It was time to win. And so it was, including a comeback (55-70). L’Spar Girona doubled to one Bebibre which put against the ropes in the team of Bernard Canute which, with a precarious rotation, was conditioned by the lack of Ceci Muhate i Marianna Tolo from the first quarter and had to sweat hard after the break to take the win.
The Leonese, in full struggle to get a place in the play-offsthey reached the half dominating the score (32-26) thanks to the success ofAna Maria Palma, as well as mastery of offensive rebounding. The team from Girona rallied in the second half and rose from the underworld with a last quarter (10 to 24) that decided the match. with Marianna Tolo sent off for fouls just beginning this final period, part of the scoring credit went to the American pair formed by the recovered Sykes (who played 30 minutes) i Gardner (32 min.). Both added 38 providential points to seal the victory that keeps Uni in second place with two games left to close the regular season.
Despite the victory, Bernat Canut’s team’s lack of wardrobe funds is a concern for this final stretch of the season. without Murphy – who traveled even though he did not play a single minute because he is still with a broken finger – the team is still with only seven players from the first team. Proof of the need for rotations is that the two players in the squad, Iberian Sea i Bertha Ribas, played 13 and 6 minutes, respectively. With Ornella Bankolé’s suspension confirmed for the rest of the season, the club is waiting for approval from the Spanish Federation to incorporate a foreign player for the final stretch.
In addition, Zaragoza’s victory in the Copa de la Reina it has complicated the qualification for the Euroleague of Girona next year. Obtaining the coveted ticket would mean winning the league or, should the Aragonese team do it, reaching the final. The options to play the preliminary phase, since the sanction to the Russian teams increased a Spanish place in the competition, also require setting foot in the aforementioned league final.
Final stretch
There are two league games left before the play-offs. This Saturday (6 p.m.) Fontajau will host Ceci Muhate’s duel against his former team, the already relegated Leganés. The last match will be played in the hometown of Bernat Canut against a Cadí la Seu (15/04) that has six consecutive victories and is playing for fifth place with Lointek Gernika.
The victory in Bembibre – with a misleading result and including suffering – allows the Girona team to resolve a complicated exit and recover dynamics and feelings after the beating of being eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Copa de la Reina. Despite this, and with the doubt of whether Sykes will have to leave with the Washington Mystics in full dispute of the play-offsthe team faces an uphill final stretch.