Mirza Teletovic fails to inspire Caja Laboral; Lose 71-68 to Bennet Cantu: Euroleague Recap Part-2
For Caja Laboral, Mirza Teletovic erupted with 27 points including 5 for 9 from the three-point range and 6 for 8 from the free throw line. Nemanja Bjelica pounded 11 and pulled down 3 rebounds while Fernando San Emeterio putting
up an all round performance accumulated 9, forced 4 rebounds and dished out 5 assists.
Mirza got Caja off to a flyer, constituting 10 points out of a 13-2 opening run. Bennet, then responded with a 7-2 run to slash the deficit to 15-9. Unfortunately for Cantu, Mirza was unstoppable at the other end and was joined
by San Emeterio later in the first quarter to elevate the lead again.
Apart from scoring quickly, Caja also displayed a rock solid defence, allowing opponents to score only 3 points after the initial 7-2 burst.
By the end of first quarter, Caja found themselves in the driving seat leading by 21-12.
Cantu started the second quarter perfectly with a 7-0 surge to bring down the lead significantly down to 21-19. However, Caja again initiated a mini onslaught and reeling off a 6-0 run, led by Goran Dragic and Brad Oleson, got
to a commanding position again.
Cantu power players then jumped to the rescue and attacked from every corner of the paint to successfully complete a 9-0 run, which not only helped them in eliminating the lead, but elevated them in front of the opponents 28-27.
Cantu went on to reel off another 7-0 run in the last few minutes to end the first half in their favour at 35-30.
The Game started moving away from Caja in the third quarter after a 10-2 opening spurt mounted Bennet’s lead to double figures 45-32. Cantu went on to score 7 more points in the quarter, and allowed only 3 points to their opponents
to end the quarter leading by massive 16 points 52-36.
It started to get embarrassing for Caja when lead reached 20 plus points midway through the deciding frame. Even the crowd lost its interest as the turned into a one sided affair.
The next few minutes however saw one of the best comebacks in the Euroleague 2011, as Laboral out of nowhere, initiated an 21-3onslaught and to turn the game alive.
With Caja inching ever closer, Cantu seemed out of answers as the game headed into the last minutes with Cantu still leading by one.
With all the momentum against them, Cantu were on the verge of a meltdown, but against the run of play a moment of brilliance in the shape of a Nicolas Mazzarino mid jumper, saved their blushes.
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