Movistar Estudiantes opened its LF Endesa campaign with a thrilling 82-78 victory against Spar Girona at a packed Movistar Academy Magariños, capped by a buzzer-beater from half court by Isa Latorre.
Intense Opening Quarter Favors Spar Girona
The match began with high intensity as Movistar Estudiantes went toe-to-toe with a Spar Girona squad arriving with rhythm from EuroLeague qualifying matches. Despite missing Zippy Broughton due to muscular discomfort and Júlia Soler as she recovered from a cruciate ligament injury, the home team utilized a strong coral effort to keep the early scoreline close. However, the visitors capitalized on perimeter shooting beyond the 6.75-meter line and punished a late offensive drought from the hosts to close the opening period ahead 16-24. The Movistar Estudiantes squad included new faces under a new coach, marking the first official home match for many players.
Second-Quarter Rally Restores Parity Before Halftime
Spar Girona extended its lead early in the second quarter, but the Madrid side refused to back down. Cheered on by a capacity crowd at the Movistar Academy Magariños, the estudiantiles mounted an 11-2 scoring run to narrow the deficit to a single point at 29-30. Although the Catalan visitors attempted to rebuild their margin, the Women in Black maintained defensive pressure on both ends of the floor, sending the game into halftime with Spar Girona holding a narrow 39-41 advantage.
Kendall Cooper and Team Effort Turn the Tide After Intermission
The visitors reclaimed control of the scoreboard immediately following the intermission, pushing the tempo. Led by Kendall Cooper—who finished the game with 17 points, eight rebounds, and a 19 valuation—and sustained by a collective team effort, Movistar Estudiantes fought back. Fueled by home support, the squad overtook Spar Girona to finish the third quarter ahead at 62-56.
Isa Latorre Seals Victory With Buzzer-Beater From Midcourt
The final quarter proved to be a tense affair inside the venue. Movistar Estudiantes built a 10-point lead before Spar Girona mounted a fierce comeback to level the score in the closing minutes. With tension mounting, point guard Isa Latorre sank a half-court shot at the final buzzer, securing the 82-78 triumph. Latorre contributed 10 points to the victory, complemented by 15 points from Lamana and 14 from Osma.
Upcoming Road Trip and Home Fixtures for Movistar Estudiantes
Movistar Estudiantes will travel to Vitoria on Thursday, October 8, at 19:00 local time to face Kutxabank Araski. Following that away fixture, the team returns to the Movistar Academy Magariños on Sunday, October 11, at 12:00 local time to host reigning league and Supercopa champions Valencia Basket.
Spanish Women's Basketball Opens Season After Medal Sweep
The LF Endesa season opened following a historic summer for Spanish women’s basketball, highlighted by a full medal sweep across five championships, featuring standout European performances from the Under-18 and Under-16 teams, a World Cup silver for the Under-17 squad, a continental bronze for the Under-20s, and a senior World Cup bronze featuring Iyana Martín. The talented point guard is one of the few internationals remaining in the league after joining Spar Girona, alongside Elena Buenavida, Helena Pueyo, Raquel Carrera, and Alicia Flórez at Valencia, and veteran Alba Torrens at Mallorca. Meanwhile, Casademont Zaragoza will soon lose Mariona Ortiz, who departs the team in December to join the innovative Project B.
