The Sant Antoni Bàsquet Club is already counting down the hours to dispute what will be its first play-off for promotion to the LEB Oro. A historic milestone for Ibizan basketball, since never before has a men’s team from the Pitiusas been so high. In addition, those from Portmany have achieved it in their first season in the LEB Plata.
The moment will be lived this Sunday, at 7:00 p.m. at the Palacio de los Deportes de La Rioja, in Logroño. They will face Reina Yogur Clavijo CB in the first leg of the round of 16, a club that has already played in the LEB Oro. pass to make the category jump. Because in case of being one of the two teams that remain alive after these crosses (after the semifinals) they will achieve the dream.
“It is something that to date had not happened on the island of Ibiza. It is a great honor to preside over the club that has achieved it. And, above all, it is a great dream to carry the name of the island and of our town wherever we go and we get this ‘play-off’. For us it is already a prize, because when we started this adventure in LEB Plata we never imagined that we could manage not only to be in the promotion phase, but also to play a Cup final, as we did”, declared Vicente Costa, president of the CB Sant Antoni.
The top leader of the San Antonio entity said that in this promotion to LEB Oro there is “little to lose” and “a lot to gain.” “Put to work, we go to the top. Let’s see if we don’t just stay in this tie and we can get more”. “We are very excited to see how far we can go. Low pressure. Let’s see where our players can take us”, Costa indicated, that he cannot travel to Logroño but that he did point out that the team will have the support of “some fans”.
Juanjo Talens, president of the Balearic Islands Basketball Federation, commented that what Sant Antoni is doing “is very important”. “He is taking giant steps and very fast. Last year we saw it in the EBA League. I was watching the game against Castelldefels, which was qualifying for the promotion phase. Then in the phase he competed a lot and managed to climb due to the different circumstances that occurred. And in LEB Plata, in the first year, it is at a very high level. I am convinced that he will keep him in the ‘play-off’ now. Above all, if he brings back the players who couldn’t take part in the last game against Hestia Menorca”, declared Talens.
praise
The person in charge of Balearic basketball added that “it is very important” the “reactivation” that the project of those from Portmany supposes for the sport of the basket. Talens praised the efforts of “all the people who are dedicating themselves to forging a club project, a benchmark for Ibiza basketball”. “My congratulations to those who are working so hard and all the luck in the world to face this ‘play-off’, which I am convinced will give us joy,” he said.
Meanwhile, Javi Ferrer, island basketball delegate, defined that what CB Sant Antoni is achieving is “a total success for the club”. “They’ve handled it pretty well,” he too said. “I wish we had the joy of being able to ascend. I see it as possible, especially as a result of having seen the match of the LEB Plata Cup final in Amorebieta. Seeing the level of the team they faced in the Cup, Teknei Zornotza, who had qualified as leaders, and how they were played means you can compete against anyone. Possible? Yes. Difficult? Much. Like all the ‘play-offs’”, explained Ferrer.
The island delegate also acknowledged that CB Sant Antoni has managed to get the people of Ibiza hooked on basketball again. “People need high-level basketball and here we are already talking about it, and there is a show. In addition, good results have been obtained. When a team is up, people sign up for a bombardment. We hope that it will continue there”, declared the insular delegate.
On the other hand, the coach of the rival team, Jenaro Manuel Díaz Fernández, is an old acquaintance of the Ibizan fans. In fact, she trained EBE Promociones Puig d’en Valls more than a decade ago in the Women’s League, the top women’s basketball competition in Spain. It was in the 2009-10 season, but she did not finish the course with the PDV. Her resume also includes her extensive experience as an assistant coach in the Spanish men’s team between 2004 and 2017, participating in multiple successes for the national team.
The program of matches of the promotion phase:
Final for the title and direct promotion (first leg): Bueno Arenas Albacete Basket – Grupo Alega Cantabria CBT (April 17, 7:30 p.m.).
Round of 16 (first leg):
Spare parts Gaudí Mollet – Hereda Club Ourense Baloncesto (April 17, 7 pm).
Decolor Fun. Globalcaja La Roja – Teknei Bizkaia Amorebieta (April 17, 7 pm).
Valencia BC – Tizona University of Burgos (April 17, 5:30 p.m.).
Zamora Enamora – Hestia Menorca (April 17, 6:30 p.m.).
Enerparking Basket Navarra – FC Cartagena CB (17 abril, 12 h.).
Yogurt Queen Clavijo CB – CB Sant Antoni (17 abril, 19 h.).
CAM Enrique Soler – My Architect CB Benicarló (April 16, 8:00 p.m.).
