S15 - SBBL FINAL Game 3 : Shohoku Backers won back-to-back championship, edged Pekanbaru Jaguars 75-74.
Experience plays its best. Ask Sertug Acay and Agilios Kostis. They showed they still can survive without Cataldo Momente and the "not real" Aniol Soler.
Acay and Kostis scored 30 & 25 pts, beared with Soler poor performance, and Shohoku Backers gained their 2nd SBBL Championship by sinking Pekanbaru Jaguars with a heartbreak ways. The Jaguars were leading at most of the game, and on their way of the 1st ever league Championship. But the Backers, mostly silent on 2nd and 3rd quarter, suddenly were busy on the 4th, using 12-6 run to get within 4 points, and gained their 1st lead since 1st quarter 69-68 with a dunk by Sertug Acay. Acay, hampered again by foul trouble, survived this time as Jason Peachey were assigned to guard Petrus Alexandersson.
Shohoku were already lead 75-71 with 50 seconds to go, but Petrus Alexandersson scored 2 back-to-back baskets off Petrus Debrier steals. Jaguars actually still have the chance for the lead, but Petrus Debrier commited a fatal turnover, travelled with the ball. With the Backers possession under 30 seconds to go, Eldad Galam missed a 3pointer. After a Jaguars' timeout, they were struggling to get the ball to Petrus Alexandersson, and finally the ball has to go into Huo Xiang Song hands, and the bricked the tough layup over Jason Peachey. THe rebound were scrambled by Galam and SOrin Niculae, but when Niculae got the ball, the buzzer have already sounded, sent the whole Tribuana Stadium in silence, and whole Pekanbaru Jaguars players in tears.
"It's really tough", said Petrus Alexandersson. "We've heard a lot about matches with up and down result. Now we're the ones that on the bottom of the wheel. At least we've now seen the worst side of it. Hopefully we could come back again next season." Huo Xiang Song, still in his worst after the shot, were unavailable for comment.
Petrus Alexandersson led the Jaguars with usual monstrous 25pts 25rebs, followed by Petrus Debrier 19pts. Huo Xiang Song has 16pts and 10rebs. Thiseas Chantampakis has his worst with 3/19 FG though he grabbed 13rebs, Sorin Niculae were having 12asts but shot only 2/7.
With the victory, Shohoku Backers again will join Whampoa Allstars to represent Singapore for the Buzzer-Beater Best Tournament.