Three is magic number for Fury basketballers

Sony Centre Fury 81Pleasance Edinburgh 67
Zygimantas Dauksas in action. Picture Michael GillenZygimantas Dauksas in action. Picture Michael Gillen
Zygimantas Dauksas in action. Picture Michael Gillen

While not Fury Men’s most convincing performance of the season, the 14-point victory keeps Fury on course to take third spot in this season’s Division 1 Championship.

A win this week – again against Pleasance, will see Fury secure that spot and be no 3 seed when they defend their Play-Off title in March.

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The big talking point among the fans was the return of starting centre Ross Gibson, who has been out all season through injury.

Ross Gibson returned to action after a dislocated ankle. Picture Michael Gillen.Ross Gibson returned to action after a dislocated ankle. Picture Michael Gillen.
Ross Gibson returned to action after a dislocated ankle. Picture Michael Gillen.

Gibson played 12 minutes but during that spell looked comfortable and ended up putting points on the board in his first competitive outing in almost five months.

Fury went into the game without regular starters – former Scotland International Bryan Munnoch and Greek forward Greg Foussas.

Gibson started the game with Captain Keith Bunyan, Austrian Adam Hammerschmidt and Lithuanian pair Eddy Leginus and Kornelius Douskas.

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Hammerschmidt and Bunyan found the basket early on with their trademark three-point shooting, with Leginus and Dauksas also scoring in an opening quarter that saw Fury lead 17-13.

Ross Gibson returned to action after a dislocated ankle. Picture Michael Gillen.Ross Gibson returned to action after a dislocated ankle. Picture Michael Gillen.
Ross Gibson returned to action after a dislocated ankle. Picture Michael Gillen.

A higher scoring second stanza saw the visitors from the capital edge it with a 23-22 scoreline and, to the fans’ surprise, only a two-point half-time lead for Fury.

The second saw the Sony sponsored side hit four further threes from Leginus, Hammerschmidt and Bulgarian forward Ivan Ganchev.

The third saw Fury take control of a game they had been freely subbing throughout, with a 27-15 scoreline and a 14- point lead going into the final quarter.

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Bunyan and Leginus added further threes in that spell. The start of the final period saw Bunyan hit back to back threes to bring his tally to four threes for the night and ten for the team.

A low key final period of 16 points apiece was played out with Junior Mitchell Stirling getting to the line and finishing a driving lay-up for three personal.

Leginus led Fury with 24, Bunyan had 17 and Hammerschmidt 13 points.

Fury Headcoach John Bunyan commented to Heraldsport after the game: “This game was about trying some different options at both ends of the floor and getting Ross back into action after a five-month absence.

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“We achieved these goals and as well as some things we could have done better, the team as a whole took a lot away from the game.

“We play Pleasance again midweek where we will again look to have a solid performance that will see us trying out some new options.”