Lukoil Academic vs. BK Ventspils - ShowGame - Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL

Ave.		Ave.
88.6	Points	82.9
35.4	Rebounds	33.4
10.7	O. Rebounds	7.8
24.7	D. Rebounds	25.6
16.1	Assists	16.4
7.8	Steals	5.5
0.7	Blocks	3.2
13.7	Turnovers	15.2
56.3 %	2PT	55.4 %
38.3 %	3PT	40.5 %
72.4 %	FT	77.4 %
93.9	Index	87.4

Team Stats - Lukoil Academic

Team Stats - BK Ventspils

Player Stats

Ave.		Ave.
20.8 / Antic	Points	18.6 / BAXTER, JIMMY
8.8 / Antic	Rebounds	6.9 / AKINGBALA, AKIN
2.9 / Antic	OR	2.2 / AKINGBALA, AKIN
5.9 / Antic	DR	4.7 / AKINGBALA, AKIN
6.6 / DEANE, WILLIE	Assists	3.6 / GABRANS, R.
2.3 / DEANE, WILLIE	Steals	1.0 / GABRANS, R.
0.1 / DA ROSA, MURILO	Blocks	2.6 / AKINGBALA, AKIN
2.9 / Antic	Turnovers	2.3 / BAXTER, JIMMY
76.5 % / Banev	2PT	69.2 % / Strelnieks
58.8 % / CANAK, NENAD	3PT	54.8 % / BAXTER, JIMMY
92.9 % / Stoykov	FT	86.4 % / GABRANS, R.
22.5 / Antic	Index	18.5 / BAXTER, JIMMY

Team Roster - Lukoil Academic

Team Roster - BK Ventspils

THE TAKE

Lukoil Academic and BK Ventspils face off in a battle of 6-4 teams looking to extend solid seasons. Head coach Zeljko Lukajic's Lukoil finished the regular season strong with a victory over Pau-Orthez after losing against Benetton Treviso and at BC Kyiv. The Bulgarian team may have some advantage having already played a Latvian team in Group H, losing by 19 points at ASK Riga and winning by 16 at home. Lukajic's leader is power forward Pero Antic, who averaged 20.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists while playmaker Willie Deane had 19.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 2.3 steals - making the duo one of the best inside-outside tandems in the competition. Lukajic also has small forward Larry O'Bannon (11.8 ppg and 3.3 rpg) and center Murilo da Rosa (12.3 ppg and 5.9 rpg) making big contributions. And shooting guard Riste Stefanov proved he could play a huge role as an outside threat off the bench as he collected five games in double figures. Power forward Nenad Canak also had big games including 23 points against Artland Dragons and 15 against Benetton Tamoil All told, Lukajic's team shoots well from beyond the arc (38%) and holds its own on the glass. Head coach Gasper Okorn's Venspils meanwhile comes in having finished 4-1 at home and just 2-3 on the road. The Latvian side looks to start well away from home and critical to any success will be shooting guard Jimmy Baxter, who averaged 18.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists while hitting 55% of his three-pointers. Point guard Justin Love chipped in 13.1 points 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists off the bench while center Akin Akingbala was a third double-digit scorer with 12.0 points to go with 6.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks. Shooting guards Aigars Vitols and Raimonds Gabrans combined for 15.6 points, 5. 0 rebounds and 5.9 assists while power forward Uvis Helmanis has proved a serious three-point threat, hitting 44% from downtown while averaging 9.3 points. This game very well could come down to which team wins the rebound battle. Monday, February 18, 2008 ULEBCup.com

Lukoil Academic and BK Ventspils face off in a battle of 6-4 teams looking to extend solid seasons. Head coach Zeljko Lukajic's Lukoil finished the regular season strong with a victory over Pau-Orthez after losing against Benetton Treviso and at BC Kyiv. The Bulgarian team may have some advantage having already played a Latvian team in Group H, losing by 19 points at ASK Riga and winning by 16 at home. Lukajic's leader is power forward Pero Antic, who averaged 20.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists while playmaker Willie Deane had 19.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 2.3 steals - making the duo one of the best inside-outside tandems in the competition. Lukajic also has small forward Larry O'Bannon (11.8 ppg and 3.3 rpg) and center Murilo da Rosa (12.3 ppg and 5.9 rpg) making big contributions. And shooting guard Riste Stefanov proved he could play a huge role as an outside threat off the bench as he collected five games in double figures. Power forward Nenad Canak also had big games including 23 points against Artland Dragons and 15 against Benetton Tamoil All told, Lukajic's team shoots well from beyond the arc (38%) and holds its own on the glass. Head coach Gasper Okorn's Venspils meanwhile comes in having finished 4-1 at home and just 2-3 on the road. The Latvian side looks to start well away from home and critical to any success will be shooting guard Jimmy Baxter, who averaged 18.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists while hitting 55% of his three-pointers. Point guard Justin Love chipped in 13.1 points 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists off the bench while center Akin Akingbala was a third double-digit scorer with 12.0 points to go with 6.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks. Shooting guards Aigars Vitols and Raimonds Gabrans combined for 15.6 points, 5. 0 rebounds and 5.9 assists while power forward Uvis Helmanis has proved a serious three-point threat, hitting 44% from downtown while averaging 9.3 points. This game very well could come down to which team wins the rebound battle.

Monday, February 18, 2008

ULEBCup.com

Quotes Head Coaches

Players

Lukoil Academic took the first step to advancing out of the ULEB Cup Last 32 with a 67-64 victory at home over BK Ventspils with Pero Antic leading the way with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists. Lukoil's position would have been better going into next week's return contest in Latvia had it not allowed Ventspils to score the game's final 8 points. Nenad Canak added 13 points for Lukoil while Todor Stoykov chipped in 11 points and Haris Mujeznovic had a big fourth quarter to finish with 10 points. Lukoil's star playmaker Willie Deane was held to just 4 points with 4 assists and 7 turnovers. Jimmy Baxter paced Ventspils with 15 points, while Akin Akingbala collected 12 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks. Aigars Vitols chipped in 11 points and Justin Love had 10 points for the guests. Antic's three-pointer opened the scoring and Deane's basket made it 5-0. Uvis Helmanis knocked down a triple to get Ventspils on the board. Antic scored again and the lead grew to 11-3. But Helmanis hit from downtown again and back-to-back baskets by Akingbala made it 13-12. A Baxter three-point play evened the contest at 15-15 and Ventspils pulled ahead 15-17 on a Love score. Riste Stefanov's foul shot left it 16-17 after one period. Love started the second quarter with a three-pointer and the guests were ahead 16-24 after Jerry McNamara's score. Antic tallied 4 points as Lukoil fought back to within 25-26. Canak drained a three-ball and another basket to give the hosts the lead back, with Stoykov's bucket giving Lukoil a 34-31 lead, which Baxter cut to 34-33 at the break. Stefanov began the second half for Academic and two Canak baskets kept Lukoil ahead until Baxter knocked down a three-pointer to even things at 46-46. He then gave Ventspils a 46-48 lead. Canak converted a three-point play, but Akingbala pushed the guests back ahead. Another Baxter bucket helped Ventspils to a 52-55 lead going into the fourth. The final period opened with two Antic baskets and two scores by Mujeznovic, whose three-pointer finished a 9-0 start for Lukoil and a 61-55 lead. Love's free throw finally gave Ventspils a point in the fourth period, but Antic's foul shots and two Mujeznovic baskets made it 67-56. But Raimonds Gabrans answered with a three-pointer for the guests and 2 Helmanis foul shots tightened the game to 67-61. Deane and Mujeznovic would both miss 2 free throws in the final minute and Baxter's three-point play made it a 3-point game – 67-64 – in the waning seconds. Tuesday, February 19, 2008 ULEBcup.com

Lukoil Academic took the first step to advancing out of the ULEB Cup Last 32 with a 67-64 victory at home over BK Ventspils with Pero Antic leading the way with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists. Lukoil's position would have been better going into next week's return contest in Latvia had it not allowed Ventspils to score the game's final 8 points. Nenad Canak added 13 points for Lukoil while Todor Stoykov chipped in 11 points and Haris Mujeznovic had a big fourth quarter to finish with 10 points. Lukoil's star playmaker Willie Deane was held to just 4 points with 4 assists and 7 turnovers. Jimmy Baxter paced Ventspils with 15 points, while Akin Akingbala collected 12 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks. Aigars Vitols chipped in 11 points and Justin Love had 10 points for the guests.

Antic's three-pointer opened the scoring and Deane's basket made it 5-0. Uvis Helmanis knocked down a triple to get Ventspils on the board. Antic scored again and the lead grew to 11-3. But Helmanis hit from downtown again and back-to-back baskets by Akingbala made it 13-12. A Baxter three-point play evened the contest at 15-15 and Ventspils pulled ahead 15-17 on a Love score. Riste Stefanov's foul shot left it 16-17 after one period. Love started the second quarter with a three-pointer and the guests were ahead 16-24 after Jerry McNamara's score. Antic tallied 4 points as Lukoil fought back to within 25-26. Canak drained a three-ball and another basket to give the hosts the lead back, with Stoykov's bucket giving Lukoil a 34-31 lead, which Baxter cut to 34-33 at the break.

Stefanov began the second half for Academic and two Canak baskets kept Lukoil ahead until Baxter knocked down a three-pointer to even things at 46-46. He then gave Ventspils a 46-48 lead. Canak converted a three-point play, but Akingbala pushed the guests back ahead. Another Baxter bucket helped Ventspils to a 52-55 lead going into the fourth. The final period opened with two Antic baskets and two scores by Mujeznovic, whose three-pointer finished a 9-0 start for Lukoil and a 61-55 lead. Love's free throw finally gave Ventspils a point in the fourth period, but Antic's foul shots and two Mujeznovic baskets made it 67-56. But Raimonds Gabrans answered with a three-pointer for the guests and 2 Helmanis foul shots tightened the game to 67-61. Deane and Mujeznovic would both miss 2 free throws in the final minute and Baxter's three-point play made it a 3-point game – 67-64 – in the waning seconds.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

ULEBcup.com

Referees: ANKARALI, RECEP (TUR), VOJINOVIC, RADOMIR (MNE), BAKALIS, PANAGIOTIS (GRE)

Attendance: 3000

By Quarter	1	2	3	4
Lukoil Academic	16	18	18	15
BK Ventspils	17	16	22	9

End of Quarter	1	2	3	4
Lukoil Academic	16	34	52	67
BK Ventspils	17	33	55	64

Head coach: LUKAJIC, ZELJKO

Lukoil Academic
#	Player	Min	Pts	2FG M-A	3FG M-A	FT M-A	Rebounds			As	St	To	Bl		Fouls		PIR
#	Player	Min	Pts	2FG M-A	3FG M-A	FT M-A	O	D	T	As	St	To	Fv	Ag	Cm	Rv	PIR
4	DEANE, WILLIE	39:33	4	2/5	0/2	0/4		3	3	4	3	7			1	4	1
6	MUJEZINOVIC, HARIS	17:43	10	3/3	1/2	1/4		1	1		2	1			3	3	8
7	STEFANOV, RISTE	27:18	5	2/5		1/2		4	4	1				1	3	3	5
8	KOSTOV, CHAVDAR	10:47	2	0/3		2/2					1				4	2	-2
9	ZAFIROV, PETROSLAV	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
11	PHILLIPOV, DIMITAR	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
12	ANTIC, PERO	40:00	17	5/8	1/3	4/4	2	9	11	4		2	1	1	3	5	27
14	BANEV, TENCHO	8:00	4	2/3			2	2	4					1	2		4
15	STOYKOV, TODOR	21:23	11	4/5	0/2	3/4	1	1	2			1			1	3	10
20	HRISTOV, KALIN	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
21	CANAK, NENAD	14:17	13	4/5	1/4	2/3				1	3				2	1	11
22	O´BANNON, LARRY	20:59	1	0/3	0/2	1/2		7	7	2	1	1	1		3	1	3
	Team						5		5								5
	Totals	200:00	67	22/40	3/15	14/25	10	27	37	12	10	12	2	3	22	22	72
				55%	20%	56%

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: OKORN, GASPER

BK Ventspils
#	Player	Min	Pts	2FG M-A	3FG M-A	FT M-A	Rebounds			As	St	To	Bl		Fouls		PIR
#	Player	Min	Pts	2FG M-A	3FG M-A	FT M-A	O	D	T	As	St	To	Fv	Ag	Cm	Rv	PIR
4	VESELOVS, PAVELS	11:09	1	0/2		1/2	1	1	2			2			1	2	-1
5	VITOLS, AIGARS	21:07	11	4/4	1/2			1	1			1			3		7
7	GABRANS, RAIMONDS	23:33	3	0/1	1/2		1	1	2	2		1		1	3	1	1
8	AKINGBALA, AKIN	30:39	12	6/13		0/3	3	7	10	2	1	2	3		3	5	18
11	SKIRMANTS, MARTINS	9:21	2	0/1		2/2		2	2			2			2	1
12	LOVE, JUSTIN	21:45	10	2/2	1/4	3/4		3	3	3	2	3		1	5	5	10
13	McNAMARA, JERRY	12:40	2	1/1				1	1	1	3	3			2	1	3
22	BAXTER, JIMMY	34:38	15	5/12	1/5	2/2		5	5	2	1	1			2	6	15
30	ZAKIS, ROLANDS	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
32	STRELNIEKS, JANIS	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
33	VAIROGS, AKSELIS	6:17			0/1		1	1	2	1	1	1					2
35	HELMANIS, UVIS	28:51	8	0/1	2/3	2/2	1	4	5	1	1	1			1	1	12
	Team											1					-1
	Totals	200:00	64	18/37	6/17	10/15	7	26	33	12	9	18	3	2	22	22	66
				48.6%	35.3%	66.7%

This game is not yet played

Head Coaches

LUKAJIC, ZELJKO Lukoil Academic "First of all I would like to thank the fans in the sports hall, here in Sofia, for the great support. None of us believed that the game today would be an easy one. Ventspils is a team with great offensive power. Our main task today was to decrease their shooting to the minimum because they got pretty good shooters and they move and pass the ball fast. I can say that I was completely satisfied from our defense only in the second half of the fourth quarter when thanks to our aggressive presence on the defensive side, we managed to go up by 11 points. However, at that point we lost our concentration, we did not play according to the tactical requirements and we almost lost our lead. We definitely had to attack Ventspils more in the low post, where I believe they have some weaknesses and respectively we have an advantage. We’re having trouble with the lack of adequate substitution for Willie Deane, who no matter of his great ambition and desire to show his best, got tired at the end and wasn’t completely efficient. He is a great guy though, and I believe we are going to be able to get everything straight before the next game. Other than that we did not play organised offense and if we had a better percentage from the free-throw line, we would have ended the game with a bigger lead. Today we played only the first quarter of a game that is to be decided on the 26th in Ventspils."

LUKAJIC, ZELJKO

Lukoil Academic

"First of all I would like to thank the fans in the sports hall, here in Sofia, for the great support. None of us believed that the game today would be an easy one. Ventspils is a team with great offensive power. Our main task today was to decrease their shooting to the minimum because they got pretty good shooters and they move and pass the ball fast. I can say that I was completely satisfied from our defense only in the second half of the fourth quarter when thanks to our aggressive presence on the defensive side, we managed to go up by 11 points. However, at that point we lost our concentration, we did not play according to the tactical requirements and we almost lost our lead. We definitely had to attack Ventspils more in the low post, where I believe they have some weaknesses and respectively we have an advantage. We’re having trouble with the lack of adequate substitution for Willie Deane, who no matter of his great ambition and desire to show his best, got tired at the end and wasn’t completely efficient. He is a great guy though, and I believe we are going to be able to get everything straight before the next game. Other than that we did not play organised offense and if we had a better percentage from the free-throw line, we would have ended the game with a bigger lead. Today we played only the first quarter of a game that is to be decided on the 26th in Ventspils."

OKORN, GASPER BK Ventspils "I think that today we played only the first half and both teams showed pretty even capabilities. I believe nothing’s decided yet and the outcome of the eliminations is to be determined in the second game. I’m pretty pleased that we managed to stop them on offence, having in mind the fact that Lukoil is definitely an offensive team. An example of their offensive force is the game that they played against Benetton, when they scored 96 points, and the game against Pau when they were able to score 110. Scoring of this kind cannot simply come as a result of the current internal problems of the team that they played against. When they faced Riga, Lukoil were so aggressive offensively that they decided the game in three minutes. Our main concern before the game was Lukoil’s fast and aggressive offence and I believe we managed to handle it pretty well. Their shooting percentage was obviously not that good, and they didn’t score too much."

OKORN, GASPER

BK Ventspils

"I think that today we played only the first half and both teams showed pretty even capabilities. I believe nothing’s decided yet and the outcome of the eliminations is to be determined in the second game. I’m pretty pleased that we managed to stop them on offence, having in mind the fact that Lukoil is definitely an offensive team. An example of their offensive force is the game that they played against Benetton, when they scored 96 points, and the game against Pau when they were able to score 110. Scoring of this kind cannot simply come as a result of the current internal problems of the team that they played against. When they faced Riga, Lukoil were so aggressive offensively that they decided the game in three minutes. Our main concern before the game was Lukoil’s fast and aggressive offence and I believe we managed to handle it pretty well. Their shooting percentage was obviously not that good, and they didn’t score too much."

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