Valmiera Glass/ViA Fall to Turkish Side Korfez Basket in FIBA Europe Cup
Latvia's Valmiera basketball team lost 87-82 at home to Turkey's Korfez Basket in a FIBA Europe Cup Group F game. Americans Brice McBride and Jake Hydebrider scored 45 points between them, but it was not enough.
Valmiera Glass/ViA of Latvia lost 87-82 (19-18, 21-22, 27-21, 20-24 by quarter, from the opponent's view; Valmiera's own splits were 18-19, 22-21, 21-27, 24-20) to Turkey's Korfez Basket on Tuesday, 28 October, in the fourth Group F game of the FIBA Europe Cup, a European club basketball competition. The defeat is Valmiera's third in four group games.
American duo leads the way
Valmiera's US players stood out. Brice McBride played 37 minutes, scoring 25 points with ten assists and four rebounds. Jake Hydebrider also spent 37 minutes on court and recorded 20 points, seven rebounds, four assists and six steals. Aminu Mohamed added 11 points, four rebounds and four assists.
The team made 10 of 30 three-pointers and 27 of 59 field goals overall. The visitors were less accurate from long range, hitting 9 of 27, but shot better overall, making 32 of 64.
How the game unfolded
The Turkish side started better, scoring the first nine points. Valmiera recovered to level at 9-9, and the first quarter ended 18-19. In the second quarter, Hydebrider had 13 points by halftime and McBride 12, and Hydebrider's shot in the final half-minute levelled the score at 40-40.
In the third quarter the visitors scored 27 points and led 67-61 after it. In the last quarter, baskets by McBride and Dāvis Ozers put the hosts ahead 78-76 with three minutes left, but Oskars Klufs hit three field goals and a free throw to restore the visitors' lead. Mohamed's three-pointer made it 85-86, but only one second remained on the clock.
Group standings
With one win and three losses, Valmiera is third in Group F. France's Elan Chalon lead the group, with Korfez Basket second.
