Serbian Partizan downs Italian Trento to wrap up Eurocup Top 16 success

BELGRADE - Serbian Partizan defeated Trento by 91-75 on Wednesday in the last basketball match of the Eurocup Top 16, to confirm group leader status ahead quarterfinals.

Partizan dominated in the first minutes of the game and reached a 10-point lead mostly owing to points of Ognjen Jaramaz, but let it melt in a swift comeback of the Italian team spearheaded by three-pointers of James Blackmon.

The Serbian team took back the double-digit lead in the second quarter with a streak of precise three-pointers and was in front at halftime by 45-39.

Jaramaz continued scoring enabling his team to expand the gap further to 11 points ahead final quarter, and thanks to precision in execution Partizan marked fifth victory in the Top 16 phase.

Jaramaz stopped at 19 points and 4 assists, followed by Rashawn Thomas and Corey Walden with 13 each.

Justin Knox scored 20 for Trento, and Blackmon added another 19 points.

Partizan will play best-of-three against Unics Kazan from Russia on March 17 to fight for semifinals of the Eurocup. The winner of the competition is promoted to the Euroleague.