TFT completes a second half comeback to qualify for Stage 2

KK TFT is the last team to secure its place in Stage 2 of Delasport Balkan League. The Skopje team did so by beating BC Beroe 95-88 at home and secure 4th place in Group B. TFT had the possibility even to lose up to 10 points and still qualify but thanks to a second half comeback, the home side managed to win and secure its place in the next stage. They finished with 5-5 record and tied with Akademik Plovdiv but the Bulgarian side will finish third due to a tiebreaker advantage. Beroe meanwhile failed to advance as the team ends with 3-7 record and thus is eliminated from the competition.

The visitors did very well in the second quarter and thanks to a good defense managed to take a 9-point lead. Until the break the hosts managed to cut the deficit to just 5 thanks also to a triple at the buzzer. The third quarter was a high-scoring affair as both sides didn’t play good defense but Beroe was still up by 3 and had its chances. Early in the fourth though the home side managed to not only tie the score, but soon also to take the lead and later to decide the outcome thanks to 7 points in a row.

Landrius Horton was the top performer for the winners with 29 points and 7 rebounds. Amir Smith also did well with 18 and 6 as Aleksandar Kostoski had 17 points and 8 assists.

The visitors were led by Aleksandar Yanev who had 24 points and 9 rebounds. Martin Sotirov had 21 and 8 but they missed Obinna Oleka down low and that affected their performance on defense.