In Gran Canaria, Jaque to the duopoly. The Copa del Rey that on Thursday starts on the island is a challenge to established power. The two Spanish basketball giants, Real Madrid and Barcelona, no longer make throne aspiring. The story is in its favor: Catalans and White have distributed 14 of the last 15 titles, seven per beard, with the only migaja of the Unicaja in 2023. But a season with many curves in both teams, the changes in their templates, the Infinite wear of the Euroleague and the growth of Unicaja and Valencia question that this trophy ends in the usual showcases. The Malaga team opens the Carnival (18.30, Spanish peninsular time; Movistar) before the appointment between Barça and the Tenerife (21.30). On Friday, Real Madrid-Baxi Manresa (18.30) and Dreamland Gran Canaria-Valencia (21.30). The two greats can only cross the final, although armed rivals close their way.
Unicaja lands on the island with the wind in favor of two last seasons. Valencia, auged by numbers. Ibon Navarro works for the plan. The Vitorian coach has led the Andalusians to four titles in two years, an unpublished cycle in the carpena: Cup, FIBA champions and, this same season, the intercontinental and the Spanish Super Cup won the Madrid in September. A Poquer de Aúpa based on the continuity of a script and a block of players.
Valencia is clearly another author team. It is impossible to separate the good orange health of Pedro Martínez’s return to the bench in which he conquered the ACB League in 2017 against Madrid of Luka Doncic. Today is the most scoring set among the eight coperos (96.3 points on average per game), the most rebounding (40.9), with the addition of offensive catches (14,5), the one that has the most possessions every 40 minutes (76.4), the one that scores the most in the painting (38) … On 16 occasions this campaign between League and Eurocup has reached or exceeded 100 points in his favor, a gale with the ball in the hands that even stepped on the First position of the league classification seven years later.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbufbeuf59o
Madrid and Barça leave the unknown what face they will show in the Cup. White Fernando. The Chus Matthew team is a solo leader of the ACB (a victory more than Unicaja and Tenerife), but has skipped in its last three matches of the Euroleague, three visits to bones such as Monaco, Efes and Fenerbahçe. Europe is a foal of torture with obvious consequences in the domestic competition. That they tell Baskonia, out of the cup per second year, and Barcelona, which in another trial course (from Jasikevicius Saras to Roger Grimau and from Grimau to Joan Peñarroya) took the ticket for Gran Canaria in the last match of the first round. It is no accident that Unicaja and Valencia have a better color in the face when driving outside that highway that is the largest continental competition.
Madrid pursues its 30th cupcake title. Barça, approaching the king with the 28th crown of his record. Valencia looks for a partner for his only conquest, in 1998 against Joventut. Gran Canaria fights curse: Tau in 2002 is the last host champion. Since Baskonia celebrated in 2009, only Unicaja has broken the cast between the two greats. Is it time for the alternative?
