EUROBASKET QUALIFIERS

Forward Robin Benzing had an impressive double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds for  Germany

Germany encountered stiff resistance from Azerbaijan but avoided becoming their second upset victim in the EuroBasket Qualification Round on Monday.

Svetislav Pesic's team pulled away in the final minutes at Azerbaijan for an 85-68 victory - their fourth triumph in as many Group B games.

Bulgaria had fallen on 18 August in Baku, 88-73, and the Germans only led 63-57 with just under seven minutes remaining.

Three-balls from Lucca Staiger and Per Gunther of Germany sandwiched a basket by Azerbaijan's Orhan Haciyeva to give the visitors a 69-59 lead.

Following a jumper by Charles Davis, which gave him a game-high 31 points, Tibor Pleiß buried a jump shot and then Gunther drove in for a lay-up to stretch the advantage to 14.

Aleksandr Rindin's three-point played trimmed the deficit to 11, but Staiger killed off their chances with back-to-back shots from the arc and Tim Ohlbrecht knocked down a jumper on a fast-break to give Pesic's squad its biggest advantage of the night at 83-64.

Staiger ended up leading a balanced Germany attack with 18 points.

Heiko Schaffartzik finished with 16, Pleiß and Robin Benzing 15 apiece and Gunther 14.

Germany dominated the glass, with 15 of their 41 rebounds coming on the offensive boards.

Davis ended up with a game-high 31 points as Azerbaijan slumped to 2-2.