Jean Montero, executioner of Breogán after being from Argentina

The Dominican Jean Montero, executioner of Argentina on the way to the World Cupso was Río Breogán (114-115) in a match with two overtimes in which Real Betis won after not giving up even with 11 down with four minutes left in the last quarter or with the injury of those who at those heights of the game was their top scorer, BJ Johnson, not even six behind in the second extra period. Montero finished the game with 28 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists and a PIR of 29, numbers that ended up tipping the balance towards the Betic side at the Pazo dos Deportes in Lugo. With a dunk from Happ and an assist from Nakic the game started.

Wrists were hot on both teams. BJ Johnson, with a 2+1, opened the scoring for Betis and after six minutes, after the third triple by the Andalusians (100% accurate at that time), the work of Bertans, Mrsic stopped the match for the first time (15- 16). The Croatian coach did not like the defense of his team, but on the return to the track he followed the same trend in the final stretch of the first quarter, which ended with a draw (22-22), good percentages in both teams, the mole of losses (five at home, six at visitors) and only two fouls on each side. Johnson, who gave the Béticos a boost, started the second act with a triple, although the Sevillians greatly lowered their performance on those shots, while Breogán raised the level in defense, which allowed him to open an eight-point gap (39- 31, m.16) with a basket of three from Momirov.

A foul by Happ and a technique to Mrsic, which Cvetkovic made profitable with three points, compressed (44-40, m.19) the score, in which the Lugo, with Nenadic toned (13 points and 5 rebounds) reached five up to the rest (47-42). Going through the locker room did not cool the players. The third quarter was opened by Tyson Pérez with a basket of two and the Lugo team responded. With a three-pointer from Nakic and five points from Bamforth they established the nine-point difference (55-46, m.23), which was stretched a little further with another shot of 6.75 from the Croatian (62-51, m.24). In the first delicate moment, Pérez and Johnson kept Betis alive in the game and they were joined by the ex-breoganista Gerun. With a triple by Montero and a 2-13 run, the Andalusians took the lead (65-66, m.29). The tables (69-69) were established in the electronic before entering the last quarter with everything to be decided.

Sergi García, after defending Spain in the FIBA ​​windows, stole two balls at the beginning of that period, in which two three-pointers from Breogán made the tie, but they did not prevent the people from Lugo from recovering their pulse thanks to Happ and Hollatz (77- 70, m.33). The Andalusian team suffered a blackout, with only a free throw and a basket from Montero in the first three minutes of the decisive quarter. Breogán regained the maximum advantage (87-76) with just over four minutes to go, when Luis Casimiro tried to get his team into the game. During that period, the match became even more complicated with the elimination of Pasecniks and Johnson’s muscle injury. Back against the ropes, Betis got up with a triple by Eulis Báez, in his reappearance, and another by Bertans (89-84) with two minutes to go. Mrsic stopped the match, but it didn’t help. Montero stole a ball, scored a basket and put the Béticos within one (89-88, m.39) with a 10-0 run that Sergi García cut off with a three-pointer (92-88). Gerun and Montero equalized the match (92-92) at 27 seconds.

Nakic had the victory with a triple that did not enter and the game went to extra time. Pozas started that extra time with a basket from three that Sergi García and Bamforth (98-95, m.42) answered in the same way. The tables returned with a 2+1 from Gerun, Nakic placed a triple and Montero replied (101-101, m.43). Next, Pozas committed a foul on Sergi García, who was whistled for an unsportsmanlike offense in the same action for a slap from the Betic. The light blue missed both of his shots, the Verdiblanco converted one and his team wasted possession. García returned to the line and only scored one (102-102) at 33 seconds, a time in which nobody was right and in which Bamforth called for a free kick from Bertans that the referees did not see. Two baskets from Nenadic and one from Nakic seemed to tip the balance (108-102, m.47), but Casimiro stopped the game and Betis re-emerged. Sergi García missed a clear dunk, Bertans equalized with a triple and Montero completed the comeback (109-111, m.49), which he ended up sealing although Bamforth left the Lugo team one (114-115).