“Hoy El Puerto ha hecho historia acogiendo por primera vez un partido de estas características con las leyendas del FC Barcelona,” declared the mayor of El Puerto de Santa María, Germán Beardo, after more than half a thousand fans packed the Pabellón Municipal Ramón Velázquez on Saturday. The venue hosted the inaugural Bahía de Cádiz Veterans Basketball Trophy, bringing the FC Barcelona legends squad to Andalusia for a historic fixture against local veterans, according to municipal reports.
Packed stands fill the Ramón Velázquez municipal pavilion
More than 500 spectators filled the stands to capacity for the opening edition of the tournament. Mayor Germán Beardo attended alongside sports councillor Ale Galán and youth councillor José Ignacio González. Organizers noted that the event drew supporters from across the region to watch the visiting Barcelona veterans face the Bahía de Cádiz selection.
Barcelona legends dictate the pace on the hardwood
The visiting Barcelona roster featured prominent former first-team players including Ferrán Martínez, José Luis Galilea, Roger Esteller, Mario Kasun, and Fran Vázquez, guided from the bench by head coach Juan Alejandro Giménez. The Bahía de Cádiz squad countered with regional standouts Jesús Chagoyen, Miguel Ángel Cabral, Joaquín Cabral, and David Chanca, under the direction of coach José Luis Rivera.
The final score settled at 67-83 in favor of the Barcelona legends. Despite the double-digit margin, the local team maintained pressure throughout the contest, narrowing the deficit to single digits during the fourth quarter before the visitors’ experience secured the win.
Solidarity proceeds benefit local disability association
Proceeds from ticket donations will go directly to Apadeni, a non-profit organization that provides support services for individuals with functional diversity. Following the final whistle, several children associated with Apadeni joined the players on the court to thank organizers and attendees for selecting the charity as the sole beneficiary of the inaugural event.
Institutional backing secures future tournament editions
The tournament was organized by the El Puerto City Council in cooperation with the Bahía de Cádiz and Jerez Basketball Veterans Association, with primary sponsorship from the Provincial Diputación of Cádiz and support from the Andalusian Basketball Federation through its Cádiz delegation. Representatives including provincial federation delegate Adolfo Magrañal and veterans association president Juan José Camacho attended the fixture. Due to the high attendance and public reception, the El Puerto Sports Department stated its intention to establish the trophy as a reference event on the city’s annual sports calendar.
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