claim opening win over Iceland
21 August 2008
Poland opened the Emerald Hoops International Series with a comprehensive 84-65 win over Iceland at the National Basketball Arena.
The win was largely inspired by Most Valuable Player, Lukasz Wichmiarz, who finished the game with an impressive tally of 19 points.
Poland started the brighter, scoring the game’s first five points and forcing Iceland into two quick turnovers on the defensive.
A Hlynur Baeringsson jump shot from the corner finally put Iceland on the board with 7:20 left in the quarter. Iceland soon found their footing and continued their revival with two three pointers coming in transition play from Logi Gunnarsson and Pall Axel Vilbergsson.
Iceland was able to keep it close throughout the entire quarter with their impressive shooting despite committing five team fouls and enabling Poland to score almost half of their points from the free throw line. The quarter closed at 22-20 in Poland’s favour.
A nice move inside by Iceland’s Fannar Olafsson tied the game in the opening stages of the second quarter. Iceland’s Magnus Thor Gunarsson stepped in the floor at the 7:50 mark and by the six minute mark had an assist on a score by Jakob Siguroarson and a deep three pointer of his own that gave Iceland their first lead of the game at 28-27.
Poland’s Lukasz Wichniarz hit a three on the five minute mark that brought Poland within two points of their opponents. The game went through a scrappy period with Mroz’s free throw ensuring the game finished 31-31 at the end of the half.
Poland produced a blistering start to the third, firing into an early five point lead. Iceland’s Siguour Thorsteinsson got on the score board with his first basket of the game at the 7:10 mark to bring the Poland lead down to 3, but that was quickly erased by a Lukasz Wichinarz three pointer.
Poland’s Wichinarz continued his hot shooting sinking another three at the 2:30 mark, his 3rd of the quarter. After consecutive misses from Iceland’s Magnus Thor Gunarsson and Sigurour Porvaldsson, Poland extended their lead to 21 points at the 1:34 mark. Baskets by Poland’s Pawel Kikowski and Wichniarz pushed the lead to 22 points at the end of the quarter.
Despite numerous efforts from Iceland to cut into Poland’s lead, the Icelandic team’s Magnus Thor Gunnarsson, Jon Arnor Stefansson, and Jakob Siguroarson could not get shots to fall and they found themselves down by 26 at the 4:20 mark.
Poland’s Przemyslaw Zamojski, Zbigniew Bialek and Pawel Malesa added fuel to the team’s offensive attack with consecutive baskets and a three pointer from Malesa to push the lead to 28 at the 3:10 mark.
Iceland tried to keep it respectable with five points from Stefansson, a Hlynur Baeringsson layup and and a Jakob Siguroarson three pointer, closing the lead to 20 by the 2:00 mark, but Poland was able to keep their composure and never see their lead drop below 19. The final score saw a Polish victory at 84-65.