BAXI Manresa debuts in the BCL with a clear victory against Benfica
The Bages team dominated their rivals from the start and did not suffer at any time to take their first victory in the European competition. Derrick Alston Jr., the most outstanding.
92 BAXI Manresa I Saint-Supéry 13, Hunt 14, Sagnia 5, Alston Jr. 25 and Cate 14; Ohams 5, Vescovi, Jou 2, Steinbergs 2, Obasohan 5, Brimah 5 and Dani Pérez 2
64 SL Benfica I Barbosa 3, Thornton 13, Gomas 6, Stone 11 and Carvacho 4; Francisco 6, Silva 6, Ben Romdhane 6, Gameiro 3 and Relvao 5
Partials: 31-17, 21-20, 27-15, 13-11
BAXI Manresa made its debut in the Basketball Champions League with a resounding victory against Portuguese side SL Benfica at the Nou Congost (92-64), in a match that it dominated from the start.
The players led by Diego Ocampo came out onto the court with great intensity, which allowed them to clearly dominate the start of the match. Ten points in a row from the red team put them at a maximum difference of eighteen points. The first quarter ended with a 31-17 score.
In the second period the game was more even, which favoured the team from Manresa who maintained a comfortable lead throughout, despite a 0-8 run by the Portuguese. At half-time, the Bages team had a fifteen-point lead (52-37).
Coming back from the changing rooms, the red team did not stop for a moment and continued with a high level of play, with a 13-0 run that allowed them to leave the match practically decided at the end of the third quarter, with a 27-point lead (79-52).
There was not much going on in the last ten minutes. Both coaches took advantage of the situation to distribute minutes between all their players, and the fans present at the Nou Congost were able to enjoy their team's play, despite the lower accuracy in the final moments.
On Sunday from 17:00 BAXI Manresa will play the second matchday of the Endesa League, in a Catalan derby on the court of Bàsquet Girona.