BM Stal Ostrów led from start to finish to prevail over Polski Cukier Start Lublin, 86-74, and advance to the 2023 ENBL title game on Tuesday, April 11, at the ArenaOstrów.
Players of the game
Damian Kulig registered a double-double for the hosts.
Captain scored 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting inside the three point line and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Aigars Šķēle led ball handlers with a game high 11 assists.
Point guard dropped 14 points, grabbed seven rebounds and blocked three shots.
Ojārs Siliņš scored 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field.
Power forward also proved his defensive skills with two steals and one blocked shot.
Siliņš registered a game high +/- ratio of 25.
Mateusz Zebski had a perfect shooting night as he scored 15 points with seven shots.
Nemanja Djurišič posted 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field.
Michal Michalak checked in with eight points, four assists and one steal.
Troy Barnies responded with a game high 21 points for Polski Cukier Start Lublin.
Maine standout went for a 7-of-11 shooting from the field, including a 4-of-6 masterclass from the three point line.
Kacper Mlynarsky added 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field.
Gabe DeVoe and Klāvs Čavars scored nine points each.
Center added two blocked shots.
Key stats
BM Stal Ostrów outrebounded Start 26-12 in the first half, including 9-3 on the offensive glass.
Damian Kulig and Adonis Thomas started to score second chance points from the start for a 4-0 lead.
The hosts scored 13 second chance points in the first half, compared to six for Lublin.
BM Stal outscored guests in the paint during the first 20 minutes, 22-10.
Ostrów led by as much as 12 points, 22-10 and 32-20.
Lublin returned into the game, thanks to good three point shooting in the second quarter.
Scoochie Smith, Mateusz Dziemba and Kacper Mlynarsky made three consecutive shots from the deep.
Mlynarsky capped a 3-11 run with two points to renew a one possession game, 34-31.
Ojārs Siliņš responded with a three pointer, 37-31.
Start remained close after the first half, 39-34.
Ostrów stepped up its game and increased speed to score points in transition.
Aigars Šķēle was very effective in this kind of basketball and fed his teammates, including a fellow Latvian Ojārs Siliņš.
Siliņš scored seven points in the third quarter, while Šķēle had amazing three blocks.
Another Latvian – Klāvs Čavars – helped Start to stay in the game working on both ends of the court.
His accomplishments included a swat against Šķēle, while Troy Barnies made a three pointer to fuel Lublin`s counter attack, 59-53.
Čavars said the last word in the third quarter, 61-55.
Barnies had a chance to score four points in one possession as he sank a three pointer with a foul.
The free throw didn`t went in, 61-58.
Start stayed in the hunt for a while but Šķēle and Co eventually came out on top.
Point guard registered his 11th assist as BM Stal Ostrów increased its lead up to 13 points, 82-69, with 01:42 to go.
Game notes
BM Stal Ostrów did home work on top level.
Arena Ostrów opened its doors on November 11, 2020 and the home club earned the first Polish league triumph on May 6, 2021.
Fast forward two years later and Stalowka will experience its first ENBL final.
BM Stal recently added two experienced players – guard Michal Michalak and center Markus Lončar.
Polski Cukier Start Lublin reached a Polish Cup final at Hala Globus but continue to struggle on the road.
Start and King Szczecin will play for the bronze medal on Wednesday afternoon.
Final between BM Stal Ostrów and BC Wolves is scheduled on 7pm.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday, April 11
King Szczecin 55-58 BC Wolves
BM Stal Ostrów 86-74 Polski Cukier Start Lublin
Wednesday, April 12
16:00 Bronze medal game
19:00 Final
21:00 Award ceremony