Oostende - ZZ Leiden 80-91

ZZ Leiden clinched the 22/23 BNXT League title. They overcame Oostende in the decisive third game of the championship series to lift the trophy. Deion Hammond (193-G-1999, college: Monmouth, agency: One Motive Sports) scored 22 points to lead the effort.
ZZ Leiden recorded a 22-19 lead after ten minutes. They unloaded 30 points in the second stanza to take a 9-point lead at the interval. Oostende narrowed the deficit and eventually eked out a one-point lead at the final break. But ZZ Leiden responded with a massive 26-14 run in the fourth frame to secure the winning outcome. Marijn Ververs (194-G-1998) nailed 19 points in the win. Nikola Jovanovic (211-C/F-1994, college: USC) answered with 15 points, while Pierre-Antoine Gillet (201-PF-1991) had 13 points in the loss.

Finals MVP: Tommy Rutherford (203-C-1997) of ZZ Leiden

Eurobasket.com All-Dutch Eredivisie 1st Team 2023

Veinot

Palsson

Gaddefors

Mounce

Rutherford

First Team
Keevan Veinot (193-G-1998) of Leeuwarden
Kristinn Palsson (198-G/F-1997) of Leeuwarden
Viktor Gaddefors (201-F-1992) of Groningen
Clay Mounce (201-F-1998) of Groningen
Tommy Rutherford (203-C-1997) of ZZ Leiden

The ambiance in Zwolle was top notch. On one side the Leiden supporters were in blue, on the other side the Landstede Hammers fans were dressed in white. So there was really an atmosphere that belongs to a cup final. The first skirmishes were for the team from Zwolle. Through threes by Coen Stolk and Dragos Diculescu among others, Landstede took a 19-11 lead. Zorg en Zekerheid Leiden made some substitutions and they were successful. Maarten Bouwknecht (185-PG-1994) in particular got on his hips and led the team in attack, while Roeland Schaftenaar did a lot of work defensively. After three hit free throws by Erikas Venskus (205-F-2000), the first quarter closed at 19-19. Early in the second quarter, David Collins (190-G-1998, college: Clemson) asserted himself. The American had broken his ankle at training on Tuesday and had been in hospital on Wednesday. A final test showed that the American could play, knowing that his mother was in the stands. It was Collins who kept the Leiden team on track against Landstede, which had recorded two threes through Stolk and Felix Terins (188-PG-1998). Midway through the second quarter, Venskus put Zorg en Zekerheid Leiden ahead for the first time: 27-28. Zorg en Zekerheid Leiden picked up and posted a 3-9 run to 30-37. After a counter score by Ralf De Pagter (202-F-1989), Deion Hammond (193-G-1999, college: Monmouth, agency: One Motive Sports) came through with an and-1 for 32-40. Of that margin, five were left at halftime: 35-40. The start of the third quarter was not anything to write home about for Zorg en Zekerheid Leiden. Landstede came out of the dressing room razor-sharp. Within three minutes, the home team went on a 10-0 run, partly thanks to six points in a row by Duje Dukan (208-F-1991, college: Wisconsin). The Leiden team's scoreless period was broken by a hook shot by Thomas Rutherford. A score by Collins and a three by Marijn Ververs (194-G-1998) tied the score again midway through the third quarter: 47-47. Even at the end of the third quarter, the two teams did not give each other an inch: 53-53. De Pagter opened the decisive quarter with a score, but then Zorg en Zekerheid Leiden went on a 9-0 spree. Five points in a row by Bouwknecht and scores by Luuk Van Bree (203-F-1996, college: Bradley) and Collins made it 55-62 midway through the fourth quarter. Landstede seemed to falter, especially when Van Bree made it 59-70 with a three-pointer with over two minutes to go. The Leiden supporters were already celebrating, but the game was not yet played. Three-pointers by Duje Dukan (twice) and Felix Terins, combined with Leiden turnovers, brought the score to 69-72 24 seconds from the end. Bouwknecht then missed two free throws, after which Terins was allowed to take free throws with 10 seconds left. First hit, second missed. Twice Landstede grabbed the offensive rebound, but it yielded nothing more than a missed three-pointer and ball loss. With 2.6 seconds left, Collins was allowed to go to the line for Zorg en Zekerheid Leiden. He missed both free throws, but after the second miss probably grabbed his most important offensive rebound of his career, winning the Basketball Cup by Zorg en Zekerheid Leiden: 70-72. Maarten Bouwknecht was top shooter for Zorg en Zekerheid Leiden with 19 points. David Collins finished on 11 points, Luuk Van Bree on 10. At Landstede Hammers, Duje Dukan signed for 18 points. Arnaldo Toro Barea recorded a double double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Courtesy of: bnxtleague.com

Den Bosch - Groningen 76:59

Den Bosch conquered 2022 DBL SuperCup title defeating Groningen 76-59 tonight. Den Bosch opened the game with a 24-10 surge and never looked behind. Moreover, they won the second frame 22-18 and enjoyed an 18-point lead at the halftime. Groningen meanwhile replied with a narrow 16-13 rally in the third quarter, however could not catch up with the opponents.
Austin Price (193-G-1995, college: Lehigh) stepped up with 14 points and Emett Emmett Naar (185-G-1994, college: St.Mary's, CA) delivered 12. Chris-Ebou Ndow (201-F-1993, college: NW Missouri St.) and Thomas van der Mars (208-C-1990, college: Portland) followed them with 10 points each in a win.