Starwings lose to Friborg but are in the playoffs
basketball
A little bit of luck: Starwings Basel reach the playoffs after an exciting three-way battle on the last day of the game
In the competition for the playoff places, the Starwings are in 7th place at the end of the day, despite a bitter defeat against leaders Fribourg, and can therefore continue to play for the championship. They can thank the Geneva team, who directly defeated Basel’s table rivals from Boncourt.
It could hardly be more exciting before the last match day of the SBL. While there will hardly be any changes in the upper ranks, on Saturday afternoon there will be an exciting three-way battle for the playoff spots between Starwings Basel, Monthey and Boncourt in seventh place. Before the match day, the rankings and points are as follows: 7th Basel with 35 points, 8th Boncourt with 35 points and 9th Monthey with 34. Those who are ranked 7th and 8th at the end of the day play in the playoffs for the Championship.
There are four options for the Starwings:
1. Basel wins: Playoff place 7 assured, regardless of the other two returns
2. Basel and Boncourt lose, Monthey wins: all three teams have 36 points and can be compared as a “separate championship”. In this, Basel would have held first place, which would mean seventh place in the overall table and thus the playoffs
3. Basel loses, Boncourt and Monthey win: Basel is out because Boncourt has 37 points and the Wings are worse (1:2) in a direct encounter with the Jura players who then have the same number of points (36)
4. Basel, Boncourt and Monthey lose: Basel stays in playoff place 7
The Basel bidders are likely to have the hardest game on the sheet. They meet at home the leaders from Fribourg, who have only been beaten once this season. Boncourt will not have an easy opponent with Geneva either. For Geneva, it’s about fourth place, which, unlike fifth, would bring home advantage in the playoffs. For Monthey it will be a supposedly easier game against the heavily decimated bottom of the table in Lugano.
After the Starwings won the last three games and even managed an exploit in Geneva, they can go into the game against Friborg with confidence. President Pascal Donati says in advance: “Anything is possible.”
First quarter: Three close games at the beginning
In the Basel area, the game is at the beginning, even if the balanced home team runs unnecessarily a few times and thus blocks the chance to take the lead itself. But they are lucky that Friborg is not accurate enough on the offensive and throws a few attempts next to the basket. Friborg’s class is particularly evident on the defensive, because the Basel bidders often don’t manage to get the ball in the basket before the 24-second attack time has elapsed, so the score is 14:17 after the first quarter.
However, the other two games are in favor of the Starwings. Geneva leads after the quarter against Boncourt with 27:20 and in Monthey Lugano surprisingly goes into the first break with a first three points lead (18:15).
Second Quarter: Dominance and a shrinking lead
At the beginning of the second quarter, Friborg’s dominance becomes clear. Within two minutes, the Wings are already eight points behind. The Basel bidders cannot find a way through the strong defense of their opponents, who are now also getting more accurate. Friborg is constantly increasing its lead and every mistake made by the home team is now being punished. At halftime it’s 28:42.
This picture was to be expected ahead of the game and means Starwings now need help from Geneva. There, however, Geneva’s lead melts dangerously to three points (45:42). The tide turned in Monthey and they go into half-time with a 36:29 lead. Basel will only make it through a miracle on their own, hopes now also rest on the Lions from Geneva.
Third quarter: up and away
In Basel things continue as they ended in the last quarter. Freiburg dominates the home team and the point difference quickly increases to 21 points. In Monthey, too, the home team has a comfortable 20-point lead. Luckily for Basel, Geneva are also consistently five to ten points ahead, so the Wings can continue to dream of a playoff spot. At the end of the third quarter, Geneva is even 17 points ahead.
Fourth Quarter: The games are decided
Seventh in the table against first in the table: The game in Baselbiet also keeps what it promises in the fourth quarter. The question here is no longer who wins or loses, but how big the difference in points WILL be in the end. The same applies to the game in Monthey. And in Geneva, too, the hosts continue to set themselves apart. Much to the delight of the Wings, who ultimately lost 64:88, but remained in 7th place in the table thanks to the 95:77 victory in Geneva. Monthey wins 90-65, a boncourt to eighth place.
Basel held up well in the first quarter, but then they couldn’t do anything against the superiority of Fribourg. However, in the end, thanks to the little bit of luck from Geneva, it was enough for 7th place and thus the playoffs. There they will meet the runners-up from Massagno in the first round. Eighth-placed from Monthey play against leaders from Friborg (game dates to follow).