The red-and-black team found its main offensive leaders in Justin Jaworski and Laurynas Birutis. The American shooting guard once again demonstrated his scoring ability and kept Casademont in the game during an evenly matched first half, while the Lithuanian center delivered his best minutes of the preseason after the break to lead Zaragoza's step forward. The rest of the roster also contributed, showing an increasingly collective performance.
After a much more balanced first half, Casademont stepped up after the break, increasing its defensive intensity and finding greater fluidity on offense. That improvement allowed the Aragonese team to build a considerable lead over a UCAM Murcia side that gradually ran out of steam. It all ended with a victory that reinforces the positive feelings surrounding the new project just before the start of the top tier of Spanish basketball.
THE GAME
With Jilson Bango making his first appearance in his second spell in the Aragonese capital, the entire roster and coaching staff of the red-and-black club were presented on the court at a Felipe arena whose stands were gradually filling with color and warmth. With the aim of making the best possible first impression in front of the Red Tide, García de Vitoria opted to start with a lineup featuring Trae Bell-Haynes, Justin Jaworski, Miguel González, Robert Blumbergs and Gabriel Olaseni.
After the opening tip, the game began at a vibrant pace, with barely any stoppages and both teams looking to bring speed and rhythm to their attacks. For the red-and-black side, a fast and accurate Jaworski, who had already shown throughout the preseason how much scoring ability he possesses, became Casademont's first threat. The American shooting guard scored seven of the team's first 11 points, while the red-and-black side made several defensive lapses that Murcia took advantage of. With Birutis also enjoying a strong spell in the paint, the first quarter ended with the score close at 22-20.
Casademont secured the victory after stepping up in the second half. Photo: UCAM Murcia
When play resumed, the offensive production of both Casademont and Murcia stalled, and in almost five minutes of play the teams managed just around three baskets each. During that stretch, Sito Alonso's team edged slightly ahead on the scoreboard as the red-and-black club lost its way on offense. Even so, Casademont raised its level when Jaworski returned to the court, and he reached 16 points with free throws and a well-placed three-pointer, allowing García de Vitoria's team to take a one-point lead into halftime (41-40).
A STEP FORWARD
After the halftime break, Birutis, who was turning in his best preseason performance, took over from Jaworski and led Casademont. The Lithuanian center contributed at both ends of the court and scored six points in just a few moments, joining Brussino to help produce an initial 10-4 run against an inaccurate Murcia team that had worsened on the court and was also trying players in new positions. Casademont therefore found its rhythm on offense with Homesley's arrival and, above all, tightened up defensively to take a significant lead in the game (63-54).
In the final quarter, the physical factor, which had already emerged in the third, influenced a game in which Casademont's players were faster and more active than a Murcia side unable to break down the red-and-black defense. García de Vitoria's team opened the final 10 minutes with a 12-5 run, with every player contributing and the roster enjoying itself on the court. In the end, Casademont made a spectacular debut in front of its fans in a game in which it had taken a step forward in the second half to secure a convincing victory (87-74).
