The IDK Euskotren took out the ticket for the Queen’s Cup a long time ago. Yesterday it got the final seal of the reviewer but … I knew I had room on the carriages that take to Tarragona between March 26 and 29. There is no need to fool yourself and it was a surprise that he had to wait until the last game in case he was left out. It’s cold and it’s not convenient to wait on the platform, with the humidity getting to your bones. No.
Zaragoza
Flores (0), Leite (1), Bankole (0)
52
–
46
IDK in Basque Country
Ariztimuño (0), Buch (4), Eraunzetamurgil (4), Ejim (11) and Faye (6) -starting quintet- González (10), Robinson (9) and Murua (2) T3:3/10 T2:15/45 T1:7/8 REB:38 ASIS:11 ROB:10 LOSS:20 VAL:47
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Partials:
13-15, 22-28 (rest) 37-40 and 52-46 (final) -
Referees:
Olivares, Domingo and Piñeiro. No eliminations. -
Incidents:
Match corresponding to the fifteenth day, the last of the first round played in the Príncipe Felipe pavilion in Zaragoza.
In the first month and a half of the championship, Azu Muguruza’s team deserved to wait in a conditioned room, without being cold and even traveling to Tarraco Nova in first class (seeded). The IDK from the beginning embellished basketball.
However, the seven consecutive defeats, with yesterday’s defeat in Zaragoza especially for a great team, have cooled down a bit after such a start with victories against Perfumerías or Jairis at home. The explanation may be clear for the decline: absences, physicality and scouting. Yesterday, for example, Azu Muguruza could only count on eight players, since Hannah Jump did not take the court. Too much advantage for the rival, although yesterday the team came out with a very good grade because it dominated the league leader for 34 minutes. The lack of freshness and the fact that it is difficult to surprise the teams have been the reasons for this lack of results.
The Ibaeta team has a weekend to enjoy in March. Compete and enjoy, of course. They will have to face one of these teams: Zaragoza – their rival from yesterday –, Valencia, Girona or Jairis. One of those four teams will be the lot of a team that has signed its seventh participation in the Copa de la Reina. It should not be forgotten that, more or less, two out of every three years that it has been in the Endesa League, the IDK Euskotren has given its followers a cup weekend.
Eleven up, but…
Certainly the ticket to Tarragona was never in danger. The sixty-point cushion that the Guipuzcoan team had was already enough of a safety net. Furthermore, despite the defeat, IDK Euskotren retains seventh place in the table, after Leganés defeated Baxi Ferrol and there was a three-way tie in the table. The Madrid team sneaks into the Cup and, in addition to the top seeds, there will be IDK, Ensino de Lugo and Perfumerías Avenida. The Salamancan team will be the rival that none of the first four wants for the quarterfinal match.
We must give very good marks to the IDK in its visit to Prince Felipe. It started out hesitant and for seconds it made us think it was the day to take out the umbrella. Nothing of the sort. Time passed in the capital city and Azu Muguruza’s team, with its few weapons or much fewer than the team, fought the game and even scored a maximum of eleven points. He went as far as he could, up to 47-42 with four minutes remaining. The hand ring became tiny in the moments of truth, an evil that has been repeated. Faced with a team that is a leader, that pays more.
Eraunzetamurgil made a basket (by herself) midway through the third quarter to make it 28-37. The next basket in play was by Robinson, also alone, making it 52-44. In more than ten minutes no basket in play, only five free throw points. The IDK arrives exhausted at the moment of truth and that is where more clairvoyance is needed. Twenty turnovers are a lot although for much of the game they were ahead on the scoreboard. He played intelligently, made important shots and made Zaragoza doubt, and get angry, because they couldn’t take it anymore. Eight rotation players at this level is too little. With some more hands, who knows where the IDK would be.
