By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
J.J. O’Brien’s turnaround jump shot forced overtime at Pala Ferraris, but Bertram Derthona Tortona players remained focused in extra time and grabbed a 91-85 home win over Tofas Bursa.
They stayed perfect and improved to 4-0 to secure a top-two finish in Group H, becoming only the second Italian team to start their debut BCL campaign on a 4-game win streak.
After O’Brien scored to tie the sides at 81 with five seconds on the clock, Kyle Weems missed the game-winning shot at the buzzer, and the match went to overtime.
Entering the final minute of the added five, Chris Dowe gave the hosts an 87-85 lead from the free-throw line. Caleb Homesley then missed the tying shot, but TaShawn Thomas gave a bad pass on the other side of the court, giving Tofas another chance. He quickly redeemed himself with a block that proved to be enough for the victory, since Tommaso Baldasso and Kyle Weems pulled Tortona away in the final seconds.
The hosts, who just lost Mike Daum to Anadolu Efes, had six different double-digit scorers, with Baldasso leading the way, scoring 17. Besides his game-winning block, Thomas also had 16 points and six rebounds, while Dowe finished the match with 14 points. Leon Radosevic had 12, while Retin Obasohan, Kyle Weems, and Luca Severini added 10 points each.
Homesley and O’Brien scored 18 points each for Tofas, while Austin Wiley finished with a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds for a PIR of 26. Omar Prewitt was also on the verge of a double-double with nine points and 13 boards.
Postgame press conference
Photo: fiba.basketball