Second game of the quarterfinal series of the ACB League between Joventut and Baskonia. “I think we played with less energy and we know where we failed last Saturday at the Buesa. We have time to correct those mistakes and try to force the third game this coming weekend. They had a great success outside when they are characterized by their good inside game. Joventut has always gotten us into trouble when we have faced them”, assured Joan Penarroya. “I think you don’t have to claim victory because the series ends when you have two wins and we, for now, only have one. They are still favorites because they are a great team and have finished second in the regular phase. Barcelona is the only one that has gotten him into real trouble this year,” he added. Carlos Duran.
Cazoo Baskonia is on the ropes and on the verge of elimination and will visit Joventut this Tuesday with the obligation to win to force the third match of the match, after the verdinegros will snatch a valuable victory at the Buesa Arena in the playoff debut (91-99). Joan Peñarroya’s men play without a net against a team that has already beaten them twice in important duels. Although the Basques beat the Catalans in regular league matches, Carles Durán’s men won the Copa del Rey quarterfinals and the first game of the title qualifiers. Kyle Guy was the great protagonist of the first clash, with 36 points, but he was well escorted by players like Parra or Brodziansky.
The azulgranas already know what it is to win this season at the Badalona Olympic and to repeat their victory and force a tiebreaker they will have to impose their rhythm of play. One of the substantial changes that can occur will be which player rests at Baskonia. Everything points to it being Steven Enoch after it didn’t work to leave Max Heidegger out in the first meeting, since Joan Peñarroya did not find a guaranteed replacement for Darius Thompson. The Basque team had problems when it came to generating play and Peñarroya could not find the formula to correct this deficiency. Win or win, you have no other choice if you want to stay alive in the league and not have to pull the blind earlier than expected.
The Vitoria team is only worth the victory. For this, he will have to change, above all, his staging that took such a toll on him at the start of the game. Thus, they must pay attention to their defense and lower the green and black percentages that catapulted them to 99 points last Saturday, the highest score received this season in a defeat. In the physical section, all the Baskonistas are available, while Pau Ribas is safely out of the Catalan team. Ellenson had bacterial food poisoning and seemed ruled out for the series opener even though he ended up playing and playing as good as it gets.