In a great choral encounter, HLA Alicante starred in the most outstanding victory of the day after beating an Andorran MoraBanc that came as leader after 9 consecutive victories on their court. A result that boosts Rafa Monclova’s men in the table and that postpones for the moment the Andorran classification for a Princess of Asturias Cup that could be a reality this Sunday for Zunder Palencia in case of victory in Madrid.
It could have been the confirmation of their pass to the Final of the Princess Cup, but the defeat of MoraBanc Andorra in Alicante put an end to their streak of 9 consecutive victories, thus giving Zunder Palencia the possibility of taking the lead this Sunday afternoon . .
TV: The best images of the day in the Flickr Gallery of FEB.es
FORECASTS: 2/5 in La Quiniela by… David Hook (TAU Castelló)
REPORTAGE: Dear Wise Men… (Letters from the coaches)
TRACING: Results – Calendar – Official Page
With Aegir Steinarson liking himself in management, Delaney Blaylock showing muscle from the perimeter and Osvaldas Matulionis distributing play between the lines, HLA Alicante offered one of their best choral versions of the season to be able to stand up to the category leader. A MoraBanc Andorra that arrived after adding 9 consecutive victories and that seemed totally indestructible in recent weeks. But Natxo Lezkano’s men did not have their day given the good defensive approach of an HLA Alicante who knew how to attack their strong points to considerably reduce their usual scoring flow. Thus, the 9 rental points at halftime for the locals were the first big warning of the night for a leader who did not quite feel comfortable and who was weighed down by his lack of foreign success. And that the Andorrans tried in every possible way, but the solidity from Alicante was such that it ended up rewarding the team with its fourth consecutive victory (73-66).
One of the most outstanding triumphs of a night of relief for some of the main involved in the fight for permanence. Especially for an Ourense Baloncesto that added the first victory with Félix Alonso at the controls of the team and above all a direct rival like Juaristi ISB. A clash in which the result could be misleading given that Mikel Odriozola’s men stood up at all times, even alternating the scoreboard during the first half. But the impetus of the people of Ourense, personified in the five triples from Pilepic, propelled a team that reached maximum differences in the second half after a great three-pointer from José I. Nogués (WATCH VIDEO). In this way, the Galician team even worked the average thinking about the duel of the second round (87-72).
The one who did not fail in his desire to put land in the middle with the danger posts was a CB Almansa with Afanion who worked tirelessly to successfully reach the shore. And that Stutz put everything on his side so that TAU Castelló could leave the Municipal de Almansa with a victory, coming to tighten the game in its final minutes. A final stretch in which no one knew how to read the game better than Sergi Costa (WATCH VIDEO) and in which the local fans enjoyed their team’s victory (WATCH VIDEO) to breathe a little easier (82-77).
A winning wake that Alimerka Oviedo could not join from the lower zone, who has again entered a losing streak (-3) and who could not surprise a Guuk Gipuzoa on this occasion who was really solid in his time at Pumarín (WATCH VIDEO). Because Lolo Encinas’ men knew how to impose their style of play, managing the game tempos at all times with a very successful Xabi Oroz to finish prevailing over a rival in which the heart of Chuso González, Marc Peñarroya or Oliver Arteaga was not of all enough (71-86).
The night was completed from the Pisuerga Sports Center with a vibrant match in which Paco García’s men were once again intractable before their fans. Because nothing and nobody has yet been able to with a pavilion in which the Alega Cantabria Group held their own during the first part of the match thanks to the push of Mirza Bulic, before commenting to give up in the last six minutes of a clash that could not have another MVP. A Melwin Pantzar who, when his team needed him most, took command with a great 2 + 1 that put land in the middle against his rival (WATCH VIDEO). Thus, the team from Valladolid certified a tenth victory with which to fully enter the fight for fourth place (67-60).
LEB GOLD – DAY 15:
Saturday January 7:
– CB Almansa con Afanion vs TAU Castelló (82-77) | MVP: F. Stutz – 29 val.
– Alimerka Oviedo vs Guuk Gipuzkoa (71-86) | MVP: X. Oroz – 20 val.
– Ourense Baloncesto vs Juaristi ISB (87-72) | MVP: F. Pilepic – 20 val.
– HLA Alicante vs MoraBanc Andorra (73-66) | MVP: O. Matulionis – 21 val.
– UEMC Real Valladolid vs Grupo Alega Cantabria (67-60) | MVP: M. Bulic – 20 val.
Sunday January 8:
– ICG Força Lleida vs Hereda San Pablo Burgos (12:30 pm) | LaLigaSports.tv
– Leyma Coruña vs. Cáceres P. Humanity (12:30 pm) | LaLigaSports.tv
– Melilla Sport Capital vs. Bueno Arenas Albacete (12:30 p.m.) | LaLigaSports.tv
– Movistar Estudiantes vs Zunder Palencia (7:00 p.m.) | LaLigaSports.tv
