Montepaschi Siena grabbed 1-0 lead

Ksistof Lavrinovic

02-04-2008 00:25

Montepaschi Siena got just one step away from returning to the Final Four after a three-year absence by downing Fenerbahce Ulker 73-66 at home in Game 1 of the best-of-three Quarterfinal Playoffs series on Tuesday night. Montepaschi has a 1-0 lead in the series, that move now to Istanbul, Turkey for Game 2 on Thursday. Montepaschi will advance to the Final Four with one more win in the series and would host do-or-die Game 3 if Fenerbahce stays alive in Abdi Ipecki this week.

Ksistof Lavrinovic led the winners with 16 points. Bootsy Thronton added 14, Terrell McIntyre had 12 while Shaun Stonerook grabbed 7 rebounds and collected 8 steals for Montepaschi. Tarence Kinsey and Semih Erden each had 12 points for Fenerbahce while Emir Preldzic and Willie Solomon added 11 apiece for the guests, that led 46-49 late in the third quarter.

Marco Carrareto, McIntyre and Thornton struck from downtown in a game-breaking 15-2 run that gave Montepaschi a 61-51 lead. Stonerook, McIntyre and Lavrinovic allowed Montepaschi to keep a slim yet safe lead until the final buzzer.