Baskonia wins in Manresa and achieves its fourth consecutive victory in the Endesa League

A heart-stopping finale and the stellar performance of Luwawu-Cabarrot and Forrest seal the visitor's victory

Kosner Baskonia extended its positive streak in the Endesa League by beating Baxi Manresa 88-83 at the Nou Congost, adding its fourth consecutive victory. The Vitorian team remains firm at the top of the table, while Manresa is trapped in the bottom zone after having suffered its fourth consecutive defeat.

The duel was decided in the last minutes, with a final partial of 2-11 that tipped the balance. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, with 27 points, and Trent Forrest, with 20, led a solid and determined Baskonia, which now shares second place with Valencia Basket, which faces Río Breogán.

For Baxi Manresa, the defeat is a new blow to their already complicated situation. Despite a promising start, the local team failed to maintain the intensity and remains in the relegation risk zone, with only three victories ahead of the last placed team.

From the initial jump, the locals tried to set the pace. Reyes and Brooks led a 14-6 start in the first four minutes, seeking to calm a restless crowd and put pressure on Baskonia, which was slow to get into the game.

The visiting coach, Álex Galbiati, moved the bench and brought in Diakite and Luwawu-Cabarrot to break the rival defense. Although the success was not there in the early stages (6/13 in field goals), Manresa managed to close the first quarter with a slight advantage of 25-21.

The second quarter became a difficult period, with many fouls and errors in attack. The teams quickly reached the bonus and the scoring dropped, sustained almost exclusively from free throws. Baskonia achieved its first lead of the match with a 31-32 after 16 minutes, while Manresa was barely able to react, showing difficulties especially from the three-point line (0/6 in the second quarter).

At half-time, the score reflected a tight 41-44 for the visitors, who managed to stay ahead despite offensive difficulties. The second half showed a more lethal Baskonia, punishing the home team's mistakes and extending their lead to 46-54 after 25 minutes, largely thanks to defense and precision from the free throw line.

Manresa reacted in the third quarter with a triple from Ubal and a spectacular dunk from Duke Jr., who was making his debut with the team. This 13-4 run allowed the match to be tied at 65 points, returning the excitement to the last ten minutes of the match.

In the final minutes, the tension was maximum. The score remained level thanks to the efforts of Luwawu-Cabarrot and Forrest for Baskonia, and Reyes and Akobundu for Manresa. With 81-81 with one minute left, Forrest achieved a 2+1 that put the visitors ahead, and finally, Luwawu-Cabarrot sealed the victory from the free throw with the final 83-88.

The Baxi Manresa: Brooks (13), Ubal (9), Reyes (16), Knudsen (2), Akobundu (9), Duke Jr (11), Bassas (15), Oriola (8). Other players: Steinbergs, Paulicap, Naspler and Bergseng.

The Kosner Baskonia: Villar (3), Forrest (20), Radzevicius, Omuroyi (14), Edwards (1), Diakite (9), Simmons (7), Luwawu-Cabarrot (27), Spagnolo (2), Frisch (3), Hrabar and Joksimovic (2).

Referees: Antonio Conde, Alberto Sánchez and Esperanza Mendoza. Technical fouls against Oriola (min. 14), Ocampo (min. 29) and Luwawu-Cabarrot (min. 27). Eliminated Eli Brooks (Baxi Manresa).

Incidents: Match corresponding to the twenty-fifth day of the Endesa League played at the Nou Congost pavilion in Manresa (Barcelona).

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Who was the figure of the party? Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot with 27 points and Trent Forrest with 20 were decisive.
How did the victory affect Baskonia in the standings? It stands with 18 wins and 7 losses, tied with the second place.
What situation is Baxi Manresa going through? They continue at the bottom of the table with four consecutive defeats.
Were there any notable injuries? Simmons suffered a sprained ankle, affecting the pace of the visiting game.
Which partial defined the match? A final 2-11 that tipped the balance in favor of Baskonia.
Who debuted with Manresa? Duke Jr., who provided intensity and a memorable dunk.
How was the first part of the game? Manresa had an initial advantage, but Baskonia managed to reverse it before the break.
What role did the coaches play? Galbiati was right with the changes in Baskonia, while Ocampo was unable to stop the visitors' comeback.
What differences were there in field goals? Baskonia was more precise in the second half, while Manresa suffered from the perimeter.
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