Bàsquet Girona’s win was as crucial as a spring shower – it brought much-needed relief. They sealed a significant victory by defeating Joventut de Badalona 83-76 in a match that the home team dominated from the second quarter onwards. The locals’ improved defensive performance, which forced 16 turnovers and dominated the rebound, proved to be pivotal in securing their seventh win of the season. This triumph, coupled with Granada’s loss to Unicaja, allowed Girona to climb out of the relegation zone. Interestingly, four of Girona’s seven wins this season have been against Catalan teams, showcasing their strong regional performance.
As the match unfolded, it became clear that this was more than just another game – it was a derby. Girona, driven by the necessity to win, started strong with a 5-0 partial score, only to see Joventut swiftly counterattack, capitalizing on their towering players, Ante Tomic and Artem Pustovyi. The locals managed to stay afloat thanks to Juani Marcos’s presence on the court, but their offensive ideas seemed to dry up when he wasn’t playing. The introduction of Aljami Durham into the game injected a fresh dynamic, enabling Girona to secure an early lead of 16-12. However, the pace of the game didn’t let up, with Pau Ribas transforming Joventut’s defensive energy and eventually leveling the score.
Ventaja local al descanso
The triples started to fall for Moncho Fernández’s players once again, as they improved their defensive stance and gained confidence in their attack. Nike Sibande’s exterior accuracy allowed the locals to pull ahead by 8 points, but Yannick Kraag, with his brilliant 2+1 play, managed to cut the deficit. Joventut struggled to fully bite into the difference, and the home team went into the half-time break elated after Mindaugas Susinskas hit a buzzer-beating triple, making the score 38-33.
The match continued with Girona maintaining their lead, leveraging the entry of Aljami Durham to dictate the pace. Despite the intensification of Joventut’s efforts, especially through Devon Dotson and Ante Tomic, they lacked the arsenal to catch up with Girona. The effectiveness of Susinskas enabled the home team to achieve their maximum lead of +11, complicating Joventut’s chances of overturning the score as the minutes ticked by.
Reacción infructuosa del Joventut
With just five minutes left and trailing by 12 points, the scenario looked bleak for Joventut. The loss of Pustovyi to five fouls and the disappearance of Sam Dekker from the game essentially required a miracle to avoid their second consecutive defeat. Joventut reacted with a 0-7 partial score that threatened Girona’s ambitions, but Moncho Fernández’s call for calm and focus saw his team maintain their grip on the game. With 63 seconds left, Girona was firmly in control. As the final buzzer sounded, euphoria erupted in the stands – after weeks of walking a tightrope, Girona had secured a win that propelled them out of the relegation zone, finishing the game 83-76.
Ficha técnica:
The final scores were: 83 – Bàsquet Girona (18+20+28+17), with notable performances from Durham (15 points), Geben (11 points), and Susinskas (11 points); and 76 – Joventut Badalona (18+15+25+18), led by Tomic (17 points), Dotson (14 points), and Kraag (9 points). The referees for the game were Jiménez, Araña, and Esteve, with Pustovyi being foul-ed out in the 34th minute. The match, part of the 22nd round of Liga Endesa, was played in front of 5,183 spectators at the Pavelló de Fontajau in Girona.