Stephaun Branch gleamed from ear to ear. Son Kash on his arm, waiting to say something at the press conference after the beautiful 63-60 stunt victory of his new club Donar against multiple Belgian champion Filou Oostende. ,,This was a great victory.”
It was indeed a great victory. For Branch it was his third game in Donar’s shirt and also his best. First about Kash. ,,He is now eight months old and cried a lot before the game. I think he was nervous just like me, haha.” And then about the match in the cross-border BNXT-League: ,,I’m proud of what we showed today.”
With a small rotation of eight players – Schaftenaar, Williams and Zuidema watched injured – Donar seemed to have no chance against Ostend, which appeared at full strength in Martiniplaza beforehand. But coach Andrej Simac’s eight came to great deeds. Leaning on a very strong defense this afternoon, the Groningen team shot out of the starting blocks, quickly took a lead and bit into the opponent like real pit bulls.
‘Donar can become champion of the Netherlands’
Rarely will the Belgian top team have scored only 23 points at halftime, but in this match Donar could do almost anything. It even tempted coach Dario Gjergja van Oostende to make a bold statement. ,,Donar can become champion of the Netherlands. I see qualities that I don’t see in any other Dutch team.”
That hit. Stimac was almost embarrassed. ,,I’m impressed. Dario was my coach in 2004 and 2005. He never talks nonsense and was champion eleven times in a row. I thank my teacher for these warm words.” Gjergja’s words were different in tone when he talked about the performance of his own team Ostend. “My team can go in the trash.”
Daring shots
Strong words, but rightly so. Filou Oostende couldn’t get a grip on Donar at all, which played great for three quarters. Vernon Taylor, who had returned from injury, played a hell of a game and, together with Viktor Gaddefors and Clay Mounce, was one of the stars. Just like newcomer Stephaun Branch, the man who brings flair to Donar’s game with daring shots and smart rebounds. Exactly that brutality that every top team can use.
Things got tense in the last quarter. Suddenly the Dutch playmaker Keye Van der Vuurst de Vries stood up at Ostend and Breein Tyree hit just about everything he got his hands on. Donar’s 50-40 lead after the third quarter came under pressure. The Belgians turned all that around in a few minutes in 56-56 and with two minutes left on the clock, a spectacular final phase unfolded. A fantastic opinion from Clay Mounce, a very controversial running error at 62-60 by the Belgians, a hassle with the clock (had to go from 1.6 seconds to 2.8) and one converted free throw from Mounce brought the nice 63-60 win for Donar on the plate. ,,This was our best match since I became head coach here”, Stimac ended with pride in his eyes.
Donar-Filou Ostend 63-60
Quarter positions: 18-12, 36-23, 50-40, 63-60.
Donar Scores: Gaddefors 17, Mounce 14, Branch 11, Brandwijk 8, Taylor 6, Olisemeka 4, Magdevsky 3. rebounds: 41.
Top scorers Filou Ostend: Tyree 22, Thurman 14, Bleijenbergh 6, Buysschaert 6, Jovanovic 5, Van der Vuurst de Vries 3, Gillet 2, Troisfontaines 2. rebounds: 30.
Spectators: 3450.
Donar on report
Branch 8
Taylor 8
Dutchmen 6
Magdevsky 7
Olisemeka 6
Gaddefors 8
Brandy 7
Mounce 8
Coach Stimac 8
Team performance 8
Arbitration 6