BAXI Manresa visits Venice to add another point in the EuroCup
The Italians have the same record as the Catalans, who are looking to get back to winning ways away from home after three consecutive defeats in the continental competition. Diego Ocampo could give Pierre Oriola his debut.
BAXI Manresa travels to northern Italy this Tuesday to face Umana Reyer Venice. They are tied for first place in a very competitive group. The game will be played this Wednesday at 8:00 PM. Diego Ocampo will have to cut two players from his 14-man roster, including their latest signing, Pierre Oriola.
BAXI Manresa is stuck in a rut: the EuroCup's first group currently has five teams tied with three wins and four losses. This tie will be broken this Wednesday in Venice, and Diego Ocampo's men will do everything possible to even the score. The team also wants to bounce back by securing another victory in European competition, following a thrilling game and a hard-fought win in the Liga Endesa against Lleida.
Meanwhile, the Italians, coached by Neven Spahija, are tied in the standings but have won two of their last three EuroCup games. Center Chris Horton leads the team in efficiency rating (9.1 points and 8 rebounds per game). But the Venetians also have scoring options in RJ Cole and Kyle Wiltjer (over 11 points per game). The perimeter players' scoring will be key to the game.
Assistant coach Carlos Flores analyzed the opponent before traveling to Venice: «We’re playing against a team with very physical players who are decisive in one-on-one situations and playmaking; on the perimeter they have three standout players like Cole, Bowman, and Valentine: we’ll need to be careful defending the pick and roll and one-on-one to stop them; but they also generate offense through their power forward, Wiltjer, who has a gifted shooting touch and plays pick-and-pop situations; the key to the game, as in many in this competition, will be that our physical level is equal to or better than our opponent’s.»