Winning Run Continues For Estudiantes

Estudiantes continued their 100% record at the top of Group A on Wednesday after withstanding a third-quarter fightback from Ironi Iscar Nahariya to defeat the Israeli side 90-85.

That was the Spanish team's third successive EuroCup victory, and saw them stay a game clear of JDA Dijon, who beat CSU Asesoft Ploiesti on Tuesday.

Estu could hardly have wished for a better start and the game looked over as a contest after the opening eight minutes, when the visitors led 25-5.

A Juan Mendez lay-up then sparked an 11-0 run by Iscar, but Estu still had things well under control at the midway point of the game when they held a 49-34 lead.

But, for the second successive EuroCup match, Iscar became a different side for the second half of the match and suddenly an Estu victory no longer looked a formality.

In last week's clash against Asesoft, Iscar produced an incredible fightback to turn a 43-27 deficit just before the interval into a massive 98-71 victory by the end of the game.

And anyone who saw that match as well as Wednesday night's must have been feeling a sense of deja vu, as Iscar won the third period 28-16 to reduce Estu's lead to just three points at 65-62 heading into the last 10 minutes.

However, Estu managed to stem the tide and a Will McDonald lay-up at the start of the final quarter sparked a 7-2 run that gave the Spanish side some breathing space.

Still Iscar refused to give up though and two Raviv Guy Limonad free throws with 14 seconds remaining cut the visitors' lead to 86-85.

That set up a frantic finale, but successful free-throwing from Estu duo Sergio Sanchez Cardenas and Marlon Garnett, plus a missed three-point attempt from Limonad, saw the Spaniards hold on for victory.

McDonald was again a key player for Estu, pacing his side with 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Mendez and John Gilchrist both poured in 18 points and grabbed six boards each for battling Iscar.