The children’s cup party, the Minicopa, came to a close after five very intense days of competition with a great atmosphere at the Palau Olímpic, where the older ones were going to play an unprecedented duel for the title just four hours later. In the final for the boys, from 12 to 14 years old, we saw a magnificent performance from the start of Barcelona, who played like a great team with very good collective mechanisms, but with the minutes It was yielding to Madrid (84-74), before the push of the colossus Mahamadou Landoure, a 13-year-old center from Mali and 2.11 meterswho broke all records with his enormous physical power and good work: 82 rating! after grouping 56 points (21 of 29 from two with 9 kills and 14 of 24 from personal), 33 rebounds (17 offensive), 5 blocks, 14 fouls received and only 3 turnovers in 35:12 on the court. absolute MVP. The final also left us with a massive influx of public, the best entry ever for this tournament in its 19 editions with more than three quarters of entry, 8,630 followers as a great finishing touch in Badalona.
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The Catalans, coached by Oriol Barrera, were more creative and quick to start, with a very high shooting success for the category (6 of 9 in triples and 13 of 18 in free throws at halftime) and many hands adding in attack, although with wear and tear they lost effectiveness (1 of 11 in the second half) and Oriol Filba remained as a benchmark with half the score then (he finished with 21). Hugo Tamayo (16) and Diego Ferreras (14) also had a very good match.
The whites, led by David Sánchez Frontón, turned their game over and over again on Landoure, a special player with rapid development, but who, in addition to imposing his physical potential (against the athletic Josué Oku, 1.97 and a great instinct for the rebound, and Emir Karabulut, a lighter 2.08) knows how to play very well. He is patient to receive and finish, he sees the actions and once he anchors the pivot foot he manages phenomenally, even against two or three rivals, without making steps, something always difficult for its size. Seeing a 13-year-old boy hang from a hoop as he impresses and he did it up to nine times. Last year, by the way, he participated with Barça in the tournament and officially measured 2.08, three centimeters less than him. His 82 valuation is the Minicopa record since there are records, which is not since 2004.
Luka Doncic, for example, made 33 credits in the 2013 final in Vitoria, also against Barça, after accumulating 25 points and 16 rebounds, and finished the tournament with an average rating of 38.5.. Landoure was a hammer in every quarter due to his overwhelming dominance inside: 11 points in the first act, 13 in the second, 14 in the third and 18 in the last, the final firecracker. Madrid rallied from 16 points (15-31 at minute 12) and took the second half 48-29. Aaron Patrick Ona, Adrián Arredondo and the final entry of Manel Baptiste They helped to consummate the turnaround on the scoreboard.
The Minicopa, which began in 2004 with Ricky Rubio as a great claim, has already become a classic event, where up to 114 players (Luka Doncic, Usman Garuba, Domantas Sabonis, Alberto Díaz, Jaime Fernández…) have debuted in the ACB after going through the tournament, even the now on everyone’s lips Victor Wembanyama was here in 2018 with the culé team. Also the NBA Santi Aldama with Gran Canaria.