18.12.2007

Cholet Hold Off Lokomotiv

Cholet Basket notched their first victory in Group D of the EuroCup, holding off Lokomotiv Rostov 71-66 at home.

Steed Tchicamboud paced four Cholet players in double figures with 17 points as the French club improved to 1-1 in the group.

Anthony Dobbins scored 16 points, Claude Marquis added 14 and Nando De Colo had 12 points for Erman Kunter's team.

		Nando De Colo had 12 points in the win for Cholet

Rostov dropped to 0-2 despite 24 points and eight rebounds from Nestoras Kommatos. Kresmir Loncar added 15 points and nine rebounds while Anthony Goldwire chipped in 10 points for the Russians.

Goldwire and Loncar both scored five points as Rostov opened a 10-0 lead on the road. Marquis finally got the hosts on the board with a jumper. Kommatos nailed a three-pointer to push the early advantage up to 15-4 but Cholet came back with an 8-2 run completed with Tchicamboud's three-ball to cut the deficit to 17-12. And Stephane Dondon's lay-up had it 21-14 for the Russians after one period.

The French came out better in the second as Eddie Basden's triple evened things at 21-21 and Tchicamboud finally gave Cholet the lead 27-25 on his lay-up. Kommatos's tip-in gave Rostov the lead 29-27 but Kunter's team answered with an 8-0 run and led 35-31 at the break.

Marquis hit a lay-up for a 37-31 Cholet advantage only to have Lokomotiv score the next five points. But the French did not collapse and went on an 11-2 run for a 48-38 lead with less than two minutes left in the third.

Loncar's basket trimmed the deficit to 48-40 going into the fourth.

Kommatos knocked down a three-ball and Artem Kuzyakin made a lay-up to cut the lead to 48-45. But Tchicamboud hit a triple of his own and his foul shot made it 55-47. Another Tchicamboud three-ball pushed the gap back to 60-53 and De Colo's long-ball kept Rostov at bay 63-58.
 
Lorinza Harrington pulled the guests to within 63-61 but Dobbins stepped up with a three-pointer and Tchicamboud made a lay-up and foul shot to re-establish a 69-61 lead with less than a minute left.

And Dobbins' lay-up made it 71-63 with 29 seconds left as Kommatos's three-ball was not enough.

18.12.2007

Quotes Cholet Basket vs. Lokomotiv Rostov

Erman Kunter, coach Cholet Basket:

"It was not easy to play this game. Some players are on... holiday. Rostov is 5th in the Russian league, so that means it must be a good team. Victory is very important because we stayed "alive". If we win against Riga we can make it to the quarter-finals. It's better to finish first. Alan Wiggins wasn't in the game, but Stéphane Dondon was very strong in defence and he took some offensive rebounds. I'm happy with this performance. I hope Rodrigue Beaubois will be strong when he will come back after his injury."

Steed Tchicamboud, player Cholet Basket:

"I [like to] take responsibility; [that's how] I scored one three-pointer then a second in crucial moments. Rostov wasn't in a good day and they didn't impress me so much. Kommatos was very strong and Loncar too. But we were better, particularly Tony Dobbins who defended very well against Goldwire."

Oleg Meleschenko, coach Lokomotiv Rostov:

"It was a good game. Cholet is a very good team. We lost our last game at home and we came here to win. They played very aggressive defense and they scored very important three pointers. We are in a difficult situation. We must  win four games to make sure of a place in the quarter-finals. We will be lucky if we can pull this off. Congratulations to Cholet Basket."

Kresimir Loncar, player Lokomotiv Rostov:

"I feel very good in Russia and in this team. Tonight some players of Cholet Basket took shots in crucial moments and they scored. Claude Marquis is a good player but the one who impressed me tonight is Stéphane Dondon. He defended very well and he was very strong."