The hungry Gran Canaria devours Bilbao Basket

In Gran Canaria not for the party. With the Island experiencing its days of fullness, good weather accompanying one of the best carnivals in the world, its basketball team recovered after the Copa del Rey crash, and in what way. Thus, Jaka Lakovic’s boys devoured a timid Bilbao Basket this afternoon, who surrendered very soon. The insular formation becomes strong in some positions of playoff which, for the moment, are too big for his rival today.

Granca’s fury broke out in the second part. Those from Ponsarnau managed to get to 47-41, at which point the basketball fury of a team broke out, the yellow team, which seemed to be imploring the mercy of their fans, so mistreated by their team in the last Copa del Rey.

Very soon Gran Canaria began to bite, like that of Brussino, from the corner, for that early 9-2 start. Bilbao Basket seemed stunned, as if it were having a carnival hangover, the masquerade party that floods the island these days. Thus, between the 3+1 that Shurna took from Rosa and the triple in the career of Slaughter after assistance from the American interior itself, the score was already 18-5. Granca felt comfortable, playing that open field that he likes so much, pure Lakovic stamp.

Smith’s 21-7 was the break of a 10-0 run in favor of the local host, although Brussino responded immediately afterwards with his second triple. Hakanson led a 0-7 lead that seemed to give his team air, but almost nothing had changed at the end of the first 10 minutes of the game: 29-16.

The Bilbao reaction was made to wait, which was arriving little by little. It seemed that the push from Sulejmanovic and Alonso was enough, whose two free throws got their team back into the game: 33-25. It seemed that the exchange of blows reached too much basket for the Ponsarnau group, but at least it allowed them to reach 45-37 at halftime with the feeling that there was a long game left.

It’s not like there was that much left. Perhaps, the obligatory 20 minutes that come after the break. It is true that Bilbao Basket came within six points after a basket by Hakanson, 47-41, but it was no more than a mere mirage. Between Shurna and Slaughter’s third triple the distance stretched to 54-43. Granca continued to percussion, and a couple of triples from the always active Bassas began to blow up the game: 67-52.

In fact, there was no story in the fourth quarter. At least, none different from the one that wanted to tell and star in a launched Gran Canaria, purging previous sins such as the Copa del Rey, where a new defeat against Lenovo Tenerife was so frustrating. Not even begging the forgiveness of his fans, Lakovic’s team ended up overwhelming an important Bilbao. Salvó quickly put the first +20, 81-61, against a rival who definitely gave up, turned into a real punching bag, unable to find answers to the multiple problems that his rival posed.

Not even pride, if there was any on their part, prevented Ponsarnau’s team from taking a good beating against the hungry Gran Canaria, who solidified their playoff spot with their fifth victory in the last six games.