Euroleague: The colist also does not comfort Baskonia | Euroleague 2019

The Zenit of Joan Plaza was the least bad of a party that sharpens even more the crisis of the Vitorians (72-66)

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  Zenit St. Petersburg – Kirolbet Baskonia
  

You could say that the Zenit it was better than him Baskonia, but it will be missing the truth. The reality is that the Russian team was the least bad in a duel of Euroleague (72-66) that did not seem such, because neither one nor the other seems to have, right now, the level necessary to compete with the best teams in Europe. For something about St. Petersburg they reached this day as colistas, for something the Baskonia He has only been able to win one of his last six games. Or two of nine, however you like.

The azulgrana, despite their lease in the last quarter, remain mired in a crisis that does not seem to have an easy solution. The pivots are still not working and still absent Vildoza however, there is no player capable of generating game from the base position. Henry is not that kind of player and Sergi GarcaThey are simply (22 years) below the level required in a competition such as the Euroleague.

But beyond the structural or staffing problems, Baskonia lost in St. Petersburg because it repeatedly failed in issues that have to do more with attitude than with talent, such as losses and rebound. True is that Zenit was far from shining in those facets, but he made fewer mistakes in the decisive moments of the duel and that served to add his sixth victory of the course, the second on his court.

The first half of the meeting was hopelessly marked by the absence of a visible clock on the court to indicate how much room was left in each moment. The players of two of them were barely arranged, one in each corner of the court (it was necessary to make an effort to see it), which only offered the reference of the time of possession. Very insufficient for the best competition in Europe, which should have alternatives when the technology fails, as happened on Thursday in St. Petersburg.

In those first two quarters, Baskonia was clearly in tow of a Zenit who found in Ponitka the leader he needed. The rude and continuous defensive mistakes of the Vitorians they caused the Plaza to feel more comfortable on the court than usual. With Ayn Limited to a few minutes due to physical discomfort, former Baskonist Iverson became master and lord of the area without those of Ivanovic finding arguments to reverse the balance.

At the beginning of the third quarter, Zenit set a maximum income of 12 points (43-31) who finally reacted to Baskonia. He reduced it to two points thanks to a partial 2-12 and compressed the duel to the maximum. Already in the final quarter, the cohabitation on the court of Polonara and Shengelia gave rise to a more dynamic Baskonia and attacked in attack. They achieved those of Ivanovic get ahead on the scoreboard, heading the duel towards a tight end. In it, however, they made too many mistakes and allowed the final triumph of Zenit.