After a season in which mistakes nearly ended in tragedy, the Aragonese club carried out a profound overhaul this summer. Only four players remain from last campaign (Trae Bell-Haynes, Jaime Fernández, Miguel González and Gabriel Olaseni), while as many as eight new faces arrived at the Príncipe Felipe. Guillem Vives, Sergi García, Caleb Homesley, Justin Jaworski, Nico Brussino, Roberts Blumbergs, Laurynas Birutis and Jilson Bango, who is still recovering, have completely changed the profile of a roster that appears much more complete and better equipped to approach its 17th consecutive season in the top tier of Spanish basketball with confidence.
As a result, the preseason has given the impression that García de Vitoria's team has several ways to do damage in attack and players capable of taking responsibility in the decisive moments, with defensive mistakes and occasional lapses remaining its main areas for improvement. But if this Casademont side has recovered anything, it is hunger. Uncompromising competitiveness has returned to a team that has displayed an energy and grit so closely tied to the character of basketball in Zaragoza, helping the Aragonese club begin to rebuild its bond with the Red Tide—one of its main objectives for the new season.
García de Vitoria's team have rediscovered their hunger and competitiveness. Photo: Casademont Zaragoza
EVERYONE IS PLAYING THEIR PART
As for the key names, the precise and intense Jaworski has emerged as one of the team's main offensive weapons, while in the paint, Birutis steadily improved before showing what he can do in the final friendly against Murcia. Even so, he is surrounded by players with different profiles, including Gabriel Olaseni's toughness, Nico Brussino's experience, Guillem Vives' veteran presence, Caleb Homesley's energy and Roberts Blumbergs' perimeter talent, in a rotation that appears to offer more alternatives than it did a year ago. The idea emerging from this new Casademont side is therefore clear: every player can find his place and contribute to the collective effort.
That sense of a well-rounded roster has been one of the constants of the preparations. For example, in the latest game against UCAM Murcia, all 12 available players contributed at different stages, and the team was able to grow from an energetic, dynamic defense before going on to win comfortably. Similar traits could also be seen in the other friendlies, in which the club recorded two narrow defeats against Valencia (88-81) and French side Pau Orthez (76-80), as well as two wins over Lleida (102-106) and, precisely, their first opponent of the season: La Laguna Tenerife (86-84).
Even so, Casademont have not yet turned their positive impressions into official results, and the first real test arrives this week. The preseason guarantees nothing, but it has shown that the team has the arguments, depth and different pieces needed to reach new heights. It all begins this Sunday, when Casademont travel to the island of Tenerife to begin the real action.
