The final of the Minicopa moved to the big field, to the one for the elders, to the Palacio de Deportes, where hours later the Clásico played. Good basketball and a magnificent atmosphere, more than 3,000 people in the stands to enjoy the talent of the kids (13 and 14 years old) and see if Madrid finished the tournament undefeated, as it did (73-66), or Cajasiete Canarias premiered honors The whites won with their guest for this tournament, Puerto Rican Felipe Quiñones, who plays at the Bridgewater School in Florida, as tournament MVP. This time he had 23 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 steals for a PIR of 27.
One of those special kids who from time to time dazzle in the small Cup since everything started in 2004 with Ricky Rubio as the focus of attention. That, of course, is not synonymous with reaching the elite, but Madrid wants Quiñones to join his ranks. With him he recovered the throne lost at the hands of Barça in Malaga 2020, when he had just chained seven titles between 2013, the Doncic exhibition in Vitoria, and 2019. In some of those editions, Juan Núñez and Usman Garuba participated and shone, or Kareem Queley and Kostadinov. In total, 8 trophies, ahead of Barcelona (6) and Joventut (4), the only three winning clubs.
In the whites, in addition to the Puerto Rican (1.91 m), who has a natural gift for approaching the basket on the run (speed, low bounce of the ball, control of the body and steps and a great finish, rectifying the shot if he makes foul), dazzled how Marcos Zurita (1.88), Maximiano Haro (1.84) and Manuel García (1.80) handle the ball, with 15 points, 13 rebounds and 3 assists for 23 credits.
Both teams, group rivals, had met in the premiere (very close 63-62 for the Whites) and the final also moved in a fist. Above all, when Cajasiete Canarias was able to get into the game with a 0-15 run: from 19-6 at the start to 19-21 at the start of the second quarter. Madrid regained control until the end, but the push of Babel Lipasi, a two-meter center who had grabbed 31 rebounds in the semifinal, kept the uncertainty going until the end. And notice what a coincidence, in the final he returned to catch exactly 31 rebounds (15 offensive). What madness. He added 32 points (14 of 25 from two, including two dunks), 4 recoveries and 3 blocks for a PIR of 57 (61 in total for his team). Good technical details of the point guards Pedro Pasqua and Javier Seco.
Third place went to Valencia, who beat Betis 61-70, and fifth place to Barça, who beat Joventut 60-61. In a year, more.