Rhythm and identity of the game will be put into action tomorrow at the Center de Tecnificació with the match between HLA Alicante and Alimerka OCB on the eleventh day of the Primera FEB 25/26 (8:45 p.m., VinxTV).
A complicated visit for Javi Rodríguez’s men against one of the best attacks in the league and one that has just lost for the second time in the season at the home of Inveready Gipuzkoa. To their credit, Rubén Perelló’s men have seven victories that place them very close to the leaders in their own right, having made their pavilion a fortress where they have not yet given in to any rival.
The visitors, for their part, come from a convincing victory against Grupo Alega Cantabria as a result of exhibiting their best defense and offensive capacity, going to more than 90 points. Rebounding, running the court and generating clarity thanks to the high pace of play that Rodríguez wants for his team will be key compared to the more controlled and slow pace that the Mediterranean team proposes, in which the figures of Larsen emerge, on the inside, and Walker on the outside, very well accompanied by two ‘enforcers’ like Tamba and Mendikote and directed by Aris and Torres in addition to the former OCB Llorente.
Thus, and as the Porriño coach has highlighted in the preview, it is about making the basics of the Carbayón game constant to compete until the end. «We are good at those basics, at rebounding, at running, at defending. If we want to have options we have to play a match of that physical level, of toughness, intensity, energy, speed…”, he stressed, respecting the virtues of a Lucentum full of quality.
«They are a team that has not lost at home, almost the best attack in the league, one of the best defenses, the best team shooting the basket. A team that is very well made and trained, balanced, with players with a lot of experience, talent, with danger inside and danger outside,” he explained.
For the trip, Rodríguez has summoned the eleven professionals after Pablo Longarela reappeared after 13 months of injury and recovery and the team is already in Alicante where they are finishing the last hours before the clash. After the match, the calendar has been kind to the OCB, which in this odd league makes them rest during the weekdays to visit Caja Rural de Zamora next Sunday.
