By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Entering the game with 11 wins and a locked spot in the BKT EuroCup postseason, Hapoel Jerusalem couldn’t stop the London Lions from the same achievement.
The Lions got the 100-96 win behind 17 points by newcomer David Nwaba, a double-double by Gabe Olaseni (12 p. 10 r.), and the duo of Luke Nelson and Conor Morgan scoring 15 points each.
On the other side, Xavier Mumford scored 24 points, but Hapoel was trailing throughout the game, just trimming the final point difference. London got a 28-19 first-quarter headstart, they had a 14-point advantage at halftime (58-44) and despite Hapoel’s reaction in the second half, they prevailed without even being tied once after the second minute of the game.
Still, Hapoel remains second in Group A standings with an 11-3 record, while the Lions are third a 10-4.
In the other game of the night, Wolves Vilnius edged already eliminated and winless Cedevita Olimpija (91-89). Rasheed Sulaimon with 23 points made the winning shot, 41 seconds before the final buzzer and nobody could score after that.
Tre’shawn Thurman secured the win with a steal over Jaka Klobucar in the closing second, not letting Cedevita take a final shot.
Karlo Matkovic with 21 points was the top scorer of the losing side, which remains last in the Group A standings with no win so far (0-14), while the winners are seventh with a 5-9 record, two wins at this point behind the playoffs line.