Baldwin inflames the unexpected dream of Baskonia
The Vitorians get their fourth consecutive victory against Fenerbahce and approach the ‘playoff’
MADRID, 23 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Bitci Baskonia is still on the crest of the wave after winning its fourth consecutive victory in the regular phase of the Euroleague at the expense of Fenerbahce (77-62) and continues to believe in what seemed like a miracle just a few weeks ago, a hypothetical square of ‘playoff’ to which it approaches dangerously.
The elimination of the Russian teams and their recent run of results has turned Baskonia’s European season upside down, which is now making sense thanks to exceptional matches like this Wednesday’s. A reborn team, led by Baldwin IV, who were able to hold off the Turks to continue a match for the title tickets.
The beginning was already a declaration of intent for Baskonia, who clung to the Buesa Arena to become strong in times of difficulty. Neven Spahija’s men -with problems in the paint- were winning points from the perimeter (5 hits in the first 6 attempts) and kept up their style against a Fenerbahce team that was not enjoying its best finesse either.
From 17-19 to 27-26, but without the dominance or the sensations of channeling the victory for either of them. That’s how the scoreboard went, with comings and goings -some of them favored by Nando De Colo- and with more force under the hoops for the Turks. That allowed Sasha Djordjevic’s team to go into the break with an eight-point lead in what was their biggest lead of the match (32-40).
But from then on Fenerbache died without the effectiveness of the first two rounds and handcuffed against Baldwin’s ‘clinic’, author of 24 points, six assists and six rebounds. Figures that relaunched Baskonia when they needed it most. His fourth consecutive triple confirmed the first local advantage after the comeback (54-50) and ecstatic Buesa.
The visitors only came out on top with the recovered Jan Vesely, who reached 15 points, but ended up letting go in the final stretch, when an 11-0 run ended all options to fight for victory in Vitoria. Peters, Enoch and Giedraitis joined the home festival to leave the candle burning brighter than ever. The unexpected dream of the ‘playoff’ has recovered a force that nobody had.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: BITCI BASKONIA, 77 – FENERBAHCE, 62.
–EQUIPMENT.
BITCI BASKONIA: Baldwin (24), Giedraitis (12), Fontecchio (10), Peters (16) and Costello (3) –initial quintet–; Sedekerskis (-), Marinkovic (-), Granger (-), Enoch (12) and Kurucs (-).
FENERBAHCE: Henry (3), Pierre (4), Floyd (2), De Colo (8) and Booker (9) –starting five– Shayok (3), Guduric (12), Polonara (2), Hazer ( 4), Mahmutoglu (-), Vesely (15) and Starks.
–PARTIALS: 20-19, 12-21, 22-13, 23-9.
–REFEREES: Latisevs, Difallah and Silva. Booker (Fenerbahce) was eliminated for personal fouls.
–PAVILLION: Fernando Buesa Arena.