From -15 to +11, then shortness of breath and a foggy head at the end in Lisbon. The Europe Cup starts poorly for Dinamo, defeated by Sporting 80-77. Furthermore, he was suspended for midnight with an injury that hopefully is minor, given that Johnson and Ceron are already sidelined.
McGlynn was the best player on the court with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Vincini performed well, but was overwhelmed by center Johns in the final minutes. Marshall and Zanelli were still inadequate, while Thomas played in fits and starts. He scored 18 points, but also drew numerous fouls and turnovers.
News notes
Lithuanian Beliauskas is still in the starting five because Johnson isn't at his best. Only big men McGlynn and Thomas score (10-11 at the 6th minute), while the Portuguese bombard, primarily from beyond the arc, for two quarters: 10-21 with Sassari unable to adjust their defense. The second quarter proves a rout: Sporting even extends its lead to +15, with Bulleri first trying a small starting five, then a two-center starting five, because Mezzanotte is suffering from a minor injury.
After halftime, Dinamo adjusted their defense to deny easy three-pointers. Thomas made it 10-0 before committing his fourth foul, and the momentum remained with the white-and-blues, who played with a double center (Vincini and McGlynn) out of necessity. The score was 30-6, and Banco's lead reached 11 after Zanelli's three-pointer.
In the final quarter, the home team tightened its attack and began scoring three-pointers again: 63-67 at the 34th minute. Thomas returned but committed his fifth foul and was also called a technical foul. Sassari ran a 12-0 run, and Buie's prayer from behind midcourt at the buzzer hit the rim.
