O BCG/Hosp. Santa Maria – Porto and the APD Braga will face each other in final of the Portuguese Wheelchair Basketball Cup (BCR), scheduled for 3pm this Sunday, in Leiria. The team from Gaiense and the team from Braga left along the way, this Saturday, the APD Leiria and the APD Sintrarespectively.
In the first semi-final, against APD Leiria and the BCG/Hosp. St. Mary – Porto, there was a vibrant game, with several changes in the lead and many points. The Gaienses came out better, although Leiria’s response was quick and effective, even turning the score around before the break, which marked a tangential advantage for the “hosts” – 38-37. The tone of balance “broke” in the second half, with the northern team taking advantage of the full-field defensive pressure strategy, causing several turnovers in the Lis team and resulting in the distance on the scoreboard. The tune remained and those commanded Pedro Bartolo – 2.5 – (33pts – 7/13 3pts -, 10ast, 1res, 4rb), MVP of the match, they escaped even further on the scoreboard and sealed a new presence in the final of the BCR Portuguese Cup – 60-72. In the Gaienses, they also stood out Daniel Rodrigues – 4.0 – (23pts, 8res, 3rb) and Marco Almeida – 4.0 – (4pts, 17res, 1ast, 1rb). In the pupils of Luis Ramosstood out Iderlindo Gomes – 4.0 – (20pts, 7res, 9ast, 1rb), Marco Francisco – 4.5 – (17pts, 6res, 5ast, 3rb) and Nuno Nogueira – 3.0 – (17pts, 9res, 8ast, 2rb).
Another semi-final followed, with different contours, where the APD Braga comfortably imposed itself on the APD Sintra – 64-46 -, practically sentencing the match, in the opening quarter, by winning 23-5. The coach Ricardo Vieira promoted an equitable distribution of minutes among its athletes, without ever seeing its lead in the match threatened. The Sintrenses performed at their best in the second half, even winning the last two quarters, but the reaction fell short of what was necessary to re-enter the discussion of the challenge. Hélder Freitas – 3.5 – (16pts – 7/8 2pts -, 5res, 3ast, 2rb) was the most evident Minho element, well supported by Márcio Dias – 4.5 – (16pts – 7/8 2pts -, 3res, 1ast, 2rb) and José Miguel Gonçalves – 3.5 – (4pts, 5res, 5ast, 2rb, 1dl). In the collective guided by Pedro Gonçalvesemerged Ricardo Pires – 5.0 – (25pts, 14res, 6ast, 1dl; 36 val.), MVP of the match, and João Cardoso – 4.0 – (4pts, 7res, 1ast, 1rb).
The final is scheduled for this Sunday, May 5th, at 3pm, at Pavilhão do Lis, and will be broadcast on FPBtv.
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