2024-01-10 22:29:00
Union Neuchâtel leaves with honors. The Neuchâtel club from the Swiss Basketball League was eliminated by Friborg Olympic in the quarter-finals of the SBL Cup, formerly the Coupe de la Ligue, on Wednesday evening at Salle Saint-Léonard. The Unionists lost 75 – 66, not without having made life difficult for a Friborg team undefeated in fifteen championship matches.
History will not repeat itself since last year, at the same stage of the competition, Mitar Trivunovic’s squad created a sensation by managing to qualify at the expense of the Swiss basketball juggernaut.
In reality, Union Neuchâtel was not that far from getting back on track: the two teams engaged in a thrilling mano a mano in a very physical duel. Led by an extraordinary Arkim Robertson in the rackets, the Neuchâtelois had a one-point lead at the break, not without having overcome a twelve-point deficit. It was a perfect tie at the end of the third quarter and even until less than four minutes from the end, before the Friborgs managed to take the upper hand for good.
The mountain was still too high to climb, but the people of Neuchâtel were not that far from reaching the summit. They just lacked a bit of lucidity at the end to inflict a snub on Thibault Petit’s players: “The last five minutes, we didn’t score any shots and we defended poorly”, rightly summed up Dylan Schommer. “I think we’re at the level of Friborg, but it’s really just the end that makes the difference. We are still a young team.”
Union Neuchâtel’s next match is scheduled for Tuesday January 16 at La Riveraine, as part of the Swiss Basketball League championship. The Unionists receive Lugano at 7:30 p.m. /mne
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