Tartu Ulikool Rock won the first Sunday’s game against VEF Riga and thanks to that victory, the Kasztelan Basketball Cup 2012 trophy was sent to Estonia. In the last game the hosts weren’t able to beat the Polish champion, Asseco Prokom Gdynia.
Tartu Ulikool Rock won the first Sunday’s game against VEF Riga and thanks to that victory, the Kasztelan Basketball Cup 2012 trophy was sent to Estonia. In the last game the hosts weren’t able to beat the Polish champion, Asseco Prokom Gdynia.
The game between Tartu Rock and VEF Riga clarified the situation in such a way that Anwil Wloclawek and Asseco Prokom Gdynia were fighting for only the third position. The host team played the worst pre-season game ever this off-season and lost to its perennial opponent 55:71.
Asseco Prokom Gdynia came to Wloclawek without two big men, Julian Khazzouh and Adam Hrycaniuk what was easily seized by their previous opponents, Tartu and VEF, that dominated in the post and were able to use this advantage in order to win the games. Unfortunately, Anwil weren’t able to do the same as they were losing in rebounds 11-17 before the break. Asseco Prokom didn’t have good shooting efficiency – only 38 per cent in the first half – but thanks to those rebounds (10-1 offensive) they made up for it.
What was even worse, Anwil lost its efficiency (58 per cent in the first half) after the break and they scored only 22 points in 20 minutes. In the meantime, Jerel Blassingame and Lukasz Koszarek accelerated the pace of the game and they were winning 60:48 at the beginning of the last quarter.
Krzysztof Szubarga and Seid Hajric were trying to rescue the situation for the hosts but their single shots didn’t change the game depiction.
Hajric scored 14 points and had six rebounds, Szubarga added three assists to 12 points while Ryan Wright had 11 plus six for Anwil. Koszarek made 18 points while Drew Viney collected 17 points and nine rebounds for the guests.
It needs to be remembered that Anwil still played without Tony Weeden who is recovering right now and is supposed to be back with the season’s beginning.
Anwil Wloclawek – Asseco Prokom Gdynia 55:71 (21:20, 11:18, 14:15, 9:18)
Anwil: Hajric 14, Szubarga 12, Wright 11, Boykin 9, Ginyard 6, Frasunkiewicz 2, Sokolowski 1, Bartosz 0, Maciejewski 0, Seweryn 0
Asseco Prokom: Koszarek 18, Viney 17, Pamula 11, Blassingame 8, Ponitka 8, Szczotka 5, Witka 4, Berisha 0, Roszyk 0, Snieg 0
After two clear wins, VEF Riga was just a step from reaching a Kasztelan Basketball Cup trophy but they failed in the last game against Tartu Ulikool Rock 65:75 so the title travelled to Estonia.
Justin Ingram and Kristo Saage were two the most game-dominating players as they launched 34 points altogether and from the second quarter on, they were leading its team calling the tune of the game. Thanks to his points, Tartu firstly cut a tiny VEF’s margin and secondly built its own advantage that was later kept despite the Latvian team was doing its best in order to equalize the battle.
Eventually, some easy shots made by Saage and Egidijus Dimsa sent the victory, and simultaneously – the throphy – to Estonia. Above-mentioned Dimsa had a great double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds and he was later named as a tournament MVP at the closing ceremony.
Donatas Zavackas, ex-Anwil player, scored 19 points for VEF.
It is worth adding that VEF’s coach Ramunas Butautas decided to not put the first point guard Earl Rowland on the floor.
Tartu Ulikool Rock – VEF Riga 75:65 (15:19, 23:16, 18:18, 19:12)
Tartu: Ingram 17, Saage 17, Dimsa 12, Allingu 11, Kurbas 4, Nelyubov 4, Eicfuss 3, Kriisa 3, Leppik 2, Toome 2
VEF: Zavackas 19, Bertans 10, Berzins 8, Kavaliauskas 8, Janicenoks 7, Daniels 4, Loucks 4, Strelnieks 4, Blaus 1