By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The crowded race for the semifinals in Group B of the Spanish League Final Tournament has been decided after San Pablo Burgos grabbed an 88-86 come-from-behind win against MoraBanc Andorra and Valencia Basket sealed it with a convincing 97-81 win over Herbalife Gran Canaria.
The semifinal matchups will be Barcelona vs. Burgos and Valencia vs. Baskonia with the games scheduled for Sunday (June 28) at 17:00 and 20:00 CET respectively while the Final will be played on June 30 at 20:00 CET.
Burgos was trailing most of the game against Andorra, by as much as 16 points (53-37) in front of the halftime break but the squad didn’t let go until the end. And they managed to pull it off by winning the last quarter 26-14 with Vitor Benite being the man to ‘push them over the hump’.
If Valencia beats Gran Canaria, this is the shot that sends @SanPabloBurgos to the semispic.twitter.com/aLQU8WcSsq
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) June 26, 2020
Benite finished the game with 23 points while Dragan Apic followed with 19 (on 8-10 shooting) and Thad McFadden with 13 points.
For Andorra, David Jelinek scored 19 in addition to Dejan Todorovic, Tyson Perez, and Frantz Massenat’s 12 points each.
Next up was Valencia and a lot was riding on the outcome of its clash against Gran Canaria. However, Jaume Ponsarnau’s squad delivered in a convincing fashion.
They were up by double-digits already midway through the first quarter and although Gran Canaria showed some comeback effort, Valencia ‘extinguished its flames’ completely in the third quarter by taking a 26-point lead (77-51).
Jordan Loyd was on fire nailing 5-6 threes on his way to 26 points while Mike Tobey added 18 and Quino Colom 13 points. Tobey also grabbed 11 rebounds for a double-double.
On the other side, Demonte Harper scored 15 in addition to Beqa Burjanadze’s 11 points.
These outcomes also heavily influenced Real Madrid which has been in ‘limbo’, depending on others’ results. And they were out of luck this time around.
Neither result went their way and the ‘Whites’ will find themselves out of the Spanish League semifinals for the first time since 2008. Granted, the format was heavily changed due to the coronavirus hiatus.
Real Madrid and Zaragoza closed the Spanish League Final Tournament group phase with Madrid getting the win.
Group B standings
1. Valencia 4-1
2. Burgos 3-2
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3. Real Madrid 3-2
4. Andorra 2-3
5. Gran Canaria 2-3
6. Zaragoza 1-5
Group A standings
1. Barcelona 4-1
2. Baskonia 3-2
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3. Uniicaja 3-2
4. Tenerife 2-3
5. Joventut 2-3
6. Bilbao 1-4