Round-up: Malaga stunner

Visiting Unicaja Malga stunned Benetton 76-79 in Treviso, holding off a late charge in a dramatic fourth quarter to secure a share of the Group F lead in the Euroleague Top 16.

In a dramatic final minute both sides missed clutch free throws after matching each other shot-for-shot late in the game.

Back-to-back-to-back three-pointers from Marcus Goree and Bryant Smith gave the hosts - who trailed for most of the game - a three-point lead with just three minutes to play.

A three by Carlos Cabezas and a key block on the defensive end by leading scorer Daniel Santiago followed by a score at the other end gave Malaga a three-point lead with just a minute-and-a-half left to play.

Gore responded with a dunk, followed by a Cabezas jumper and a game-tying three-pointer by Preston Shumper, which set up the dramatic final minute.

In the last 50 seconds Malaga hit just enough free throws and did just enough on defence to secure the victory.

MAN OF THE MATCH - JIRI WELSCH AND DANIEL SANTIAGO: In a historic MOTM first, two men share the night's honours as both Santiago with his inside play and Welsch with his outside performance deserved the evening's prize.

Santiago went 9-for-12 in a brilliant performance in the paint to lead all scorers with 23 points, and also pulled down eight rebounds and five blocked shots, including a critical stuff of Marcus Goree in the home stretch.

Welsch, meanwhile, torched the hosts with 21 points on 8-for-10 shooting, including 3-for-4 shooting from beyond the arc. The two complemented each other perfectly.

Dynamo Moscow overcame a six-point third-quarter deficit to beat visiting Aris TT 71-69 and maintain a share of the top spot in the Euroleague Top 16 Group G.

"We played at home – it always gives you a chance to come back when you are losing. That's why we made a run at the fourth quarter," said Greek Dynamo center Lazoros Papadopoulos.

Antonis Fotsis set up his Dynamo and Greece team-mate with a rim-rattling alley-oop late in the game, which Papadopoulos slammed home in monstrous fashion.

"Speaking on our 'Greek' alley-oop there is no secret in it – we've known each other for ages and we feel perfectly the right time to give a pass."

MAN OF THE MATCH - ANTONIS FOTSIS: No doubt that the Greek star saved the Muscovite club against the visiting Greeks with a brilliant all-around performance. Fotsis finished the night with 28 points on a phenomenal 10-of-14 shooting, including 3-for-5 from beyond the arc. Add ten rebounds to make it an even double-double and to help his side overcome a late deficit at home, and we are talking about the obvious MOTM.

Panathinaikos beat rivals Efes Istanbul 65-79 outscored the hosts 24-10 in the fourth quarter to secure their place in the Euroleague quarter-finals and eliminate the Turkish club.

The Greens dominated their opponents in the final frame to secure the win thanks to some brilliant shooting from Ramunas Siskauskas.

"We got 19 defensive rebounds and Panathinaikos had 19 offensive rebounds. This is a good explanation for the game and the result," said Efes head coach Oktay Mahmuti.

"We gave them too many second-chance points and in this kind of game, you can not handle this kind of weakness. There's nothing much to say."

MAN OF THE MATCH - SANI BECIROVIC: Though this was clearly a team effort - Panathinaikos had five scorers with 9 points or more - Becirovic had the best all-around night for the conquering Greeks. He scored 16 points, pulled down seven rebounds, dished out four assists, and recorded one steal.

Barcelona clinched their place in the Euroleague quarter-finals with a 59-77 road-win at Prokom Trefl Sopot to improve to 3-1 and move into second-place in Top 16 Group F.

Barca improve to 3-1 with the win, while Sopot drop to 1-3 with only two games remaining in the Top 16.

"To be serious, I expected a more equal game," said Barca guard Jaka Lakovic. "In the first quarter, Prokom played really well, even surprised me.

"Then we made some efficient actions inside, hit some bombs from downtown and that was it. The key to the victory was our good defense."

MAN OF THE MATCH - MICHAIL KAKIOUZIS: Despite Jaka Lakovic's brilliant first-half shooting performance to his four threes and scoring 12 points, Lakovic did not mark a single point in the second half. The prize now must go to Michail Kakiouzis, who helped to shut down hosts Sopot in the stretch to finish with 13 points and seven rebounds on 6-for-7 shooting in just 18 minutes of play.