Donar finally withstands the trembling and wins a thrilling match

The BNXT-League once again proved its added value on Saturday evening. Two weeks ago in Antwerp, Donar reached 80-80 shortly before the end (and lost it) and the second duel in the Elite Gold in the cross-border competition also got the audience on the benches. Donar and Limburg United presented the 3200 basketball fans in Martiniplaza with a real thriller.

Unrest

In the run-up to the game against Limburg United, it was old-fashioned restless at Donar. The disappointing center Ronalds Zakis was thanked for his services and sent back to Latvia and the Groningen team immediately got a replacement in Peter Olisemeka. Due to a nasty finger injury at Olaf Schaftenaar, technical manager Drago Pasalic also brought the American Steph Branch to Groningen.

Olisemeka made his debut against Limburg United. Steph Branch watched the game with his wife and baby (with beautiful cockscomb) from the stands, behind the bench where his new teammates sat. Thomas Koenis also came to encourage his old team from the stands in Martiniplaza, right under the banner with his retired number 14.

High intensity

With high intensity, Donar started the duel with Limburg United, which surprised two weeks ago by beating Heroes Den Bosch. The Belgians lacked hands and feet to stop the Groningen people. Donar took a small lead from the free throw line. The guests from Hasselt shot sharply from behind the three-point line and therefore stayed in the footsteps of the home team before the break: 42-37.

After the break, Donar was no longer a shadow of the team it was in the first two quarters. The five-point lead disappeared like snow in the sun and it was only after six minutes of muddling through that Clay Mounce threw the first Groningen score of the second half through the net.

A failed shot by the otherwise excellent Mounce, who recorded a double-double, was worked through the ring in two instances by Viktor Gaddefors, also good for a double-double, shortly before the end of the third quarter. It meant that Donar and Limburg United started the last quarter with a 54-54 score.

Fight the shivers

Donar has proven several times this season that he cannot handle the tension of the last quarter well. In Antwerp it came back nicely to 80-80, but after that the team of coach Andrej Stimac could not withstand the trembling. Against Limburg United it was again blood-curdling exciting. Thanks to three-pointers from Sander Hollanders and Willem Brandwijk, Donar took a six-point lead, but in a curse and a sigh the Belgians came alongside again. Donar was upset and after two missed free throws by Gaddefors, another deception seemed imminent.

Nevertheless, Donar finally managed to control the tension on Saturday evening and thanks to two scores from Gaddefors and the loud encouragement of the fans, Donar opened a four-point gap with Limburg United. The industrious Belgian Alexander Stein did something in return on behalf of the guests, but a second Flemish score was not forthcoming, despite a risky pass from the brand new father Andrej Magdevski.

No party for Taylor

Dancing with his son on his arms, newcomer Branch celebrated the Groningen party from the stands. Vernon Taylor was forced to ignore that; he left for hospital at half time with a nasty foot injury.