A poor start and a lackluster finish condemned Dinamo to defeat in the first game of the second round of the Europe Cup. At the PalaSerradimigni, the game ended 76-72 to Turkish side Aliaga Petkimspor. Many players, even the best, had highs and lows: Marshall scored 15 points and Thomas 13.
Dinamo got off to a slow start, taking four minutes to get a basket. Their defense was decent, but the offense struggled against the Turks, who were very aggressive. In the first quarter, the deficit reached 12 points before Thomas's three-pointer. Pullen fired up in the second quarter, dishing out assists for his teammates (five at halftime), who rallied, helped by Marshall, and managed to take the lead: 35-34 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Banco approaches a five-point lead, but it's only temporary. The defense is superior to the offense, and the final quarter is tied at 49-49. In the final quarter, the typical starting five, with two big men, fails to stop the Turkish guards. Sassari even falls to within nine thanks to three-pointers from Franke and later baskets from big man Blumbergs. The return to the starting five slows the run, but the white-and-blues miss a few too many open shots, and despite getting within a basket of the score, they never have the chance to tie or take the lead.
