El pavilion Martin Carpena from Malaga hosts this afternoon (20.30 h) the fifth and final meeting of the exciting semifinal playoff between Unicaja and UCAM Murcia (2-2). An atypical series in which the court factor has exploded with two away victories for each team (second time in history that the tiebreaker has been reached with four away victories), and which will produce a historic finalist who will face Real Madrid starting Saturday in the fight for the title in the best of five games.
Historic because if he wins Unicaja will be the first team in the history of the League playoffs to come back from 0-2 or 2-0 down with the current 2-2-1 format. Nobody completed such a feat on the way to the title (76-0). The people from Malaga have already done the most difficult thing, equalizing the series with two victories in the Municipal de Murcia cauldron. In a regular tie he would be a clear favoritebut after UCAM having won the first two games in Malaga, they are not so much.
And if it is him UCAM Murcia the winner will dispute his first final and it will be the third team in the history of the ACB to reach the final series for the title after having finished the regular phase without being seeded (outside the top four positions). The others were the San Fernando Box7th in 1996 (lost 3-0) and the TDK Manresa of Luis Casimiro and Chichi Creus, 6th in 1998, who ended up winning the title in the greatest feat seen in the championship. Never has a fifth-ranked team beaten the first in the semifinals (14-0). If UCAM achieves it, it will be the first to reach the final without winning any home match in the semis.
Defense, differential factor
A differentiating factor in this series has been defense, capital in the resolution of the four previous confrontations. The team that makes the most of its intensity at the back will have a much better chance of reaching the final. Is the pillar on which the options of both orbitespecially to the extent that that intensity can reduce the production of offensive strongholds of each other.
In UCAM won the first game in Malaga (79-88) imposing his defense, which barely allowed any loopholes to I’m sorry y Kalinoski (15 points each), and in attack Discount (23) was erected as a Murcian hammer. In it second win (83-101) led the way Kuruc (21), seconded by Discount (16), Morin (15) y Hakanson (14). Between the three of them they dynamited the defense of the Malaga team, entangled in the attack in the Murcian spider web. Díaz (15) y Osetkowski (12) were not enough.
Desperate reaction from Malaga in Murcia
He Unicaja The story was applied, he pressed his defense and got his goal back on track. first win in Murcia (66-74) before a UCAM overcome by the pressure of seeing the final so close. They accredited a poor offensive baggage (12/34 t2 and 8/30 t3) and they lost almost all their options in a disastrous first quarter (9-25). Osetkowski (18), Perry (14) and Sima (13) led the Malaga team.
And in the fourth meetingIbon Navarro’s men once again imposed their defense and offensive success (79-88)con Osetkowski (22), Carter (17 with 5/9 t3), Taylor (14) y Perry (13) drilling the defense of a UCAM that after trailing the entire game had some option at the end, but the effort of Kuruc (26) y Discount (14) was in vain.
Alonso sitecoach of UCAM Murcia, trusts in his team’s options: “It’s a third option we have. We are doing special things in every game. We have many very good things because we are a solid team but there are times when we do not achieve the necessary freshness. “In Malaga we will do something and we will compete from defensive solidity.”.
The team will mentally arrive perfect and knowing that it is a unique opportunity
Furthermore, he is convinced that the last two defeats are not going to diminish the spirit or confidence of his team: “The team is mentally going to arrive perfect and knowing that it is a unique opportunity. I am convinced that we are going to do well there again and then Anything can happen although there is conviction to win“.
Put pressure on Unicaja
The Murcian coach hopes that his team can reach the final moments with options: “It is a reality that UCAM won two games against Valencia and another two against Unicaja at home in these playoffs and we have to put pressure on the rival so that, when the final stretch arrives, it will be more difficult.”
I am convinced that the home court factor is not important in this series although I am happy to return to Carpena
Ibon Navarrotechnician Unicajadoes not believe that the fact of playing in Málaga is a great advantage for his team based on what has been seen in this series: “UCAM won the four games it played as a visitor in these playoffsagainst Valencia and against us, he has already shown that he is capable of winning away from home. I am convinced that the home court factor is not important in this series although I am happy to return to Carpena because we left our pavilion with a very bad feeling.
What is clear at this point and after the first four games is that anything can happen. And this is what he has conveyed to his team to avoid possible overconfidence: “Both teams know what we have to do to win. It is a game and we cannot think that it is already done because we come from two wins in Murcia, it will be very difficult to get to the final.”
