Basket Brno withstood the comeback attempts by shorthanded Tartu Ulikool and posted a 80-76 win to earn the ENBL bronze medal on Thursday, April 7, at the Hala Mistrzow in Wloclawek, Poland.
Players of the game
Šimon Puršl led all scorers with 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field and a perfect 3-of-3 from the free throw line.
Brno center had 13 points in the first half and remained efficient after the break.
Puršl grabbed six rebounds and forced four fouls.
Viktor Pulpan scored 14 points and had the best +/- ratio 16.
Point guard registered five rebounds, five assists and two steals.
Danilo Djuričič scored all 15 points in the first half.
Oleksandr Mishula and Jakub Krakovič provided firepower from the bench.
Both players had seven points, while Jakub Nečas chipped in with six points.
Oleksandr Kovliar, Robin Kivi and Braxton Huggins shared the scoring load for Tartu.
Kovliar had a team high 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 from the charity stripe.
Robin Kivi scored 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field.
Huggins posted 16 of his 18 points in the first half.
Emmanuel Wembi filled the stat sheet with six points, nine rebounds and five assists before he was fouled out.
Key stats
Both teams played good offense in the first half.
Tartu Ulikool made 51% of field goal attempts (18/35), Basket Brno – 59% (19/32).
Brno had 19 field goals on 18 assists and connected 6-of-11 three pointers for a 48-47 lead at the half.
The Estonian team made 6-of-18 three pointers in the first half but scored more points on fast breaks 3-7.
Oleksandr Kovliar and Robin Kivi combined for 19 points in the third quarter to keep Tartu alive.
The rivals experienced shooting woes in the last 10 minutes.
Tartu players missed four consecutive free throws in the 40th minute and struggled from the field.
Basket Brno scored only nine points in the fourth quarter but remained on the top and earned a historic bronze medal.
Brno reserves outscored Tartu 15-5 in the second half.
Game notes
Edmunds Elksnis got injured in the last minute of semifinal against Anwil Wloclawek and didn`t played on Thursday.
Mart Rosenthal wasn`t available in both games.
Dean Hunter Mickelson also didn`t played due to injury at the Czech Cup game.
Head coach Lubomir Ružicka led Basket Brno to the bronze medal finish.
Tartu Ulikool had a great debut season and finished in the fourth place.
Final Four 2022
Wednesday, April 6, semifinals
Šiauliai/7bet 84–73 Basket Brno
Anwil Wloclawek 80–74 Tartu Ulikool Maks&Moorits
Thursday, April 7
Tartu Ulikool 74–80 Basket Brno
Anwil Wloclawek – Šiauliai 7bet
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