Unicaja and Joventut, another classic to start the cup
The appointment of Las Palmas starts this Thursday between two applicants with a hearth
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Feb. 12 (Europa Press) –
The Copa del Rey of Basketball 2025 begins this Thursday (18.30 peninsular time) with the first crossroads between Unicaja and Joventut, a very attractive duel between two teams with palmarés, although that of the ‘Penya’ is much less updated than The Malagaño, favorites to advance in the Gran Canaria Arena.
Those of Ibon Navarro have been savoring titles in recent years: Super Cup and Intercontinental, this season, Champions Fiba last year and cup, two ago. The Andalusian painting, which in the Endesa League has two seasons leased in the lead, aspires to the third cup of its history after cutting an 18 -year -old drought.
Against the ‘Penya’ will remember their conquest in 2023, precisely in Badalona, another team with cache in national basketball, behind Real Madrid and Barça in League titles (4) and Cup (8). The Catalans however take a long time, from the KO tournament in Vitoria 2008, without lifting a trophy and want to imitate their rival.
At the controls of Daniel Miret, the ‘Penya’ enjoys a consolidated base, with experienced players, young people and signings that this campaign are working. A good mixture with which they are optimistic and can trust that the magic of the cup, which were lost last year, smiled to do something big and move forward to a semifinal against the Tenerife or Barça lagoon.
Before Tomic is the leader of the Verdinegro team and together with the reinforcement of Artem Pustovyi they form the best inner couple of the tournament. The arrival of Sam Dekker has been a turning point, with nine victories of twelve games with the American power wing. In addition, Devon Dotson also stood last summer in Badalona.
This season, Unicaja surpassed Joventut at home (75-79) on the seventh league day and, curiously, despite being two historical sets of the tournament, they have only been measured once in Copa del Rey: Victoria Malaga in Finals in 2003. The numbers, the gusts, the favorites, everything “does not matter” in a cup for an Ibon Navarro that does not trust anything.
The Unicaja coach, which in the official Survey of the ACB has 100% of the votes as the winner this Thursday, did not give importance to the two defeats of his team in the last three league games. Nor to his best position in the table, winter champion, since everything can happen in the KO tournament
The strength of Unicaja is undoubtedly coral, a solidarity effort and endless resources, something that helps the possible crises within an appointment without error margin. Kendrick Perry’s great state of Kendrick also helps, but the Fight Flag Porta Díaz. Dylan Ostkowski, Tyler Kalinoski, Yankuba Sima or the MVP of two years ago, Tyson Carter, will demand the maximum of the ‘Penya’ in a clash with Classic poster, with permission from Madrid and Barça.
Data Sheet:
-Equipos:
UNICAJA: Perry, Djedovic, Taylor, Tillie and Sima –posible initial quintet-, Pérez, Ostkowski, Balcerowski, Kalinoski, Díaz, Carter, Trujillo.
Joventut: Dotson, Oni, Robertson, Dekker and Tomic-Possible Incaial Quintet-, Kraag, Pustovyi, Vives, Torres, Platteeuw, Ruzic, Ribas, Hanga.
–Phallon: Gran Canaria Arena.
-Hora: 18.30 (peninsular)/#come on.