Ironi Rain Nahariya is the first team to qualify for the Final 4

Ironi Rain Nahariya is the first team to book its place in Delasport Balkan League's Final 4. The Israeli team hosted Balkan in a direct battle for the first place in Group D and managed to win 76-64 thanks to a solid defense and good control of the margin. The home side took the lead after the middle of the first quarter and never gave it up after. That victory puts Ironi Nahariya on a 5-1 record in the group and with no games left the team can't be caught. Balkan is now 3-2 and will have to win TFT in the last game on April 8th in order to finish second. 

After an even start in which both teams were scoring, the hosts did better in the second part of the first quarter and thanks to a 12-2 run to finish it, took a 7-point lead. The hosts kept leading in the second quarter and shortly after its start increased the difference to 11 points after scoring 8 in row. From that moment until the break, the controlled the score and led by 11 after 20 minutes.

Balkan was doing very well defensively early in the second half, so the visitors were able to close the gap to just 5 points. The hosts though were able to react and finished the third quarter on a 13-5 run to go up by 13. That turned out to be the decisive moment as in the final quarter Balkan tried hard but the difference was too much to overcome.

Yogev Ohayon led the winners with 19 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds. Dustin Thomas also did well with 16 points and 7 rebounds as Stephaun Branch had 12 and 7.

Christian Jones had a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds while Ahmaad Rorie had 14 and 5.