Now in the next round

Banvit BK had a bittersweet end to its 2011-12 Eurocup season by downing previously undefeated Spartak St. Petersburg 68-61 in Bandirma, Turkey in Group K on Tuesday. Banvit finished Group K with a 3-3 record but ranked third - and therefore out of the Quarterfinals - due to its tie-break disadvantage against Buducnost Voli. Meanwhile, Spartak dropped to 5-1 and saw its 11-game winning streak come to an end. Spartak was first in Group K and is set to face CEZ Nymburk in the upcoming round. Kalin Lucas led the winners with 18 points. He had 5 in the final 72 seconds to win it for the hosts. Kenan Bajramovic and Chuck Davis each added 12 for Banvit. Valery Likhodey and Patrick Beverley each had 16 points for Spartak, that led 32-38 at halftime. Banvit rallied right after the break and the game became a close basket from that moment. A layup by Janis Strelnieks tied it at 59-59 but Lucas and Davis combined for all points in a final 9-2 run that made Banvit win the game down the stretch.

Lance Williams shined early but a three-pointer by Alexey Zozulin and a layup off a steal by Beverley gave Spartak a 3-5 lead. Izzet Turkylmaz and Zozulin traded baskets and Likhodey struck from downtown for a 5-10 Spartak margin. Bajramovic scored down low and Lucas added a fast break layup but Loukas Mavrokefalidis and Beverley restored a 9-14 Spartak margin. Mavrokefalidis scored again and a triple by Likhodey made Banvit call timeout at 9-19. Cemal Nalga scored around the basket but Vladimir Dragicevic matched that with free throws. Foul shots by Davis and a Erol Can Akin added a layup to bring Banvit within 17-21 after 10 minutes. Beverley sank a jumper early in the second quarter and a triple by Likhodey gave Spartak some fresh air at 17-26. Bajramovic tried to change things with a jumper and free throws but an unstoppable Likhodey kept Spartak way ahead, 23-31. Strelnieks scored around the basket but Lucas bettered that with a layup-plus-foul for a 26-33 Banvit deficit. Keith Simmons found his first points and Williams added a tip-in but Beverley and Strelnieks answered to give Spartak a 30-38 lead. A layup by Nalga fixed the halftime score at 32-38.

Erkan Veyseloglu scored down low immediately after break, Davis added an easy basket and a layup by Luca forced Spartak to call timeout at 38-38. Anatoly Kashirov stepped up with a put-back layup and a jumper by Mavrokefalidis made Spartak regain a 38-42 edge. Zozulin capped a 0-6 Spartak run with a jumper but Bajramovic and Lucas kept Banvit within 42-44. Bajramovic made free throws and a jumper by Simmons gave Banvit its first lead since the opening basket, 46-44. Lucas split free throws and even when Beverley hit a jumper, Simmons bettered that with a three-pointer for a 50-46 Banvit lead after 30 minutes. Miha Zupan scored around the basket early in the fourth quarter and a layup by Likhodey tied it at 50-50. Williams and Zupan traded baskets but a three-pointer by Beverley allowed Spartak to regain the lead, 52-55. Zupan scored again but free throws by Simmons and a jumper by Davis kept Banvit as close as 56-57 with under 6 minutes left. Lucas downed a triple but a layup by Strelnieks tied it at 59-59. David followed free throws with a put-back layup but Beverley still kept Spartak in the game, 63-61, in the next-to-last minute. Lucas took over with a jumper and a triple to make Banvit get a prestigious win - but it wasn't enough for the Turkish powerhouse to reach the Eurocup Quarterfinals.