Dexia Sink Samara In Overtime

Dexia Mons-Hainaut needed overtime to earn their second win in EuroChallenge Top 16 action, beating CSK-VVS Samara 77-73 on the road on Tuesday night.

The struggling hosts, who remain winless with the defeat, finished regulation time on an 8-2 run to force the extra period, and then quickly raced out to a four point lead.

But Dexia finished the game on a 9-1 run to improve their record to 2-2.

Dexia took a 66-60 lead with 6:45 remaining in the fourth quarter when Travis Conlan nailed a three-pointer.

But Samara clawed their way back, tying the game at 66 on Andrew Sullivan's dunk and then taking the lead, 68-66, through Virgil Stanescu 37 seconds from the buzzer.

But just when the home crowd though a first win was coming, Great Britain international Nate Reinking hit a jump shot seven clicks from time to send the game to overtime.

Early free throws from Mladjen Sljivcananin and a Stanescu jump-shot gave Samara a 72-68 lead, but Dexia came roaring back, taking the lead at 74-73 on Ben Ebong's jump-shot with 52 seconds left before Conlan's three-pointer ended the contest with seven seconds on the clock.

Dexia used a balanced attack with six players scoring in double figures.

Kelvin Torbert led the way with 14 while Caleb Green had 12, Ebong and Conlan finished with 11 each and Bryan Bracey and Elton Nesbitt finished with 10 apiece.

Samara wasted 21 points from Sljivancanin, while Sullivan had 17 and Stanescu 14.

Quotes CSK-VVS vs. Dexia

Chris Finch, Head Coach (Dexia):

"That was a good game because of 3 reasons: stepping forward in the Group, winning for the mental confidence and finally because it was a tough game which brings lot of satisfaction from the victory. We had some information about Perry that he won't play but tried to prepare ourselves. Anyway, Samara showed a very good game without their leader, Perry".  

Kelvin Torbert, Player (Dexia):

"That was a tough game. We lost concentration after the half time while Samara showed a very good game. But tonight we have shown that we can play as a team and that is the reason of our win".

Valeriy Tikhonenko, Head Coach (CSK-VVS):

"We made too many mistakes in the first half, but after the half time we played a different game. We had to win. We needed to use the tactical foul and Dexia would have less time for a shot. Unfortunately, the same Reinking, who scored the last second shot in the previous season, made it again. And of course it was very difficult to play without Perry, who leaves tomorrow to his new team - Triumph."

Mladjen Sljivancanin, Player (CSK-VVS):

"We missed lot of shots in the first half, but got it back after the big break. In the end we had to make a tactical foul, but we didn't and lost the chance to win the game that could have been ours".