2007-03-27 Kalev/Cramo powered its way into the postseason
<p>Despite being down for more than three quarters of the game, Kalev/Cramo managed to pull theirselves together and squeezed out a win against Sakalai <a href="/index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj1nYW1lcy5tYWluJmdfaWQ9NTYz">75:73</a>. The win moves Tallinn team to the top of the SEB BBL Division II standings. The Estonian champions will play Barons/LMT Riga in the first round of the SEB BBL Playoffs.</p><p>Kalev/Cramo was led buy the league leading scorer Travis Reed who had 24 points and 12 rebounds. Youngster Justas Sinica had a career night for Sakalai. He scored 25 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and shot 5/12 from the three-point range.</p><p>21-year old Sinica and his team-mate, veteran player Erikas Kuciauskas were close to ruining Estonian champions' play-off hopes as they kept scoring from both inside and outside. Sakalai was ahead 50:59 with 11 minutes left and 64:70 with less than 5 minutes to play. The last minutes were the only time when hosts looked like they really wanted to win. With 4.31 left, Reed started hosts' 11:0 run and he ended the run with only 1.34 left as the score was 75:70, already and the fate of the game was decided.</p><p>Tanel Sokk scored 10 points in 1st quarter, including a quarter-ending three-pointer for 21:18. </p><p align="justify">Sinica scored 10 points in 2nd quarter, holding the score even as Reed and Kendrick Johnson combined 12 points for Kalev, leading 33:30 with three minutes to play in 2nd. The last minute of the quarter was a nightmare for hosts as Kuciauskas and Labuckas connected three triples, taking the lead 37:43 at half. </p><p align="justify">Third quarter also belonged to guests. Their zone defence kept Kalev either losing the ball or missing from difficult positions. Meanwhile the guests kept hitting from a long distance - 4 three-pointers in 3rd quarter (2 from Kuciauskas) and for the first and only time in the game guests had a double-digit lead - 46:56 with three minutes left.</p><p align="justify">Rait Keerles ended the quarter with a three-pointer, making it 53:59. Johnson and Reed took hosts back 60:61 but Sinica answered with two baskets - 60:66. Then, Kalev started the final spurt and Sakalai, with Sarakauskas and Kiausas fouled out and Reminas injured, had no more strength left to stop the opponents. The players and 3000 fans of Kalev/Cramo could start the celebration.</p><p align="justify">Besides 24 points from Reed, Kalev gained most from Johnson, 16, and Sokk, 11. Sinica scored 25 for Sakalai, Kuciauskas added 16. Sakalai made 12/35 three-pointers as they repeated the SEB BBL season high of three-point attempts.</p><p align="justify">On Thursday, Kalev hosts Barons/LMT in first round of the play-offs.</p>
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