By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Salon Vilpas has secured its place in the Basketball Champions League after edging CSM Oradea 98–96 in a thrilling final decided in the closing seconds.
The Finnish side had controlled the game from the opening stages, holding the lead throughout the contest. But Oradea refused to go away, setting up a dramatic finish in which every possession mattered.
At the center of it all was Leland Walker. The Vilpas guard produced a spectacular 42-point performance and, with the game on the line, stepped up to convert the free throws that ultimately sealed victory for the Finnish side.
CSM Oradea had Kris Richard to thank for keeping the Romanian team within striking distance. Richard finished with 23 points, but his effort was not enough to overturn Vilpas’ advantage.
In the end, the Finnish team made the most of the lead it had built throughout the night. Walker’s scoring explosion and his composure from the free-throw line proved decisive, sending Salon Vilpas into the Basketball Champions League after a 98–96 triumph that went down to the final moments.
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