Baskonia will play the semifinals against Madrid

Bitci Baskonia will play the semifinal of the Endesa League starting next Thursday against Real Madrid, the best of five games. Spahija’s men jumped La Fonteta again (59-76), despite the fact that they started too cold in the first quarter. Baldwin demonstrated the reason for his signing. He took the game to his field and signed some MVP numbers (19 points, 6 assists and a PIR of 28). At the time when Valencia was very thick, collapsed, in the last quarter, he never let them get up from the defense. And then Fontecchio scored from the outside (16 points and 5 rebounds).

Valencia, meanwhile, went from more to less. He signed an excellent first quarter and kept Baskonia at bay in the second. But heHermannsson’s lesion (the first examination points to a very serious ailment), with one minute to rest, affected him. With the Icelander’s knee, his entire team left the game at the worst time. The base was taking the helm of the team and when he went to the locker room the choral game was over which was dismasting the Baskonia until then. The last quarter taronja was simply a disaster. Only one basket in play in ten minutes. And wasting free endlessly. Total collapse that leads these players to be on vacation. Perhaps it was Peñarroya’s last game defending the Taronja team. A very difficult season in which the team took pride in the hardest moments. But fell short in the final matches, against Virtus, in the Eurocup; and against Baskonia, in the Endesa League.

The Baskonistas reach the semi-final packed, after a very improvable first part of the season. Nevertheless, They have arrived on time at the moment of truth. Without any pressure, the idea is to complicate things for Madrid. In the general computation of the tie they have been superior to Valencia. The home court factor that Valencia fought so hard for during the regular league, was absolutely useless.

And that Valencia entered the dynamics of the third playoff game right away. With a very physical quintet, Labeyrie of three, Peñarroya took the match to the trench of the painting. Rivero and Tobey charged inside while Baskonia did not finish defining itself. Two Baldwin free kicks made it 9-9 which meant maximum equality. But then Valencia pressed back again and finished the fourth with a partial of 11-0supported by free throws and Baskonia’s lack of success from the perimeter (2 of 8 in shots of two and 1 of 6 of three).

To ask for the first quarter for Valencia and black for Baskonia. Spahija then pulled an ace out of his sleeve that no one had. The New Zealander Wetzell was an unexpected element in the hitherto impregnable zone of Valencia. Bounce here, smack there deconcentrated Valencia. Nevertheless, Dubljevic and Pradilla continued to maintain a considerable income. Two free kicks by Claver (30-19, min. 15) restored the lead after the first Basque growth spurt. Two triples by Enoch and Fontecchio put Baskonia back in the match. And then came a key moment. Hermannsson’s knee spun on a drive to the basket and La Fonteta fell silent. The Icelander was being the taronja rudder. A 2+1 from Giedraitis, in the midst of local confusion, left a 37-34 lead at halftime. All to decide.

Valencia left the locker room with a lump in their throat after seeing Hermannsson’s suffering. A 2-8 lead with a 3+1 from Fontecchio culminated the comeback (39-42, min. 22). Valencia returned the 7-0 run with a triple by Dimitrijevic. By then, Peñarroya’s team no longer carried as much inside. They remained in the party more based on individual actions. He took pride with a triple by Labeyrie and a basket on the horn by Dimitrijevic that they still made him enter the last act in advantage (54-53) despite the fact that his trajectory looked downward.

The tie was in the last quarter. Ten minutes to be or not to be. And Valencia simply threw the season overboard. With unfortunate percentages to be playing a semifinal (1-for-9 shooting from two, 0-for-9 from three) and missing free throws (3-for-8) one after another (Rivero will have to improve in that facet if he wants to be a top center in the League) He was giving wings to a Baskonia that took the game on the back of Baldwin. Two shots by Fontecchio ended the victory for Baskonia and the season for Valencia.