Piestany dominated the Final Four at home

The final of the Alpe Adria Cup was played in a great atmosphere, with both teams fighting hard from the first second. The rivalry between the teams was evident on the floor, with low scoring on both sides in the early stages and no shortage of hard fought battles. Neither team was able to break away from their opponents for long, the small details were the deciding factor. Piestany got to their game, everything came from the defensive end and they could rely on Ana Mandic (184-F-2001) and Ke'Shunan James (184-F-1994, college: Murray St.) in the offense. They also had more energy and teamwork on their side, they helped themselves significantly with a 10-point streak. After the first quarter, the home team led 20:12. The second period followed a similar pattern, with a slower start at first, but then the offensive action got into full swing. Slavia tried to do something about the unfavourable situation with tactical changes, but the Cajky had James or other players with shooting ability in their ranks. Therefore, the gap started to widen and the home team gained more and more confidence. This was reflected in the half-time score – 36:22. The third quarter didn’t bring many basketball moments, both teams struggled to increase their scoring for a long time. Piestany managed to control their difference from Banska Bystrica, although there were some small lapses of concentration. Gradually, the offensive tempo picked up again, with the home team benefiting more from the team’s team play. The visiting players had a tough task ahead of them if they still wanted to get the winning trophy, as they were down 37:53 before the last quarter. The final decision came right from the start, with 6 points in a row for the Cajky to get their lead over the 20-point mark. There was no more drama in the end, so Piest’any could celebrate in front of their fans the new trophy for their collection. James led the effort with 21 points, while Ana Mandic added 10 points for the champions. Snezana Bogicevic (183-SG-1997) answered with 14 points for Slavia Banska Bystrica.
Courtesy of: alpeadriacup.com