Euroleague day 16
Like home, nowhere. Baskonia demonstrates this practically every time he plays in front of his fans. Whatever is left away from Vitoria, he tries to get back when he plays at the Buesa Arena, regardless of the rival that is in front of him. Today, they have sometimes overtaken Spanoulis’ AS Monaco, one of the highest scoring teams in the competition, averaging 90 points per game. Today it remains at 73. The defensive work of Paolo Galbiati’s team borders on perfection, leaving the Monegasques with poor shooting percentages (28.5% at two points and 21% at three points).
Baskonia clung to a much improved version of Trent Forrest, who, little by little and after overcoming his injury, is starting to resemble the player who shone at the start of the competition. The American finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists for a ranking of +27. Forrest was well supported by Luwawu-Cabarrot, who scored 19 points, some of them at key moments. Marcus Howard, on the other hand, had moments of genius, with a series of three-pointers that lit up the Buesa Arena, but he ended up being sent off with five points with eight minutes remaining. At AS Monaco, only Mike James, who finished with 21 points, was saved from the fire.
A year without a Euroleague victory
The victory against AS Monaco is an example of a survival exercise. Once again, Baskonia is experiencing an irregular season, with constant changes in the squad (Samanic and Diallo left and Simons, Nowell, Radzevicius and Omoruyi arrived). And, as a result, the team’s play suffers, to the point that it is capable of achieving prestigious victories like the one won today against AS Mónaco or the one won in ACB against Real Madrid at the Buesa Arena, with a comeback included, but notable failures like the one against the worst team in the Euroleague like Lyon-Villeurbanne. The France team has only won four matches, including one, in fact, against Baskonia. It was far from home, where Galbiati’s performance left much to be desired, as evidenced by his disastrous 0-7 record in Europe (to which must be added a very poor 1-4 in ACB). But not only that. The whole gasteiztarra It’s been a year without winning away in the top international club competition.
You would have to go back in time to see the last victory in Europe away from Buesa. It was December 17, 2024, in Belgrade against Maccabi. Those then coached by Dusko Ivanovic won 85-95 with a brilliant Marcus Howard with 28 points, helped in the scoring phase by Chima Moneke with another 17 points. That being said and while waiting for the away performance to improve, Galbiati’s men are trying to keep the Buesa Arena so as not to spoil a season already played for three months.
Against Monaco, they did this. They took a 16-point lead (54-38) at the start of the third quarter, a distance which was reduced in a flash to reach two points (54-52) three and a half minutes from the end of the same quarter, a true reflection of Baskonia’s season. The public feared the worst, but the team ultimately won another prestigious victory under the protection of its supporters. It will now be time to do so away from Buesa and the set of rivals waiting around the corner (Barcelona and Valencia in the Euroleague, Friday and Tuesday, with Unicaja in the ACB in between, Sunday) do not invite optimism either.
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