King’s Cup / Quarters
UCAM subdued Valencia in the first half, but suffered and grabbed the American shooting guard due to the ‘taronja’ reaction after the break
The story of the match between Valencia and Murcia was written in two acts and an unexpected plot twist at the end. It all started with a Murcian exhibition that threatened to surprise, continued with the ‘taronja’ awakening after the break and concluded with an unexpected decision in favor of UCAM when nothing pointed to it. Thad McFadden had a good fault, who after Isaiah Taylor’s injury commanded Sito Alonso’s men, recovered from covid just in time to arrive in Granada and direct his men from the bench.
Both teams came out very unsuccessful, until McFadden, who was already dropping his mischievous intentions, took out the rifle with two consecutive triples that created the first distances. The fight continued on a stage still under Valencia’s control, but Taylor, UCAM’s sensation this season, and James Webb hit fifth gear from long range for a resounding 14-28 at the end of the first quarter.
Fifteen points from beyond 6.75 for Valencia’s zero, in a dynamic that Radovic extended with six points in a row for +17 from Murcia (19-36). Peñarroya did not find the formula to stop the bombardment of the rival, in addition to being more successful, it was also much more intense in defense, putting legs into the matter. At the break, a dozen triples from Murcia for 52 points and the short but gamers Taylor and McFadden dancing to the rival.
83
Valencia
Hermannsson (10), Prepelic (19), Puerto (-), Pradilla (2) and Dubljevic (8) –initial quintet–; Van Rossom (-), Dimitrijevic (13), López-Arostegui (7), Claver (2), Jasiel Rivero (20), Labeyrie (-) and Tobey (2).
86
UCAM Murcia
Isaiah Taylor (16), McFadden (20), Webb (13), Rojas (2) and Lima (9) –initial quintet–; Bellas (7), Jordan Davis (4), Czerapowicz (3), Vasileiadis (-), Radovic (10), Malmanis (-) and Cate (2).
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Referees:
Garcia Gonzalez, Jimenez and Cortes. -
Partials:
14-28, 19-24, 31-9 and 19-25. -
Incidents:
Third match of the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey played at the Granada Sports Palace.
Something must have happened in the ‘taronja’ dressing room at the break, Peñarroya did magic because the truth is that Valencia was another after the break. Partial 21-0 start and the advantage of Murcia that seemed like a fortune turned to dust. New game and another inconvenience for Murcia: Lima’s fourth foul, his internal reference. The thing was serious considering the exhibition in the paint by Jasiel Rivero, already in the score of points with 15 minutes to go. As if that were not enough, Taylor demanded the help of the physio in the face of physical problems.
With the game in an exchange of blows, the resolution was pure uncertainty. Tomás Bellas shot as a veteran in the hottest minutes and Taylor contributed to the cause with his last basket before getting permanently injured. The exchange of triples between Prepelic and Webb maintained the advantage of UCAM and in those, McFadden decided, with a rebound and two decisive free throws. Two veterans seasoned in a thousand battles, Dubljevic and Van Rossom, failed in their triple attempts, and with this the flame of Valencia in this Cup was extinguished.