Baskonia, to take advantage of the Palau wave in Euroleague
MADRID, 8 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Bitci Baskonia hosts ASVEL Villeurbanne this Thursday (20:30) at the Fernando Buesa Arena, within matchday 14 of the Euroleague, the highest continental competition in which the Basques need to react as soon as possible and for this they could take advantage of the last big game with victory at the Palau Blaugrana.
The Basque season is being an ordeal for the moment but with days for optimism. The last was last Sunday, when they beat Barça (78-91) at home, with a brilliant performance that shows that Baskonia still have a lot to say.
Neven Spahija enjoyed his team’s best game since taking over from Dusko Ivanovic in mid-November. In the Endesa League, the Vitoria team has partly rebounded, but in the Euroleague at the moment they have not reached enough level and are third from the tail with 4 victories, only one in the last eight games.
“Surely that game against Barça helps a lot but you have to continue and work hard, if you don’t keep working in the same way, a game isn’t worth much,” said the Croatian coach on Wednesday before the match, putting his emphasis on the game. defensive work to stop a very talented Asvel.
Spahija also warned about the irruption this season of point guard Elie Okobo. Baskonia need to raise the level of aggressiveness behind to stop the giants competing for Europe. Without being a favorite and despite losing part of their initial momentum, a victory in the last five games, the French team is ninth tied to seven victories with the ‘Top 8’.
DATASHEET.
–EQUIPMENT.
BITCI BASKONIA: Granger, Baldwin IV, Sedekerskis, Giedraitis and Enoch -possible starting five-; Peters, Barrera, Marinkovic, Fontecchio, Costello, Nnoko, Kurucs.
ASVEL VILLEURBANNE: Jones, Okobo, Kahudi, Lacombe and Gist – initial quintet -; Knight, Fall, Osetkowski, Houinsou, Strazel, and Antetokounmpo.
– REFEREES: Boltauzer, Rossi, Obrknezevic.
– PAVILION: Fernando Buesa Arena.