Image: OÖN/Kienesberger
The first basketball milestone has been reached: The OCS Swans Gmunden start as number 1 and with home advantage until a possible final in the play-offs that begin on Sunday (5.30 p.m.) with the ever young classic against Kapfenberg. The “Korbjäger” from the Salzkammergut tore the more than 1400 spectators in the Raiffeisen-Sportpark from their seats in a 88:82 (52:36) against the reigning champions BC Vienna, who had to make do with second place. It was a top-class duel in which the “Swans” threatened to slip away from the match after an 18-point lead in the meantime. Suddenly the Viennese were in the lead, but Gmunden should have more staying power.
“We let them come back, but kept our nerve in the end. That was deserved,” said Daniel Köppel. Dominic Green verbally rolled out the red carpet for the audience: “The fans carried us to this super finish. We fought passionately and played with high intensity over long stretches.”
CFO Harald Stelzer is also pleased with the outcome of the match – at least when looking at a now possible semi-final against Raiffeisen Flyers Wels, who won 98:97 after two overtimes in St. Pölten for the best team starting on Saturday (5:30 p.m.). of-5 series against the Lower Austrians. “The beginning was a bit slow and restrained. We didn’t want to reveal too much about the play-offs – but in the end we didn’t want to let the butter off our bread,” said captain Christian von Fintel, who with 27 points was the outstanding player Wels side was.
“We have to be careful”
Before the derby becomes a reality in the knockout phase, the first hurdles have to be cleared. The Flyers have a balanced season record against St. Pölten (2:2), that of the Gmundner against Kapfenberg (2:0) is flawless. “Nevertheless, we have to be careful, we mustn’t draw the wrong conclusions from the euphoria,” said Stelzer. The other quarter-final pairings are Vienna against Graz and Oberwart against Klosterneuburg.
Source: Nachrichten
