Euphony Bree managed to overcome a do-or-die situation a set a big showdown for the Belgian League title by edging Telindus Oostende 77-76 at home on Wednesday. The best-of-five title series is now tied at 2-2 but Oostende hosts the make-or-break, winner-take-all Game 5 on Saturday. Kelvin Tolbert led the winners with 24 points, but Ben Ebong became the hero with the game-winning dunk. Jim Cantamessa added 18, Brian Lynch had 16 and Ebong had 11. Rashad Wright had 23 points for Oostende, Titus Ivory added 14 and Veselin Petrovic 11. Game 4 had to be repeated to due a mistake in the scoresheet, that would have allowed Oostende to take the game to overtime. Wright paced Oostende with 6 quick points but Cantamessa, Reinking and Tolbert stroke from downtown to make Bree get a 25-19 edge after 10 minutes. Oostende used a 0-13 run in which Ivory hit 2 triples to regain the lead, 25-32, but Bree was far from being done. Cantamessa, Ebong and an outstanding Lynch helped the hosts to get a 42-36 halftime lead. Back-to-back triples by an unstoppable Cantamessa boosted Bree's lead to 52-40 right after the break. Petrovic and Wright fueled the Oostende comeback, while Sebastien Bellin followed a three-point play with a layup that capped a 3-20 run, 55-60. Tolbert stepped up right when it mattered, as he buried 3 triples, dunked it and hit a jumper for a 74-69 Bree lead with 3 minutes to go. Ivory answered from downtown while Wright added a layup for a 74-74 tie. Lynch made a free throw but Wright buried a jumper for a 75-76 Oostende edge already in the final minute. It all came down to the final play, as Ebong dunked it to make Bree stay alive and force Game 5.
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BELGIAN LEAGUE: Final Playoffs, best of 5 games
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Record
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Team
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Game 1
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Game 2
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Game 3
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Game 4
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Game 5
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2
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Telindus Oostende (2) |
81
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77
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89
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76
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June 16
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2
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Euphony Bree (4) |
61
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86
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70
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77
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-
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Final Playoffs Games
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Game 1
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Telindus Oostende vs. Euphony Bree
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81-61
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May 27
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Game 2
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Euphony Bree vs. Telindus Oostende
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86-77
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June 2
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Game 3
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Telindus Oostende vs. Euphony Bree
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89-70
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June 6
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Game 4
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Euphony Bree vs. Telindus Oostende
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77-76
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June 13
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Game 5
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Telindus Oostende vs. Euphony Bree
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-
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June 16
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