Two points from Giorgi Shermadini at 0.6pivot for Lenovo Tenerife and ex-MoraBanc Andorra, sends Leb Oro to the Principality club. The Georgian ‘center’ scored the two decisive points for the victory of the people from Tenerife by 75 to 77. Those led by Txus Vidorreta, who was not on the bench due to suspension, defeated those led by Óscar Quintana and after eight seasons in the Endesa League, the Andorrans consummate their relegation to the second division of Spanish basketball.
The Lenovo Tenerife had a better staging at triple blow. Txus Vidorreta’s men scored 7 of 12 three-pointers in the first ten minutes with three from Sasu Salin and also three from ex-MoraBanc, Dejan Todorovic and one from Aaron Doornkemap. The starting quarter went from 2 to 9 for Tenerife in just two minutes. Óscar Quintana’s men couldn’t find a way to stop this success and they had to chip away at in defense and in attack they resisted thanks to the success of ‘Drew’ Crawford (8 points). At the end of the first quarter, 19 to 24 in favor of the team led by Marco Justo due to the penalty of a match against Txus Vidorreta. The success from the line of 6.75 served to fuel their confidence.
In the following 10 minutes, the solidity and also the clearer ideas of the visitors prevailed. The mistake in attack persecuted those of Óscar Quintana. The distances increased to nine points with 19 to 28. The Brazilian point guard Marcelinho Huertas clearly saw all the plays of his team and once again gave a master class from the direction of the game.
The tireless international of the ‘canarinha’ connected perfectly with his favorite ‘partner’, Giorgi Shermadini. The visitors easily saw the hoop and just the opposite was MoraBanc. A partial from 2 to 9 placed the maximum difference with +13 (28 to 41) with four consecutive points from Fitipaldo and a triple from Tobias Borg. At the break, anxiety overcame the Principality team.
After the restart, Lenovo Tenerife continued to dominate its rival and MoraBanc managed to get within eight points with a triple by Clevin Hannah and points by Codi Miller-McIntyre11 in this quarter, made it 40-48. If in the first half Marco Justo’s men had the success of Sasu Salin and Dejan Todorovic, in the third quarter it was Tobias Borg with two consecutive triples for 41-54. Andorran side only Miller-McIntyre scored and Shermadini, another ex-MoraBanc, dominated in the paint.
Heart and courage led Óscar Quintana’s men to close the third quarter with a 53-58 score. Much to say for the fourth quarter with the two points on the horn of ‘Drew’ Crawford.
MoraBanc grabbed the ACB League like a straw and got hooked on the game with a defense to the limit. At 5’52” he was two points away (59 to 61) with two points from Hannah who was beginning to take on responsibilities. Two free throws by Sasu Salin and a three-pointer by Doornekamp woke the Principality from their sleep. That yes, those of Óscar Quintana did not stop believing and 2’53” fthere ‘Tunde’ an additional one that would have tied the match at 68.
At 1’42”, Conor Morgan put MoraBanc ahead and three free throws by Marcelinho Huertas put Lenovo Tenerife ahead 69-71. Miller-McIntyre equalized at 1’00”, but Marco Justo’s team looked for victory with a tap from Borg at 36″8. Tunde tied again (73 to 73). The Andorran executioner was Shermadini with four consecutive points. The last two at 0″6 to go.
The best of the Andorrans was Codi Miller-McIntyre with 23 points and a PIR of 25. The best of the visitors was Shermadini with 14 points, 4 rebounds and a PIR of 19.