Betis Basketball has a problem at home (94-86)

Like other away games, the Betis It started with all the rope given. Renfroe set the pace, DeBisschop I read the continuations, Jelinek was reunited with the triple after more than a month away from the court and, to complete the picture, Betis punished the defensive balance with supersonic attacks, with a pass and a basket. The Green and Whites soon doubled their lead and it didn’t take them much longer to surpass the ten lead, with DeBisschop mistreating the hoops, Kasibabu scoring after an offensive rebound or Hughes from the perimeter (16-26). Everything was going well for Betis, which governed and at times dismantled the COB. Excellent in defensive temperature and overwhelming in attack, with resources to score in all ways, Betis Baloncesto had nailed 30 points with 70% shooting from the field. With eight up (22-30), maintaining those vital signs away from home and against a rival like COB was a challenge for Gonzalo García’s troops, with pending matters at home. At 24-31, DeBisschop was charged with unsportsmanlike behavior for losing his balance in a jump and unintentionally hitting an opponent while attacking the basket. The temperature rose in the stands and on the green-and-white bench.

Krikke was already fueling the Galicians as a source of scoring and the income vanished after a counterattack by Javi López who signed the 8-1 starting score of the second quarter (30-31). Renfroe then took the command staff and Rubén López took the pick and shovel. The man from Madrid is a very efficient player, who contributes a lot in the minutes on the court. He recovered two balls (four in total at half-time) to counter Betis, who maintained control but with no trace of the comfort of the first quarter. The refereeing, very punctilious, was not liked one bit by the green-and-whites, who were waiting for the night in Toledo.. What seemed like a freeway in the opening quarter now looked much more like steep terrain.

Wake up Ourense

The growth of the Orense defense was largely to blame. The scoring flow had been cut off and both Hughes and Kasibabu were already charged with two fouls, but Betis kept the defensive firewalls up and launched tricks in the transition (34-39). Jelinek responded to Brito in the triple (37-42) and the game was evenly matched. Everything cost much more for Betis, faltering in attack and defense, feeling the breath on the neck of the Galicians (43-44), who made the comeback with four points in a row (47-44) on the verge of a break that Betis I needed like May water. Because there was a chasm between the dazzling team of the first quarter and the stiff one of the second. The second most motley defense in the Primera FEB, which barely tolerates 71 points on average against its rivals, had already conceded 47 at Paco Paz. Too many. The evil seemed perfectly located. It was time to galvanize. The people from Orense had made 63% of their shots into baskets. Without concrete, victories are difficult to build.

With a partial score of 0-5, after a technical to Brito, Betis leveled the game (51-51) and finally the Green and Whites nailed a triple (Radoncic). After a much-discussed foul by Renfroe, the American was replaced by the Hispanic-Colombian Attentionwho made his debut with his new team and immediately scored (56-56) and assisted under the basket for a two plus one from Hughes (58-59). Betis, who had produced 30 points in the first ten minutes, needed fifteen to reach 60. He lacked artillery, from Benite (he only had four) and from the triple (4/13). Point up, point down, equality was not broken. It was the pattern of behavior of the party. Atencia scored two, but Ourense scored three (68-64) and Kasibabu was punished with the third for moving in a block. A slight hip movement. If the newcomer had to pull the wagon taking too many shots, it is because Betis Baloncesto did not perform as expected. And, in fact, he was getting dangerously cold. Another triple by Monteiro already caused a timeout (71-64). With Betis in the gorge, Hughes came to the rescue with six points in a row (74-70). The match was open, but Betis Baloncesto needed an extra back and sharpened their aim. He had already made eight free throws along the way.

Without triples and without Benite

Benite was still at odds with the hoop and Radoncic (he had 15 points and 10 rebounds, but also three fouls), on the bench. Ourense scored easily and with quality. At 80 points he was already eight minutes ahead. The physical and contact level increased, absences and visits to the personnel line accumulated. A massive pilgrimage. Betis, blurredhe neither controlled the rebound nor had a scoring rhythm. It had been like this for many minutes, in fits and starts, without any punch in attack. With a very poor series in the triple (4/17), he continued to cling to life (81-77), waiting for his moment. Although Hughes had no patience and looked for him. Also Radoncic, who adjusted the difference (83-81), but only momentarily. A triple by Brito put Betis on the ropes with two minutes left (90-84). Gonzalo García, slate in hand, was puffing on the bench. Returning from time out, Benite missed his sixth triple of the night and there Betis’ options definitively evaporated, as they threw in the towel (94-84) and are losing their status as favorites for promotion.