Unicaja pulled off a remarkable comeback to defeat Baxi Manresa 105-97, thanks to a thrilling performance in the final quarter. The team, still reeling from their recent Cup hangover, found themselves trailing by as much as 15 points at one stage, but the electric atmosphere at the Carpena and some crucial three-pointers turned the tide in their favor. Perry and Kam Taylor were instrumental in the win, with Taylor finishing the game with an impressive 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists.
The game began with a frenetic pace, as both teams exchanged baskets in a high-scoring opening quarter. Baxi Manresa took an early lead, thanks to a blistering start from Alston, who scored 6 points in the opening minutes. Unicaja struggled to keep up, but a late surge led by Sump reduced the deficit to 20-27 by the end of the quarter. The visitors’ success from the perimeter had extended their lead, but Unicaja was determined to stay in the game.
In the second quarter, a three-pointer from Kam Taylor sparked Unicaja’s comeback, with Kalinoski and Perry also chipping in to put their team ahead 28-27. However, Baxi Manresa quickly regained control, with Alston continuing to be a thorn in Unicaja’s side. Despite the home team’s best efforts, the visitors took a 49-56 lead into the halftime break. Unicaja’s attempts to cut the distance were met with resistance from the Manresanos, who remained firm in their attack.
After the restart, Unicaja came out with renewed intensity and managed to close the gap to just two points. The triple became the weapon of choice for both teams, with Baxi Manresa holding a slender advantage. However, Unicaja refused to give up, and after successes from Djedovic and Taylor, they were just two points behind. Steinbergs stretched the visitors’ advantage, but Kalinoski’s key three-pointer closed the third quarter with the score at 74-78.
The final quarter was a nail-biter, with Unicaja eventually emerging victorious. A 2+1 from EJIM ignited the crowd, leaving the score at 77-78. Dani Pérez added to the tally from the free throw line, but another 2+1 from Taylor balanced things out at 80-80. Alston continued to punish the Unicaja defense, but Kravish responded with a triple that sent the fans into raptures and put Unicaja in front. From there, Kalinoski and Tyson Pérez took over, promoting their team to a 91-86 lead. The final contributions from Kravish, Perry, and Pérez sealed the win, with the final score reading 105-97 in favor of Unicaja.
Statistics
Unicaja’s starting lineup consisted of Perry, Djedovic, Barreiro, Tillie, and Balceowski, with EJIM, Kalinoski, Tyson Pérez, Taylor, Sima, Kravish, and Carter coming off the bench. Baxi Manresa’s starting five were Pérez, Hunt, Alston Jr, Traore, and MSSA, with Vescovi, Reyes, Steinbergs, Sagnia, Saint-Supery, Obasohan, and Cate providing support from the bench. The referees for the game were Rafael Serrano, Francisco Araña, and Andrés Fernández, who ejected Baxi Manresa’s Bodian Massa for fouls.
