After a thrilling and bitter game, Anwil Wloclawek won over Rosa Radom in the first quarterfinal play-offs game 83:77. The hosts were losing 71:75 three minutes to go, but the crunch-time belonged to Jordan Callahan who shouldered the responsibility and it is Anwil that leads in the series 1-0.
For those who haven't seen any play-offs game yet, the first battle between Anwil Wloclawek and Rosa Radom is a good picture of that. Thursday game turned out to be a thrilling one after great effort invested in it by two teams.
It was Anwil that took a lead early in the first quarter, but Robert Witka and his 13 points made the competition tight (23:23). The points of an experienced forward gave Rosa the spark and minute by minute, the guests were taking command in the game. Kamil Laczynski sent Anwil seven points behind when he made five points in a row and the break brought a lead for the team of Radom, 45:39. It was even better for them, 47:39, when Korie Lucious opened the second half with a lay-up.
Nevertheless, Anwil didn't want to give up. Paul Graham found his place on the court and making two triples, he cut the whole lead to the result of 47:47. Rosa answered well, thanks to two three-pointers of Lukasz Majewski and Lucious and they sprung to 53:47. Anwil didn't give up once again and three minutes later, Michal Sokolowski's triple took a narrow lead for the hosts (56:54). The guests were trying to get back the rhythm but their effort went unsuccessful because Anwil played the most team-oriented basketball that evening. Piotr Pamula made a triple, Mikolaj Witlinski gave a spark off the bench, Mateusz Kostrzewski added some easy lay-ups and when Graham made a perimiter shot, Anwil took the highest lead of the game, 70:61.
There were just seven minutes to go and the Rottweilers seemed to be closer than their opponents. Unfortunately, Rosa needed only three minutes to not only cut the whole lead, but also to build its own. Robert Witka scored five points while Jakub Dloniak went crazy and made 3-of-3 triples within 120 seconds and it was Rosa that was winning 75:71! Anwil hopped to changing the result but it was hard. Paul Graham made two free throws as the first, but Danilo Mijatovic missed both. Kostrzewski blocked Lukasz Majewski in defense and stole the ball from Dloniak, while Jordan Callahan drew a foul and made two shots on the line, making game tight 75:75.
It was only about a minute to go when Mijatovic redeemed for those missed free throws and got a block rejection on Witka, while Callahan finished the next action with a big three just 67 seconds to go (78:75)! Rosa was trying to answer as soon as possible but Lucious missed. Majewski fouled Kostrzewski and Polish forward increased the lead to five (80:75). Anwil seemed to be closer and closer... Jakub Dloniak was the next guy who tried to change the battle but his shot was also a mistake. The Rottweilers were just two steps from winning the first play-offs battle when Callahan stood on the line. He made both. Anwil made two steps. The first victory stayed in Wloclawek.
Anwil Wloclawek - Rosa Radom 83:77 (23:23, 16:22, 22:14, 22:18)
Anwil: Callahan 21, Kostrzewski 16, Graham 14, Hajric 10, Pamula 9, Sokolowski 7, Mijatovic 4, Witlinski 2
Rosa: Witka 19, Majewski 13, Dloniak 11, Lucious 9, Archibeque 8, Zalewski 6,Laczyński 5, Adams 4, Jeszke 2, Kardas 0