“`html
CB starlabs Morón Advances to Spanish Cup Quarterfinals, Defeats Melilla Ciudad del Deporte
Melilla Ciudad del Deporte’s run in the Spanish Cup came to an end Tuesday evening, falling to CB Starlabs Morón by a score of 92-85 in a hard-fought round of 16 tie.The defeat marks a turbulent period for Melilla, who announced the dismissal of head coach Frederic Castelló on the very day of the match.
The game, which began at 8:00 p.m. at the Alameda Pavilion, saw Raúl Silva, previously the second coach, step in to lead the team amidst the coaching change. Despite a strong start, with Melilla taking an early 3-10 lead, Morón rallied, leveraging their outside game to close the first quarter with a narrow 21-22 advantage.
The second quarter witnessed a back-and-forth exchange of points until Morón intensified their defensive pressure. This shift in strategy forced a timeout from the Melilla bench with the score at 34-29 and four and a half minutes remaining until halftime. Capitalizing on the momentum, Morón closed the first half with a commanding 46-37 lead, fueled by a 25-15 run.
Melilla demonstrated resilience after the break, quickly turning the game around to 48-49 within the first three minutes of the third quarter, thanks to a 2-12 partial score. However, Morón responded with consecutive three-pointers, pushing their lead to 59-53 and prompting another timeout from Melilla’s coach, Garita. The home team continued to build on their advantage, embarking on a 12-0 run spearheaded by the Marín brothers and Jiménez, extending the score to 71-53 with 1:45 left in the third. The quarter concluded with Morón leading 75-61.
The final quarter saw a renewed effort from the North African team, narrowing the gap to 77-69 with a swift 0-5 score, which prompted a timeout from Morón. A subsequent 4-0 run by the home team restored their cushion to 81-69, leading to another timeout for Garitaonandia. While Melilla attempted a comeback, cutting the deficit to 81-75, a timely three-pointer from Morón stifled their efforts. Despite two additional triples keeping their hopes alive,Morón ultimately closed out the game,securing a 92-85 victory after a 17-24 final quarter. This win propels them to the quarterfinals of the Spanish Cup.
Key Player Statistics:
- CB Starlabs Morón: Zionon Williams (8), Javi Marín (12), José Alberto jiménez (14), Gonzalo Fernandez (6), Álvaro Herrera (7), Alo Marín (15), Chabi yo (7), Antonio Burgos (7), Ále Burgos (10).
- Melilla City of Sports: jeffrey Godspower (15), Darel Poirier (2), Stefan Peno (3), Mustapha Heron (20), Pablo Córdoba (4), Pavlo Krutous (6), Ludgy Debaut (5), Roberts Stumbris (12), Javi García (12), Morgan Stilma (6). Christian Díaz also played.
Alo Marín of CB Starlabs Morón was named the game’s MVP, delivering a standout performance with 15 points, 2 defensive rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 recoveries, resulting in a personal rating of 27. A photo gallery from the match can be found at @antoniomartinpt.
Statements from Melilla coach mikel Garitaonandia following the game are expected to be released shortly. Detailed match statistics are also available for review.
Worth a look
