Etoile Sportive de Rades return to Tunisian League final for fourth time in a row

RADES (Tunisia) - Etoile Sportive de Rades beat DS Grombalia 75-71 in Saturday's Game 3 of the Tunisian League semifinal to return to the final for the fourth time in a row.

The Rades-based side closed the best-of-three playoff series with a 2-1 win over DS Grombalia after conceding an 86-68 defeat in Game 2.

With the victory, Etoile Sportive de Rades, the most successful Tunisian basketball club, are now set to chase a record 14th Championnat National A title.

The last time ES Rades and Union Monastir faced off in the FIBA ACC 2017 semifinals the former prevailed

They will face in the final reigning champions Union Sportive Monastir in a rematch of last year's final.

Former Tunisia national team captain Amin Rzig now on his first year as head coach of Etoile Sportive Rades told FIBA.basketball: "It was a tough series. We lacked some concentration in Game 2, maybe we were overconfident, but we learnt a lesson for Game 3.

Amine Rzig is seen here playing for Etoile Sportive de Rades in 2017

The man who retired from his playing career after helping Etoile Sportive Rades to a runners-up finish at the FIBA Africa Champions Cup 2017, added: "They [DS Grombalia] have a good team with payers who have been together for over four years, but we are happy to be in the final. Monnastir are also a tough team, but we will get ready for them."

The Monastiriene side reached the 2019-2020 Championnat National A final on the back of a 143-127 win on aggregate against JS Kairouan.  

The Championnat National A resumed early in July after being postponed in early March following the outspread of COVID-19.

The 2020 Championnat National A final series begins on August 8 with Game 2 taking place a week later.

The  winner of the Tunisian Championnat National A qualifies automatically for the Basketball Africa League.

FIBA