The Baxi Manresa’s hopes of advancing in the Champions League basketball tournament hang by a thread after a nail-biting 89-86 loss to Turkish team Aliaga Petkimspor on Tuesday. To stay alive, the Spanish team now relies on a combination of results from other matches, including a win by La Laguna Tenerife in Italy on Wednesday, a victory by more than 15 points against Reggiana next week, and a win by Ocampo’s team in La Laguna in the final round.
The game got off to a blistering start, with the Baxi Manresa taking an early 12-point lead in just two minutes, driven by Cameron Hunt’s hot shooting. The Turkish team slowly gained momentum, but the Baxi Manresa maintained a comfortable advantage, thanks in part to a strong play by Emanuel Cate in the paint. By the end of the first quarter, the visitors held a 20-29 lead, which seemed modest given their dominant start.
The script flipped entirely in the second quarter, as the Aliaga Petkimspor went on a 14-2 tear, fueled by Breein Tyree’s three-pointers, to take a 34-31 lead. Ocampo called a timeout to stem the tide, and his team responded with consecutive three-pointers to regain control. However, the game turned into a rollercoaster, with the Turkish team countering with an 18-0 run to take a 53-40 lead at halftime, thanks to Wesley Van Beck’s inspired shooting from beyond the arc.
In the second half, the Baxi Manresa struggled to improve their shooting percentages, and the Petkimspor capitalized, with their American players leading the charge. The Turkish team built a 14-point lead, which they maintained despite a late surge by the Baxi Manresa. The visitors managed to stay within striking distance, thanks to a series of three-pointers, including two by Guillem Jou and one by Santiago Vescovi, to cut the deficit to 71-61 with a quarter left to play.
In the final period, the Baxi Manresa managed to keep the deficit at 10 points, thanks to several positive plays by Derrick Alston Jr. The American forward hit two crucial three-pointers as part of a run that brought his team within three points of the lead with four minutes left. The game’s final minutes were marked by a series of errors and free throws, which ultimately favored the Petkimspor, who managed to hold on for the win thanks to Van Beck’s solid shooting from the line.
The loss leaves the Baxi Manresa’s chances of advancing in the tournament hanging by a thread, reliant on a series of results from other matches. The team will need to regroup and refocus if they hope to stay alive in the competition.
Game Stats
The Aliaga Petkimspor’s starting lineup consisted of Dotson, Russell, Tyree, Williams, and Echenique, with Van Beck, Sav, Gultekin, and Aldridge coming off the bench. The Baxi Manresa’s starting five included Pérez, Hunt, Jou, Alston Jr, and Cate, with Vescovi, Reyes, Steinbergs, Sagnia, Saint-Supery, and Gaspà providing support from the bench.
Referees and Game Details
The game was officiated by Yohan Rosso, Martin Horozov, and Juozas Barkauskas, with no players ejected. The match was played at the Aliaga Enka Arena in front of 1,975 spectators, as part of the TOP-16 stage of the Champions League basketball tournament.