Fibwi Palma Beats Menorca 72-67 for First Win of Season

Fibwi Mallorca Bàsquet Palma secured their first win of the season by defeating Bàsquet Menorca 72-67 in a hard-fought Balearic derby. The encounter was overshadowed by an emotional pre-game tribute to Naia Llabrés Gallardo, a young basketball player from CB La Salle Mahón who died of osteosarcoma over the summer.

An Emotional Tribute at Pavelló Bintaufa

Before tip-off, the arena fell into a solemn silence punctuated by the glow of mobile phone flashlights. Fans and players honored Naia Llabrés Gallardo to the sound of Sa llum de na Naia, a song composed by musician and basketball coach Ricardo Fanals. The president of the Club handed commemorative jerseys to Llabrés Gallardo’s siblings, Kirian and Carla, during a prolonged ovation. Both head coaches later stated that the tribute was the most significant moment of the entire matchday.

Fast-Paced Action and First-Quarter Deadlock

The fourth round of the regular season began with Bàsquet Menorca deploying Pol Figueras, Hansel Atencia, Kyle Greeley, Noah Haaland, and Wildens Leveque. Fibwi Mallorca countered with Alessandro Scariolo, Sergi Huguet, Dore Simeunović, Lysander Bracey, and Garmine Kande. Menorca surged to an early 11-point lead behind five consecutive points from Haaland, prompting an early timeout from the home coach. Mallorca responded through a three-pointer from Scariolo, sparking a swift comeback that put the visitors ahead by 1. An intense exchange of baskets followed, leaving the score locked at 23-23 at the end of the first quarter.

Defensive Battles and Momentum Shifts

Menorca regained control late in the half, establishing a 35-28 advantage before Mallorca chipped away to narrow the deficit to 37-33 by halftime. The momentum flipped dramatically after the break as Fibwi Mallorca opened the third quarter with a 10-0 run. Menorca clawed back into the game through a dominant performance from Leveque—who finished with 14 points, 16 rebounds, and 32 valuation credits—alongside contributions from Iñaki Ordóñez to briefly edge ahead 50-49.

Clutch Execution in the Final Minutes

Mallorca reclaimed the lead before the end of the third quarter at 53-50, leveraging a distinct advantage at the free-throw line where they attempted 20 shots compared to Menorca’s nine. The fourth quarter remained a physical grind, featuring a deep three-pointer from Simeunović and a basket by Sasha Cvetković that knotted the score at 62-62 with under six minutes remaining. Simeunović scored 19 points, and Shilo Jackson sealed the 72-67 victory with a late steal and fast-break dunk with 13 seconds left on the clock.

Next Fixture at Pavelló Menorca

Bàsquet Menorca will look to rebound in their upcoming home fixture against Insolac Caja 87. The match is scheduled for Saturday, October 31, at 19:30 hours in the Pavelló Menorca, Maó.

Keep reading