MINSK, 16 December (BelTA) – BC Tsmoki Minsk lost to Hapoel Holon 71-75 in the Group C home game of the Basketball Champions League on 15 December, BelTA has learned.
The host lost the opening quarter with the difference of five points. Tsmoki-Minsk balanced proceedings in the second frame and the two opponents traded blows until the start of the final stanza. Minsk unleashed a final assault which brought them within two points, 73-71. With just 19 seconds left on the clock, Minsk came up with a steal but before the Belarusian team had a chance to tie the scores or even go ahead, Holon sealed the win thanks to Guy Pnini.
Andrei Rahozenka finished with 15 points for Minsk in defeat.
Last week, the Minsk Dragons beat the Israeli team 79-69. Earlier, Tsmoki Minsk defeated Cholet from France 82-75 and lost to Greece's AEK 69-95.
BC Tsmoki Minsk will be back in action on 5 January as they travel to face Cholet.
Group C team standings are as follows: AEK – 7 points, Tsmoki Minsk – 6, Hapoel Holon – 6, Cholet – 5.
two best teams from each of eight quarters will advance into the Champions League playoffs.
The Minsk Dragons are scheduled to play two games in the VTB United League before the end of 2020. Tsmoki Minsk will take on UNICS in Kazan on 20 December and Lokomotiv Kuban in Krasnodar on 23 December. Tsmoki Minsk lost six out of seven previous matches.
