Breogán lost control for three quarters and came within one shot of victory in the fourth. They fell 113-110 to Dziki Warszawa in the Basketball Champions League qualifying semifinal after allowing 95 points in 30 minutes, then mounting a furious 18-35 fourth quarter that came up just 13 seconds and one shot short of completing the comeback.
Three quarters without defense
The game started as expected: high pace, short possessions, and fast breaks (10-10 at the 3-minute mark). The Polish side, more accurate from three-point range and with fewer turnovers, took the early initiative (18-13), though four straight points from Aleksa Ilic forced Marco Legovich's first timeout.
The rotations favored Dziki, who closed the first quarter shooting 6-of-16 from three and capitalizing on six Breogán turnovers. A basket from Francis Alonso left it at 26-25.
In the second quarter, both problems worsened: Breogán's defensive breakdowns on pick-and-rolls and turnovers converted into easy points. The Polish side reached 11-of-25 from three against Breogán's 2-of-8, and Luis Casimiro had to call timeout twice. The halftime score was 58-46.
The third quarter changed nothing. Two consecutive turnovers after the break and a wide-open three from Krasuski extended the lead (65-46) just a minute and a half into the half. A 7-0 run gave Breogán some hope, but Polish accuracy was unstoppable: Joseph Girard III, who finished with 32 points, hit from deep range and the scoreboard jumped to 86-66. The quarter ended at 95-75.
A fourth quarter to remember
Breogán came out pressing and the game changed completely. A 0-10 run in just over two minutes, sustained by defensive pressure on passing lanes, made it 95-85 and put doubt in the Polish team's minds as they began to struggle offensively.
A three-pointer from Alonso cut the deficit from double digits to 5:36 remaining (100-91). With the team pressing full court, the margin was cut to 106-102 at the 38-minute mark, though small details prevented them from getting closer, like a missed long-range attempt by Alonso himself (109-105).
After a Polish basket and a timeout, five straight points from Alonso made it 111-110 with 13.2 seconds left. Dziki scored from the free throw line for 113-110, and the Málaga shooting guard had the final shot to force overtime. The rim rejected it.
The numbers
Francis Alonso scored 22 points and hit six three-pointers in the fourth quarter alone, and was the star of the comeback.
On the Polish side, the devastating stat: 19 three-pointers made on 37 attempts and 95 points in three quarters. Girard finished with 32.
With this loss, Breogán exits the Basketball Champions League. Dziki will play in Sunday's final for the only spot that grants access to the group stage.