Spanish team CD Ilunion overcame a challenging Italian side in MIA Briantea84 Cantu in the Final Four of IWBF Europe’s Champions Cup.

The Spanish team qualified for the final with a convincing victory, 92 – 64, over Germany’s RSB Thuringia Bulls. There was only five points between them at half-time, but a rocky third period for the German’s saw them lose the quarter by 15 points, a deficit which was far too much to claw back against a team with the experience and talent of CD Ilunion.

In the other semi-final, Briantea84 Cantu faced up against German Champions RSV Lahn-Dill. MIA Briantea84 Cantu took advantage of RSV Lahn-Dill shooting at just 38% from the field, and led by Adolfo Berdun’s 20 points, they earnt themselves the win and a place in the final, 66 – 53.

The bronze medal game saw an exciting battle between the top two German teams as they faced each other for the seventh time this season. During another closely fought game, RSB Thuringia Bulls relinquished a game high eight point advantage in the middle of the third quarter to eventually fall to a 68 – 70 defeat as RSV Lahn-Dill took the bronze.

Captain Raimund Beginskis top scored for RSB Thuringia Bulls with 22 points. RSV Lahn-Dill’s Polish International Piotr Łuszyński was the game’s top scorer with 23 points, Thomas Böhme scoring 22 points.

The final was another thriller as CD Ilunion looked to retain their Champions Cup title. The Spanish team started brightly, but it was MIA Briantea84 Cantu who held a slender lead through the majority of the first half. CD Illunion took over in the third period, but with the teams separated by only a single point, all was still to play for going in to the final quarter. Both teams traded baskets until the last two minutes, when turnovers and team fouls started to count against the Italian side. CD Ilunion converted from the free-throw line and claimed the victory, 77 – 68.

Terry Bywater scored 23 points & Alejandro Zarzuela 20 points for the Champions, and two players recording double doubles for MIA Briantea84 Cantu with Ian Sagar 22 points/15 rebounds and Brian Bell 20 points/11 rebounds.

All-Star Five

Terry Bywater (CD Ilunion), Brian Bell (MIA Briantea84 Cantu), Jordi Ruiz (MIA Briantea84 Cantu), Raimund Beginskis (RSB Thuringia Bulls), Björn Lohmann (RSV Lahn-Dill)

For full statistics please visit http://competitions.iwbf-europe.org/index.php/final-4-cc-home-2

Images courtesy of M. Segarra 2017