The energy of Spain knocks down the anarchy of Turkey

Spain won by one point, 68-69, with 22 seconds remaining. Possession for Turkey until Alberto Díaz put one of his kleptomaniac hands and the ball went over the baseline. Larkin was the last to touch and would later culminate his bad game by missing the free kick with which he left the victory and the first position of group A for Scariolo’s selection on a platter. With homework done and things to correct, they head to Berlin and on Saturday in the round of 16 they will face Lithuania, who comfortably beat Bosnia (87-70).

The team carries with it a competitive character as a series and pulled with cold blood to win a transcendental duel despite a new very low attendance at the Tbilisi Arena. With less talent than Turkey, but much more united, and a second quintet almost as relevant as the first, the victory is explained after an imprecise and erratic start. Spain’s wardrobe had to appear to take control on the scoreboard and, despite some disconnections to be corrected, react to each stab of the Turks, much more inspired by the shot.

Statistically, Willy Hernangómez (15 points and 7 rebounds) and Lorenzo Brown (11 points and 7 assists) shone, a budding connection that could give even more revenue. But just as decisive were the minutes played by Sebas Sáiz in the second quarter, increasing defensive intensity and causing discomfort in each rival attack, the magnitude of Garuba, the reliability of Xabi López-Arostegui (9 points), the resources of a Pradilla who in each game adds one more argument to qualify him as the heir to Felipe Reyes, and the defensive activity of Alberto Díaz. When the game was getting more complicated, with a 9-2 run (59-58) at the start of the fourth quarter, the point guard from Malaga drew the fifth foul from Alperen Sengun (14 points and 12 rebounds) who seemed unstoppable, and changed the sign of the party. Two winning plays without the need to finish any of them in the basket.

With the Rockets center eliminated, Spain once again dominated the rebound (37-45) with great ease thanks to the greater energy displayed since the second quarter. At the break, ‘La Roja’ had already accumulated 9 sacks in attack and 12 second-chance points. Also better team play, with 4 more assists than a Turkey determined to play one against one or two against two and offer little more in attack. If the Spaniards had fine-tuned their shooting and shooting percentages (5 of 25 in triples), the victory could have been more comfortable.

Rudy’s physical mishap

The match was picking up temperature after a bumpy start in which blows were exchanged. The best that Turkey managed to get away with was 11-7, and Spain, 29-34 after a great action by Sebas Sáiz. Cedi Osman, with 20 points, and Korkmaz, with 16, threw themselves behind the set of an overwhelmed Ataman. Larkin, his trusted player, off during the entire duel (only 3 points), is not offering him even close the performance of Efes, where together with Micic they rule the Euroleague with an iron fist. The coach revealed after the game that the base has an injury to his shooting hand and will travel to Istanbul to have an MRI.

Alberto Díaz knew how to contain him perfectly and Lorenzo Brown won the duel in the final minutes of a duel in which Brizuela was expelled for two techniques and Rudy Fernández was absent due to discomfort in his right knee. “I don’t know if he will play against Lithuania. He is very sore,” Scariolo reported. His appearance in the round of 16 will be key for a Spain that with its first position has managed to pave the way to the medals. Lithuania is a lesser evil in the group of death, in the quarterfinals it will avoid those who are considered the big favorites for gold, Greece, Slovenia, France and Serbia as long as Poland does not take the first position. Spain will be measured in the quarterfinals against the winner of the cross between the second group D (Serbia, Poland, Finland) and the third group C (Italy, Ukraine or Croatia).