SAMOKOV (Bulgaria) - It's not always about Cinderella stories, sometimes. Sunday opened with Salon Vilpas qualifying for the first time for the Basketball Champions League Regular Season, but it continued differently.
Dziki Warszawa, which made their way to the Qualification Round Tournament 2 Final with three 100+ point games, fought hard until the end, but they won't make it to Season 11.
That's because RASTA Vechta showed their experience and took advantage of it, winning 93-82 after a solid comeback to return for the third time to the BCL Regular Season.
Turning point
Marco Legovich's team approached the game with the right intentions, going up by nine points (34-25) midway through the second quarter. Then, something changed at halftime.
Vechta came out of the locker room with more energy and extra focus, quickly getting back into the game.
Their 27-17 run in the third quarter was crucial to book the ticket for Season 11, as they didn't lose control of the game before the final buzzer.
Player of the Game
Unlike the QRT1 Final, where Leland Walker erupted for a BCL QRT record-breaking performance of 42 points, this ultimate matchup featured several names on the scoring sheet.
Among them, however, Nelson Weidemann was the main protagonist.
The 27-year-old German playmaker led the team in scoring with 25 points on 3-of-6 from three, and will return to the BCL after already playing in the Regular Season with Brose Bamberg in 2019-20.
Stats Don't Lie
Both teams showed their best strengths throughout this final 40 minutes in Samokov, and the numbers are proof of how balanced the clash was: Dziki led for 19:53 minutes, while Vechta had the lead for 18:44 minutes.
The two teams created several occasions close to the basket, as the German side outscored Poland's representative 46-44 in points in the paint. Also, Vechta shot perfectly at the line with an 11-of-11.
Bottom Line
After three exciting and convincing victories, Dziki's run comes to an end without the most anticipated prize on the line. With that said, they must be proud of their effort, knowing that the sky's the limit.
Following his masterful 32-point performance in the Semi-Finals against Rio Breogan Lugo, Joseph Girard III was once again Dziki's main offensive source, finishing with 19 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists.
On Christian Held's team, Weidemann was followed by Justin Edler-Davis (18 points, 4-of-8 from the three-point line), Matt Lewis (15 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists), and Armaan Franklin (12 points and 6 rebounds). The team's captain, Tommy Kuhse, wasn't available.
Returning to the Group Stage after their previous appearances in 2019-20 and 2024-25, Vechta will now join Hapoel Holon, Cholet Basket, and Spartak Office Shoes in Group F of the Regular Season.