Polonia Warszawa finished the regular season undefeated and brought a great basketball spectacle to the Polish capital, but suffered a 73-79 defeat at the hands of Neptūnas Klaipeda on Saturday, March 4, at the Centrum Sportu Wilanow. Neptūnas will play for the EWBL gold on Sunday, while the hosts may earn a bronze medal.
Polonia! Polonia! Polonia!
Captain Marta Mistygacz waved a hand and the chorus of Polonia Warszawa answered.
Loud and proud – Czarne Koszule supporters showed up in big numbers to support their team all game long and didn`t left after the final whistle.
The hosts did amazing job and will return on Sunday morning.
Polonia Warszawa is amazing organization.
Players of the game
Dalia Donskichyte led Neptūnas Klaipeda to their biggest win yet.
Tough and determined – point guard dished out 11 assists, including seven dimes in the first half.
Donskichyte took the ball and responsibility in her hands enroute to nine points, five rebounds and a +/- ratio of 10.
Viktoria Balaban led all scorers with 19 points, including a 9-of-10 effort from the free throw line.
Ukraine international forced several fouls in the clutch time and did all for her team, as she earned a game high efficiency rating of 20.
Ligita Tamutyte added more aggressiveness in Neptūnas offense.
Forward scored from all positions and posted 14 points.
Tamutyte forced six fouls, grabbed six rebounds, blocked one shot and earned an efficiency rating of 17.
Linda Victorine Ndoli also finished in double figures.
Cameroon international had 10 points, six rebounds and four steals.
Uliana Datsko scored nine points.
Brigita Sinickaite provided a spark from the bench as she muscled her way to eight points.
Last but not least, Neptūnas captain Agne Černeckyte made two three-pointers and scored seven points.
Martyna Leszczynska was the main force under the basket for Polonia Warszawa.
Center posted 18 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the field and 6-of-9 from the charity stripe.
She grabbed nine rebounds and blocked two shots for a team high efficiency rating of 19.
Jessica Jackson added 15 points on 5-of-12 shooting from the field.
A former Arkansas Razorback blocked two shots.
Andjelina Radič played a big role in Polonia`s comeback and scored 10 points.
Klaudia Sosnowska had nine points, four assists and three steals.
Andreona Keys chipped in with six points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Anna Pawlowska posted eight points and five assists.
Angeliki Vintsilaiou scored seven points before she was fouled out.
Key stats
Polonia Warszawa outscored Neptūnas Klaipeda in the paint, 30-26, but this time it wasn`t enough.
The Lithuanians provoked the hosts on three point shooting, as it isn`t the hosts biggest strength.
Czarne Koszule connected 36,3% of their field goal attempts from the three point line (8-of-22), exceeding their season average by 10%.
Neptūnas guards were more aggressive and received a solid help from their front court players.
Polonia Warszawa lost one of its motors in the fourth quarter, as Angeliki Vintsilaiou was fouled out.
Greek point guard played just a couple of minutes during the final frame.
Neptūnas Klaipeda extended their lead up to 17 points, 38-55, but the hosts weren`d done yet.
Thanks to some baskets by Andjelina Radič and towering presence of Martyna Lesczcynska, they cut the gap to four points, 66-70, with 02:44 left.
Ndoli scored an important basket but Polonia Warszawa was hit by the foul trouble.
Viktoria Balaban went to the free throw line four times in the final two minutes and scored the last seven points for Neptūnas.
Referees: Sergii Tyslenko, Michaela Scholzova, Kristīne Simanoviča.
SCHEDULE (local time, GMT+2h)
Saturday, March 4, semifinals
SKK Polonia Warszawa 73–79 BC Neptūnas Klaipeda
BC Frankivsk Prykarpattya – BK Levharti Chomutov
Sunday, March 5, medal games
11:00 Bronze medal game
13:30 Final
Final Four history
Rīga 2016: TTT Rīga, Basket 90 Gdynia, Astana Tigers, Tsmoki Minsk
Košice 2017: Good Angels Košice, TTT Rīga, Dynamo Moscow, Basket 90 Gdynia
Rīga 2018: Good Angels Košice, TTT Rīga, Dynamo Moscow, Udominate Basket
Rostov on Don 2019: TTT Rīga, Tsmoki Minsk, Rostov Don SFEDU, Žabiny Brno
Brno 2020: season five cancelled (Žabiny Brno-Tsmoki, Novosibirsk-Pieštany)
Maladziechna 2021: Horizont Minsk, Nika Syktyvkar, TTT Rīga, Prometey Kamianske
Pieštany 2022: Žabiny Brno, Pieštanske Čajky, Kibirkštis Vilnius, SBŠ Ostrava
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