A celestial tide ran through the streets of the center of Lugo last Sunday. The Río Breogán, a local basketball team, closed the season in a big way. It was not the celebration of a promotion, of a permanence in real time -achieved weeks ago- or of a title. But as if it were. Dzanan Musa received the season’s MVP trophy ACB League in the style of Paulo Fabio Máximo, founder of the city, whose statue, along with that of César Augusto, was erected near where the emperor of basketball from Lugo was crowned.
It was the exaltation of a historic team that, on its return to the highest category, was close to the playoffsdisputed the Copa del Rey and obtained a place in Europe, but above all, “confirmed that the Breogán is a social phenomenon, a feeling, something inexplicable. A symbol of the city like the wall itself. Lugo is a basketball player, but above all a breoganista”, he explains to EL PERIÓDICO DE ESPAÑA, a newspaper that belongs to the same group, Prensa Ibérica, that this medium, Titus Diazformer player, former coach and now general manager of a club where Musa, a former player for the Brooklyn Nets and European champion Efes, has relaunched his career.
I SUFFER BREOGANISM
The forward was moved in a movie act that he attended his brother Dzennis Musa from Bosnia to give him the award, shared with the city that “will always be my home and will always be in my heart”. It was the farewell of a requited love. ”The Musa effect is summed up in that we both needed each other and we found each other at the ideal time. In Lugo he could feel important, loved and without a great responsibility on his shoulders”. And so it was, as he tells this newspaper Alberte Lópezfan of the Galician team.
Despite having a football team in the Second Division for more than a decade, in Lugo the orange ball bounces more strongly than anything. Going to the Pazo is an almost religious act and guides the life of the people of Lugo. Hence, the crossing in the desert of the LEB for 12 years was a mourning carried with noise that was broken in 2019. That return lasted only one exercise. Luckily for the Breo, the second death lasted only two courses. The resurrection was told Millán Gómeza journalist who, like most of those who cover the Galician team, understands work and passion at the same time.
“As soon as you enter the Breogán you become a breoganista. The delivery of the MVP was the perfect closing for a hobby that knows how to suffer. The club was close to demise in 2016 (previously there were other attempts), but he has managed to cope with everything. He overcame 12 years in LEB to return to a category in which he was only one year. But this year he has been able to correct the mistakes of three seasons ago, ”explains the voice of the Breogán River on Radio Marca, among other stations.
RELAUNCH YOUR CAREER
Today the lion, symbol of the club, roars in the coliseum that is the Pazo. Although not so long ago, he needed a bandage and surgery for his multiple injuries. Tito Díaz lived from the bench in 2019 the relegation to the second category and then became general commander of the club to rise and put together a team with a very clear philosophy.
First, renewal of part of the LEB workforce, such as the Quintela brothers or Iván Cruz. Then hiring a new coach: Paco Olmos, “with experience in the big leagues and who was crazy to train in Spain after ten years without doing it.” And, finally, the starting lineup: Bell-Haynes, Rashid Mahalbasic“who acted as Musa’s older brother”, Kalinoski, Lukovic and Dzanan Musa, “that he wanted to relaunch his career. A club was found looking for a franchise player to build their game around. The coincidence was total between the parties.
Even at this point the arc of the cinematic hero was fulfilled. Because Musa, despite his career credentials, “was not known by 95% of the average fans”, indicates Millán Gómez, which caused prejudice, as the general director of Breogán recalls: “He was an extraordinary player who had three years that were not good. He had gone to the NBA, perhaps, too quickly and in a super team like Efes, European champion, he had not found himself. It was said that he was a capricious, anarchic or egocentric player… And it was shown, or rather, he showed that this was not true”.
MVP BY ACCLAMATION
The journalist from Lugo recalls a fact that shows the commitment between both parties: “He was appointed captain of the team from the beginning, along with Sergi Quintela”, a player from Lugo and a fundamental pillar of the team together with his brother Erik.
And from there, the show of a player who at 23 years of age has finished the course with a 23.1 of average valuation by party. He was Breogán’s top scorer, with an average of 20.1 points per match, exceeding twenty points in almost all his performances. He received the maximum score for the MVP of the Endesa League awarded by coaches, players, specialized press and fans.
But his influence goes far beyond statistics. The wing has been a natural leader without needing or pretending to be, simply integrating himself into the city, where it was common to see him walking or falling in love with a gastronomy that he bragged about at all hours on social networks. The Bosnian was not in the Galician city as a transfer to another club. “Lugo is a forgotten and even despised place, but where if you give, you will receive a return multiplied by five”assures Alberte López, an aficionado breoganista.
ESCAPE FROM ELMS
When everything seemed to be going smoothly, the classic cinematographic narrative appeared again. There is a moment when everything falls apart. This happened to Dzanan Musa’s Breogán in January 2022. “The team had eight wins for only six losses and we were about to qualify for the Copa del Rey. And so, Paco Olmos decides to leave (to Burgos) with the argument of an irrefutable economic offer. He told us that it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him,” says Tito Díaz, general director of Breogán, in a tone far removed from the shock with which the news came, which came before a series of three consecutive games.
The assistant coaches took the plunge, with Javi Munoz in front, another from Lugo and man of the house. As if the difficulties were few, the coronavirus appeared. In the end, Breogán certified its place for the Cup and closed the hiring of Veljko Mrsic“another hungry coach, with experience in the ACB, who had been Croatia’s coach, among other positions, and with a conception of the game similar to that of his predecessor”.
There was a closing of ranks, but not before a period of uncertainty in which there was speculation about the disbandment of players, including Dzanan Musa, who, like Olmos, belongs to the BeoBasket agency.
“There he showed more than ever his commitment. He had higher category offers and did not leave. It was a smart decision, as has been proven. He empathized even more with his teammates and showed his affection for the club, its fans, the city… He knew how to be a leader”, defends Tito Díaz, who, like Millán Gómez, places Musa already in the pantheon of illustrious breoganistas in the that are listed Alfredo Pérez, Manel Sánchez, Velimir Perasović, Pete Mickael or Charlie Bell. There were still a couple of practical lessons left to round out the Musa phenomenon.
A SERIOUS INJURY
On April 14, the Bosnian forward suffered an injury in the first half of the match against Baxi Manresa. Despite the pain, Musa played 29 minutes with 18 points and a PIR of 27. They were key in the victory of the Breogán River. The player had to undergo emergency surgery at the Lugo hospital. The medical team that intervened was horrified: “If he had received another blow, it could be a tragedy.” The Bosnian, acting as head of the family again, left no room for speculation and sent a message shortly after being operated on: “The surgery went well and I will come back stronger.”
Despite the promise, that sounded like a farewell to the season. However, with Musa you always have to put on your best. From his room in the hospital, the captain continued to send messages to his companions. The image in which it was seen was iconic his fist raised with the line in his hand to receive the medication. He did not leave his team alone and as soon as he recovered he appeared at the Pazo to receive a standing ovation. His companions continued to function until reaching the fundamental objective of permanence. Would the breoganist temple still attend one last dance of its star?
THE LAST DANCE
The answer is a clear and resounding yes. In the last league match, Dzanan Musa and Breogán gave each other a victory against Unicaja (93-84). Officially, nothing is at stake, but the reality is that from the initial jump it was an exhibition and a thank you from the magic triangle – squad, coaching staff and fans – of the club.
“I had never seen anything like it. The doctors did not understand how he could play that second half against Manresa. Even more incredible was that, With only two training sessions, he signed a PIR of 34. Musa has my respect forever. His quality, affection and commitment are unmatched”, concludes Tito Díaz, general director of the club, already involved in planning for the next season in which neither the MVP nor other pillars will continue in the Breogán River after being revalued.
To comply with the cinematographic canon, the final scene was missing. A long shot that opens up, from the trophy to the group of the breoganista mass asking Dzanan Musa to stay. A clear proposal, combined with original ideas like that of a child who made him sign a contract that he himself had drawn up.
“Part of this hobby came from suffering disastrous years. Others joined later. But all of us, without exception, wanted to celebrate something that will be difficult to repeat. We are a modest club, although big at heart. The wounds of the past forged this present”, explains Alberte López, one of the thousands who appears in a final credits scene, with the ‘starring’ of Dzanan Musa at the beginning and hoping that the “will continue” will not have questions in the following chapter in the elite. Just as intense, with different protagonists, but a memory that sets the example to follow.
