MADRID, 27 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Casademont Zaragoza and UCAM Murcia became strong in front of their fans this Wednesday and added valuable victories against two powerful rivals such as Unicaja (100-92) and Baskonia (88-76) respectively, while Valencia Basket took a great victory in the always complicated visit to Lenovo Tenerife (86-94), in the matches that opened the second day of the Endesa League 2023-2024.
At the Príncipe Felipe Pavilion, Casademont Zaragoza was able to maintain the offensive rhythm to subdue Unicaja in a very even match at all times where the attacks prevailed over the defenses and the home team managed to break in their favor in the section decisive.
Porfirio Fisac’s team came from a tough defeat in their league debut against Real Madrid, but improved their level against the Copa del Rey champion, with whom they experienced a duel of alternatives on the scoreboard and balanced at half-time (48- fifty).
Casademont Zaragoza did not go down after passing through the locker room and faced the last ten minutes ahead (75-72). Unicaja failed to gain the initiative and paid dearly for a bad moment in the decisive minutes, resulting in a 9-2 partial score for the hosts, which allowed them to pull away (98-88) and secure the victory. Santi Yusta (20 points) and Jahill Okafor (18) led the Aragonese team, while Dylan Osetkowski stood out for Ibon Navarro’s team (15 points and 8 rebounds).
There was also a surprise at the Murcia Sports Palace, where UCAM was able to neutralize another candidate for the title like Baskonia, whom they beat 88-76 after a match in which they already opened the gap from the first quarter.
The Murcian team contained the offensive basketball of Joan Peñarroya’s team, who this time could not count on the best version of Markus Howard except until the last quarter when he scored 17 of his 23 points, insufficient against an opponent who managed their quick advantage well.
Sito Alonso’s team worked hard on defense and that allowed them to take control from the first quarter (20-13). Baskonia tried to get closer, but the burden of losses (17, 12 in the first half) and an offensive drought in the second quarter caused UCAM to amass a good lead (38-24). From there, the Baskonista team sought to react, but was never able to get too close on the scoreboard to make the locals nervous, led by Dustin Sleva and Dylan Ennis, both authors of 17 points, with seven rebounds for the first.
Finally, Valencia Basket also won a valuable victory against a direct rival like Lenovo Tenerife, whom they defeated at the Santiago Martín Pavilion by 86-94, after a duel in which they took off after a great second quarter and then knew contain the reaction of those from Txus Vidorreta.
The Tenerife team, one of those that wants to be the protagonist this season once again, suffered its second defeat in the Endesa League in a match in which it began in command, but in which its lack of aim from the three-point line (7/ 24) contrasted with the great success in that aspect of Alex Mumbrú’s team (10/18), especially in the second quarter.
Lenovo Tenerife started better and dominated the first quarter (25-19), but in the second they got stuck offensively and also suffered the ‘bombardment’ of the ‘taronja’ team from the triple (6/7), which turned a score that After the break it stretched dangerously for the visitors (40-50).
The locals were then able to reply with a 9-0 (49-50), but they could not take the lead and Valencia Basket took off again to take a good advantage that they knew how to manage until the end in a match where Gio stood out Shermadini (21 and 6) and Brandon Davies (17).