Union Neuchâtel secured its second win of the Swiss Basketball League season on Saturday night, defeating the Starwings Basel 65-53 at the Riveraine gymnasium. Head coach Mitar Trivunovic’s squad bounced back from a lopsided defeat suffered the previous weekend on the floor of Basket Massagno, navigating a tightly contested affair to secure a crucial 12-point margin.
Tight First Half at the Riveraine
The opening period gave little indication of how the game would eventually separate, with neither side able to build an advantage larger than five points. The visitors from Basel edged ahead in the opening minutes, claiming a narrow 19-18 lead at the first pause. Union Neuchâtel found its offensive footing in the second quarter, however, sparked by eight points from Drew Ardouin and six points from Nikola Damjanovic. The hosts carried a 37-31 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Defensive Clampdown Secures the Result
Basel refused to fade after the interval, mounting a challenge in the third and fourth periods that briefly pushed the visitors back into the lead twice. Rather than collapsing under the pressure, Union Neuchâtel tightened its defensive rotations. Arthur Borel and his teammates completely shut down the Basel offense during the final six minutes of regulation, preventing the visitors from scoring a single basket down the stretch and stretching the final gap to 12 points.
Nelson Kuba Makes Season Debut
Union Neuchâtel also welcomed summer signing Nelson Kuba to the floor for his first appearance of the campaign. Sidelined by illness until Saturday night, Kuba logged 15 minutes and 50 seconds of playing time, contributing three points and four rebounds to the winning effort.
Upcoming Swiss Basketball League Fixture
Union Neuchâtel returns to the Riveraine on Saturday, October 17, to host the Lions de Genève with tip-off scheduled for 18:15 local time (16:15 UTC).
Worth a look
