Rostock 87-86 Rīgas Zeļļi: 13-3 on the offensive glass settles a Eurocup one-pointer

Highlights

▶Key

Thirteen offensive rebounds against three. Forty-five total boards against 32. When a game is decided by a single point, those are the numbers that tip it — and every one of them belonged to Rostock Seawolves at StadtHalle Rostock.

Rīgas Zeļļi owned the start: 26-20 in the first quarter, a best run of 16 unanswered points, a lead that never grew past six but held. Rostock flipped the second period 22-15 to lead 42-41 at the break, lost the third 25-22 and trailed 64-66 entering the fourth. Ten lead changes in all — the hosts in front for 20:38, the visitors for 12:36. The Seawolves' biggest lead was 13, but they gave the ball away 17 times to Rīga's 13, and nine away steals kept the guests alive. Rostock still controlled the defensive glass 32-29 and the assist count 21-18.

The finish was settled at the line. Tyler Wahl's basket tied it at 83-83. Four free throws — two from Artur Konontsuk, two from Zach Copeland — carried Rostock from 84-83 to 87-83. Martynas Varnas struck from deep for 87-86, and that was the last score of the night.

Owen Klassen was the pillar: 14 points on 6-for-6 shooting, 12 rebounds and a block in 23:28 of court time. Konontsuk matched his 14 points, Copeland added 13 with five rebounds and three assists, and TJ Crockett chipped in 11 points and five assists. Rīga's answer was thinner: Tyler Wahl's 9 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists led the visitors, with Ben Shungu held to six.

One point. Ten lead changes. A 13-3 demolition on the offensive glass — Rostock won this the hard way, where games are actually won.