Belgian League, Regular Season, Game 27, March 28-26, 2008
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It’s beginning to look like a two-horse race for the top spot in the Belgian League after first place Baskett Bree and defending champion Telindus Oostende won important games over the weekend. Bree edged Belgacom Liege Basket 86-87 on the road in dramatic fashion thanks to Odell Hodge’s game-winning three at the buzzer, while Oostende topped Dexia Mons-Hainaut 85-80 in overtime as Sam Van Rossom drilled 5 triples en route to a season-high 21 points. Both Oostende and Bree have 20 wins – two more than the next two teams in the standings – but Bree still has a game at hand against Liege. Spirou Basket Charleroi recorded the most impressive result of the weekend by trouncing Antwerp Diamond Giants 95-54 behind Justin Hamilton’s 23 points. Tremmell Darden added 17 and Wes Wilkinson 15 in the blowout win. In other games, Generali Okapi Aalstar defeated Spotter Leuven on the road 61-69 thanks to 23 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists from Pablo Gonzales and Optima Gent bested VOO Verviers-Pepinster 93-86 as Brandon Freeman erupted for a season-high 36 points.
Sam Van Rossom drilled 5 triples en route to a season-high 21 points to lead defending champion Telindus Oostende past visiting Dexia Mons-Hainaut 85-80 in overtime. It was a tight game from the start. Back-to-back Greg Brunner baskets gave Oostende the biggest lead of the first half, 32-25, before Justin Gray answered for Mons with a triple that cut the deficit to 4 by halftime. The hosts threatened to pull away as Elvir Ovcina hit a three-pointer and Jerry Green added a basket for a 9-point lead as the third quarter got underway. Mons clawed its way back to 45-44 on a Gray jumper only to see Oostende bust out again with 7 straight points. Chris McCray's triples made it a double-figure lead in the fourth only for Mons to storm back with a 3-15 charge and take the lead on a Nate Reinking triple, 67-68. A Ben Enbong three-point play stretched it to 69-72, but Veselin Petrovic tied it and Reinking and Travis Conlan missed their final chances to win it for Mons. In the extra period, Van Rossom opened with a three, Mons regained the lead again through Ebong, but 6 straight points from Green sealed the Oostende win. Green finished with 14 points and 5 assists for the winners, Petrovic added 12 and Titus Ivory 11. Gray and Ebong scored 20 points apiece for Mons in defeat.
LAST GAME GAME 27
March 28-29, 2008 | | Day | Match | Result | | Mar. 28 | Spotter Leuven vs. Aalstar | 61-69 | | Mar. 28 | Belgacom Liège vs. Bree | 86-87 | | Mar. 29 | BC Oostende vs. Dexia Mons | 85-80 | | Mar. 29 | Spirou vs. Antwerp Giants | 95-54 | | Mar. 29 | Optima Gent vs. Pepinster | 93-86 |
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NEXT GAME GAME 28
April 4-5, 2008 | | Day | Match | | Apr. 4 | Liège Basket vs. Pepinster | | Apr. 5 | Telindus Oostende vs. Bree | | Apr. 5 | Leuven vs. Antwerp Giants | | Apr. 5 | Spirou Basket vs. Gent | | Apr. 5 | Dexia Mons vs. Aalstar |
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| STANDINGS | TG | W | L | P+ | P- | | 1 | Basket Bree | 27 | 21 | 6 | 2227 | 2002 | | 2 | Telindus BC Oostende | 27 | 20 | 7 | 2140 | 1955 | | 3 | Dexia Mons-Hainaut | 27 | 18 | 9 | 2243 | 2023 | | 4 | Spirou Basket Charleroi | 27 | 18 | 9 | 2063 | 1904 | | 5 | Belgacom Liège Basket | 27 | 16 | 11 | 2089 | 2056 | | 6 | Generali Okapi Aalstar | 27 | 12 | 15 | 2064 | 2072 | | 7 | VOO Verviers-Pepinster | 27 | 11 | 16 | 2141 | 2225 | | 8 | Antwerp Diamond Giants | 27 | 9 | 18 | 2018 | 2182 | | 9 | Optima Gent | 27 | 5 | 22 | 1858 | 2182 | | 10 | Spotter Leuven | 27 | 5 | 22 | 1854 | 2096 |
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