EUROCHALLENGE

Daryl Dorsey sparked Apollon with his 8 assists

It couldn't have been any closer but Pizza Express Apollon are finally off the mark in EuroChallenge Group G after surviving a missed three-point attempt from Dwight Buycks to claim a pulsating 89-88 win against BCM Gravelines.

As the relieved home team celebrated a first success of the new season, the emotion could have been so very different had Buycks converted, since he was certainly the man in-form for the French club having already dropped 22 points in the contest.

But, it wasn't to be for the visitors and Apolllon had their own hero in the shape of 28 point Brandon Brown who was ably supported by the hot-hand of Diego Kapelan who sunk five triples in the game and also Daryl Dorsey who had eight assists.

It was a true run-and-gun contest with both teams happy to unload merrily from distance, sharing 46 three-point attempts.

The hosts shaded an entertaining first-half 48-47 and by the end of the third period had a double-digit advantage at 73-63, but then allowed Gravelines back into the game.

Cyril Akpomedah looked like he may have delivered a dagger when he scored from downtown with 26 seconds left to put the visitors in front by a point, but two free-throws from Dave Noel swung the pendulum back to Apollon just when it mattered.