Another European win for Napoli Basketball, which beats Neptunas Klaipeda away 94–85 in the fifth round of the Eurocup Group C match. Coach Repesa’s team thus remains at the top of the group with 5 wins out of 5 games played. The top scorer is Ramsey with 20 points. Also in double digits are Brown, Caruso, Tarczewski, and White.
Azzurri start well with baskets from Dowtin Jr. and Brown; the Lithuanians react with Fridiksson scoring from long range, but a new 7–0 run led by 6 points from Tarczewski brings the score to 7–15 midway through the quarter. Neptunas stays close with Drell and Taronis, Petrucelli scores to make it 17–24, and Girdziunas' basket makes it 20–24 at the first break. In the second quarter, Napoli seems to pull away as Ramsey, White, and Sankare make it 23–36. The Lithuanian side doesn't give up and, with the usual Fridiksson, gets back within 5 at 31–36 before another three-pointer by Seljaas. However, the end of the quarter belongs entirely to the hosts, who with the first points from Franke and Echodas close the first half at 45–47.
Dowtin Jr. and Franke score at the start of the third quarter; Tarczewski blocks and scores, perfect from the free-throw line, and Napoli returns to a +10 lead. The Lithuanians won't back down and, through the usual Fridiksson, close the gap to -5 at 54–59. Blow-for-blow between the Icelandic player and Ramsey; Napoli returns to +10 before a good Lithuanian finish makes it 65–71 at the final interval of the quarter. The final quarter opens with 8 consecutive points from Caruso that bring Napoli back to a double-digit lead at 68–79. The Azzurri fly high with Ramsey and Petrucelli, but Neptunas, dragged along by Girdziunas and Fridiksson, manages to climb back to -7. In the end, however, the Azzurri manage to pull away again with Dowtin Jr. and White. The match ends 94–85 for Coach Jasmin Repesa's team.
Coach Repesa:
"We are traveling a lot. This is the second time in 10 days that we've faced a very long road trip, after the one in Poland. It isn't easy to move around this much and play two games—I say this often. Staying focused on the game makes all the difference in these kinds of matches. Every player contributed to tonight's victory, which was absolutely deserved. We could have finished the first half better; we perhaps conceded a bit too much to them. They are a team with great offensive capabilities. In the fourth quarter, we did well to never turn the ball over. Our opponents increased their aggressiveness, but we responded well, always finding good solutions. Congratulations to the team, but there is no time to celebrate this victory because we must be ready to get to work ahead of the very tough game waiting for us on Sunday against a strong team like Venezia."
Napoli Basketball will return to the court on Sunday at 12:00 PM at the Alcott Arena against Reyer Venezia for the sixth matchday of Serie A.