More news
More news from Unicaja
The leader of the regular league and favorite to reach the final ran into an immense UCAM Murcia, who this Tuesday conquered Carpena to knock down Unicaja in the first game of the Liga Endesa semifinal series (79-88) with a magnificent performance by the duo formed by Dylan Ennis and Dustin Sleva, the latter author of 23 points and a PIR of 22.
The Martín Carpena stands met the expectations of a semi-final atmosphere of ‘play off’ (10,600 spectators), with a rhythm also of very high intensity on the court in a crossroads of two teams that are hard to beat.
From the beginning there was equality between both teams, with UCAM threatening to go ahead on the scoreboard while Unicaja lamented a zero of three in triples. However, Barreiro broke the outside drought and Alberto Díaz accompanied him, but Murcia’s good shots and their great defense tipped the balance (14-19).
It is difficult to get away from Unicaja, a team that never abandons the games even if it seems to be faltering, so it struck again towards the end of the first quarter, where the Murcians achieved a triple from Howard Sant-Roos to equalize (21-24).
The duo Sleva-Kurucswith 14 and 13 points at half-time, took control of UCAM Murcia in the second act and his team continued with the solidity of the beginning, but taking advantage of other people’s mistakes to mark the distance.
Unicaja was in a more familiar situation than it may seem, as it was not the first nor the second time that the regular season leader went to the locker room with a comeback to achieve (36-41).
Ibon Navarro’s team had their plan, despite having lost Kameron Taylor due to a chance hit by Sant-Roos that caused a gap in his eye and prevented him from returning to the game.
That plan was to revolutionize the game and play what they feel most comfortable with, the counterattack, and it materialized as soon as they returned to the hardwood with a partial start of 8-2. Thus they reversed the situation and once again led the game (44-43).
Unicaja had returned in the blink of an eye, as usual, with blows, with the differential factor of Tyler Kalinoski from the triple and with Melvin Ejim winning in the physical duel.
The noise from the Carpena stands grew as the tension was transferred from the court, with both teams raising their physical performance to the limit. The battle between Dustin Slevatop scorer of the match, and Melvin Ejimthe best of Unicaja with 15 points and a rating of 23, was all passion.
Six consecutive points from UCAM and two good baskets were more than the triples by Dylan Osetkowski and Tyson Carter, so the Murcians went into the last ten minutes with an advantage (63-67).
Once again, Unicaja found a way and through a triple from Carter, another from Alberto and a basket from Osetkowski in the paint, they regained the victory again (69-72, with 7:45 left), but the attacks withstood the UCAM.
So much so that Sito Alonso’s team led 75-83 with three and a half minutes remaining, thanks to sublime defense and aggressive rebounding, and with two minutes left they had victory in hand.
It did not escape them and UCAM will start with a 1-0 advantage in a best-of-five tie, which returns to the José María Martín Carpena Sports Palace this Thursday at 8:30 p.m. in a second part that seems exciting.
🔥 DUSTIN NATHANIEL SLEVA
🔥 𝙄𝙎 𝙊𝙉 𝙁𝙄𝙍𝙀The stitches are falling out of your hands!
The reaction of @caupain10 perfectly defines the great game of @2sleevs 💥
📺 @MovistarPlus | @UCAMMurcia #PlayoffLigaEndesa | #ReadyToBreakIt pic.twitter.com/b4ROknvtDv
— Liga Endesa (@ACBCOM) May 28, 2024
2024-05-28 20:56:01
#UCAM #Murcia #conquers #Carpena #takes #lead #series
