Kodi Justice scored 28 points – a new Final Four record – and Kwamain Mitchell intentionally missed the last free throw to lift CSO Voluntari over Royal Liège Basket, 80-79, on Tuesday, April 9, at the Sparekassen Danmark Basketball center in Aarhus, Denmark.
Players of the game
Arizona State senior Kodi Justice scored 28 points against Kansas State on November 23, 2017.
Pistol, a big fan of Pete Maravich, did exactly the same in the first Final Four game on Danish soil.
Justice scored 21 points in the first half but his biggest play came with 54 seconds left in regulation.
Shooting guard was fouled outside the three point line by Angel Rodriguez.
Justice missed the first free throw but sank the last two ones to regain a 80-79 lead for Voluntari.
He set a new Final Four record in scoring – Luke Petrasek had 25 in a 2022 final for Anwil Wloclawek.
Kwamain Mitchell had eight points.
He went to the free throw line after Olivier Troisfontaines fouled out with 2.9 seconds left.
Mitchell missed the first three throw...and intentionally missed the second one.
Liège Basket was left without a timeout and ran out of time.
Laszlo Polyak scored 15 points on 5/8 shooting from the three point line.
KeyShawn Feazell had another great stat line – he finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and three steals.
Jamelle Hagins led Liège Basket with 22 points on 8/12 shooting from the field and 6/7 from the free throw line.
Angel Rodriguez set a new Final Four record in assists made – he had 14 dimes.
Aigars Šķēle – an ENBL record holder with 19 assists – dished out 11 dimes a year ago.
Key stats
Liège Basket started strong as Jamelle Hagins was unstoppable in the paint.
Super athletic big man scored 16 points in the first half and forced four fouls.
Alex Zampier`s team got a seven points lead early, 21-14.
CSO Voluntari went 0/8 from the three point line in the first nine minutes.
Things turned around once Voluntari shooters started to make threes.
Laszlo Polyak made four three pointers in a short time, while Kodi Justice added two more.
Voluntari went on a 7-29 run for a 15 points lead, 28-43.
Both teams played aggressive – the trips to the charity stripe became more frequent.
The Royals cut the gap to 10 points but Kodi Justice`s buzzer beater three sealed the first half for Voluntari, 39-52.
Ainars Bagatskis team made seven threes on 11 attempts – in the last 11 minutes of the first half.
Teams dug in after the breaks and the fouls piled up even faster.
Liège had 25 fouls after 30 minutes of play, Voluntari – 21 fouls.
Moussa Noterman fouled out first.
Liège cut the gap to six points, 52-58, but Voluntari recovered and finished the third quarter on a 4-11 run to regain a 13 points lead, 56-69.
Angel Rodriguez, Olivier Troisfontaines and E.J. Anosike rallied Liège for a comeback, 70-75.
Trevon Allen fouled out and teams couldn`t score for three minutes.
Anosike`s two points made it a one possession game, 72-75.
Shumate`s three doubled Voluntari lead and Hagins replied in the paint, 74-78.
Two points from Rodriguez and a three pointer by Troisfontaines put Liège Basket ahead, 79-78.
Kodi Justice and Kwamain Mitchell decided outcome of the game in the last minute.
Troisfontaines missed his last three point attempt before fouling out.
Game notes
CSO Voluntari improved to 8-2, while Liège Basket dropped to 5-5.
Romanian club advanced to its first European final and will play for gold on Wednesday.
SCHEDULE (local time only)
Tuesday, April 9
Liège Basket 79-80 CSO Voluntari
19:00 Šiauliai – Bakken Bears
Wednesday, April 10
16:00 Bronze medal game
Live stats TBA
19:00 Final
Live stats TBA
21:00 Award ceremony
Final Four history
Wloclawek 2022: Anwil Wloclawek, Šiauliai, Basket Brno, Tartu University
Ostrów Wielkopolski 2023: BM Stal Ostrów, BC Wolves, Start Lublin, King Szczecin
Final Four referees
Ostrów Wielkopolski 2023 https://www.enbleague.eu/post/ostr%C3%B3w-calling-know-your-final-4-referees
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