The local team came out much more focused on the game, something that surely worries the coach from Ciudad Real, since it is not the first time it has happened… The most effective player for the Cuenca, Álvaro Rivera, scored the first two baskets of his team, including a triple, almost without the visiting defense knowing about it. It was as if the game had already started five to zero. Bécares CB Ciudad Real reacted thanks to their most decisive player, Anyer R. Mata. The power forward of “Cebe” was wreaking havoc under the two hoops. However, the Quintanareños ruled the game in the first minutes of the game thanks to their better attitude. They soon reached a ten-point lead (14-4) when only four minutes had been played, which meant that Chema López had to request his first time-out to readjust his defense and review the attack plan. In part, he succeeded, because after the minute of talk, Vicente Coronel made the scoreboard good to score his first triple. The next basket would also be converted by Bécares CB Ciudad Real thanks to Guille Callejas, who with another triple reduced the lead to just four points two minutes after time out (14-10). In the last three minutes of the first period, Jesús Salcedo appeared for “Cebe” holding his team from the rival zone to be able to exchange baskets with Basket Globalcaja Quintanar B, thus ending the first quarter with a 20-14 score.
The match entered a phase of errors by both teams. There was no longer such fluidity in the local attack, since Ciudad Real managed to close the paint and put defensive “traps” on their opponent. Meanwhile, Bécares CB Ciudad Real dominated in the area thanks to Jesús Salcedo and Anyer R. Mata, Basket Globalcaja Quintanar only managed to score from the 6.75 meter line. The locals were still ahead on the scoreboard at all times, but the advantages no longer exceeded five points, until with one minute left in the second period, a great three-pointer from another born worker like Manu Patón managed to tie the game at 28 points. Two free throws scored by Alfonso Carrascosa for Quintanar B closed the result at halftime in a tight 30-28.
It was already late at night when the players returned to the field. It seems that at these times the players are not used to playing in these categories, so both teams took a long time to open the scoreboard in the second half. Bécares CB Ciudad Real did it thanks to a free kick by Anyer R. Mata and a second triple by Vicente Coronel that put their team ahead in the match for the first time, a circumstance that would not change until the end of the match. The Quintanareños were very stuck and without gas, and although the visitors were not much more fluid, the outside shot opened the can for Bécares CB Ciudad Real with three consecutive triples from their most decisive men: Manu Patón, Anyer R. Mata and Vicente Colonel. The third quarter ended with the maximum advantage for Chema López’s team (37-46) and what was more important, the chemistry had completely changed compared to the beginning of the game.
Basket Globalcaja Quintanar B was going to keep trying during the first minutes, and they managed to lower the advantage again to five points (42-47), but “Cebe” is managing well this season with the results in favor and reacted well thanks to the first points of Pedro M. Dabán. The minutes passed and the local reaction did not arrive. From the outside Manu Patón and Vicente Coronel dominated their defenders, while from the inside it was Anyer R. Mata and Jesús Salcedo who did the same with their own. This balance meant that with three and a half minutes to go, Bécares CB Ciudad Real achieved its greatest advantage (47-59), which surely could have been greater if the Ciudad Real residents had achieved a higher percentage of free throws.
Finally, eleven points (49-60) were a reflection of the superiority of the visitors in a game that was also marked by the important casualties of both teams, where the greater depth of the bench of Bécares CB Ciudad Real was decisive for them to be awarded the victory.
Datasheet:
Pavilion: Ángel Lancho (Quintanar del Rey).
Referees: Gonzalo Mohíno-Espadas and Castaño Nieto.
Basketball Global Box Quintanar “B” (20+10+7+12): Julian Santamaria (10), Julio J. Valero (8), Arcadio Scribe, Alvaro Rivera (15), Pedro J. Scribano (4), Miguel Perona (15). 2), Alfonso Carrasco (8), Paul Martinez (2).
Scholars Real City Basketball Club 60 (14+14+18+14): Vincent Jose Coronel (13), Anyer R. Mata (15), Guillermo Callejas (5), Jose Maria Alonso, Pedro Miguel Daban (3), Jesus Salcedo (12), Philip Fernandez, Manuel Patton (12), Joaquin Spinosa.
