EuroLeague: Baskonia Stages Thrilling Comeback Against Maccabi at Buesa Arena (101-98)

VITORIA — Baskonia defeated Maccabi 101-98 in a high-octane EuroLeague matchday game, with the Vitoria side mounting a comeback after a difficult first half. The blue-and-white team responded with a spectacular third quarter and ultimately prevailed in the final stretch of an offensive battle at the Buesa Arena.

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The EuroLeague game between Baskonia and Maccabi began with a constant exchange of baskets. Trent Forrest opened the contest with two three-pointers for the home side, while Roman Sorkin responded from beyond the arc for the Israeli squad. The offensive pace was extremely high from the start, and the first quarter ended with a visiting advantage of 28-36, driven by an inspired Lonnie Walker who had already accumulated 14 points in that opening period.

The momentum continued into the second quarter. Maccabi extended the lead with a 0-7 run and reached a 15-point advantage. Forrest had to briefly leave the court due to physical discomfort, though he would return later in the game and ultimately prove important on offense. At halftime, the score stood at 44-53, with Walker (18 points) and Sorkin (15) leading the visiting attack, while Diakité added 9 points for Baskonia.

The game changed completely after halftime. Baskonia opened the second half with an 11-0 run, taking advantage of Maccabi's defensive issues and elevating the offensive pace. Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot began finding the basket with regularity, joined in scoring by Forrest, Diakité, and Radzevicius.

The third quarter proved decisive. The Vitoria team put together a spectacular 40-19 run that allowed them to regain control of the game after reaching 66-65 on the scoreboard and completely shifting the momentum of the contest.

Still, Maccabi did not give up. The Israeli squad remained in the fight until the final buzzer and even pulled within 93-89 with two minutes remaining, keeping the outcome uncertain in the decisive stretch.

That's when Jaylen Nowell appeared, hitting a crucial three-pointer to restore calm to Baskonia. Shortly after, Luwawu-Cabarrot added a key basket that ultimately tilted the game decisively in favor of the home side.

Baskonia's EuroLeague victory (101-98) comes at a stage of the season where the Vitoria squad no longer has playoff qualification options, but continues to directly influence the battle for the final positions in the regular season.