Zubizarreta attacks Jakstas in a play of the match. /
The best Mallers of the year supports the team with 26 points and the final six minutes of good basketball serve to come back and win
33 minutes of the thick, misguided and disconcerting Acunsa Gipuzkoa Basket and seven of the cheerful, fast, choral and smiling team. This is how you can summarize the two sides of Lolo Encinas’ team, which had a happy ending yesterday by winning against Alicante by a tight 72-68.
Monday, cold in Illunbe and Gipuzkoa Basket couldn’t get hooked with their basketball. Kyle Mallers’ excellent game was the only cause for joy. The North American forward, with many points in his hands but who is having a hard time finding his place in the bad stretch of play that the team has suffered in recent months, did not stop and completed a card of 26 points and six triples. The first three were in just a minute and a half of the opening quarter at a time when Alicante, greatly diminished by casualties, found themselves better (from 8-16 to 17-17).
He was the main person responsible for the confrontation not breaking up and Acunsa Gipuzkoa Basket being able to reach the final quarter in the match. He had scored 52 points in 33 and a half minutes with very poor percentages and despite the fact that three fouls in the first two minutes threatened the Gipuzkoans with quickly going into the bonus, yesterday’s reaction came from the defence. At 52-57, several positive actions such as a stopper by Motos launched the team confidently on the attack and in the remaining six and a half minutes they scored 20 points.
72
ACUNSA GB
Zubizarreta (6), Barton (7), Motos (0), Martínez (4), Delas (13) –starting quintet– Simons (7), Steinarsson (0), Oroz (2), Mallers (26), Proleta ( 7). T1: 14/20; T2: 17/36; T3: 8/22; REB: 41 (31+10); ASIST: 13; PER: 15; VAL: 76.
68
ALICANTE
Hearst (23), Arcos (8), Pilepic (12), Tomás (2), Jaktas (9) –initial quintet– Matulionis (4), Velázquez (0), Trotter (2), Galán (8). T1: 17/21; T2: 15/38; T3: 7/24; SBR: 28 (23+5); ASSIST: 9; PER: 9; WAL: 63.
Partials:
19-19, 12-17 (31-36), 17-17 (48-53), 24-15 (72-68).Referees:
Bravo Loroño, Martín Vázquez and Lázaro Rodríguez. Mallers, eliminated.Incidences:
785 fans in Illunbe.
It was the wave that should not be missed and led by Oroz, he did not miss it. The man from Azkoitia does not need to look at the basket to activate and make his teammates work and with several extra efforts, steals and assists he lit the fuse and invited Mallers and Barton to join the cause. The Swede made five important points and Mallers added seven more points before he was eliminated with 90 seconds to go and 65-62 on the scoreboard. Someone had to finish off his great game and victory was uphill after Hearst’s four points in a row.
With a minute to go Lolo Encinas drew a sideline play on his blackboard for Simons and the power forward, suffering from ankle pain and having a discreet game, nailed the triple, the first and only one that did not come out from the hands of Mallers. Alicante made a mistake on their next possession and Oroz, on his first shot of the game, sealed the win with an aesthetic layup.
If those final six minutes were the norm in San Sebastian, they would have more than assured their presence in the playoff. However, the inconsistency leads them to make accounts. To overtake Cáceres and Oviedo they have to win all three and they must not win any of them, although the most feasible option is Castellón, their rival on the last day away.
