18.12.2007

Lenzly Leads Dexia Past Mavpy

Mike Lenzly scored 24 points in leading Dexia Mons-Hainaut to a 72-67 victory at home over Cherkaski Mavpy in Group B of the EuroCup.
 
Jim Cantamessa (16 points), Benjamin Ebong (14) and Nate Reinking (11) also scored in double figures for the Belgian winners, who improved to 2-0 - even atop Group B with Ural Great.
 
Chris Finch's Dexia, who got just nine minutes of action from star small forward Andrew Sullivan, made 12-of-27 (44%) from long range in grabbing the win.
 
Cherkaski dropped to 0-2 in Group B despite 16 points from Gjorgij Chekovski, 15 from Rolanda Jarutis and a double-double by John Edwards (11 points and 10 rebounds).
 
Martynas Andriukaitis scored six points in helping Cherkaski open a 9-7 lead early. Cantamessa answered with a three-pointer and Lenzly hit two long balls of his own as the hosts pulled ahead 16-11. And a triple by Reinking made it 22-13 after one period.

Lenzly pushed the gap to 11 points early in the second only to see Pavlo Revzin, Jarutis and Chekovski hit from downtown in pulling Mavpy back to within 27-24. Lenzly's trey re-established a 33-25 lead which Edwards cut to 33-30 with two foul shots. But Reinking scored five points in a 10-2 Dexia surge to go into the break ahead 43-32.
 
Travis Conlan and Cantamessa hit back-to-back bombs as the Belgians' lead grew to 51-36 midway through the third. But Chekovski scored nine points in an 11-2 Mavpy run to trail just 53-47 going into the fourth.

Two long-balls by Revzin evened things at 55-55 but Lenzly and Reinking went back-to-back from downtown as Mons-Hainaut found themselves back ahead 64-57 with four minutes left. And it was a 69-59 after Lenzly's three-ball with 2:30 remaining.
 
Jarutis drained a three-ball and his foul shot cut the gap to 69-65. It was 71-65 after Ebong's foul shots with 59 seconds left.

But Jarutis missed a lay-up with 38 seconds left though his two free throws did trim the lead to 71-67 with seven second left. But Lenzly made one of two foul shots with six seconds left to secure the win.

18.12.2007

Quotes Dexia Mons Hainaut vs. Cherkaski Mavpy

John Edwards, player Cherkaski:

"We had many problems during the first quarter and the team paid dearly for it. With ten points down, it was very difficult for us to reduce the handicap, because our hosts were everywhere. We had many opportunities to come back, but we lost many important balls. I'm very disappointed, because I think we could have won this game and have a chance at qualifying; instead our chances are now compromised. That's the problem at this level, once you lost twice, it's not easy to win all the remaining games..."

Andriy Podkovirov, coach Cherkaski:

"We began to play when we were down by ten, and at crucial moments, instead of shooting three-pointers, we lost important balls a couple of times. I thought it was possible to win when our hosts had foul problems, and again when they couldn’t find solutions in the paint, but we wasted too many chances in offense, and Mons grabbed the opportunity to score important baskets. Maybe some players were not at their best. Our qualification chances have become a bit more complicated."

Michael Darnell Lenzly, player Dexia Mons Hainaut:

"We have been obliged to close the ranks when the team was in problems due to the injury of Sullivan, and also the foul problems. In the end of the game, we lost Huggins and Reinking, and we have been very strong in our mind to counter the Ukrainians who had big players in attack. I scored twenty four and that's very good for the team, because I don't worry about my personal stats. All I am preoccupied about, is that we win, and that's the reason why I'm not the leader. I simply do my job the best I can."

Chris Finch, coach Dexia Mons Hainaut:

"It wasn't an easy game, and I think that nothing is done as far as the qualification for the next round is concerned. But winning this game might prove very important in one month’s time. We have known ups and downs, especially during the second half, but my team played very well in defense, despite of the aggressive Cherkaski game, whose players believed in their chances until the last seconds. But we kept our heads up and that's the reason why we kept our clearness in the crucial moments of that close game."