Derby on the beggining! GTK will face against MKS Dąbrowa Górnicza

The Board of Energa Basket League have made sure that the emotions in Gliwice have reached their zenith from the beginning . GTK in the first match on its own floor - already in Arena Gliwice - will face a rival from the same voivodeship, MKS Dąbrowa Gornicza. The opponent, although torn by internal problems, is still dangerous, which he showed while being close to the achieve victory in Zielona Góra.

 

This was a long awaited day in Gliwice. Since the last game played in this city within the Energa Basket League, 172 days have passed. Now GTK will play at home again, but at the new facility. Centrum Sportowo-Kulturalne Łabędź was replace by the modern Arena Gliwice. Opponent will also be special, because GTK will face in a duel with MKS Dąbrowa Górnicza. This is an excellent opportunity to fill a new facility for the first time in season 2018/19. The official capacity of which is 1092 places. Interestingly, although it will be the 1st round match, both teams already have one official match behind each other.

 

MKS, within the framework of ... 30th round, opened a meeting with Stelmet Enea BC Zielona Góra. Dąbrowianie - sentenced to be devoured - for a long time they fought on the rival's floor for a victory and they led them for much more of the match. At one point, their advantage was already 15 points (59:74) and everything indicated that they would make a big suprise at the beggining of the championships. The hosts, however, played spectacularly and finally at the last quarter and managed not only to make up for the losses, but also to built a break (87:81). For MKS, the most points were scored by: Calvin Melvin and Szymon Łukasiak - both had 19 points.  Also distinguished was Trey Davis, who added 14 points and 10 assists. It is also worth paying attention to the performance of Ben Richardson, who has recorded 10 points and 8 steals.

 

The Gliwice players who made their debut in European competitions were definitely less thrilled. As part of the Alpe Adria Cup, they competed on their own floor with KK Šenčur. Slovenians in the previous edition of Alpe Adria Cup played in the knockout phase, but in Gliwice they did not resemble a team from that period. GTK quickly gained a safe lead and until the end of the match controlled situation on the floor. At one point, the advantage of Paweł Turkiewicz's team was already 31 points, but when the coach decided in the last quarter  to let youngsters on the court, the guests managed to reduce the size of the defeat to 18 points (98:80). Among the locals, Damonte Dodd turned out to be the most effective, who ruled in the paint and eventually collected 18 points. 15 points were added by Myles Mack and Riley LaChance.

 

Coming back to the upcoming derby, it's impossible not to mention the January’s game this year. Speeding MKS (nine wins in the last 10 games) came to Gliwice as a clear favorite. And for quite a long time nothing indicated that it could lose points in the fight against GTK. Already in the second quarter the advantage of guests was 14 points (22:36). Then Maciej Kucharek, and  Aleksandar Mladenović get injured. The weakened team of Jacek Winnicki began gradually to lose the advantage and in the third quarter the locals led to a draw. Dąbrowianie did not give up and eight minutes before the end after a precise throw behind the arc of Bartłomiej Wołoszyn MKS again led by the difference of eight points (65:73). However GTK played until the end and after two three points shoots of Robert Skibniewski and Lukas Palyza led to draw (75:75). In the end, the hosts were better able to resist nerves and the free throws of Kacper Radwański and Quinton Hooker sealed an extremely valuable victory (83:77).

 

How much did this match mean, showed the rest of the season. Gliwice, thanks to this victory, believed in their abilities and later got several more spectacular victories. In turn, the loser and additionally weakened MKS, had problems with maintaining a high position in the league table, which he occupied then. That game ended the first round of the main round, the closest one will start it. Irritated team from Dąbrowa Górnicza after an unlucky defeat in Zielona Góra will want at all costs this time to win the whole pot. In turn, GTK basketball players in front of a large audience, in the new conditions of the match, will do everything to successfully start the season.

 

Interestingly, in both teams during the summer break there were significant changes. The coach Paweł Turkiewicz left only two players (Marek Piechowicz and Kacper Radwański), and his vis a vis Jacek Winnicki for one more (Radosław Chorab, Michał Gabiński and Bartłomiej Wołoszyn). And if the roster in Gliwice has already been closed and the team consists of 12 players, in Dąbrowa Górnicza the trainer has only 10 basketball players. In the club was Sam Dower , but injury of knee which arosed two years ago, was not properly cured and now comeback. So far, no successor has been found. After all, team from Dąbrowa Gornicza seem to be the favorite. The former Polish national player , who played in France from the beginning of his career, Mathieu Wojciechowski came to the MKS. It is also worth paying attention to the talented representative of the young generation, almost 20-year-old point guard Jakub Kobel, who performed very well in the first league against Stelmet. It is also worth mentioning a solid set of foreigners: xxperienced on the  European floors Cleveland Melvin and debutants, Trey Davis and Ben Richardson.

 

It is worth visiting the Gliwice Arena on Sunday evening. Emotions in the derby race should not be missing. The beginning of the meeting at 17.