Step forward for UEMC Real Valladolid Baloncesto in their aspirations for the promotion playoffs. Paco García’s team won on the Amics Castelló field in a long, difficult match, in which he was patient to wait for his moment… which did not come until the last quarter. The dominance in rebounding and the performances of Lotanna Nwgobo and Devin Schmidt, with a rating of 27 and 22, were key to settling a vital victory that prolonged the good dynamics of the Pucelanos.
That good defensive work by the locals was also evident from the moment the ball was thrown into the air. Also on the part of the people from Castellón in a start marked by good work at the back and a low score. With rhythm, but without much success, both teams worked well at the back and the gains were minimal at all times. Nwogbo scored the first four points for UEMC RVB to dominate, for the moment, the important battle for the paint against a team with a lot of strength in the inside game (4-4). It was the prelude of what was to come in Valencian lands.
That fight under the rings was led by Vini Okouo for the locals and his eight points prevented the visitors from escaping, even though they improved as the minutes passed. Thus, the duel starring Okouo and Nwogbo, Nwgobo and Okouo, both brilliant, stood out in a first act that ended with the Blanquivioleta ahead (14-18) thanks to 11 goals (without a mistake) and 15 PIR from ’24 ‘white-violet.
Lucas N’Guessan took over from the American center, also imposing his law near the rim, expanding the distance with four consecutive goals (17-25) and leading an increasingly comfortable and bossy UEMC RVB in Castellón. The defensive level of Paco García’s pupils allowed them to maintain the advantage almost until half-time, since the Valencian team improved, responded and resolved a difference that reached up to 9 points.
The quick transitions of the Azulejos punished the Castilians’ losses and gradually reduced Pucelana’s advantage until it was nullified. With a three-pointer at the home team’s horn, both teams were tied at halftime (36-36) despite the performance that Nwogbo was putting in (16 points and a PIR of 22). Juan Antonio Orenga’s men were not going to capitulate so quickly and Paco García’s men still had to work, a lot, in a match that was already long and without big partials.
Strike in defense and victory
After the break, Amics Castelló came out a little more toned in the first possessions and took the initiative (40-36), but Paco García’s men quickly recovered with a partial 0-6. The poor aim from the perimeter, with a poor 2/11, prevented UEMC RVB from dominating with more margin, although they soon found more solutions in attack to maintain the pulse.
The game went crazy and entered a rollercoaster of comings and goings in which Pucela knew how to endure the ups and downs, even without being able to control the tempo. Even so, Lotanna Nwgobo continued with her particular display, dominating the area, and Devin Schmidt joined the cause to lead the offensive plot between the two. The American duo shone to respond to a greater success by the locals. The result, no fight, technical tie and, without a clear imbalance, the contest reached the last ten minutes with everything to be decided (61-57).
After a continuous give and take, the UEMC Real Valladolid Baloncesto worked hard and waited for their moment, waiting patiently and bringing out their best version at the moment of truth. In this way, equality was maintained until the final minutes, although Pisuerga’s team arrived with their rival as a bonus and the local reference Vini Okouo was sent off with five personal fouls.
The play of loading the inside game and looking for the hoop paid off for a UEMC RVB that, with patience, planted a zonal defense in the Ciutat that blocked Amics Castelló and gave the necessary coup de effect. These two circumstances allowed the visitors to go from 64-59 to 64-66 after a triple by Kovacevic and they did not give up control again. With cold blood and aim, the Valladolid team took advantage of the comings and goings to the personnel line, especially in the hands of an accurate Devin Schmidt, to leave the game practically seen for a sentence with 40 seconds remaining (73-77) after a play of authentic blues madness.
With 73-75 after two free throws scored by the ‘0’ of the squirrels, two techniques in a row against Amics Castelló made it four in a row (73-77). UEMC RVB stole the ball on the next possession and the contest seemed close, but the concessions on the free throw and the two desperate three-pointers that the locals scored made the effort even longer. But he didn’t escape. Devin Schmidt took on stripes and did not forgive from the line of 4.60 to seal the third consecutive victory and 14th of the season for the Pucelanos, who take an important step towards the playoffs.
Next week, UEMC Real Valladolid Baloncesto will return to the Pisuerga Sports Center and will host Rioverde Clavijo on Friday, March 8 at 8:45 p.m.
80 – Friends Castelló: Josep Franch (12), Dani Manchón (8), Rubén Domínguez (18), Eric Stutz (15), Vini Okouo (7) -starting quintet-. Also playing: Joan Faner (5), Álvaro Martínez (6), Gonzalo Bressan (9), Pedro López (-), Andrés Roig (-) and Vladimir Orlov (0).
84 – UEMC Real Valladolid Baloncesto: Martynas Zigmantavicius (4), Devin Schmidt (22), Juan Garcia-April (0), Herve Kabasele (0) and Lotanna Nwogbo (22) – the starting quintet. Also playing: Mike Torres (12), Jaan Puidet (0), Lucas N’Guessan (9), Maj Kovacevic (7), Sergio de la Fuente (3), Jaime Fernandez (5) and Romaric Belemene (0).
Partials: 14-18, 22-18, 25-21 and 19-27 (84-80 final).
Referees: Baena Criado, Lizana Moreno and Cortés Paya.
Incidences: Match corresponding to the twenty-second day of the LEB Oro league, played at the Ciutat de Castelló Pavilion on Friday, March 1, 2024.
2024-03-02 10:11:14
#Suffered #step #Castellón
