Sweet defeat for BAXI Manresa, who will play the play-off against Unicaja
Those from Bages, who competed until the end on the difficult Lenovo Tenerife court, benefited from Baskonia's defeat on the Real Madrid court.
84 Lenovo Tenerife I Huertas 20, Fitipaldo 8, Cook 3, Abromaitis 13 and Guerra 11; Vicedo 2, Guy 12, Diop 5, Sastre 7 and López 3
80 BAXI Manresa I Dani García 5, Badio 6, Vaulet 8, Robinson 11 and Geben 12; Travanté 9, Taylor 6, Steinbergs, Sagnia, Mawugbe, Oriola 10 and Dani Pérez 13
Partials: 20-13, 25-30, 18-17, 21-20
BAXI Manresa is a play-off team. Bages' team competed until the end on the complicated Lenovo Tenerife court and were on the verge of forcing extra time, but in the last play Abromaitis blocked Badio. However, Baskonia fell to Real Madrid and could not take the ticket from the Manresa team, who will face Unicaja in the quarterfinals.
The islanders made a better start and immediately took control of the score thanks to their success from the triple (they scored four in seven attempts). For their part, the visitors hurt their rival on the offensive rebound and closed the first quarter only seven points behind (20-13).
In the second, the Canaries punished the Manresans under the basket and reached a maximum difference of ten points (26-16). However, Bages' team reacted very effectively from long distance: six of seven in triples, the last from Dani Pérez who made it 45-43 at halftime.
Returning from the locker room, Pedro Martínez's men made a great start and managed to turn the score around and be four points clear midway through the third quarter (50-54). Immediately afterwards, the locals did not take long to come back and ended the period with a three-point margin (63-60).
In the last ten minutes the Txus Vidorreta players wanted to break the game and took an eight-point lead (70-62). But the visitors did not give up, they closed the gap and competed until the end with their powerful rival. They even had the final play to take the duel to overtime, but Abromaitis blocked Badio and Huertas scored from the free throw line.