By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
What a night! Four out of seven Euroleague games were decided on the buzzer on Thursday night. Real Madrid and Olympiacos stayed unbeaten, while Maccabi Tel Aviv and Galatasaray qualified to Top16.
In Israel, Lokomotiv Kuban couldn’t get a buzzer beater this time and Maccabi (photo) got the 75-73 win, the Top16 ticket and the tie breaker advantage for the top spot in Group D. November MVP Derrick Brown was a last minute absence for the guests.
In Munich, Olympiacos survived against Bayern Munich (105-103) in a crazy finish in which Heiko Schaffartzik had the chance to win the game with a last second three pointer, but didn’t make it. However, Galatasaray got the most important win (78-70) in Group C over Unicaja, despite playing without punished Pops Mensah Bonsu. Furkan Aldemir was the key player for the hosts who secured their Top16 ticket. In the same Group Siena has to thank for the second time this season Jeff Viggiano who scored the buzzer beater three, gave hope to the Italians and their third win in the season just by 60-59 over Zielona Gora.
The fourth game decided on the last shot was the win of Strasbourg over Zalgiris (77-76) thanks to a three pointer by Louis Campbell and the French are still alive in the Top16 race of Group B, where only unbeaten Real Madrid is already secured and got one more road win (78-71) over EA7 Milano. Finally in Belgrade, Partizan crushed Budivelnyk (76-61), however both teams have slim chances of advancing to Top16, as the Serbs have to 2 wins, but are still one step behind Nanterre which faces next week Budivelnyk in Kiev with the Ukrainians having just one win and the French already three.