Coach Tony Van den Bosch is on his way to the play-offs with Kangaroos Mechelen. — © BELGA
Basketball BNXT League Elite Silver Okapi Aalst-Kangaroos Mechelen Saturday 8:30 PM
Mechelen –
Co-leader Kangaroos Mechelen will face a crucial match in the Elite Silver on Saturday at 8:30 PM. After all, a win in Okapi Aalst completely opens the way to the Belgian play-offs. “If we win, we will definitively sideline a direct competitor,” says Tony Van den Bosch, coach of Kangaroos Mechelen.
Kangaroos Mechelen has worked its way up to a shared first place with a 6 out of 8 in Elite Silver, with Leuven Bears and Bergen. With four match days left on the menu, it is on schedule for a place in the Belgian play-offs. That is the top eight and the play-offs start on Wednesday, May 8. In addition to the top five from the Elite Gold (Oostende, Telenet Giants Antwerp, Charleroi, Liège and Limburg United), the first three of the six Belgian teams have qualified for the play-offs.
Behind the leading trio Kangaroos Mechelen, Bergen and Leuven Bears, Basket Brussels is on one point and Okapi Aalst on two points. Kortrijk Spurs seem to have little chance of making it to the Belgian play-offs. “It will take blood, sweat and tears to qualify for the play-offs. After all, it is extremely exciting and you can hardly afford to lose. If we win tonight in Aalst, we will remain first and we will probably sideline a direct opponent for good. So the stakes are high in the Forum,” says Tony Van den Bosch, coach of Kangaroos Mechelen.
“It will take blood, sweat and tears to qualify for the play-offs. It is extremely exciting and you can hardly afford to lose.”
Tony Van den Bosch
Coach of Kangaroos Mechelen
After the match in the carnival city against the Onions, three more matches will follow in a short period of time. On Saturday, April 27, Kangaroos will host Mechelen in the Winketkaai Den Helder Suns and on Wednesday, May 1, it will travel to Feyenoord Rotterdam. The Elite Silver will end on Friday, May 3 at home with a match against LWD Basket Leeuwarden.
If Kangaroos Mechelen is the first to win the Elite Silver, it will be the sixth Belgian team and it would meet the number three in the quarter-finals of the play-offs (best of three). That is currently Limburg United.
Domien Loubry ready to play
Domien Loubry, who dropped out after one minute of the match against Yoast United Nijmegen with a foot injury, is ready to play for the important match in the Aalst Forum. “I suffered a mild foot sprain. After some rest and treatment, I tested positive on Thursday. So I can join Okapi Aalst,” said the experienced Antwerp guard.
Domien Loubry is ready to play after a foot injury. — © GOYVAERTS/GMAX AGENCY