Murcia, May 14 (EFE).- Casademont Zaragoza has avoided relegation by beating UCAM Murcia 72-77, which has been left without a playoff for the Endesa League title in a season in which it ended up being tenth classified with 16 wins and 18 losses -it has also been overtaken by Surne Bilbao Basket-.
Los maños, with 12 wins, have reached their goal to be sixteenth and second to last, just ahead of MoraBanc Andora and Hereda San Pablo Burgos, the two teams that have relegated.
With the best entrance of the season at the Palacio de los Deportes de Murcia -6,660 spectators in the stands- and against a rival who was playing for permanence, Sito Alonso’s men were far from reaching their best version and that deprived them of a victory that would have allowed them to be eighth because Real Madrid did do their part and beat Gran Canaria in Las Palmas by 66-83.
Casademont, meanwhile, reached their goal in a game in which, except for the initial 2-0 with a basket by Augusto Lima, they always dominated. Already in the first quarter he had a 13-point lead (10-23) thanks to the success of Dino Radoncic and Christian Mekowulu. However, a 7-0 run narrowed the numbers to 17-23 with which the first quarter ended.
In the second the handful team was again more in tune and that allowed Dragan Sakota’s men to open the gap again at 19-31 with a good defense that made the university students only score two points in five minutes.
Despite this, the appearance of Kostas Vasileiadis, with seven points from the Greek, led to the break being reached with just two points difference in favor of the Aragonese (33-35).
History repeated itself in the second half and Casademont Zaragoza continued to rule with Adam Wazyncski plugged in (46-58). The Murcians lacked energy and success and the fourth ended 49-59.
The visitors had the match where they wanted and Santi Yusta’s moment in the match ended up sentencing him. Nine points from the Madrid forward, with two triples and a 2+1, made the maños manage to score 19 points with eight minutes to play (49-68).
However, a 15-2 run made the university students believe that they were within six goals (64-70) and Sakota did not hesitate to stop it with a timeout.
From then on, the exchange of baskets favored the team that was winning.
Two triples converted by James Webb and Thad McFadden left the match still to be resolved with 40 seconds to play (72-75).
However, Sean Kilpatrick, the match’s top scorer with 16 points, sentenced him with two free throws scored.
– Data sheet:
72 – UCAM Murcia Basketball Club (17+16+16+23): Taylor (8), Davis (9), Rojas (-), Webb (13) and Lima (8) -initial five-, Bellas (2), Malmanis (-), Radovic (2), McFadden (8), Cate (4), Czerapowicz (4) and Vasileiadis (14).
77 – Casademont Zaragoza (23+12+24+18): San Miguel (3), Ferrari (4), Wacynski (12), Radoncic (14) and Mekowulu (13) -initial five-, Bone (-), Kilpatrick (16), Yusta (9), Cook (3), Hilanson (3) and Thompson (-).
Referees: Daniel Hierrezuelo Navas, Jordi Aliaga Solé and Joaquín García González. Without eliminated.
Incidents: Match corresponding to the thirty-fourth day of the Endesa League, the last of the regular championship, which was played at the Palacio de los Deportes de Murcia before 6,600 spectators.
(c) EFE Agency