Founded in the late 1940s, l’Students he could boast until last summer of being one of the few clubs that had always competed in the highest category of Spanish basketball. But the outcome of a year to forget led to an inevitable decline. A dimension completely unknown to the entity, which has had to live with the LEB Or, from where he hopes to get out as soon as possible to get back to where he thinks he should be. In this particular way he has piled up hitherto unknown rivals and also reissued matches that until four days ago could be enjoyed at the ACB. Looking for the ascent, be it the fast track -more complicated because Granada can go up today- or through the play-offs, he exhausts his options starting on Friday with his visit to Girona. Estudiantes returns to Fontajau and has been doing so for 15 years after the last time. It has rained a lot since then, but some still stand the test of time. Marc Gasol, Javi Beiran and Txemi Urtasinon both sides, they experienced first hand that duel of the month of December 2007.
They will all meet again on Friday. With more years, more background, more resume. Lots of stories to tell. Surely that one is dancing in their heads Akasvayu Girona-MMT League Students. Maybe they only remember four brushstrokes. Some details. Or nothing at all, who knows. It was the tenth day and Fontajau gathered at least 3,800 spectators. They chatted bravely with the victory of his. Adjusted, yes: 82-78. On the bench, two names in capital letters. Peter Martinezfor those at home. On the other side was Velimir Perasovic. As an immediate effect, his arrival in the locker room did not serve to win but in the long run he managed to maintain the category. That Estudiantes faced and even came to dominate the scoreboard by 9 points difference: 43-52. But it didn’t work out. Much of the blame lay with two players. Jackson Vroman scored 15 points and caught 8 rebounds. But especially Marc Gasol, who climbed to 15 points and 12 rebounds to become the MVP of the day. He had already done it four times, and winter had not yet arrived.
Marc Gasol, Javi Beiran and Txemi Urtasun, still active in both teams, lived that 2007 match in the first person
Vroman died in 2015, at the age of 34, and because of a domestic incident that was both absurd and inappropriate. Gasol, who is now 37, is running out of his career and is leading the club he presides over from the court and in the offices. Sant Boi started that day in December 2007. Along with Jarod Stevenson, McDonald, San Emeterio and Vroman himself. Cvetkovic, Víctor Sada, Montáñez and Drobnjak also spoke. Those were other times. Also for Estudiantes by Sergio Sánchez, Jasen, Pietrus, Beirán … And a young Txemi Urtasun. The same one who, at the age of 38, plays today in Girona.
Also in Europe
One season earlier the same stage had hosted another Akasvayu-Students which is hard to forget. Not from ACB, but in Europe, in the so-called FIBA Cup. Competition that team, then led by Svetislav Pesic, he would end up winning by placing the trophy in his display cases. The step before the final, the penultimate chapter, was also enjoyed in Fontajau in a high voltage duel against Madrid, then commanded by Mariano De Pablos. That semifinal had only one color: red. Akasvayu was the master and lord of the party and the 6,000 spectators who did not want to miss the appointment chatted bravely with the 89-58 final.
Even before the break everything was given and blessed and there was no opportunity to think of a hypothetical reaction. Gasol also played that game and climbed to 9 points. He shared the experience with Victor Sada, McDonald (the top scorer, with 21 points), Salenga, Fucka, Bagaric, Marinovic, San Emeterio, Germán Gabriel, Thornton and a Darryl Middleton who was on his way to the age of 41 but who still there was rope for a while.
