Laguna Tenerife could not beat the Italian Trapani Shark, but the defeat, by only three points (80-83), allows them to lead Group D of the FIBA Champions League and thus access the Top 16.
It was not one of the best games for the Txus Vidorreta team. He lacked defensive intensity, a lack of success and, in addition, he lost too many balls in attack that allowed the rival to grow and always be ahead on the scoreboard.
Good start for La Laguna Tenerife, which won an initial 8-0 partial thanks to its exterior success. However, the reaction of the Trapani Shark was immediate. The Italian team, with vertical attacks, hit back with a run of 0-12 and got fully into the game.
Jaime Fernández's entry was important to break the home team's scoring drought (14-14, min.7). Despite the opportunities to score,
La Laguna Tenerife's lack of success was punished by the visiting player Notae, who with two consecutive triples put Trapani Shark ahead at the end of the first quarter (20-22).
The match was not comfortable for the Tenerife people. The zone that the visiting coach created was causing problems for the local attack, not only did it make it difficult to get inside balls, but Tenerife lost too many balls.
Tenerife's attacking ball losses were taken advantage of by the Italian team to achieve a partial 2-13 and establish the maximum difference so far. A three-pointer by Cappelleti raised the lead to 12 points (27-39), forcing a new stoppage requested by Vidorreta, a timeout that at least prevented the lead from increasing.
After the break, Tenerife came out more prepared in defense and Doornekamp appeared in attack, with two triples he equalized the score after a long time (47-50), but Vidorreta's team lacked a little more defensive intensity to win the match.
Trapani Shark never allowed their rival to take control of the match. He showed speed and success against a Tenerife team that, in tow, did not find the possibility of turning the game around.
In the final moments the only thing left was not to lose by more than five points and thus be able to finish this first phase as the leader. Bruno Fitipaldo, with 78-83, held on until the end and a basket made it 80-83 that gave that prize to the locals, despite the defeat.
Technical sheet
80 – La Laguna Tenerife (20+19+17+24). Fitipaldo (12), Van Beck (-), Scrubb (4), Doornekamp (12), Guerra (4) –initial-, Giedriatis (9), Shermadini (13), Fernández (16), Abromaitis (10) and Bordón (-).
83 – Trapani Shark (22++24+21+16): Ford (14), Cappelletti (5), Hurt (12), Rosseto (-), Ebaou (11) –inicial-, Notae (24), Arcidiacono (3), Sanogo (12), Pugliatti (2)
Referees: Salins (LAT), Anaya (PAN) and Marques (POR). They pointed out two techniques to Txus Vidorreta for which he was disqualified (min.29).
Incidences: Match played at the Santiago Martín Sports Pavilion, in front of about two thousand spectators.
