There were only about 20 of them, but they came from far. 421 km to be exact, because Groningen is that far from Ostend.
“We did it in two parts. On Saturday we drove from Groningen to Rotterdam in about 3 hours. And on Sunday we left at 11 o’clock and we drove again for 3 hours,” a Groninger said.
The Dutch supporters therefore had to give something to see their team at work. But according to Jurgen Vanpraet, CEO of Filou Oostende, it is all worth it.
“Within a few years we will be asking to try to expand that market. We are a small basketball country, so the collaboration with the Netherlands is a good solution to offer more opportunities in our region.”
Ostend could convincingly beat Groningen. The level of the Dutch clubs is therefore a lot lower, even that of a traditional club like Groningen.
The coach of Filou Oostende, Dario Gjerga, therefore does not immediately seem a big fan of this new formula. “I have my opinion about the BNXT League, but I can’t say it.”
“Do not underestimate the commercial-technical ability of the Dutch,” emphasizes CEO Jurgen Vanpraet. “I think they will keep up in the coming years and I hope that the other Belgian teams will be extra motivated.”
Ostend-Groningen finished 98-74. A clear victory for the Belgian team, which just missed the 100 point mark. “Ostend has taught us a lesson in professional basketball. We are not yet as experienced as Ostend. They are clearly better than Groningen,” said a Groningen supporter.
The BNXT League will be evaluated after 3 years. The Dutch clubs therefore still have time to start their catch-up race.
