Copa del Rey – Quarters – Day 1
Barca
Baxi Manresa
Although the scare was terrible, Barça enforced their law in the final stages after a hard time in the final stages against Manresa, who gave their best, a sensational attempt at pirate basketball, in terms of tackling and with good taste. So the applause went to the Baxi team and the applause to the Blaugrana.
Two years ago, Manresa lost 36 points in the cup quarterfinals to a later-crowned Barça team. A beating, a good slap in the face, but one that Pedro Martínez's team didn't mind because they understood that the prize was participation and fun in the tournament. On this occasion, Baxi came to Martín Carpena with the same premise, although with a different mentality, since it is known that the rival who wants to beat her must be ready to run like hell since her attacks come at the speed of light, legs, so I love you.
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Barça scored, and in no time Taylor passed and it was Robinson who went to the basket or Pérez who defended from the perimeter; Attacks, snorting. Barça went into its game ready to sprint and choked up at the start, although Parker, who agreed with the style because his basketball comes from the NBA and the Streetrunners, was seen as habitual in recent times, a player who has adopted the form and the Clay, always a golden doll. But Giving responded to Vesely's mate as Vaulet grew larger. Moments of confusion for Barça (9-18) that expressed themselves immediately. The one where Satoransky committed a foul on offense and asked for a review from Grimau, who ignored the point guard's anger. On the next play, Satoransky made a defensive foul and went to the bench.
Jokubaitis provided the relief and also the fuel that Barça needed to get back on track to seal the epilogue with tension (22-23). Manresa then sweated, had less success shooting and was more concerned with stopping the Barça second line as Willy Hernángomez grew big under the basket.
Although the worst penalty came from Pedro Martínez against his team when he protested a referee's decision and was penalized with a technique – “Culé referee!” the flag screamed – Laprovittola added four points to a run and put Barça ahead in front of him who wanted to look in the rearview mirror. Because Vesely already ruled in painting; because Jokubaitis remembered the Repsol player who stood out with Jasikevicius; and because Parker kept doing his thing, 13 points by halftime. 50-43 for Barça and a slap in the face for Manresa because they were doing everything well until their wrist was out of alignment and the game was sprained. Or not, because this team, we said, would not repeat the mistakes of the past. Barça, who decided to play the race again, the sprint, yes.
It happened that after the break, Robinson did not lower his arms, but rather raised them above everyone to justify his ambition. This and the use of Badio – a player on loan from Barcelona – increased the score from zero to eleven, also 54-56. Counter at zero and Manresa balanced. And on the other side of the net, Satoransky was in the corner to ponder, as he didn't distill his basketball and was clumsy playing with the turbo on. That's what Jokubaitis was there for, becoming more comfortable with acceleration and able to get the best out of his teammates. With a narrow 74:71 the final chapter was reached, in which everything still had to be decided.
Hernángomez, who was colossal under the hoops with a double-double (16 points and 10 rebounds), tried to put the ball in the way, but Manresa had seven lives. Or even more so, because he once again relied on top player Badio and the three-man combinations of Pérez and Taylor that put the team in the lead. (87-88). But Parker returned to the fight with a triple, a two-pointer and a block…it was over. Nobody will take away Manresa's glory. However, Barça didn't win either.
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