BAXI Manresa suffers and comes back against Benfica
Diego Ocampo's men bounce back from a start to the match where things didn't quite go their way and end up winning in Lisbon by 80 to 91. A huge challenge on the last day to finish first in the group.
80 SL Benfica I Rorie 12, Drechsel 7, Broussard 12, Stone 9 and Carvacho 14; Francisco 11, Silva 6, Barbosa, Ben Romdhane 7 and Gameiro 2
91 BAXI Manresa I Dani Pérez 5, Obasohan 9, Sagnia 2, Alston Jr. 23 and Massa 7; Reyes 11, Steinbergs 6, Hustak 1, Saint-Supéry 7, Hunt 8 and Cate 12
Partials: 23-15, 21-18, 19-24, 17-34
BAXI Manresa won on the court of Portuguese SL Benfica (80-91), in a match in which they were behind until the last quarter, when a partial of 17-34 gave them the victory. With this result, the Bages team continues to have a chance of finishing the first phase of the Basketball Champions League in first place. To achieve this, they will have to beat the Italian Derthona by eighteen or more points next Tuesday at the Nou Congost.
The locals took to the court with greater success and dominated the game from the start thanks to Stone's leadership. At the end of the first quarter, the Portuguese team led by eight points (23-15).
In the second period, the tone did not change much. Benfica continued to control the scoreboard and stopped any attempt by Diego Ocampo's men to react, who went into the break with an eleven-point disadvantage (44-33).
Coming back from the locker room, it seemed that everything was the same, but the Manresans managed to react and get within just two points (56-54). However, the locals took advantage of the end of the third quarter to extend the lead to six points (63-57).
In the last ten minutes, Bages could have turned the score around thanks to a triple from Reyes with just over six minutes left (70-71). From then on, the visitors showed their superiority and knew how to take advantage of their rival's bad moment to reach the final moments with the victory in the bag.
On Saturday from 18:00, BAXI Manresa will host MoraBanc Andorra, with Jerrick Harding and "Tunde" Olumuyiwa, at the Nou Congost.