The club had not won a national championship since several years before the players on today’s U16 team were born. But this weekend’s U16 National Championship at Apalløkka eventually became a parade for EB85, who have distinguished themselves as the best 08 team in recent seasons and who entered the tournament as the first seed and big favourite.
EB85 – Bislet 92-70
– The first match against Kjelsås was actually the toughest, stated the final’s MVP and top scorer Jakob Ellingsen after EB85 had secured the gold with a final victory over Bislet.
– In all the other games, we have played well and gained a good lead early on.
Quite rightly: In Friday’s opening game, EB85 were behind by 8 points just before the break and had to fight to 79-74 over a Kjelsås team that ended up last in the group and in the end in shared ninth place.
Then it was comfortably 103-48 over Centrum Tigers, who saved the best players before the quarter-finals, 91-61 over Sørsia in the quarter-finals and 88-69 over Bøler in the semi-finals.
Before the blue and orange led from the first minute in the final against Bislet and in practice had decided when the score was 59-36 early in the third period.
Three NM golds, a long time ago
With 92-70, the U16 team secured the club’s fourth NM gold and the first since 2000.
EB85 has won the NM for junior men (up to 18 years) three times: In 1986 – the year after the club was founded as a merger of Eikeli and Bærum – and then two in a row in 1999 and 2000.
When EB85 lost the U16 final to Bøler last year (70-91), 08’s Harald Lilledahl was the team’s key player and top scorer. This season, Harald has struggled with a knee injury, while the team’s other significant scorer from last year, Edvard Orskaug, has been out with illness and injuries.
Nevertheless, EB85 has won most of what they have competed in and asserted themselves well in the European League EYBL with nine wins and six losses and a place in the play-offs in Warsaw.
Distinguished himself in the Scania Cup
It’s been two years since we saw EB’s 08s for the first time in the Scania Cup, when they played completely evenly with Fryshuset (53-56) who reached the final – and straight from two pandemic years to their first major international tournament.
– We had trained a lot anyway, because the rules were not as strict in Bærum as in Oslo, says the team’s coach, Vasileios Tsernisof.
– Unfortunately, we have been unlucky with the setup for the two years in Scania and have been pitted against the best, otherwise we could have gone further.
– Began to believe it
The colorful Greek coach did not have this year’s U16-NM as a goal when the 08 team was launched in 2019.
– My goal was just to develop as many players as possible, and at most we had 46 players and three teams in the 08 class. But we saw that we could become one of the top teams and began to believe in it, says Tsernisof.
On Sunday, Harald Lilledahl sat on the bench, while Edvard Orskaug played 25 minutes and distinguished himself with, among other things, 16 points and 5 rebounds.
– But my goal is that we should not have a team based on one or two players. We don’t want any superstars, but as many as possible who can contribute. At the same time, it will be good when Harald returns next year, then we will have an even better team, states the coach.
– Very good mindset
Consistency characterizes his EB85 team, but Jakob Ellingsen in particular has developed into a top player and solid scorer. He gives coach Tsernisof much of the credit.
– A dedicated and very good coach who has given us a very good mindset, says the versatile guard.
Benjamin Dyve also had a solid final for EB85 and was the one in the lead when the team built up a clear lead in the first and second period. The point guard made 3 of 4 three-pointers and finished with 21 points and 7 rebounds. Stefan Radojicic had 9 points and 11 rebounds.
Historic silver for Bislett
Bislet fell behind early in the final, with both Mio Mandt and Rasmus Apeland in early foul trouble.
The Oslo team’s point guard William Dronsett still impressed, making 4 of 9 three-pointers and finishing with 25 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.
For Bislet, it was a great U16 National Championship anyway, with the club’s first final place and historic silver medals.
… and bronze for Drammen
Equally historic were Drammen Rivers, who qualified for an NM play-off for the very first time and ended up cheering for bronze medals after 96-83 over Bøler in the battle for third place.
Region East dominated with all four semi-final teams, but Sørsia (Trondheim) and Sandnes impressed by playing their way to fifth and sixth place.
Allstars from Sørsia and Sandnes
They also each got a player in the Allstar team. Sørsia’s Kevin Leraand was the tournament’s top scorer with an average of 32.4 points per match and scored 41 in Sunday’s final match against Sandnes.
Sandnes got 09’s Marcus Alleyne, while Drammen’s center Christoffer Vråle Rønning and the final’s top scorers Jakob Ellingsen (EB85) and William Dronsett (Bislet) took the other places in the five selected by the coaches for the participating teams.
Scorers EB85 – Bislet (92-70):
EB85: Jakob Ellingsen 25, Benjamin Dyve 21, Edvard Orskaug 16, Piter Gkouni 10, Stefan Radojicic 9, Marius Mjøs 3, William Rødsten Kristiansen 3, Jacob James Gordon 3, Sverre Waage Thomsen 2.
Bislet: William Dronsett 25, Mio Mandt 13, Rasmus Apenes 10, Oskar Gröndahl 7, Eivind Nielsen-Jaika 4, Aksel Johan Nordby 3, Flin Slavkov 3, Tarik Taso 3, Dennis Bråthen Nappen 2.
RESULTS U16 MEN, APALLØKKA
Semifinals: EB85 – Bøler 88-69 and Bislet Fire – Drammen Rivers 66-51.
Final: EB85 – Bislet Four 92-70.
Bronze Match: Drammen Rivers – Bøler 96-83.
5-8 games: Sørsia Lions – Sandnes 82-63 and Centrum Tigers – Gimle 76-71.
Battle for 5th place: South Asia Lions – Centrum Tigers 84-53.
Battle for 7th place: Gimle – Sandnes 91-85.
9-12 games: Kjelsås – Kristiansand Pirates 83-51 and Ulriken Eagles – Tromsø Storm Youth 68-42.
U16-NM MEN, THE WINNERS
2009: Gimle
2010: Bergkamateren
2011: Sandvika
2012: Sandvika
2013: Kettle sauce
2014: Frøya
2015: Wool
2016: Ashes
2017: Sandvika
2018: Ulriken
2019: Ashes
2020: – (cancelled)
2021: – (cancelled)
2022: Centre
2023: Bullies
2024: EB85
