With this victory, García de Vitoria’s team consolidates its position in the upper reaches of the standings, although the other direct contenders have yet to play their games this round. However, given the advantage it gained in this clash with Girona, it will be very difficult for the team to drop out of the top eight unless Bilbao Basket secure a big win in Badalona.
Guillem Vives led the team with 21 points and 26 valuation credits. Photo: ACB Photo/Esther Casas
The team’s collective play was reflected in the fact that as many as four players (Bell-Haynes, Birutis, Vives and Jaworski) reached 20 valuation credits. But the standout figure was the red-and-white captain, who was the game’s leading scorer with 21 points and handed out seven assists to become the face of Casademont Zaragoza’s renewed optimism this season.
THE GAME
With Caleb Homesley out injured and Matija Lukic in the United States exploring his options for the future in the NCAA, García de Vitoria could not count on either player for the clash with the Girona side. However, he welcomed back Trae Bell-Haynes, with the Canadian starting alongside Justin Jaworski, Miguel González, Roberts Blumbergs and Gabriel Olaseni.
The offensive burden was clear from the outset because of Homesley’s absence, and the American embraced the role, starting strongly with six points in the opening minutes. Girona’s high tempo was noticeable, but the red-and-white side controlled that pace with longer possessions in an effort to impose its style on the game, winning the opening quarter 23-21. Free throws were the Achilles’ heel in the period, however, with several misses from the 4.60-meter line (9 of 13), preventing the lead from growing further.
The game remained closely contested, with Casademont Zaragoza’s lead staying below five points. One of Moncho Fernández’s offensive pillars, McClung, had already picked up his third personal foul, providing an opportunity to exploit his absence as the American would not return to the court until the third quarter. As the minutes passed, the Aragonese side’s three-point shooting began to shine, and threes from Blumbergs, Guillem Vives and Bell-Haynes gave the red-and-white team its biggest lead of the game at nine points. A final 11-5 run preserved that advantage for the Aragonese side, which led 48-40 at halftime. García de Vitoria’s team had delivered a very serious performance to that point and, with a 10-man rotation, needed to manage the pace to avoid overexertion and pursue its fourth win of the season.
SECOND HALF
García de Vitoria’s players came out of the locker room firing, and their half-court offense was perfect for creating open shots. They put together an 11-6 run to take a 13-point lead with more than six minutes remaining in the third quarter. The red-and-white side was putting together a very composed performance as it looked to beat Girona and close out the game as quickly as possible.
Guillem Vives took control of the game and the Aragonese side’s offensive production, opening up an 18-point lead. At 78-60, the margin meant that, barring a historic comeback by Girona, the game was virtually over for the red-and-white team with 10 minutes still to play.
The game was practically settled, but García de Vitoria’s players wanted to keep extending their lead, particularly through drives to the basket and by taking advantage of free throws. Vives, however, was in a state of grace and showed no sign of slowing down. He was clearly enjoying himself on the court, and that spirit spread to his teammates as the lead reached 29 points in an idyllic game for the Aragonese side.
GAME DETAILS
Casademont Zaragoza (107): Trae Bell-Haynes (13), Justin Jaworski (17), Miguel González (7), Roberts Blumbergs (12) and Gabriel Olaseni (4) -starting five- Juan García (-), Nico Brussino (11), Jaime Fernández (2), Laurynas Birutis (15), Guillem Vives (21), Sergi García (3) and Carlos Alías (2).
FIATC Girona (78): Pluta (4), Mac McClung (16), Sergi Martínez (5), N'Guessan (11) and Geben (2) -starting five- Kunc (1), Glas (3), Stenionis (-), Whittaker (11), Brunot (-), Jassel Pérez (19) and Maric (6).
Officials: Fernando Calatrava, Joaquín García and Rubén Sánchez Mohedas.
Quarter scores: 23-21/25-19/30-20/29-18.
Attendance: ACB Matchday 6 game played at the Príncipe Felipe Pavilion in Zaragoza.
