Master lesson from a devastating Betis Basketball in Castellón (60-94)

Betis took control of the match from 13-9. Until then, it had conveyed a certain weakness in the defensive balance, but it meant changing a piece of the board and the scenario changed radically. Cvetkovic’s entry lit the flame of the fire with which Betis would burn Amics Castelló in the second part of the first quarter. There were five minutes of teaching in the direction and shooting of the Serbian, without forgetting the exceptional work of the entire team in defense, with special mention for the three recoveries of Hughes, an all-rounder who takes minutes without blinking and contributes in many concepts. Cvetkovic, with the yo-yo, upset the people of Castellon, always choosing the best option. He did not miss a single shot and led, with fifteen points, a run of 2-19 (from 13-9 to 15-28) that shot Betis up on the scoreboard, comfortable in a cushion that he would later manage with the mastery of the best administrator. Gonzalo García maintained the scheme with two point guards on the field. Control, pause and more control. That’s what Betis Baloncesto wanted, with the game tamed and the rhythm of their rival absolutely anesthetized.

Benite, with his first triple, extended it to 16 (15-31) before Cvetkovic went to the bench. Without him on the court, a loss for the green and white and a small tray for Castelló, as in the first stages of the duel. Domènech nailed a three-pointer on the board and between Benite and Renfroe they monopolized and kneaded the ball, playing long, over time, seeking contact. As the rebound was more than assured, Betis Baloncesto played at ease. And even plastic, as in a chipped pass from DeBisschop for Hughes’ layup, which ipso facto crushed with one hand and broke the game with less than 14 minutes gone (19-39). With only eight men, Gonzalo García’s troop winked at perfection. Hughes attacked the opposing rim and hit a three-pointer from the corner (19-42).

Relentless

Betis used five for five exquisitely and the biggest problem then was Doménech’s third personal foul (22-42). A triple by Benite and a dunk by Rubén López after two steals by Betis (22-47) completely dismantled Castelló, absolutely broken, bewildered and frustrated, almost surrendered. Overcome by a steamroller of mathematics, a Malay drop, this Betis Baloncesto that competes with bites with the ax in one hand and the calculator in the other (22-49). First scan the situation and then act. After a 5-0 partial, Gonzalo García used the time-out card (27-49) to abort any type of rebellion by his rival, who neither made the forced nor the released shots. It took no less than three efforts at the Betic hoop to reduce it to 20 (29-49) in the penultimate possession of an imperial first half for the Betic team, completely in blue. Cvetkovic, by the way, did not score in the second quarter, but Hughes took over and already had 17 points in his locker. The twelve Betis recoveries, their 50% in the triple and their 63 rating portrayed Betis’ impeccable performance.

Castellón, which always plays fast, which is why it has distinguished itself this season, needed to do so even more. The pressure was his. With such a large advantage, the management of the third quarter was key, decisive for Betis. Cvetkovic, in the starting five, gave another assist to DeBisschop and Hughes rubbed his hands in another one-on-one. A lethal duo that Benite joined. The three played by managing time, space and angles, looking for the extra pass and the freed player. A canonical and fluid basketball, most productive. He couldn’t relax, in any case, and he didn’t. Castelló didn’t believe in the impossible either. It was a hammer for Betis, who after a frontal triple from Hughes definitively settled the duel with a cushion of 27 points (37-64) that became 33 (37-70) after the mandatory timeout of the locals thanks to two Benite’s triples, in his sauce. Betis, on skates, had turned a morning session that was presumed, due to the circumstances, to be very cumbersome into a peaceful training session with the public. Hughes smiled after his fourth triple (39-75) and nailed the fifth (28 points) to settle the third quarter (42-78).

Domènech joined the festival (42-81) and Renfroe brought out the assist catalog (44-83). Until nine o’clock it was shot. With him on the court, Betis accumulated a 41-point advantage. Superb. And although the game invited this, the team did not let go with the risk of suffering another physical mishap. He did not completely lower the bar for his defense or his scoring ambition (44-85). Another triple from Domènech came in crying, with the squeaking of his shoes already being the ambient soundtrack of the game. It was time for Kulishenko to appear, who had been discharged due to loss, and not only did he enter the court but the Ukrainian, of good size and long arms, scored four points in a row (50-94) when the match already led to a a sequence of dunks that surrounded a match (Cvetkovic placed the ball on the ground ten seconds before the final horn) without history since the break that reaffirms Betis Baloncesto in its conviction that it can weather all the temporary.