Βy Stefan Djordjevic/ info@eurohoops.net
Rosa Radom is the worst team in the Basketball Champions League this season when you look at the standings. They stand on a 1-9 record having only one victory against Banvit. That happened two months ago on November 8.
The Polish team is a club with short tradition. They were founded back in 2003 and they needed nine years to make it to the first Polish league. After the summer of 2012, they had their first season in the top division.
They waited thirteen years to win their first trophy, which was the Polish Cup in 2016. On the way, they beat the favorite, Stelemet Zielona Gora, which is also another member of the Basketball Champions League. That was the start.
- They also won the Supercup of Poland registering their second trophy.
- They are playing in a small gym named “Sports Hall MOSiR” with 2000 seat capacity.
- They played in the Basketball Champions League last season as well finishing the season with a 3-11 record.
Despite losing 9 out of the 10 games this season the Polish side is playing much better than the record is showing.
This week they lost to Umana Reyer Venezia on the road after overtime. The Italians were down by 11 points after the first half and they were trailing even by 14, but somehow they were able to force the overtime winning the game at the end.
This was not a first time that Rosa Radom lost the game in which they had a lead. Far from it.
Believe it or not, the Polish side lost the fifth game in which they had a double-digit lead. They were up in every one of their nine games they lost this season. They were leading in the single one of them and they lost all of them. The only victory they recorded was against Banvit in a game they were trailing by 16.
Here are the games in which Rosa Radom blew the lead.
+17 against Bayreuth
+3 away at Estudiantes
+16 at home against Venezia
+11 away at AEK
+5 at home against Strasbourg
+4 away at Olimpija
+4 away at Bayreuth
+12 at home against Estudiantes.
+ 14 away at Venezia
It is obvious that they are lacking focus and energy to close the game in the right way. If the games lasted 30 minutes Rosa Radom would be on an 8-2 record at least.
But the reality is cruel and the Polish side has to learn to close the game in which they are leading especially in the games they have a double-digit lead.
They are the third best rebounding team in the competition as they grab 37.8 boards per game. Only Umana Reyer Venezia and CEZ Nybumrk pick up more balls after a shot is missed. They need to convert their rebounding dominance into the victories. Also, they need to protect the ball better as they turn the ball 13.8 times per game which is the third-worst record in the BCL.
The team from Poland absolutely deserve their place in the Basketball Champions League. They just need more focus and experience in the decisive moments and when that comes they will improve their record for sure. And that’s the point. Only by playing on a higher level than the one you already achieved, you can improve and make strides in order to develop and beat the best.