Mission accomplished: Petkimspor sunk. Unahotels breaks into the quarter-finals

UNAHOTELS 77 PETKIMSPOR 70

UNAHOTELS: Barford 15, Winston 14, Faye 4, Gombauld 2, Smith 12, Uglietti 1, Vitali 6, Faried 6, Grant 7, Chillo, Cheatham 10. Ne: Gallo. All.: Priftis. PETKIMSPOR: Dotson 9, Van Beck 14, Russell 3, Williams 7, Tyree 11, Sav 4, Gultekin1, Aldridge 5, Echenique 16. Ne: Efeoglu, Senkahya and Cevahir. All.: Goren.

Referees: Ademir Zurapovic (Bos), Petar Pesic (Srb), Juozas Barkauskas (Lit) Partial: 21-16, 41-40, 63-54. Footnotes: spectators: 2414; 3-pointers: Unahotels 9/25, Petkim 10/27; free throws: Reggio Emilia 14/16, Smirne 16/25. Rebounds: 37-38.

Mission accomplished. Pallacanestro Reggiana returns to the elite of european basketball overcoming with authority the Turks of Petkimspor and reaching the quarter-finals of Bcl. In which they will face one of Unicaja Malaga, Aek Athens, already winners in their groups, and the first classified of group L (Nymburk favorite unless it loses to Murcia of 22), whose verdict will be known tonight. The draw is scheduled for the weekend. By regulation the red and whites will avoid the feared Tenerife, which dominated the group where Vitali and his teammates finished in second place. To hit which, last night, Unahotels played with great determination.

The success of the Reggio Emilia team had a protagonist for each quarter. A surprising Grant in the first, full of initiative and intensity, followed by a very concrete Smith in the second, who lived up to his nickname, the "surgeon", for quality and timing in scoring. In the second half of the contest, the charge was sounded first by the baskets of Cheatham and then Barford, who closed the contest in the last 10', with precision from long distance and a couple of fundamental baskets combining physique and talent. On this occasion, the management of the rotations of Priftis was also very good, who controlled the remaining energy of the team with one eye on the score and one on the overall solidity.

The first quarter of the red and whites combines confusion in attack with defensive uncertainties. However, Petkim does not take advantage of this and a tonic Grant gives a winning end to the fraction. In the second period the Turks make their athleticism felt, in particular with Echenique. In the Reggio Emilia home team, the talent of Smith responds. Different technical contexts, similar effectiveness, and so at the long interval we arrive with Unahotels still ahead, albeit by a hair's breadth. Upon returning to the parquet the red and whites try to escape with a 10-0 break, favored by a good defensive intensity and a series of horrifying opponent attacks. The break brings the +11 of the 4th minute (51-40). However, Reggio is unable to give the further blow that would be needed, Smirne responds with the power of Williams and greater offensive clarity, coming back. Before another flash of an excellent Smith does not re-establish the distances. The last quarter starts with the score at 63-54, Priftis' troops maintain the inertia, pushed by Barford they reach the maximum advantage at 6' (+15) and firmly take control of the contest.