The Telekom Baskets Bonn have missed out on making it to the Final Four of the Basketball Champions League for the time being. In game two of the quarter-final series against Peristeri, the Bonn team received a big slap.
The Baskets lost 62:90 (34:46) in Greece on Wednesday evening. The Bonn team won game one of the best-of-three series last week. The decision will be made in game three next Tuesday in Bonn.
Glynn Watson was Bonn’s best with 13 points and six assists, but no player reached his performance limit. Till Pape also contributed 13 points. Noah Kirkwood had ten points. The best thrower of the game was Peristeri’s Joe Ragland with 21 points, and he also distributed nine assists. Four of the hosts’ players contributed at least 15 points.
The Baskets only hit 38 percent of their field throws and had 16 turnovers. The rebound duel also went to the hosts 40:29.
Peristeri aggressive from the start
The Greeks knew what was at stake and immediately went to work aggressively. Bonn was able to hold off well at the beginning and led 9:7 after around five minutes. But then the pressure from the hosts continued to increase.
Peristeri was physically present both offensively and defensively and, thanks to a 12-0 run, moved ahead to 19-9. The Baskets recorded six turnovers in the first quarter alone. Brian Fobbs shortened the three-pointer to 12:19 for the Baskets, who were able to shorten it again to 19:14 by the end of the quarter.
But there was no sign of an upswing at the beginning of the second quarter. Led by the strong Joe Ragland, the Greeks quickly pulled away to 24:14. Ragland made it 31:16 for Peristeri after four minutes in the second quarter – the largest lead in the game up to that point.
Watson causes Bonn to briefly revolt
Now Bonn’s point guard Glynn Watson turned things around, diligently distributed assists and reduced the deficit for the Baskets to just eight points from the free throw line (25:33). Two quick three-pointers from Jermaine Love and Elijah Mitrou-Long brought the hosts’ lead back to double digits. Bonn went into the break trailing by 34:46.
Baskets Bonn despair of Chemnitz arrow right Champions League: Baskets Bonn defeat Peristeri in game one arrow right
After the break, things didn’t get any better for Bonn. Mitrou-Long scored with a three-pointer to make it 36:52 from Bonn’s perspective. Nemanja Dangubic added a three-pointer to make it 36:55. Peristeri remained stable, continued to increase his scoring rate and didn’t allow Bonn to make a run. Instead, Mitrou-Long remained accurate from outside and gave Peristeri a 69:46 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Only short hopes of a comeback from Bonn
Bonn started the last quarter well and went on a 6-0 run. Lars Thiemann scored seven minutes before the end to make it 56:70 from Bonn’s perspective. Ragland and Trevor Thompson responded with an alley oop and co-produced the lead in the next attack to 18 points (74:56), thereby denying all Bonn’s hopes of a comeback. The baskets were beaten. In the final phase, Peristeri pulled away even further.
The decision in the quarter-finals will be made in the third game. This will take place next Tuesday at 8 p.m. in Bonn.
