The UCAM Murcia assaults the Fonteta
Sito Alonso’s men start and finish better than Valencia Basket and are approaching their first semi-final of the Endesa League
MADRID, 18 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
UCAM Murcia beat Valencia Basket (86-96) this Saturday in the first match of the quarterfinal playoff held in La Fonteta, a blow to the home table for Sito Alonso’s team despite the absences to stay one win away from their first Endesa League semi-finals.
The Murcia team overcame the injuries of Simon Birgander and Marko Todorovic with the great game of Jonah Radebaugh (24 points), Dustin Sleva (23) and Moussa Diagne (11 and 11 rebounds), in addition to the last quarter of a Rodions Kurucs’ touched’ and a defense that dried up an unrecognizable Valencia for many minutes. The ‘taronja’ team failed at the worst moment.
The locals arrived as favorites, as well as winners over the Murcians in two games this campaign, and at a great moment due to the streak of coach Xavi Albert, somewhat lackluster by the last defeat in Andorra. All in all, UCAM led until the break, with a zone defense that was the ‘taronja’ short circuit and scoring everything that Valencia did not have until a resounding 19-40.
Albert’s team reacted to make up for it with a 38-48 lead, but the visitors were already on their way with Radebaugh, Sleva and Moussa Diagne owning the rebound. Semi Ojeleye, along with Jaime Pradilla, was the one who pushed the Valencians’ car and who, also after the break, kept La Fonteta’s faith in the comeback, despite being one of seven in triples and continuing to fail on the rebound.
In the battle of the last 10 minutes, Valencia continued to row and got close to the comeback with Jovic and Brandon Davies, but two triples from Kurucs, who played without a medical clearance according to Sito Alonso, cut the ‘taronja’ fuse. Radebaugh finished sentencing his former team and UCAM Murcia, in its second ‘playoff’ after 2016, a historic pass to the semifinals will be played on Wednesday at home.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: VALENCIA BASKET, 86 – UCAM MURCIA, 96. (38-48, at halftime).
–EQUIPMENT.
VALENCIA BASKET: Jones (12), López-Arostegui (9), Ojeleye (17), Claver (-) and Inglis (8) –starting quintet–; Robertson, Pradilla (8), Jovic (9), Puerto (-), Harper (-), Anderson (4), Davies (19).
UCAM MURCIA: Sant-Ross (6), Ennis (8), Hakanson (4), Sleva (23) and Diagné (11) –starting quintet–; Caupain (5), Radovic (2), Radebaugh (24), R.Kurucs (10), Flores (3).
–PARTIALS: 13-21, 25-27, 19-17, 29-31.
–REFEREES: Perea, Manuel and Padrós. No eliminated.
–PAVILLION: San Luis Fountain.
2024-05-18 18:21:53
#UCAM #Murcia #assaults #Fonteta
