The Bulls Kapfenberg are Austrian basketball champions for the sixth time. The Styrians won a dramatic game at the Swans Gmunden on Tuesday with 95:92 after extra time (42:41, 84:84) and thus won the “best of seven”-final series of the ABL with 4:2.
“It’s an incredible feeling. I am so happy to coach this team,” Kapfenberg coach Mike Coffin told Sky. “We always fight to the end. It will certainly be a long night tonight.”
The title was awarded after the longest final series in the history of ABL, also game six was hardly to be surpassed in tension. Gmunden had a five point lead 14 seconds before the end of regular time and produced a completely unnecessary ball loss two seconds before the end, which allowed Bogic Vujosevic to equalize with two converted free throws.
Vujosevic kept his nerve with two more free throws in the extra time, Adrian Mitchell’s and Toni Blazan’s three-point attempts only ended in the final seconds on the ring.
The Bulls of the Double have thus repeated and won the fifth title in a row after Cup 2017 and 2018, Supercup 2017 and Championship 2017 and 2018. After 2003 and 2004 they also won the third final duel with Gmunden, for Coach Coffin it was a special success.
After four championship titles as a player with Kapfenberg, Coffin, who took over from Michael Schrittwieser at the beginning of the year, also triumphed as coach with the Bulls.
Kapfenberg had won his first match point en suite with two victories, but did not get off the ground in the first minutes, delivered inaccurate throws and many ball losses. Gmunden took the lead with 6:0, but failed to capitalize on the uncertainty of the Bulls.
The Styrians made up the shortfall again, after which an exciting game with 21 lead changes in the first 20 minutes developed up to the half time.
The guests went into the third quarter one point ahead, but Gmundner, led by the outstanding Enis Murati (27 points) and Tilo Klette (23), got going afterwards.
The Swans threw four points ahead for the final section, pulled away to eight points, but could not close the sack. And then we let the game go. Gmunden must wait thereby further for the fifth championship title.