Baskonia clings to the Buesa Arena to resurface
MADRID, 22 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Cazoo Baskonia welcomes Zalgiris Kaunas this Wednesday at the Buesa Arena pavilion (8:30 p.m.), on the ninth day of the Euroleague Regular Phase, with the intention of winning a high-profile duel and leaving behind the bad run of results for recover the enormous sensations they had at the beginning of the competition and that now allow them to have an even balance (4/4).
It will not be easy to overcome a Zalgiris that is ranked sixth with a record of five wins and three losses. The challenge is within the reach of Joan Peñarroya’s men who, aware of their enormous potential, want to make up for the last two defeats in the top continental competition against Monaco (79-74) and Panatinaikos (98-83) and the suffered last Sunday against Baxi Manresa (93-80) in the Endesa League.
Thus, the team from Vitoria return home after 17 days without playing in the Zurbano pavilion, in a complicated mental situation and on the brink of a triple weekly shift. And it is that, in addition to the Lithuanian team, the Baskonistas will travel this Friday to the Catalan capital to face the fifth in the table, Barça, and will close the day on Sunday against Bàsquet Girona.
However, under the heat of their fans, Baskonia is giving a very good measure, exhibiting above all a lot of offensive potential, averaging 100 points after four games, in which they have only lost against Olympiacos (92-97). Opposite, a rival who comes down far from the Zalgirio Arena and who has only won one of his four starts.
Kazys Maksvytis’ men arrive in Spain with the intention of giving a coup of authority and consecrating their good run in Europe after winning their last three games and climbing the table in their fight to consecrate themselves in the positions that give access to the ‘playoffs’ The Basque team is also fighting for him. Keenan Evans will be the great threat for the Lithuanian team, with 15.5 points and 4.2 assists, on average, so far this season.
If no setback occurs, the Catalan coach will be able to count on Steven Enoch for this match, absent eight games after his ankle injury, and with Daulton Hommes, after both returned to training this week, while in the Baltic team, Mantas Kalnietis will be low, but they will be able to recover Kevarrius Hayes.
Thus, Baskonia and Zalgiris have come to face each other up to 26 times, the balance of victories being 15 for the Basques and 11 for the Lithuanians. This Wednesday both teams will face each other again in a key day for the locals, who will seek to return to the path of victory and redeem themselves in front of their fans.
DATASHEET.
–EQUIPMENT.
CAZOO BASKONIA: Thompson, Marinkovic, Giedraitis, Hommes and Kotsar –possible starting five–; Costello, Sedekerskis, Henry, Kurucs, Raieste, Díez and Howard.
ZALGIRIS KAUNAS: Evans, Ulanovas, Bradzeikis, Smits y Hayes –possible quintet initial– Lekavicius, Dimsa, Lukosiunas, Cavanaugh, Butkevicius, Birutis.
–REFEREES: Ryzhyk, Pukl and Boubert.
–PAVILION: Buesa Arena.