Ulker Istanbul vs. Zalgiris Kaunas (Mar 4, 2004)

Another record-setting performance by Arvydas Sabonis gave 
Zalgiris Kaunas a rare and coveted road win, 73-85 at Ulker in 
Istanbul, in the Group G opener for both teams. Concentrating his 
scoring in the first and last quarters, Sabonis finished with 25 
points, 16 rebounds and 4 assists for the highest index rating ever, 
47, in a Top 16 game. Tanoka Beard added 18 points and 7 rebounds for 
the winners, while Giedrius Gustas scored 17 off the bench and Ed Cota 
popped for 10 more points. Zalgiris outrebounded Ulker 41-27 and 
dished 24 assists - including 5 by Mindaugas Timinskas - to just 12 
for the hosts. Despite 14-for-29 three-point shooting, Ulker dropped 
to 0-1. Petar Naumoski and Ibrahim Kutluay scored 21 points each for 
Ulker, including 9 triples between them, while Efthimios Rentzias 
drilled 5 more from downtown en route to 15 points. Joseph Blair added 
a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds. 

Sabonis did not wait to answer whether he was in form to match the 
huge expectations surrounding him. He scored 12 points in just the 
first 6 minutes, popping a pair of three-pointers over Blair. The 
first made it 6-11 for Zalgiris, and after an exchange of layups 
between the centers, Naumoski popped his second triple to make it 
11-13. Sabonis answered from downtown, but he was only part of the 
three-point display. Kutluay had already made one, and now he was 
ready to add 2 more triples, in between which Cota hit a rare one. The 
score was 17-19 after 7 minutes, and Sabonis went to the bench for a 
breather. Blair took advantage with 3 points and Naumoski drilled his 
third three-pointer so far, but Cota and Gustas had baskets to help 
Zalgiris hold a 25-26 lead after 10 minutes. 

Ulker started the second quarter strong, with back-to-back triples 
from - who else? - Kutluay and Naumoski en route to a six-point lead, 
32-26 after 12 minutes. Zalgiris now used its two big guys, Sabonis 
and Beard, together in attempts to make double trouble for Ulker. This 
was the right choice for Zalgiris, but Ulker center Efthimios Rentzias 
joined Kutluay and Naumoski in the triples contest, launching in two 
of his own from downtown as the hosts extended their lead to eight 
points, 42-34, after 16 minutes. Beard started the Zalgiris reaction 
by putting back an offensive rebound, and after a pair of layups by 
Timinskas, finished an 0-8 run with a dunk that tied the scoreboard, 
42-42. Less than 2 minutes were left until the half, and in that time, 
Blair was the only person to score, putting up 3 points that let Ulker 
reach the lockers ahead by 45-42. 

Rentzias started the third period with a three-pointer, then another, 
and was followed both times by Naumoski making shorter jumpers to give 
the home team what seemed to be a comfortable 11-point lead, 55-44, 
after 22 minutes. Ulker had 12 three-pointers then, but few more bombs 
would come. Meanwhile, Zalgiris went to work with a 0-7 run that 
featured a triple and free throws by Gustas. The Zalgiris defense now 
stopped Ulker from scoring for nearly five minutes. Dainius Salenga 
added to the run with a layup that brought Zalgiris within 55-53, but 
then Rentzias buried his fifth three-pointer to make it 58-53. Cota 
and Beard got baskets down before the quarter ended, but Kerem Gonlum 
added 2 free throws to keep Ulker ahead 60-58 after 30 minutes. 

Beard sent a message by opening the final quarter with a dunk, and 
before the first minute was over, Gustas made a jumper that gave 
Zalgiris a lead at 60-62. Naumoski traded baskets with Beard and 
Sabonis to keep Ulker in the game at 65-66. But then Sabonis and 
Gustas scored in succession for a 65-70 Zalgiris edge. Ulker played 
zone defense for the rest of the match, but Gustas hurt it with a 
three-pointer that boosted the lead to 67-75 with under 5 minutes to 
play. Ulker tried to catch Zalgiris with early attempts for 
three-pointers, but those didn't work and when Sabonis hit free throws 
in the 38th minute, the lead was in double digits, 67-77. A Salenga 
dunk in the last minute extended the visitors' lead to 12 points, 
which is where it also stood at the finish, a good margin for Zalgiris 
to hold in case of future ties. 

Gokhan Ture, Istanbul