McDonald's Championships
on Britball
Roosters home to face Spurs
Scrapping, battling frenetic basketball. An exhibition of all that is good about the global game when the best of Italy met the best of Asia.
But with just a little more depth and a little more luck, Varese Roosters took the victory by 98-88 over Sagesse of Lebanon.
And the lucky victors now have the mighty task of facing up to NBA Champions San Antonio Spurs on Friday evening.
"We can't wait," admitted their American guard Corey Allan.
Backed by a sizeable and vocal support, Sagesse lived up to the billing of champions of Asia in the opening exchanges, rocking the Roosters with some sharp guard play to lead for most of the first period with peroxide forward Gianmarco Pozzecco en route to a game high 19 points.
And the Lebanese supplied one of the more unique sights of the weekend's entertainment at the start of the second quarter as their coach Ghassan Sarkis introduced a certain Prentice McGruder to the line up.
Yes that Prentice, last year's BBL assists leader whose departure was much lamented by Chester Jets fans.
His first move was to set up an alley oop for team-mate Mohammed Acha and although Sagesse soon fell 38-31 in arrears, the ex-Jet's play was instrumental in tying the contest once again with 2:32 left in the half. Even Marv Albert nodded in approval at one tricky three point score.
But the host entry blew the contest apart with a 10-2 spurt in the third period which left them 79-63 and cruising ahead as baby faced assasin Daniel Santiago excelled.
The next four points went the Italians way also to close the quarter and in the ultimate 12 minutes, Sagesse could rally to no closer that 13 points despite a tenacious display and they are left to face Adelaide in Saturday's fifth place play off.
Fadi El Khatib led Sagesse on 18 with Prentice on 13.
1 2 3 4 Final Var 25 27 31 15 98 Sag 25 24 14 25 88
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