Copa del Rey de Baloncesto: Unicaja’s rock and roll conquers the Cup of Surprises

Ibon Navarro’s team imposes its rhythm and success in the second half to defeat Tenerife and win the second Cup in its history. Tyson Carter, MVP

• Real Madrid The reasons for a failure

The second Cup in its history came to Unicaja when it least expected it, when the steepest path presented itself. At the Badalona Olmpic he completed a feat to remember. After having fleeced Barcelona and Real Madrid consecutively, which no one before, ended up in the final with Lenovo Tenerife, there where the rock and roll of the wild group of Ibon Navarro He had no answer at the moment of truth. [80-83: Narracin y estadsticas]

13 years later, the Copa de las sorpresas focused on the people of Malaga the epic of the unexpected. A history of Spanish basketball who has lived through his particular journey through the desert, of seasons of grayness far from that elite with whom he rubbed shoulders in the era. scario. With the Italian on the bench, the 2005 Cup, the 2006 ACB, the 2007 Final Four… The last title was a relief, a kind of mirage, the 2017 Eurocup with Go to Plaza. Since this unforgettable weekend in Badalona, ​​another trophy has been in the compositor showcases thanks to guys who believed in themselves from the start. And above all because of a coach who, as fate would have it, a year ago was fired from the Andorra bench.

Because it is a choral success. Of heroes for each moment, from a squad with nine new faces. Daro Brizuela the first day, Kravish against Real Madrid in the semifinals, always Alberto Daz, Will Thomas o Kendrick Perry; Kalinovskithe MVP Tyson Carter y Dylan Osetkowski in the final against Tenerife who rowed as far as the forces of their veterans reached them, breathless and the impressive orchards nor his buddy Shermadini on the finish line.

orchards

It was a final from less to more. At dawn it was a matter of containing their emotions, of reining in the euphoria of the previous hours, of both being aware of how close they were to history. But also to impose his plan, so in the Antipodes the basketball that Tenerife and Unicaja boast of. And, in that eternal groping that was the first part, it was those of Chus Vidorreta those who were taking over the sensations, even more than the marker. In the first final ever, after having played five of the last six semifinals, they were going to be left with honey on their lips.

The aurinegra road map, the one that they have been tracing successfully during the last seasons -since 2017, two FIBA ​​Champions and three Intercontinentals, the last one last week-, a block that hardly varies, is that of solidity and defense, cage the rival and go on undermining his resistance with the Malaysian drop that Huertas and Shermadini suppose, a connection that feeds back, that is understood with looks. It is the team that conceded the fewest points in the entire ACB and in the first quarter the volcanic Unicaja could only score 17 points, with a final triple from Kalinovski.

It was in the second quarter when Tenerife gave the first warning, a 12-4 run in which Shermadini dominated the paint. But there was a fissure through which Unicaja could continue in the breach. It was going to be key. In addition to his triples, the offensive rebound (up to nine in the first act) was the loophole for the match. Only a triple mark from Marcelinho’s house, from midfield to one leg, so similar to that of the 2012 League final at the Palau, gave the islanders a minimal advantage at halftime (39-37).

Around the locker room the storm broke out, how could it be otherwise. Outside contemplations. The daring of the people from Malaga, who returned with a 0-7 run, was forcefully answered. In a Canarian reaction led by Huertas, irrepressible even for Alberto Díaz. It was a 14-0 that made Unicaja tremble (53-44). Or it seemed, because in that abyss, his grimaces relaxed. His reply came based on triples, the four without failure of Kalinoskia guy who learned at the school of Stephen Curry, Davidson University. And the three followed by Tyson Carter, the unexpected hero: he entered the court in the middle of a crisis in the second half (52-44) and left with 17 points and his team in full swing (72-78).

Equality could not be endured at the Olmpic and the exchange was brutal. But the triples were torture for Tenerife and Unicaja was running more and more, imposing his physique, his tendency to always attack. When barrier hit the nth, something seemed to break. There were four minutes remaining and the Galician stole a ball for Osetkowski to strike again from the perimeter (69-77). It was already the end for a final that was remembered perhaps because it will take time to repeat itself, without Bara or Madrid at the top.