LUDWIGSBURG (Basketball Champions League) - MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg used a dominant third quarter run to pull out a 73-61 victory over Neptunas Klaipeda in the opening leg of their Round of 16 match-up on Wednesday evening.

Ludwigsburg went on a 23-3 run in the third period, overturning a nine-point deficit to take a lead they would not give up the rest of the way.

MHP RIESEN were led by a big man Jack Cooley, who finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds, while Rocky Trice added 15 points as the only other player in double figures.

"I think we did a really good job in the second half, especially defensively," MHP RIESEN's David McCray said. "We really clamped down. We really bothered them with out press and aggressive defence and we're looking forward to the second game."

And looking ahead to Leg 2, he added: "We will go into the game well prepared again like we did today, try to do the same things, try to press them, make things uncomfortable for them with our aggressive and physical play. (If we) Move the ball like we did and keep shooting the ball with confidence, I think we have a chance."

For Neptunas, Daniel Ewing had 14 points on his debut with Mindaugas Kacinas scoring 5 and hauling down 10 rebounds.

"I'd say it was a really physical game," Kacinas said.

"We couldn't contain the offensive rebounds. They got too many and that definitely killed us.

"They were the drivers, we gave up too many penetrations to the rim and at the end of the game, as you can see, they won the game."

The game didn't become one-way traffic until the second half. There were multiple lead changes across the first two periods, and it wasn't until Neptunas finished the second period on a 9-5 run over the final 1:40 that they appeared to have control, leading by 4 at the break.

A 5-0 Neptunas run to open the second half with baskets from Lofton and Mazeika, gave Klaipeda their biggest lead of the game at 9, only for Cooley to get going. MHP RIESEN responded with their own huge rally to take a firm grip on the contest.