The Polish basketball players made an excellent performance yesterday. The Polish national basketball team won its first game at the EuroBasket 2022. In Prague, Poles defeated the favourites of the meeting – Czechs 99-84.
One-two punch delivers the knockdown – Ponitka and Slaughter combine for 49pts to stun the crowd in Prague! #EuroBasket
— #EuroBasket 2022 (@EuroBasket) September 2, 2022
The Poles were not favourites for the match against the Czechs. The coach of our basketball players Igor Milicić emphasised before the first group meeting of the basketball European Championships the class of the rival, who additionally had the advantage of their court.
Meanwhile, the first quarter had an unexpected course. It was the Poles who ruled under the basket and rapidly increased their lead. After this part of the game, the hosts’ fans could rub their eyes with amazement. The Czechs were losing 18:29.
Mateusz Ponitka is LOCKED IN early with 12PTS on a perfect 5/5 from the field!#EuroBasket x #BringTheNoise
https://t.co/XA74Vl1szW pic.twitter.com/Kn7oI9yWXH— #EuroBasket 2022 (@EuroBasket) September 2, 2022
The hosts made up for the losses in the second quarter, but the next part of the game was again dictated by the Poles. The Czechs, however, did not intend to give up the fight for victory until the end. Five minutes before the end of the match, the Polish team was leading only 79:76.
A.J. Slaughter killed it #EuroBasket x #BringTheNoise
https://t.co/XA74Vl1szW pic.twitter.com/jdga8kj3Fh
— #EuroBasket 2022 (@EuroBasket) September 2, 2022
“Poland were in front from start to finish, but the Czech Republic managed to make it interesting by crawling back to a four-point deficit with three minutes left to play. They hoped for a close finish with packed stands in Prague, but that’s just the kind of atmosphere that inspires the Polish one-two punch,” we can read on the official FIBA EuroBasket 2022 website.
The FIBA’s game report is available here ➡️ Poland stun 11,000 fans in Prague as Ponitka, Slaughter deliver masterclass
PONITKA IS A BAAAAAD MAN! #EuroBasket x #BringTheNoise pic.twitter.com/DHSha1c7wk
— #EuroBasket 2022 (@EuroBasket) September 2, 2022
During the very nervous ending, Czechs’ coach Ronen Ginzburg was not happy and asked for a timeout. The result was 90:81 for our basketball players at 2:04 before the final buzzer. The Czechs were losing hope and the Poles played this part professionally. It was a fantastic beginning of EuroBasket for Poles!
Apart from the Czech Republic, the rivals of the Polish basketball players in the group will be Finland, Israel, the Netherlands, and Serbia. The four best teams from the group will advance to the next phase of the European Championships.
Poland – Czech Republic 99:84 (29:18, 17:28, 23:17, 30:21)
The next meeting will be played on Saturday afternoon (Sep 3). The match against Finland will start at 2 p.m. After a day off (Monday, Sep 5), Poles