12.12.2006

Lokomotiv Steam Through To Last 16

Lokomotiv Rostov qualified for the last 16 of EuroCup with a 75-59 win at the expense of Banvit BC.

The game was evenly poised at the halfway point with Banvit, who had gone top of the pool last week, taking the first quarter 18-16 thanks to a jump shot by Marque Perry, the final scoring shot of the period.

It was close throughout the second period and, after Lokomotiv had taken the lead, Mehmet Ersin Gorkem levelled things at 32-32 with a three-pointer with a minute remaining in the period.

		Omar Shariff Sneed had 13 points for Rostov

However, an Artem Kuzyakin free throw ensured Lokomotiv took the period 17-14 and established a 33-32 interval lead.

The third period saw Lokomotiv cement their advantage with an Evangelos Sklavos threepointer, a free throw from Kresimir Loncar and then a Sklavos jump shot extending the lead to 39-32. By the end of the period, the Russians had established a 57-47 lead.

They continued to pull away in the final period to deny the Turks the place in the last 16 they had craved.

Loncar scored 18 points and was seven from eight inside the arc and converted four from six free throws as well as claiming six boards.

Omar Shariff Sneed (13), Sergey Vorotnikov (12 and six boards) and Kuzyakin (10) also posted double digits.

Bekir Yarangume managed 18 for Banvit including three three-pointers from seven, two from seven inside the paint and five from eight from the charity stripe.

Perry managed 13 points while Damien Kinloch hauled down a game-high 13 boards.

Lokomotiv join SC Azovmash Mariupol as qualifiers from Group C.