Final Phase Liga ACB The favorite before the revelation in the ACB semifinal (5:00 p.m.)
En the history of sport, from time to time, feats arise in which A player or a modest team reaches unexpected milestones. Growing from their manifest inferiority, they demolish a priori walls unreachable by their limitations. San Pablo Burgos has already earned the right to be part of that elite by qualifying to play the Endesa League semifinals.
The ACB defined this Final Phase as exceptional, and nothing more singular than a team of the humblest in the League, with just five million budget, has made its way almost by mouth to leave out Real Madrid, current champion, and get into the top four in his third season in the lite. His has been an exercise in competitiveness and admirable faith.
This afternoon he faces Barcelona (17.00, #Vamos), favorite for the title after the Madridistas were eliminated, another gigantic wall that the Burgos are willing to knock down. To illustrate the abyss that separates the two, it is enough to point out that the salary of the Barça star Nikola Mirotic (four million net), is almost equivalent to the budget of the club burgals.
But this humble team full of gladiators without much glamor but very hungry, is not impressed by the numbers. Everyone’s respect has already been earned after signing an exemplary first phase. He beat Zaragoza, Madrid and Andorra and gave up very little against Gran Canaria (91-87) and Valencia (94-90) after wasting 18 points in this match.
Now Burgos faces Barcelona with a challenge as monumental as the illustrious cathedral of their city. Not surprisingly, he is the only rival of the ACB whom he has not managed to defeat even in the three years he has been in the lite. But he was close to doing it in his three duels at the Coliseum burgals (101-103, 80-85 and 80-82 this same season).
The azulgranas are on notice and distrust the alleged inferiority of their rival. “For Burgos, it was not a surprise,” confesses his coach, Svetislav Pesic. “It is a very complete team, with a lot of talent and experience and that has everything a team needs to compete against all the ACB teams”, he assures.
Nor is it surprising to Mirotic, who has already seen how Burgos has grown in this Final Phase: “They arrive at a good time, with a lot of confidence and making history. I don’t think they have pressure, the pressure will be on our side”, he assures. He is not without reason, because after losing the Super Cup and the Cup, only the League remains.
The azulgranas won without great fanfare to Joventut, Unicaja, Baskonia and Bilbao, and fell on the last day against Iberostar, but with nothing at stake and reserving strength. Its potential is undeniable and it was not necessary to force the machine to qualify with solvency. For template and quality, it is the favorite to conquer the title, but prefers not to have that label. Especially after seeing how Burgos knocked down Madrid.
Burgos coach Joan Pearroya exhibits his team’s pride: “We know the potential that Bara has in all positions. Many teams have more rotation and more wardrobe, but we will try to supplement it with what has led us to this point, which is to play basketball well”, he assures. “Bara is a super favorite, but I do not agree that we have nothing to lose,” he said.
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