By Eurohoops team/ info@Eurohoops.net
Hapoel Vegan Friendly Tel Aviv returned from a huge deficit, but Joventut Badalona stayed sharp in the decisive moments and won the 7DAYS EuroCup quarterfinals 82-74.
The guests from Israel erased the 22-point deficit and took the lead with 3:16 minutes to go in the final quarter after a brilliant individual series of J’Covan Brown. Still, the hosts found a way to regain the lead, stayed calm from the free-throw line, and won in the end.
The game was also marked by tension in the stands, as many Hapoel fans traveled to Badalona, and police had to intervene at one moment, but luckily it all finished there.
The big guys led Carles Duran’s team to the semifinals, as Vladimir Brodziansky and Ante Tomic scored 16 points each and recorded identical PIR of 22.
“We managed to control the game more or less, although we struggled late in the third quarter and much of the fourth. Luckily, we made some important shots and all the free throws, so we deserved this one. It was a good atmosphere and the Hapoel fans were also amazing,” Tomic said.
Joel Parra played an important role in the end and finished the match with 13 points, while Simon Birgander added eight points and seven rebounds for a PIR of 15. Joventut will meet Gran Canaria or Paris in the semis.
“Hapoel is a great team and they’ve had an incredible EuroCup. We made a great start to the game and had a great last 2 minutes, but Hapoel pushed us all the way. We played with a lot of heart and character, so now we can dream of reaching the final. Five years ago Joventut was in a bad position for several reasons and now we’re in the EuroCup Semifinals,” Carles Duran said.
As for Hapoel, Brown entered the final 10 minutes with six points and finished the match with a game-high 21 and also the highest PIR of 23.
Jordan Mcrae followed him with 17 points, while Xavier Munford and Tomer Ginat added 12 each. Chinanu Onuaku had ten boards but seven points.
“We are of course very disappointed. We made a poor start and it cost us. We won three of the four quarters but the first one was a bad one for us and it came back to haunt us. We showed a lot of character to come back. This is not an easy venue to play in against an excellent team, it’s not comforting to us but it is what it is,” Hapoel Vegan Friendly Tel Aviv head coach Danny Franco stated.