Holon hobble into Semi-Finals despite 33-point turnaround in Hungary

SZEKESFEHERVAR (Hungary) - UNET Holon had to lean heavily on their first-leg advantage to see off Alba Fehervar in the Quarter-Finals, taking their historic campaign one step further in spite of a 101-74 defeat in the return fixture on Tuesday.

Having arrived to Hungary with a cushion of 33 points following a lopsided win at home, the Israeli side saw the second leg go to overtime after the home side did the unthinkable and covered the margin in regulation.

However, the visitors from Holon had more left in the tank in the extra period, securing a 170-164 victory on aggregate to clinch their first-ever Semi-Final appearance in international play.

Turning point: This game could have gone either way after Alba used a 31-10 run in the fourth quarter to put Holon under severe pressure, but seven consecutive points by Corey Walden, Guy Pnini and Shawn Jones in overtime took the sting out of the situation and got the Dan Shamir-coached side across the finish line in one piece.

Game heroes: In spite of coming up short in the comeback of all comebacks, Alba Fehervar got a well-deserved standing ovation from their fans once it was all said and done.

Stats don't lie: Having finished with a 60 percent clip from three-point range, the home side connected on 18-of-30 attempts from beyond the arc, knocking down nine long-range shots in the fourth quarter alone. In comparison, Holon made just 7-of-29 of their three-point attempts.

Bottom line: After becoming the first team in the competition to book a spot in the Semi-Finals, Holon will face the winner of Dinamo Sassari and Pinar Karsiyaka in the next round.

They said: "It is difficult to say anything, it was a challenging game, being up so much. We were trying to play a normal game, to make not so many mistakes. Alba played free but we had the pressure. We played worst in the second half, we became nervous." – UNET Holon guard Corey Walden

"It always amazes me how a game can change and get difficult. Honestly, Alba played well today, making 18 three points, even with missing their last three attempts. Congratulations to Alba; I am happy that we could make to the next round." – UNET Holon head coach Dan Shamir

"I think we have played a very good game, I am proud of the whole team, but extremely proud of the young guys. We lost only by a little, but I hope it can give us so much energy for the next rounds of the Hungarian championship that we can also make it to the FIBA Euro Cup next season." – Alba Fehervar forward Peter Lorant

"UNET Holon has a really good team, they aren't easy to play against. The first game we gave them the control of the game but it has changed today. This is why we were so close to win the game. Now we have to focus 100% on the Hungarian championship and the next games ahead." – Alba Fehervar head coach Jesus Ramirez

FIBA