The end of the quarterfinals featured plenty of drama with only won series being swept and two others featuring decisive shots at the buzzer. In the end, Galatasaray Odeabank Istanbul advanced to face last season’s finalist Herbalife Gran Canaria Las Palmas, while the only team without home-court advantage in its series to win, Eurocup debutant Dolomiti Energia Trento, faces Strasbourg.
Quarterfinal A: Galatasaray Odeabank Istanbul 72-59 FC Bayern Munich
Galatasaray Odeabank Istanbul became the first team to reach the 2016 Eurocup semifinals when it outlasted FC Bayern Munich 72-59 to win their two-game, total-points quarterfinals series at home on Tuesday. Bayern had won the first game 99-89 one week earlier. Errick McCollum and Chuck Davis scored 15 and 14 points, respectively, including key free throws in the final minute to lift the winners. Davis’s shots with 32 seconds left put Galatasaray ahead on aggregate for good and after excellent team defense to deny Bayern, McCollum extended the aggregate lead to 3 with 5 seconds remaining. Alex Renfroe collected 12 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists for Bayern, but his 0-for-5 free throw shooting proved costly.
Quarterfinal B: Herbalife Gran Canaria Las Palmas 83-86 Stelmet Zielona Gora
In a Pyric victory, Stelmet Zielona Gora defeated Herbalife Gran Canaria Las Palmas 83-86. It was the home team that celebrated as Gran Canaria advanced to the Eurocup semifinals for the second consecutive season. Gran Canaria had beaten Zielona Gora 82-93 in Game 1 and won the two-game, total-points series by an aggregate score of 176-168. Zielona Gora left the competition with a 5-0 road record, but was not able to win any games at home. Alen Omic led Gran Canaria with 14 points and Xavi Rabaseda added 13. Lukasz Koszarek and Vlad Moldoveanu each scored 15 points for Zielona Gora, which used a final 0-10 run to win the game in the final minutes.
Quarterfinal C: Strasbourg 91-91 Nizhny Novgorod
In one of the most intense and thrilling games in Eurocup history, Strasbourg tied Nizhny Novgorod 91-91 after two overtimes, but the result was a victory for the hosts who advanced to the semifinals with an aggregate win. Strasbourg had won 85-94 in Russia last week, but Nizhny led 65-74 at the end of regulation and then again 77-86 after 45 minutes. Strasbourg won the series by an aggregate score of 185-176 and will face Dolomiti Energia Trento in the semifinals. Kyle Weems led Strasbourg with 35 points and Rodrigue Beaubois added 17. Victor Rudd led Nizhny with 26 points, including a wild three-pointer that took the game to a second overtime.
Quarterfinal D: EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 79-92 Dolomiti Energia Trento
Its magical season continued when Dolomiti Energia Trento defeated EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 79-92 to sweep their series and clinch a berth in the semifinals. Trento came into the game with a 10-point advantage after winning Game 1 at home 73-83 a week earlier, but that lead proved unnecessary as it took a 5-point lead after 10 minutes, doubled it in the second quarter and never trailed again. The Eurocup newcomers will next face Strasbourg in the semifinals. Dominque Sutton starred with 20 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals to lead six Trento scorers in double figures. Davide Pascolo added 17 points and 7 rebounds. Kruno Simon paced Milan with 14 points.
