VALENCIA This team is human. Players are not robots and tiredness is impossible to avoid, today is an example of this. Valencia Basket has been accusing him throughout the game, against an opponent who has had a clean week, and has fallen 70 a 76 against Unicaja Málaga, adding the first defeat in the Endesa League at the Roig Arena and the second in a row counting the Euroleague,
Pedro Martínez once again had the full squad. In this situation, the discards were Isaac Nogués, Neal Sako and Josep Puerto.
The ‘taronja’ came out with a quintet made up of Jean Montero, Pradilla and Nate. The start was unbeatable. Valencia Basket came out very involved, quickly placing a 17-8.
However, Unicaja began to feel better. Exterior successes from Webb III and Duarte allowed Ibon Navarro’s men to get closer, closing the first quarter just four points (25-21).
The pace dropped considerably in the second quarter with many errors by both teams. Until, halfway through the period, consecutive triples by Thompson and Key, along with a good tackle by Badio, They began to open a gap again for the Valencians (37-30).
But it was not enough to break the score. The people of Malaga, as in the first one, answered the partial again to go to the changing rooms very close thanks to the 39-36.
Upon returning from break, The accuracy from 6.75 continued to be a headache, increasing the statistic to 4 out of 21. However, a good defense and solutions in the paint placed a 48-40but the same thing happened again. A new partial from Unicaja that answered the ‘taronja’ and this time, served to give them their first lead of the game with 1:42 left to finish the third.
And it didn’t stop there. In the face of a disappeared Valencia, income skyrocketed up to 7. Finally, the last quarter was faced with a dangerous 51-57.
Just starting the last ten minutes Unicaja placed a maximum of 10 making things very difficult for Pedro Martínez’s team, which was showing fatigue from the intense week in the Euroleague.
Despite the fatigue and bad feelings, Valencia Basket was not going to give upbut the situation was borderline with 56-66 with 5:19 remaining. Time passed and the income barely decreased. Arriving at the last three, a good ‘taronja’ arreón gave some life with a 63-68 and 2:52 left. However, the illusion did not last long. with a 0-5 from Unicaja that sentenced the duel. The game ended up finishing 70-76.
Valencia Basket falls like this for the second consecutive time at the Roig Arena giving clear symptoms of fatigue. The percentages and feelings were bad throughout the game and there was no way to advance the match against a Unicaja that did not need much to take the victory. Those of Pedro Martínez, possibly, face the most delicate moment of the seasonbut there is no time to regret. On Monday, they will play again against Casademont Zaragoza, also at the Roig Arena.
