14.12.2018: Sony Centre Fury - Dunfermline Reign 60:75
BANTU INJURY CRUCIAL IN FURY HOME LOSS
SONY CENTRE FURY 60 DUNFERMLINE REIGN 75
Scottish Senior Men Championship Division 1
Fury started as though missing two key players – Boris Matrakov and Greg Foussas, would not deter a repeat for the Falkirk club, of last weeks Scottish Cup Semi-Final win over Reign, as they pulled out to a 9-2 early lead, which increased to 22-11 at the end of the first quarter of this key Championship game at Grangemouth SC.
Fury went into the game on a 9-0 run in League/ Cup games.
Bulgarian Ivan Ganchev moved into the starting line –up, in place of his fellow countryman Matrakov and made an immediate impact with 3 threes in that first period that also saw Lithuanian Eddy Leginas hit 8pts in a row, that included 2 further threes for the Sony sponsored side.
The second quarter saw both teams trading baskets with Bantu Burroughs opening Fury’s account with back to back baskets despite seemingly picking up what looked like a serious ankle injury in the opening minutes of the quarter.
In fact Burroughs came out the game 2 minutes in to the period to only re-appear briefly later in the second, then come out the game for good with that ankle injury – a cruel blow to Fury’s title hopes.
This was not the only serious issue for Fury as for the second period in a row, Fury’s foul count had sent Reign early to the line. With Reign finishing the half, incredibly on only 2 fouls to Fury’s 10, it was little wonder that Reign had clawed their way back into the game on the back of 12 free throws in the half. Fury were now in trouble with Burroughs out the game and the team missing his influence on defence as well as offence. Off the bench Evaldis Burksaitis, Ross Gibson and Connor Martin put points on the board with Fury leading by now, only 3 at the half.
The third saw Fury’s Brian Munnoch start with Captain Keith Bunyan, Adam Hammerschmidt, Ganchev and Leginus.
While Munnoch opened Fury’s third quarter points it was the other four who each hit consecutive three’s to bring Fury back into a game that looked to be slipping away from them as Reign had built up a double digit third period lead.
With Leginas finishing the period with two free throws – 2 of only 5 they had in the entire game, the scoreline read Fury heading into the final period with a one point lead at 54-53.
But it was all Reign in the final stanza as yet another Fury player went out the match injured – Connor Martin and Fury were now struggling at both ends of the floor.
While Reign could only play who was on the floor, Fury will look at the game and rue the injury to Burroughs in the second period. Eddy Leginas finished as Fury’s top scorer with 20pts, with Ganchev on 12.
Fury’s Headcoach John Bunyan commented to Heraldsport after the game – ‘ We have been in a situation now for some time that we have needed to win every game we played, if we were to have a chance of a title this season. We have been doing that with 7 consecutive league games and 2 Scottish Cup games that had given us a 9-0 run, but tonight we knew it would be our toughest test going in to the match with key players out. That said, that’s the nature of sport and we were ready to have a real go at making it 10 in a row. While we still sit top of the Championship, effectively our chance of that title has gone and credit to Reign for coming back into the game tonight and getting the result they wanted, on what is always a tough place for teams to get a win.
Of course I feel that had Bantu not gone out the game injured, early in the second, the result may have been different. I was unhappy about the 10-2 foul count at the half and that clearly frustrated our players and myself.
This was a game between two of Scotland’s top senior men's team and one team commits a single foul in each quarter – is that realistic ?
We were playing great basketball and with an 11pt opening quarter lead, I could not have asked for more from the players.
What we did lack when Bantu went out was the ability to continue with a solid rotation, not only to generate our offence but to maintain our defence, particularly on Craig Ferguson. That said the players dug in to hold the lead at the half and still have it going into the final stanza. We were unable to execute in the 4th and Reign deservedly won that period and with it, the game. We can however take a lot of positives from the match and now look to the Cup Final against St Mirren, consolidating our league position and having a real run in the Play-Offs. ‘
6 KEY FURY FACTORS IN THE GAME –
Fury hit 11 threes - amounts to more than half their points and means season low from inside the arc of 22pts
Points from the line – Fury hit season low with only 5 points from the charity stripe
Fury’s bench points halved – with an average of more than 20 pts per game off the bench this season, drops to 11pts
Fury draw an average of 18 fouls per game from teams this season – with last nights total – a season low 7 fouls drawn
Fury draw 24 fouls in Reign Cup game 6 days ago with 3 Reign players fouled out in that game – fouls drawn tonight 7 with no Reign player on more than 2 fouls
Fury’s – Burroughs (15), Matrakov (21) and Hammerschmidt (20) combine for 56 in Reign Cup game last week and in tonight's game combine for 12