LDP Donza are the 2024-’25 TDM1 Champions!

The scenario remained unchanged in that second half as Guco was unable to hit their outside shot, while LDP dominated inside and won pretty much every 50-50 ball, showing a lot more fight in them than Guco: 68-50 headed into the final quarter. In that final quarter Guco continued to fire away from behind the arc and continued to miss, while LDP Donza remained in full control. Tempers started rising, both on and off court. None of it helped to make the game any more enjoyable to watch for the impartial viewer as it fizzled out to the 94-78 final score.

Sander Van Caeneghem was the main man for Donza in this one as he finished with 23 pts & 9 rebs and gave Guco a lot of issues with his physicality. Rik Van Den Berghe recorded 12 pts, while Senne Geukens and Nessim Gasana both added 11 pts and youngster Brecht Van Driquelle finished with 10 pts.

For Guco 4 players ended up in double-figures with Cas Van Oosterwyck leading the way with 15 pts. Andrej Cuyvers and Tristan Boone both added 13 pts, while Sam Dewit finished with 10 pts. Guco again got outrebounded by Donza with 45 rebounds against 34 and where LDP Donza got 65 points from their bench, Guco’s bench only managed 25 pts.

Series tied 1-1. Third and decisive Game 3 is on Tuesday at 9pm back in Lier.

Game 3:

Final TDM1 game of the 2024-’25 season. 28 games already in the books and it all came down to this final one. Do or Die. Winner takes it all.

In Game 3 of the TDM1 finals Guco was back on their home-court with their green wall in full effect. Donza wasn’t impressed however and with a Landon Unruh in peak form it was the visitors who put the first gap on the boards thanks to a 0-10 run by Unruh for the 2-10 lead. Guco – under guidance by Cuyvers and a couple of nice assists from Boone – reacted and at the end of the opening quarter we were tied again with a 19-19 score on the boards. In that second quarter both teams traded baskets with Guco taking a small lead until Unruh returned on the court and converted a 3pt play and then followed it up with a 3 pt shot to take the advantage back to Donza and the eventual 33-36 score at the half.

In the third quarter LDP Donza was able to extend their lead to 9 but a pair of three’s by Guco brought them right back in it and with less than 2 minutes left Cuyvers drained two FT’s to bring the score to 46-47. LDP Donza reacted with a 0-7 run and again took command until a buzzer-beating 3 from Simon Van Den Bogaert kept everything still to play for: 49-54, headed into the final quarter. LDP Donza had smelled blood though and came out the quarter-break with the knife between their teeth and shut down Guco’s offense, while placing a 0-9 run of their own to take a decisive lead (49-63). Guco tried but much like Sunday their outside shots weren’t falling and too many missed FT’s certainly didn’t help them either. Donza on the other hand kept finding the open man and fairly easily put the game out of reach. Final score: 57-77

Landon Unruh was again unstoppable for LDP Donza as he finished with 24 pts before fouling out late in the 4th quarter. Sander Van Caeneghem (13 pts), Senne Geukens (10 pts) and Thomas Van Hille (11 pts) all finished in double-figures. For Guco it was Andrej Cuyvers who led the way as he had done all season long with his 21 pts, while Sam Dewit finished with 10 pts.

Congratulations to LDP Donza for their second consecutive TDM1 title!!

TDM1 Playoffs MVP: