The Niners Chemnitz basketball team has reached the semi-finals of a European club competition for the first time in the club's history. The Bundesliga club defeated Spanish first-division club Casademont Zaragoza 102:86 (44:38) in the second leg of the Fiba Europe Cup quarter-final on Wednesday. The club from Saxony had already won the first leg by 98:64 (58:37).
Aher Uguak, Jeffery Garrett (20 points apiece), Wesley van Beck (15) and Kaza Kajami-Keane (14) played the biggest part in the success of Rodrigo Pastore's players in front of their home crowd. The outstanding Trae Bell-Haynes (31), Dejan Kravic (13), Youssouf Mamby Traore and Thad McFadden (10 each) scored the most points for the Spaniards. Chemnitz had huge advantages, especially under the baskets, grabbing 46 rebounds compared to just 29 for the visitors.
The Niners' progress was never in danger at any stage of the encounter. After an evenly poised start, the home side pulled away with a 16:3 run from 21:20 (12th minute) to 37:23 (15th minute). The Spaniards fought their way back to 58:54 in the 26th minute, but had squandered their last chance to at least take revenge for the defeat in the first leg with the score at 73:58 two minutes later.
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