Unicaja 2025/2026 took its first steps this Sunday in Melilla. IBON Navarro's team, with three casualties and four quarry by leaking a hand, exceeded 59-77 at its premiere in the preseason to Melilla Basketballteam that will play the first FEB, former Leb Gold League.
Webb III, Sulejmanovic… and Castida
In addition to the victory, which always is cool that there was nothing at stake, The most news of these first 40 minutes of the preparation was to see James Webb III, Emir Sulejmanovic and Xavier Castañeda for the first time dressed as a green boxwhich was the great surprise of the party since it was not expected to participate in the clash.
Sulejmanovic He started. He is a player who is going to help a lot in the rebound and will also be a threat from the outer shot. Eye that his signing has passed on tiptoe and looks like it is a success.
Webb III It was from more to less. He is a very versatile player, who can go to the forward's post and also play as a powerful wing that opens to threaten. It looks like giving a lot of balance and energy to the quintets of Ibon Navarro, depending on what the coach wants on each occasion.
Castañeda He played, which means that his coach did not say the whole truth when he ruled it to dispute the Eurobasket for an alleged injury. If you are to play with Unicaja, you could also do it with Bosnia. Regardless of that, that we are not interested in, the combo that comes to make Tyson Carter forgotten more desire than success, but you cannot ask for this heights much more and coming from many months without playing.
Now only Chris Duarte is missing, which will take something more to see it in action.
Without conclusions
It is not day to draw many conclusions. Rather, none. If the result had been negative, either. You just have to remember that this same game, now a year ago, was lost against Benfica in Portugal and then four titles arrived in the best season in the history of the club. So…
A Unicaja with many probaturaswith several players alternate two positions in the parquet and with continuous rotations to avoid a lot of minutes and also to take care of the physicist at a key moment of preparation for what is to come in the coming months.
First time
With IBON Navarro protected with a mask, because of the Covid, Unicaja marked distances from the same initial jump. They were not important differences, but the team showed its obvious superiority. The first 10 minutes closed with 13-18 and 11 players having debuted in the game.
Unicaja continued to distribute minutes in the second quarter. All the songs played, mixed with the professionals in something more similar to training with referees and marker than to anything else. The score at rest was 33-41. Good feelings with +8 for this time dressed in Lima, the third equipment.
Second time
He lowered the rhythm and success at the start of the third quarter. Tiredness began to affect each other and Start of the second half was quite locked. Unicaja wanted to run, but he lacked legs. The match maintained the script of the first 20 minutes and the score in the third quarter ended with 51-59.
Unicaja clenched the accelerator and left 14, 51-65. It was a good start of the greens in the last quarter, which served to end any surprise option from the premises. There was not much more history until the final horn, with 59-77.
The Costa del Sol trophy, next appointment
After this first test, the team will return to Malaga to follow the preseason work and prepare the double duel next weekend at the Costa del Sol trophy. On Friday, the greens will be measured to Berlin Alba German, in Vélez-Málaga; While Sunday, the rival will be the Real Madridthis time at the MartÃn Carpena Sports Palace.
