PGE Turow Zgorzelec shined in its first-ever ULEB Cup game by thrashing Dutch League champion EiffelTowers 80-65 at home in Group I on Tuesday night. Turow now leads the Group I standings in a three-way tie with Hapoel Migdal Jerusalem and Unics Kazan, while EiffelTowers needs to bounce back from this loss immediately to keep its elimination rounds hopes alive. Thomas Kelati paced the winners with 23 points on 5-of-6 two-pointers and 4-of-7 triples. Slobodan Ljubotina added 16 points, Marko Scekic had 14 in 13 minutes while David Logan got 13 for Turow. Darrell Tucker had 12 points for EiffelTowers while Brandon Kurtz added 10 for the guests, whose last lead came at 2-4. Skecic led a game-breaking 9-0 run that allowed Turow to get a 22-12 lead after 10 minutes. EiffelTowers tried to change the game momentum in the second quarter, but Turow still managed to extend its lead to 45-32 at halftime. Kelati and Logan took over in the third quarter, as Turow boosted its margin to 63-42 after 30 minutes and never looked back.
Kurtz had a strong start, allowing the EiffelTowers to get an early lead at 2-4. It didn't last long, however, as Ljubotina had 5 points in a 7-0 run that gave Turow a 9-4 edge. Kurtz did not find much help around, while an outstanding Skecic had 7 points in a game-breaking 9-0 run that boosted Turow's margin to double digits for the first time, 20-10.  Kees Akerboom and Kelati fixed the score at 22-12 after 10 minutes. Thomas Kelati buried a triple while Marko Skecic added a jumper for a 27-14 Turow lead early in the second quarter. Greg Stevenson stepped up with consecutive baskets, but once again Kelati and Skecic answered to make Turow keep full control of the game, 32-18. Oliver followed a triple with free throws and Kurtz added another basket, but only brought EiffelTowers within 34-25. Three-pointers by Robert Witka and Kelati made Turow regain its momentum, as a final basket by Harding Nana boosted the hosts' edge to 45-32 at halftime. EiffelTowers needed a quick comeback to get back in the game, but it just didn't happen, as Turow limited its opponents to just 2 points in the opening 5 minutes of the second quarter. Meanwhile, an unstoppable Ljubotina helped Turow to extend its margin to 51-34 after 26 minutes. Young finally hit a triple for EiffelTowers but Kelati and Logan combined for all points in a 12-2 run that broke the game for good, 63-39, late in the third quarter. Tucker scored from downtown to get EiffelTowers within 63-42 after 30 minutes. Both teams only fought for points differential now but Kelati kept pacing his team, 70-49. Stevenson tried to change things, but it happened to be too little, too late for EiffelTowers. Turow soon boosted its margin to 77-52 and cruised to its first-ever ULEB Cup win.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
ULEBCup.com
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