BM Slam Stal Ostrów Wielkopolski recently extended head coach Andrzej Urban until 2025 and will try to win Energa Basket Liga later this year.
Change in the PLK standings
It`s one thing how you start and another thing how you finish. BM Stal Ostrów (16-8) recently suffered three consecutive losses at the PLK and dropped to the fourth place behind Slask Wroclaw (19-5), King Szczecin (18-7) and Legia Warszawa (16-9).
There are six more games to play before the playoffs. BM Stal will play at home on April 15, 22 and 28, while road games await on April 8 and 17 before the trip to Wloclawek on the Constitution Day, May 3.
The rise of Aigars Šķēle
BM Stal Ostrów parted ways with Joshua Perkins on March 14 and Aigars Šķēle became the first ball handler.
A Latvian guard impressed in the quartefinal series against Zastal Zielona Gora, setting a new ENBL record in assists made in a single game (19).
Šķēle averaged 16.5 points and 15.5 assists in the playoffs. In total, he has 64 assists in seven games or 9.1 assists per game.
Player statistics
Only five players appeared in all nine ENBL games – Damian Kulig, Nemanja Djurišič, Aleksander Zalucki, Ojārs Siliņš and Filip Siewruk.
Joshua Perkins entered the floor in six games before he left. Scottie Reynolds played in one ENBL game and Quentin Snider none.
Four players – Siliņš, Šķēle, Adonis Thomas and Jakub Garbacz – averaged more than 25 minutes but none of them played more than 27 minutes.
The scoring was also shared between many players. Garbacz had 14.0 points, followed by Siliņš (11.6), Djurišič (10.9) and Thomas (10.7).
As the playoffs showed the rotation and roles in the Final Four may change significantly.
Six Stal players average an efficiency rating of 10.6 or more in the PLK.
Damian Kulig leads the pack with 15.0 points, 7.6 rebounds and efficiency rating of 19.3.
Šķēle is second with 14.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 6.1 assists.
Garbacz is the third scorer with 13.0 points.
Siliņš is the top level defensive player and a threat from the deep as he shoots 46.5% from the three point line in the ENBL and 35.4% in the PLK.
Team statistics
BM Stal Ostrów is the second highest scoring team in the PLK with 86.4 points.
Urban`s men averaged 84.8 points in the ENBL just behind Ironi Ness Ziona with 87.2 points.
BM Stal registered the most assists (211) and the most rebounds (320).
Ostrów is third in assists (19.5) and second in rebounds (38.8) at the PLK.