BELGRADE, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Italian Trento beat Montenegrin Buducnost 77-68 in the second round of the group phase of the basketball Eurocup on Wednesday in Podgorica.
Trento gained significant advantage over the home team in the first quarter.
Buducnost managed to get close early in the second period at 21-23, but the Italian team separated again thanks to turnovers, assists and precision in executing field goals, and strengthened the lead with three pointers of James Blackmon and George King.
With a nine-point lead at halftime, Trento relaxed and let the Montenegrin team to get back in the game and gain a 3-point advantage before the third quarter (59-56).
However, Trento crushed them in the final quarter, thanks to precise shooting and tight defense.
Blackmon scored the team high of 19 points, while King and Kelly added 15 each.
Buducnost's Justin Cobbs stood out with 19 points and 8 assists.
Champion of the Italian Serie A2, country's second ranked competition, marked their first victory in the Eurocup group stage and a chance to compete for upper part of the Group D, while Buducnost, champion of Montenegrin basketball league, marked their second defeat.
In the next round, both teams will be hosts - Buducnost to Polish Arka Gdnyia, and Trento to Oldenburg from Germany.
