Welcoming a new year is always exciting, doing it after the previous barrage of postponements and the one to come, maybe a little more. Each game now seems to take on more value. In 2022 it opened in Malaga, with 112 points from Unicaja, and half an hour later the action continued in Manresa, between which was fifth, one of those who plays the best (21 assists this time), and the leader, who has turned the Nou Congost into his talisman field away from the Palace. Chains visits full of suffering, but does not stop winning. Over and over again, like this since 1998, when the then TDK became the most unexpected champion ever. On this occasion (87-92), he resolved again by crossing the finish line, muddy, as if he were completing one of the toughest classics in cycling. And in that game of struggle, Tavares made the difference. He suffered with Bako, there were Sima and Moneke, who were looking for the tickling in an accurate way, however, his 8 points, 7 rebounds and 3 fouls received in the vital section sentenced the contest (19 + 13 for a total of 32 valuation). The stands acknowledged him with applause. At his side, Rudy, with the same presence as always, that watermark that he prints on defense, and, in addition, 15 points with 5 of 11 of three.
After two separate outbreaks of coronavirus with 24 accumulated cases between both teams, and 24 days in the premises and 12 in the visitors without competing, we did not know what to expect. Perhaps a duel with the air of the second preseason, but that inactivity was more noticeable in the starting whites, especially mentally. Baxi Manresa came out wanting to play, to celebrate it with their people, and soon got into flour, from 9-2 to 13-6 with Thomasson punishing from the middle distance. Obliged time-out and meringue reaction, with a 0-7 in one minute. Tavares missed a mate and then received two unspoken fouls, he began to despair, to raise his arms, to look at the referees, and Laso exchanged him for Poirier in a preventive way.
Up to 21 players on the court in the first quarter, the two technicians wanted to give their team air to catch the rhythm, one high. The presence of Rudy gave Real another bite in defense and hit in the triple. From 1 of 5 in the first act to 6 of 12 in the second. Good minutes from Spanish international Yankuba Sima, although if Madrid did not manage to open a gap when it threatened to break (28-35) it is because it let power forward Luke Maye loose in two triples and gave cascading balls, losses that cut off the acceleration. One every two minutes at the break (18 at the end). The merit of the Baxi was there too.
In the third period, the success was unleashed until raising the partial to 30-28: Bako, Causeur and a great streak of Sylvain Francisco with 8 points and 3 assists in 4 minutes. Tie at 68, the winner would be decided on the sprint. With 80-75 Rudy and Llull appeared to tie the tie to the premises and equalize everything. A mate by Tavares and a robbery with a basket by Williams-Goss gave Madrid air: 85-88.
Both got stuck, Manresa was marching in the execution and the leader didn’t even see the hoop: he threw on the horn of various possessions, taking the ball off of him. The rebounds of Tavares in attack held the drift, the last one in defense, with the immediate staff received and the two free throws made into a goal solved a new Madrid success at the Nou Congost, one more year and they go 24 without losing. Edy went to the bench in the absence of 5 seconds applauded by the fans from Manresa. Tribute to a giant.
#Tavares #giant