Peñarroya, on the tightrope

Peñarroya committed to Baskonia last summer through a contract for two seasons until June 2024, which, in reality, is the classic 1+1. The second of them is not guaranteed and, on the other hand, is subject to a series of objectives that have not been met after the abrupt league elimination against Joventut in the quarterfinal series or the loss of the ticket for the ‘Top 8’ on the horn after a defeat in Piraeus.

Distrust of his figure has grown exponentially and, meanwhile, the first names are already emerging to occupy the Barca bench for the next season against a relief that right now is simmering.

This Sunday, without going any further, the Israeli newspaper ‘Walla’ assures that Ioannis Sfairopoulos is one of the coaches with whom Baskonia is in talks to occupy his bench. The 56-year-old Greek has been without a team since he was fired by Maccabi in February 2022. He is a renowned coach who has gone through important teams on the Old Continent, especially Olympiacos, where he played between 2014 and 2018 printing a stamp of a worked, rocky and solvent group in defensive work.

The disappointing end of the year signed by Baskonia, whose response in decisive moments has not lived up to expectations, is about to definitively take the figure of Peñarroya ahead. The Catalan coach is highly valued by the fans after the brilliant game practiced by the Vitoria squad during a large part of the campaign but he has not been able to find the key at the moment of truth with controversial decisions.

Baskonia is still immersed in its reflection period, analyzing all the options, although Peñarroya himself is already aware of the reluctance that his continuity arouses and right now your chances of completing the optional contract year are remote.

A campaign that for many months has been idyllic due to the excellent play played by Baskonia and the high figures in each match has ultimately led to a most bitter epilogue. To this is added the loss of the ticket for the ‘Top 8’ at the last moment and the tiptoeing through the Copa del Rey held in Badalona, ​​where Joventut also became the executioner of Álava. disappointments that leave Peñarroya very marked before the Barca staff and on the tightrope.

Under the leadership of the Catalan, the team from Vitoria has possibly had the funniest basketball in recent times at the Buesa Arena. One of his tasks after his arrival from Valencia Basket was to recover the illusion of the stands. In this sense, it has fully complied and his work has been immaculate with games full of drunken scoring binges that put Baskonism on its feet. A kind of fairy tale that, when the climactic stages of the season have arrived, has turned into a nightmare.

Defensive rigor has generally been conspicuous by its absence and the difficulty in billing victories away from home in the Euroleague against more modest rivals it has also been evident in contrast to games of more than 100 points. These are aspects that, in short, weigh heavily on Josean Querejeta’s mind to open the door to a new change on the bench, although all this must finish taking shape in the coming days.