Asker Aliens are the new BLNO champions. Today they beat Harstad
Vikings for the third straight time to get a 3-0 win in the finals.
This is Asker Aliens' fourth title in five finals. And all titles
have come with 3-0 victories. Harstad is still the only team to win
over Aliens in the finals after they came back from 0-2 in 2006.
Harstad scored the first basket and had a kind of initiative in a
match that seemed close until the third minute in the second period.
Aliens then put on a 20-2 run. Vikings came back for a short while
in the end of the period.
Bjorn Risshall (200-F/C-76, college:
Modesto JC) made the first basket in the beginning of the third
period and Vikings were only 9 points down.
Mustafa Mahnin (182-G-80) and Asker Aliens responded
immeditately and the lead was never less than 8 points for the rest
of the match.
Asker had a very balanced score and got points from all nine players
who were on the court.
Mustafa Mahnin was man of the match for Aliens and led his team
on the court and in scoring in a brilliant way with 25 points, 4
rebounds and 7 assists. He seems to be on a level that can bring him
to new challenges outside Norway if he wants. A nice thing for Asker
is that young players like Stian Mjøs and Christian Hinsch have had
very good performances in clutch time. Harstad once again missed
Jeff Rogers who was out with an ankle injury he got in the first
final.
Bjorn Risshall has stepped up and was the leader of his team but
it didn't help enough. Harstad only got points from their starting
players.
Asker Aliens - Harstad Vikings 91-77 (17-17, 26-14, 21-24, 27-22),
Asker wins BLNO championship 3-0
Attendance: 910 in Vollenhallen
Asker:
Mustafa Mahnin 25, Ronny Karlsen 18, Stian Mjøs 14, Brett Olsson
12, Lars Jæger Torkildsen 9, Christian Hinsch 6, Jeremy
VanKlompenburg 4, Jannik Tuffel 2, Espen Stien 1
Harstad:
Bjorn Risshall 25, Mario Woodsen 21, Thomas Vangen 13, Fredrik
Knutsen 9, Robertas Bitinas 9
