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Keith Benson dominated the boards for Tsmoki Minsk, good for 26 points and 8 rebounds |
Keith Benson's free-throws at the death clinched an 84-82 victory for Tsmoki Minsk at BC Mures for their third win in Group H of the EuroChallenge on Wednesday night.
In a game that saw the lead change hands 12 times and scores tied on another 11 occasions, neither side was able to get a lead bigger than six points.
Mures opened a quick lead at the start of the game, which increased to six points at 14-8 after two points by Ivan Ivanovic.
However, Minsk responded immediately and took the lead themselves for the first time after 11 minutes when Benson completed a three-point play after being fouled on a lay-up.
That would not break the hosts' spirit and nothing separated the teams when they went into the locker-rooms with the scores tied, 40-40.
Nothing changed in the third frame, but when Parrish Petty drained a three-pointer early in the final quarter, it looked like the Belarussian side might have an edge over their opponents.
Mures battled back though and regained a slim lead, which they were able to extend to five points when Goran Martinic made two of his game high 27 points to make it 77-72 with three minutes to play.
Tsmoki would not go away and had the game tied once more at 82 apiece with only 40 ticks left on the clock after a big three by Branko Mirkovic.
On the other side, Demonte Harper blocked Ivanovic and Teodor Jucan was off target with his lay-up attempt.
Ivanovic could only stop Benson with a foul and the Minsk center calmly sank his free-throws for a team-high 26 points to go with his eight rebounds.