The runner-up Montana 2003 beat the champion Beroe for the second time with 89:88 (28:17, 9:15, 27:26, 19:25, 6:5) after overtime as a host in the Mladost Hall in Montana in the fourth meeting of the final playoff in the Bulgarian women’s basketball championship and tied the series at 2-2. Starozarki won the first two matches as hosts, and the team from Montana won both of their home matches, and so the champion for 2024 will be determined in the fifth match, which will take place on April 24 (Wednesday) in the “Municipal” hall in Stara Zagora from 18 :30 hours.
Beroe came close to winning the fourth game and defending their title, but Montana 2003 leveled in regular 40 minutes and overtime, fighting back for victory at Mladost Hall.
The hosts had superiority in the opening minutes of the match and led 28:17 after the first quarter. They increased their lead to 13 points at 30:17 after a basket by Terry Battle at the start of the second half and held their lead until the break, but a three-pointer by Viktoria Mircheva brought the Beroe basketball players to within 3 points at 31:34 with a minute remaining and 20 seconds into the first half. Montana 2003 led by 37:32 after 20 minutes of play after accurate shots by Yanina Todorova, and Tsvetomira Naumova scored for the visitors from the penalty line.
The team from Stara Zagora equalized at the beginning of the third quarter with a three-pointer by Radostina Hristova for 37:37, but with a series of 14 unanswered points, four of which were three-pointers, Montana 2003 again pulled ahead with 51:37. The visitors reduced their deficit to 5 points twice in the last minute of the half as Nikolina Zubac scored for 58:63 and Mikaela Damyanova scored once from the penalty line for 64:58 in favor of Montana 2003 before the final 10 minutes.
A three-pointer by Gergana Madankova allowed Beroe to shorten the distance to 3 points at 61:64, and a little later Nicolet Gilday made the difference only 1 at 65:66. Gilday hit a 3-pointer to give Beroe the lead for the first time in the game, and she scored again for a 70-67 lead with seven minutes remaining. Starozagorki increased their lead to 7 points at 80:73 in the last three minutes, but Montana 2003 managed to tie the score at 83:83, fixed by Borislava Dencheva’s three-pointer with 25 seconds remaining and sending the game into overtime.
The additional five minutes offered more emotions for the spectators, Beroe led with 3 points, but the hosts turned it around to 89:88 after Yanina Todorova’s accurate penalty kicks and rejoiced at the end.
The top scorer for Montana 2003 was Yanina Todorova with 31 points, 2 rebounds and 5 assists, and Taya Robinson added 21 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists. Borislava Dencheva contributed 15 points and 4 rebounds.
Nicolette Gilday scored 25 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists for Beroe. Tsvetomira Naumova scored 17 points, and the playing head coach Jacqueline Zlatanova missed the second game in a row for the team.
