Basketball
BC Vienna was the first team to reach the final series of the win2day men’s super league (BSL). The defending champion won on Thursday 98:88 (83:83, 33:41) after extra time against the Dukes Klosterneuburg and thus also the third duel with the Lower Austrians in the “Best of five” semi-final series. The Swans Gmunden made it 2:1 with a 81:71 (44:33) win against the Flyers Wels. The fourth game rises on Sunday.
The Viennese, who had already prevailed 3-0 against UBSC Graz in the quarter-finals, kept their “clean record” in the play-off, but had to fight more than hard to do so. They only equalized at the end of the regular playing time, in the extra period they quickly pulled away to 90:83. After a strong performance over long stretches, Klosterneuburg was unable to come back in the remaining 3:12 minutes.
The defending champion now has a nine-day break before the “best of five” final series begins on May 20. The opponent will be known on Sunday at the earliest and next Thursday at the latest. Vienna would start away against Gmunden, against Wels with a home game.
First match ball for Gmunden
The Upper Austria Derby did not go into overtime for the first time on the third attempt and also brought the first home win. In front of almost 1,400 spectators, the Swans took a double-digit lead for the first time in the second quarter. Gmunden had to tremble again in the final section, however, when the Flyers came up to two points (68:66) with 3:13 minutes remaining, but then made it over time.
This means they have match point away from the finals on Sunday. Flyers captain Christian Von Fintel remains the “marathon man” of the series. He ran the full distance for the third time on Thursday.