After difficult weeks, finally a simple evening of Donar again

In 2019, Donar won by fifty points against Den Helder Suns. Those times are over for a while. Financially, the people of Groningen have to adjust this season after last summer’s bankruptcy.

The team has lost quality compared to previous years. The advantage of this: suddenly every match is exciting in advance in Martiniplaza. Also the game against small Den Helder Suns.

BAL has already lost in Groningen this season, as well as Leiden and Landstede Hammers, and LWD Basket made it very exciting last Wednesday in Martiniplaza. Den Helder Suns is therefore not a snack that can be eaten leisurely in advance this season.

Injuries

Shooter Karolis Babusis was missing from Donar on Saturday evening. The Lithuanian injured his shoulder on Wednesday in the derby against LWD Basket. Sam van Oostrum also had to miss the match against his old employer.

It is expected that it may take some time before the point guard is available for coach Andrej Stimac. There are whispers that he may not appear in court until the play-offs.

Defensively good, offensively poor

On Saturday evening, Van Oostrum, coaching fanatically from the bench, saw how Donar opened an eight-point gap (18-10) against Den Helder Suns in the first quarter. It was striking that eight different players threw the ball through the net on behalf of the Groningen team and none of them scored twice. The second quarter started with a phenomenal dunk from Dakota Quinn.

It was the American’s first accurate attempt, with only Lars Jung not yet on the score sheet on behalf of Donar. Sander Hollanders prevented the birth of the striking statistic that the first ten scores were made by all ten eligible players with a three-pointer.

In the second quarter, Donar was unable to further distance himself from Den Helder Suns. Defensively, the Groningers did well (before halftime, Theo John had already prevented a score from the North Hollanders with four blocks), but what Stimac’s team showed was poor offensively.

Donar and Den Helder Suns kept each other in balance in the second quarter (14-14), meaning that unlike most matches in previous years, the game was not yet decided at halftime: 32-24.

Old-fashioned rash

After the break, Donar started to improve offensively, which decided the match in the third quarter. Going into the final act, the Groningers had a comfortable lead of 54-35. The victory was therefore no longer in danger in the last quarter. Donar eventually won somewhat with old-fashioned numbers against Den Helder Suns: 75-51.

Exciting weeks

For the Groningers it was the penultimate home game of the Dutch phase of the BNXT League. Feyenoord will visit Martiniplaza on February 17, but before the Rotterdam team comes to Groningen, Donar will play four away matches in the competition, including against Landstede Hammers and Heroes Den Bosch.

The people of Groningen must do everything they can to join the first five teams and thus qualify for the Elite Gold. It seems that there is a battle with BAL and Feyenoord for the fourth and fifth ticket.

If that works, Donar will play against appealing teams such as Heroes Den Bosch and Ostend. Donar can play freely as an underdog, without any pressure or expectations. If it doesn’t work, then matches against less appealing opponents such as Yoast United and Okapi Aalst await and there is little to gain for Donar.