MIES (Switzerland) - History repeating in Group G. For the second straight season, Bertram Derthona Basket finish the Regular Season at 5-1, and for the second straight season it is not enough to advance to the Round of 16 because of a tiebreaker against a Spanish team.
Last season it was UCAM Murcia who sent them to the Play-Ins, this season BAXI Manresa stole the top spot by a single point.
Obasohan delivers against his former team
Back on Gameday 2, Bertram Derthona Basket defeated BAXI Manresa by 17 points, part of their five-game winning streak in Group G. That set up an amazing matchup on the final Gameday, as the game went back-and-forth for all 40 minutes.
Manresa owned a 22-point lead in the second half, only for Derthona to crawl back to single digits inside the final five minutes.
Former Derthona guard Retin Obasohan picked up a huge steal, and a three-point play to push the gap to 19 in the final minute, only for Arturs Strautins to respond with a clutch three-pointer, putting the Italians back on top of the group.
But coach Diego Ocampo had the final say in this one. He set up a play for Obasohan, and the Belgian guard who had 25 points on the day found the perfect solution - an assist for a wide open Marcis Steinbergs to make it a 100-82 game with four seconds left to play.
It turned out to be the game winning play, as Tommy Kuhse's off balance contested three-pointer did not fall at the buzzer.
"I think it was a high level game, high level competition. Both teams knew how important this game was. I couldn't be more proud of how we stepped up as a team, especially after the weekend we had here at home. For everyone to come in focused and come in ready to compete. We played our hearts out and not just the players and the staff - the fans showing up and showing love, supporting us for 40 minutes, and I'm glad we were able to pull it off," Obasohan offered after the win.
Both Manresa and Derthona finished this part of the BCL at 5-1, but Manresa won the head-to-head at +1, compared to Derthona's -1.
The 18-year-old sensation Mario Saint-Supery picked a perfect timing for his best game of the season, collecting 16 points in 17 minutes of work. Honorable mention: Derrick Alston Jr, also with 16 points, but Manresa were +30 in his 25 minutes on the court.
Strautins finished with 21 for Derthona, but they have to go to the Play-Ins now.
Benfica go out with a win
The matchup on that same Gameday 2 was also the key in the other game of the group. NINERS Chemnitz carried a 28-point lead from Germany to Portugal, and even though SL Benfica tried their best, they could not overtake them in Lisbon.
Benfica won the game 79-68, both teams finishing at 1-5, but the German team advanced to the Play-Ins.
Trey Drechsel became the first Benfica player to score 30+ points in a single BCL game, counting to 34 with 11 rebounds and an efficiency rating of 38. Ahmaad Rorie and Makram Ben Romdhane had 10 apiece for the Portuguese champions.
Olivier Nkamhoua was once again the best player for Chemnitz, 17 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists, but the Germans trailed from start to finish and enter the Play-Ins without homecourt advantage.
BAXI Manresa will now move to the Round of 16 Group K, alongside fellow Spaniards La Laguna Tenerife and two Play-In winners, from the B2 vs A3 and E2 vs F3 matchups.
Bertram Derthona Basket will have homecourt advantage against the third-placed team from Group H in the best-of-three series in January, while NINERS Chemnitz will need to win at least one game on the road against the second-placed team from Group H.