The motivation to remain untouchable at home

This Sunday, six days after knocking down Alimerka Oviedo in San Pablo and ensuring their presence among the four best in the cup tournament, the green and white team tests the resistance of their armor at home against Hestia Menorca. And he will do it without the services of his new player. Babatunde Olomuyiwa, Tundehas returned to the Verdiblanco team with a temporary contract that can be extended until the end of the course to give more packaging, consistency and rebound to the inside game, very limited by the injuries of Álex Suárez and DeBisschop. However, the one from Sierra Leone, an expert man of 2.03 and 32 years old, will not make his debut yet. According to club sources, with the rush of the registration deadlines, which ended on Friday at 2 p.m., there was no time to present all the documentation to register him. So it will premiere on Saturday, January 18 in Fuenlabrada.

He Hestia Menorca They are in the middle of the table, closer to the promotion play-off with their six victories than to relegation. It is a well-armed team that plays a lot in the low post, in the middle of the court and is planted in the capital of Seville after achieving two consecutive victories on its court. It stands out fundamentally for its defensive strength: barely concedes 76 points from its opponentswith 47% shooting from two and 33% from three. The Mahoneses have interesting players such as their point guards, the two Pols (Figueras and Molins), the perimeter scorer Pavlin Ivanov, the American guard Jalen Cone, the forward with experience in the ACB Diego Alderete or the veteran center Víctor Arteaga, their most important man. valued with 15.3 credits thanks to his 12.4 points and 6.5 rebounds on average. Verdiblanco youth player David Gómez is on loan to Menorca.

As it is a team that moves very well in games with low scoring volumes, this Hestia Menorca can put any third-party rival in trouble if they are not focused and physically at their best. In fact, in the last few days they have been able to beat HLA Alicante (73-71) and Súper Agropal Palencia (84-78). It is not easy to string together two wins in a row at home and the Balearic Islands, who are losing at home, have achieved it and will arrive in Seville with bubbling confidence.

Difficulties

All of these listed dangers face the Betis Basketballwhich due to the already known circumstances is suffering greatly in recent weeks although it is carrying out most of its commitments. And, like a chameleon, adapting to all possible contexts, propelled on many occasions by the ease of many of its players in unloading triples, but also by the commitment to the cause of the group, which has more than enough heart to rebel against the circumstances. Against this plague of injuries that has been claiming victims and depleting the group’s resources. In Zamora, Jelinek He played sick and against Alimerka Oviedo, with the virus installed in the locker room, Radoncic made a herculean effort to be with his teammates, get dressed and play without having trained the day before. Unforeseen setbacks that add to the injuries Alex Suarez, DeBisschop and Cvetkovicthe one closest to his reappearance.

Orphaned the team of three pillars like those listed, there are players with many minutes in their legs who have taken a step, even several, forward. Renfroe It is the most paradigmatic case. He was already proclaimed MVP last day, with a spectacular performance in Zamora; and against Alimerka Oviedo, last Monday, it was once again very important and decided the night in the final minutes with three or four plays of great quality. Where physicality does not reach him, talent reaches him, the ability to scan rival defenses and, depending on the team’s needs, accelerate, temporize, threaten from three or play the block and continue. And in the absence of centers, Domenech rebelled against his former team with a very complete game, showing Gonzalo García de Vitoria that you can count on him.

In survival mode

If this Betis Baloncesto has something, despite the regrets, it is that it always competes. His ability to hold on during his grayest days allows him to be very competitive and recover from his short circuits. As its sports director recently expressed, Armando Guerrerothe team is in survival mode right now. Weathering the storm without breaking down or losing the direction of the ascent although, it is true, the possibility of going up directly seems remote right now. There are, however, 19 days of the regular phase left, a world. And Betis Baloncesto should not stop or settle. There is always a new incentive in every game. Today, finish the first round undefeated at home so that the good habit of doing homework in San Pablo is prolonged and the bath of its president, Pedro Fernández, is postponed for one more game.