The Baskonia stays with honey on its lips
MADRID, 1 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Bitci Baskonia came very close to breaking its losing streak this Tuesday in the Euroleague, in a postponed match against Maccabi Tel Aviv on matchday 19, after giving in at the last minute (93-94) with two saving triples by Dibartolomeo and Wilbekin when everything pointed to a victory from Vitoria.
Neven Spahija’s team has accumulated seven consecutive defeats in Europe and will continue, for another week, as penultimate in the regular phase. This Tuesday he tried in every way and dominated the duel with authority, but the final stretch condemned all his efforts and left the Basques without reward.
Maccabi, who has been undefeated in the Mano de Elías for more than two months, started very strongly in the paint and soon established differences. The high scoring pace of the Israelis made Baskonia play with their tongues out but with enough fortitude to never lose face of the match. Wade Baldwin, who finished with 27 points, was also joined by Rokas Giedraitis (15) and Matt Costello (11).
Baskonia began to clean up differences after the break and surprised the locals from the perimeter with phases where they exceeded 50% success. It was then that the scoreboard -not only equalized- but turned face for the Baskonistas, who came to command by seven (75-82).
Spahija’s men led without fear but suffered on the offensive rebound, where they ended up being minimized by Maccabi. The advantage was really small in the last two minutes, which were endless, and despite Costello’s 2 + 1, the locals pulled ex officio not to let the prize escape after that final acceleration.
Baldwin, who played all the decisive balls, did not hit the last ball, nor did Peters, who was blocked by Nunnally in his attempt to force extra time. And not even a foul by Granger, which the referees did not point out, made it possible to prolong a game that confirms the poor dynamics of Baskonia in Europe, although this Tuesday it seems that something has changed for the future.
DATASHEET.
–RESULTAD: MACCABI TEL AVIV, 94 – BITCI BASKONIA, 93.
–EQUIPMENT.
MACCABI TEL AVIV: Wilbekin (17), Ziv (7), Nunnally (21), Williams (5) and Zizic (21) –initial quintet–; Reynolds (6), Dibartolomeo (8), Blayzer (2) and Caloiaro (7).
BITCI BASKONIA: Baldwin (27), Marinkovic (8), Giedraitis (15), Fontecchio (10) and Costello (11) –initial quintet–; Raieste (-), Sedekerskis (7), Granger (2), Enoch (8), Kurucs (-) and Peters (5).
–PARTIALS: 28-27, 28-23, 15-27, 23-16.
–REFEREE: Javor, Obrknezevic and Peerandi. Dibartolomeo was eliminated at Maccabi for personal fouls.
–PAVILLION: Menora Mivtachim Arena.