Zielona Gora beat Tsmoki-Minsk at home – 89:75 (24:13, 24:28, 16:11, 25:23).
Top scorers
Zielona Gora: Geoffrey Grosselle (23), Iffe Lundberg (18 + 5 rebounds + 9 assists), Rolands Freimanis (17), Cecil Williams (15).
Tsmoki-Minsk: Kris Clyburn (25 + 5 rebounds), Maksim Salash (12 + 5 rebounds), Robert Lowery (11).
Story
Zielona Gora had a tough schedule at the start of the season and took 4 defeats. Tsmoki-Minsk approached the game with 1-1 record but because of coronavirus the last game in the League they had on October 4.
The Polish team took the lead via Geoffrey Grosselle (17 points in the first half) and Cecil Williams’ threes (12 points, 3 of 3 from beyond the arch). Zielona Gora made 56 % of 2-pointers (36% by Tsmoki-Minsk), that allowed them to keep the lead even considering lost rebounding (15-24 in 20 minutes) and bad defense in the second quarter (24:28). The teams finished the first half 48:41 in favor of the hosts.
Geoffrey Grosselle of @basket_zg can't miss in 1st Half vs Tsmoki – 8/8 FG and 17 PTS! pic.twitter.com/QacIUqxwUP
— VTB League (@VTBUL) November 1, 2020
In the second half Zielona Gora powered the defense (11 points by Belorussians in the third) and Kris Richard and Rolands Freimanis shots in the end of the quarter helped them to gain double-digit lead by the final quarter (64:52).
Key moment
In the fourth quarter Zielona Gora managed to stop Tsmoki-Minsk leader Kris Clyburn. Diverse offense with in shape Freimanis and Gabriel Lundberg let the Poles score steadily. 3 minutes before the buzzer Maksim Salash and-one started another Dragons try to start the chase (69:81), but then were 2 accurate shots by the Latvian forward (85:71). The hosts kept the rivals away and eventually turned in into the first victory of the season.
Hero
Geoffrey Grosselle. The center showed rare efficiency. The Poles possessions were often xfinished by Geoffrey, he missed from the field for the first time only in the fourth quarter. He hit 11 of 12 2-pointers, Grosselle scored 23 points and 4 rebounds in 26 minutes.
Comments
Zielona Gora head coach Zan Tabak:
– We took first victory of the season in the United League and it is good. Since the last year we have known that Tsmoki is spirited team that is hard to play against. I’m glad that we took the win.
Tsmoki-Minsk head coach Rostislav Vergun:
– It was our first game after 3 or 4 weeks of the pause. It was naive to expect something spectacular against well-built and balanced team. I think that we did our best, at the moment it’s our level.
Stat
1 – Zielona Gora celebrate its first United League 2020/21 season win.
Next
Zielona Gora: November 8 at Zenit
Tsmoki-Minsk: November 7 at Avtodor
Photo
