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Caledonia Gladiators 59-90 CSM Oradea
In a tough Basketball Champions League qualifying match, Caledonia Gladiators faced a formidable opponent in CSM Oradea at the Gloria Sports Arena, Antalya. Despite a promising start, the Gladiators struggled to keep up with the pace and efficiency of the Romanian champions, eventually falling 59-90.
First-Half Struggles: The game started competitively with both teams trading early baskets, but CSM Oradea quickly gained control, building a lead by the end of the first quarter, 11-18. The Gladiators, unable to find their rhythm, faced stiff defensive pressure, which limited their shooting efficiency. Oradea capitalized on turnovers and fast breaks, outscoring the Gladiators 33-15 in the second quarter. This left the Gladiators trailing 26-51 at halftime.
Fighting Back in the Third Quarter: After the break, Caledonia showed moments of resilience, going on some mini runs, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap. A strong performance from Gladiators’ key players kept them competitive in stretches of the third quarter, where they managed to outscore Oradea 17-13, narrowing the deficit slightly.
Oradea’s Domination: However, in the final quarter, CSM Oradea reasserted their lead, shutting down any hopes of a Gladiators comeback. Their shooting accuracy, coupled with a defense that forced several turnovers, led to Oradea sealing the win with a final score of 90-59.
Gladiators MVP of the game goes to Tanner Stuckman 🙌#LetsGoGladiators #GladiatorsReady⚔️ pic.twitter.com/tvlpwquTVJ
— Caledonia Gladiators (@Cal_Gladiators) September 17, 2024
Full match stats HERE.
The loss means that Caledonia Gladiators will drop into the FIBA Europe Cup group stages, but the team will look to regroup and focus on their next opportunity in European competition.
Rewatch the game: