Halkbank won the bronze medals in the Turkish Efeler Ligi after defeating Spor Toto 3:2 (25:22, 22:25, 26:24, 21:25, 15:12) in the decisive third match of the 3rd-4th place series and closed the playoff with a 2-1 victory.
The Bulgarian duo Tsvetan Sokolov and Matey Kaziyski led the team to success in the key clash, also receiving significant support from Polish international Aleksander Śliwka. Sokolov finished with 21 points, recording +16 efficiency, 1 ace, 1 block, and a 53% attack success rate, asserting his role as a leader in the most crucial moments.
Kaziyski added 17 points, +8 efficiency, and 1 ace, being extremely stable in reception with 67% positive and converting 41% in attack, providing the necessary balance to the team's game. Śliwka also contributed 21 points and was a key offensive factor in Halkbank's success.
Thus, the team, led by Radostin Stoychev, finished the season in third place, and the Bulgarian trio Stoychev
– Kaziyski
– Sokolov, along with Śliwka, deservedly claimed the bronze medals.
Tsvetan Sokolov and Matey Kaziyski found a place in the Top 5 scorers in the playoffs for 1st to 4th place, occupying 4th and 5th place respectively with 29 points each and an average of 4.83 per set.
For the entire season, Kaziyski finished 14th in the scorers' ranking with 354 points (4.32 per set), and among the best in attack, he took 15th position with 291 points and an average of 3.55 per set, complementing his performance with a strong presence in serving. Matey Kaziyski ranks a prestigious 2nd in this serving category, with Halkbank's receiver scoring 47 aces and an average of 0.57 per set, solidifying his strong influence from the service line. Kaziyski confirmed his versatility throughout the season, ranking 3rd in the best receivers' classification with 50% positive reception
– an exceptional achievement for a player in the receiver position. This complements his strong presence in all elements, having already ranked among the leading scorers, attackers, and servers in the Turkish Efeler Ligi. And all this at 41 years old.
photos:halkbankspor.org.tr
