The first ticket to the 2024 ENBL Final Four will be punched on Wednesday, March 13, as the Bakken Bears Aarhus face the Seriös Group Newcastle Eagles. History will be made.
Series history: Bakken Bears posted a 92-87 road win at the Vertu Motors arena on March 1.
Bakken Bears are 1-2 in the ENBL home games and 5-0 in the road games.
Newcastle Eagles are 2-2 in the ENBL road games and 3-1 in the home games.
Bakken Bears are eyeing their first ENBL Final Four.
Newcastle Eagles are eyeing their first ENBL Final Four too.
Key matchup: Noah Sorensen averages 10.4 points and 3.9 assists for the Bakken Bears.
He shoots 58.6% from the two point line, 34.6% from the three point line and 80.0% from the charity stripe.
Jordan Johnson averages 18.6 points and 7.4 assists for the Newcastle Eagles.
He shoots 56.9% from the two point line, 22.9% from the three point line and 73.7% from the free throw line.
National championships: Bakken Bears are 1-1 in the second stage of Basketligaen.
Six best teams qualified for the second stage and will play two rounds – 10 games in total.
Bakken Bears scored a big win and defeated Naestved, 93-82, on March 9.
The regular season will finish on April 15.
Newcastle Eagles defeated Manchester Giants, 109-77, on March 8.
The Tyneside boys traveled up north and fell at the hands of Caledonia Gladiators, 80-98, on Sunday, March 10.
The BBL All Star weekend awaits later this week.
Ten league legends will be inducted into the BBL Hall of Fame`s 2024 class, including two former Eagles – Andrew Sullivan (2004-2006, 2008-2010) and Peter Scantlebury (1997-1999).
Know your referees
Crew chief: Bartlomiej Kucharski (Poland) – FIBA referee from 2021, PLK referee from 2016; has worked at the 2022 ENBL Final Four in Wloclawek; has worked at the 2023 ENBL Final Four in Ostrów.
Umpire 1: Andrada Csender (Denmark) – Romanian top league referee, FIBA referee from 2012, Denmark top league referee from 2019; has worked four times at the EuroLeague Women Final 4 and at the EuroBasket Women.
Umpire 2: Josh Bowe (England) – FIBA referee from 2019, has worked at four British Basketball league finals and one Women`s British Basketball league final.
Observer: Oskars Lucis (Latvia).
ENBL access: follow the game on YouTube live stream