Unicaja easily got rid of a Fuenlabrada that was not enough for Pinder’s sensational game (21 points, 12 rebounds and a PIR of 30) to stop his unstoppable fall into the void. Ibon Navarro’s team did not need an extraordinary waste of energy to subdue an opponent with many losses and little faith. Outstanding performance, once again, by the newly renewed Perry (20 points and a PIR of 21.
It is difficult to explain why a team like the Fuenlabrada adds 18 consecutive defeats. It seems like a sequence from another time in basketball of yesteryear that equals that of Náutico de Tenerife in 1981-82 in a League with 14 teams. In just five minutes, Unicaja took a 14-minute lead (19-5) with such ease that it suddenly relaxed and allowed Fuenlabreños with better will than efficiency and seven lost balls. Ibon’s men, playing in bursts, closed the first quarter with 24-14.
The history of the duel maintains the aforementioned parameters. It costs Fuenlabrada the same life to score. Those of Ibon do not finish breaking as expected due to a horrible sequence of 1/7 in free throws. Even so, 35-20 (min. 14). Moment when it reappears Djedovic after recovering from the injury suffered during the Cup semifinal against Real Madrid.
At 16 ‘the difference stretches to 22 points based on Perry’s cannon shots (44-22). The purple-greens play walking and running just enough to avoid burning oxygen, which allows another slight reaction from their opponent with Prince Ali leading the way for a 4-17 run (48-39 min 18). Ibon asks for time to wake up his boys from their impromptu nap. He reaches the break with 52-42 after a great triple of Kromah.
With 60-46 Will Thomas, after two minutes lying on the track, has to retire because of a blow. Fuenla refuses to let go with Kromah and Pinder scoring what they can and leaving them. Little more. Tyson Carter puts his batteries and with Ejim hanging from the hoop the 22 advantage returns (71.49 min. 26 ‘). A difference that grows up to 25 (78-53 min. 29) with a feeling that the people from Malaga are not using themselves to the fullest.
Lacking the excitement of a tight score and a rival with options, the fans enjoyed some great moments from the electric Perry with triples, dizzying drives to the basket or assists for a mate in alley oop from Sima or stellar moments from Brizuela or Tyson Carter. To all this, 92-65 with five minutes to go.
It can be said that the game was resolved from minute 2 with the score 6-4. The people of Madrid tried to avoid a catastrophic marker. 26 losses are too many to compete face to face with the Cup champion. Fuenlabrada, which has not won since November 5, sinks to the bottom of the table and is getting closer to consummating the painful return to LEB Oro. For its part, Unicaja is increasingly positioned for the playoff for the title.
SUMMARY
75-Carplus Fuenlabrada (14, 28, 13 and 17): Ngouama (5), Prince Ali (6), Eyenga (7), Pinder (21), Kromah (12) -starting five – Marc Garcia (9), Lewis (2), Novak (4), Horton (5) , Samar (2) and Okouo (2).
referees: Antonio Conde, Vicente Bultó and Sergio Manuel
incidents: Martin Carpena. 9,039 viewers. A minute of silence was observed in memory of Francisco de Paula Molina, president of Unicaja between 2006 and 2010, who died last Friday.