Today Tsmoki-Minsk finished their performances in the first group round of the FIBA Europe Cup with a home game against the Danish club Bakken Bears. The game ended with the defeat of the Dragons - 80:93 (20:32, 22:21, 21:23, 17:17).
Tsmoki-Minsk: Angelo Warner, Yauheni Beliankou, Aliaksei Trastsinetski, Darol Hernandez-Zinenko, Stefan Jankovic.
Bakken Bears: Jarred Ogungbemi-Jackson, Darko Jukic, Taylor Ongwae, Ryan Evans, Michel Diouf.
Game scenario
The game began with troubles for the Dragons: after the starting throw-in, the ball flew to Ogungbemi-Jackson, and he opened the score without resistance. Evans scored next, and Ongwae scored from the distance. Tsmoki-Minsk were able to answer the guests' 7 points only with a hit by Hernandez-Zinenko. To tell the truth, already in the 4th minute Warner almost equalized the gap with a throw from beyond the arc - 12:13. But Bakken Bears again implemented some effective attacks and by the end of the quarter brought it’s superiority to a dozen points - 20:32.
In the next 10 minutes Tsmoki-Minsk increased attention to defense: after all, conceding more than 30 points is an unacceptable luxury. This had an effect - the Bears scored 11 points less. The period resembled a swing with a large radius of action: either the guests ran away to the 7-0 lead, or the Dragons responded with dignity. In the middle of it, Beliankou scored 5 points, Clark supported him, and the double-digit gap was reduced to "-7" (37:44). It is a pity that the gained good offensive move could not be saved. The opponent responded with a double volley from Harrison and went out to the half break with an 11-point advantage (42:53).
The third period began with a solo performance by Jankovic, who scored 5 points in a row. And again, the guests did not allow the Minskers to build on their success - Evans and Taylor again threw Tsmoki-Minsk to a 15-point distance with several well-aimed throws. Failures provoked our guys. Beliankou made a dagger pass, Paraliou hammered a spectacular dunk, Blizniuk scored from beyond the arc and returned the team to the game. But Yanakovic could not restrain his nerves and received a technical foul, so the superiority of Bakken Bears again exceeded +10.
In the last quarter, the Dragons had no choice but to go all-in. Paraliou hit from the mid-range, Beliankou scored twice from the distance - and spurt of 8: 2 allowed Tsmoki to get closer: «-7» (71:78). Unfortunately, Bakken Bears were playing in an extremely disciplined manner and categorically did not allow the opponent to break out of the 7-10-point gap.
Failure in this game deprived Tsmoki-Minsk of the opportunity to play in the 2nd group round of the FIBA Europe Cup. This concludes our team performances in the Europe Cup.
Notable roles
Yauheni Beliankou again became Tsmoki-Minsk's most valuable player: he scored 21 points, to which he added 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals, his the efficiency ratio - 20. In the Bakken Bears, Travis Taylor scored 17 + 15 rebounds.
Rostislav Vergun, head coach:
Unfortunately I can’t say that we played on maximum capacity in a very clutch game. I have to admit that level of skills and level of modern basketball speed is a little bit too much for some of my players. We have some time to regroup and show some better quality basketball after the break.
Scoring leaders
Tsmoki-Minsk: Yauheni Beliankou - 21 PTS + 4 REB + 4 AST + 3 STL, Stefan Jankovic - 13 + 5 REB, Angelo Warner - 12 + 4 REB + 3 AST, Tsimafei Paraliou - 10 + 7 REB.
Bakken Bears: Ryan Evans - 24 + 9 REB, Jarred Ogungbemi-Jackson - 16 + 4 AST + 3 STL, Marvelle Harris - 13 PTS.