Lukoil Academic defeated for the third time in the Eurocup

Kenny Adeleke with the ball (Photo: sportni.bg)

09-12-2008 22:00

Barons/LMT Riga captured its first victory of the Eurocup Group B, using a 0-10 fourth quarter run to earn a 75-88 win at Lukoil Academic. The Latvian team improved to 1-2 in the group while Lukoil dropped to 0-3. Demetrius Alexander led Riga with 21 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals while Charles Rhodes and Martins Kravcenko both added 15 points and Karspars Berzins chipped in with 12 points. Andrew Adeleke paced Lukoil with 17 points and 13 rebounds while Riste Stefanov had 16, Toni Akins 14 and Dimitar Anguelov and Nenad Canek both had 11 points in the losing effort.

Alexander opened the game with the first basket and Akins scored Lukoil's first two points to even the contest. Alexander and Giedrius Gustas made it 3-6 before Adeleke made a lay-up to bring the hosts to 5-6. Kaspars Berzins and Alexander pushed Barons/LMT ahead 5-10. Canak trimmed the margin to 8-10 but Berzins scored again, Kravcenko knocked down a triple and Rhodes surged Riga ahead 8-17. Hristo Nikolov knocked down a three-pointer and Anguelov converted a three-point play to get Lukoil back within 14-17. But Todd Abernethy drained a triple for the guests and Alexander's foul shot left Riga ahead 14-21 after one period. Anguelov started the second quarter with a three-ball but Rhodes hit two lay-ups and a three-pointer as the Barons/LMT lead was 21-28. Adeleke scored a lay-up and then Stefanov's long ball trimmed the deficit to 27-30. Berzins would knock down a triple and Corey Smith followed with a dunk and three-pointer as the guests pushed ahead 27-38. Adeleke answered with two straight lay-ups before Rhodes's basket gave Barons/LMT a 31-40 lead going into the break.

Alexander continued his fine game with a triple to open the third period. Stefanov scored and Cаnak knocked down a three-ball to bring the margin to 36-43. Alexander and Adeleke swapped baskets and Stefanov made it just 40-45 with two foul shots. But Rhodes hit and Alexander converted a three-point play to make it a double-digit game. Two Anguelov free throws had it at 45-54 only to see Gustas and Rhodes bring Barons/LMT ahead 45-58. Akins made two foul shots and two baskets - including a three-point play - to cut the deficit to 54-61. But Kravcenko nailed a three-pointer to give Barons/LMT a 54-64 lead after three periods. Kravcenko started the fourth with a triple but Stefanov knocked down three straight three-balls and the lead was down to 63-67. Gustas stopped the run but Akins hit a basket and then Nenad made two foul shots and the lead was just two points - 67-69. Adeleke made it 69-71 before Kravcenko and Canak swapped triples for a 72-74. But then Barons/LMT took over the game. Alexander scored a lay-up to start a 0-10 run with Berzins converting a three-point play. Gustas and Berzins then combined for three foul shots as the lead grew to 72-84. Akins stopped the run but Kravcenko hit another triple to put all doubts to bed.

FULL STATS OF THE LUKOIL ACADEMIC - BARONS LMT GAME