With its head held high, with the satisfaction of a job well done and with the emotion of having had a magnificent season – Cup and playoffs included –, Baxi Manresa lost this Tuesday against Unicaja and put an end to its meritorious season. The Malaga team, the best in the regular phase, thus reached the semifinals of the Endesa League and extends its extraordinary form. Ibon Navarro’s men await the outcome of the UCAM Murcia-Valencia match to meet their next rival.
Manresa’s team had a horrendous shooting night (7/37 in triples) and they could do nothing against a rival that was currently unattainable. Only the locals competed in the first ten minutes.
Pedro Martínez’s team got off to a great start, making it 28-20 at the end of the first quarter with an unprecedented triple by Travante Williams from his own free throw line. Not even the Globetrotters. But the Manresa points tap dried up suddenly – 19 points scored between the second and third quarters – and Unicaja, with another brand-name collective display – its twelve players scored – was a hammer that ended up breaking the Nou Congost. The last quarter was a walk for the visitors despite Manresa’s attempts to hold on to a miracle, hitting the rim again and again.
Of course, despite the overwhelming score, the Congost fans bid farewell to their team on their feet and with a great ovation once the duel was over, asking for the continuity of the architect of success, Pedro Martínez.
63. Baxi Manresa (28 8 11 16): Garcia (8), Badio (10), Sagnia (2), Robinson (7), Geben (5) -starting five-; Williams (12), Steinbergs (-), Vaulet (6), Oriola (8), Pérez (3), Taylor (2) and Mawugbe (-).
86. Unicaja Málaga (20 20 25 21): Díaz (6), Kalinoski (10), Barreiro (5), Ejim (10), Kravish (12) -starting five-; Taylor (9), Carter (9), Lima (4), Thomas (6), Osetkowski (2), Djedovic (9) and Sima (4).
Referees: Emilio Perez Pizarro, Rafael Serrano and Ian Gonzalez. Without eliminated.
Incidents: Match corresponding to the quarterfinals of the Endesa Basketball League played at the Nou Congost in front of 4,903 spectators.
