Despite a strong performance by Wen Mukubu Kangoeroes lost in Landstede Hammers Zwolle — © GOYVAERTS/GMAX AGENCY
Kangaroos Mechelen, without Jordan Harris, suffered a first defeat in Zwolle and against Landstede Hammers on the seventh matchday of Elite Gold. That means that the Maneblussers have to leave the lead to Telenet Giants Antwerp.
Patrick Ceulemans, Ludo Hendrickx
Coach Kristof Michiels had to call his men to order after two minutes with a Dutch lightning start: 9-2. That worked out nicely and Richmond Aririguzoh brought both teams back together neatly at 12-12. Fortunately, the Mechelen center was quick to find an answer to Zwolle’s three-pointers from Boyd Van Der Vuurst and Dukan: 18-15. At the end of the first quarter, Jonas Foerts gave the visitors the lead for the first time at 20-21. In the second slide, De Andre Davis quickly got two fouls and was able to go to the bench for a while. Meanwhile, Wen Mukubu had already tripled his team to 25-31. Together with an unstoppable Richmond Aririguzoh, the gap was further widened to 27-35. Halfway through the scoreboard was 37-46. Even after the break, the home team came all the way back into the game past three-pointers from Dukan and Van Der Vuurst (a 7-4 intermediate sprint). Domien Loubry and his buddies had to chase back. (54-50) The home team kept the momentum and led 61-58 after three quarters of the game. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, star Richmond Aririguzoh heard a questionable fourth (offensive) whistle against him. Despite two bombs from Jonas Foerts (69-69), Mechelen got into even more trouble.
Coach Kristof Michiels received a technical foul for protesting and both DeAndre Davies and Richmond Arirriguzoh were benched after their fifth foul with six minutes left on the game clock. Wen Mukubu also got frustrated and also received a technical foul. (79-75). Still, the match was not over yet. Foerts (12 points in the fourth quarter) and Mattias Palinckx brought the visitors back to 79-81. Then it was up to Palinckx to get a technical foul and it became 80-81 with one minute left on the clock. Loss of possession, a voluntary foul and misses from Mechelen led to the first loss in the Elite Gold.
Landstede Hammers Kangaroos Mechelen 84-81
Quartz: 20-21 17-25 24-12 23-23
Landstede Hammers : Stolk 6, Terins 9, Van der Vuurst 14, Dukan 30, Waleson 6, Van Overbeek 6, Diculescu 10, De Pagter 3
Kangaroos Mechelen : Davis 4, Loubry 2, Mukubu 20, Van Buggenhout 5, Arirriguzoh 22, Krotulja 0, Mennes 2, Foerts 14, Palinckx 12