Monster cap in the last seconds and U-BT Cluj-Napoca is the champion of Romania for the 6th consecutive season

For the 5th time in the last 6 years, U-BT Cluj-Napoca and CSM Oradea met in the final of the National Men's Basketball League. The Bihorians opened the scoring and led 1-0, but the Cluj won the next three matches and won the national title again.

After a modest first half, U-BT Cluj-Napoca dominated the second half and won the national title

Daron Russell, one of U-BT Cluj-Napoca's leaders in match 3, had a modest start, missing two shots from near the ring. Also, Former Real Madrid basketball player Jeffery Taylor also missed two long shots.

On the other side, CSM Oradea entered the game eager to erase the impression it showed in the previous game. Much more aggressive in attack and defense, Bihoren dictated the pace and took control of the game.

Iverson Molinar, coming off the bench, tried to give a boost to Cluj's offense, but the incredible accuracy of match 3 was no longer there. Bogdan Nicolescu, the captain of CSM Oradea, scored in key moments, and Thomas Bropleh and Emmanuel Nzekwesi thwarted the opposing defense.

In the second half of the second quarter, the home team came close with some counterattacks, but the visitors again pulled within 7 points. U-BT scored the last 4 points of the sequence and entered the locker room with a 3-point deficit: 33-36.

0%was U-BT Cluj-Napoca's percentage from outside the semicircle in the first half (0/11)

The hosts started the second half with another defensive aggression and racked up 3 fouls in less than a minute. At the same time, Patrick Richard, U-BT's captain, “broke the ice” from outside the semi-circle and equalized.

Richard continued to pump up his team's offense, but the red-blues did not let themselves down and exploited the home team's foul problem. However, at the end of the 3rd quarter, Russell and Creek each scored a 3-point basket, the score became 55-49 and Cristian Achim called time-out.

A period followed which was controlled by U-BT and it seemed that victory was assured for them. But CSM Oradea came back incredibly and the end was sensational. The visitors came close in the final seconds and had a chance to equalise, but Nighael Ceaser made a spectacular cap and brought victory to U-BT Cluj-Napoca: 74-72.

The leaders of the winner were Daron Russell (23 points), Iverson Molinar (17 points) and Mitch Creek (10 points). On the other side, Thomas Bropleh (16 points), Emmanuel Nzekwesi (15 points) and Kris Richard (12 points) stood out.

Darron Russellthe defender of U-BT Cluj-Napoca and the Romanian national team, was named the MVP of the National League finals.

Final. U-BT Cluj-Napoca – CSM CSU Oradea, match 4 of the LNBM final: 74-72

Final match. 74-72. Ceaser catches Bropleh in the last phase and brings victory to U-BT Cluj-Napoca. 6th consecutive title for the hosts.
Min. 40. 74-72. Nicolescu fouls “Fatts” and commits his 5th personal foul. Russell only scores a free kick and it's time-out for CSM Oradea. 8 seconds left.
Min. 40. 73-72. CSM Oradea comes within a single point, thanks to two free kicks converted by K. Richard. With 8.7 seconds left, “Silva” uses another timeout. The visitors are expected to foul quickly.
Min. 38. 73-68. Nzekwesi brings his team within 5 points after a great pass from Lottie. Another time-out requested by the “students” coach.
Min. 36. 73-64. Creek scores from near the rim and then “Fatts” scores one of two free throws. Cluj's defense is more and more precise.
Min. 34. 70-62. 8-2 run for U-BT after two 3-pointers by Russell. “Come on U”, “Come on U” can be heard in BTarena.
Min. 32. 62-60. Partially 7-2 for the visitors, who take advantage of the hosts' increasingly frequent mistakes. Rest time requested by Mihai Silvășan.
Min. 31. 60-55. Bropleh scores a basket from distance early in the decisive act and cuts the gap to 5 points. CSM Oradea does not give up.
Start of the 4th quarter.

End of quarter 3. 60-52. U-BT dominated this sequence, took control of the game and is one quarter away from winning another title.
Min. 28. 55-49. Another 3-pointer for the reigning champion, this time by Mitch Creek. Time-out requested by Achim.
Min. 27. 52-49. Russell hits a triple and U-BT takes the lead.
Min. 25. 45-45. P. Richard reaches 8 points in the 3rd quarter.
Min. 24. 40-43. Long-range basket made by Luca Năstruț.
Min. 23. 40-40. Conflict between Richard and Nzekwesi, after a phase in which the naturalized player of the hosts was considered fouled by the pivot of the guests. The referees intervene and separate the two basketball players.
Min. 21. 36-36. Patrick Richard “breaks the ice” on the first offensive action of the penultimate act and scores U-BT's first 3-pointer.
Start of the 3rd quarter.

Min. 27. 52-49. Russell hits a triple and U-BT takes the lead.
Min. 25. 45-45. P. Richard reaches 8 points in the 3rd quarter.
Min. 24. 40-43. Long-range basket made by Luca Năstruț.
Min. 23. 40-40. Conflict between Richard and Nzekwesi, after a phase in which the naturalized player of the hosts was considered fouled by the pivot of the guests. The referees intervene and separate the two basketball players.
Min. 21. 36-36. Patrick Richard “breaks the ice” on the first offensive action of the penultimate act and scores U-BT's first 3-pointer.
Start of the 3rd quarter.

End of quarter 2. 33-36. The first half ends with 4 consecutive points for U-BT, who enter the locker room with a deficit of 3 points.
Min. 19. 29-36. Another interruption of the game, after a partial 5-0 of CSM Oradea. Bogdan Nicolescu scored an “impossible triple” and then Emmanuel Nzekwesi scored on the counterattack.
Min. 18. 29-31. After a time-out requested by Silvășan, it's Cristian Achim's turn to request a rest time. U-BT got within two points thanks to a dunk by Ceaser.
Min. 17. 27-31. Slam-dunk achieved by Molinar on the counterattack and the fans of the hosts are freed.
Min. 14. 21-29. The instructions of the Vâlcean technician bear fruit, and the red-blues distance themselves again. Complicated moment for black and white. However, Mihai Silvășan does not request rest time.
Min. 12. 19-21. Better start of the sequence for U-BT, which closes to two points, through two baskets scored by Trey Woodbury and Iverson Molinar. Time-out requested by Cristian Achim.
Start of the 2nd quarter.

End of the first quarter. 15-20. CSM Oradea dominated the opening act, being eager to erase the impression shown in match 3.
Min. 8. 9-14. After a basket by Kris Richard, the visitors distance themselves to a difference of 5 points. The small gallery from Bihor is trying to keep up with the Cluj public.
Min. 6. 7-9. Low-scoring game so far. Daron Russell, one of U-BT's leaders in Game 3, can't find his way to the basket yet.
Min. 4. 4-7. 7-2 run for CSM Oradea, which is 3 points away, after a penetration by Jaizec Lottie.
Min. 2. 2-0. The first basket of the game was scored by Nighael Ceaser, through a slam-dunk.
Start of the match in the BTarena.

The University Anthem, sung in BTarena before match 4 of the LNBM final/Photo: David Istrate (GSP.ro)

UPDATE at 18:00 » The national champion trophy is in the BTarena

The Romanian Basketball Federation prepared the two trophies intended for the LNBM champion and vice-champion, as well as the medals. They were positioned behind the official table and are admired by the few spectators who arrived at the hall an hour before the match.

The games in Oradea were extremely balanced: the hosts won the first game by 3 points (87-84), while the visitors won the second game by 5 points (88-83). Instead, the first duel in Cluj was very unbalanced, being totally dominated by U-BT.

Mihai Silvășan's students started strongly and led 8-1. The visitors came back and came within a point, but the black and whites continued to play at a fast pace and with an intensity superior to their opponents.

Daron Russell, Mitch Creek and Trey Woodbury were the hosts' main weapons, who won 103-78 and took the overall score to 2-1. So, tonight's showdown, which will start at 19:00, can close the series and secure another national title for U-BT.

Instead, if CSM Oradea will produce the surprise in BTarena, then the series will return to Oradea, where on Sunday, June 7, the decisive match of the final will take place.

BTarena is sold-out for match 4

As in match 3 and as in the first two games in Oradea, the organizers have announced that the hall will be sold-out, so around 10,000 spectators are expected in the Multipurpose Hall.

Considering the day of the match and the overall score of the series, the Oradeans will no longer come in such large numbers as they did on Monday, June 1, when they filled two sectors of the upper ring of the BTarena.

After match 3, Mihai Silvășan, U-BT's coach, sent a warningstating that the streak isn't over and that his students need to stay grounded. On the other side, Cristian Achim, the technician of Oradea, declared that he keeps his hope in his team's chances, admitting, however, that few things can change from a tactical point of view.

In February, the long-time coach of CSM Oradea announced that, at the end of this season, he will leave the technical bench of the team. Therefore, there is a possibility that this match will be the last in the coaching career of Achim, who will occupy a position in the management structure of the Bihorean club.