The 89th edition of the Copa del Rey in Las Palmas smiled at a Unicaja that begins to get used to lifting trophies and that even discusses the national domain to Real Madrid, clearly defeated in the final, and even more crisis.
As a storm of those who hit the island from time to time, as this Sunday left waves of more than five meters on the beach of Las Cantera, the Unicaja swept through its passage through the Gran Canaria Arena. ‘Ibon has a plan’, sings the Malacitana charanga of the coach who arrived in Malaga in February 2022 dismissed from Andorra, and his players, “14 very good uncles,” they carry it out.
Once it is a coincidence, two coincidence, three, four and five titles carries the Unicaja in the last two years, with a tremendous sensation of equipment in addition, a competence machine. The Cup of two years ago, winning Barça and Madrid on their way, was a statement of intentions that resonated this week in Las Palmas.
“When a team is successful you have to assume a different role. You cannot fail. It has a good part, which are the trophies, and a bad part, which is to assume the responsibility that you become a team of the next level. The most Important is that we do not lose hunger, “said Ibon Navarro after lengthening the streak.
That Badalona Cup, the Champions Fiba last year and, this season, intercontinental, supercopa and cup: five of the nine titles in the history of Unicaja in two years. In between, champion of the regular phase of the league last campaign and, in this, leader after the first round. “It’s a fact, Unicaja is an alternative,” said Chus Mateo after falling this Sunday.
Unicaja overcame the whites in a final, as he did five months ago in the Super Cup, and achieved it once again distributing the prominence. The MVP of the Cup was Kendrick Perry, but David Kravish or Kameron Taylor could be, in that distribution of roles at the service of the team that submits the rivals.
In Las Palmas they fell one by one, without discussion. The Joventut, a historic club that dreams of emulating the Malaga era, was the first victim in the quarterfinals, and then touched the Tenerife Lagoon, both victories founded in the third quarter. Against the Canaries, the festival was from Alberto Díaz and Yankuba Sima.
The international base was decisive in both defense, its hallmark, as an expert shooter in attack, but in the final he resented the tremendous effort. Navarro could only count seven minutes with his captain, but “it is what this team is, every day one appears.” Madrid ran out of the 30 Cup, entrusted to an epic turn with Sergio Llull, an architect already of several miracles.
Neither the ’23’, nor the intimidation of Edy Tavares, nor the vertigo of Facundo Campazzo or the leadership that Mario Hezonja seems to assume avoided defeat. Those of Chus Mateo were more than in the Gran Canaria Arena: Plethoric against Baxi Manresa, suffering against Dreamland Gran Canaria and without remedy for the Cyclone Cajista.
Madrid has to continue paddling, improved after a complicated campaign start for fitting important exits with new pieces, but without champion in Las Palmas. Only a happy team comes out, despite savoring the euphoria as the host overcoming Valencia Basket and putting Madrid against the ropes during the first half of the semifinal.
The debacle in Barça squeezes a touched team
They also lived that up and down those of La Laguna, with the exhibition of Marcelinho Huertas against Barça and then touch the second final in its history. The Brazilian base, the most veteran player to play the Cup, left a performance for the memory of his almost 42 years and taught the exit door to the Catalans.
Only this Barça could be able to start with the best first quarter in the history of the competition (33 points) and end up eliminated in its debut. The healing power of a tournament that healed Barça de Svetislav Pesic or was the first title with Sarunas Jasikevicius did not help Joan Peñarroya in an irregular season, full of doubts and false steps.
The questioned Catalan technician, with a bad Fario Copero since he also did not spend the first game with Valencia Basket or Baskonia in the previous years, he saw his team collapse with the confidence for the soils and orphan of Kevin Punter. The best Culé player was injured at the beginning of the second half and no one went to the rescue.
On a very little flattering panorama, the urgency of getting up–4 years without winning the Euroleague and two leagues of the last 10-squeezes a Barça that will still have several weeks without the American base and, possibly, nor will he have Darío Brizuela, with problems in the Achilles tendon. The Basque player, ex del Unicaja, will have insurance the inner debate of how the Malaga team passes level while Barça is left behind.