26.01.2010

Elan Chalon Earn Gritty Win In Podgorica

Elan Chalon continued to thrive in European basketball by winning at KK Buducnost on Tuesday evening.

Blake Schilb poured in a season-high 22 points to lead the French team to a 79-76 victory.

The EuroChallenge has been a breath of fresh air for Chalon, who have won just three games in France's top flight and currently sit at the bottom of the standings.

Buducnost were out-rebounded 36-22 in Tuesday's Last 16 Group K game but they forced the visitors to turn the ball over 22 times, which helped them stay in the contest.

With 4:48 to play, Vladimir Dragicevic dunked the Podgorica team into a 66-64 lead.

Neither side scored again until Buducnost's Marko Simonovic fouled Schilb and the small forward sank two free-throws to knot the game at 66-66 with 3:29 to go.

With 2:53 remaining, the failure to keep Elan off the boards hurt the home side's cause because Taj Gray rebounded Chalon teammate Stéphane Risacher's miss and scored on a tip-in.

After Cedomir Vitkovac was off target from three-point range for Buducnost, Clayton Everett drilled a jumper for a 70-66 Elan Chalon advantage.

Vitkovac made a pair of jump shots and Goran Jeretin scored six points but Buducnost couldn't overhaul Elan, who got key points contributions from Everett, Gray and Schilb over the final 1:22.

 

26.01.2010

Quotes KK Buducnost vs. Elan Chalon

Dejan Radonjic, Buducnost coach:
"The French team started well. They almost scored in every offense. So my players had to play catch-up. But they did and we cut their ten points lead and made a break. But when we were up by two points the referees didn't see a foul on Dragicevic that might have given us an extra boost. The French were more concentrated in the last minutes and they won the game. Because of injuries and illness we had our first "five-on-five" practice in 10 days only last night; considering that it was clear that we couldn't give more. And we paid for our bad percentage from the free-throw line, for missing so many open shots and bad rebounding. I have to congratulate Elan for their victory."

Gregor Beugnot, coach Elan Chalon:
"It was a very tough game. They reacted well after the first half, by putting pressure on the ball and playing an agressive defense. The only moment when we lost control there were too many turnover as were got a little being excited. After a time out when we found ourselves two points down we regained our spirit and everybody worked towards winning this game. In the French league we lost so many games in similar situations like tonight's. We led for 35-37 minutes but then we lost. So it is very important for us, for the team to win a game like this."

Blake Schilb, player Elan Chalon:
"We had too many turnovers in the first half but recovered in the second. We won the rebounds battle here 36 to 24 - we got most of them in the second half and that allowed us second chances offensively. Buducnost are a team that run fast and play fast so we have to answer by playing well in defense and we did. They also did a great job in distributing points. We didn't have a scouting on them except that they play the same run and gun game for the whole 40 minutes and that they are young and that they have a young coach. So we had to adapt our defense on them during the game. It is important to win the opening game in the group. I expect some good basketball in the next games."