The Endesa League returns to Martín Carpena. Unicaja receives a visit from Bàsquet Girona this Saturday, in a match corresponding to matchday 27 and which will start at 8:45 p.m.. An event in which the greens will try to add another league victory, which will bring them closer to the goal of securing second place in the standings before starting the play off for the title.
A few days before the start of the BCL quarterfinal play off against the Greek Promitheas, the team and fans put aside the European goal of the Final Four in Belgrade, to focus on adding one more victory in the League.
Ibon Navarro, focused on training. / UNICAJABFOTOPRESS/M.POZO
Ibon will make a discard
Ibon Navarro, except for a last-minute physical problem, will be able to count on his entire squad, so The Basque coach will once again have to make a selection among the 13 players that make up the first green and purple squad.
The greens are very favorites against a rival from the lower-middle zone of the classification, who has not won a league match away from home since their visit to Zunder Palencia on November 4th. You should never trust yourself because the ACB is a competition in which anyone can beat you, but it is evident thatUnicaja is a very favorite for this weekend’s event at the Palace.
The fans will once again dye the stands green and purple. / Alex Zea
Carpena will once again be a pressure cooker. If it is not full, there will be very little left. It remains to be seen how subscribers respond on these holiday dates, but it is very likely that in the hours before the start of the match the “no tickets” sign will be posted once again. The atmosphere, of course, is guaranteed.
Many incentives
Kameron Taylor will play against what was his team last year and Yankuba Sima, against the team from his hometown, but the great morbidity of the match will be the return to Malaga of Fotis Katsikaris, a coach who had an “accidental” departure from Unicaja Just over two years ago, just when the Los Guindos club opted for Ibon Navarro for its reconstruction. How will the Palace receive the Greek coach?… On Saturday at around 8:40 p.m. we will clear up any doubts.
Katsikaris coached Unicaja in Zaragoza for the last time. / ACBPhoto
Be careful with the rebound and the triple
Bàsquet Girona is the second best team in the Endesa League in total rebounds (37.31), offensive rebounds (11.77) and triples scored (10.58). In this last section, it is especially significant that he is also the second best triple shooter in the competition not only overall, but also away from home, scoring 10.50 triples at home.
At an individual level, the Girona team takes into account Ike Iroegbu its main offensive reference. The Nigerian point guard averages 15 points (4th highest scorer in the competition), to which he adds 3 assists and 2.6 rebounds for a PIR of 12. In addition, he was named Best Player of Matchday 9 after scoring 27 points (5/6 shots from 2, 11/12 in free throws) and receiving 9 fouls to reach 30 in PIR in his team’s defeat precisely against Unicaja by a tight 78 to 82.
Unicaja won in Girona, in the first round. / ACBPhoto
Together with him, Juani Marcos (9.7 points, 3.3 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 11.5 efficiency), the veteran Quino Colom (7.2 points, 3.3 assists) and the recently incorporated Kenny Chery (11.8 points) complete the direction of Bàsquet Girona.
On the wings, the spectacular Yves Pons (9.2 points, 5 rebounds) and Sergio Martinez (5.9 points, 6.1 rebounds -5th highest rebounder in the competition-) add depth to the perimeter, while in the paint the newcomer Khem Birch (7.3 points, 3.3 rebounds) are the main references for this weekend’s boxy rival.
The Regular League begins its final sprint towards the play off. The greens know that Carpena is the key to maintaining second place in the league. This Saturday you can’t fail.
2024-03-29 18:15:54
#ENDESA #LEAGUE #Preview #UnicajaBàsquet #Girona #day
