Strong Start Sets Up EWE Baskets Win

Robin Smeulders recorded 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds

EWE Baskets Oldenburg raced away in the first quarter and never looked back as they opened their EuroChallenge Group L campaign with a 74-64 victory over Tsmoki-Minsk.

The hosts wasted no time in taking control of the game with Rickey Paulding's jump-shot putting them up 11-2 six minutes into the game.

Adam Chubb's lay-up three minutes later made it 18-6, and they then scored the first four points of the second quarter to go 22-8 up on Julius Jenkins' jump-shot.

They held their biggest lead when Dominik Bahiense de Mello's lay-up made it 26-11 early in the second quarter.

Minsk responded in a bid to stay alive, with Aliaksei Lashkevich scoring five points in an 11-0 run that made it 26-22 on Aliaksandr Pustahvar's lay-up.

They cut the gap to just one point early in the third quarter with Lashkevich's lay-up making it 35-34, but that sparked a response from EWE Baskets as Paulding hit a three and Chubb followed with a lay-up.

Their lead was out to 48-36 when Robin Smeulders made a lay-up midway through the third period.

Minsk would briefly get the gap back to four in the fourth quarter but EWE Baskets were able to see out the win comfortably enough.

Christopher Kramer finished with 18 points for the victors while Paulding had 16, Jenkins 13, Smeulders 11 and Chubb 10.

Lashkevich led Minsk with 17 points, Pustahvar had 16 and Aliaksandr Kudrautsau 12.

Quotes EWE Baskets Oldenburg vs. Tsmoki-Minsk

Minsk head coach Andrei Krivonos:
"For us playing the first game in the Last 16 of the EuroChallenge was really emotional. You could see that the players started out tentatively and were not quite there in the first quarter. Of course we also had a long trip here, but I will not use that as an excuse. We found our rhythm in the second quarter but as we closed the game we made some poor decisions and rushed our shots a couple of times. We are essentially a new team at the moment, having exchanged most of our foreign players a few weeks back, so we will get better as the round of the Last 16 continues."

Minsk player Aliaksandr Pustahvar:
"We are disappointed with the loss. We fought back very well after the first quarter, but every time we got into striking distance of Oldenburg we took bad shots and made costly mistakes. This was because we were so eager to tie the game or even get into the lead, but in the end, playing from behind was really exhausting. Still this game gives us motivation for the coming contests as we know now that we can keep up with the best teams in the competition. We wanted to keep the score close because we have the home game against Oldenburg coming up and the aggregate score counts in the end."

Oldenburg head coach Sebastian Machowski:
"We are happy having won the first game in the Last 16, but the way we won was not very attractive. Just like in the Bundesliga game against Ulm we started very well but lost our focus and energy after we had established an early lead. Our decision making was poor at times and we didn't really finish our offensive systems. We kept letting Minsk get back into the game. Still it is a good feeling to start this round with a win. It was fun playing here in Vechta and the crowd gave us a warm welcome and supported us very well. We should have played better for them, but I think we managed to win some new fans during this home game away from home."

Oldenburg player Robin Smeulders:
"It was a tough start into the round of the Last 16. We knew that every team making it this far must be a tough opponent, but Minsk put up a formidable challenge tonight. We got into foul trouble early, caused by the physical game of Minsk. With their length and athleticism they caused us some huge match-up problems and made life hard for us, especially in the paint. We were leading from start to finish and every time Minsk got close we started a run, so I think our win was highly deserved."

Quotes EWE Baskets Oldenburg vs. Tsmoki-Minsk

Minsk head coach Andrei Krivonos:
"For us playing the first game in the Last 16 of the EuroChallenge was really emotional. You could see that the players started out tentatively and were not quite there in the first quarter. Of course we also had a long trip here, but I will not use that as an excuse. We found our rhythm in the second quarter but as we closed the game we made some poor decisions and rushed our shots a couple of times. We are essentially a new team at the moment, having exchanged most of our foreign players a few weeks back, so we will get better as the round of the Last 16 continues."

Minsk player Aliaksandr Pustahvar:
"We are disappointed with the loss. We fought back very well after the first quarter, but every time we got into striking distance of Oldenburg we took bad shots and made costly mistakes. This was because we were so eager to tie the game or even get into the lead, but in the end, playing from behind was really exhausting. Still this game gives us motivation for the coming contests as we know now that we can keep up with the best teams in the competition. We wanted to keep the score close because we have the home game against Oldenburg coming up and the aggregate score counts in the end."

Oldenburg head coach Sebastian Machowski:
"We are happy having won the first game in the Last 16, but the way we won was not very attractive. Just like in the Bundesliga game against Ulm we started very well but lost our focus and energy after we had established an early lead. Our decision making was poor at times and we didn't really finish our offensive systems. We kept letting Minsk get back into the game. Still it is a good feeling to start this round with a win. It was fun playing here in Vechta and the crowd gave us a warm welcome and supported us very well. We should have played better for them, but I think we managed to win some new fans during this home game away from home."

Oldenburg player Robin Smeulders:
"It was a tough start into the round of the Last 16. We knew that every team making it this far must be a tough opponent, but Minsk put up a formidable challenge tonight. We got into foul trouble early, caused by the physical game of Minsk. With their length and athleticism they caused us some huge match-up problems and made life hard for us, especially in the paint. We were leading from start to finish and every time Minsk got close we started a run, so I think our win was highly deserved."