Jassel Pérez delivered a 40-point performance on Sunday, guiding Bàsquet Girona to a 110-90 victory over Leyma Coruña at the Pavelló de Fontajau in Spain’s Liga Endesa. The Dominican forward shot 9-for-12 from beyond the arc and racked up 42 PIR (performance index rating) points, setting a new club record for scoring in the Liga Endesa.
Fontajau Witnessesses Record Scoring Night
The game turned on a decisive 36-14 final quarter that broke open a tight contest and plunged the visiting Galician side into the relegation zone with a 1-3 record. Girona entered the matchup operating with a limited roster due to injuries, yet head coach Moncho Fernández lifted his squad to a 2-2 record after four rounds.
Jassel Pérez’s perimeter accuracy helped dismantle Leyma Coruña’s defensive scheme. Teammate David N’Guessan also starred for the hosts, contributing 19 points and 25 PIR credits. Carles Marco’s visiting team managed five players in double figures—led by Lucas Uleckas with 17 points—but could not slow down the Dominican forward in the game’s closing minutes.
Tactical Battles and Third-Quarter Momentum
The early exchanges featured intense parity, with the scoreboard reading 6-7 as both squads recognized the early-season relegation implications. Girona fashioned an initial 10-2 run sparked by seven points from N’Guessan, later stretching the margin to ten at 25-15 behind Pérez. Coruña responded with an 8-0 burst, though the team secured a 28-23 edge at the first break following a three-pointer by Andrzej Pluta.
Exhibición de JASSEL PÉREZ en Fontajau y +5 para FIATC Girona al descanso ante un combativo Leyma Coruña. Me han gustado mucho los minutos de Dominykas Stenionis en el base. Aportando criterio y sumando ante la baja de Whittaker.
The visitors arrived in Girona hoping to establish their offensive rebounding form—averaging 40% through the opening three rounds—while trying to clean up a defense that head coach Carles Marco demanded be more constant and regular. Coruña clawed back before halftime, trimming the deficit to 53-48.
The Turning Point in the Final Period
Coruña seized momentum in the third quarter. Guided by Uleckas and a tying triple from Paul Jorgensen at 65-65, the visitors put together a 0-8 run to close the period ahead 74-76—their first lead since the opening minutes. Marco’s team found their best rhythm during this stretch, though the head coach later admitted that frustration ultimately took over when Girona mounted their response.
That response came immediately in the fourth quarter. Jassel Pérez knocked down triples to anchor a 14-0 blitz in the opening three minutes, pushing the score to 88-76. Girona out-rebounded Coruña 12-3 and dominated assists 11-1 in the final ten minutes alone.
Coaches React to the Decisive Clash
Following the final buzzer, Moncho Fernández described Pérez’s scoring output as “a madness,” while emphasizing that the forward’s defensive commitment brought him even greater satisfaction. Fernández highlighted that his team played through personnel constraints due to absences from Pep Busquets, Maxi Fjellerup, Isaac Vázquez, and Stanley Whittaker, alongside physical issues for Pluta. The Girona coach also praised Mac McClung for unselfish play after the guard struggled early, finishing with four points but distributing key assists.
On the opposing sideline, Carles Marco lamented his team’s defensive frailties after conceding 100 or more points for the third time in four games. Marco admitted his players allowed frustration to dictate their actions in the final quarter. “It’s difficult to win in the Liga ACB if you concede points with such ease and with such high percentages,” Marco stated, pointing to Girona’s shooting from distance on 20 total three-pointers.
The defeat leaves Leyma Coruña searching for answers ahead of their next fixture on Saturday in Murcia, while Bàsquet Girona celebrates in front of 4,578 spectators at Fontajau.
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