Hughes does it for Pieno Zvaigzdes

Trevon Hughes has done it for the second time this week, leading Pieno Zvaigzdes to a surprise 89-88 victory over Triumph.
With 25 points, Hughes was just as much the star as he had been earlier in the week when he led his team to an upset victory over Ventspils, hitting three three-pointers in a one and a half minute spell in the dying moments to set up the win.
But this win was even bigger, given Ventspils known problems following the departure of Janis Strelnieks and the fact that a victory on Wednesday would have taken Triumph clear of Siauliai at the top of the Bbl standings.
With Pieno Zvaigzdes taking a considerable 11 point lead into halftime it looked like Triumph's task of playing three away games in three nights was proving too difficult. However in the third quarter Triumph began fighting back with Sergey Karasev and Victor Zvarykin combining for 11 points in the frame to have Triumph back within a point, setting up a tense final ten minutes.
Karasev ended the game with 17 points off the bench whilst Zvarykin picked up six points. Both Ivan Lazarev and Artem Kuzyakin would record BBL season highs with 21 and 16 points respectively.
Carrying over their third quarter momentum, Triumph made it appear like their opponents had already run out of steam and they were going to cruise towards victory as their one-point deficit turned into a nine-point lead with six minutes remaining. But it was time for Hughes to step to the fore, hitting three three-pointers in a little over a minute to turn his team's eight-point deficit into a point with two minutes to play. He would then tie scores by hitting one of two free throws with 53 seconds to play.
Both teams were feeling the pressure in the final minute as Triumph failed to add to their score, as Pieno Zvaigzdes lifted the pressure on defense, only allowing their opponents to get off one more shot before Zydrunas Kelys would win the game in something of an anticlimax, making one of two free throws with six seconds remaining. Kelys would finish with 12 points, as would Paulius Morkeliunas, whilst Eimantas Bendzius claimed13.
Pieno Zvaigzdes record now improves to seven-and-three and their current streak to four games, leaving few in doubt that they are one of the leading teams to go through to the BBL playoffs.

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