Infarction match with extra time, but ICL Manresa puts the 1-0 in the final (83-76)

83 ICL Manresa | Costa 2, Lundberg 14, Allen 3, Martín 14, Trias 20; Hamilton 5, Jou, Sakho 8, Garcia, Muñoz 9, Mazaira, Gintvainis 8.

76 Melilla Baloncesto | Rodríguez 14, Djuran 5, Almazán 3, Samb 12, Guerra 5; Kapelan 23, Durán 7, Servera, Lucas 4, Fall 3.

Partials: 12-17, 25-16; 14-17, 19-20, 13-6

ICL Manresa and Nou Congost have subscribed to the suffering, and it took an extension to win a match that seemed almost lost 2 minutes from the end. The faith of the Nou Congost led the team to victory, in a match with stellar Trias (20 points and 32 efficiency) helped by the constancy of the whole team and the 14 points of Martin and Lundberg.

We had to row a lot to get this first victory of the final play-off. ICL Manresa was not successful, especially since 6.75. Although the first basket was in charge of Costa, the visitors began leading the scoreboard, first with baskets in the paint (6-9) and then with the success from the 3 point line. In the first quarter total drought of three-pointers, and 12-17 on the scoreboard. Manresa lived on faults and counterattacks like Lundberg's.

In the second period, after a good alley-hoop completed by Muñoz, came the first three-pointer, converted by Hamilton and very celebrated. Then Allen was the one who countered the crushed counterattack assisted by Costa, and also the counterattack converted a 2 plus 2 Lundberg, with Sakho's offensive rebound. The Nou Congost boiled, and the home team arrived with 4 rental points at rest.

Melilla would be placed just one point after the third period, which began with good success and distancing from ICL Manresa, and continued with some margin distance, after the three-pointers of Lundberg and Muñoz (49-41). But the streak of Kapelan, impressive in the three-pointers, approached and put the visitors ahead, before Sakho closed the third quarter, 51-50.

The ICL Manresa had to survive the continuity of the Melilla trip streak, which was put up to 8 points ahead. But Gintvainis with a three-pointers put Manresa at 3 points, and later a three-pointer by Nacho put the team at 1 point. Muñoz put the Reds ahead 50 "from the end, and Martin failed to put 3 points ahead of the free throws. A basket of Trias tied, and the visitors did not transform the last play.

In the extension, ICL Manresa came out determined to defend and score, and the rivals made a physical decline, demoralized by the score. Noah and Trias scored, and Gintvainis responded to a three-pointer of the visitors to put 4 points back. Iffe scored the counterattack and the North Africans were asking for a minute, and the game was closed from free throws, but with much suffering.

Diego Ocampo said in the press conference after the game that «we are very happy, especially for the result, the game was very complicated by the level at which Melilla is playing; not only because of the success, but the way of playing, the movement of the ball and the way of defending, which is very intelligent; we have started abusing triple; it is vital that we know that they play well, accept that they make baskets of talent, but it was constant» .