Aris made a huge step toward the qualification to the Eurocup quarterfinals, thrashing DKV Joventut Badalona 84-54 (halftime 47-32) for the Game 5 of the “Last 16”. David Blatt’s players did one of their best performances this season and were hailed by the fans which gathered en masse at Alexandrio Melathro.
The “yellows” will qualify automatically in case that tomorrow (03/03) Alba Berlin beats Le Mans at the other match of Game 5 of the group, but regardless of that result they will finish on top and go through to the next round if they win in Le Mans, France next Tuesday (09/03).
The visitors stayed in the game for just five minutes, because after that Aris was great in defense, unstoppable in attack and prevailed in the rebounds (12 to 5). Thanks to a 9-0 run, the local team made it 19-11, with 2:24 remaining and finished the first quarter at “+12” (28-16), work of a brave coast-to-coast by Clark in the final seconds.
The American guard led his team in offense in the beginning of the second period, too, and had 13 points within 13 minutes. Aris’s difference was getting bigger and bigger, reaching up to 17 points (47-30), 1:20 before halftime.
This “yellow party” continued in the second half, as well, leading the Catalans to very poor choices in attack. Two consecutive three-point shots by Clark and Richardson gave Aris a 23-point lead (66-43), with 1:20 to go and the game was practically over.
However, the Aris display of power was not over yet. They extended their run up to 16-0 and made it 76-43, some 4 minutes into the fourth quarter. The score difference got ever bigger and reached at its maximum height at 4:47 before the end, when Richardson gave his team a 36-point lead (81-45) with another three-pointer. In the remaining minutes, Joventut managed to avoid an even more embarassing defeat, but the joy was all the same for Aris after the final 84-54.
Referees: Dubravko Muhvic (Croatia), Matej Boltauzer (Slovenia), Damir Javor (Slovenia).
Periods: 28-16, 47-32 (halftime), 69-43, 84-54.
ARIS (David Blatt): Clark 16 (2), Argyropoulos, Betts 11, Richardson 19 (5), Chatzivrettas 2, Dikoudis 5, Paunic, Kakiouzis 10 (1), Barlos, Miles 4, Walsh 17 (1).
DKV JOVENTUT BADALONA (Sito Alonso): Valters (1), Bogdanovic 16 (3), Bueno 6, Franch 2, Jelinek, Hernandez-Sonseca 4, Norel, Tomas 5, Koffi, Eyenga 5, Tucker 5 (1), Fernandez 2.
