Leyma Coruña, failing to comply with the mandatory bureaucratic procedures to be in the highest category of Spanish basketball, is already ACB. The Herculean city has had to wait more than 16,800 days to taste a promotion again to the highest category of Spanish basketball. Was on May 5, 1968 when the missing Bosco arrived in the First Division, where he barely lasted one season.
Something that their Leyma heirs now want to overcome, who have finally seen what they have been fighting for for 11 years come true. In 2013 the A Coruña team returned to the second category of Spanish basketball – of which it was already a classic – and from that moment on it became a perennial candidate to promotion to the Endesa League. The Galician team had played in the playoffs up to seven times. And seven times he had stayed on the shore. Until now.
The team has fulfilled the dream of an entire city and has done so with the help of a coach who seems like a talisman, but his adventure in La Coruña began to be discussed when he signed for the Herculino team in 2022. Diego Epifanio arrived as a talisman for promotions after having managed to advance with San Pablo Burgos in 2017 and with Breogán in 2021. He seemed like the ideal coach to try to achieve promotion, despite the doubts that he could generate among the fans.
Precisely, Epifanio’s Lugo past made some Leyma Coruña fans not view his arrival favorably. to the Riazor bench. And even more so after an irregular start. However, the Burgos coach ended up earning the affection of his fans. He did it based on work, triumphs and with “humility” as a hallmark to achieve the desired promotion.
“It has been a very good season, we have done a lot of merit to be able to celebrate this promotion today. We have to value what this means because it is a very difficult competition, with very good projects,” pointed out an exultant Epifanio still on the field. in Melilla, where the feat was accomplished on the last day.
Epifanio pointed to “human connection” as one of the keys to success of Leyma, and stressed that “the enthusiasm” and “the effort” of its players He has had his reward for getting the word that can now, finally, be said in the locker room. Because until now, talking about promotion was prohibited within the orange-and-white hut.
“No, we didn’t mention it at all”acknowledged Álex Hernández, captain of the team, in conversation with Relevo last March, when the team reached first place that it has not relinquished until the end of the regular season. “It is very important to have your feet on the ground, always. Be aware that we are all very excited to be at the top. But this league is very difficult. We can’t go crazy,” said Diego Epifanio, who today has changed initial doubts for praise.
Party with the fans
The same fans that at first looked at the Burgos coach with suspicion, today will surrender to him and the rest of the team. “Now we really want to return to A Coruña to celebrate with our people. “We wanted to celebrate promotion with a victory and we achieved it,” he said. Well said and done.
The players and coaching staff of the Galician team will go this afternoon (7:15 p.m.) to the Riazor esplanade -the same one that awaits Depor tomorrow to celebrate another promotion- to celebrate with the fans a sporting feat that they had been waiting for more than 50 years.
Spanish basketball federation
2024-05-11 14:36:54
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