Like a real roller. This is how Baskonia just behaved in the lair of a poor Gran Canaria, who could do nothing to stop the deluge from Alava (68-96). Howard gave a recital to lead a key victory for those from Peñarroya, who also advance their rival tonight in the standings, also directly in that fight for the Copa del Rey. Against a brilliant rival, furious in defense and unstoppable in attack, Lakovic’s host made water from the very initial jump.
All the embarrassments that Gran Canaria could have were blown up, completely dynamited, in the first part for their oblivion and the absolute joy of Baskonia, who made this game his own party practically from the warm-up. It happened throughout the game. As soon as it started, Lakovic already had to stop the game against the one that was coming upon his sad team: 5-13. Far from reacting the locals, Henry and Kotsar poured salt into the insular wound, what only Inglis managed to close, who would later retire injured, just a scare, with two baskets for the 9-17 house brand, perhaps a ballroom under the Álava basket, cutting the first one off a partial from 0-8.
The last seconds of this first quarter, which ended with distant triple of the unstoppable Howard, his recital with 21 points at halftime and a glossy 6/8 in triples, were the perfect preview of what would come later, a storm of Baskonia play that flooded any hope of Granca of getting into the game. Thus, as soon as the second period began, Howard himself, Enoch and Sedekerskis made a good run of 0-7, 10-28 already on the scoreboard, a torrent of basketball from the azulgrana, their boys unstoppable for the impassive local players.
In addition, when there was a minimal attempt to react from Gran Canaria, which in the end was not even the shadow of an illusion, Peñarroya requested a time-out of his absolute convenience, since Bassas’ three-pointer that made it 15-28 was just that: a simple basket from a distance. It is not only that Baskonia came out of this short break with a triple by Henry (8 points and 7 assists at halftime), but also, suddenly, the advantage multiplied: 20-45 in less than the blink of an eye. The local host, totally sunk, implored for a rest time to come, which came after another triple from Henry himself. The figures, 20 minutes later, did not lie: 24-53 on the scoreboard, 12-78 in player rating.
With the game fully resolved, what happened after the break was nothing more than a mere formality. For Granca, if anything, you could see something of Slaughter, who had disappeared until then, with five consecutive points for an equally embarrassing 36-59. Baskonia continued to apply their particular roller, and Howard, already 28 points and seven triples, gave his team the maximum income in favor until then: 38-72. He did not write down the North American exterior again, but what does it matter: his exhibition was from a video library.
Despite the fact that the insular formation was completely out of the game, it is not that Baskonia was infected, much less let it go. This being the case, the only incentive consisted of knowing as soon as possible the final difference in the score, as scandalous as it was intuited. While those of Peñarroya took a real shower of glory, Gran Canaria played a game of sin… deadly. In the garbage minutes, which were many more than should be in a professional match, he gave time for the yellow squad players Mutaf and De la Torre to play and for Howard maintained his trance state: two more triples, 9 in total, for 34 points. The abuse was consummated, and in what way.
