Photo: Polski Cukier Start Lublin
Start Lublin players scored 20 second chance points and made the same number of three pointers to withstood a valiant comeback attempt by Ironi Ness Ziona, 80-78, on Monday, March 20, at the Hala Globus in Poland. The hosts won the series, 170-155, to earn their first trip to the Final Four.
Players of the game
Klāvs Čavars had a night to remember.
Latvian center scored 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field.
Čavars grabbed a game high 14 rebounds, including seven boards on offensive glass.
Cleveland Melvin followed the course, as he had nine of his 13 points in the second half.
Forward registered eight rebounds, four of them in offense.
Gabe DeVoe and Scoochie Smith dropped 14 points each.
Kacper Mlynarski added two important three pointers, one in the fourth quarter.
Shaq Buchanan scored a game high 21 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the field for Ironi Ness Ziona.
He added four rebounds, four assists and two steals.
D.J. Cooper checked out with 10 points and 12 assists.
Ironi Ness Ziona magician accumulated 88 assists in eight games, averaging 11.0 assists per game.
Tyler Bey had 14 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the charity stripe.
Travis Warech scored nine points in his ENBL debut.
Key stats
Both teams showed a strong will to win.
Polski Cukier Start Lublin led by 10 points after the first 13 minutes, 31-21, to increase its summary advantage up to 23 points.
Ironi Ness Ziona stormed back, mixing another outstanding performance by D.J. Cooper and good shooting from the three point land.
The Israeli team had a 59-65 lead after Tzuf Ben Moshe made his second three pointer.
Start Lublin answered with a key 6-0 run after unsportsmanlike foul by D.J. Cooper.
Klāvs Čavars split a pair of free throws, Cleveland Melvin grabbed an offensive rebound and scored second chance points.
Kacper Mlynarski made a three pointer to tie the game at 65.
The game went back and forth but Ironi Ness Ziona lead never exceeded three points the rest of the way.
Start Lublin outrebounded Ironi Ness Ziona, 46-39, especially on the offensive glass, 16-11.
The hosts scored more second chance points, 20-10.
Gabe DeVoe scored last five points for a 80-78 win.
Game notes
Polski Cukier Start Lublin had three PLK games between first and second round, facing Sokol Lancut, Twarde Pierniki Torun and Slask Wroclaw.
Troy Barnies started the game instead of a captain Mateusz Dziemba.
Ironi Ness Ziona signed guard/forward Travis Warech (USA/Israel/Germany) and shooting guard Tzuf Ben Moshe.
Shaq Buchanan replaced Raz Adam in the starting five of Israeli club.
Team toured Majdanek concentration camp on Sunday, March 19, paying respect to Nazi victims.
Start Lublin will face a winner of the series between Zastal Zielona Gora and BM Stal Ostrow.
SCHEDULE (local time only)
(A1) Polski Cukier Start Lublin 170–155 Ironi Ness Ziona (B4)
Game one: Ironi Ness Ziona 77-90 Polski Cukier Start Lublin
Game two: Polski Cukier Start Lublin 80-78 Ironi Ness Ziona
(A2) Budivelnyk Kyiv 162–167 BC Wolves (B3)
Game one: BC Wolves 80-83 Budivelnyk Kyiv
Game two: Budivelnyk Kyiv 79-87 BC Wolves OT
(A3) Zastal Zielona Gora – BM Stal Ostrow (B2)
Game one: Zastal Zielona Gora 97-94 BM Stal Ostrow
Game two: Tuesday, March 21, Ostrow 19:00
(A4) KB Sigal Prishtina 142–149 King Szczecin (B1)
Game one: Sigal Prishtina 64-64 King Szczecin
Game two: King Szczecin 85-78 Sigal Prishtina