PLKK 23/2009 - Krakow 78, Gorzow 77

Despite all of the hullabaloo about Krakow making it to the semifinals of Euroleague, the queens of the Polish League were Gorzow. Krakow wasn't likely to beat Ros Casares, Ekaterinburg or Spartak Moscow for a Euroleague title but Gorzow were definitely the favorites to go undefeated. They had already mathematically secured the regular season title and first place in the season. They had nothing to worry about, right?

Not anymore. Krakow went to Gorzow and beat them 78-77, ending Gorzow's perfect record. Gorzow falls to 22-1 and Krakow goes to 16-7. Depending on how Polkowice does, Krakow could move up to 4th place in the league and gain home field advantage in the opening round of the playoffs - Krakow only has three regular season games left.

The box score is here.

There's no write-up of the game just yet - this is "hot off the press" - but someone wrote that Janell Burse had 11 points and 11 rebounds in just 11 minutes. Despite that, Gorzow was in control of the game early, leading 26-19 after the first quarter and 51-40 at halftime.

However, Krakow came fighting back. They would win the third quarter by five points and close the gap to 62-56 at the end of thirty minutes. I'm reading this person who live-blogged the game in Poland and apparently:

Great defense score, did not finish the action. Marques and already only 74:73 50 seconds to end

74:75 Kobryn, but three Żurooooowskaaaaaaa !!!!!!!!!!!! 77:75 for 14 seconds before the end. Links Vistula, smells OT

All the standing odlądają tip !!!!! Fernandez for three. Unlikely ... less than two seconds to the end. Will we live?

It looks like Marta Fernandez hit a 3-pointer with less than two seconds left in the game that put Krakow up to stay.

Liudmila Sapova led Gorzow with 19 points. Justyna Żurowska scored18 points, four rebounds and two assists for Gorzow. Sidney Spencer would add 10 points for the home team.

For the visiting Krakow team, Janell Burse had an amazing game - 15 points and 16 rebounds before fouling out. (Burse only played 23 minutes.) Marta Fernandez made the game-winning shot scoring 20 points with 3-for-4 three-point shooting.

The other player to carry the burden for Krakow? Iziane Castro Marques:

16 points
7-for-14 shooting
4 rebounds
29 minutes played