Article by David Istrate – published Tuesday, June 3, 2025, 19:16 / Updated Tuesday, June 3, 2025 7:21
Branko Cuic, the sports director of U-BT Cluj-Napoca, and Mihai Silvășan, the head coach of the black and white, offered some statements in response to the accusations made by the referees by Cristian Achim, the technician of CSM Oradea, After the first match of the final of the National Male Basketball League.
On Monday, June 2, U-BT Cluj-Napoca achieved one last exceptional quarter on the field of CSM Oradea and imposed with 89-82, starting with the final LNBM. The general score became 1-0 for black and white, which “stole” the advantage of their own land.
Cristian Achim: “I tell you that I think with horror what awaits us in Cluj”
After the party ended, Cristian Achim spoke, in predominance, about arbitration, specifying that he influenced the result and that he is afraid of what will happen when the series moves to Cluj.
It was a nice match, a true final. Unfortunately this match was influenced by arbitration. I'm sorry to say that. When a team with a single player who goes to the basket, in penetration, he benefits from 26 free throws I find it unreal. Seeley has 15 freely thrown without making the whole match. I have never seen something in my life. I'm sorry.
They had 14 free throws in the quarter. 4 can not be that way. This is the truth. Anyone can say, whatever wants, but reality is this. I have nothing to say about Cluj. I am a very good team, but under equal conditions regarding the arbitration may otherwise have been the situation.
I fought, I tried. I had good times, I had less good times. At the minuses I could note that I missed a little many open throws from three points and missed about 4 simple layers. You have to score them in a final, with such an opponent. That's about it. We see what happens next.
We hope we will have an arbitration that does not influence the game. I don't want anyone to help us. I want to be flawless arbitration, but this evening it was not. I do not want to put everything on account of the arbitration or to apologize for any mistakes, but it doesn't matter. Everyone makes mistakes. And Cluj made mistakes. We must have an absolutely impeccable arbitration. And tonight I didn't seem to have been. Let's hope we will have the right arbitration further, but I tell you that I am thinking about what awaits us in Cluj
– Cristian Achim, according to csmoradea.ro
Cristian Achim, CSM Oradea/PHOTO: FIBA.Basketball
Branko Cuic: “We would have had reason to be dissatisfied with some arbitration decisions”
On Tuesday, June 3, on the official website of U-BT Cluj-Napoca, the statements of Branko Cuic, the sports director of the club, and Mihai Silvășan, the head coach of the “Students” were published.
“After analyzing the match carefully, we can say that we would have had reason to be dissatisfied with some arbitration decisions. However, we do not want to go into controversy. We choose to focus on the game. We ask our supporters to remain civilized and not respond with hatred. We believe that the statements made by the representatives of the club in Oradea have one purpose: to put pressure on the arbitrators before the following matches“Cuic said.
Mihai Silvășan: “Probably Mr. Achim or any realistic man changed his opinion after he saw the match”
For our team, it is very important to stay focused on what we have to do on the field. The fact that we managed to win the first match, certainly does not make us champions. I as a coach, I choose to turn my attention to the evolution of my team and what we have to correct to be better in the second match, even if I saw the statements, unhappy from my point of view, of my counterpart.
Probably Mr. Achim or any realist man has changed his opinion after he has again again the match or he probably wants the rules of this sport to change in favor of his team, but this does not have to influence our mentality and what we have to do on the field.
To me the main goal at the moment is to make my players be one hundred percent concentrated and try to display our best basketball
– Mihai Silvășan
Mihai Silvășan, the coach of U-BT Cluj-Napoca/PHOTO: Manases Sandor/U-BT.Basketball
The second match of the final will be played on Wednesday, June 4, starting at 19:00, also in Oradea Arena. Then, the series will move to Cluj-Napoca, the third game of the trophy fight being scheduled for Sunday, June 8, in Barena.
