Benetton's shooting stars Gary Neal and KC Rivers. Neal, an all-Eurocup second team selection last season, has scored in double digits in every Eurocup game this season, and offers unlimited range and one-on-one skills. Hukic will see playing time at small forward and coach Jasmin Repesa will likely use twin point guard with Davor Kus and either Daniel Hackett or Andrea De Nicolao. Neal will face a hard-nosed defender like Janis Blums, even when he may also see playing time against Ronnie Seibutis. Meanwhile, Rivers has the tough mission to stop an all-around player like Chris Warren. Bilbao is really deep at point guard, as Javi Rodriguez offers court sense and defense while Javi Salgado can change any game with his clutch shooting, creativity and inspiration. Bilbao must be its usual self in defense and get Banic and Hervelle involved to get Wallace or Nicevic into foul trouble. Benetton must run its offense through Kus and Neal and lock the defensive board. Expect a big battle at Bizkaia Arena on Tuesday.

REFEREES: Luis Lopes, Arnis Ozols, Apostolos Kalpakas
Monday, March 01, 2010
Eurocupbasketball.com

Quotes Head Coaches

KATSIKARIS, FOTIOS
Bizkaia Bilbao B
"It is a critical game for us because our goal is to finish first in this group in order to play the second leg of the Quarterfinals in Bilbao. It would be prestigious for the club, so we must be focused in these two games before the next round. A big team like Benetton will not come to Bilbao on holiday. It is important for them to play well in Bilbao to use that momentum in the Italian League, where they won their last two games and got into playoff territory."

Players

Sandro Nicevic - Benetton BasketBenetton Gioco Digitale registered its first win in Last 16 Group K and set a do-or-die battle for first place next week by edging previously undefeated Bizkaia Bilbao Basket 68-72 on the road on Tuesday. Benetton improved to 1-4 but had already ran out of chances to reach the Quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Bilbao dropped to 4-1 and lost the chance to clinch first place in Group K. Bilbao, that was already qualified before the game, can afford a 20-point loss against Panellinios next week and still finish first. Sandro Nicevic led the winners with 14 points. Daniel Hackett added 12, Davor Kus and KC Rivers each added 11 while Jasmin Hukic had 10 for Benetton. Marko Banic had 14 points for Bilbao while Chris Warren added 11. Kus and Hackett shined early in the game and back-to-back jumpers by Nicevic gave Benetton a 15-18 lead after 10 minutes. Janis Blums led a 12-0 run that gave Bilbao its biggest lead of the night, 46-36, right after the break. Nicevic and Hukic fueled the guests' comeback and a three-point play by Donatas Motiejunas gave Benetton a 55-58 edge. A three-pointer by Warren tied it at 65-65, but free throws by Nicevic, a big triple by Hukic and a game-deciding jumper by Rivers sealed the outcome down the stretch.

Warren got Bilbao going with a three-pointer but he didn't find much help around in the opening minutes. Hackett answered from downtown and Motiejunas soon gave Benetton its first lead, 3-5. Hackett kept pacing Benetton with a layup and Motiejunas scored again to cap a 0-9 Benetton run. Bilbao went scoreless for 4 minutes, missing 4 shots and committing 3 turnovers until Axel Hervelle and Jerome Moiso stepped up with consecutive baskets. Kus silenced the crowd with a three-pointer and a layup by Rivers gave Benetton a seven-point lead, 7-14. Warren and Blums tried to change things with consecutive triples but back-to-back jumpers by Nicevic kept Benetton ahead at 13-18. Free throws by Warren brought Bilbao within 15-18 after 10 minutes. Banic found his first points early in the second quarter and a three-pointer by Javi Salgado completed the hosts' comeback, 20-18, after a 7-0 run. Banic followed a put-back layup with his trademark mid-range jumper but Rivers kept the guests as close as 24-22. Salgado downed his second triple and a layup by Ronnie Seibutis sent the crowd to their feet at 29-22. Kus stepped up with a jumper, igniting a 0-9 run in which Rivers and Andrea De Nicolao struck from downtown to put Benetton back ahead at 29-31. Seibutis joined the three-point shootout and soon added free throws to give Bilbao some fresh air at 34-31. A layup by Rivers fixed the halftime score at 34-33.

Motiejunas split free throws immediately after the break and a jumper by CJ Wallace restored a 34-36 Benetton edge. Bilbao had dramatically improved its defense and Benetton could not find open shots now. Meanwhile, a three-point play by Javi Rodriguez and free throws by Banic provided another lead change, 39-36. Banic kept pacing Bilbao with a layup and Blums struck from downtown in a 12-0 run that Rodriguez capped with free throws to give his team its first double-digit lead, 46-36. Benetton found a go-to guy in Kus, who followed free throws with a three-pointer. Hackett soon added a layup in a 0-9 run that Nicevic capped with an easy basket, good for a 46-45 Benetton deficit. Hervelle stepped up with a three-point play and Moiso added a layup but Nicevic and a three-pointer by Hukic tied it at 51-51. Moiso and Hackett traded jumpers for a 53-53 tie after 30 minutes. Hackett scored again early in the fourth quarter and a three-point play by Motiejunas gave Benetton a 55-58 edge. Benetton excelled in defense early in the fourth quarter and a jumper by Nicevic kept the guests ahead, 56-60. Banic rescued Bilbao with a layup that Hukic erased with a jumper. Alex Mumbru hit free throws and Banic scored again to get the hosts within 62-63 with under 3 minutes left. Nicevic sank a jumper but Warren answered from downtown to tie it at 65-65. Nicevic stayed on fire with free throws and a big triple by Hukic sealed the outcome, 65-70, already in the final minute. Blums answered from downtown but a jumper by Rivers allowed Benetton to seal the win in style.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Eurocupbasketball.com
Referees: LOPES, LUIS (POR), OZOLS, ARNIS (LAT), KALPAKAS, APOSTOLOS (SWE)
Attendance: 6659
By Quarter1234
Bizkaia Bilbao B15191915
Benetton Basket18152019
End of Quarter1234
Bizkaia Bilbao B15345368
Benetton Basket18335372
Head coach: KATSIKARIS, FOTIOS
Bizkaia Bilbao B
# 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 WARREN, CHRIS 27:41 11 0/1 3/7 2/2   1 1 1 1 2     1 1 7
5 MOISO, JEROME 11:18 6 3/5     1 2 3     1     1   5
6 RODRIGUEZ, JAVI 15:14 5 1/1   3/3       4 2 3     2 5 11
7 HAMPL, TOMAS DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
9 VAZQUEZ, PACO DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
10 SEIBUTIS, RENALDAS 16:35 7 1/3 1/2 2/2 1 1 2 1         4 3 6
11 MARKOTA, DAMIR 5:57     0/1     2 2 1         1   1
13 BANIC, MARKO 28:42 14 6/8 0/1 2/2 1 3 4   1 3   1 3 4 13
14 SALGADO, JAVI 24:46 6 0/2 2/4         3   3   1 2 3 2
15 MUMBRU, ALEX 18:52 2   0/1 2/2   2 2 4 1 2     3 1 4
17 HERVELLE, AXEL 34:03 8 3/5 0/3 2/3 2 2 4 2 3 2 2   1 4 14
45 BLUMS, JANIS 16:52 9   3/5         1   2     3 1 4
Team           2 2 4     1         3
Totals 200:00 68 14/25 9/24 13/14 7 15 22 17 8 19 2 2 21 22 70
56% 37.5% 92.9%
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: REPESA, JASMIN
Benetton Basket
# 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 DE NICOLAO, ANDREA 16:59 3 0/1 1/3           1 1 1   3 1 -1
5 KUS, DAVOR 38:40 11 1/3 2/4 3/4 1 1 2 4   6     3 4 7
6 FABI, AGUSTIN DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
7 HUKIC, JASMIN 20:17 10 2/2 2/3     1 1 1   1 1   4   7
9 RIVERS, KELVIN 29:18 11 4/7 1/3     2 2 3 1 3     3 1 7
10 NICEVIC, SANDRO 24:36 14 6/9   2/2 1 4 5 1 1       1 3 20
11 MOTIEJUNAS, DONATAS 22:25 9 3/5   3/6 1 4 5   1     1 1 7 15
12 SANDRI, DANIELE DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
13 HACKETT, DANIEL 18:12 12 4/4 1/2 1/3   1 1 1 1 2     5 5 10
14 NEAL, GARY DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
18 WALLACE, C.J. 29:33 2 1/2     1 2 3 3 1 1   1 2   4
Team           1 3 4     2         2
Totals 200:00 72 21/33 7/15 9/15 5 18 23 13 6 16 2 2 22 21 71
63.6% 46.7% 60%
This game is not yet played

Head Coaches

KATSIKARIS, FOTIOS
Bizkaia Bilbao B
"This game was a mental test for my team. We needed to recover, psychologically speaking, barely 50 hours after finishing a very important game in the Spanish League. We were not able to control some of the details in this game and that led us to lose it. Benetton did not deserve to be winless, but it was us losing the game, not them winning it. We could have taken better decisions and played more calmly. We have to carry on, learn from this game and be more clever. We have not paid any price for this loss in terms of the standings, but I will go home a bit angry. We have to analyze the mistakes we made."
REPESA, JASMIN
Benetton Basket
"The game had no importance in terms of the final score and a big part of this win was built through the psychological aspect of the game. We wanted to win our last two Eurocup games to show our characters and also to believe in what we are working for."
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