Obligatory duty completed. - Chemnitz achieves first playoff victory.
The Niners Chemnitz clinch their first playoff victory in their 7th attempt. They outperformed newly promoted Rasta Vechta 83-77 in a thrilling match, marking a significant achievement for the third-placed team in the main round. Previously, Chemnitz had fallen short in each of their first playoff appearances, succumbing to a 0:3 sweep in the quarter-finals.
From the get-go, Chemnitz established a solid lead, with a 18:10 advantage after seven minutes. Although Rasta Vechta stayed close enough, never trailing by more than ten points in the first half, their inconsistent offense prevented them from surpassing the favorites. At the break, Chemnitz maintained a comfortable lead of 42:34.
The third quarter got rocky when Aher Uguak (#25) of Chemnitz and Tanner Growes (#24) from Vechta had a skirmish without the ball. Initially, the referees called an unsportsmanlike foul against Uguak. However, upon reviewing the video, they overturned their decision as there was no clear evidence.
Both players continued briefly, but the rivalry intensified when Growes accidentally tripped over Uguak. Growes was promptly ejected, while Chemnitz's Uguak received an early dismissal soon after. This led to a complete dismantling of Vechta's defensive line, leaving their chances for a comeback grim. At the end of the third quarter, Chemnitz had an overwhelming lead of 66:47.
Despite the large deficit, Vechta persisted and managed to reduce the gap to five points with just 1:46 left on the clock. However, the powerful Chemnitz squad prevailed, securing a playoff win and setting the stage for a second game in Chemnitz on Sunday (7 p.m./live on DYN) where they hope to continue their success.
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Source: symclub.org