Limburg United does it again! After winning the competition, they now also won the cup at national champion Ostend. And this after losing the first match and having to fall behind by 18 points in the second match.
Johnny PEETERS
Hubo Limburg United had to make up for the two-point defeat in the first leg. The Limburgers missed too many shots in the initial phase and were 18 points behind before the end of the first quarter. But Osunniyi brought his team back with three dunks, among other things. “It was only when the coach got angry that we started playing well,” said Jarne Lesuisse about the poor start. “Then we showed the right intensity and it became a completely different match. From the second quarter we came back and saw that Ostend was afraid of us.”
Five minutes after half-time, United took the lead for the first time with a strong defense: 47-48. After a bomb from Hammonds 2.5 minutes from the end, the Limburgers were virtually qualified for the first time (65-68). Cale and again Lesuisse finished it off (65-72).
Leadership
“We have never done that before to close an 18-point deficit, even in Ostend,” Lesuisse adds. “From the moment we appeared the first time, we remained calm. We played the position game smartly. We were accurate at the free throw line and Cliff Hammonds threw in two important bombs.”
Cliff Hammonds. — © Isosport
“The same thing happened as in the first leg,” coach Westphalen saw. “But I am proud of the reaction I saw from my team from the second quarter to the end. Everyone followed the plan. When they had to, they took a step forward. With physical play and good defense, we allowed Ostend to score less than twenty points in three quarters. And that here in Ostend, the most difficult opponent. Cliff Hammonds showed leadership. He is almost 38 years old, but he defended like an 18-year-old here and took shots at important moments. You need someone like that in your team. People who say he is too old or too injured don’t know anything about it.”
QUARTERS: 26-10, 15-23 (41-33), 16-20 (57-53), 13-25.
OSTEND: 19/54 shots (3/21×3), 29/34 vw, 35 rebounds, 27 errors, MENNES 5+0, VAN ROSSOM 4+6, DIOP GAYE 2+2, JEFFERSON 12+11, GILLET 9+0, Buysse 3+2, Tass 0+2, Buysschaert 4+0, Pintelon 0+0, Verstraete 0+0, Ahmad 2+6.
LIMBURG UNITED: 24/49 shots, (7/17×3), 23/26 vw, 28 rebounds, 25 errors, PENN 0+4, CALE 3+11, LESUISSE 11+10, DELALIEUX 7+3, OSUNNIYI 8+6, Serron 0+0, Lambot 0+0, Van Ounsem 0+0, Leemans 0+0, Hammonds 4+11.