By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
It was a tense game decided on the buzzer by a big three made by Kyle Allman.
And when all was said and done, Turk Telekom got the 91-90 win over Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem and the ticket to the BKT EuroCup semifinals.
Turk Telekom will face Bourg-En-Bresse, being the third Turkish team to make it this season in the semifinals, after the duo of Besiktas and Bahcesehir.
Allman, with 25 points, eight assists, and the biggest shot of the game almost at the final buzzer, and Jaleen Smith, who made big plays down the stretch and finished the game with 25 points and six assists, led the charge for Turk Telekom.
Jared Harper tried to do everything by himself for Hapoel. He scored 29 points, but also had eight turnovers and fouled out just before crunch time.
The Hapoel trio of Cassius Winston (9 p.), Anthony Lamp (5 p.), and Austin Willey (14 p. 10 r.) also fouled out.
A finish for the ages
Despite Hapoel getting a 50-42 lead and Harper scoring already 18 points in the first two quarters of action, Turk Telekom made it a four-point game at halftime (50-46).
Hapoel pushed the lead to 10 (61-51), and Turk Telekom once more reacted with back-to-back threes (61-57), closing the third period down by four (67-63).
Still, the Israelis entered the last five minutes leading by seven (76-69), but in the next play, Harper was ejected with his fifth foul. The momentum changed, and a three-pointer by Jaleen Smith gave Turk Telekom the 77-76 lead.
With the game on the line and the Turkish side up by one (86-85), Isaiah Mombley scored after an offensive rebound to give Hapoel the lead again (87-86), just 30 seconds before the final buzzer.
Jordan Usher was fouled by Lamb on a three-pointer attempt. He made two to give the guests an 88-87 advantage, and Hapoel had an 11.9-second possession.
Roi Huber made a huge three, his only points in the game (90-88), and Turk Telekom got the ball with five seconds on the clock. Kyle Allman got the ball, also made a three-pointer (91-90), and won the game.