Unicaja emerged victorious from the mess they got into at the Barris Nord after winning by a very tight 88-89 against a combative Hiopos Lleida. Ibon Navarro's team is getting used to suffering more than necessary away from Martín Carpena. After dominating the game by 15 points, the Malaga team had to resist the great local reaction in the second half to seal a victory of enormous value. Olek Balcerowski was the most decisive player in the match and his duel with former boxer Melvin Ejim will be one of the highlights of the day in the Endesa League.
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The match started with high intensity on the part of the Ilerdenses with a small run of 7-2, but Kalinoski responded with four points in a row to put Unicaja in the game. Diagne responded immediately and Kalinoski himself, with five consecutive points again, tied the score at 11. After several minutes without scoring, a triple from Tillie gave the visitors the lead for the first time, although a two plus one from Krutwig returned control to the locals. Two triples by Sulejmanovic and Djedovic allowed the first quarter to close with Malaga's slight advantage by one point, (20-21).
Unicaja opens the gap with a triple hit
In the second act, two triples by Webb III and Alberto Díaz, along with a dunk by Balcerowski, opened the gap. Only Diagne found the basket regularly for the locals, while Unicaja, with Chase Audige already making his debut, continued to expand distances at a high pace of play. Perry and Tyson Pérez stretched the lead to 30-43, forcing Lleida to call a timeout. After the break, Barreiro and Perry took the advantage to the plus fifteen (33-48). Andalusian dominance was maintained until the break.
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The local reaction came after the intermission. Ejim opened with a triple, although Duarte responded immediately. Unicaja once again reached a 15-point advantage with two free throws from the Dominican, but a partial by Lérida led by Krutwig and Paulí tightened the duel. Perry supported his team from the perimeter, although Lleida fought back until they were within one point. The final exchange left the score at 66-69 at the end of the third quarter.
Balcerowski keeps the Malaga team
In the last period, Balcerowski held Unicaja in the paint while the Barris Nord pavilion pushed its people. Tyson Pérez and Duarte gave some air, but Hiopos Lleida did not give up and, led by Shurna, came dangerously close again (80-83). A triple from Agada made it 83-85 and the end became an exercise of maximum tension.
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Chris Duarte and Kendrick Perry hit from the free throw line to hold Unicaja in the final seconds, while the locals pressed their options. Shurna's final triple at the buzzer only served to make up the score (88-89). Balcerowski, decisive from start to finish, was the great protagonist of the night and also the focus of the Catalan fans who did not approve of some gesture from the player who even got a fight from Ibon Navarro after a dunk.
