The Quality Sport Baloncesto Criptana made history, by proclaiming itself champion of the UCLM Junior U18 Cup, last Sunday, January 29, in the Municipal Pavilion of the Toledo town of Mocejón, after winning its semifinal against Básket Cervantes de Ciudad Real by 73 to 42 , and in the final, to the Albacete Basketball School (EBA) by 57-52.
The people from Crypto, coached by Higinio Pulido, achieved the regional title, after playing this Cup in the Junior Male U18 category, which faced the two best teams from the first round of the two groups that make up this category. The semifinals were played on Sunday morning between Zona 5 Toledo against EBA de Albacete, with a 58-59 victory for the latter in a vibrant match. And the second semifinal was between Baloncesto Criptana and Básket Cervantes, with the result outlined above.
The winners of both matches went on to play the grand finale in the afternoon in which Baloncesto Criptana won the title of champion. The title of best player (MVP) of this tournament also went to a man from Crypto, Juanma Vela, who was one of the most decisive players in the final against Albacete, due to his scoring and rebounding ability.
Present at the trophies ceremony were, among others, the mayoress of Mocejón, María Concepción Cedillo, the sports councilor, Juan Manuel Aparicio, the representative of the University of Castilla-La Mancha, Jorge García, and the Director of the Federation Basketball player from Castilla-La Mancha, Carlos Delgado.
The second semifinal of the morning pitted the Crypto squad against Básket Cervantes from Ciudad Real. Those of Higinio Pulido, aware of the entity of the rival, went out for all from the beginning, and did not give any option to Básket Cervantes.
At halftime the result was deceptive, with just a 10-point lead, which in the second half even led them to arrive with a maximum score of 30 points difference. Control of the game led them to win it by a wide advantage, dominating all the quarters, with Angelma Violero, who, with 23 points, was one of the keys to victory in this first match of the tournament for Criptana Basketball, which completed thus one of the best games so far this season.
In the dispute for the title, with little rest time for Baloncesto Criptana, the game was one of those that make fans, with two teams that put all the meat on the grill, playing at the highest level. Little by little, the people of Crypto took off on the scoreboard, based on a strong defense and some quick transitions. And it is that those of Higinio Pulido, knew how to handle the first quarter and the first part better. At halftime they left with an advantage in electronics of only 5 points.
At the resumption of the third quarter, the reaction from Albacete did not wait. The Albacete Basketball School, a team with great physique, put the Cryptans against the ropes between the third and fourth quarters, evening the fight, but it was not enough, because Juanma Vela became the main protagonist of the Campo de Criptana, and in the minutes
The finals, especially from the free throw line, clinched the victory, so that the first title of the season went to the Land of the Giants, for the first time in the history of the team and the club. Alfredo Gálvez’s men, once again, were left with honey on their lips, and there are already three consecutive finals.
For Higinio Pulido, this title is “an incentive to continue working this year, which we started with great ambition, because with this generation of players, we were already champions of Castilla-La Mancha, when we were children and later also as cadets. It is clear that with each passing year, commented the coach of the Cryptan team, and for a town of 13,000 inhabitants, it is more difficult to compete with the teams from the capitals when you go up in category.
But the natural coach from Talavera de la Reina is clear: “This year we aspire to the maximum, and this is the first step, first by qualifying as first in our group at the end of the first round, and then competing at the highest level” .
“My greatest satisfaction, indicated Higinio Pulido, in addition to the great work of the players and the title won, is the support of the club, and the remarkable fact that almost a hundred fans and family members, one Sunday, in a junior category like ours, come to Mocejón to support us and encourage us in the dispute of this Cup. This makes us feel very supported in this project, which we hope to culminate at the end of the league with the qualification for the final at 8, and the move on to the grand final to fight for the title, and play the Junior Spanish Championship in Huelva, why not. We already have experience because with the children we went to Lugo and with the cadets to San Fernando (Cádiz)”.
