By Eurohoops Team / info@eurohoops.net
With incredible effort from all of its players, Buducnost VOLI Podgorica blew out Kirolbet Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz at home, 99-84 to win its first game of the new Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season and improve to a 1-6 record.
Buducnost had an incredible night from the three-point line, as the team broke a EuroLeague record with the 21 made three-pointers, shooting a highly efficient 61.8%. Interestingly, only six players managed to knock down a three-pointer, but Jackson, Nikolic, and Clark were responsible for 14 of them. The previous record for most three-pointers made in Europe’s best competition was 19.
“It was about time,” stated Earl Clark after the game. “It feels great. You know we lost every EuroLeague game. We have been in a lot of close games, and a lot of tough matches. Just for everybody to play well, people to hit shots and to beat a good team, it feels great. It is not going to be easier from now on because we are not going to hit shots like this every night. We got to continue to play defense, and try to play better each and every day.”
The Montenegrin side started the game off on the right foot, thanks to Earl Clark‘s 13 quick points and three three-pointers. The host had an eight-point lead in the first quarter (26-18), showing their intentions early on. In the second period, Nikola Ivanovic stepped up for the hosts, who were leading by double-digits (48-37).
Even though the visitors started with a mini 0-5 run, Buducnost responded perfectly with Edwin Jackson and Danilo Nikolic’s offensive show and kept this double-digit advantage (67-55). Podgorica’s team, however, did not stop there. In the final minute of the third quarter, the hosts were up by 16 (75-59).
The lead continued to grow in the fourth period as well. After three minutes in the final period, Aleksandar Dzikic’s team was leading by 19 points, as Jackson was knocking down shots from the perimeter and eventually breaking the EuroLeague record. Baskonia cut the deficit in the remaining minutes, but it was too little too late for a comeback.
Jackson was incredible for the winners, as he tied his EuroLeague career-high with 24 points and knocked down six three-pointers, to go along with four assists and four rebounds. Earl Clark also had an impressive night with 17 points. It is also important to note, that all of Buducnost’s players, that played, scored.
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