BAXI Manresa recovers from a bad start but falls at Baskonia court
The Bages team responded after a scrappy start to the game to find themselves within five points in the final minutes, before Moneke led the Basques to victory.
94 Baskonia I Mannion 2, Marinkovic 11, Díez 10, Sedekerskis 5 and Kotsar; Howard 9, Raieste 3, Chiozza 3, Miller-McIntyre 11, Costello 17 and Moneke 23
86 BAXI Manresa I Taylor 6, Badio 20, Sagnia 14, Robinson 10 and Oriola; Travanté 12, Dani García 9, Steinbergs 3, Coulibaly 3, Valtonen 6 and Geben 3
Partials: 29-12, 22-29, 18-19, 25-26
BAXI Manresa could not obtain another victory in the Endesa League and fell on the difficult court of a Euroleague team, Baskonia (94-86). Bages' team knew how to react after a poor first quarter and were only five points behind in the final quarter, but then Chima Moneke led his team to a much-needed victory for Dusko Ivanovic's men.
The Basques came out on the court much more in tune than their rival. Their effectiveness in shooting and control of the rebound allowed them to immediately open a gap on the scoreboard against some visitors who were very unsuccessful in the three-point line. At the end of the first quarter the difference was already seventeen points (29-12).
At the beginning of the second quarter the tone was very similar, and the locals enjoyed up to 23 points of advantage (42-19). Two three-pointers from Travanté were the beginning of the reaction of the team from Manresa, who scored up to seven three-pointers in that period and had a good quarter before the break (51-41).
Coming back from the locker room, the game was very even, and the Bages team did not allow the Vitoria team to escape on the scoreboard. At the end of the third quarter, Baskonia led by nine points against a team led by Pedro Martínez that still had a chance to come back in the game (69-60).
In the last ten minutes the visitors managed to get within just five points (71-66) despite the mistake from the free throw, but then the figure of former Manresa Chima Moneke appeared, who led some very successful Basques to victory, despite the final three-pointers from Travanté and Dani García.
On Saturday starting at 6:00 p.m., BAXI Manresa will visit another complicated court, the Martín Carpena in Málaga, to face Unicaja.