Basketball play-off

Gunners keep a cool head and have match point

Duel of the high scorers: Sebastian Käferle (right) and Traiskirchen's Demarcus Demonia.(Bild: Mario Urbantschitsch)

Oberwart's basketball players are one win away from reaching the Superliga final! The 67:66 victory in the second game of the best-of-five semi-final series against Traiskirchen was the 16th win in the last 17 games for the Gunners - who coped with their absences and kept a cool head.

"Find simple solutions," coach Horst Leitner told his Oberwart basketball players going into the second semi-final duel against Traiskirchen. This was not so easy, as Munis Tutu was missing alongside Edi Patekar, who was ill. But the Gunners have already had plenty of opportunities to deal with absences this season.

Coach Horst Leitner again had the right tactics at the ready.(Bild: Mario Urbantschitsch)

10:0 run for Traiskirchen
After an evenly poised start, the visitors pulled away shortly before the break with a 10:0 run (from 30:26 to 30:36). In contrast to game one, they were more focused in defense and hardly allowed Oberwart any second chances.

(Bild: Mario Urbantschitsch)

Monroe secured victory in the "thriller"
 However, the Burgenland club was able to cope with Derrek Brooks' 5th foul in the final quarter and kept a cool head in crunch time. And they already have the first match point to reach the final in Traiskirchen on Thursday! Because Magdy Abou-Ahmed also grew alongside the outstanding Sebastian Käferle, as Kris Monroe secured the 67:66 victory after a dream assist from Daniel Köppel with three seconds left on the clock.

We were very lucky, but we also did a great job considering our problems!

Gunners-Coach Horst LEITNER

"We didn't have any energy in the first half, but then pulled off the win with a great mental performance," said Leitner, praising his team. And captain Käferle, his team's high scorer with 16 points, added: "It doesn't matter whether it was by 20 points or one - we really wanted to make it 2:0 and we did it because we kept our cool in the finish."