Oostende and Noam Yaacov Fall in Belgian Title Decider

Oostende and Israeli guard Noam Yaacov lost the decisive fifth game of the Belgian championship series on Saturday, falling 89-84 to Antwerp after overtime. The defeat ended a strong season on a bitter note for Yaacov, who had a chance to force a second overtime with a late three-pointer but missed.

Yaacov still produced a solid individual performance, finishing with 19 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, though he shot just 6-for-20 from the field. He was especially effective in the fourth quarter, helping Oostende erase the deficit and tie the game 77-77 at the end of regulation.

Antwerp controlled the start, leading 28-22 after the first quarter and 65-55 after the third. Oostende trailed 45-41 at halftime, before Yaacov took over in the final period and helped his team force overtime. In the extra period, however, he missed an open shot from three-point range that could have tied the game again, and Antwerp held on for the title.

Despite the loss, Yaacov completed an excellent season with averages of 18.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.8 assists, and will look to build on that form next season.