Gernika has recorded so many stabs in the back this season that just by competing and giving a good image in the Copa de la Reina, which takes place in Valencia until Sunday, they could be satisfied. Better not even remember the year it has been, which ranges from a thousand postponements to a ‘robbery’ in Turkey with false COVID positives in between. The squad is furious and has gone to La Fonteta wanting to scare away evil fate. Let them tell Ariztimuño, a player with a lot of charisma in Maloste injured for this appointment and one more fan of the team, from near the bench. In a low-scoring game, the prevailing trend so far in this final phase, he has managed to manage the wide advantage he has achieved in the third quarter, when he has escaped with a 0-9 towards 48-53. But a great reaction from Cadí has led them to come close to coming back. The score looked 51-53 and Bjorklund missed a pitch that carried the air to end the debate. He grabbed the rebound for Moore and a dubious foul was called on Pujol when he had stolen the ball from him with five seconds to go. The great star of this crossover quarterfinals made the two free throws and put an end to doubts.
The crossing was not an ode to basketball, but it did have that final emotion. In theory it was the most open pairing and for almost three quarters it was out of that scheme. Because there was only one team. Gernika started the tournament with the image of a very solid block, with Buch leading as he pleased. The purples, with a blue shirt recalling their origins now that they celebrate 25 in history, are facing their fifth participation in the Copa de la Reina and that is a point in their favour, although the Catalan team, third in the league with six Placed above the Biscayans, they have three and in these last two they have come as seeded. In the league they beat Lointek. Mario López set out to wear down Etxarri, an offensive threat from Lleida, and he did it with a spectacular Roundtree. The Navarrese despaired. In exchange, Moore was queen of La Fonteta.
If everything started with a lot of heart, the match stalled later and in that scenario the audacity of Raventós and Pujol gave the Catalan team a small push, but as soon as it was in trouble, Gernika went back to look for and find the inspired Moore , unstoppable under the hoops: 8 points at 14-17 in the first quarter, and 16 at 22-27 at halftime.
The high pace led Canut’s team to accumulate losses that ruined almost the entire match. Gernika played with four small players that changed in the blocks and impeded the fluidity of the rival. This was very erratic in the outside shot, he did not make the first triple until the 29th minute of the game. Etxarri and Pivec, their best offensive arguments, couldn’t find their way to the basket and the match seemed decided. But in reality they were looking for a couple of positive actions that would get them out of lethargy. And they succeeded, desperately, though possibly too late. Gernika had it in hand to bring down the top seed and did not let it escape. Now Perfumerías awaits them in the semifinals, who also won their quarterfinal match by four, against IDK. Big words.