Endesa League: The Final Stretch
The penultimate day of the Endesa League has arrived, and the stakes are high. While some teams have secured their positions, others are still fighting for a spot in the Copa del Rey. The seventeenth day will bring a direct duel for the leadership, and the options for some teams have been reduced, while others have increased.
BAXI Manresa and Barcelona have benefited the most from their victories, and their fate is in their own hands. If they win, they will secure a spot in the Copa del Rey. Casademont Zaragoza and Baskonia, on the other hand, will have to win and wait for results to go their way.
Looking ahead to the seeds, Real Madrid is virtually in the group, and La Laguna Tenerife, Joventut, and Dreamland Gran Canaria will play for the remaining privileged position. However, the match between Unicaja and Valencia will not only decide the first place in the Endesa League but also grant the benefit of playing directly on Thursday in one of the semifinals of the Copa del Rey.
Two Places for the Cup
The teams fighting for the last two spots in the Copa del Rey are BAXI Manresa, Barça, Casademont Zaragoza, Baskonia, and UCAM Murcia. Here’s a breakdown of their chances:
BAXI Manresa has a good chance of qualifying if they win their match against Joventut Badalona. If they lose, they will still have options if Barça and/or Casademont Zaragoza also lose.
Barça depends on themselves to qualify. If they win their match against Surne Bilbao, they will qualify if Casademont Zaragoza loses or if they win and maintain their advantage in the average.
Casademont Zaragoza still has real chances of qualifying, but their average hurts them. They will get the ticket if they win their match against Coviran Granada and Barça loses.
Baskonia and UCAM Murcia have a slim chance of qualifying, but they will have to win and lose Barça and Casademont Zaragoza and overcome their basket-average.
Leadership and Seeds
The match between Unicaja and Valencia will decide the first place in the Endesa League and grant the benefit of playing directly on Thursday in one of the semifinals of the Copa del Rey.
Real Madrid is virtually seeded and will certify this mathematically if they win in Andorra or if, even losing, they do not win and are surpassed in average by La Laguna Tenerife and Joventut Badalona.
La Laguna Tenerife, Joventut Badalona, and Dreamland Gran Canaria will play for the remaining privileged position. La Laguna Tenerife must win and Joventut must not make up the difference in the average, or if they lose, the Catalans must also fall without recovering that difference and Dreamland Gran Canaria must either lose or, by winning, not be ahead in the points difference.