Big Finish Earns Ewe Baskets Vital Win

Perfect timing - Adam Chubb came up with a crucial block after a big  three-pointer by Hasbrouck

Kenneth Hasbrouck nailed a key three-pointer and Adam Chubb came up with a crucial block in the final seconds as EWE Baskets Oldenburg claimed an 82-80 win over Roanne Basket to keep the battle for qualification well and truly alive in EuroChallenge Group I.

In a game that stayed close throughout, the lead changed hands three times in the final 60 seconds after the hosts had rallied from seven points down in the final two and a half minutes.

Roanne had looked good for the win they needed to lock up qualification as they led 75-68 on Uchenna Nsonwu's lay-up.

But Ronald Burrell and then Robert Brown went to the line to cut the gap back to three, 75-72 before Mouloukou Diabate replied with a lay-up for the visitors.

Chubb's free-throws got it back to three and, after John Holland came up empty on a three-pointer, Brown hit a lay-up and then a pair of free throws to make it 78-77 in favour of the hosts with 48 seconds to go.

The lead flipped back to Roanne on a pair of free throws from Holland and Rashad Wright then split a pair to make it 80-78 24 ticks from time.

Cue Hasbrouck's three to put EWE Baskets on top once more, and after Diabate's lay-up was rejected by Chubb, Burrell split a pair of free throws two seconds from time to see the hosts home.

Brown finished with 23 points for the victors, while Rickey Paulding had 17, Burrell 13 and Hasbrouck 12.

Nsonwu had 22 points and nine rebounds in the losing cause for Roanne, while Holland collected 19 points and Wright 11.

Quotes EWE Baskets Oldenburg vs. Chorale Roanne

Roanne Head Coach Luka Pavicevic
"Congratulations to Predrag and his team. This could have been the game which decides who advances to the next round. This is a tough loss for me, because we gained control of the game down the stretch. But we also helped Oldenburg to get back into the game by making some bad decisions on both ends of the court."

EWE Baskets Head Coach Predrag Krunic
"I need to pay a compliment to my team. This was a much-needed win for us. We showed some nerves at the beginning of the game and did not move the ball very well. We struggled defensivly. But some good plays and solid defense down the stretch helped us secure this win. We now have the chance to advance to the next round in this competition."

Roanne player Uchenna Nsonwu
"We felt the gravity of this game throughout the match. It was a really intense affair that could have gone either way. We wanted to get the ball inside today and I think for stretches we managed that really well. After this loss we will give it our all against Ventspils and try to qualify for the round of last eight next week."

EWE Baskets player Robert Brown
"After the bad home loss in league play last week we wanted to show the fans and ourselves that we can play 40 minutes of hard defense. Today we were alert, had very good energy and just kept coming back when the game was on the line. If we manage to carry over some of this momentum into the next game we will advance in the Eurochallenge."