Wen Mukubu unleashed scorching dunks at Kangoeroes Mechelen. — © GOYVAERTS/GMAX AGENCY
Kangoeroes Mechelen won the belle of the quarterfinals of the Belgian playoffs against Leuven Bears and qualified for the semifinals with a 2-1 result. The Maneblussers open in Ostend on Wednesday. In this best of five, the coast team enjoys home advantage.
Patrick Ceulemans
On Friday, Limburg United already qualified with a sweep and a 2-0 in the quarterfinals and against Spirou Charleroi for that semifinal. The Limburgers will also take on the Antwerp Giants in the semifinals from Wednesday. The Sinjoren enjoy the home advantage against the Limburgers. Kangaroos Mechelen, without DeAndere Davis (knee, end of season ed.) played total basketball in the first quarter. Sharp in defense and sublime in offense. Signed Richmond Aririguzoh in the paint and Jonas Foerts with bombs. Leuven, who also started strong in attack, had to release the role after a 13-15. The team from Leuven was behind the facts in attack and looked at a 30-20 bonus after the first slider. Kangoeroes Mechelen was also physically strong in the second quarter. Wen Mukubu unleashed scorching dunks and Jo Van Buggenhout defended strongly and also scored. Domien Loubry was alert, Jordan Harris scored and Jonas Foerts scored 4 out of 5 three-pointers in the first half and was the driving force behind the 55-41 Mechelen bonus halfway after 42-28. Leuven Bears, however, came out of the locker room, defended more intensely and found the connection via Brevin Pritzl and Joshua Heat after 65-53 to 69-63 at 71-65 after three quarters. The start of the final quarter was once again for Kangoeroes Mechelen, which sped away wonderfully collectively to 76-65 and 86-70. However, the Maneblussers gasped and through Brevin Pritzl it went from 87-77 to 88-83. In the meantime, star Jonas Foerts had finally disappeared from the match after a technical foul, his fifth. Kangaroos faltered, but when the need is greatest, Domien Loubry scores. After a pressing final phase (90-86), the win remained after a bomb from Wen Mukubu in Mechelen. The party in the Winketkaai erupted, after all, the semi-final against Ostend was a fact. Leuven Bears will be caught up in the BNXT play-offs and will face Okapi Aalst in the second round of that competition next week.
Kangaroos Mechelen-Leuven Bears 98-89
Quartz: 30-20, 25-21, 16-24, 27-24
Kangaroos Mechelen: Loubry 17, Mukubu 12, Van Buggenhout 14, Harris 10, Foerts 20, Palinkcx 5, Merckx 0, Aririguzoh 20
Leuven Bears: Heath 19, Pritzl 32, Allen 12, Fulkerson 9, T. Nunes 0, Bucumi 0, Vanderhaegen 5, McGlynn 10