37 percent from two-pointers, only one of 20 three-pointers sunk, just 55 percent from the free point line, 19 basketball losses – defending champion OCS Swans Gmunden presented their worst offensive side in the 49:56 (24:29) defeat in Klosterneuburg . It was a shot across the bow, which captain Daniel Friedrich also commented self-critically: “You can’t win a game like that, we were too bad up front in all respects,” said the 31-year-old. Toni Blazan saw it similarly: “49 points are simply far too few, we have to execute much better.”
The newly formed Lower Austrians, on the other hand, with the US duo Michael Weathers and Will Carius making a big impact, underlined their reputation as the “Upper Austrian terror”; at the start they had already caught the Raiffeisen Flyers Wels ice cold. In other words, those trade fair city residents who also have sand in their gears. After all, with great difficulty they turned onto the road to victory. The 86:82 (41:53) success in Eisenstadt was due to a brilliant comeback.
Sebastian Waser’s team had allowed the Nord Dragonz 35 points in the first quarter and was even trailing by 26:47 at one point. It smelled like a debacle. But Christian von Fintel & Co showed morale and turned the tables. This was also due to 20 points from youngster Dejan Kovacevic.
The 19-year-old, who had recommended himself for higher tasks with the Upper Austrian Ballers in the second division, played his way into the display. Arvydas Gydra became the match winner, scoring eight of his 24 points in the final quarter. “It was a strong comeback victory, we struggled for a long time,” said Waser. Chris Ferguson highlighted the “tremendous cohesion” in the team.
Tournament victory in Amsterdam
Austria’s 3×3 basketball players with Altmünster’s Matthias Linortner and ex-Gmunden captain Enis Murati have taken an important step in Olympic qualification. The red-white-red ensemble triumphed at the Masters in Amsterdam. In the final there was an acclaimed 21:19 victory over Team Miami led by ex-NBA star Jimmer Fredette.
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I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
