Crossroads of sensitivities at the Buesa Arena. Pedro Martínez was the coach of the Vitoria club and Peñarroya is a legend in Manresa. Baskonia was fighting for leadership alone in the week before the match with Olympiacos while the Catalans knew that Betis had won their game and that the pressures were increasing. They are still alive in Europe but they may lose their place in the Endesa League.
Harding started very inspired, with 10 points in minute 5. At halftime he would arrive with 18. The Baskonia quintet was unit B (8-12, min. 3) but midway through the first quarter Peñarroya brought Marinkovic, Costello onto the court and Thompson. Consequence, tie at 17 and end of the first period with 4 points up. The people from Vitoria dominated the rebound in general and, in particular, the offensive.
At 32-26 in the 12th minute it seemed that the locals were facing the game towards victory but Harding continued to strike and after the 36-26 of the 15th it went to 43-42 at the end of the second installment. Those from Buesa went on to win by 11 points but the Catalans overcame the commitment with enough inspiration to attack. The two teams went to the locker room with a 53-46, quite equal.
The third quarter began with a balanced 14-14. Dani Pérez had good minutes in scoring but the locals won that delivery again. In fact, they prevailed in all rooms. During those ten minutes, there was an unsportsmanlike attack on Heidegger, another on Marinkovic and a technique on Peñarroya. Costello was quite inspired in that period and the Baskonia left 82-71.
But the people of Buesa have fun because they are used to having their team exceed one hundred. It is also true that he concedes too many points but, in the exchange of blows, he almost always wins. Point 100, with a triple, was achieved by Heidegger, who will have to pay for pizzas for all his teammates. The Baskonia Costume Law. He held out for a long time with four fouls and vindicated himself after not having a leading role in the Euroleague.
