Baskonia returns to the final of the Copa del Rey 17 years later thanks to a very close victory against a Barcelona that missed a fully-fledged Kevin Punter and only scored nine points in the last quarter. In a gray match, in a tie in which everything seemed to be little, a currela decided the clash, the Guinean center Mamadi Diakité, who grew in the last minutes and blocked Toko Shenglia’s shot with which he intended to postpone for five more minutes who was going to be Real Madrid’s rival in the final. After two years of absence from the competition, the Vitoria team, a classic, returns to center stage.
Barça came out relatively free. His quintet ran in quick transitions and entered with ease towards an unguarded Baskonia hoop. Nico Laprovittola put rhythm into his team’s game. Paolo Galbiati’s team, a rookie who is experiencing the King’s Cup with the enthusiasm of a fan, saw its rival take off, elevated to a 12-point advantage (19-7) in a few minutes. The Italian coach needed to rebuild his team and Mamadi Diakité, who grew in the paint, and Try Forrest, who pulled the group together to show that the Vitoria team has returned to the Cup to fight for it, were decisive in that task (26-27).
At this point, Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot, TLC, the class arrived from Cannes, city of artists, began his routine of every game: contributing points. taking him off the bench and this time allowing Baskonia to reach the break against a Barça team (37-38) that was losing its aim.
There are few duels more classic than this Barça-Baskonia one. They have met twelve times in the Copa del Rey, an event that has brought them many days of celebration. After a first half with a dominant streak for each side, Real Madrid’s rival had to be decided in the remaining 20 minutes. The passion of the Cup that always rises in temperature with every passing minute.
The intensity did not increase, however, in the third quarter. Both teams had problems imposing their game plan. Barcelona abused the bounce and the ball barely ran from hand to hand. Baskonia was penalized for its low percentages in outside shots. There wasn’t too much shine and almost as if to get in tune, Kevin Punter took off his silver boots from the first half for dark ones. It was a night more of fighting than talent. Failures occurred in both rings. A downturn after the spectacle of the first semi-final.
Equality remained unchanged and the party, too anarchic, too chaotic, seemed to degenerate more and more. Laprovittola understood that some order, more judgment, was needed to not leave everything to the last moment and, taking advantage of the fact that Baskonia continued to hit balls, he gained a little momentum at the end of the third quarter (58-53).
The night inevitably led to an end in which, yes or yes, the geniuses had to emerge to tip the balance. But the stars defected this time. They did not appear. At least not like other days. Diakité, a triple and a block followed in the final stretch, two punches on the table, began to spread his wings. The first one who wanted the final above all else appeared.
It was time for the winners. Kevin Punter, the hero of the quarterfinals against UCAM Murcia, the man who did not know if he would recover before the Cup, was stiff and Barça entrusted themselves to the reliable Toko Shengelia, who penetrated and when he shot to force extra time he found Diakité, the man who defended Baskonia’s victory and who was the one who shone the most when the props collapsed.
