License to dream of the Spanish Cup (78-71)

In San Pablo, the night started with fear. The green and white team had to be corrected on the fly after a disappointing start. That of a cold team, without spark, legs, or concentration and in some actions even with several points of laziness. A blurred Betis and focused solely and exclusively on the triple, unrecognizable for its very low performance, which Oviedo took off the court without doing anything out of this world. It was enough for him to be organized and play as a team to open a serious gap of 16 points (7-23). Betis only added nine points after making three of their 18 shots on goal. What has been a fairground shotgun.

A first quarter, in short, that bordered on the grotesque and forced the Betis Basketball to a most inopportune overexertion. Unexpected. As if he had voluntarily wanted to give even more interest, suspense and difficulty to a tie that was already complicated, because it arrived without steam, in the final minutes of the match in Pumarín. Lobacofrom three, made the difference fifteen (11-26) and Alimerka Oviedo, of course, with so many facilities received by its rival, was already beginning to believe it. Suddenly, the game turned into a street runner and, in complete confusion, Domenech He grabbed an offensive rebound that he converted into a two plus one (18-26). A turning point. Betis tried to tighten its grip on defense and come out quickly in transition, shortening the attacks. Very, let’s say, against style.

His defensive zone It distorted Oviedo, who pressed the triple button without stopping and forgot to attack in any other way. They were forced shots, without much judgment, some well thrown, that collided with metal. Without Renfroe on the court, Betis had plugged the bleeding by collapsing the rival attack. Domenech, from the personnel line, culminated a 12-0 (13-26) in the middle of a Carbayon droughtto. Which was as long as Betis Baloncesto’s from the triple. After an Attention failure, its serial was 1/14. Fortunately for Betis, their visits to 4.60 were continuous and Nweke, the visitors’ best center, was charged with three fouls.

The game had turned radically and another winner on the counter, with a pass and basket, turned the score around (27-26), signing 18-3 in six and a half minutesio of the second partial. Renfroe, from the corner, raised Betica’s lead to five (35-30). At that point, the Green and Whites had taken as many three-pointers as two-pointers (15). Domenech was their best player, and by far over the restwith ten points, three rebounds, five fouls received and 16 rating credits. At intermission, 37-33; that is, eight income for Betis. The move to the Final Four was back on track. Real Valladolid, who then won by eight in Santiago de Compostela (23-31), then aimed to be their rival in the semifinals.

Green and white dominance is consolidated

Back from the break, a two plus one of Renfroe (41-35) outraged Javi Rodríguez, the visiting coach, who took the technique. The difference in free throws was already abysmal: 19 had been taken by Betis (30 at the end of the match) compared to six by Oviedo. There actually lay the reason for his anger, in the distribution of faults. that did not stop happening in a game that was not harsh but was roughwithout much magic, and had already lost all scoring rhythm. Dropper points. Benite couldn’t get a single shot in against a Betis side that had changed compared to the first half. Now he played longer, with the clock and activating the systems.

He wasn’t going fast, but Alimerka Oviedo, increasingly erratic, didn’t scare him either. Doménech, already posting the half turn, expanded to nine and the first threat of breakage was his signature with a triple: 51-40. Oviedo quickly aborted it with a 0-6 (51-46), but Betis once again got into the zone and their rival crashed into it. The numbers were not deceiving: the visitors, authors of 23 points in the first quarter, added 25 in total in the next two (56-48).

Renfroe finishes the job

Far from throwing in the towel, since there were twelve points to wipe, Oviedo continued working and believing, fighting against itselfuntil a mini-partial of 0-5 tied them back to the evening (56-53). And furthermore, he put himself in an area that Hughes burst with a triple replicated ipso facto by Menu (59-56). Betis was already fairer. At least in attack, where he lost finesse, success. Hutchinson pressed from the perimeter (59-58) and Hughes accepted the challenge (62-58). This player’s points drop when the game gets hotter. Jelinek It stung inside and gave the impression that the night would be whatever Betis wanted. Two actions of Renfroe of great quality they almost closed the tie (69-60). With 71-66, the leadership, hierarchy and endless talent of the American point guard, who is giving as many recitals as games played in recent weeks, defined the duel with two plus one that ensured Betis’ passage to the Final Four.