Denmark: Svendborg, Randers open 2-0
The Svendborg Rabbits and Randers Cimbria have opened the 2013-14 Denmark Basket Ligaen 2-0. On Saturday, Randers defeated the Hoersholm 79ers 89:82 and Svendborg downed the Aalborg Vikings 94:70. Randers first win was against Aalborg and Svendborg’s was over Falcon 83:79.
Randers Cimbria – Hoersholm 79ers, 89:82
Randers came from behind in the fourth quarter to pick up their second win of the young season, 89:82. Of note, Hoersholm shot 94% (16 of 17) from the free throw line.
Randers closed out the first quarter with a seven point run to get up 25:18 after the initial 10. In the second Hoersholm hit the first six to pull to within a point, only to have Randers pull away and build a 14-point advantage with just over three minutes left in the half. Hoersholm outscored their visitors 9:2 to close out the first 20 with the deficit reduced to 7, 47:40, heading into the intermission.
The hosts put up a 15-points swing in the third, getting up by as many as 10 near the end of the third quarter, settling for an eight-point lead, 67:59, with one frame to play.
Randers got things back on track in the fourth, taking over the lead mid-way through the quarter with 11 unanswered points that turned into a 16:4 run to close out the contest.
Charles Burgess led all scorers with 29 for Randers, Bonell Colas added 22 points and 9 rebounds, and Chris Nielsen dropped 17. Atila Kovac led Hoersholm with 23, Zarko Jukic added 17 points and 9 rebounds, and Brenton Butler scored 16.
Svendborg Rabbits – Aalborg Vikings, 94:70
The Rabbits earned their second win of the season and a spot at the top of the standings with a big 94:70 win over their hosts, the Vikings of Aalborg.
Svendborg outrebounded Aalborg 53-29, with Mads Bloch grabbing 24 of his own for Svendborg. Leading the way for the Vikings was Joey Haywood with 29 points.
Mid-way through the first quarter Svendborg ran off nine unanswered to build an eight-point lead, 17:9. By the end of the first 10 Aalborg had cut the gap to five, 30:25.
They played to a 14-all tie in the second frame, sending the teams in the break with the guests up 44:39.
Svendborg opened the second half with 11 straight to get up 17, 56:39. The hosts countered with a 16:3 run that cut the gap to four, 59:55, with three minutes to play in the quarter. As the horn sounded on the third 10, the guests had added four to their lead to get up 65:58 heading into the final frame.
Haywood dropped in a layup with seven minutes to play to cut the margin to four, 70:66, but from there it was all Svendbord, as they ran off a 24:4 scoring run to cap the contest with a 94:70 victory.
William Paul led Svendbord with 23 points and 7 rebounds, Johnell Smith added 22, and Blochs turned in a 13P/24R double-double. Haywood was game-high with 29 for Aalborg, Mads Rasmussen added 18, and Lasse Kristiansen scored 11.