JWSport Jacek Waszak – Sport journalist
BM Stal Ostrów Wielkopolski has won the Northern European Basketball League (ENBL). In the final played in their own hall, Andrzej Urban’s team defeated Lithuanian BC Wolves Olita 70:66 (9:17, 25:15,13:22, 23:12). The third place was taken by Start Lublin.
It should be mentioned at the outset how it all happened, that it was in Ostrów that the ENBL final tournament began with the participation of four teams.
Ostrów Wielkopolski was in the finals, as well as the Lithuanian team, because not everyone is watching these matches or did not have the chance to see this spectacle abroad because they do not have Polish television or sports channels. BM Stal Ostrów Wielkopolski advanced to the finals of the Northern European Basketball League. In its own hall, because it defeated in the semifinals of Polski Cukier Start Lublin 86:74. In turn, the Lithuanian team BC Wolves Olita defeated a team from Pomerania King Szczecin 58:55 was a match, and could meet two teams in the finals would be something interesting and like in volleyball in the Champions League Polish teams could dominate the finals. Here I notice a big progress of Polish teams hard work in various sports disciplines, where they advance to the semi-finals or finals of the competition, and it should only please us because it shows us that the Poles are a nation that works hard for each of their success and their every victory to the fall, despite the defeats in earlier years. Now our time has come.
It is certainly a great success of BM Slam Stal Ostrów Wielkopolski, which won the ENBL league.
I would like to inform you that this is something new – the Northern European Basketball League ENBL is a new competition, which debuted last season. At that time, it was won by another Polish team, Anwil Włocławek. Teams from Lithuania, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Israel, Kosovo and now even Great Britain have joined the league, as for the first time ever, the Bristol Flyers will play in the league next season.
There was a lot going on in this match and we couldn’t hide our excitement until the very end, because the victory didn’t come until the very end and it wasn’t that easy because the Lithuanians raised the bar high. The BC Wolves team was currently the third team in the Lithuanian league. which had a high budget.and certainly in this match budgets don’t win and that’s good, but the players who played showed character to play, and the team from Poland faced a great opportunity from Ostrow Wielkopolski to win the trophy and add to their collection. In turn for the Lithuanian team BC Wolves Olita this match was a chance for this team to win some cup or league because this season they did not manage to win anything .
The final skirmish between the Steel and BC Wolves was uneven. Both sides played in waves, often noting the so-called “series of points”. In the end, the Ostrów team proved to be better and more effective in scoring the most important points, as those four points difference gave them the victory.
Andrzej Urban’s charges are also doing well in the Polish Premier League this season. After 25 rounds of Energa Basket League they are on the fifth place in the table, but have one game less than teams directly ahead of them.
However, the beginning of the match was dictated by Lithuanian BC Wolves. They started with an 8:0 lead and later maintained a safe advantage. They won the first quarter with 17:9 and confirmed that they also had a snatch at the final victory. Fortunately, in the second quarter the roles were reversed and we watched a much better game performed by the Steel. The hosts of the final tournament first led to a draw, and then came out on top. By the break it was 34:32 for the players from Ostrów Wielkopolski.
The basketball players of Stali entered the second half of the game played at Arena Ostrów badly. The rivals seemed to control the game and scored on the Polish team’s mistakes. At one point, the lead was already 11 points. After three quarters on the scoreboard it was 54:47 for BC Wolves and the players of Stali Ostrów Wielkopolski found themselves in a difficult position. Just a few minutes before the end BC Wolves were leading 65:55 and it seemed that nothing could take away their victory.
Jeffery Taylor could have led to a tie, but he missed twice from the free throw line. Two seconds before the end in the same situation Garbacz did not make a mistake and Ostrowiec could have won. Jakub Garbacz was the best player in the game, scoring 22 points.
When everyone thought that the Lithuanian team BV Wolves Olita would win, they were mistaken because the end of the match belonged to the players from Poland – Stali Ostrów Wielkopolski. They regained faith in the victory and got down to work on defence and improved shots from distance and rebounds on the boards and so sensationally made up for the loss. Jeffery Taylor could have tied the game, but he missed twice from the free throw line. Two seconds before the end in the same situation Garbacz did not make a mistake and Ostrowians could have made it. Jakub Garbacz was the best player in this match , who scored 22 points in this game . Stal Ostrów won the whole game 70:66 and thus took the victory in the European North Basketball League . Damian Kulig, who scored 20 points in the final, was voted the best player of the Final Four.
This shows how important every point in the last seconds of the game by every player on the floor is to win such an important final.
BM Stal Ostrów Wlkp. – BC Wolves Olita 70:66 (9:17, 25:15,13:22, 23:12)
BM Stal Ostrów Wlkp.: Jakub Garbacz 22, Damian Kulig 20, Nemanja Djurisic 11, Aigars Skele 9, Adonis Thomas 4, Mateusz Zębski 2, Michał Michalak 2, Markus Loncar 0, Ojars Silins 0
BV Wolves Olita: Regimantas Miniotas 13, Eigirdas Zukauskas 12, Jeffery Taylor 12, Ahmad Caver 9, Adas Juskevicius 8, Arnas Berucka 5, Marcos Delia 4, Kristupas Zemaitis 3, Kelly Rashard DaeQuan 0, Mindaugas Lukauskis 0
The Best Player MVP of the tournament went to Northern European Basketball League’s Damian Kulig 20
