MADRID, 7 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Unicaja came back in epic fashion (77-88) against BAXI Manresa this Sunday to sign a new victory that also gave them the leadership of the Endesa League, while Valencia Basket resurfaced from its bad moment and the dismissal of Álex Mumbrú with the victory (111-101) over Baskonia.
Ibon Navarro’s team became leader of the League after 28 games with their victory at the Nou Congost and the defeat in the last round of the day for Real Madrid against Barça. The Malaga team, with the same 23 victories as the whites and already qualified for the playoffs, came back 20 points thanks to Tyson Carter, Kameron Taylor and Kendrick Perry.
Meanwhile, BAXI Manresa, from more to less, had a good chance to consolidate the ‘Top 8’ and make good of last week’s victory against Madrid. The Catalan team at least kept the playoff place after Baskonia’s defeat against a Valencia Basket that was resurrected in the first half of La Fonteta.
The ‘taronja’ team scored 62 points in those 20 minutes and headed towards a vital victory to regain confidence, after being left out of the fight in the Euroleague, and seeing themselves seventh in the domestic table. Chris Jones (37 rating) and Semi Ojeleye (30) were able to beat Chima Moneke (34) and Markus Howard (36 points).
Furthermore, in the tight fight for that ‘Top 8’, UCAM Murcia and Lenovo Tenerife achieved their 18th victory, one less than Barça. The Murcians prolonged Joventut’s crisis, in a very different streak from those of Sito Alonso with seven victories in the last eight games. UCAM, with a great Caupain, won 75-82.
On the other hand, Lenovo Tenerife was also strong again, in its fourth straight victory, beating Bàsquet Girona (74-60) (74-60). Marcelinho Huertas, with 21 points, led the Canaries, contenders for a sought-after ‘Top 4’. The Catalans lose cushion in a fight from below that seems to have doomed bottom-place Zunder Palencia, surpassed (73-65) by a Río Breogán that escapes.