ManresaAlmost a quarter of a century after one of the most improbable feats of the sport, that of the 1998 league title, Baxi Manresa could not break all the predictions again and lost the final of the Basketball Champions League. The Bages team was overtaken by a Lenovo Tenerife with more experience and aim (87-98). Marcelinho Huertas was the hero of the island set. The 38-year-old base added 13 points and 14 assists. “I’m very excited. The competition has been very tough, but we have been able to follow the game plan and share the ball very well,” said the Brazilian.
The effort of Chima Moneke, who added 24 points and 8 rebounds, was not rewarded. The Nigerian player could not hold back his tears at the end of a final that almost cost him his health. “It’s a tough defeat. We’ve made too many mistakes against a rival who has played better than us, especially during the third period,” admitted Luke Maye.
More than 4,000 fans from Manresa and the rest of central Catalonia generated great entertainment at the Bilbao Arena. Catalan fans of different generations gave their voice to create a memorable atmosphere in a night to remember for years and locks that served to vindicate the trajectory of a club as modest as special.
The first quarter was very different from the semifinal matches. Both teams played with rhythm and a lot of offensive production, offering a very showy show for the fans. Sylvain Francisco was the first defender of Marcelinho Huertas, but Baxi Manresa took just two and a half minutes to commit four personal fouls and this conditioned the entire defensive strategy of the Bages team. In attack, Chima Moneke scored the first 12 points of a Catalan team that suffered to find other sources of scoring. The inner energy of Yankuba Sima was one of the few contributions of extra oxygen that the whole of Manresa found (25-27).
Lenovo Tenerife built a difference of seven points during the second quarter (25-32), but Baxi Manresa was able to accentuate the contribution of Dani Pérez and Joe Thomasson to score a partial 11-2 and turn the score around (36-34). Despite serious physical problems for key players, the Bages team was able to adapt to the game, fight for all the balls and reach the break with an advantage (50-48). “We had problems defending their direct blocking situations, but in the second quarter we regained sensations,” said Pedro Martínez.
Pedro Martínez, who innovated with a zonal defense, and Txus Vidorreta, two coaches as different as they were great, tried to condition the final with constant tactical proposals. Lenovo Tenerife used the first minutes of the second half to press the accelerator again and use the 6.75-meter line to build a ten-point lead (58-69). The island team took advantage of a very good offensive ratio to take the initiative in the game. In addition, 13 minutes from the end, Moneke was stunned after receiving a blow to Shermadini’s nose. The pivot winger left the Bilbao Arena floor bleeding in which, thanks to the scoring of Aaron Doornekamp and Kyle Wiltjer, the difference grew to 15 points (67-82).
Despite leaving the soul on the floor, Baxi Manresa suffered to follow the scoring efficiency of a Lenovo Tenerife that came to dominate the final by 18 points (71-89). Moneke returned to the court and, far from giving up, the Bages team continued to fight to the limit. With more heart than success. Pressed by the scoreboard, the Manresa team made more mistakes than usual.
