A gala Martín Carpena, always hostile territory, and a sweet Unicaja, undefeated and leader of the Endesa League, were too much for the incipient Barça project led by Joan Peñarroya. The Blaugrana, still missing the injured Laprovittola, fell to a Malaga team that decided the duel in the last minutes (103-96). A defeat, the second in a row in the ACB, which comes before facing a tough week in the Euroleague, with visits to Istanbul and Athens. The calendar gives Barça no respite.
As expected, Navarro’s team pushed from the start, always with intensity and determination in their flag attack. In a start where successful shooting prevailed and in which losses occurred, Taylor, Osetkowski and Perry gave a first advantage to those in green (18-12), without the injured Alberto Díaz. The Blaugrana, improving little by little in defense, reduced the disadvantage thanks to the impeccable Satoransky (10 points) and Anderson (15 points), both without error in shooting in a first half that ended tied (49-48).
A triple by Perry began to decide the game for the Malaga team at the Martín Carpena
Unicaja threatened to break the duel after the break with some successful Perry and Taylor, who had a 10-3 run. The lead went to 13 points (70-57), but then Vesely, Metu and Brizuela appeared to return the partial (14-4) and enter the final match with everything to be decided (74-71).
The offensive joy ended and tension prevailed in an even final quarter that began to be decided with a triple by Perry (22 points) less than two minutes before the final horn. A basket by Sima, without opposition, and a string of free throws sealed the victory for Malaga and the defeat of a Barça with little prominence from Punter (3 points) and none from Hernangómez, with no minutes.
For its part, Baxi Manresa only competed for the first five minutes at the WiZink Center (86-61) against a Real Madrid that continues its progression after a bad start to the season. Ocampo’s men, prisoners of their external mistakes and losses, buried their options in a disastrous second quarter (25-8). With the game decided at half-time (47-21), Hezonja and Musa secured the victory in the second half against a team from Manresa that has not won away from Nou Congost since April.
On the other hand, Hiopos Lleida added its second victory in the ACB in Lugo against Río Breogán (77-81). Gerard Find’s team won a very close game that was decided in the last minute with a basket by Paulí, the best of the Ilerdenses, and a free throw by Bropleh.
#Unicaja #Barça
