Baxi Manresa makes history and reaches the FIBA ​​’final four’

The Baxi Manresawith a last basket from the American shooting guard Joe Thomasson, got the qualification for the final four of the European Cup (BCL) basketball, which will be played in Bilbao (May 6 and 8) by winning in the second game of the quarterfinals at Unibox 89-91, in a very even match, where defense and defensive rebounding prevailed over an irregular typesetter team, who had their options, but squandered them in the final stretch.

Both teams showed the respect they have for each other in a very even first quarter, where the defense prevailed over the attack, although the Manresa team took advantage of their greater physical strength, with the Finnish forward Elijah Valtonennine points, maximum scorer.

The Baxi Manresa they were ahead on the scoreboard for much of the game, 6-9, minute 4, against a Unicaja team that was trying to be more aggressive at the back to build up the attack. The first time he turned the result around was with a basket from the Serb-Bosnian center dejan kravic23-22, minute 10, with which the first period concluded.

The exchange of baskets continued and Unicaja was the winner, although the Baxi Manresa did not lose his composure and guided by the Nigerian power forward Chima Monekwho scored seven consecutive points, led the game again 28-29, minute 14.

Unicaja, stuck in attack and soft in defence, once again had problems defending Monek and to counteract the force in both areas of the pivots, the bega Ismael Bako and Yankuba Sima, who could not stop. Four consecutive triples from the Manresa team, Moneke, Dani Perez, Rafa Martinez and the American escort Joe Thomasson, they shot the score 39-48, minute 19.

The maximum difference reached 11 points (39-50), minute 20, with Unicaja trying to get out of the defensive system imposed by the Baxi Manresa coach, Peter Martinez, and looking to close the rebound to build the attack.

The visitors, very confident, with a very physical basketball, continuously overwhelmed Unicaja, which looked insecure and lacked the power to react due to such a weak defense and serious rebounding problems 54-63, minute 27. The typesetters, despite what was happening, he tried to overcome based on triples, three from the French forward Axel Bouteille, the american point guard Matt Mooney and the power forward Carlos Suarezwhich brought them closer to the dream of the third match 65-69, minute 30.

The set changed in the last and final quarter, with a more inspired Unicaja, especially in attack, where he stood out Bouteille with eight consecutive points, two triples, which gave an unimaginable lead 77-69, minute 34. Baxi Manresa was going through difficult times, but they did not accuse him, because they continued to insist with their defense and leadership on the rebound 82-81, minute 38 .

The match entered the decisive stretch, tied, 89-89, and 16 seconds to play, after a series of triples by both teams, and with a final attack for the Baxi Manresa, who defined the American shooting guard JOh Thomasson, which gave victory to the visitors (89-91), and qualification for the final four from Bilbao.