Now that we are down to the Final Four in the Basketball Champions League (BCL), things are getting exciting.
The Quarter-Finals were only closed off on Thursday evening, but two of the winning teams are back in action on Friday night. However, don’t feel sorry for them because the four sides that lost out in the Quarter-Finals will be desperate to swap their position with these teams.
The Quarter-Final results are:
- Nizhny Novgorod 78-86 Casademont Zaragoza
- ERA Nymburk 73-84 Pinar Karsiyaka
- Lenovo Tenerife 86-88 SIG Strasbourg
- Hapoel Unet-Credit Holon 77-86 Hereda San Pablo Burgos
The two Semi-Final games will take place on Friday 7th May, and the games are:
- Casademont Zaragoza v Pinar Karsiyaka
- Hereda San Pablo Burgos v SIG Strasbourg
Zaragoza silence the hosts
For a spell, it looked as though the 1,500 fans in the stands, backing the host team of the Final 8, were going to enjoy a good evening. The Spaniards struggled to get into the game, and of course, most basketball has been played out in empty venues over the course of this season.
However, Zaragoza were able to rally, and they knocked the hosts out in the opening game of the Quarter-Final stage of the BCL.
Dylan Ennis took control of the game in the third quarter, a period where he grabbed nine points. While the hosts would come back with everything they had, setting up what looked like a tight finish, the team from Zaragoza managed a 5-0 scoring run that saw them take the lead, a lead they held to the end.
Over the course of the game, Ennis finished with 26 points, the third time this season Ennis has reached more than 20 points when playing against Nizhny Novgorod.
Pinar get the job done
When the lead changes 21 times in a game of basketball, you know both sides are going for it to a maximum level. Nymburk held a lead with three and a half minutes to go, but a 15-2 scoring run made all then difference, seeing the Turkish side sneak home at the death.
SIG Strasbourg pulled off an upset
It is fair to say Tenerife were favourites in their clash against SIG Strasbourg. However, in a clash that went into overtime, it was the French side who defeated the odds to book their place in the Final Four for the first time.
Brandon Jefferson was close to winning the tie in normal time, but he stepped up again in overtime to do the damage. Mind you, he had a massive influence over the course of the game. Jefferson clocked up more than 39 minutes of game time, and he picked up 22 points over the course of the evening.
The holders are still in the mix
The last team to book their place in the Semi-Finals was reigning champions Hereda San Pablo Burgos. A strong opening and third quarter were deciding factors in this game, allowing Hereda to see the game out comfortably.
The new champions in the Basketball Champions League (BCL) are the same as last season’s champions. Yes, Hereda San Pablo Burgos have regained their title, bringing the Final 8 in Nizhny Novgorod to a thrilling climax. The final was held on Sunday 9th May, and the game finished: Pinar Karsiyaka 59-64 Hereda San Pablo Burgos...