EUROCHALLENGE

Khimik's Devoe Joseph finished as the game's top scorer with 18 points

BC Khimik Yuzhne used an early charge to power their way to a crucial 69-62 win over Tofas SC in Group K of the EuroChallenge, with a late charge from the visitors falling short.

With both teams entering the contest with a 1-2 record, victory was vital to hopes of progressing from the Last 16.

Khimik blew the game open with a 12-0 run that spanned the first and second quarters, turning a tied game into a 25-13 lead they would never surrender.

Sava Lesic started it with a big three-pointer while Artem Pustovyi capped the run with a jump-shot.

They continued to pull away, and the contest appeared all but over when Sergiy Popov's jump-shot saw the lead bulge to 49-31 with 3:07 left in the third quarter.

But Tofas began to fight back, ending the quarter with a 10-3 run - capped by Ibrahim Yildrim's three - to make it 52-41.

The gap continued to narrow in the final period, with Chinemelu Elonu's dunk bringing it into single figures at 54-46 before Austin Nichols' free throws gave the home fans further cause for concern.

Devoe Joseph steadied those nerves with three straight free throws followed by a three-pointer, but Tofas hung around to the finish, unable to bridge the gap as Kenan Sipahi missed late three-point chances.

Joseph led Khimik with 18 points while Lesic had 11 and Suad Sehovic and Willie Deane contributed 10 each.

Nichols led Tofas with 14 points while Elonu had a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds.