15.3.2019: Sony Centre Fury vs. St. Mirren 94:84
FURY REACH PLAY-OFF FINAL IN SAINTS CLASSIC WIN !
SONY CENTRE FURY 94 ST.MIRREN 84
Scottish National Play-Offs – Senior Men Semi-Final
Fury Men become the most consistent Men's side of the 18-19 season as they reached the Play-Off final with their Big 4 of Matrakakov (26) and Burroughs (24) sharing 50pts and Leginas (19) and Hammerschmidt (17) sharing 36pts .
With Fury having already won the Scottish Cup Final, and being Runners-Up in the Championship, the Men's side will take their place in the Play-Off Final against Edinburgh Kings, the 4th seed who denied a potential clash between the Cup Winners and the League Champions- Reign, who Fury defeated in the Cup semi-finals.
Fury’s 10pt win over Saints was their 4th win in 4 games over the Paisley side this season, all in double digits.
However this win for Fury was certainly their toughest challenge as Saints, like Fury played great basketball throughout, with the Falkirk side getting the edge going into the final quarter and keeping it till the final whistle.
In what was an unusual scoring game for Fury. who have all season, consistently had 20 plus points from their bench, but it was 4 of Fury’s starters who produced the big numbers throughout. Fury’s former Rocks trio of Boris Matrakov, Bantu Burroughs , Cup Final MVP Adam Hammerschmidt and Fury ‘s own Eddie Leginas, shared the scoring and moreover, played great team basketball for all 4 quarters.
Fury got off to a stunning start as they went 16-5 ahead, however Saints rallied and eventually took the high scoring opening stanza 32-26, with Matrakov on 10 and Leginas on 9 personal.
The second saw Fury pull back, then Saints take a 10pt lead and look as though they had control of the game. But with tougher defence from the Falkirk side, 12 pts personal from Matrakov , big threes from Burroughs and Leginas and a great close out play at the half from Lithuanian Evaldas Burksiatis, the game ended only 4 pts in Saint's favour at
52-48 and all to play for in the second half.
The third was a typical Fury team period, tougher defence, holding Saints to 16pts and team offence that saw 6 players on the score-sheet and Fury ahead by 4 going into the final quarter. Centre Ross Gibson with key back to back baskets in the third and Bulgarian Ivan Ganchev also getting points on the board and playing some great defence.
The final period saw Fury continue to dig in defensively – again holding Saints to 16pts, while Burroughs took over for Fury offensively, leading the team with 12 personal down the stretch for a team 10pt win and a place in what will be the Men's 7th Play-Off / Scottish Cup Final in 6 seasons and will see Fury go for their 11th Men's title in 7 seasons, a remarkable run of consistency.