19 September, 2017
06 May, 2018
8 Dario Brizuela (ESP), 3 Manny Harris (GRE)
12/12/2017
Game Report
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AEK use fourth quarter run to pull away from Estudiantes


TORREJON DE ARDOZ (Basketball Champions League) - AEK used a 17-0 fourth quarter run to overturn a deficit and get a 85-78 victory over Movistar Estudiantes on Tuesday evening.

Trailing 64-57 after a Caner-Medley three two minutes into the fourth, AEK reeled off 17 consecutive points led by Delroy James and Dusan Sakota to take a double-digit lead then hold on for the victory.


Manny Harris led AEK, finishing with 19 points and 9 rebounds, Dusan Sakota finished with 17, and Delroy James had 13 points and 7 rebounds.

"It was a good game played from both sides," AEK's Mike Green said afterwards.

"Spanish teams are known for running and we tried not to get into that up-tempo game with them and slow them down some. At some points we were good at it and some points we struggled.

"Overall it's a big win for us and keeps us in the standings and it's going to be big for us to try and advance to the next level."

Sylven Landesberg had 16 points and some big baskets down the stretch as he tried to lead Estudiantes back, and they received from 14 from Alec Brown and 13 from Goran Suton.

"We played well in the first half," Estudiantes' Aleksander Cvetkovic commented.

"But after that we totally stopped playing in the second half, especially on defence. We did not manage to stop their pick and roll game and that was the main problem of why we lost."

Both teams are now tied at 4-4 in Group C, but it is Estudiantes who own the tiebreaker

The game remained a close affair throughout, with both sides struggling to gain an edge and each holding 10 point leads at different stages of the contest.

Estudiantes had held the lead since three minutes into the second quarter and appeared in control. However, AEK's big fourth quarter run saw them take the lead, before Landesburg hit back to back threes, to tie the contest up at 76, setting up a dramatic finish.

Two free throws from Manny Harris after an ill-advised Estudiantes foul, and then a huge dagger three from James put AEK up 81-76 with a little over 30 seconds to play, before a thunder dunk inside from Elonu sealed the victory as AEK held on for the win.