By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Errick McCollum scored a new EuroCup career-high 33 points as Lokomotiv Kuban defeated Partizan Belgrade 101 – 94 in a clash between two contenders of the competition.
McCollum dropped 11 of his points in the fourth period to help Loko preserve a lead while Partizan was pushing to get ahead. The Serbian side got at a shooting distance multiple times in the final quarter but never dropped the deficit below two points.
Stanton Kidd (16 points) secured the Loko’s win with back-to-back 3-pointers for the 99 – 88 with one minute to play.
Gregor Glas had 20 points and Zach LeDay scored 19 for Partizan.
Lokomotiv Kuban, Partizan Belgrade and Joventut Badalona are now tied at 6-2 in the first place of Group A. The latter prevailed over Slask Wroclaw 87 – 73 on the road behind 29 points by Vladimir Brondziasky.
Caleb Homesley dropped 27 points to lead Hamburg Towers to a 99 – 90 away win over Dolomiti Energia Trento. The German team now has two wins in a row and becomes another player to consider in the pursuit for a spot in the Top 16.
Group A Standings via EuroCup Basketball:
| Group A | W | L | PTS+ | PTS- | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Joventut Badalona | 6 | 2 | 642 | 550 | 92 |
| 2. Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar | 6 | 2 | 740 | 696 | 44 |
| 3. Partizan NIS Belgrade | 6 | 2 | 661 | 617 | 44 |
| 4. MoraBanc Andorra | 5 | 3 | 658 | 639 | 19 |
| 5. Turk Telekom Ankara | 5 | 3 | 592 | 612 | -20 |
| 6. Boulogne Metropolitans 92 | 4 | 4 | 649 | 668 | -19 |
| 7. Lietkabelis Panevezys | 3 | 5 | 627 | 612 | 15 |
| 8. Hamburg Towers | 3 | 5 | 698 | 725 | -27 |
| 9. Slask Wroclaw | 1 | 7 | 585 | 645 | -60 |
| 10. Dolomiti Energia Trento | 1 | 7 | 594 | 682 | -88 |
Photo: EuroCup Basketball