Basconia – Alba Berlin 85-68: Outstanding and first in 10 wins

It wasn’t the game that all of Europe was watching, it wasn’t the commercial game that the EuroLeague was looking forward to, but Basconia and Alba put up a nice fight on Friday night (18/3) at the Fernando Buesa Arena. In the end, the Vitoria team clinched the win (85-68) to move up to 10-15 after game 30 of the regular season and drop the Berlin team to 9-13.

Rocas Gentraitis broke with his former team, Wade Baldwin filled his stats with some great moments of execution and creation, Marinkovic, Senderkerskis and Fontekio followed. Jalin Smith and Oscar Da Silva were the only ones rescued from Alba, with Luke Sikma ending the forty minutes with a 0/8 shot and Maodo Lo’s absence felt early in the game.

The race

The two teams went into the game with ups and downs, but also with excellent percentages in the outside shot. Basconia closed at 4/6 with three points in the first ten minutes, Alba had 5/10 for 21-19, but the hosts were also fuller and more effective in defense near the basket, going through 44-31 at halftime The visitors had 28.6% on the two points and seven errors for their eight assists. Sikma had 0/6, Zusman had 1/5, Baskonia kept errors low (four for 11 final passes) and the match had a clear favorite.

The difference remained in double digits early in the second half, reaching 15 (54-39) in 24′, but an outburst from Alba and baskets from Da Silva, Zusman, Kumaji closed the gap and reduced possession (62-60 in 29′ ) to have a new interest in the game. Senderkerskis and Giedraitis opened the fourth quarter with a quick 5-0 for +9, Marinkovic scored from the periphery 76-62 in 34′ and from then on Baskonia didn’t look back. Spahia received significant help from Senderkerskis, Gonthaleth found their own players unable to roll over and by the end of the evening only the best team had won.

THE TEN MINUTES: 21-19, 44-31, 64-60, 85-68

BASCONIA (Spahia): Raieste, Baldwin 16 (4/8 two points, 1/3 three points, 5/6 shots, 7 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 error in 28:59), Senderkerskis 7 (1), Marinkovic 10 (2 ), Fondekio 12 (4/5 three points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists), Inoc 6 (5 rebounds, 2 assists), Costello 9 (7 rebounds), Peters 3 (1/8 shots), Gentraitis 22 (6/8 two points, 3/8 threes, 1/2 shots), kuruts

BERLINER ALPHA (Gondaleth): Da Silva 13 (6/8 two points, 1/2 shots, 7 rebounds, 2 steals), Smith 16 (3), Delou 2, Matisek 8 (2), Snyder 3 (1/8 shot), Kumaji 2, Shikma 2 (0/8 shots, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 penalties), Hand 10 (2 3-points, 6 assists, 4 penalties), Zusman 4 (2/7 shots), Lammers 8 (4/ 5 2-hand)

Statistics of the Basconia group: 20/36 two points, 11/28 three points, 12/15 shots, 43 rebounds (32 defensive – 11 offensive), 24 assists, 5 steals, 5 blocks, 10 errors

The group statistics of Alba Berlin: 19/39 two points, 8/30 three points, 6/9 shots, 35 rebounds (22 defensive – 13 offensive), 19 assists, 6 steals, 3 blocks, 12 errors

The next games of the two teams: In the 31st game, Baskonia welcomes Fenerbahce (23/3, 9:30 p.m.), Alba Berlin welcomes Barcelona (22/3, 9:00 p.m.).